Free The Mysterious Lady Law by Robert Appleton Page B

tracks.”
    “Bravo. Not too shabby.”
    “Good old blunt luck.” He fidgeted with his cuffs. “I could have easily gone the other way, bowled over a few fat members of Parliament in frustration. Come to think of it, I still might.”
    Julia grinned as far as her mouthful of hot chocolate would permit.
    “And you know the rest,” he added. “The clincher came when I heard the machinery start up. I ran up the stairs and saw the goddamn aurora borealis in full beam. Didn’t know what in hell to expect. You’ll have to excuse my language, Julia. It’s just that it still fires me up, thinking of that brute cornering you like that. And we have no idea who he is. It’s only a matter of time, though.”
    Bunching the ends of her shawl about her collar, Julia rotated her taut shoulders. What an ordeal it had been! Crazy to imagine it, let alone to realise she had lived through it.
    “I can never thank you enough.”
    “You already have, Julia. Seeing you again is more than I could have hoped for.”
    “You’re sweet.” She blushed, tried to hide it by nibbling her piece of toast.
    Al reached for his cigar case but seemed to change his mind and instead melted her with a wry curl of his lips. “I promised myself I’d cut down. Tobacco seems to play havoc with my physical stamina,” he explained. “The chase somewhat took it out of me yesterday. Lucky I had enough left to finish the brute off. So have you given any more thought to Inspector Statham’s suggestion?”
    “Which one is that?” she quizzed.
    “About leaving London. He seems to think you would be safer away from here for a while, until we put the case to rest.”
    “And what do you think, Al?”
    “I think that if you were compelled to go, I would be obliged to follow.” He allowed a passerby to distract him from Julia’s gaze for a moment. “Hey, who else is going to keep me on my toes? Dancewise,” he added feebly.
    “What are you saying?” She knew the answer before the question, or she hoped she did.
    “Hmm? I was simply saying…I would be sorry…very sorry to see you go. The Swan would have lost a gem of a dancer.”
    Al looked away again and she rolled her eyes. What was it that separated men from their emotions? They could flirt all day and drop a girl flat at midnight if her corset wasn’t for coming off. They could fight wars for money and happily squander those earnings at the local betting shop. They boasted they could do practically anything bigger and better than women, on the whole; yet, a simple declaration of affection snatched the wind completely from their sails.
    At least Al had a legitimate reason for being cagey. Yet five years was a long time, long enough for at least a measure of healing. And she felt certain he wanted to open up to her.
    “And you’d miss me, I suppose, for more than my dancing?” she fished.
    “Yep.”
    “Really?”
    “Uh-huh.”
    “What else will you miss me for?” Julia teased, anchoring her gaze on his darting brown eyes.
    “Um, well there’s…I mean…you always… Ah, hell, why did I have to quit smoking today ?”
    She smiled in triumph and then heaved a sigh, for he was having none of it. Not yet. She would have to find the most propitious moment to coax Al Grant into discussing his feelings. Perhaps a romantic dinner.
    “Shall we?” she said, getting up. “I must have a chat with Eddie Castle, my boss at The Swan, to tell him I mean to start dancing again next week. Will you escort me? Or have I taken up too much of your time already? I know this is your day off, but I wouldn’t want to be a burden.”
    “It would be my pleasure.” Al paid the bill, gathered his frock coat and hat, and then held the door open for her. As she passed, he said, quite matter-of-factly, “We can have an early dinner together tomorrow, if you’d like. I’ve been known to cook a mean beef casserole. And my sister is dying to meet you.”
    “Thank you. I’d be delighted.”
     
    The following