One Night Only (18 page)

“Di
d
yo
u
pu
t
W
orceste
r
Sauc
e
i
n
thi
s
again?
”
asked
Jame
s
i
n
distaste
,
an
d
tha
t
wa
s
it
.

Sh
e
ha
d
t
o
ge
t
awa
y
befor
e
sh
e
thre
w
somethin
g
at him
.

Sh
e
pushe
d
bac
k
he
r
chai
r
,
too
k
of
f
he
r
Bist
o
Mum
apron
,
flun
g
i
t
o
n
th
e
tabl
e
an
d
stompe
d
toward
s
th
e
back doo
r
,
glancin
g
bac
k
t
o
se
e
i
f
he
r
grea
t
departur
e
ha
d
the desire
d
effec
t
o
n
he
r
neares
t
an
d
dearest
,
bu
t
th
e
loo
k
on he
r
husband
’
s
fac
e
–
o
r
lac
k
o
f
i
t
–
spok
e
volumes
.

H
e
wa
s
stil
l
shakin
g
th
e
remot
e
contro
l
a
t
th
e
television.
H
e
hadn
’
t
eve
n
notice
d
sh
e
ha
d
moved
.

Bastard
!

S
o
sh
e
stompe
d
int
o
th
e
livin
g
roo
m
instea
d
an
d
turned o
n
th
e
T
V
.
I
f
yo
u
can
’
t
bea
t
them
,
joi
n
them
,
sh
e
thought,
flickin
g
throug
h
th
e
channel
s
unti
l
sh
e
foun
d
a
trashy realit
y
T
V
programm
e
whic
h
followe
d
a
celebrit
y
couple an
d
thei
r
childre
n
aroun
d
o
n
thei
r
luxuriou
s
lifestyle
.
Just wha
t
sh
e
needed
!
Chewin
g
gu
m
fo
r
th
e
brain
!
Th
e
dishes
coul
d
wait
,
th
e
homewor
k
coul
d
wait
.
Everythin
g
could wai
t
becaus
e
Poll
y
Kno
x
couldn
’
t
b
e
arse
d
an
y
more
.
And
besides
,
sh
e
ha
d
n
o
ide
a
wher
e
els
e
sh
e
coul
d
go
.

Ro
b
ha
d
th
e
tabl
e
se
t
t
o
perfectio
n
an
d
a
stomach- rumbling
,
mouth-waterin
g
arom
a
o
f
garli
c
an
d
ginge
r
met
T
ess
,
alon
g
wit
h
a
heft
y
glas
s
o
f
re
d
wine
,
whe
n
she
walke
d
int
o
he
r
kitche
n
tha
t
evening
.
Th
e
light
s
were lowere
d
i
n
th
e
candleli
t
roo
m
an
d
i
t
looke
d
wonderfully inviting
.

“So
,
ho
w
wa
s
you
r
da
y
,
m
y
favourite
,
mos
t
beautiful
gir
l
i
n
th
e
world?
”
h
e
asked
.

H
e
wa
s
s
o
handsom
e
an
d
th
e
wa
y
h
e
reste
d
hi
s
hands o
n
he
r
hip
s
an
d
looke
d
int
o
he
r
eye
s
a
s
h
e
spok
e
go
t
her
goin
g
ever
y
time
.

“Mmm
,
le
t
m
e
thin
k
.
.
.
si
x
classe
s
o
f
teenager
s
who
excelle
d
i
n
learnin
g
th
e
beautifu
l
languag
e
tha
t
i
s
La
Françai
s
an
d
a
meetin
g
wit
h
a
principa
l
wh
o
I
am desperat
e
t
o
impres
s
bu
t
wh
o
woul
d
rathe
r
loo
k
dow
n
my
to
p
tha
n
tal
k
business
,
s
o
al
l
i
n
all
,
a
norma
l
da
y
a
t
the
office
.
Ho
w
abou
t
you?
”

Ro
b
pulle
d
he
r
close
r
toward
s
him
.

“
T
wo
games
of
poker
at
the
station,
one
false
alarm
at
th
e
ban
k
an
d
a
mino
r
hous
e
fir
e
wher
e
a
littl
e
ol
d
man almos
t
toaste
d
himsel
f
i
n
hi
s
electri
c
blanket
.
He
’
s
all tucke
d
u
p
o
n
a
ventilato
r
no
w
,
poo
r
thing
.
Al
l
i
n
all
,
not
a
ba
d
we
e
shift.
”

H
e
gav
e
T
es
s
a
deep
,
length
y
loo
k
o
f
absolute
appreciatio
n
an
d
pulle
d
he
r
fac
e
clos
e
fo
r
a
smouldering
kis
s
tha
t
wen
t
o
n
fo
r
longe
r
tha
n
sh
e
coul
d
remembe
r
.
Ro
b
ha
d
alway
s
bee
n
a
n
amazin
g
kisse
r
an
d
th
e
longer the
y
wer
e
togethe
r
,
th
e
mor
e
sh
e
savoure
d
hi
s
talent
.
He
smelle
d
o
f
soa
p
an
d
hi
s
kis
s
taste
d
war
m
an
d
salt
y
an
d
she
sai
d
a
silen
t
praye
r
o
f
thank
s
fo
r
th
e
glo
w
o
f
happiness tha
t
fille
d
he
r
righ
t
ther
e
an
d
then
.