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said. “And I thought to use your stables.”
    â€œA likely story.” Cole glanced at Daniel. “Did she have anything in her possession?”
    â€œNo, my lord.”
    Cole slowly walked around her. “Where did you come from, girl?”
    â€œPlease don’t ask me that, my lord.”
    â€œYou are found on my estate, shortly after some very valuable items go missing and I’m not supposed to ask where you’re from?”
    Sasha nodded. “That’s right. And I’d be ever so thankful if you didn’t ask what I was doing.”
    â€œWhat are you doing?” he asked.
    â€œI requested that you not ask me that.”
    â€œYes, which is precisely why I asked.”
    Sasha clamped her mouth shut and crossed her arms over her chest.
    Cole turned back to Daniel. “How thoroughly did you check to make sure she wasn’t carrying anything?”
    â€œI only checked her hands, my lord.”
    â€œThat’s what I thought. Strip her.”
    â€œMy lord, there are ladies present,” Nathaniel said.
    â€œThen nothing they’ll see will come as a shock. Now, Covington.”
    Daniel walked behind Sasha and lifted the dress over her head. She’d slipped a black tank top under the outfit to cover her back, so she was exposed only from the waist down. Like the day before, when she was late bringing the drinks, she wasn’t uncomfortable. She felt only excitement.
    â€œHmm.” Cole took his time looking over her body. “Very nice, and she doesn’t seem to be hiding anything. Search the pockets of her dress. Look for hidden ones.”
    â€œA-ha!” Daniel said, holding up a sheet of paper. “A summons from the king.”
    Cole jerked it out of his hand and held it up to Sasha. “You come from the king’s court?”
    â€œIt’s not what you think.”
    â€œThen what is it?” He narrowed his eyes. “And what does it have to do with my family’s jewelry?”
    Sasha said the first thing that came to her head. “I plead the fifth.”
    Cole’s eyes danced with amusement. “There is no fifth amendment yet. You can’t plead the fifth.”
    â€œThen I invent it.”
    â€œWrong country.”
    â€œDamn.”
    â€œOut with it.”
    â€œI’m just looking for a place to sleep, I promise. That’s all.”
    Cole cupped her chin and held her face so she had no choice but to look at him. “I have ways to get you to talk.”
    â€œPlease, Sir,” she said. “I’ll do anything. Just don’t send me back to the king.”
    He cocked an eyebrow. “What happens if I send you back to the king?”
    â€œHe’ll see me as a traitor. I’ll be killed.”
    â€œWhy would you be a traitor?” Cole began to run his finger over her cotton covered nipple.
    She sucked in a breath. “Because I didn’t follow his instructions.”
    â€œDo you have trouble following instructions?” His hand dipped lower, danced across her belly.
    â€œSometimes, my lord.”
    â€œWhat instructions were you given by the king that you didn’t follow?”
    â€œI’m supposed to gather information about you and report back to him.”
    â€œAnd how did you think to go about doing that?” His fingers brushed her upper thigh.
    â€œThere are rumors about you in . . . bed.”
    â€œAh, now we are getting somewhere. What sort of rumors?”
    â€œThey say you have peculiar tastes.”
    â€œMy lord,” Julie interrupted, “must we sit and listen to these lies about you and your character?”
    â€œI assure you, Ms. Masterson,” Cole said, “they are not lies.”
    Julie gave a dramatic gasp.
    â€œCovington?” Cole asked Daniel. “Kindly take Ms. Masterson over your knee and show her what happens when people interrupt me.”
    Daniel crooked a finger at a surprised