Chapter 61

"Let me consider the reasons for that. We have all night, don't we?"

It wasn't difficult to keep her voice level.She'd been angry before, the first time she'd faced him in Genoa. Look where it had gotten her.

"I hope so."

"Oh, really?"

"But that depends on you."

"Good. Well, since it does, let's start with the misappropriation "

"Palerna's not mine exactly, but I didn't steal it."

"I'm not talking the boat. I'm meaning the book."

His gaze didn't falter as he ambled across the floor and came to stand beside her, the lantern light glinting on the gold in his ear and casting a sheen over his corn-colored hair, as if it couldn't help but touch him.

"I suppose that depends on what you mean by stealing. See, the law might say what you've got of mine there makes this eeksie-peeksie."

"I beg your pardon?"

She'd never heard such an expression. For that matter it might have been pirate lingo. But she could guess its meaning.