Then Steve drew her to him and kissed her on the mouth. Laura laid her hand on his shoulder, not clasping him but not pushing him away either, then sliding her hand up to touch Steve’s cheek lightly.
When they drew apart she was smiling. Through the glass Gino saw them bid each other goodnight, then Laura got out of the car and stood on the pavement until it had driven away.
Gino returned to bed and lay down, looking up at the ceiling, trying to wipe the pictures from his inner eye.
He heard the front door open and close. Then silence. At last he gave up the battle, pulled on a dressing gown and went down, making no sound with his bare feet. Laura didn’t hear him. So he was able to see her while she was unaware.
She was in the living room, stretched out on the sofa, her hands clasped behind her head. Only one small lamp was on, and by its restricted light he thought he could see her eyes shining.
She had passed into a happy dream world, where everything was perfect. Her smile left no doubt about it. He wondered what had happened to make her smile that way.
As he watched she closed her eyes and gave a long, blissful sigh. He hesitated, undecided whether to go or stay, until she opened her eyes again and looked straight at him.
‘Hello!’ she said. ‘Don’t tell me you’ve been waiting up for me like my father?’
‘Like your brother. Did you have a good time?’
‘Mmmm!’ she said, closing her eyes again.
He wished she wouldn’t do that.
‘So tell me about it. Where did you go?’
‘To a nightclub. We had a wonderful dinner, and then we danced.’
‘Till the dawn, Cinderella.’
She checked her watch. ‘So it is. Never mind. I can’t remember the last time I danced until dawn.’
‘Are you seeing him again?’
‘Stop sounding like a maiden aunt.’
‘Meaning that you are?’
‘Yes, if you must know. Oh, Gino, I like him so much. He’s easy to talk to, and we just understand each other about everything. He told me about his wife, and how he felt when she died, and he has two children of his own, a girl and a boy.’
‘Did you tell him about Nikki?’
‘He knows I’ve got a daughter. No, I haven’t told him everything. I’ve got to pick the right moment, because it has to be right for Nikki before I could even think of-well-’
‘That’s a long way down the track.’
‘It’s not that far if you’re thinking about it now.’
‘No, I suppose not. The thing is-I know it’s going to be all right. His son is a little disabled, something wrong with his spine, I think. So you see, I can rely on him to do and say the right things for Nikki, and when the time is right I’ll introduce them.’
She saw him frowning and seized his hands.
‘Oh, Gino, be happy for me. I’ve been so lonely, and if this works out I need never be lonely again. He’s a good, kind man, and I may never get another chance.’
‘Of course I’ll be happy for you,’ he said gruffly. ‘If you’re sure about this. I mean, so far it’s just been one date.’
‘I know. I’m not going to rush it. But it means so much to know that I have something to hope for.’
The wistfulness in her voice made him stop short. He couldn’t say anything else.
Laura yawned and stretched.
‘Ah, well, time for Cinderella to put away the glass slippers and get back to the kitchen.’
‘Shall I make you some tea to bring you down to earth?’ he asked, reaching out a hand to help her to her feet.
‘No, thank you. I don’t really want to come down too soon.’
She began to float around the room, whirling in time to unheard music, until she whirled a little too fast and swayed. She would have fallen if Gino hadn’t caught her.
He clasped his hands behind her back, steadying her against his body. She held his shoulders, still in her blissful dream.
She felt good, a slim, lovely young woman, warm, vibrant and pressed against his body. At one time he would have known exactly what to do next: the bodies pressed together, the long, gentle kiss, the lips caressing, tentative at first, then urgent, demanding, then carry through to the inevitable end.
But now he couldn’t do it. She was on a ‘high’ and she trusted him not to do what his senses were urging.
He couldn’t betray a trust. Not with Alex. Not with Laura.
‘Hey,’ he said gently. ‘The clock’s struck twelve.’
‘I want to stay in the ballroom for just a little longer,’ she whispered.
‘With Prince Steve Charming?’ he asked ironically. ‘And his big feet?’
‘Oh, don’t be unkind,’ she murmured. ‘He only trod on me twice.’
Gino gave a grunt of laughter. She too began to laugh, and he drew her close, wrapping his arms about her in a big hug.
‘Come on, Cinders,’ he said, drawing her out of the room and up the stairs.
Arms around each other’s waist they made their way along the corridor to her door.
‘Thanks, I’m all right now,’ she said, opening the door. ‘Hey, what are you doing?’
Gino had edged past her into the room and gone to her bedside table, where he took possession of her alarm clock.
‘I’ll cook breakfast tomorrow,’ he said. ‘You sleep late. Goodnight.’
He was as good as his word, rising at seven next morning and creeping downstairs to start work.
After half an hour Nikki crept in, and they both put their fingers to their lips, like conspirators.
Gino poured a cup of tea.
‘Take this up to Mummy,’ he said, ‘and tell her to stay where she is. Those are my orders.’
Nikki giggled and went carefully upstairs. After a moment she returned and said, ‘Mummy says you’re a rotten bully and the worst man in the world. And thank you for the lovely tea.’
It was all right. He was her brother again. But it had been a near thing.
Like many factories Compulor did not stagger its holidays, but simply closed down, forcing everyone to take their holidays at the same time. Sadie and Claudia took a trip to France, and Gino found himself with nothing to do but laze around the house.
Nikki’s school was out for the summer, and the two of them were thrown into each other’s company.
‘You don’t have to let her monopolise every moment of your time,’ Laura said guiltily. ‘Even I can see that she’s becoming a proper little tyrant.’
‘I don’t mind,’ he said easily.
‘It’s nice of you to say so, but you have your own life to live.’
He gave his charming shrug as if to say, ‘Do I?’
‘Nikki bullies you.’
‘Some men are just easily bullied.’
She surveyed him, her head on one side. ‘You don’t fool me.’
‘Hm?’ he said, wide-eyed.
‘And don’t give me that innocent look, because it doesn’t work.’
‘It does,’ he insisted.
‘No, it
‘My nonsense? Please?
She chucked a cushion at him. ‘You spikka da English perfectly well when you want to. You understand what suits you and you play dumb when it suits you.’
‘Well, you get to learn a lot that way,’ he conceded.
“‘Easily bullied,” my foot! I’ll bet you can be as stubborn as a mule.’
