The sleeves were three-quarter length, pointed toward the wrist and decorated with seed pearls. She had spent the afternoon thinking about the impending meeting and letting out the hem a half inch. Now the dress looked as if it had been made expressly for her and not her sister. Mary made a quarter turn in either direction, critically eyeing the dress and her handiwork. She smoothed the beaded front and straightened the sleeves.

French-braiding her hair had given her green eyes a faintly exotic look, and pinching her cheeks had added color to her complexion.

When a tendril of red-gold hair fell over her forehead, she blew it out of the way in exasperation. Behind her she heard Ryder's deep chuckle.

She stepped to one side so she was no longer blocking his reflection in the mirror. He was wearing a crisp white shirt, black trousers, and a tailored two-tailed coat.

"No one would ever know you're equally comfortable in buckskin and moccasins," she said.

"I know," he said pointedly, drawing nearer.

"I have something for you."

"Aaah," she said knowingly.

"Finally an explanation as to where you were all morning."

"Not quite. This has nothing to do with that." He reached inside his coat pocket, withdrew a small velvet-covered box, and held it out to Mary. In way of explanation, he said, "Doc just delivered it a few minutes ago." Mary's eyes held Ryder's in the mirror for a moment before she turned to accept the gift.

"If you don't like it I can-" She stopped him with a telling look and a single arched brow; then she opened the hinged box. The polished turquoise stone that Ryder had given Mary in the Cavern of Lost Souls now rested in an exquisite silver setting on a bed of black velvet.

"Oh my," she said on a slender thread of sound.

"How did you .. . when did you?" It was difficult to complete a thought. Ryder gently took the box from her, removed the ring, and raised her left hand. He slipped it on and the fit was perfect.

"Oh, Ryder ... it's lovely." In spite of Mary's obvious pleasure he felt compelled to point out, "It's not a diamond." She raised herself on tiptoe and kissed him full on the mouth.

"Who wants a diamond?" she whispered.

"I thought..." He hesitated.

"I noticed you looking at your hand when we registered here at the boarding house." He saw Mary's flush as she recalled the incident.

"You didn't say anything, but I saw it wasn't right that you didn't have a ring.

Not here, not among these people." Ryder lifted her hand and studied the fit of the ring. The silver setting was a delicate complement to the large blue-green stone.

"I should have thought of it before Doc brought it to my attention. My uncle noticed it, but he had better manners than to stare as pointedly as Doc. I didn't want you to be embarrassed again." Mary removed her hand from his, laid her head against his chest, and embraced him hard.

"I'm not embarrassed to be your wife." She tilted her head back, offering him a slightly wicked smile; and tapped him lightly on the chest with her forefinger.

"And with or without this ring you're my husband." He wasn't likely to forget it or to want it any other way. Ryder set Mary away from him and looked her over from head to toe.

"Beautiful," he said. Then he basked in the warmth of her smile. For a moment. She added an arch look and said, "If this ring isn't the reason you were gone all morning, then exactly where were you?" His cool, frost-colored eyes flickered for a moment with something like amusement. Nothing changed in the shape of his mouth. With grave import he said, "Scouting for the cavalry, my dear." Mary and Ryder were shown to the dining room immediately upon their arrival. Wilson Stillwell was at the sideboard, pouring himself a glass of wine. Mary accepted a sherry for herself while Ryder declined to drink at all.

"As I remember, your father didn't drink either," Wilson said.

"He didn't have anything against it," said Ryder.

"He just didn't particularly like it."

"Can't understand that myself." The senator raised his glass and touched the rim of it to Mary's.

"To our success."

"Success," she murmured. She sipped gently, wanting as clear a head on her shoulders as she could manage.

"I.

take it that Miss Hamilton has accepted your invitation."

"And Lieutenant Rivers. There was never any doubt." Again Mary felt a surge of disquiet. Why was there no doubt? she wondered. How could Senator Stillwell be so certain of Anna Leigh and Davis Rivers? She glanced at Ryder to see if any measure of concern could be detected on his features. He appeared completely at ease with this information.

"They'll be here soon?"

"The invitation was for dinner," Stillwell replied.

"Fifteen minutes after the hour."

"What about General Hatcher?" asked Ryder.

"And the reporters you mentioned." Stillwell nodded.

"All taken care of.

I spoke personally with Hatcher this morning and with all three reporters this afternoon. Believe me, they were eager to come.

I had to tell them very little to whet their appetites. Mrs.

Shanahan is expecting them at the back door. She has been instructed not to show them into the hall until after Miss Hamilton and her escort arrive." Stillwell finished his glass of wine.

"You understand you'll have to speak up. It isn't as easy to hear from the hallway as you might think. I experimented myself today with Mrs.

Shanahan."

"You seem to have covered everything," Ryder said.

"As promised." He started to pour himself another glass of wine, but stopped when he heard the arrival of his other guests.

"That would be Miss Hamilton and the lieutenant," he said, putting down his glass and bottle. He looked from Ryder to Mary.

"You both know how you want to handle this?" he asked.

"I've left that up to you.

"I was certain you had," Ryder said.

"We're prepared." Detecting an undercurrent in Ryder's words, Mary shot him a sideways glance once the senator's head was turned. Not only did Ryder not respond to her overture, he very pointedly ignored her. Mary had an urge to poke him in the ribs with her elbow. It took a great deal of self-control to resist. When Senator Stillwell left the dining room he did not close the doors completely. Mary and Ryder were able to hear him greet his guests and to follow the innocuous conversation that followed. Mary winced as she heard Anna Leigh Hamilton's practiced, trilling laughter. It was so obviously affected that she was surprised the woman had such success with it. Senator Stillwell parted the doors with a grand flourish and ushered his guests inside. His mouth was curved in a narrow, satisfied smile as he stepped into the room.

"I believe you all know each other," he said calmly.