The Last Dance Read Online Free Page A

quicker, flicking out the perfectly ironed white square linen from his outside pocket.
    ‘Please,’ he urged when she hesitated, but unlike most he offered a thought beyond the obvious. ‘Self-pity delivers no answers.’
    She felt the sting of rebuke but knew he was right. He continued speaking as he glanced over a shoulder searching for the waiter before returning his attention swiftly. ‘Do something else for a while that gives you a chance to stand back from your problem and study it. You’ve heard the saying about ways to skin a cat, no doubt.’
    She nodded.
    ‘So, approach your dream from a different direction. It’s perspective, Stella. And who knows, you may discover something wonderful along the way; you may think entirely differently about matters; you may meet interesting folk you otherwise would never have met . . .’
    ‘Like whom?’
    ‘Like me,’ he grinned and she smiled sadly, feeling her eyes water helplessly at his kindness.
    The waiter arrived with a pot of coffee, another of tea and began laying out the cups, jugs and sugar bowl. She dabbed her eyes surreptitiously and blew as if fighting a mild cold. As she did so she smelled the liquor again, this time from the handkerchief, and once again it didn’t add up, especially now as he spoke so lucidly.
    ‘We can pour,’ he said to the waiter and tipped him to go away. ‘Are you all right, Stella?’
    ‘Yes, yes. I didn’t think I had any more tears left. I’m sorry. You’ve been kind, thank you.’ She sniffed as they waited for the tea to draw. ‘Do you have family?’
    He nodded. ‘I’m married, yes.’ At her raised eyebrows, he smiled. ‘I’m simply keeping a friend company. I’m not in the habit of trawling dance halls and paying girls to waltz with me.’
    ‘I’ll bet you don’t,’ she snapped.
    ‘Damn, that came out wrong. I meant no offence, just wanted to assure that I have no intention of making any improper advance. I don’t even want to be here. Oh, bloody hell, I’m digging a deeper hole, aren’t I?’
    Stella laughed at how visibly mortified he looked. ‘No offence taken.’ She held up a hand to reassure. ‘Truly.’ She nodded to say that the conversation was complete. ‘So . . . family?’
    ‘My parents have passed on, and unlike you I have no siblings to care for.’ He trotted out the details without emotion.
    ‘Where is home?’
    ‘Good question.’ He sighed and began pouring her tea. It looked strong, as she liked it. ‘I’ll leave you to add your preferences.’ He smiled and she couldn’t fault his obvious attractiveness. She was aware of women turning in their direction, stealing surreptitious and admiring glances at the dashing stranger she was taking tea with.
    ‘So, Stella, I’m certain you know a sixpence or two isn’t the solution,’ he continued, cutting deeply to the core of her fear.
    ‘I do,’ she said. ‘But I’ve recently buried both my parents and I need some time to think without panicking. I know I have to sell the house; we may even have to move away from where we’ve all been raised. My head spins with worry. But despite my tears, I am much stronger than I appear.’
    ‘I can imagine.’ He blew on the black coffee he’d poured and sipped.
    She liked the sweep of his expressive lips that were neither full nor narrow; in fact all of his features were like that – so clearly defined she could draw them – and yet hard to describe because they were the idealised shape of eyes, nose, mouth. And like a chorus of individuals suddenly singing together they formed a whole song of beauty. She had to look away but not before noticing that he hadn’t bothered to shave this evening, which the stubble around his jaw attested to. There was something exciting about this fellow and his slightly mysterious, definitely non-establishment ways – both of which she was sure he was hiding.
    ‘Can you?’
    ‘What?’ he said, swallowing his coffee but she caught the bounce of