“Aw, true, but I’m not a lady. Apparently ladies do not go into the swamp and they fold their hands in their laps, wear skirts and cross their legs at the ankles properly.”

“Does Charisse have to do all that?”

“Of course. She is always oper.” Saria shoved the wet strands of hair from her face and leaned against Drake tiredly. “Don’t worry, I won’t leave you alone with her. Neither will Miss Pauline. We’re all used to gettin’ told how improper we are.”

“Not in front of me,” Drake said.

She smiled at him. This time the smile reached her eyes. “It’s just her way, Drake. I did grow up wild. She never lied about anything. I did skip school when I couldn’t take it anymore. Mon pere was a drunk—that was true as well. I don’t cross my ankles and I never wear dresses. And that’s all right with Miss Pauline and it’s always been all right with me. Charisse is my friend. She doesn’t seem to mind either.”

“Neither do I. Do you have any idea how much a dress would have gotten in the way last night?” he asked.

She flung her arms around his neck and pressed her body tight against him. “You’re insane, but you’re my kind of man.”

“I’d better be. You really got us through last night, Saria. I had no idea just how treacherous the land could be.”

“I know you didn’t,” she agreed, sounding a little smug.

Her face was hidden so he couldn’t see her expression but a small shudder went through her body. It could have gone bad in a heartbeat.

“I’m sorry I put you in such a terrible position, Saria. It was thoughtless of me.”

“At least we found out the Tregres are involved. This may have nothing to do with opium or the Merciers,” Saria said.

“When Elijah and Jeremiah followed the boat, they recovered several soaps with a small ball of opium in the center. The soaps were Mercier soaps, Saria,” Drake said.

Her head snapped up. She stepped away from him and turned off the shower, yanking at a towel. “Just when had you planned on tellin’ me that?”

She was angry. For one moment her eyes had blazed fire at him. He felt the quick jerk of his cock in reaction. She turned away, toweling the moisture from her body, but he could feel the heat from her body, and the rise of aggression in his body in direct proportion to the passion in hers. She made him feel so alive. He wanted to kiss her, but Saria Boudreaux was close to being fully leopard and she was every bit as dangerous as a female cat enticing a male. Her claws and teeth could be lethal.