But Josie seemed not to hear him. She was gazing at the picture of Pippa and herself, standing in its place of honor. Luke put the plate down slowly. He'd seen the blissful smile on her face and knew he would need to tread very carefully for the next few minutes.

"What are you thinking?" he asked gently.

"Is it-here all the time?"

For a crazy instant he toyed with a fantasy in which the picture was always on show to an admiring world. It was so easy to say what women wanted to hear, and he'd never thought twice about it before.

Except once, years ago, with a girl whose honesty brooked no compromise, and who'd made him honest, too-at least for a while. It hadn't been anything she said, just the look in her deep brown eyes, always expecting the best from him. The same eyes in another face were watching him trustfully now.

"No," he admitted. "You and Mommy have been my special secret."

"Mummy said-" Josie didn't seem to know how to go on.

"What did she say?"

"She said she knew you loved us but-"

"Yes?"

"But you had another life, and we weren't part of it."

For once Luke was stuck for something to say.

''She said you knew lots of other people now, and maybe they didn't know about us and-"

He thought fast. "You were too precious to share. I've kept you for myself."

Josie smiled and seemed satisfied. She didn't know that she'd done what no other woman had ever managed: made Luke totally and thoroughly ashamed of himself. He recovered, but only with an effort.

"Why don't we get this eaten, while it's still good?" he said. "I'll make some more for Mommy when she's awake."

The little girl frowned. "Why do you say Mommy? It's Mummy."

"It's Mummy in England. Over here it's Mommy.''

Josie frowned. "But Mommy's wrong. It's Mummy."

He set his chin. "Mommy!"