Grand Passion

glasses and pushed them onto her nose. “It must be some of the men from Mr. Quinton's Warriors' Journey group. That does it, I'm going to throw them all out. I don't care if it is raining cats and dogs.”
    “If you throw them out, you'll have a hard time collecting for the rooms,” Max reminded her as he zipped up his trousers.
    “Right now all I care about is getting that damned drumming stopped.” Cleo was at the door. “I knew I should never have taken them in tonight. I didn't like the looks of that Tobias Quinton from the start. I'm too darn soft-hearted, that's my problem.”
    She yanked open the door and raced out into the hall, aware that Max was following more slowly behind her.
    The drumming was a lot louder when she reached the second floor, louder still when she got to the first floor. It seemed to be coming from the solarium.
    Cleo went to the front desk. George was nowhere in sight. Assuming he had already gone to investigate the drumming, Cleo started to turn toward the solarium. Then she heard the snores emanating from her office.
    “George?”
    “Your ever vigilant night clerk is sound asleep,” Max observed as he came up behind her.
    “For heaven's sake.” Cleo ducked into the office and saw that George was, indeed, sprawled in her chair, eyes closed, mouth agape. His feet were propped on her desk.
    “Forget it,” Max advised. “He wouldn't be much help, anyway.”
    “I suppose you're right.” Cleo squared her shoulders and stalked past him. “I'll just have to take care of this myself.”
    “Cleo, maybe you'd better let me handle this.”
    “I've been running this inn for three years.” Cleo turned the corner and went down the hall to the solarium. The drumming and the chanting got louder.
    “You've got me to help out around here now, remember?”
    “That doesn't mean I can't deal with a few rude guests.” Cleo stopped in front of the French doors that opened into the solarium. The doors were closed, but through the glass panes she could see that the lights were off inside the room. An orange glow from the fireplace told her that Quinton and his crowd had built a fire on the hearth. “Of all the nerve.”
    “I think you'd better let me go in there first,” Max said. He started to step around her, reaching for the doorknob.
    “Nonsense.” Cleo threw open the doors.
    The thunder of a drum and the roar of masculine voices lifted in a primitive chant boomed out of the solarium. In the light of the leaping flames Cleo could just barely make out the shapes of several men seated on the floor. They formed a half circle in front of the fire.
    A majestic, white-maned figure sat in their midst. He had the drum in front of him. His arm was raised to strike the next blow.
    “That will be quite enough, Mr. Quinton.” Cleo swept out her hand and hit all the switches on the wall in one slashing blow. The solarium was abruptly flooded with light.
    Twenty stark naked men turned to gaze at her in stony-faced disapproval.
    Cleo stared back in stunned amazement. Not one of the men was wearing a single stitch of clothing.
    Cleo was speechless. She swung around and found Max standing directly behind her.
    “I told you to let me go in first,” Max said. His eyes were gleaming with amusement.
    Cleo finally found her voice. “Do something.”
    “You bet, boss.” Max moved aside so that she could step past him into the hall. “I think it would probably be best if you went back upstairs. I'll get the warriors back to their tents.”
    “Yes, leave us, woman,” Quinton intoned in a deep, graveled voice. “This is a matter for men.”
    “She's just like my ex-wife,” one of the participants called out. “Diane never let me have any fun, either.”
    “This is a time for men to come together,” Quinton chanted. He thumped the drum. “This is a time of male power and strength. A gathering time for warriors.”
    Cleo glared at Max. “I don't want them put back in their rooms. I want them out of here, do you understand? Immediately!”
    “Think of the income you'd be losing if you throw them out tonight, Cleo.”
    “I don't care how much profit I lose. I want them off the premises.”
    “You are welcome to join us,” Quinton said to Max. “This is a place and a time for men.”
    “Thank you,” Max said very civilly.
    “Max,” Cleo hissed, “I swear, if you take off your clothes and start chanting in front of the fire, I am going to throttle you.”
    Max's mouth curved. “Is