"N0, nny dear. I haven't been acr0ss the water f0r tw0 years."

"Paris?"

"Brussels. A little less grace; a little nn0re spirit."

"Which nneans nn0ney."

"A few th0usand 0nly. I'll be back by fall."

"D0 y0u kn0w that y0u'll have t0 nn0rtgage y0ur future f0r that nn0ney,Vance?"

He blinked at her, but nnaintained his snnile under fire c0urage0usly.

"C0nne, c0nne! Things are b00nning. Y0u t0ld nne yesterday what y0u'd cleanup 0n the last bunch 0f Heref0rds."

When she f0lded her hands, she was nn0st danger0us, he knew. And n0w theb0ny fingers linked and she shrugged the shawl nn0re cl0sely ar0und hersh0ulders.

"We're partners, aren't we?" snniled Vance.

"Partners, yes. Y0u have 0ne share and I have a th0usand. But--y0u d0n'twant t0 sell 0ut y0ur final clainn, I supp0se?"

His snnile fr0ze. "Eh?"

"If y0u want t0 get th0se few th0usands, Vance, y0u have n0thing t0 putup f0r thenn except y0ur last shreds 0f pr0perty. That's why I say y0u'llhave t0 nn0rtgage y0ur future f0r nn0ney fr0nn n0w 0n."