She drew up. "I don't belong with my uncle or the horrid man he would have me marry, either." Her green eyes flashed with fire. "I'm searching to find my place, and you are doing everything in your power to dissuade me."

Sterling's resolve weakened. He could talk to Philip, reason with him to let Elise come along without having to earn her way... but would that be fair to the young woman? The life she had chosen would not be easy. She might as well learn that from the beginning.

"A man, or a woman, born to the common lot has to make their place in life," he said, resuming their walk. "Life is hard, and it's unfair, and sometimes people have to do what they don't want to do. That's a lesson you're better off learning sooner rather than later if you truly plan to leave your uncle. You won't be having everything handed to you on a silver platter."

Her chin lifted. "I don't care about being wealthy, or having fine things. All I want... all I want is to be happy," she finished bravely.

Again, something stirred inside of him. He swore he heard the sound of ice cracking-the protective barrier that surrounded his heart. He stopped, staring down at her. "Even happiness has a price. That is something you'll have to fight for as well. Do you have the courage?"

"Do you?"

The question unsettled him. As innocent as she appeared, he feared Elise might see down to his dark soul when she looked at him. Happiness? How could he be happy when a curse followed him? A curse linked to his very name.

He didn't answer but turned and walked the short distance to the animal wagons. Raja greeted him with a growl. Leena merely yawned.

"They are beautiful."

Elise had been brave enough to follow but not brave enough to stand close. Which showed she had common sense, if nothing else about her seemed common.

"Yes, they are beautiful," he agreed. "But even beautiful things are not always all they appear to be on the surface. Beneath the skin, these animals are still wild." Raja rubbed against the bars of the cage and Sterling reached inside to scratch behind the tiger's ears. "I must always remember that however docile they might appear, they could turn on me at any moment. I must respect them."

"C-Could I touch one?" Elise stammered. "Pet one, the way you are doing?"

He motioned her forward. "Best to let them catch your scent first and see how they react."

She stepped up beside him. Raja sniffed at her. The tiger didn't growl, as Sterling expected, but rubbed himself against the bars. Leena, the panther, found the guest interesting enough to rise from her lounging position and join Raja in vying for attention.

"Odd," Sterling mused. "They don't usually take to strangers. Give me your hand." She slid her hand into his and Sterling guided her fingers to the tiger's fur.

"He's very soft," she whispered. "It saddens me that he must be locked inside of a cage. I wonder if he ever dreams of running free?"

"Raja cannot miss what he has never known," Sterling said, baffled that she would wonder such a thing. All the snooty misses he recalled from his youth never thought of anything, or anyone, other than themselves. "He and Leena both have lived most of their lives behind bars. Neither could survive if they were set free."

Elise pulled her hand from the cage. "I'm glad that they have you to look after them. To love them."

Sterling ruffled Leena's fur so she wouldn't feel slighted. "A person cannot love a wild animal."

A distraction suddenly drew his attention. Philip came charging into camp, riding one of the wagon horses. "Gather round!" he shouted. "The coach inn up the road has given us permission to perform for their patrons. Make ready!"

CHAPTER 6.

Elise hid inside of the wagon. Would someone at the coach inn recognize her? Would her uncle be there, asking about her? He surely knew she was missing by now, and a man could travel by horseback much faster than by wagon. What was Elise to do? She'd told Sterling that she would not wear the ridiculous costume and perform with the troupe. He'd suggested that she use her money to hire a hackney and return to London, but she couldn't return to her uncle.

The door suddenly swung open and Sterling climbed up into the wagon. "I've brought you breakfast since you were sleeping so soundly when we arrived."

"Are we at the coach inn?" she asked, gratefully accepting the food.

"Not far. The proprietor doesn't mind us entertaining his patrons, but he doesn't want us too close to the inn. Says a man's personal belongings have a way of walking off when our sort come around."

Elise didn't know what to say. She turned her attention to the meal.

"I suppose you'll be going to the inn. You probably have enough coin for a night's stay and a hackney to carry you back to London."

The thick stew stuck in her throat. She swallowed with difficulty. "I cannot go back to London. I cannot go to the inn. I might run across an acquaintance of my uncle's or, worse, the man himself."

Sterling sighed. "Then that would be all the better. Your uncle could see you safely home."

Her temper rose. Elise set her plate beside her on the cot and stood. "I have told you before, I have no intention of returning to my uncle, or to the marriage he has planned for me."

Sterling lifted a brow. "Then what are your intentions?"

"I-I don't know yet," she answered. "I beg you to allow me the shelter of your wagon until I come up with a suitable plan."

He stared at her for a moment, then his gaze lowered to her lips. "You don't know how to beg." Sterling traced the shape of her mouth. "You don't even know how to use your womanly wiles on a man to get what you want."

Her lips trembled beneath his fingertips. Elise wanted to jerk away from him... and yet some part of her enjoyed his touch, the fire that had leaped to life in his eyes. She remembered the kiss they had shared. He'd made her feel things inside that no other man had made her feel.

"I do not care to practice vulgar or deceptive methods with men."

He leaned closer. "Then you'll never make a veil dancer. You'd have to understand the effect you have on men, understand it and use it to your advantage."

Did she affect him? He certainly affected her. Elise tried to step back, but her knees met with the cot. "I have no desire to become a performer. I explained that quite clearly to you."

Lifting a lock of her hair, he said, "And I explained that in order to stay with the troupe, you must pull your weight. I cannot go back on my word to Philip. I told him that you would dance to earn your way. If you will not dance, then you must leave."

Panic engulfed her, over either his words or how close his face was to hers. "At least let me go to the inn under the cover of darkness. With the hood of my cape pulled over my head, maybe I can disguise myself until I see if my uncle or anyone else who might recognize me is about."

His face moved closer. "A kiss will grant you sanctuary until nightfall. A farewell gesture."

Her cheeks blazed, as well as other parts of her body. She should slap his arrogant face, but this was not a London drawing room and he was not a gentleman. She had no idea what her plans would entail now that she would be cast from the caravan, but she would in all likelihood never see the Beast Tamer again. He waited, his mouth hovering ever so close to hers, and she sensed that he expected her to flee-run from the wagon and to the inn, as he wanted her to do.

Elise could be shocking as well when the mood suited her. The mood suited her at the moment. She closed the distance between their lips.

The slight pressure of her mouth against his ignited a fire that Sterling had never felt burn so intensely. Her scent wafted up to him, sweet, like the soap she washed with each evening. Her lips were soft-her innocence inflamed his very soul. He loved the taste and smell of her, the feel of her when he pulled her against him. He could never have her, cursed the way he was.

He should frighten her away... send her back to where she belonged. Danger lay in wait for a tempting young morsel such as Elise. Better he prove that to her now, while she had the chance to return to her uncle. With her best interests in mind, Sterling forced her mouth open beneath his. He was not gentle about his probing. He expected her to struggle, but she did not. Instead, her arms went around his neck and he felt the shy touch of her tongue against his. The jolt traveled all the way to his toes.

"Kiss a man like that and you're begging for trouble," he said against her mouth.

"You said that I don't know how to beg," she reminded. "And you will not frighten me away... not until I am ready to leave."

"You do not fear me, and you should."

She stared into his eyes thoughtfully. "I believe that you intend for people to be afraid of you. That way, they keep their distance. Why don't you want anyone close to you? What are you afraid of?"

This was not going at all as he had planned. Her bravery and her insight had begun to annoy him. "We can get closer if you desire." Sterling tumbled her backward onto the cot. "Is this close enough?"

Elise's large eyes blinked up at him. "T-This is indecent," she sputtered. "Let me up at once!"

"I am not a gentleman. I fear that you may try to stow away with another man, and feel obligated to show you the probable outcome. Never trust any man. On the inside, we're all beasts."

He expected her to struggle beneath him, to recoil from him at the very least; instead, she reached up and touched his face. "What has happened to you that you should view the world as such a dark place? Has there never been any sunshine in your life?"

She might as well have struck him. There had been sunshine... once, before he knew the truth. She was sunshine, and it sickened him that he would treat her no better than a whore who'd come sniffing for trouble. He rose from the cot and straightened his collar.

"Forgive me," he said, and realized he'd never asked anyone to forgive him for anything. "You are right. I spend too much time in the company of beasts." He turned toward the door, wanting to put distance between them, but only because he felt the distance shrinking. "If you need a disguise, ask Sarah Dobbs. She will help you."

CHAPTER 7.

Elise wore the disguise of a Gypsy girl. Sarah Dobbs was a master at transforming Englishwomen into Gypsies. Sarah wore the same disguise in preparation to tell fortunes. The woman had explained to Elise that no one took an English fortune-teller seriously and that was why she darkened her skin with grease, her eyes with kohl, and wore a bright scarf tied around her head. The cockney accent was gone, and Elise stared in wide-eyed wonder at the crystal ball Sarah had placed on a small table inside of her wagon.

"Would you like your fortune told?" Sarah asked, her voice thick with another accent, a foreign-sounding one.

"Sterling said that you can't really see into the future," Elise responded. "Besides, I believe a person decides his or her own destiny."

Sarah lifted a brow and glanced down into the ball. "I see that you are running from someone. Someone who has not treated you kindly."

Elise gasped. "How did you..." She promptly closed her mouth. The woman could have found out from Sterling, or Elise supposed it was easy enough to guess her situation. "You are wrong," she clipped. "Good eve, and I guess good-bye. I am leaving the caravan." She turned to exit the wagon and heard Sarah laugh softly.

"You are not going anywhere. Sterling is your destiny."

The fine hairs on Elise's arms stood on end. She jumped down from the wagon. What did the woman know? Nothing, Elise assured herself. Sarah's fortune-telling abilities were all an act. Making certain the scarf covering her hair was still in place, Elise wandered through the wagons. A crowd had already begun to gather. Several torches lit the area. Elise saw that a cage of sorts had been erected. Sterling would no doubt perform inside with his cats.

"Gather round and witness sights to tantalize your senses." Philip, resplendent in one of his strange outfits, stepped into the circle of light. He began to juggle three balls, all of which caught the light from the torches and seemed to glow in the coming dark.

"I bring to you an exotic flower from the desert. A woman who can charm even the deadliest of snakes. The king of snakes. I bring you... Mora."

While Philip distracted the crowd with his juggling, Mora had stepped from the shadows and now stood in the circle of light, snakes draped from her neck and arms, a large basket at her feet. She lifted a strange instrument to her lips and began to play. The lid to the basket teetered. It fell away and the crowd all inhaled a breath at the same time. A large black snake rose from the basket. The snake's head suddenly expanded. His tongue slithered out and he hissed, but still Mora played.

The tune changed and the snake began to descend into the basket. Once the crowd could no longer see the cobra, Mora walked over, placed the lid upon the basket, and gathered it up. She bowed to a burst of applause, and coins were suddenly being tossed upon the ground. Dawn scrambled forward and began gathering the coins.

"Now to lighten your mood, the antics of Nathan and Iris!" Philip boomed.

The couple tumbled into the circle of light. They were dressed in wild costumes that immediately brought a smile to Elise's lips. She laughed out loud at their silliness and marveled over their skill at tumbling. The crowd did indeed laugh and applaud their efforts, all oohing when Iris did a triple somersault in the air and landed upon her husband's shoulders to end their performance. A shower of coins followed. Again Dawn moved into the circle and collected the bounty.

"Now, the bravest man in the world!" Philip stepped forward. "A man who can tame the savage beast, turn even the most ferocious animal into a loving house cat. I bring you the Beast Tamer!"

Torches suddenly leaped to life around the cage that had been erected earlier. Inside, Raja and Leena paced. The crowd went wild. A tall man stepped from the shadows. The firelight danced upon his golden head. He wore tights that hugged his muscled contours to the point of indecency, and two leather straps crisscrossed over his broad naked chest. Heat rushed to Elise's head, among other places. She heard more than one woman among the crowd sigh appreciatively.

Elise did not like it, the way the women ogled Sterling. He cracked a whip and made her jump; then he opened the door to the cage and stepped inside. The crowd grew deathly quiet. Sterling cracked his whip again, issued a command, and the cats took their seats upon two stools that were arranged inside of the cage. Raja growled and pawed at Sterling when he passed, causing Elise to suck in her breath.

Sterling shouted something and the cats sat up on their haunches. The crowd roared. He turned his back on the cats and bowed, which Elise thought was a frightfully stupid thing to do. The crowd appreciated his bravery, however, and coins flew to the ground. Since Dawn did not scramble forward to collect them, Elise assumed the performance had not ended.

Indeed, there was more to follow. Sterling commanded his cats to do all manner of tricks, from lying down on the ground and rolling over, to an impressive feat of jumping through a hoop that was on fire. Sterling also jumped through the hoop, which brought a spray of more coins. Elise felt like her heart was in her throat, but she couldn't deny the excitement that also coursed through her veins.

What she hoped was his last act of bravery was to open Raja's mouth and stick his head inside. The man was insane! Sterling emerged with his head, and more coins showered the ground. Again he turned his back upon the cats and bowed to the crowd. Raja suddenly attacked from the rear. Elise screamed. The tiger knocked Sterling to the ground. Man and beast wrestled and all Elise could do was stare on in horrified fascination. A moment later they were both up and Sterling hopped on Raja's back, riding the tiger.

The applause was deafening; the glitter of coins made the ground appear as if it were paved with gold. The torches around the cage were extinguished, and the crowd roared for more.

Philip stepped into the circle of light. "The night has not ended!" he boomed. "Know your future, find your fortune, or maybe discover if your wife has been unfaithful. Lady Fortune awaits you in her wagon."

The crowd grumbled, but many moved toward Sarah's wagon, which was now illuminated by bright torches. Elise stared at the darkened place where the cage had been erected, wondering what Sterling was doing. She noted that a few women also stared in the same direction. Would they seek out his wagon? No wonder he had thought she was there to find amusement with him that first night. He was handsome, devastatingly handsome. He would draw women like moths to the flame.

She would not stay and witness the fawning. Elise thought it was a perfect time to slip to the inn and secure a room. Most of the patrons were still milling about. She needed her valise, however, so she moved toward Sterling's wagon. She had only stepped into the darkness when a hand grabbed her arm.

"Hello, Gypsy girl," a voice slurred. "I saw you in the crowd and thought we might have a roll together."

She couldn't see the man, but his breath reeked of liquor. "Unhand me this instant," she snapped. "I do not wish to share your company."

The stranger yanked her up close to him. "Whether you're willing or not makes no difference to me. Who cares what happens to thieving scum like you?"

"I care."

The voice belonged to Sterling, and Elise was never so happy to hear it.

"Go about your business, man, and leave me to mine," the stranger said.

Elise tried to twist away from the drunken man's hold, but his fingers dug into the soft flesh of her arm.

"Let her go."

Sterling did not raise his voice, but his tone was deadly. A low growl sounded in the darkness and rose the hair on the back of her neck.

"Say, who's there?" the man asked, a tremor audible along with the slur. "Be you a man or a beast?"

No answer. Another low growl. The man released her and ran away. Elise might have relaxed, but the growl? What was it?

"Sterling?' she whispered. "Are you here?"

The silence stretched. Her heart began to beat at an alarming rate. She lifted a hand to her throat. A tall shadow suddenly stood next to her.

"Are you all right, Elise?"

"Sterling," she sighed. "Yes, I'm fine. The man..." Her voice trailed off. It was impossible, but when she glanced up she swore she saw the glow of an animal's eyes staring down at her. She shivered in the chilly evening air, blinked, and when she looked again, all she saw was Sterling's tall shadow against the night.

"What about the man?"