"You.. . left me at.. . at my mother's house."

He couldn't speak. He could only stare at her as her lips began to tremble.

"Dangerous.. assignment." The words were jerky and mechanical, as if she were reading blurry cue cards. " " You. . you told me the. . marines were sending you to. . Latin America. . and it would be safer if I stayed with my mother. You promised you'd come back when it was all over. But you never did. " Her voice picked up conviction as she got further into the explanation. " I-I had to get a job with Laura Roswell. I didn't tell her I was married because I didn't want to put you in danger. "

His hands tightened on her arms as if he could anchor himself in a world that had suddenly tipped I80 degrees. Married! What did she think she was remembering?

"If we're married, where did we go on our honeymoon ?" he managed.

Again there was a moment's hesitation. "A tropical island. A beautiful room. With a balcony overlooking the beach. Palm treeq. We made love all night.. .." Her fare took on a dreamy look as if she were remembering a very precious experience. Slowly her hand traced the line of his chin and then his mouth. Stretching to breach the inches that separated their faces, she softly brushed her lips against his.

He didn't respond. Couldn't let himself.

But as she settled back against his chest, his throat was so constricted he could hardly breathe.

"We're finally together again. Oh, Jason."

If only-oh, God, if only He closed his eyes, struggling with emotions he'd told himself he'd come to terms with years ago. He'd made choices about his life-his goals. He'd known what he was giving up and why. But the reality of the beautiful, desirable woman in his arms was tearing all his carefully acquired control to shreds.

Mercifully Noel seemed unaware of the turmoil seething in his chest.

"This is like a second honeymoon. We're going to have some time to ourselves in England. And then we're going to Scotland to visit your friend, Sir Douglas Frye. It's going to be fun staying in a real castle."

"Sir Douglas! Where did you get that name?"

She looked perplexed. "Didn't you tell me? Yes. You told me about him before we left Baltimore. I guess he's not exactly your friend. He's your boss. You like working for him. And now I'm going to get to meet him."

Jason swore under his breath as an important piece of the puzzle dropped into place. On the phone Frye had said Not much. Just a promise that he was going to make sure Noel was cooperative. Now. . this. Oh, God, this.

He struggled to square terrible speculation with reality Sir Douglas Frye had resources beyond the imaginings of ordinary mortals. Playing mind games was one of his greatest pleasures. Was there some way the man was reaching out from his lair in Scotland and controlling Noel's thoughts? And was he doing more than playing with Noel's head? Was this another chance to put Jason Zacharias to the test?

Jason gazed down into her trusting face, trying to reason it all out-and trying to come to grips with the words that had been popping out of her mouth like bubbles perking to the surface of a soap pipe.

When he'd rescued her from Montgomery's thug, she'd been glad to see him. Then she'd been wary. And a few minutes ago she'd been on her way out the window. Now here was this strangely detailed story about two of them getting married five years ago and honeymooning on a tropical island. It was as if someone had concocted a fantasy and inserted it into her head like a false memory She stirred in his arms. Murmuring something meaningless but soothing, he tucked her face against his shoulder. He couldn't cope with what he saw in those eyes. Or his own reluctant conclusions.

Cold sweat bloomed on his skin as he thought about mind-altering techniques and the little Noel had told him about her symptoms. She'd said she was still dizzy and disoriented. That was bad enough. This was a hell of a lot worse.

The fear that rose in his throat was almost paralyzing.

My God, what had that bastard Sir Douglas Frye done to her? And how had he

done it? Hating to look below the surface, he forced himself to examine thepossibilities.Brainwashing?No. There couldn't have been enough time for that.Besides, Noel hadn't been in Frye's captivity-as far as he knew.Subliminal persuasion?There would have to be some kind of transmitter. And why was it only affecting Noel?

Hypnotic suggestions?

That was a possibility. Perhaps while she'd been in the hospital someone

very quick and skillful could have laid the groundwork. The passport could

have been the trigger It didn't even have to have been in the hospital, he realized suddenly. What about that psychologist, Dr.

Franklin? Had she betrayed her friend for a fat fee from Frye? It didn't seem likely from the background reports q. d qn on the woman. She was rich. She didn't need that kind of money. Which left him tothe theory he'd been avoiding. What if this had something to do withFrye's secret research labs in Zurich?A ne v, more tangible wave of fear washed over him, and his hands tightened on Noel's arms. "qat?"

"I'm sorry. it's all qight," he croaked. With a shaky q:;;. hand, he stroked her hair and felt her settle against him again.

Jason's mind scrambled to recall the confidential report he'd seen.

Aocording to his souroes, Sir Douglas was funding biotech experiments conducted by some underground Swiss laboratories.

The researchers had started by implanting artificialintelligence devices in animals to alter their natural behavior And there were hints that human experiments were going to be the next step. He hadn't paid attention to the fine print because the whole idea had repulsed him.

Jason looked down at Noel. When she shifted her head and smiled back, his stomach knotted. My God, was Frye using her as some sort of human guinea pig? Had it amused him that he was giving one of his favorite operatives a little bonus in the bargain?

All at once, he had to struggle to keep from gagging.

Noel must have seen the expression that crossed his face. " " what's wrong? "

"I-".

She laid a gentle hand on his cheek. "it's-it's all right. About your leaving. You did what you had to do. What you thought was best. For my safety. And I understand. I've already said I forgive you: '

A spasm racked his chest, and his hand clenched and unclenched on the arm of the chair. " " Jason. Please. "

He tried to speak but couldn't manage it.

There was a subtle change in her smile. "Now that we're together again, don't you want to make love to me? "

Chapter Six.

, Every muscle in Jason's body went rigid. ! Oh, ye5. Oh, God, yes.

Somehow he kept the answer from spilling out of his mouth. His traitorous gaze shot to the very serviceable bed five feqt from where they were sitting. No, on second thought, it was too narrow. When he made love to be5 he'd want room toHe canceled the idea before it had more than half formed. Yet he couldn't stop his body from reacting to her words-and the sensual images they evoked. Standing up abruptly, he tumbled a startled Noel off his lap, catching her and setting her on her feet before she landed in aheap on the floor. " " Sorry. "

She giggled. "You're in a hurry."

"qveetheart, w-we have to talk about some things.I man,qfore we-" His mouth was so dry he could d. : hardly get the words out.

"If it's important to you."

"Yes."

Talk. That might get him through the next hour, but what about tonight? He didn't let himself think about the two of them isolated in this cozy little cottage, cosseted by the darkness of an English country night. Alone and both wanting Sir Douglas had made him a present of his most secret fantasy. But there was no way he could accept the gift.

He tugged on Noel's hand. "Come on, let's go outside The fresh air will do us both good."

She nodded.

As he led her downstairs, she gave his hand a warm squeeze, and he felt a matching contraction in his chest.

They crossed the small sitting room and stepped outside into a garden blooming with tulips and daffodils. Stone paths wound between the flower beds, which alternated with clumps of fragrant herbs and neatly trimmed bushes.

"I love this place. it's so pretty-and so private," Noel murmured. "How did yoc1 ever find it?"

He jerked his mind back from the dangerous path down which it had been wandering. "I didn't. It belongs to Sir Douglas."

"I'll have to thank him for lending it to us: '

Jason snorted.

"I thought you liked working for him."

"I'm considering making a change," he growled, then stopped in his tracks as the implications of the angry re mark came home to him. Anything he said to Noel might be repeated right back to Frye.

"Is that what you want to discuss?"

"No. And I was only kidding. There's no better man to work for than Sir Douglas." The accolade almost stuck in his throat.

They walked slowly through a hedge trained into the shape of an archway and stood staring out across the impossibly green fields. Such a peaceful scene. Like the last safe place in a nightmare just before everything twists and the demons come. except that in this case, there was only one demon. Sir Douglas Frye.

Jason stole a glance at Noel. She looked so happy. So glad to be with him, as if her heart was beating to the exact same rhythm as his. The temptation to pull her into his arms and press her body against his made his hands tremble and the blood pound through his veins. He fought the fierce elemental longings. He couldn't take advantage of her like that. Not and keep what was left of his self-respect.

Which put him on one hell of a slippery slope. He was already on the way down, and he could feel himself picking up momentum.

He closed his eyes. Back in Baltimore the situation had sea untenable. It became more impossible with every passing minute. He didn't want to think about the Zurich project. But he had to, if he had a hope of finding a way out of this mess. In the early experiments, the animals had been controlled by electrodes inserted into their brains. Electrodes that received certain signals and which modified behavior. Later, miniaturized computer circuitry had been substituted.

His legs stopped carrying him forward and he came to a jerky stop. Noel paused, too.

"Jason, I can tell something's bothering you. I know we haven't spent that much time together. But we made a commitment to each other when we got married. And if we're going to make a new start, we should be open with each other."

Tiger claws ripped at his insides.

"You have to share your problems with me," she finqslqed in a pleading voice.

He cursed softly under his breath as he did what he'd been wanting to do all along. He pulled Noel to himself, wrapping her tightly in his embrace.

She sighed and stirred against him, and he felt unleashed arousal shoot through him like a bolt of lightning Unable to help himself, he gave in to the pleasure of sliding his hands down her waist and hips, and cupping her bottom.

As he pressed her body against his, she made a joyful little sound in her throat and nuzzled her warm lips against his neck.

The need to dip his head, to cover her lips with his was like a fire blazing up inside him. Somehow he stopped himself from doing it. With trembling hands, he began to comb his fingers through her hair, looking for the spot where she'd been injured.

"That feels so nice," she murmured.

When he found the scar, he went very still. "What's this?" He could hear the hoarseness in his own voice. " " Where I hurt my head. When my uncle- " She swallowed' When Uncle Henry was killed, my scalp was split."

"The men who killed your uncle bashed you on the head," he said, deliberately shedding the warmth of the mood.

Her fingers dug into his arm. He took a step back so that her hand and his sweater were the only point of contact.

"You needed stitches."

"Yes. I guess you never saw the wound because I was already out of the hospital and staying at Abby's when you came back." She stretched out an arm toward him. "I needed you so much, and there you were."

Jason couldn't speak; he could only nod. That was what Sir Douglas Frye made Noel believe. Unable to face the trust shining in her eyes, he turned and stalked back toward the house.

He heard Noel call his name, but he didn't stop walking away from her.

Damn Frye. Damn him to hell. He'd seen her head wound, all right, although he couldn't tell that to Noel. He'd seen it minutes after it had been inflicted. Then he'd been worried about concussion and brain injury. He hadn't been thinking that her split scalp had opened up a golden opportunity for Sir Douglas Frye, the man who was a master of manipulating people. The Sovereign was always looking for new ways to control his victims. Probably he'd been planning a test of his new electronic toy for months. What was it? A wafer-thin computer chip? He wanted to scream his rage. He kept his teeth clamped together. Had Noel just been in the wrong place at the wrong time? Or had Sir Douglas singled her out for special attention?

Jason felt his own scalp crawl. Frye had known since November that Henry Marconi wanted out of the organization Which meant he would have dug up every piece of useful data in Marconi's background. And he'd certainly have gotten a detailed report on his beautiful niece.

How long, exactly, did it take to come up with a full set of false memories tailor-made to a particular individual ? Were they just pictures in her mind? Or did they include sounds and tastes and smells?

And was Marconi the only reason Frye had focused on Noel? Jason's hands clenched into fists. Picking up one of the loose paving stones from the path, he flung it toward the wall of the cottage.

WrrH A uqaq'rsICK r-qLING of emptiness, Noel stared at her husband's rapidly departing back. He'd turned and walked away from her. What had she said or done to upset him?

She wasn't sure whether to follow or to leave him alone for a while. Uncertainly, she made her way back to the garden. But once inside the hedge, she came to a halt. The Jason Zacharias she remembered was warm and loving. Sometimes this man was like that. Then he'd shut her out as though an iron gate had dropped between them. Hurt and confused, she sank down onto the stone bench near the archway and sat with her shoulders hunched.

It was so frustrating. Not just Jason. Herself. When she tried to think things through, everything was so muddled up inside her head. Sometimes her memories were sharp and clear. When she thought about school or Dad leaving, or her college courses, there was no problem With other recollections, it was like trying to see the road through an icy windshield. Everything was blurry and indistinct. Except that something was suddenly different just now. When she'd strained to come up with q plies to Jason's questions, the answer had popped into her head like the Ping-Pong balls in a lottery machine.

With trembling fingers she reached up and touched the place where she'd been hit on the head. She'd been fine until the injury. Since then Did she have a brain injury that the doctors hadn't dotected ? Or was everybody lying to her about the real situation ? Was that why Jason had come back and takq her off on this second honeymoon trip?

The fear gripped her by the throat and came out as a quavery plea for help. "Jason-"

She didn't know she'd gasped his name aloud until he was beside her on the bench, turning her toward him, enfolding her in the safety of his arms as if he hadn't mn away from her a little while ago.

"What is it? What's wrong?"

She burieq her face in the scratchy wool of his sweater.