It wasn't said unkindly, and Mary didn't take offense.

"All right," she admitted.

"I was quiet, but you have to admit you only just missed me. I've been gone at least two minutes."

"So long," he said dryly. It bothered him more than he cared to admit.

If she had wanted to, she could have gone quite a distance in two minutes.

"Why didn't you try leaving? Aren't you still anxious to get away from here?" Mary set down the bucket.

"I thought about it," she said.

"I think about it a lot. But I find myself in something of a predicament. If I try to go you'll probably drag me back and then you'd make me sleep in only a blanket again, right next to you, and then we'd both have a hard time sleeping.

Probably we would kiss, and maybe even more than that would happen, and you would blame me for that, thinking I planned it all, Heaven knows, I've given you good reason to think that--so it didn't seem to me I'd be able to convince you otherwise and" She paused to take a breath.

"And there you have it. There just wasn't any sense in trying to get away." He was staring at her, fascinated. She was laughing at him, he knew she was, but there was no smile on her lips and only innocence in her forest green eyes.

"Is that right?" he said softly.

She nodded serenely and turned to go.

"Would you like some breakfast?" she asked.

"I thought I'd-" Ryder caught her hand and pulled her back. She was brought flush to his body in a swift movement. His arms circled her waist quickly, trapping her.

"What if I changed my mind?" he asked.

"I did a lot of thinking, too."

Mary blinked. Her face was tilted toward his, and it seemed his mouth was very close.

"You did?" He nodded and bent his head.

His lips touched her just beneath her ear.

"I've decided.."

Ryder's mouth grazed her cheek" the next time ..." he kissed her temple. "you leave this chamber"-he traced the edges of her parted lips with his tongue.

"I'll drive a spike in the stone and chain you to it." His hands closed around her waist as he set her from him. Mary was still feeling the edge of his tongue on her mouth. The words registered slowly. She wavered on her feet a little unsteadily as a sweet ache swept through her.

"Now don't flirt with me anymore," he said.

"I can make you hurt a lot worse than you can make me." Ryder only hoped she would believe him.

It was something of a standoff for two more days. Ryder spent very little time inside the chamber, and he never offered to take Mary out again. When they were together their conversation was cool and polite.

They studiously avoided any subject that could be construed as personal and were careful not to touch. Mary slept alone on the stone pallet of blankets while Ryder made his bed on the floor. It was a satisfactory arrangement for neither of them.

On the third morning Ryder was finally prepared to announce there would be a change. He placed his hand on Mary's shoulder and shook her awake.

"Go away," she said sleepily.

"Get up."

"Why?" It was a good question, she thought. Why bother getting up at all when there was little to make one day different from another.

Ryder almost repeated what he thought about her taking issue with his orders, then thought better of it.

"Because we're leaving."

That got Mary's attention.

"Leaving?" She sat up and threw her legs over the side of the stone loft.

"Leaving the cavern, you mean?" she asked eagerly. He nodded and let his hand drift away from her shoulder.

"Where are we going?"

"A day's walk from here."

"That doesn't tell me anything."

"I could tell you the name of the place, but it wouldn't mean anything to you." He pointed to the pair of trousers he had laid across the back of the wing chair.

"Get out of your shift and put those on. You can wear my shirt and my hat. You won't be able to tolerate the sun without one."

"Aren't we taking anything with us?" she asked.

"Water and jerky. It will be enough."

"All right," she said.

"I trust you." He didn't let that touch his conscience too deeply.

"Get dressed," he said.

"I'll wait for you in the corridor." Mary was ready quickly. She gave a soft gasp of surprise when Ryder held up a bandana intended to cover her eyes.

"What does it matter if I see the way out? We're not coming back."

Ryder tied the blindfold tightly.

"I never said that," he said.

"But-" When she tried to tear at the bandana he caught her hands.

"What are you-" A rope was twisted around her wrists until they were bound securely in front of her.