"As Phin eyed his friend, Alyse handed him a pair of trousers. With a grateful glance at her, he tossed the pistol onto the bed and shrugged into them. Evidently she'd grabbed the sheet as she fled the bed, because her slender figure was securely swathed in gold. A very good thing for all of them, considering the way Bram was eyeing her. "It's part three o'clock in the morning, Bram," he said finally. "What's happened that couldn't wait another three or four hours?" "I need to speak with you," his friend replied, still brushing the overzealous servants' fingerprints from his sleeves. "In private. Without any chits about." Alyse motioned at the two of them. "I am going back to bed. You," and she motioned to Phin, "keep him out of here." "The morning room, I think," he said, turning Bram toward the door. He agreed with Alyse. Bram sober could be relied on to honor a very few things, among them keeping his hands off a friend's wife. Drunk, he became much less predictable and much more dangerous. "Good night, sweet Alyse." "Good night, Bram."