She shook her head. "You go on. I'll be there as soon as I wake up a little."

His gaze narrowed curiously on her face but he rose to his feet and sauntered back toward the house with Dan.

She waited until he reached the French doors before she started to move. Lord, she was cramped and stiff in every muscle and one leg was asleep. She managed to get to her feet after two tries, but only managed to hobble down the path, dragging one leg behind her.

"You look like the hunchback of Notre Dame." Gabe stood in the doorway watching her. "Did I do that to you?"

"No, I did it to myself. I should have moved."

"But you didn't want to wake me."

"I fell asleep myself." She grabbed hold of the doorway. The leg that was asleep was beginning to tingle. "Where's Dan?"

"I sent him to bring in your luggage from the helicopter. I thought it strange you didn't come with us. You have too much energy to enjoy lolling in hammocks." He slipped his arm around her waist. "Foot asleep?"

"The whole leg, but it's coming back. You don't have to help me."

"It's my privilege." The words were only half-mocking. "Lean on me."

She let him have a little of her weight as she released the door and took a step into the living room. "Stop pampering me. It's not necessary."

"No, and it wasn't necessary for you to lie there for over eight hours with my bulk on you." He drew her closer. "It's just the kind of thing people do when they love each other."

"I don't-"

"Give me more of your weight," he interrupted. "It's not going to compromise your independence to admit to weakness. As soon as we get to the kitchen, you can sit down and supervise my cooking." He raised a brow. "Unless you care to give it a try yourself."

She shook her head. "We need Dan to bring us news. You don't want him incapacitated for any length of time." They had reached the kitchen and she frowned as Gabe flipped on the light. She hadn't realized last night how brilliant were the recessed halogen lights in the ceiling. "They're too bright."

"What do you want to do? Dine by candlelight?" He seated her in one of the chairs at the table. "For Lord's sake, I'm beginning to regret that slip of the tongue. You're going overboard. I'm not that sensitive."

He wouldn't admit it if he was. She would have to do something about those lights. "You should have told me before."

"Should have told you what?" Dan strolled into the kitchen. "Secrets already in this Shangri-la of marital bliss?"

Ronnie grinned. "He should have told me he could cook. It would have given me an even greater incentive to get him out of Said Ababa." She leaned back in her chair and waved a hand airily. "Cook, slave."

EIGHT

Dan finished his casserole and leaned back in his chair. "A repast for the gods. Good job, Gabe."

"It's nice to be appreciated." He slanted a glance at Ronnie. "May I offer the man a cup of coffee?"

"As long as you don't have one yourself." She got up, went to the refrigerator, and took out a gallon of milk. "Dan, bring some decaffeinated coffee when you come next time." She poured a glass of milk and brought it to Gabe. "Gabe's having a little trouble sleeping."

"What a nag," Gabe said as he sipped the milk.

She took Dan's cup to the coffeemaker on the counter, poured out the hot liquid, and after giving it to him, sat back down. "Nagging is sensible when dealing with unsensible human beings."

Dan chuckled. "Good God, you two sound like you've been married ten years. Pilsner might get off your back if he could hear you now."

Ronnie involuntarily tensed at the name. She realized with a sense of shock that the scene with Pilsner had taken place only yesterday. So much had happened since that interview on the terrace, it might have occurred a year ago.

"How much damage did he do?" Gabe asked.

Dan looked at him in surprise. "Didn't you see him on television? The story has been all over the networks."

"We haven't turned on the set," Gabe said. "How bad?"

Dan shrugged. "Not good. Pilsner's very credible, very upright, and doesn't come across as your typical bureaucrat."

"He's a patriot, not a bureaucrat," Ronnie said quietly.

Gabe ignored her. "Have you heard from Koras?"

"He's doing all he can but Pilsner's well respected in the administration. The news media is on your side and public opinion is rallying."

"Keep the pressure on. I want everythingdone that can be done to undermine Pilsner's position."

"No," Ronnie said. "Leave Pilsner alone."

"We can't leave him alone," Gabe said impatiently. "He's the key."

"Then it's a key we won't use," Ronnie said. "No slanted stories. No digging into his past to discredit him."

"He'stryinghardenoughtodiscredityou," Dan said. "He's had to defend himself, so he's pouncing on your background with both feet."

"I deserve it. He doesn't."

Dan looked at Gabe. "You're the boss. What do I do?"

"No, Gabe," Ronnie said.

He opened his mouth to argue with her and then closed it again. "Put it on hold, Dan," he said finally. "I'll get back to you later. Keep on issuing positive stories. Rehash the wedding. Make sure Koras is kept primed."

Dan nodded as he rose to his feet. "I'll keep you informed. I guess I'd better get back to Marasef."

"You could stay the night," Ronnie offered.

He shook his head. "Far be it from me to interrupt a honeymoon." He hesitated before he said to Ronnie, "Look, Pilsner's making somepretty grim noises. He'd throw the book at you if he got the chance."

"You already told me that." Ronnie smiled. "Duly noted." '

"I just don't want you to make any mistakes. You're safe here, but leave Sedikhan and you're in trouble."

He was saying that Sedikhan was a prison for her… and for Gabe if he chose to stay with her.

"She's not budging," Gabe said. "Where else would she get someone to cook for her?"

Dan chuckled, his expression lightening. "Yeah, I knew you had some use. John has a few business decisions he'd like you to make. Is it all right if I have him call you here?"

Gabe shook his head. "I'll call him."

"Whatever you say." Dan gave them both a casual wave and strolled out of the kitchen.

Gabe turned to her and attacked as soon as Dan left the room. "Stop putting blocks in my way. For Lord's sake, don't you want to win?"

"You don't know how much."

"Then we have to get Pilsner before he gets you, dammit."

"You wouldn't go after him if it wasn't forme. He's one of the good guys." She smiled without mirth. "And there are too few of them in Washington to waste. Somewhere along the way the politicians forgot what they're supposed to be doing up there."

Gabe's expression froze. "We the people?"

She nodded. "Do you know, I didn't have a formal education until I left Evan. We were always traveling and on the run, so I picked up what I could from correspondence courses and any books I came across. One of my favorite was a dog-eared volume of American history for children. It was full of things like Pilgrims and Indians at the first Thanksgiving and Betsy Ross sewing a flag and Nathan Hale dying for his country. A lot of those stories were pure fiction and pretty schmaltzy, but I believed them. I guess I still believe them."

Gabe smiled resignedly. "I think you do, heaven help you."

"Maybe heaven will help me." She smiled with an effort. "But it won't if we shoot down the good guys. So back off Pilsner."

He shook his head. "You're making a mistake."

"But you'll do as I say?"

"I'm not promising anything. I'll try to findanother way, but I won't have you sacrificed to Pilsner's standard of right and wrong."

It was the only commitment she was going to get from him, but the delay might be enough. There would be no reason to pursue Pilsner if she was not around to benefit.

She stood up and began stacking the dishes. "Why don't you find a deck of cards while I do these dishes? I don't think either of us is going to sleep any more tonight."

"May I ask what you're doing?" Gabe asked from the doorway of the kitchen a week later. He quickly strode forward to steady the ladder on which she was balancing.

"I'm shading these light bulbs with pink tissue paper." She glanced down at him with a grin. "Pretty romantic, huh?"

"You wish to arouse my libido in the kitchen?" Gabe asked. "My cooking must be getting pretty boring."

"Once I saw a television show that featured a sex therapist who said every couple should make love in unconventional places." She finished taping the paper and started down the ladder. "I want to be prepared."

"You refused the hammock. What could be more unusual than that?"

"Try me tonight, by the light of the moon. I howl at midnight."

"You do? That should be interesting." He regarded the pink tissue paper. "Do you realize there's every chance that paper will catch fire if the lights are left on too long?"

"We'll be careful," she said cheerfully. "It's only temporary. I'm going to phone Dan and tell him to bring a whole box of pink light bulbs next time he comes."

"Because pink is soft and there won't be glare." He shook his head, but his smile was tender. "Why not red lights?"

"I thought red would be a bit surreal. Pink is fine. Pink is good."

"No, it's Ronnie who is fine." He reached forward to kiss her on the lips. "All this isn't necessary, you know. It was only a temporary thing."

"Maybe. We won't take any chances."

"I believe I like you in this maternal mode." He slipped an arm around her and led her out of the kitchen. "What do you have planned for die bedroom?"

"Nothing maternal." Her smile faded as die full import of her words sank home to her. "Andthat reminds me. I want you to start protecting me."