“I know you have.” He smiled faintly. “Nothing could be more obvious. But the only actual thing I hated was that I was getting impatient from having to restrain myself from helping you more. Which is a natural instinct and has nothing to do with your capabilities. But you’re far from being a gracious receiver in that department.” He waved his hand at the cave. “By all means do what you like. I won’t offer to help. Personally, I wouldn’t want to be the scorpion attacking you.”

“Thank you.” She paused before she went toward the cave. “I don’t believe you. You would offer to help. You couldn’t help yourself. And I’m sorry that I can’t be gracious about stuff like that. I wouldn’t know how.” She turned on her flashlight. “But Masenak is worse than any scorpion, and I’m taking your help swatting him. Tell me how to be gracious about that and I’ll do it.”

*  *  *

Alisa ducked her head and entered the darkness of the cave.

“No scorpions. No snakes,” she announced when she came out forty-five minutes later. “Just some weird bugs that skittered all over the place when I came near them. They were probably first cousins to cockroaches. Margaret said they’re going to inherit the earth. I told her I’d prefer dogs or horses.” She glanced around the small clearing. “You’ve done a good job.” A small fire was burning, and she could smell coffee from the pot Korgan had set on the stones beside it. “But regardless if that cave is safe and livable or not, I’m not going back in there tonight. I’ll opt for my sleeping bag, either out here or in the Land Rover. I don’t mind roughing it, but I have problems with cockroach wannabes.”

“I thought that’s what you’d choose.” He passed her a handful of towelettes. “Get some of the dust off you while I pour you a cup of coffee. Do you want to eat now or later?”

“Later. I’m still inhaling that dank cave.” She was wiping her face and neck, then hands and arms. At least she felt a little cleaner now. She took the coffee cup he handed her. “How very ‘gracious’ you’re being,” she said mockingly. “Are you trying to teach me by example?”

“No, I’m only making you comfortable. That’s what all of this about. Even sending you to go brave the scorpions and cockroaches.”

“Sending me? You didn’t send me to—” She stopped. “Or did you? Manipulation, again?”

“I merely guessed which way you’d choose to go. I told you this was coming. But I could feel you becoming more tense all day. You needed a distraction to make it easier for you.” He went back to the fire and poured himself a cup of coffee. “Sit down.”