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said in that deep, cool voice, but as Anna opened her mouth to give him a dismissive reply she suddenly realised that he wasn't even looking at her, he was staring at Patti, his mouth twisting in an amused smile.
    'Oh . . . hallo . . . ' stammered Patti, and Anna watched her pink face with a frown. Patti's mouth was quivering and her eyes were wide with obvious anxiety.
    'I was driving this way and I thought you might like a lift,' he drawled with a hint of mockery.
    Patti looked down, biting her lip. 'Well, I . . . that was kind of you, but . . . Mr . . . ?'
    My God! She doesn't even know his name, thought Anna. Did he pick her up the way he did me this morning? Patti's nervous reaction to seeing him made it clear that she hadn't invited his pursuit but didn't quite know how to get the message over. She was barely twenty, after all, and hadn't had much experience with men, Anna suspected, certainly not with men of this type. The mocking sophistication of his smile had obviously thrown her completely.
    'Laird,' he said softly. 'Laird Montgomery.'
    Anna laughed; she couldn't suppress it. The name immediately struck her as comical, unreal; she suspected he had just invented it. No doubt he didn't want Patti to know his real name. He was probably married. He must be in his mid-thirties and he didn't look like a confirmed bachelor, more like a husband looking for some action on the side.
    He turned his eyes on her for the first time then, their gaze hard. 'Can we share the joke?'
    'I was just wondering what your real name was,' Anna retorted blandly.
    Patti took a sharp, indrawn breath, giving her a startled look. Hadn't it occurred to her that he might have made up the name? She really was too innocent to be let out on her own; she was looking like a startled fawn now, her body quivering as if she wanted to run away; and that would be by far the wisest thing for her to do.
    'What a suspicious mind you have!' he drawled, mouth crooked. 'Talking of names, do you have one?'
    Anna's silent smile was derisive. She looked at Patti. 'We'll miss the bus if we don't hurry, are you coming?' Speak now or forever hold your peace, she thought, her green eyes commanding the other girl. Tell him to get lost, you idiot!
    Patti lifted her eyes to the man's hard-boned face, slid them towards the luxurious interior of the blue and silver Rolls. Anna could see the struggle raging in her mind. It was a bitterly cold evening; Patti was dead tired—the temptation must be enormous.
    She couldn't guess what Patti would decide to do, and certainly didn't expect her to say huskily, 'Could you . . . give us both a lift?'
    His face was impassive as he said, 'Of course,' turning to open the rear door of the limousine.
    Patti gave Anna an uncertain look. 'OK, Anna?'
    'Why not?' Anna was amused by the compromise between Patti's common sense and her desire to have a drive in the Rolls. It was understandable, though; the car was a thing of beauty and it wasn't every day that you got the chance to ride in one.
    Patti slid along the seat and Anna got in beside her, the back of her neck prickling as she felt Laird Montgomery watching the way her long legs moved. He closed the door and walked round to get behind the wheel, and Anna glanced at the girl next to her.
    'I hope you know what you're doing,' she murmured quietly. 'He's a bit out of your league, isn't he?'
    Patti made a muffled sound, bending her head. Anna saw the back of her neck turn carnation-pink, and her mouth indented. The girl simply had no idea how to deal with a guy of his kind, did she?
    'Tell him you've got a date,' she hissed. 'Invent something; any excuse will do.'
    He had opened the driver's door and was getting into the car. He turned, his arm along the back of his seat, raising one of those fine, winged black brows. 'Where will it be?' he asked Anna, making it very clear that he intended to drop her first and get Patti alone.
    Anna looked sideways at the other girl, her eyes enquiring.