When their faces were close and her breasts were touching the lapels of his coat, he said: "I can't live without you, dear Augusta."
He could feel her trembling beneath his touch. In a shaky voice she said: "I'm old enough to be your mother."
He spoke into her ear, brushing her face with his lips. "But you aren't," he said, making his voice almost a whisper. "You're the most desirable woman I've ever met. I've longed for you all these years, you know that. Now ..." He moved his hand up from her waist until he was almost touching her breast. "Now I can hardly keep my hands under control. Augusta ..." He paused.
"What?" she said.
He almost had her, but not quite. He had to play his last card.
"Now that I'm no longer minister, I can divorce Rachel."
"What are you saying?"
He whispered into her ear: "Will you marry me?"
"Yes," she said.
He kissed her.
Section 3
APRIL TILSLEY BURST INTO Maisie's office at the Female Hospital, dressed to the nines in scarlet silk and fox fur, carrying a newspaper and saying: "Have you heard what's happened?"
Maisie stood up. "April! What on earth is it?"
"Micky Miranda shot Tonio Silva!"
Maisie knew who Micky was, but it took her a moment to remember that Tonio had been one of that crowd of boys around Solly and Hugh when they were young. He had been a gambler in those days, she recalled, and April had been very sweet on him until she discovered that he always lost what little money he had in wagers. "Micky shot him?" she said in amazement. "Is he dead?"
"Yes. It's in the afternoon paper."
"I wonder why?"
"It doesn't say. But it also says--" April hesitated. "Sit down, Maisie."
"Why? Tell me!"
"It says the police want to question him about three other murders--Peter Middleton, Seth Pilaster and ... Solomon Greenbourne."
Maisie sat down heavily. "Solly!" she said, and she felt faint. "Micky killed Solly? Oh, poor Solly." She closed her eyes and buried her face in her hands.
"You need a sip of brandy," April said. "Where do you keep it?"
"We don't have any here," Maisie said. She tried to pull herself together. "Show me that paper."
April handed her the newspaper.
Maisie read the first paragraph. It said the police were hunting for the former Cordovan Minister, Miguel Miranda, to question him about the murder of Antonio Silva.
April said: "Poor Tonio. He was one of the nicest men I ever opened my legs for."
