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spoon, aware that her pulse was racing for no good reason. No, she immediately told herself, that wasn't true. Fear was a good reason. "I think it's time I showed you to the cottage, Flint."
    He stared at her for a moment, taking in the sudden, regal tilt of her chin and the firm decision in her eyes.
    Then, to Rani's infinite relief, he nodded. "All right." He reached for one last biscuit, put down his napkin and got to his feet.
    Rani didn't hesitate. She wanted him out of the house, and he appeared to be in a mood to go. She didn't dare waste the opportunity. "I'll get a flashlight."
    "I have to get some things from the jeep." Flint swallowed the last of his biscuit and started toward the front door, pausing to pull his old sheepskin jacket out of the closet. Bareheaded, he stepped out into the rain, closing the door behind him. Zipp lifted his head to watch him go and then went back to dozing in front of the fire.
    Rani scurried around, putting on a yellow trench coat and locating her red umbrella. She wanted to meet Flint outside so that he wouldn't have any further excuse for coming back into the house. When she yanked open the front door, he was already standing there, waiting for her. He had a scarred leather travel bag slung over one shoulder.
    Rani felt a flash of guilt as she realized he was already wet again. "Here, get under the umbrella," she instructed briskly, opening it. Obediently he ducked beneath the shield. She had to stretch her arm high in order to cover him. It was awkward. "Do you have a key?"
    "The Andersons gave me one."
    "Fine. The cottage is around back. This way." Rani led him around the corner of the old mountain house, following a brick path that was missing several bricks. "Watch your step," she called above the steady drone of the rain.
    She promptly stepped into one of the small holes in the path, herself. "Damn!"
    Flint took her arm in a grip that resembled a predator's hold on its prey. "Are you all right?"
    "Yes, yes, I'm fine, thank you." Unobtrusively she attempted to free her arm. He didn't appear to notice her efforts.
    "I'll make sure 1 take care of this path first thing," he said seriously.
    Rani gritted her teeth. "Wonderful."
    The cottage loomed up out of the wet darkness, uninviting and depressing. When Flint shoved his key into the lock, the door swung open to reveal a room of deepest gloom. Fortunately the light switch worked. Unfortunately it didn't do much for the general sense of neglect and disrepair. There wasn't much to the old cottage, just a main room that served as both a sitting and sleeping area, a fireplace, bath and a tiny alcove of a kitchen with a small assortment of aging appliances. Rani began to feel guilty again, even though she knew she had absolutely no reason for it. Still, she couldn't imagine anyone not being depressed about the idea of living there for a few weeks.
    "You may want to change your mind about the arrangement you made with the Andersons," she said, glancing around the room.
    "I doubt it." Flint dropped his leather bag onto the old linoleum floor. "I've learned to take what I can get.
    This place is free, remember? Can't beat a deal like that."
    Irritation began to build in Rani. "You could if you had a decent job. You'd be able to afford something much better than this. Have you spent your whole life bouncing around from one makeshift job to another?"
    He slanted her an unfathomable glance. "That and chasing legends."
    "Oh, yes. I forgot about the legends," she retorted tightly.
    "You shouldn't. Especially now that you've become part of one." Flint's tone was suddenly very soft, faintly dangerous.
    "If you're talking about the ring—" she began resolutely.
    "I am," he assured her.
    "Then you can just forget this particular legend!"
    "I can't do that. It's the basis of my next magazine article, remember? Besides," he added with a fleeting smile, "if there's any truth to the legend, I can't forget about it."
    "What are you talking