“Who were you talking to?” she asked.

“A client.”

“Do clients often call you at this hour?”

“Sometimes. I can’t refuse to speak to a client, whatever the hour may be.”

“Was it Hackett?” she asked.

“Go to sleep,” Stone said, kissing her on the cheek.

She closed the file, put it back into her briefcase, reset the combination lock, then switched off her bedside lamp.

“You’re fired,” she said. “I hope that will make it easier for you to deal with this.”

“Maybe it will,” Stone said, switching off his lamp.

STONE WOKE UP later than usual, and Felicity was gone. She had left a note on the bed, saying that she would meet him for dinner at Elaine’s.

Stone showered, shaved, dressed and went down to his office, where Helene brought him a light breakfast at his desk.

Joan buzzed him. “Mr. Fisher to see you.”

Stone sighed. “Send him in.”

Herbie came in and sat down. “It’s going very well with Stephanie,” he said. “I may have to get you to do a prenup yet.”

“Herbie, slow down,” Stone said. “You’re going to have to learn to restrain yourself sometimes if you’re ever going to grow up.”

“You think I’m not grown up?”

“Not quite yet, Herbie.”

“I want to buy a jet airplane,” Herbie said. “I can afford it.”

“How much money do you have left, Herbie?”

“A little over ten million.”

“You could buy a used jet airplane for around two million,” Stone said, “but flying it and maintaining it would cost a lot every month. You’d have to hire a pilot, maybe a copilot, too, depending on which airplane you bought, and when something breaks on a jet, Herbie, it is very, very expensive to repair.”

“Oh,” Herbie said. “I didn’t know that.”

“I suggest you explore the idea of first class on the airlines.”

“I don’t like the airport experience,” Herbie replied. “I especially don’t like going through security. They always suspect me of something.”

“Then join one of the share programs,” Stone suggested.

“I’ve seen those in magazine ads. Which one should I join?”

“I don’t have any experience with that, Herbie. I suggest you call, say, three of them, then compare the deals.”

“How much does it cost?”

“Again, I don’t know, but it will depend on the size of the jet you buy into.”

“Okay, I’ll look into it,” Herbie said, getting up. “I’ll tell Stephanie to come see you about the prenup.”

“Herbie,” Stone said, “tell her attorney to call me. Please.”

IN THE EARLY afternoon, Joan came into Stone’s office and handed him a sheet of paper with a number on it. “The bank called,” she said. “We received a wire transfer from London in that amount, which is, I assume, your fee from Felicity in dollars.”

Stone looked at the number. “I see the dollar is down against the pound,” he said, smiling. “First time I ever got a good deal on a currency exchange. Go spend it.”