“Could it be because you’re an earl, you’re a war hero, and you have Parliament at your beck and call? Those are pretty impressive credentials.” She grinned. “And I let him send me because I was feeling guilty. I’d asked him not to accept any assignments while Eve and Joe were going to be tied up with keeping their son, Michael, safe. They trust Caleb and their lives had become awkward, even dangerous, and they were really grateful to have him there as a safeguard.” She lifted her shoulders in a half shrug. “But now that they’re heading back to their lake cottage in Atlanta, there’s no reason for Caleb to refuse any more assignments. So, I told him I needed to work and to go away and not bother me.”

“And he immediately obeyed you?” He shook his head. “I don’t think so. The last time I saw you together he couldn’t let you out of his sight.” He was studying her face. “And you were thinking about marriage. What happened?”

“Life got in the way,” she said. “We had to delay quite a few things. But so did the entire world. We’ll get around to it.”

“Will you?” MacDuff asked. “That doesn’t sound like you.”

“Maybe I’ve changed.”

“Not that much. You’ve always been stubborn as a mule once you’ve made up your mind. And I tried, but I couldn’t change your mind about Caleb. All that passion…” MacDuff smiled. “He almost had you hypnotized. I believe I’ll have to study the situation. There has to be a reason. What did he do to you?”

“Nothing.” She finished her tea and set the cup in the saucer. “Caleb is almost perfect. I couldn’t be happier with our arrangement. Stop probing, MacDuff.”

“It’s my nature.” His eyes were twinkling. “And you calling Caleb almost perfect really annoys me. I prefer to be the only person given that designation. Particularly since I don’t like the tendency he has to order me around when everyone knows I’m far superior.”

“I can see the problem,” she said gravely. “But you’ll have to take it up with Caleb.”

“Sometimes that’s difficult. Where did MI6 send him this time?”

“Somewhere near the Congo I believe. I really don’t know. He doesn’t discuss his business unless it directly concerns me.”

“Until then you just sit and wait meekly for him to come back to you?”

“No, it depends how much it concerns me.” Her lips were twitching. “I might go after him. After all, one doesn’t let a man that close to perfection just wander off. There aren’t that many around.”

MacDuff flinched. “Wicked.”

She chuckled. “You deserved it. Any other questions?”

He nodded at her leather art portfolio. “When am I going to get to see the new sketch?”