One Night Only (219 page)

Sh
e
stoo
d
an
d
shoo
k
th
e
solicitor
’
s
hand
.
H
e
ha
d
such
a
fir
m
shak
e
tha
t
sh
e
wa
s
surprise
d
he
r
ar
m
staye
d
i
n
her socke
t
bu
t
hi
s
hand
s
wer
e
dam
p
an
d
cold
.
Y
uk
.

“I’l
l
b
e
i
n
touc
h
i
f
nee
d
be,
”
sai
d
Jim
.
“
T
el
l
Ro
b
we’ll
hav
e
t
o
hav
e
a
pin
t
togethe
r
soon
.
I
s
h
e
stil
l
fire-fighting
an
d
makin
g
wome
n
swoo
n
wit
h
hi
s
bi
g
hose?
”

“Ha
ha,”
said
T
ess
with
a
smile.
“He
’
s
still
making
me
swoo
n
whic
h
i
s
al
l
tha
t
matters.
”

Sh
e
sai
d
he
r
farewell
s
an
d
lef
t
th
e
brow
n
offic
e
vi
a
the brow
n
stair
s
an
d
ou
t
throug
h
th
e
brow
n
waitin
g
room wit
h
it
s
silenc
e
an
d
mountain
s
o
f
file
s
an
d
tip-tappin
g
of
keys
.
Sh
e
couldn
’
t
wai
t
t
o
se
e
Rob
.
Sh
e
couldn
’
t
wai
t
to
tel
l
hi
m
tha
t
hi
s
bi
g
hos
e
ha
d
mad
e
a
baby
!

T
es
s
fixe
d
he
r
make-u
p
an
d
loosene
d
th
e
bu
n
i
n
he
r
hai
r
,
lettin
g
i
t
fal
l
aroun
d
he
r
shoulders
.
Sh
e
change
d
ou
t
o
f
her wor
k
clothe
s
int
o
a
long
,
multi-coloure
d
max
i
dres
s
and
flip-flop
s
an
d
spraye
d
som
e
perfum
e
o
n
he
r
wrists
.
Rob woul
d
b
e
hom
e
an
y
minut
e
an
d
sh
e
ha
d
hi
s
favourite dinne
r
waitin
g
fo
r
hi
m
i
n
th
e
ove
n
an
d
th
e
tabl
e
wa
s
set
t
o
perfection
.
T
o
he
r
grea
t
relief
,
he
r
mornin
g
sicknes
s
had
lifte
d
sinc
e
he
r
appointmen
t
wit
h
Ji
m
an
d
sh
e
truly
believe
d
tha
t
a
lo
t
o
f
i
t
wa
s
t
o
d
o
wit
h
th
e
stresse
s
o
f
the weeken
d
past
.
No
w
,
sh
e
ha
d
a
totall
y
ne
w
focu
s
o
n
her
lif
e
an
d
sh
e
couldn
’
t
believ
e
jus
t
ho
w
excite
d
sh
e
felt
abou
t
it
.

Sh
e
hear
d
th
e
ke
y
tur
n
i
n
th
e
doo
r
s
o
sh
e
mad
e
he
r
way downstairs
.
Ro
b
me
t
he
r
wit
h
hi
s
usua
l
cheer
y
smil
e
and
a
welcomin
g
kiss
,
pullin
g
he
r
b
y
th
e
wais
t
int
o
hi
m
a
s
he
nuzzle
d
int
o
he
r
neck
.

“
Y
o
u
smel
l
goo
d
enoug
h
t
o
eat,
”
h
e
said
,
nibblin
g
her ea
r
.

“Let
’
s
g
o
throug
h
t
o
th
e
kitchen,
”
sai
d
T
ess
.
“
Y
o
u
can ea
t
you
r
dinne
r
instead.
”

Ro
b
washe
d
hi
s
hand
s
an
d
sa
t
a
t
th
e
kitche
n
table, watchin
g
T
es
s
almos
t
floa
t
aroun
d
a
s
sh
e
serve
d
u
p
a
steamin
g
ho
t
Shepherd
’
s
Pi
e
an
d
fres
h
steame
d
vegetables.
“Hav
e
I
don
e
somethin
g
t
o
deserv
e
this?
”
h
e
asked. “Di
d
Ji
m
promis
e
yo
u
tha
t
h
e
woul
d
sav
e
yo
u
fro
m
a
life
sentenc
e
i
n
priso
n
fo
r
stiletto-throwin
g
an
d
i
s
thi
s
a
sign
o
f
you
r
gratitud
e
fo
r
m
y
makin
g
us
e
o
f
contacts?” “Bette
r
tha
n
that,
”
sai
d
T
ess
.
Sh
e
wa
s
bubblin
g
inside
.