STONE, uncharacteristically, didn’t sleep well. He was out cold for about an hour, then he jerked awake. The Virginia suburbs? Waiting for Holly to come home from work every day? The thought made the rest of his night nearly sleepless, whereas Holly remained exquisitely somnambulant. A marriage proposal was an extremely rare event for both of them, but it didn’t keep her awake.

The next morning she began packing, and he was surprised at how much stuff she had.

“Why don’t you leave some things here?”

“Why?”

“So that when you come back, you won’t have to bring so much stuff.”

“Now, Stone, be realistic. You know you don’t want a lady’s things hanging in the guest closet, for all the world to see.”

“All the world?”

“All right, just the other ladies.”

“There aren’t any other ladies.”

“At the moment,” she said. “But before I land in Washington there’ll be somebody new scratching at your door.”

“You wound me.”

“Nonsense. We both know who you are.”

“Are you saying I would be an unfaithful husband?”

“Certainly not. If I thought so for a moment, I’d poison your bourbon. But, an unfaithful fiancé . . . ?”

“That’s a terrible thing to say. When I was married to Arrington I was absolutely faithful.”

“I accept that, though it wasn’t for very long, was it? Your engagement, I mean.”

“She was living here.”

“Well, that would cramp your style a little. I, however, would not be living here—if we were betrothed.”

“I hate that word.”

“I’m not surprised. I don’t like it very much myself, I was just making a point.”

The phone rang, and Stone didn’t wait for Joan to get it. “Hello?”

“How about the Boathouse restaurant in Central Park, one o’clock? I’ll book.” It was Will Lee.

“Okay. If you’re going back today, there’s somebody here who’d like to catch a ride.”

“I can do that. Have him meet me at the East Side Heliport at four o’clock.”

“I’ll tell him.” He hung up. “You’re to meet Will at the East Side Heliport at four o’clock.”

“Perfect. On the way down I can feel him out about getting back to my job.”

“What are you going to do until four?”

“I’ll do a little shopping and catch some lunch somewhere. There’s a nice restaurant at Barneys.”

Stone gathered her into his arms and kissed her. “I was perfectly serious last night.”

“Last night? I thought that was a dream.”

“You have to learn to distinguish your dreams from reality.”

“I do that at work, not in your bed.”

“And when will you be back in my bed?”

“Probably not until I’ve achieved world peace.”

“Swell.”

“But my failure to do so shouldn’t keep you out of my bed.”

Stone let it go at that.

—