The huge ballroom was filled with costumed men and women. Colored lanterns had been strung overhead and dozens of huge potted plants had been placed strategically about to create the effect of an indoor garden.

Sophy grimaced behind her own mask as she recognized Anne's voice. "No, of course he did not beat me and as you can see I have not been imprisoned. But he did not understand any of it, Anne."

"Not even why you did it?"

"Least of all that."

Anne nodded soberly. "I was afraid he would not. I fear Harriett is quite right when she says men do not even allow women to claim the same sense of honor they possess."

"Where is Jane?"

"She's here." Anne glanced around the crowded ballroom. "Wearing a dark blue satin domino. She's terribly afraid you will shun her forever after what she did this morning."

"Of course I will not shun her. I know she only did what she felt was best. It was all a complete disaster from the beginning."

A figure in a blue domino had materialized at Sophy's elbow. "Thank you, Sophy," Jane said humbly. "It's true that I did what I thought was best."

"You need not refine upon your point, Jane," Anne said brusquely.

Jane ignored her. "Sophy, I am so sorry but I simply could not allow you to risk getting killed over such a matter. Will you ever forgive me for my interference this morning?"

"It is over and done, Jane. Pray forget about it. As it happens, Ravenwood would undoubtedly have interrupted the duel even without your assistance. He saw me leaving the house this morning."

"He saw you? Good heavens. What must he have thought when he watched you get into the carriage?" Anne asked, sounding stricken.

Sophy shrugged. "He assumed I was running off with another man."

"That explains the look in his eyes when he opened the door to me," Jane whispered. "I knew then why he is so frequently called a devil."

"Oh, dear God," Anne said bleakly. "He must have assumed you were behaving like his first wife. Some say he killed her because of her infidelities."

"Nonsense," Sophy said. She had never completely believed that tale; never wanted to believe it, but just for a moment she did wonder to what lengths Julian might be driven if he were goaded too far. He had certainly been furious with her that morning. Anne was right, Sophy thought with a small chill. For a while there in the library, there had been a devil looking out of those green eyes.

"If you ask me, you had two close calls today," Jane said. "You not only barely missed getting hurt in a duel, but you probably came within an inch of your life when Ravenwood saw you get into the carriage."

"You may rest assured I have learned a lesson. From now on I intend to be exactly the sort of wife my husband expects. I will not interfere in his life and in return I will expect him not to interfere in mine."

Anne bit her lip thoughtfully. "I am not so certain it will work that way, Sophy."

"I will make certain it works that way," Sophy vowed. "I do have one more favor to ask you, though, Anne. Can you see to the delivery of another letter to Charlotte Featherstone?"

"Sophy, please," Jane said uneasily, "leave it alone. You've done enough in that direction."

"Do not worry, Jane. This will be the end of it. Can you do it for me, Anne?"

Anne nodded. "I can do it. What are you going to say in the letter? Wait, let me guess. You're going to send her the two hundred pounds, aren't you?"

"That is exactly what I am going to do. Julian owes it to her."

"This is beyond belief," Jane muttered.

"You may stop fretting, Jane. As I said, it is all over. I have more important matters to concern me. What is more, they are matters I should have been concerned with all along. I do not know why I let myself become distracted by marriage."

Jane's eyes gleamed with momentary amusement behind her mask. "I am sure marriage is very distracting in the beginning, Sophy. Do not chide yourself."

"Well, she's learned it's useless to try to alter the pattern of a man's behavior," Anne observed. "Having made the mistake of getting married in the first place, the best one can do is ignore one's husband as much as possible and concentrate on more interesting matters."

"You are an expert on marriage?" Jane asked.

"I have learned a lot watching Sophy. Now tell us what these more important matters are, Sophy."

Sophy hesitated, wondering how much to tell her friends about the black ring she was wearing. Before she could make up her mind a tall figure dressed in a black, hooded cape and a black mask glided up to her and bowed deeply from the waist. It was impossible to see the color of his eyes in the lantern light.

"I would like to request the honor of this dance, Lady Gypsy."

Sophy looked into shadowed eyes and felt suddenly cold. Instinctively she started to refuse and then she remembered the ring. She had to begin her search somewhere and there was no telling who might give her the clues she needed. She sketched a curtsy. "Thank you, kind sir. I would be pleased to dance with you."

The man in the black cape and mask led her out onto the floor without a word. She realized he was wearing black gloves and she did not like the feel of being close to him when he took her into his arms. He danced with perfect grace and decorum but Sophy felt vaguely menaced.

"Do you tell fortunes, Lady Gypsy?" the man asked in a low, rough voice tinged with cold amusement.

"Occasionally."

"So do I. Occasionally."

That startled her. "Do you, sir? What sort of fortune do you predict for me?"

His black gloved fingers moved over the black ring on her hand. "A most interesting fortune, my lady. Most interesting, indeed. But, then, that is only to be expected from a bold young woman who would dare to wear this ring in public."

TWELVE

Sophy froze. She would have tripped over her own feet if her partner had not tightened his grip quite painfully for an instant. "You are familiar with this ring, sir?" she asked, striving to keep her voice light.

"Yes."

"How strange. I did not know it was a common thing."

"It is most uncommon, madam. Only a few would recognize it."

"I see."

"May I ask how it came into your possession?" the hooded man asked quietly.

She had her story ready. "It is a keepsake given to me by a friend of mine before she died."

"Your friend should have warned you that the ring is very dangerous. You would be well advised to remove it and never wear it again." There was a slight pause before the stranger concluded softly, "Unless you are a very adventurous sort of female."

Sophy's heart was pounding now but she managed a seemingly careless smile beneath her half-mask. "I cannot imagine why you should be so alarmed at the sight of this ring. What is there about it that makes you think it is dangerous?"

"I am not free to tell you why it is dangerous, my lady. The wearer must discover that for herself. But I feel it my duty to warn you that it is not for the faint of heart."

"I think you tease me, sir. But truthfully I cannot believe the ring is anything more than a rather unusual piece of jewelry. In any event, I am not fainthearted."

"Then perhaps you will find a most unusual type of excitement with the ring."

Sophy shivered but kept her smile in place. At that moment she was extremely grateful to be wearing a disguise. "I am quite certain, sir, that you are deliberately taunting me because of the costume I chose to wear this evening. Do you enjoy sending chills down the spine of the poor fortune-teller whose job it is to send chills down the spines of others?"

"Do I send chills down your spine, madam?"

"A few."

"Are you enjoying them?"

"Not particularly."

"Perhaps you will learn to find pleasure in them. A certain type of female does eventually, after a bit of practice."

"Is that my fortune?" she asked, aware that her palms were growing as damp as they had that very morning when she had confronted Charlotte Featherstone.

"I do not believe I want to spoil the joy of anticipation for you by giving you a peek at your future. It will be far more interesting to let you discover the nature of your fortune in due course. Good evening, Lady Gypsy. I am certain we will meet again." The man in the black cape released her abruptly, bowed low over her ringed hand and then vanished into the crowd.

Sophy watched anxiously as he disappeared, wondering if she might be able to follow him through the throng. Perhaps she could catch him without his mask outside. Many people were leaving the ballroom in order to cool off in Lady Musgrove's lovely gardens.

Sophy picked up her skirts and started forward. She got all of ten feet before she felt a man's hand clamp firmly around her arm. Startled, she whirled around to find herself looking up at another tall man dressed very much as her previous partner had been in a black cape.and mask. The only difference was that the hood of this main's cape was thrown back to reveal his midnight dark hair. He gave her a slight bow.

"Pardon me, but I seek the services of one such as yourself, Madam Gypsy. Will you be so gracious as to dance with me while you tell me my fortune? I have been somewhat unlucky at love lately and I would like to know if my luck is going to change."

Sophy glanced down at the large hand on her arm and recognized it immediately. Julian had roughened his voice and pitched it even lower than usual but she would know him anywhere. The familiar sense of awareness she always experienced when he was in the vicinity had grown stronger during the time she had been living with him.