Marna when she said there was danger for Clancy and Lisa at the airport doesn't deserve to be listened to.'
'Marna again?' Clancy asked.
Kira nodded. 'Right after you left she realized you were in danger, but she couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was. Only that it would be at the airport.' She waved a scornful hand at Galbraith. 'He wanted explanations!'
'It's a regrettable habit of mine to demand proof, instead of flying off on a whim,' Galbraith said caustically.
'Well, if you'd radioed Clancy's men and had them here to protect them when they landed, instead of coming to see for yourself, I wouldn't have had to act like a stuntwoman.'
'On the prediction of a gypsy soothsayer?' Galbraith asked. 'What kind of professionalism is that?'
Clancy held up his hand. 'John, do you suppose you could drop this fascinating debate on mysticism versus realism and get Baldwin to headquarters? We have some questioning to do.'
Galbraith nodded. 'I radioed for a car as soon as we landed. They should be here any minute.'
Clancy turned to Kira. 'I'm sorry to spoil your arrangements, but we'll have to postpone the wedding until tomorrow. We have to clear up this mess first.'
'That's all right. It will give me time to do it right. Don't worry about Lisa. I'll take her to the palace and get her settled in your quarters for the night.' She tilted her head, considering. 'Maybe I'll call a few shops and have them send out some gowns on approval. It will give her something to do. Amy Irving was wearing the most gorgeous gown at the Academy Awards when she was expecting. It had arich, Renaissance quality, and I think Lisa would look beautiful in something like that for the ceremony.'
Clancy shook his head and turned to Lisa. 'Don't let her run you ragged. Just give her a flat-out no. There are times when she even pays attention to it. Will you be all right without me? I'll join you at the palace as soon as I've wrapped this up. It's important that I find out who the informant at the palace is, or Alex and Sabrina will be in danger. You understand?'
'Of course I understand. I wouldn't have you do anything else.' Lisa smiled. 'Don't worry about me. I'll be fine.' A dark blue car pulled around the corner and stopped beside them; the doors.opened and several men emerged from the car. Galbraith immediately joined them and began issuing orders. 'It seems the cavalry has arrived. Kira and I had better get out of the way and let you do your job.'
'I'll have a man drive you to the palace.' He leaned forward and kissed her lightly. 'If you need me, just tell Alex. He'll know where to get in touch with me.'
She cast a last look at Martin, who was regaining consciousness and sitting up dazedly on the tarmac. How could a man with whom she had shared so much have become such a stranger? Or perhaps he'd really been a stranger all along. They had never been able to reach each other on anything but surface levels. 'Lisa?'
Clancy's eyes were on her face, and there was something in them that reminded her of the rawpain she'd glimpsed when Martin had been taunting him. 'No, it's all right,' she said quickly. She couldn't bear to see that pain on his face. 'You don't understand. It's not true that…' She trailed off. She couldn't explain here, in the midst of all this turmoil. 'I'll see you later at the palace, Clancy.'
Ten
'We haven't tired you, have we?' Kira asked anxiously. 'I warned the others and we tried to be as careful as we could.'
'No, you didn't tire me,' Lisa said with a reassuring smile. 'I enjoyed myself. I was glad I was able to meet everyone today before the wedding and get to know them. It will make me more at ease during the ceremony.'
'I told you there was nothing to be nervous about. Now you've been officially accepted by the family.' Kira looked at her wristwatch. 'It's nearly eleven. I'd better get out of here and let you get some rest or Clancy will skin me.' She wrinkled her nose. 'I suppose I should get some sleep myself. I have to get up early to fly back to the castle and pick up Marna and bring her here for the ceremony. Our departure from the castle this morning was a little too precipitous to board passengers.'
'Thank heavens it was,' Lisa with with a reminiscent shiver. 'I haven't even thanked you, Kira.'
Kira's eyes widened in surprise. 'For what? It was the best time I've had in months.' She turned to the door. 'Good night. Ill be here at ten in the morning to help you dress. That pink brocade gown is going to look fantastic on you.' She paused as she opened the door. 'Clancy called you an hour or so ago, didn't he? Is everything all right? What did he say?'
'Just that Martin had told them what they wanted to know and they were in the process of arresting not only the palace informant, but the terrorists as well. He said he'd be here as soon as he could.'
'Are you sure you wouldn't like me to stay until he comes?' Kira asked. 'Sometimes a strange place isn't very comfortable.'
Lisa shook her head. 'No, you go on to bed. This suite doesn't feel strange to me. I feel very much at home. You said I would, remember?' She smiled. 'I think I'll just walk in the garden for a while and wait for Clancy. I'm too restless to go to bed.'
'I can see why, after the day you've had. Well, if you change your mind, dial seven zero on the house phone. That will connect you with my suite and I'll come running. See you in the morning.' The door closed behind her.
Lisa turned away and wandered over to the French doors across the room. Clancy had sounded both grim and harried on the phone. Perhaps she should wait until tomorrow to speak to him.
No! She had waited too long already. How long had Clancy been feeling that pain he had revealed today? She never wanted to see that particular expression on his face again as long as she lived. There had been too many misunderstandings, too much giving on Clancy's part, too much taking on hers. It was time to blow away all the inequalities of the past and make way for a new beginning.
She opened the French doors and stood looking out into the garden. The warm breeze touched her face and she was suddenly surrounded by scent and sound. She could dimly make out the shape of an oleander tree burdened with blossoms in the distance and suddenly heard the musical trill of a nightingale somewhere high in its branches. Or was it perched on the jasmine tree nearby?
Lisa stepped out into the soft night and closed the doors behind her. What better occupation could she find while she waited for Clancy than to go in search of a nightingale?
The private garden adjoining Clancy's suite was fantastically beautiful in the moonlight. The pale, fragrant blossoms that graced it looked like drops of moonlight themselves. White roses, camellias, creamy gardenias grew in profusion along flagstone walkways that wound to a graceful fountain in the very center of the garden. The fountain area itself was surrounded by curving marble benches and encircled by square latticework Moorish lanterns mounted on tall, graceful spears, whichglowed with the same opalescent beauty as the garden itself.
'Lisa!'
Clancy. 'I'm here by the fountain.'
She heard his quick, heavy footsteps, and then he appeared in the clearing beside her. 'I was worried when you weren't in the suite.'
'It's so lovely out here. I thought I'd wait for you by the fountain. This garden reminds me a little of the courtyard at Paradise Cay, but it's much lovelier.'
'David Bradford designed this garden. He asked me what flowers I wanted planted here and I told him anything serene and beautiful.' Clancy half sat, half leaned on the rim of the fountain, facing the bench where she sat. He had discarded his jacket and tie, and his white shirt was unbuttoned at the collar. 'There's nothing either beautiful or serene in my line of work, and I decided they'd be very soothing.' He smiled. 'When I first saw you I thought of a camellia and wondered how you'd look here in my garden.'
'Camellias are very fragile,' Lisa said huskily. 'And I'm not, Clancy. Not anymore. You've made me strong.'
'You don't look very strong. That white gown makes you look like a Juliet.' Suddenly he grinned. 'I see Kira prevailed. Long live the Renaissance.'
Lisa smiled ruefully. 'Don't laugh. You may get very tired of this style. Somehow I found myself buying
