"But why shouldn't you?"

''Because of the way you are, because of the way I am. I won't stick around, Pippa. I never do. When my permit expires, I'm back off to Los Angeles, on my own. It's like you said-ships that pass in the night."

She shrugged. "I knew that. So what?" It was easy to say when the glorious months stretched out ahead.

"Well-you're special. You deserve a man who'll be there-"

"You mean Mr. Solid and Reliable, who'll march me to the altar and give me a semidetached house in the suburbs and a dozen kids? No, thank you! I left Encaster to escape him."

"If there's one thing I'm not, it's Mr. Solid and Reliable."

"If you were, we wouldn't be lying here like this."

How much of that brave talk had she meant, or thought she meant? And how much was just saying what she knew he wanted to hear? She never really knew. If he wanted her to be cool about it, then cool she would be. There were months to make him change his mind.

With her acute sensitivity to Luke's moods, Pippa began to see life through his eyes. On a walk in the park one evening, she couldn't help noticing the little family of two prematurely middle-aged parents and one demanding child.

"Daddy, listen to me-"

"In a minute, darling."

"No, now Daddy, now!"

The woman sounded testy. "It wouldn't hurt you to take some notice of your own daughter once in a while."

"I might if she'd shut up occasionally."

Luke grinned. "Poor sod!" he said. "Once he was a free man. Now he can't remember what it felt like."

Wearily the man looked down at the little tyrant. "All right, pet, what is it?"

"Come and look here. There's a caterpillar, a great big one."

Luke and Pippa strolled on, arms about each other, and the piercing voice seemed to follow them.

"Come and look now, Daddy. Daddy, Daddy Daddy!"