“Babies may not be newsworthy items here. But this baby’s the sweetest, brightest and friendliest creature I’ve ever met.” Nola started toward the large patio. Lanterns of varying sizes gave the place an aura of enchantment. With a wry laugh, she added, “My staff’s having a hard time accepting the new competition for my attention.”

“What’s their problem?”

She looked at him. Wisps of straight black hair fell on his forehead. He really had no idea what her life was like, or how many people—families—depended upon her for their livelihood. She helped herself to an endive leaf and licked the dollop of caviar from the top, relishing the salty, smooth texture. “Don’t you need to introduce me to some important guests?”

“Do you want me to?”

“I’m here on a job.” She raised an eyebrow and added with a note of sarcasm, “I do whatever’s expected of me.”

He smiled. “I don’t.”

“I envy you.”

The lantern-dotted path leading into the depth of the garden was inviting. She made toward it, ready to absorb the sensual radiance of the stars, to reflect back the opaque glow of the moon, to dance naked if the time and place permitted. For once, Yoram and his team had to stay in the front sentry house with the small army of musclemen of the other dignitaries.

“I take it you mean to keep her.” Daniel tweaked a leaf off a low shrub and brought it to his nose.

“I’m in love. Totally. Wade spoke with Ambassador Ashford today about taking care of the paperwork.”

Daniel bent down again and picked the seeds of another plant. He pressed them between his fingers and brought them close to her nose. She inhaled the biting, sweet scent. "Anise," he said. He picked a cluster of leaves, sniffed and handed it to her. "Thyme."

Far behind them, an arrangement of Chinese music with the distinct, quavering, high half-notes played by stringed instruments filled the garden with its mysterious sound, utterly foreign, yet pleasing with its naked soulfulness. The hundreds of multicolored lanterns scattered around the grounds cast muted glow. Nola held on to the thyme twig, inhaled its scent again and placed it in her purse.

The path ended at a large pond, where four-foot tall paper swans, lit from the inside, bobbed on the surface. Their lights broke in tiny ripples of inky water. Nola stopped under a tree whose branches were laden with teardrop-shaped magenta flowers.

Daniel scraped off a cluster of tiny petals that together formed one flower and tossed them onto the raised wing of the nearest swan. “Make a wish. I’ll see that it comes true.”

She laughed at his surprising jocularity. “Do I cross my fingers?”

“That’s what the swan is here for. Just wish with all your might.”