Daniel gazed bemusedly at the closed door for a moment. Then he began to chuckle. Damn, there was no one like Clancy. He had missed him in the last two years. Daniel’s glance drifted restlessly around the luxurious study, with its rich Oriental carpet and the art objects that were as exquisite as the room itself. All very tasteful and civilized and-He suddenly pushed back his chair with leashed violence and stood up. And boring, dammit. So godawful boring that he was barely able to restrain the violence that his restlessness engendered. Clancy knew him very well. He wasn’t destined to be a playboy. It had been amusing for all of three months before pleasure had palled and boredom had reared its head. No wonder Clancy had been so confident that he would jump at this impossibly difficult mission.

He glanced down at the girl in the photograph, and a reckless smile curved his lips. One finger reached out and caressingly touched the mouth of the girl. A summer smile. Why not admit that it wasn’t only the danger that was the attraction but the idea of bedding Bradford’s lovely protégée? It had to be lust that he was feeling. Anything else was too absurd to accept. That first odd impression of finding something that had been lost was pure imagination. Yes, it had to be lust.

Hell, he was beginning to look with genuine anticipation on the coming mission, he thought with a grin. Clancy Donahue was probably right. He must be a little mad. The smile still lingered as he strode briskly across the room and out the study door to help Clancy bring in his amusing little “gadgets.”

“You will tell him that we have treated you like a delicate flower.” Ali Hassan dropped down into the seat beside Zilah, a smile of sleek satisfaction on his narrow, catlike face. “That you have been fed and allowed to sleep. We have not beaten you or used you sexually. You will tell him these things when he asks. You understand?”

“I will tell him.” Zilah leaned her head back wearily against the cushioned headrest of her seat. She touched her cut lower lip gingerly. “However, I don’t think he’ll believe me when he sees this little memento.”