Daniel’s panic eased enough then to allow him to move and he promptly whirled away from the door and started across the room toward the nearest window. Fortunately, he wasn’t in complete darkness. The thin line of light coming from the door as well as the starlight coming through the open drapes of the window allowed him to make out and avoid furniture. Arriving at the window, he wasted no time in opening it, and promptly tossed George out. He felt a twinge of guilt as he heard the solid thud of the man’s body hitting the ground below, but only a twinge, he was too busy trying to follow him out to experience much more than that. Daniel had managed to settle on the ledge and lift one leg out the window when the room was suddenly awash with light.

Glancing around with a start, he stared at Suzette who had stopped in the open door, one hand clutching the candle stick with its lit taper. Her mouth was agape with amazement.

“Daniel,” she breathed.

“Er . . . yes . . . I . . . er . . . should explain . . .” Unfortunately, no explanations were coming to mind, so instead, he turned to glance down at George’s body on the ground a story below and grimaced. The man was sprawled face down in the grass, his head and legs sticking out at odd angles and the blanket now covering his derriere and arms only.

The sound of the door closing caught his ear and he glanced back to the room to see that Suzette had closed it. She had also set down her candle on a table by the door and was now rushing toward him. Daniel immediately drew his leg back into the room and sprang to his feet. Eager to keep her from the view below, he raised his hands to stop her from approaching the window, but she bypassed them easily. Not by feinting one way or the other, but by gliding between them and into his arms. The next thing Daniel knew her mouth was on his.

Suzette had obviously learned a thing or two from their earlier kisses, he noted a bit distractedly. She didn’t merely mash her mouth on his as she had the first time, but caressed his mouth with hers as he had done to her earlier. Daniel was so surprised that he simply stood there, his arms automatically closing around her. He had no sooner done that than she pulled back and whispered, “There is no need to explain. You have come to tell me yes.”

“I have?” Daniel asked with surprise.

“Of course,” she laughed, leaning back to allow her hands to move curiously over his chest. “Why else would you come tonight rather than wait for morning?”