And yet she somehow realized it was far more dangerous.

She whirled on her heel. “Then I have a perfect right to be curious. Thanks again for breakfast, Tanner. I’ll see you later.” The next moment she was out of the kitchen and almost running toward the music room. It wasn’t as if she was trying to escape, she thought. She was just going to the music, where she belonged.

She wasn’t trying to escape.

*  *  *

Maria heard the sound of the Rachmaninoff concerto as she left her room five minutes later. She’d expected to hear it much earlier since she’d known that their conversation had upset Lara. It was standard operating procedure for Lara to seek comfort in the one safe harbor that was always there for her. But evidently, she’d been distracted, and Maria realized by whom when she saw Tanner going out the front door as she started down the stairs.

Problems? Well, Maria had done enough direct meddling in Lara’s intimate business for one day. She had only meant to help, but because Lara’s life had been balanced precariously between the brutality of the Trials and whatever protection Maria had been able to offer her, she’d only managed to confuse her. In the end she knew that Lara had to make her own mistakes; she could only stand watch to make certain that they didn’t hurt her too badly. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t position herself to be ready to jump into the fray if that happened.

Her phone was ringing as she reached the bottom of the stairs. It was Mallory, and his tone was not pleased. “I’m on my way. I should be there in a couple of minutes. But I just ran into Tanner and he told me to guard the main house and keep everyone happy. I don’t believe he’d include what you have in mind on his list of acceptable amusements.”

“But you didn’t tell him I’d called you?”

“No, because I thought you’d find another way of doing it. Tanner has enough problems right now.” He chuckled. “And there’s a certain amount of amusement value potential that I need right now. So I called the coach house and ordered another guard to watch over Lara.”

Maria had opened the front door and saw Mallory coming down the path toward her. She cut the connection as she walked toward him. “Amusement value? I got the distinct impression that Rennell wasn’t a man to play games with.”