Midnight Jewels

plump red strawberry disappearing between her lips and looked at Gladstone.
    "The ability to appreciate the rare or the exotic or the beautiful is largely a matter of education and the development of a certain kind of sensitivity. It has nothing to do with whether the viewer has any of the equivalent human virtues. Surrounding an evil man with works of fine art and great beauty would not alter his basic nature."
    "In other words," Mercy said as she reached for another strawberry, "you can't make a silk purse from a sow's ear."
    "Exactly," Croft murmured. But one might be able to disguise the ear for a long time so that few would recognize it for what it was, he added silently.
    Mercy pursed her lips. "Speaking of valuable things, aren't you worried about having a house full of people to-night? What about security? Won't it worry you to have so many people in the house at the same time?"
    "Dallas and Lance handle that end of things for us," Isobel explained. "But there is really very little need to concern ourselves with the possibility of theft. The artists in the colony are all quite grateful to Erasmus for his patronage. It's unlikely any of them would abuse his generosity."
    "I see." Mercy started in on her goat cheese omelette.
    "What would you two like to do today?" Gladstone asked genially. "We want you to enjoy yourselves."
    "I'd like to take a walk this morning," Mercy said, glancing determinedly at Croft. "I haven't really had a chance to enjoy the scenery firsthand."
    "An excellent idea," Gladstone approved. "We have several examples of Alpine meadows within walking distance and the views are superb. I would suggest you take a topographical map and a compass, however, or else stay within sight of the house. It's far too easy to get lost out there. One must never forget this is true wilderness, some of the last left in the States."
    "We'll leave right after breakfast," Mercy said enthusiastically. Then she smiled benignly at Croft. "I'll bet Croft knows how to follow a topographical map and read a compass, don't you, Croft?"
    He saw the mischief in her wide-eyed, innocent green gaze and realized just how much he was learning to enjoy that element in her nature. She didn't fool him for a minute, though. The sweet, sexy little witch was determined to get him out of the house where she could lecture him to her heart's content. Croft surrendered to the inevitable. It occurred to him that he usually did around Mercy.
    "We won't get lost," he said equably and went back to his omelette.
    An hour later they walked away from the house, following Dallas' directions toward a meadow that he assured them was in full bloom. Mercy was wearing her jeans and a pair of white Nikes along with a flower patterned camp shirt. She had her hair in a short ponytail and Croft thought she looked very fresh and enticing. It was a fine morning to be setting out on a hike with this woman.
    "Of course we're not going to get lost," Mercy murmured provokingly as she strode along beside him. "I knew right away you'd be an expert at hiking in the wilderness, just like you are at everything else."
    "I'm not an expert at everything and we're not going very far." He didn't like the taunting note in her voice. She was looking for a way to bait him again. He just knew it. "Don't," he advised.
    "Don't what?"
    "Don't spend the whole morning trying to provoke me. I know you think it's your only form of retaliation at the moment, but I'm not in the mood for it."
    "Retaliation?" She looked more innocent than ever. "Why would I want to retaliate against you? Just because my whole future is hanging in the balance and I'm scared to death you're going to do something that will cut the thread that's holding it, why should I feel like retaliating?"
    "Don't exaggerate. Your whole future is not hanging in the balance."
    "Oh yes it is. You'd better exercise a great deal of caution while you're investigating Gladstone, or I'm the one who will pay the price. I don't want any more embarrassing scenes like last night."
    "It wouldn't have even occurred if you'd stayed upstairs where you belong." He slanted her a quelling glance but she didn't seem to notice.
    "I won't take the blame for what happened. It was all your fault. I suppose you're going to make another foray tonight while the party's going on?"
    He cocked an eyebrow, mildly surprised by her shrewd guess. "I don't have much choice. We leave tomorrow. If I'm ever going to get the proof I need, it will have