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uniform with whom she had once shared an evening primarily consisting of a bottle of rather nice wine. She couldn’t remember the gentleman’s name just at that moment, but she vaguely recalled that he had been a jovial if uninspiring companion. She blew him a kiss and moved further into the room, keeping an eye out for both Rodney and Freddie. Her erstwhile companion’s compliment warmed her; she knew she looked good tonight, she was in a daringly low cut, jade satin dress which she had ornamented with a string of pearls. Pearls scattered through her dark hair continued the theme and seed pearls trimmed her dancing slippers. She had been pleased with her appearance as she stood in front of the cheval mirror before leaving her house, but it was nice to have her opinion confirmed. Although, she had to admit to herself, ever since her first sitting for her portrait she had been buoyed up by a new and unexpected sense of her own desirability. It was Leo’s talent as a painter of course, she told herself, it had nothing to do with her feelings for the man himself. He was appealing, intelligent and easy to talk to, but at present Tara was perfectly happy with her life the way it was and had no wish to change it by forming an attachment to any one man. Leo knew that, their main topic of conversation had been how she could prevent Rodney from proposing. Furthermore a man of such sensibility as Leo would know how unsuitable a match with a painter would be for her, he would never even consider such a thing. He had far too much pride and common sense.
    She had been fashionably late. Framed in the doorway of a card room there stood a tall man, looking in at the occupants. She could only see him from the back but from the set of his shoulders he had a glower on his face. Tara’s treacherous heart leapt at the sight, even after only one meeting she would know that silhouette anywhere - it was Leo.
    She couldn’t help it, her feet led her where they would and in a few seconds Tara found herself on the cusp of the card room into which Leo looked with obvious disdain. He’d been aware of her approach, she could tell by the slow way in which he turned to look at her and for a moment she wondered if he would simply nod and move to let her pass. But as she moved to step into the room he laid his hand on her bare forearm.
    Despite its complete propriety it was the most intimate of touches, gentle as a feather, yet as sure as if he possessed her. She knew that if she pulled away he would not try to restrain her, but she felt powerless to move. She was completely and willingly captured.
    ‘You don’t want to go in there,’ Leo said.
    It broke the spell; Tara was not in the habit of letting men do her thinking for her. ‘Don’t I?’ she said.
    Leo shook his head, a quizzical smile playing across his lips. ‘The stakes are very high, it’s no place for a lady.’
    Tara smiled back through narrowed eyes. ‘I am accustomed to wandering where I please at these gatherings,’ she said. ‘I would not be unwelcome in there.’
    Leo’s grip on her arm tightened almost imperceptibly. ‘Players are staking entire family fortunes in that room,’ he said. ‘Some of those people will be ruined tonight; they won’t be seen in society again. There are men in there headed for debtor’s prison - or worse.’
    Tara gasped. ‘What do you take me for?’ she demanded. ‘I said I wished to go in and that my presence would be unremarkable. I never said I intended to play. I am not such a fool.’ She had struck hard, she could tell by the sudden widening of his eyes and the faltering of his grip on her arm. Angrily she pulled away before she could surrender herself to him again. ‘Now, if you will excuse me, Fosse,’ she said haughtily, more hurt than she knew she had a right to be by his assumption that she was a reckless gambler, ‘I am looking for a friend.’ She pushed past him into the smoky room where groups of players sat intently