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Naughty. And she is not at the movies with Jamison.. Elizabeth, Duchess Stan field, came into the room several minutes later, She was wearing a thick terry-cloth robe, and her hair was wrapped in a towel.

"I'd hoped to be done before you returned," she said. "No apologies required," he said.

"My bathtub is your bathtub, as they say in ol' Meh-hi-co." She smiled at him.

"That was a quick trip," she said. "Our leader elected to stay in London," Whittaker said. "And you didn't?" she teased. "Oh, he was on business," Whittaker said, "And I guess he-" can at? " "There's a mission on. I think he wanted to stick close to London to get word on it. A couple of pals of ours are involved."

"I see," she said.

"Waiting is difficult, isn't it?"

"Can I offer you a little belt of this?" he asked.

"Guaranteed to cure what ails you and to take the hair off your chest."

Now, that was a god damned dumb thing to say. "What is it?" she asked.

"Genuine Scotch whiskey," he said "Yes, I think I would," she said.

"I feel a bit down, myself." or given me. Watch She basf the mouth from here on in.

"Me, too," he said.

"They say that misery loves company." He made her a drink. She surprised him by saying she -would take it neat. "This is very nice," she said.

"Reimported from the United States by our leader," he said. "Will he be angry when he finds it gone?"

"Probably," Whittaker said.

"Why do you ask? Has he been jumping on you again?"

"Oh no," she said, and then laughed. "What's so funny?"

"Two people speaking the same language differently again," she said.

"The vernacular is different. I would not use that slang, if you don't mind the suggestion, in mixed English company."

"Jumping is screwing in English English?" he asked. "Why did I bring this subject up?" Why indeed?

"In Australia it's 'rooting," Whittaker offered. "Did you have a nice ride to and from London?" she asked, diverting the conversation to what she obviously hoped was a sexless subject. "Lovely," he said.

"Why are you down? Is there anything I can do?"

"You've done it," she said, raising the whiskey glass. "That's not an answer," he said. "I took advantage of everyone's absence to wander through the house," she said.

"I'm afraid it was a mistake. It made me miss my husband." Well, there goes the ball game. "Where's he stationed?"

"My husband is down," she said.

"He was flying a Wellington. It went down over Hanover. There were some parachutes, but there's been no word."

"Jesus," Whittaker said.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know about that." Her eyes met his for a moment, then she looked away. "Could you possibly spare some more of that?" she asked. She could not let things stand like that, she decided. It would be unfair. "Of course," he said, and poured Scotch in her glass.

"When that's gone, I'll go steal some more."

"Why are you down?" she asked. "The standard reason, I suppose: unrequited love."