Free A Lesson in Chemistry With Inspector Bruce by Jillian Stone Page A

something.” When Archie rolled his eyes, she shrugged. “I know, but they won’t go away.” She smiled a bit thinly at Fiona. “Would you care for a cup of tea, Miss Rose?”
    Fiona pressed forward in her chair. “Why don’t you see to your business, and I shall take a bit of tea with Miss Mowbray?”
    Archie appeared uncomfortable with the idea but rose from his chair. “Fine.” He stared rather pointedly at Miss Mowbray. “I shall return in a flash.”
    “Come, Miss Rose, let me show you where we keep things around here. Might as well get comfortable with the surroundings.” The teapot, really just a beaker with a filtering flask, was kept steeping atop a metal instrument cabinet.
    “Do you enjoy working here, Miss Mowbray? I find it most progressive of Scotland Yard to have hired a female chemist,” Fiona said.
    Miss Mowbray held the flask by the neck and poured two cups. “Yes, I do believe Archie went to a great deal of trouble to hire me—rather sweet of him, wouldn’t you say? And he has turned out to be a most attentive supervisor.” Miss Mowbray’s gaze traveled across the room to Archie, who was shaking down a fountain pen. “I find him to be a most charming man. Don’t you, Miss Rose?”
    Fiona stirred half a lump of sugar into her tea, feeling slightly intimidated and hating herself for it. Absently, she gazed across the room. At that very moment Archie looked up from his paperwork and caught her eye. He smiled.
    Fiona turned to Miss Mowbray. “Extremely charming, Miss Mowbray.”
    The female chemist tore her eyes off him and fashioned another stiff smile. “You must call me Vivian.”
    THE MOMENT ARCHIE returned to his office, he shrugged into his coat and grabbed his hat. “Fiona, I believe we’re going to have to leave here today, if we mean to get any work done. Can I interest you in a meat pie and pint?”
    Fiona set down her cup. “Study in a noisy old pub? Take me home, Archie. My parents begin a whist tournament tonight. They’re very keen on cards and deadly serious players. There won’t be any supper, but Mrs. Gallagher can whip up a tasty breakfast for us.”
    He held open the door for her. “Breakfast for supper—a favorite of mine. And I shall quiz away at the kitchen table—or in your parents’ study.”
    Just outside Greater Scotland Yard, he hailed a cab. “What about Alfred?” Archie opened the cab door. “Up boy.”
    “We adore dogs at Rose and Company—Mrs. Gallagher especially.”
    Archie stared at her. “But you don’t have any pets.”
    Fiona scooted over and Archie settled in close beside her. “We recently lost our two highland terriers. Father brought them home as pups for my eleventh birthday. Princess Margaret went first and Nelson died shortly after. That was nearly six months ago. Mrs. Gallagher cried for a week when Nelson passed.” Fiona removed a glove to scratch behind a floppy ear. “I do believe Alfred will be fussed over.”
    “Take care—” Archie swept her skirts aside. “Pardon the forwardness, but your dress. I’m afraid he’s a drooler.” The brush of his shoulder against hers as he leaned over to pull her skirts back felt wonderfully intimate, and their close proximity, especially now, with the dog stuffed between them . . . well, there was no way to describe it, but it just felt right.
    “Sorry the laboratory was in such chaos today. Things should settle down by tomorrow. Did you otherwise enjoy yourself? Exploring the lab, meeting the staff?”
    “Very impressive, and I must say your staff seems . . .” She could not help but recall Miss Mowbray’s remarks. “Unusually devoted.”
    Archie nodded, though the look on his face seemed distant and, if she was reading him correctly, worried. “They’re wonderfully energetic and enthusiastic,” he mused aloud. “But the firing off of that shrapnel shell has me concerned. And then there’s the problem of Miss Mowbray. I do hope she didn’t—she