The corridor outside was dimly lit, and empty except for one man.

‘Good evening,’ Daniel said with a smile. ‘Forgive me for arriving at such an untimely hour, but I thought it best to be discreet.’

‘Of course,’ she agreed, backing away to let him in.

Daniel quietly closed the door behind him. Lizzie went

to the main light switch, but he halted her with his hand on her wrist.

‘I think not,’ he said, switching on a very small table lamp. ‘This will be sufficient.’

The tiny lamp gave a reasonable illumination, while still leaving the room half hidden in shadow. But she could discern enough of Daniel to feast her eyes. He was in day clothes, but without a jacket, his shirt open at the throat, looking more informal than she’d seen him before.

Lizzie felt at a slight disadvantage. She was sufficiently worldly wise to have realised that this moment would probably come. Even to hope for it. But had she hoped for it quite so soon?

Then she put her chin up. She was alone with the most dangerously attractive man she’d ever met, his dark eyes were regarding her with appreciation, and if she couldn’t cope with that then it was time she retired from the fray and took up something easier, like taming lions.

‘I’m sure you understand why I’ve come here so late, and so discretely,’ he said, still with his eyes on her. ‘In fact, I’ve been sure that we shared a perfect understanding from the first moment. Neither of us is exactly inexperienced in the ways of-shall we say-intrigue?’

She smiled, beginning to feel at ease. ‘Does it matter what we call it?’