Author's note: The characters as always are borrowed from Elizabeth George and the BBC.


The week had meandered seemingly aimlessly and Detective Inspector Tommy Lynley's interest in life had followed the same course. London was a large and vibrant city that attracted diverse and colourful people but strangely over the last few weeks the murderers, kidnappers and rapists seemed to be on summer vacation leaving him to wallow in a backlog of forms and filing. It was Friday evening and one more form to requisition a new computer for Detective Constable Winston Nkata and he could escape.

"Hiya," his sergeant, Barbara Havers, said as she knocked on his door, "we're all just heading to the pub. Fancy a drink?"

"I might follow later," he replied a fraction too quickly. He saw her expression and added, "I have to ring Mother. I'm not sure I'll be in the mood." It was a conversation he had delayed for days since receiving her well-meaning but nagging email.

"Okay, well we'll be there for an hour or so."

Her tone betrayed a vague disappointment that made Tommy look up. She rewarded him with a smile and he recognised he had been rude and dismissive. He smiled back at her amused at the calming affect she had on him at times. "Give me twenty minutes."

"Do you want me to wait?"

"No. Go. I'll see you there." He looked directly in her eyes so that she knew he meant it. She smiled and left his office. He looked at the phone sitting on his desk and suddenly felt terribly alone.

His mother answered quickly and could not understand his reluctance to invite any of the young women she had suggested to Turandot. "Tommy, you are the 8th Earl of Asherton in case you had forgotten and that brings with it certain responsibilities. We sponsor the charity and it is poor form for you not to attend. Everyone understood last year, after Helen, but this year you need to be seen to be resuming your life."

"I am not sure I am ready just yet to 'resume my life' as you put it but I do know I am not going to give some young woman false hope."

"Then find someone you would like to bring. It's only one evening Tommy, I'm not asking you to propose to them!"

"I could escort you or Judith," he offered hopefully.

"Your sister has her own escort this year and so do I so no, you are not getting away with that. Nor can you come alone."

Tommy understood he had little choice. "I promise you I will think about it. It's not for three weeks."

"Good. We can discuss it again next week. I can send you another list if that helps."

"No, no more lists Mother please."

They exchanged a few pleasantries about the family and discussed some business matters regarding the estate before he rang off. He slumped back against his chair, defeated. He would need to select one of his mother's suggestions of suitable eligible women and suffer through the evening bored out of his wits. At times he wished he had no title and could just meet someone, fall in love and marry like normal people did instead of having to think about the precious bloodline. As he walked to the car park he remembered his promise to Barbara. He sighed heavily as he would have preferred to go home but he turned and trudged towards the pub.

It was slightly too warm inside the small and crowded bar area where his team were sitting. The timberwork and green fake leather upholstery looked as false as he felt. Lynley shrugged off his coat before he sat down next to Winston Nkata. Winston was always the centre of parties so perhaps he could just blend in. He wanted whiskey but ordered a pint of bitter. Whiskey tended to make him too introspective and was best consumed at home when he was unable to sleep and plagued by guilt and regret. He told himself to relax and be friendly.

"Evening Sir," DC Nkata said, "I know I shouldn't wish it but I hope something interesting happens next week."

"I've finished all my paperwork and sharpened all my scalpels so I'm inclined to agree," chimed in Stuart Lafferty. Lynley frowned at the pathologist but understood; it was hard not to feel as if he too was waiting for something to happen.

"We should be grateful," he said, "when it starts again we will be run off our feet."

Gradually the team drifted home and when Lafferty accepted a lift home from Winston it left only Barbara and Tommy to finish their drinks. "How was your mother?" she asked.

"Fine." Barbara looked at him, her eyes boring into his soul. "Okay, she is pressing me to do something I'd prefer not to do." He could hear the bitterness in his voice.

"Such as?"

"Our charity has a benefit in three weeks, a performance of Turandot." He saw the quizzical look on her face. "It's an opera." Barbara screwed up her nose then to cover took a sip of beer making Tommy shake his head. "She sent me a list of eligible women and wants me to invite one to accompany me. I don't want to send those signals."

Barbara cocked her head to the left. "What signals?" how he liked her naivety at times.

"That I might be on the market in some way. I don't want every lonely divorcee or young title-chaser to think I am dating again nor do I want whoever I choose to think they have the inside running to be the next Countess."

"Then take someone you want to take. Or take your sister."

"Judith's busy."

"And you have to go I presume?"

Lynley nodded sadly. "Yes."

"Well there's only one answer then."

Tommy smiled at her and for the first time all night it was heartfelt. "You don't mind then?"

"No, why would I?"

"I thought it would take a lot more to convince you. Thank you Barbara; I'll pick you up at seven."

"What? No! No, that's not what I meant."

Tommy was confused. "What did you mean then?"

"That you should hire an escort."

Lynley's almost choked on his drink and his expressions ranged quickly from shock through mortification and settled on righteous indignation. "Lynleys do not hire escorts Havers. I have never needed to hire a woman and I am not about to start now!"

"No Sir, of course. I'm sorry. It just seemed like the pragmatic answer. They have some very high end ones that know all the social graces." She saw from his face that he was now angry. "But of course, you wouldn't need one," she added hastily.

"No, I do not," he snapped.

"Sorry again Sir. Well I had better be off. Good night Sir."

He could see she was embarrassed and keen to make her escape. When she stood to leave Tommy reached out and put his hand on her arm to stop her. "Wait. Let me try again. Barbara I have to go to this function and I would like you to accompany me. You said yourself I should take someone I want to take and I'd like to take you. I'm comfortable with you and it would send the right signals."

Barbara sat again. "Sir, thank you but you know I'm not into that sort thing. I'd embarrass you and I don't want to be some sort of lighthouse."

Tommy laughed lightly at her last comment. "No, you are not a lighthouse but you do light up my life." He stopped what he was saying quite stunned at his phrasing. Barbara was trying to look anywhere but at him. Her hair was its usual unkempt style and he saw how much her green eyes sparkled when she blushed. The small tug of her bottom lip between her teeth told him she was not sure what to say.

He continued hoping it would ease the awkwardness his last comment had created. "You wouldn't embarrass me and I'd be with you the whole time. It is half an hour of small talk then a couple of hours listening to music then dinner with Mother and Judith and their partners. It would alleviate social pressure for me and I think you'd enjoy it. Please Barbara?"

"Sir, I don't think I can. For a start I don't have anything suitable to wear. I know nothing about opera and don't speak German. It would be a disaster and we'd both regret it."

"I'll happily pay for a dress or you could wear the one you wore to my engagement party if you still have it." Barbara nodded. "Good. It is sung in Italian not German and I will play it for you before we go so that you understand it. Any excuse you muster I have the answer," he said with enthusiasm.

Havers sighed and took a long sip of her beer. For Lynley it seemed an eternity before she responded. "On one condition."

"Yes?" he asked anxiously.

"You come somewhere with me that is outside your comfort zone."

"It would be my pleasure. What exactly?"

"Something I've wants to do for years but haven't had anyone to go with. Let me check." She pulled out her mobile and started looking for something. Tommy excused himself and went to the gents. When he returned Barbara was grinning ominously. "Are you free tomorrow?"

"So soon? Yes I can be free."

"Good I'll pick you up at one o'clock. Wear something casual and a warm coat."

Tommy smiled in that special way he did when he and Barbara shared a secret. "So are you going to tell me where we are going?"

She smirked back at him. "No. Do you have an Oyster card?"

"Yes, I am not the Royal Family Barbara; I have used public transport before." He tried to sound offended but failed miserably.

"Good," she said as she finished the last of her beer. She grabbed her coat and headed for the door. "Night Sir, see you tomorrow."

He watched her leave surprised that his interest in life had revived.