“Good morning, Sarah,” Sophia greeted her secretary with a wide smile. She looked around her office reception room and sighed happily. She had missed it.

Sarah jumped from her chair behind the table and greeted her back, “Good morning, Lady Ells.”

What? Sophia lost track of the door code she was entering on her iPhone. She’d never thought that someone so close to her would call her by the title. In fact, she liked to think of herself as Mrs. MacCraig.

“Sarah. I’m still the same Mrs. L that left this office a month ago. You can call me Mrs. M from now on.” A slow, mischievous smile spread on her face. “Better yet! Just M like on James Bond.”

A horrified look appeared on Sarah’s face.

“Sarah, I’m joking. You can call me Mrs. M or Mrs. MacCraig. Whatever you want.”

“With your permission, Lady Ells, I will stick with the protocols. I’ve already ordered new cards for you, following Lord Ells’s pattern.”

Dear God! “Sarah.” Sophia stopped in front of her secretary. “I know the British are very self-conscious and proud about their monarchy and peerage. But I’m Brazilian. We have no such traditions.”

“But you still have your princes and princesses there,” Sarah reasoned. “And Cambridge has already updated your name and title.”

Are the students now going to call me Lady Ells, instead of Sophia? Sophia swallowed an exasperated breath. “I have always loved the tender way you called me Mrs. L, so please let’s not change that. Besides, I’m only twenty-six. Let’s compromise here, Sarah, I prefer to stick with Mrs. M or Mrs. MacCraig at the office and at home. When you need to refer to me, you can call me Lady Ells. Is that okay with you?”

“Yes, Mrs. M,” Sarah immediately agreed. “Should I keep the order for your new stationary?”

“Well, since it’s protocol, yes, you may. I’d like to revise my schedule with Edward, Zahira, Paul Evergreen, and you. Please, let Zahira and Paul know I’m back and I’d like to meet them. Gabriela started at school today and I’ll be needed more at home.” And Alistair Connor has asked for more attention.

“Yes, of course.” Sarah followed Sophia inside her office, informing her about things that happened during her honeymoon.

Just before she left, Sarah handed Sophia a beautifully crafted envelope with a thick invitation clipped to it. “Oh. I almost forgot. Mr. Ashford sent this for your approval and he asks if you are available for lunch the week after next.”

Oh, damn! She sighed loudly and put the envelope away to read it later at home.

* * *

Alistair stood at his office windows, his stare abstractedly fixed on the London skyline.

Behind him, piles of contracts, spreadsheets, and graphics still begged for attention and littered his desk. He had a lot of unfinished businesses to deal with.

However, his mind was fixed on the invitation he had seen on Sophia’s desk at the home office the evening before with an okay written in red all over it. He had been so troubled that he had even started his therapy session that morning with the subject. Dr. Volk had reasoned that many married women kept their maiden names in business transactions. Or in Sophia’s case, her late husband’s surname.

When Alistair was still not convinced after fifteen minutes, Dr. Volk moved on to another subject saying that Alistair should think about it and talk with Sophia.

Alistair was making his way through the conversation for the umpteenth time that day when a loud knock startled him. He spun on his heels to see his brother looking at him through squinted eyes. “Christ, Tavish Uilleam!”

“What did I do?” Tavish cocked his head to the side. He had knocked twice before Alistair heard him. “You look troubled. What is it?”

Just Sophia not using my surname. “Nothing, nothing.”

“Are you sure? Is it Sophia? Is she felling unwell again?”

“Nae, it isn’t Sophia, she is fine.” It’s my ever complicated self. “What do you have for me?”

Tavish shrugged at his brother’s stubbornness. “The schedule for next year’s exhibitions.”

“Hmm…I don’t need to approve that. You can do it yourself with the guys. In fact, just inform MacKeenan of the openings. He’ll take care of informing Sophia’s secretary. And both of us will be there.” Or so I hope. Eyeing the notebook in his brother’s hands. “Now. Have you brought me the results of MacCraig Magnificent’s sperm sale?”

“That stallion is a goldmine.” A wide smile opened Tavish’s lips. “I also brought the results of the auction of the Richmond Stable.”

“You’ve always had an eye for art and animals, Tavish Uilleam. Let me see,” Alistair shook his domestic problems out of his head and concentrated on work. He would deal with his private problems later.

* * *

“Scott? Could you please open the latest floor plans for the charity facilities in India and China?” Ethan motioned for Scott to put them in front of his engineers.

“So, these are the ones sent yesterday by Mrs. MacCraig.”

Ethan observed Scott. As always, dressed impeccably, he pointed out the changes Sophia and Mrs. Chanda had implemented on the floor plans, without stammering or getting nervous. He mused that when dealing with business, Scott was totally different than when dealing with his personal affairs.

Ethan questioned whether he was being fair to his assistant.

That unnerved him.

He didn’t use to question himself as he had been doing recently. He was not the same person he was before meeting Sophia.

“Mr. Ashford, Mrs. MacCraig has informed me that she will be free to travel with you on the first week of March. From the second to the eighth. This will give them time to get things up and running, since the facilities will be opened in January. She requested to confirm the plans with you and said that she’d like Mr. MacCraig and her daughter to accompany her,” Scott told him.

Oh, Sophia. This was supposed to be enjoyed by just the two of us. Ethan forced a smile. “Excellent.”

* * *

Ghost had amassed enough money to live comfortably under a fake identity of a middle class private detective, while working as a hacker. But he was greedy. He wanted more, much more.

When he reached the end of the rainbow, the first pot of gold led to another.

He had found just the right source from where to dig pots of gold. In fact, many right sources. Because now Ghost knew which were Sophia’s weak points. Not to mention Alistair’s and Ethan’s too.

But he would have to plan things carefully, very carefully to keep the rainbow shining.

He sent text messages to three persons in three different places:

With a last look at the note stuck to his screen, he turned off the light and went to bed with a satisfied smile on his face.