The night was cold and damp. Shivering in her thin gown, Noel moved as far as she could from the window. Flattening herself against the wall of the house, she braced her bare feqt on the slanted, gravelly surface. She was on the roof of the onqstory extension at the back of the house. Somehow she'd known it would be there and that she wouldn't find herself falling to the ground from the second floor. Just the way she'd known the guns were in the cupboard.

The intruders were across the hall, tossing her luggage around the room like airport baggage handlers gone berserk. Did they think she was hiding in a suitcase?

Then Noel's heart stopped as she heard one of thq open the window. If he stuck his head out the window of this room, she was sunk. Her pale skin and pale green nightgown would be a magnet for his gaze.

Her hand clutched the grip of the machine gun. When q'd been taking a course in criminology, one of the guys in the class had been friends with an instructor at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia. He'd arranged for several students to tour the facility. One of the main attractions had been a practioe session on the shooting range.

So she knew how to use the gun; she wasn't helpless. Yet if she fired the weapon, she'd only get the one man, and the rest of them would know where she was.

Frantically she looked around for someplace to hide and spotted a narrow extension to the roof, hanging out over the edge of the building. Was it strong enough to take her weight?

She didn't have time to test the structural integrity of the building. The ledge groaned as she stepped onto the overhang. Teeth clenched, Noel edged out around the corner, her right foot leading in a sort of awkward shuffle At the same time, her fingers searched for handholds on the irregular stone wall. She was terrified to look down, but squeezing her eyes shut only made things wosse. Grimly she inched as far away from the corner as _ she could, feeling the machine gun flap against her side.

With each step, she waited for the ledge to give way. qd her the window opened, and she froze in place, 'q' cheek pressed against a rough piece of sandstone. qqq'Was she far enough around the corner? Would the wind qlq q, goq back where he could see it? She was afraid q mqe, afraid to breathe, afraid to let go of the wall and qqull her skirt tight. There was nothing she could do but qtqvsit and pray.

She could feel her fingers tearing loose and knew there only seconds left before she crashed to the ground.

Then the window slammed again, and the heavy steps reoeded down the stairs once more.

Noel shifted her hold. As quickly as she could, she made her way back to the solid expanse of the roof and collapsed, panting. But she couldn't stay there. When the men who had Jason didn't find her on their first try, they'd make a more thorough search. She couldn't let them capture her, too. She had to get Jason away from them.

L. looking around for a means of escape, Noel spotted an exposed pipe at the corner of the building. Dropping over the edge, she wrapped her legs around the metal tube and slowly lowered herself with her arms. A few moments later, she was on the ground, and it was all she could do to stop herself from running headlong away from the house.

Instead she slid along the wall toward the front, where she could see light streaming out into the darkness through the windows. Concealed by the shrubbery, she made her way to the sill and listened. " " Where is she? "

"Somewhere safe. They left me here as a decoy, moron"

"Don't mess us about, lad." The quiet observation was followed by a thudding noise and then a groan. Noel risked a peek through the lower windowpanes and had to bite into her lower lip to keep from crying out. Three very large and very tough-looking intruders formed a circle around her husband. One held a gun. One held Jason by the arms, and the third was standing in front of him, drawing back his fist. As she watched in horror, he landed a solid punch in the middle of Jason's stomach. It was followed by another to his jaw. He was slammed backward against the man who was holding him, but he stayed on his feet.

"You can do that all night, but I'm not going to tell you where she is," he said in a surprisingly steady voice.

"We'll see about that," the spokesman growled.

"We ain't got all night, Tim," the one with the gun objected, looking nervously out into the darkness as if he tbought someone was watching.

Noel froze. But he wasn't facing her.

"What if somebody comes?"

"Shut your bloody trap. Nobody's comin'."

"This ain't workin' out the way it was supposed to," the one who held Jason snarled.

Under the tough exteriors, they all looked worried.

Noel sank back against the wall. My God, they were after her, and Jason wasn't telling them anything. If she came around and knocked on the door, they'd have what they wanted. But the thought of delivering herself into their hands made a sick feeling rise in her throat.

What would they do to her? And even more frightening , what would they do to Jason when they found out he'd been lying? hhe awful possibilities made Noel's palms clammy with fear, but there was only one way she could think of to save Jason. After wiping her hands on her gown, she q the safety catch on the machine gun. Three qainst one still weren't very good odds. And they had a hostage, which made it a hundred times worse. She Couldn't just burst in there and say, "Put your hands up "

What she needed was a diversion.

Working her way quietly out of the bushes, she stopped qtt the corner near the front door. She tried to keep from ring how she looked, barefoot in her nightgown, with an automatic weapon cradled in her arm. Instead, she made sure she remembered the layout of the downstairs "Well, here goes nothing," she murmured, and squeezed the trigger. A burst of gunfire shattered the darkness. Noel tried to prepare herself for the kick of the weapon. Still, it pushed her backward, and she had to hold tightly to the cold metal to keep it in her hands.

Then she was racing around to the back door.

She came in through the small kitchen. It was only a few steps to the dining alcove off the living room. Everyone was facing front now, staring in the direction from which the shots had come.

"The house is surrounded," she growled, amazed at how steady her voice sounded. "Drop your weapons and you won't be killed."

Two of the men froze. The one called Tim whirled back toward her, pistol raised.

Chapter Eight.

Noel aimed the gun and squeezed the trigger again, vaguely surprise ri to see red splotches appear on the front oft be man's shirt. He sank to the floor. Jason was already moving, wrenching himself from the grasp of the startled man who held him.

He rounded on him, snatching at the pistol stuck in his waistband. There was a muffled shot as they struggled.

From her vantage point at the doorway, Noel had stopped breathing. When Jason shaightened, holding the gun, she felt her knees sag. qvo men lay dead or wounded on the floor. The third hadn't waited for a clean sweep. He'd bolted into the night. Jason went after him, and Noel heard more shots ting out.

Amazed that her legs would still hold her erect, she ran across the living room and stepped out, straining to see iato the darkness. The two men had vanished, and she waited for what seemeq like forever, braced for more :qqfq. qqef swept over her when she saw her husband trotting back across the field. He was alone.

"Too much of a head start," he clipped out. His face flushed and covered with a sheen of perspiration, and was breathing hard.

"Oh, Jason." Realizing she was still holding the machine gun, Noel propped the weapon against the wall and came toward him. She didn't know which she needed more, to assure herself that he was all right or to feel the tough, supple strength of his body.

He stared into her eyes, his gaze filled with a mixture of shock and confusion-and relief. His head shook a1most imperceptibly. Then he crushed her against his chest. "Noel. Oh, Noel."

Wordlessly she clung to him. When she lifted her head, his lowered. Then his lips were molding themselves to hers, moving over hers with desperate urgency.

She kissed him back with the same fervor. He was safe. He was here in her arms, his mouth moving restlessly, possessively, telling her that his need was as great as her own. Strengthening the fragile bond between them. It was the only level of communication that made any sense. She wanted to lose herself in the private world they had created. But Jason brought her back to reality.

"That was a damn crazy stunt," he said roughly. "You could have been killed."

"Those men.. . I saw what they were doing to you through the window. Are you all right?"

"I've felt better. But I'm more or less in one piece."

She tried to keep the tears in her eyes from spilling down her cheeks.

"I was praying you'd hear what was going on and get out of the house somehow. I tried to stall them, but I was afraid they'd go up and find you in bed."

"Your voice woke me up. I got out the window and went across the roof."

" " You should have taken off. "

"I couldn't leave you like that: She reached up and gently touched his face where he'd been punched.

"Noel. God, sweetheart. I always knew you were brave."

"You make me brave."

She was still leaning into him. For several heartbeats he kept his arms tightly around her, then he straightened and moved her gently away.

"We've got to leave. The third one could be back with anforoements."

Noel let Jason turn her around and propel her through the front door, but she stopped short when she stepped iatothe living room. Two men lay unmoving on the floor. Cbe of tlq She felt her knees turn rubbery. "" I killed him. "

Jason held her firmly by the elbows. "You did what qou had to do-to save your life and mine." He hurried ba along the side of the room and up the stairs. "You lqve two minutes to get dressed."

Noel didn't know whether she made his deadline, but aqhe was sure she set some sort of record for pulling on her 'dotlqs while Jason cleared her toilet articles out of the bnthroom. She grabbed her suitcase. Jason took the qt bag and his duffel. Both the luggage and the ma gun went in the car with them-the cases in the back seat, the weapon between the two front seats. q As the sedan started down the driveway, Noel felt her qsion mount. Was the other man out there in the dark, qting? She half expected another vehicle to pull out in _ _ t of them and block the exit, but none did.

Jason's headlights cut through the blackness as he down the country roads. =qqwhere are we going? " q'gqt, I'm putting some miles between us and this Then we'll find a farm that rents out tourist rooms. t8qqy can't check every B and B in a hundred-mile radius. Unless we're damn unlucky we should be okay for tonight. " .

Noel shuddered. "How did they figure out where we were? "

"I'd give a lot to know. Maybe there's a spy in Sir Douglas's organization. That should give him some thing to think about."

Noel took a deep breath and let it out slowly. " " Are you going to tell me why those men came after us? "

He didn't answer right away, and she wrapped hell. hand around the edge of the seat. "Jason, I need to know."

"I'll tell you," he ground out. "As soon as we're safe. But you may be sorry. We both might: ' Ir w As ci. osE to ten when Jason pulled in between the stone gate posts of Still Water Farm, having been diq rected there by the owner of a pub in the village nearby. Still Water Farm's proprietress, a Mrs. Lancaster, was expecting them.

The car came to a stop in a lighted courtyard between a large stone barn and a two-story house that looked as if it was several centuries old. Noel felt her chest tighten. The ride was over, and Jason had promised to level vqq her. Had he meant it?

Mrs. lancaster showed them to a one-room co several hundred yards from the main house. It was f8c less elaborate than the one in which they'd planned spend the night. Noel watched her husband as he the luggage into the bedroom, checked the doors windows and closed the curtains. In the light from ancient floor lamp, his chiseled features were thrown ' sharp relief against the homespun fabric.

Suddenly self-conscious, Noel stepped into the bathroom and closed the door. When she came out again, Jason was lining up the luggage against the wall beside a tall wardrobe.

He glanced up and met her gaze, and for an instant , neither of them moved. She felt the tension crackling between them. Then he passed her and went into the bathroom She heard the water running for a long time. Was he stalling, trying to figure out what he was going to say? Or was he afraid she was going to beg him to make love to her again? Well, he didn't have to worry about that. She sq wearily. She didn't want to risk another reqection , but she was too tired to sit up in a chair.

When Jason opened the door again, Noel was qched out on the quilt, two pillows propped behind gqqa head and her shoes beside her on the floor. He gave qqq; a long, sweeping glance that made her feel as if she q wearing a sheer negligee rather than a shirt and qbcks. Her heart rate quickened, and she thought he iqight be planning to join her. Instead he settled into one q the faded wing chairs. q' "I told you I was going to keep you safe, and I let you q," he said in a strained voice. kq: Noel resisted the urge to go to him and stroke the torIlqed look from his face. "You didn't know what to ex " she replied softly. "If we're both prepared, we've, a qq chanoe. That's why I've got to know what's You say we're in danger. From Montgomq qqq Su Douglas trying to protect us from him?" qqqay " Jason rubbed a hand across his face. " We'll q;q qq Montgomery. What do you know about him? " q 8uqss he sent the men tonight. Probably the guy in truck, too. And they aren't after you, they're after " She was hoping he'd come back with a denial.

Instead he nodded. "Yes."

" " What did I do? " She heard the bewilderment in her own voice. " Did something happen that I can't remember ? Is it because of my uncle? "

She saw Jason's knuckles whiten as his hands grippq the arms of the chair.

"Let's sea what you do remember. If I start trying to explain everything to you, you're not going to believe me."

" " Why not? " " " Please. If you insist on doing this, we have to do it my way."

Noel closed her eyes for a moment, her head throbbing He was asking her torisk something almost as frightening as bursting into the room full ofinvaden. What was so scary about qiving him information? She couldn'texplain the fear. She only knew it took every ounoe of willpower shepossessed to keep from bolting. "What should I tell you? What's important?"she asked. " " Your getting the machine gun out of the cupboard. How didyou know it was there? " " " I saw it when.. . when I searched yoursuitcases: She stopped and stared at him. " Why would I search yout luggage?"

Jason leaned forward, his face tense. "Try to go back. What happened when you got to England?"

Fighting pain and confusion, Noel strained to bring' some incident into focus, trying to recall the two of them picking up their luggage or going through customs or getting the rental car. She drew a large, frightening blank.

"I-I guess we did the stuff you usually do when y ; get to a new country."

She gestured vaguely toward suitcases, hoping he couldn't see how much the lack details unnerved her.

"Do you remember having some trouble at customs ?"

"Trouble?" A chill swept across her skin.

Noel drew back, pressing into the pillows, feeling her q;qad pound. Shedidn't want to remember. But she had qot Every muscle and nerve in her bodystrained as if physical act of strength could haul her out of this qta1abyss. And, suddenly, against all hope, a picture into her mind of astern-looking older man aqd q:tall one about her own age. They were wearingdark uniforms. q;q'Wdby," she said in a tentative voice. ,fqo,s that?" thecustoms inspector. He was- " Noel stopped feeling a dull blade slice throughher head. She "what's wrong?"

"It.. . hurts.. . to think about it." Hisvoioe was tightlycontrolled. "About what?" Noel grimaoed. She'd been trying to remember,but the if formed picture had been driven from her head by the ybe thiswasn't such a good idea. " I.. . want.. . to.. . remember."Frustrated, she her hand against the night table, then had to grab p as itthreatened to topple off to the floor. "

Pqease. Help me! What was I trying to tell you? " was a moment before heanswered. " About someaqed Welby. " iVelby. Customs: Again a picture of a man in a dark qrm danoed inher mind. Gray hair, mustache. Dq spite the dizziness and panic, she triedto bring him into sharper focus. She was unaware that tears had formed inher eyes until she found her cheeks were wet. Still she wouldn't quit.Hugging her knees, she rocked her body back and forth, forcing the words tocome. " He-he thought I was smuggling something. I was so scared. Itq waslike a nightmare. We called Flora, but she wasn't at the house where I wassupposed to meet her. " Noe1 frowned. " Flora. Henry's wife. She calledme in Baltimore and asked me to bring the jewelry. That's why I came toEngland: Now the words were tumbling out quickly, as if she was afraid thatif she stopped, the memories would evaporate. "I had to go into D.C. andget a passport so I could leave the country. I was on ttqe plane alone.Then they stopped me at customs-" Hq head jerked up and she looked pleadinglyat Jason. "But when did all that happen? That's not what I.. .remqberbest."

His face was stark, his posture tense as he leaned forward' What do you remember best? "

Her voice mirrored her bewilderment. "Th-that you:; found out I'd been hurt.You came back and saw that Iq was having trouble getting back on my feet."It waaq amazing how much better she felt as this different ver q sion ofreality poured out. "Oh, Jason, I was so glad toq see you. You don't knowhow much that meant to meqq You said it would be a good idea if we got away.Yoaq boss lives in England. And he said he'd pay for the q It was sowonderful going off with you. A fresh start: By the end of the recitation,she was speaking rapi When she finally wound down, there was a momentcomplete emptiness. For a little while, she'd felt a1m normal. But oncemore terrible fear was rising in chest.

"I can't stand this anymore," she whimpered, her hand flying to cover her eyes.