widow

strained to the breaking point, net stockings, and spike-heeled pumps, an

ivory

cameo on a black velvet choker gracing her lovely throat.

"Good evening, gentlemen," she said, in a small, polite, little-girl voice.

"Do

please come in and make yourselves at home."

After he got his breath back Andrew followed Joey through the door, only to

have

his breath taken away once more by the sight that greeted him inside. The

elegant Georgian facade of the town house was just that, a facade. Inside the

place had been redone completely in the most modern Post-Romantic style. The

floors were bare black marble, the walls were dark pastels, the furniture was

all noveau-medieval, and the decor was Dionysian. Bronze sculptures depicting

half-human beasts and demons were placed around the lobby. There were large

paintings on the walls done in the style of Dore and Bosch, but even those

demented visionaries had never committed such carnal fantasies to canvas.

Ingenious flying stairways, apparently suspended in midair, led to the upper

floors, and skillfully placed dim, indirect lighting gave the interior a

surreal, chiaroscuro- atmosphere. Throbbing, driving music came from the

ballroom to the right, where costumed figures undulated wildly on the dance

floor. Some of those costumes were very spare, indeed. Andrew swallowed hard.

This was going to be even better than he'd expected.

"Ah, here is our hostess," Joey said, and Andrew's jaw dropped as he saw

Terri

Clancy slowly coming down the stairs.

She was wearing a skintight black kidskin leather jumpsuit that was open

almost

to her navel; high, spike-heeled boots; a studded leather belt; and a spiked,

black leather choker. Her jet-black hair hung long and loose, and she wore a

small, black satin mask that covered just the area around her eyes. She

carried

a short, silver-handled whip in her left hand.

"Good Lord," said Andrew, swallowing hard as she approached. "Is... is mat...

Lady Carfax?"

"What, Terri?" Joey said, chuckling. "Lady Carfax? Heavens, no. Nigel is a

confirmed bachelor. Terri is... umm, how shall I put it? Nigel's social

director?"

"Then she isn't...?"

"No, she isn't, old boy," said Joey with a grin. 'Tally-ho, eh?"

"Joey, how nice to see you," Terri said, giving him a light kiss on the

cheek.

"And this must be Andrew, whom I've heard so much about."

She slipped her hand into his and squeezed it softly, then continued to hold

on

to it.

"What has he been telling you about me, then?" Andrew said, leering at her.

"Not

the truth, I hope?"