the agency. I suspect he will have his niece come at us through more conventional means.” A wry smile creased Channing’s lips. “It would give us too much power over him if we held a letter from his niece asking for our services. We could use that letter to wicked purpose if we chose to.”
Amery continued to scan the ballroom. “She’s supposed to be here tonight. Her name is Cassandra Burroughs.”
Jocelyn followed Amery’s gaze, although the name meant nothing to him. He searched out the crowd for a glimpse of deep red hair.
Channing continued to fill him in. “We have a description, too. Red hair, blue eyes, slightly taller than average, a real stunner.” Jocelyn felt his stomach start to churn at the familiarity of the description, but surely it was mere coincidence.
“There!” Amery exclaimed, all three sets of eyes locking simultaneously on the striking woman at the entrance to the ballroom.
“That’s her, all right.” Channing’s tone was a grim echo of Jocelyn’s own sentiment. His initial relief over knowing she hadn’t left the ball was overshadowed by a quick piecing together of reality. His mystery woman was Cassandra Burroughs, niece of the league’s current nemesis whose mission was to uncover their secrets and see them exposed.
Jocelyn swore under his breath. Damn it all to perdition. The most exciting woman he’d ever met had used him. Something he’d thought not possible.
Chapter Four
Jocelyn was not fast enough to cover up his surprise. Amery pounced on his reaction. “She was with you!” Amery said with mild, disapproving shock. He exchanged a worried glance with Channing. “Burroughs moved faster than we thought if his niece has already hunted down Eisley.”
“What makes you think she was with me?” Jocelyn challenged. Sometimes Amery was far too perceptive.
Amery downed the rest of his champagne and deposited the glass on the tray of a passing footman. “Simple deduction, Eisley. You both entered through the same door. You were outside together.”
“Is it true, Jocelyn? Were you with her?” Channing pressed.
A stone settled in Jocelyn’s stomach, the magic of the evening severely curtailed. But magic was all illusion anyway, wasn’t it? Just a trick, a sleight of hand to delude the beholder. Oh, he’d been deluded all right. He’d believed the spontaneity of her kiss, of her bold vivacity.
“Yes, I was with her.” But he’d be damned if he’d offer any details.
“She’s a pretty piece. It’s hard to believe she’s related to old Burroughs,” Amery said slyly. “What happened in the garden?”
Channing groaned. “Tell me you didn’t seduce her? The last thing we need is—”
“I didn’t seduce her,” Jocelyn interrupted with a protest. “It was just a kiss.” Only it had felt like much more than a kiss at the time.
“Just a kiss?” Amery grinned. “You’re a fast one, Eisley. You didn’t even know her name and you had her out in the garden for a kiss on a five-minute acquaintance. It serves Burroughs right for trying to uncover us.” He elbowed Jocelyn good-naturedly. “Well done, sir, well done.”
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