"My lady," he said coolly, exposing nothing of the unexpected emotion that rose in him. "Your husband is well?"

"Lord Ruadrik is well, God be praised. And my son and daughter." Abruptly she held his hand so hard that her rings cut into his fingers. "I wish the same blessings for you, Allegreto."

"Blessings." He gave a slight laugh as he looked away from her, out toward the lake. "That is a strange thought."

"It will soon feel more familiar," she said. "I pray so. For my Ellie's sake."

He looked back at her and tilted his head. "Do you care so much? I've wondered at the incompetence of those knights you chose for her protection."

"The Hospitallars? Ah. Yes, hopeless fools, indeed." She watched Elena laugh as Matteo and Nim cavorted before the crowd, then added softly, "Are all accounts in balance between us now?"

"Damn you, my lady," he murmured. "What a risk it was."

She gave a small shrug. "A chance. When there was no other. Elena was equal to it."

"Aye, she is worse than you in her daring, God defend me."

Lady Melanthe smiled, still watching Elena. "And are we even now, Allegreto?"

"We are, my lady," he said.

"Take care of her," the countess said fiercely. Her rings glittered as she pushed a silken veil back from her shoulder. "There is no other I would trust as you to do it." She turned away, leaving him standing alone amid the gay assembly.

In Gian's tower Elena held open the shutters and looked out at the sunset over the lake. The chamber wascleaned and refurbished, draped in white Damascene silk with red roses woven through it. Nothing was thesame- all of Gian's furnishing were gone. Even the bed had been replaced, and the floor covered over in softrush mat. But the clear rain-washed air and the mountains looming far across the water were still bathed inpink and gold like a vision of eternity.

She wore a loose robe. She had not allowed Margaret or even Cara to attend her in the tower. She feltfortunate that the whole of the council had not decided to lend their dignified presences to the bedding. Butthey seemed content to confine themselves to rowdy song and the clatter of metal pots and spoons in thecourtyard below. Even in the tower, she could hear Nim's barking and Matteo's excited voice among theothers. It was the first wedding he had attended, and he found the gay feast and noisy mattinata much to hisliking.

Allegreto did not. By the time he came into the chamber, still dressed in his wedding clothes, breathingdeeply from the steep flight of stairs, he leaned back on the door and glared at her balefully. "God spare us,"he muttered. "When did you sister learn to become amorous in her cups?"

"Oh, was she?" Elena asked airily. "I did not notice."

"Only because I would not allow her to sit in my lap." He pushed off from the door, looking at Elena as if shewere to blame."I think she was a little-nervous.""No doubt she thought I would poison her wine. Although that did not prevent her from drinking a vat of it."Elena clasped her hands. "So you did not find your love for her revived?""Hellcat," he said darkly, "I will poison her wine, if she does not comport herself with better modesty."Elena pressed a smile from her lips. "I know you prefer modest females."He stalked to the big traveling chest that held her clothing and sat down on the game boards painted on the top. He pulled off his soft ankle boots. Then he sat up, keeping his gaze averted from her. He seemed to findthe black-and-white dagger points on the playing table to be of great interest.

She kept her hands clasped together. "I thank you for the vow you made. With Franco.""It was my penance from the priest." He lifted his head, his look traveling from her toes up to her face. "It wasthat or walk barefoot to Jerusalem, so ..." He shrugged.

Silence prevailed between them. Elena stood by the window, her hair all down about her like a virgin maid's,her chin lowered a little. From under her lashes, she looked at his feet clad in the silvery-white hose."You are not trying to appear modest, are you?" he asked suspiciously.

Elena blinked, her eyes wide.He rose with an easy move. She lowered her face even more as he walked across the chamber to her, untilshe could only see his belt and daggers hung low on his hips, and his feet set apart as he stood before her.She kept her fingers clasped and her eyes down as he rifted her chin on his thumb.

"Mary!" he growled. "Have me thrown in some dungeon, before I suppose I've wed the wrong bride."She ran her tongue over her upper lip. "You would like that?""Oh, yes." He lowered his mouth to hers, barely touching. "If you will come and torment me there.""Allegreto," she whispered, looking up into his dark eyes. "I love you.""My heart is in chains, hellcat," he said. He pulled her close, his hands in a merciless tangle in her hair. "If I had one."

Acknowledgments.

Many of you know that for a time, it was quite a straggle for me to finish Shadowheart. I owe thanks to a number of people for helping me make it through when my fickle muse went on strike. The patience and support I received from my agent, Richard Curtis, and Leslie Gelbman, president and publisher of Berkley Books, were invaluable and went far beyond anything I deserved. To all the online chat "regulars" at Holly Lisle's Forward Motion Writers' Community, my deepest appreciation for word wars and brainstorms and helping me realize that writing was fun again. In particular, June Drexler Robertson, Andi Ward, and SheilaKelly were my enthusiastic partners in plotting twists and encouraging me to keep at it when I faltered.Charles R. Rutledge, my "fight man," generously offered his expertise in choreographing all that good violenceand assassin stuff. My thanks also to Holly for creating such a wonderful resource and support system forwriters on the Internet, and to my volunteer "checkers" who helped me catch errors in the manuscript.

And as always ... I owe the most to David, who said it didn't matter either way, writing or no writing, we'd beokay.Thank you.Laura Kinsale www.laurakinsale.comLaura Kinsale, a former geologist, is the New York Times bestselling author of The Shadow and the Star,Seize the Fire, The Prince of Midnight, Flowers from the Storm, The Dream Hunter, and For My Lady's Heart.

She and her husband divide their time between New Mexico and Texas.Visit her website at www.laurakinsale.com.Copyright noticeThis is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businessestablishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.SHADOWHEARTA Berkley Book / published by arrangement with Hedgehog, Inc.PRINTING HISTORYBerkley edition / April 2004Copyright 2004 by Amanda Moor Jay.Cover design by Lesley Worrell. Interior text design by Kristin del Rosario.

All rights reserved.This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission. The scanning, uploading,and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher isillegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate inor encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials.

Your support of the author's rights is appreciated. For information address: The Berkley Publishing Group, adivision of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.

ISBN: 0-425-16232-XBERKLEY Berkley Books are published by The Berkley Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Group(USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.

BERKLEY and the "B" design are trademarks belonging to Penguin Group (USA) Inc.PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA10 987654321Version HistoryV1.0-8Aug2004-Proofread and formatted from the paperback.