“I think,” Bishop added unctuously, “you might find it quite instructive to renew old acquaintances.”

It was just like Bishop, Steve thought impatiently, to change tactics and leave him to deal with the results. Hell, it would take at least two weeks to get there, meet with Murdock and then get back. Ginny would never believe that he hadn’t known it from the first.

Instead of the explosion he expected, Ginny stared at him with wide green eyes when he told her he had to leave for a while.

“It won’t be long. Christ, don’t look at me like that. I told you that it wasn’t my decision.”

“Yes, but you haven’t told me where you’re going.”

“You know I can’t.”

There was a long pause, then she said softly, “I suppose I should be grateful that you told me you’re leaving this time instead of just going without a word. But don’t you ever get tired of Jim Bishop running your life?”

“Not nearly as tired as I get of being nagged about it. Dammit, Ginny, you’ve always known how it’s been. This is what I do, what I’ve done since before I ever met you.”

“I thought that by taking a position as ambassador, you would be able to have a normal life instead of disappearing for days, weeks, months at a time like you do, going God only knows where and doing God only knows what. One of these days I expect to see Jim Bishop at my door instead of you, telling me that this time your luck didn’t hold out, that this time the bullet was fatal.”

She drew in a deep breath, eyes wide and glistening with anger and distress. “How do you think I feel, always waiting, always knowing that you might not come back to me at all? Do you think it’s any easier not knowing where you go and what you do? It’s not! I imagine things that are probably ten times worse than the truth. It’s not fair, Steve. It’s just not fair to do this to me again! What about your promise?”

“Hell, do you really think I want to go? I don’t, but it’s necessary. You’ll have to go on to the hacienda, make the excuses to my abuelo for me, tell him that I was delayed and I’ll be there as soon as I can. Paco will go with you.”

“Oh, I’m certain Don Francisco didn’t really expect you to be there on time. You never are. And it’s always left up to me to make your excuses for you. I have to be the one to face him!”

“Self-pity, green-eyes?”