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happen to be quite comfortably established due to some excellent investments they made several years ago in California real estate. I found out what was happening just in time, broke off the engagement and told my relatives what was going on. It was an extremely unpleasant situation. Unfortunately, there was no way to prove anything. When it was all over, I'm sure Aaron just cut his losses and went on to his next victim. The only satisfaction I got out of it was reporting the whole thing to the authorities. At least they can keep an eye on him now. Maybe if he tries another scheme they'll catch him."
    "Not sufficient revenge for you, though, hmm?"
    She could feel his gaze on her as she turned up the heat under the kettle of water. "No, frankly, it wasn't. I would have liked to have done something a great deal more permanent to Aaron Sanders."
    "Because he tried to defraud your aunt and uncle?"
    "No, because he used me to do it." She wiped her hands on a kitchen towel and collected her frazzled emotions. Damned if she would allow this man to spend the rest of the evening unnerving her. It had been a serious mistake to invite him to dinner.
    But, then, she hadn't exactly invited him, Mercy re-minded herself wryly. Somehow she'd been quietly coerced into doing it.
    Croft's eyes met hers. His gaze was disconcertingly serious. "I understand how you feel. But I think in your case it's better things ended where they did. Once you'd taken the next step in revenge, which would have been violence, there would have been no easy way to modify the end result. It might have consumed you as well as him. Once violence has been initiated, forces are set in motion that can't always be controlled. A new Circle is formed and must be completed."
    She stared at him. "A Circle?"
    He nodded. "A subset within the structure of universal reality that must be completed if it isn't to shatter and cause problems in other areas."
    "What on earth are you talking about?" she demanded. "What is this Circle business?"
    "A concept."
    "Your own?"
    He shrugged. "In the same way that my style in the world of martial arts is my own. We're all responsible for shaping the concepts we use to deal with the world."
    Mercy hesitated, trying to understand. "This concept of a Circle is your personal philosophy, then?"
    "You could call it that."
    "Tell me about it," she insisted. She had forgotten her previous irritation, uncomfortableness and even her sexual awareness of her guest. She had lost all self-consciousness and now just wanted to know everything she could about Croft Falconer.
    He paused, as if searching for simple answers to a complex question. When he looked up again his eyes were gleaming. "It has to do with a way of knowing. A way of understanding. A way of riving. You're right. It's my philosophy of life. I've learned that in order to maintain an equilibrium in my world it is first necessary to keep all the Circles of reality closed."
    "I don't think I understand."
    "It's not necessary that you do. Maybe someday I'll explain it further."
    "But not tonight?"
    "No, not tonight. Just take my word for it. You were wise not to push your desire for revenge into the Circle of violence. You're not trained to handle it."
    She caught her breath at the certainty in his voice. His gaze held a knowing quality that almost frightened her, an expression that said he understood all too well what he was talking about. He had more than a casual knowledge of the potential of physical violence; his was a deep, unequivocal understanding and acceptance of that harsh reality. He had said his field of interest was the philosophy of violence, and Mercy suddenly believed him.
    "Did you know," Croft continued easily, as if she weren't staring at him with an expression that suggested he was really from Mars, "that a strong sexual attraction has something in common with violence?" He got to his feet with a lazy grace and walked toward her. Mercy stood rooted to the spot, unable to move or