The conversation broke up into twos and threes and Harry turned her attention to Tom and Spikings as Spikings proffered his thoughts on good 'English Fayre' whilst Tom expounded the virtues of French cuisine.

Dempsey was busy advising Tony on the best places to take his girlfriend and Dave listened in thinking that he could use the same advice, although it first necessitated him acquiring a girlfriend.

As the last of the dinner plates were cleared away the compare noted that all proceeds of the charity auction about to begin would go to the Deputy Commissioner's chosen charity of 'Children in Need'. With that in mind the first item up for auction was one of the new Pudsey bears that had been created to brand the charity and launched only last week.

The auctioneer stood: "Let's start the bidding for the night at £5"

"Now remember we need to be seen to be generous" Spikings briefed them "you are all here courtesy of Her Majesty's training budget so I expect you to be generous"

Dave and Billy looked at each other "…more generous than the murder squad" Spikings looked to the table on his left and back to the team and demanded "we will exceed anything they do!"

The bidding began and moved at a fair pace in £2 steps then it slowed, Spikings glared around the table, so far no one had raised a hand or a hair in a bid.

Someone on the murder table upped the bid by £1

"What would I want with a teddy bear?" asked Dave as Spikings' stare rested on him. Tony playfully shoved Dave's shoulder "you have a sister" he said

"Show the softer side of yourself and you may pick up a date or at least a few dances" Watson suggested

Dave felt the weight of SI10 on him. "Ok" he growled. He bid £45, murder went to £46; "£50" he responded and looking at Spikings declared 'that was it'. It was enough – 'going going gone.'

Dave brushed himself down as he went up to pay and collect the bear; as he walked back he deliberately skirted tables where the attractive girls were and noted that Watson could well be right. Several 'ahhhhs' and 'cute' phrases hit his ears as he passed. By the time he returned to the table he was grinning with success. As he passed murder he grinned even more broadly – delighted to draw a few sneers from them.

No one at SI10 had concentrated on the next couple of items that had gone for modest amounts. Watson sat the bear in the centre of the table like a trophy. Spikings grinned then noted that Lacey had two prizes in the centre of his table; his smirk wiped off his face "I will not be beaten" he swore

Chas understood, as the next auction item was described he teased Dempsey "One for you here mate"

"What? I've never heard of the woman" Dempsey protested

"You've never heard of Delia" Chas exclaimed

"Oh yes Dempsey that would be good for you" Makepeace agreed

"I can't cook" Dempsey continued to protest

"But Delia teaches you how to"

"Do I get Delia to come around to my apartment?" asked Dempsey more hopefully

"She's married" Tom stated

"It's a signed book" Watson explained

"Well that's no good to me; I need a broad not a book"

"You're so bloody sexist Lieutenant" Makepeace protested

"You're so bloody sexy Sergeant" he retorted looking directly at her cleavage for once then up to catch her eye.

As the discussion had progressed so had the bidding and when the hammer came down the bundle of SI10 officers looked up to see who was making their way across the floor.

"Fry!"

"Hey Fry you got a book instead of a woman" Dempsey teased

Fry sat down hurt, he tried to hide it

Makepeace reached across the table and tapped it to gain Fry's attention "I think it's great – you learn how to cook a few of those dishes and you'll woo a lot of women when you invite them round for dinner" her warm smile encouraged Fry

"My mum only cooks traditional food – I thought I might learn about some fancy food like we had tonight"

"Power to you Fry – it'll make you a man" Makepeace punched the air playfully

"Yeh some of the top new chefs are men Fry – like Tony Worrall Thompson"

"What would you know Dempsey?" Makepeace asked incredulously, turning her attention back to him

"I might not cook Sergeant – as you well know – but I do know where the best chefs hang out and the places the smart people dine"

"Oh you do do you?"

"Yeh I do" Dempsey protested "classy doesn't have to be The Connaught"

"We've never been there" she declared

"We don't date" Dempsey pointed out

"Too right" Never the less he gave the address of the 'Foxtrot Oscar' Chelsea, um the Hospital Road

"Do you mean Royal Hospital Road?"

"Probably, it's not far from the river quite near a junction" Dempsey tried to explain

"Mmmm I think I might try it out" she mused

"Now don't go cramping my style" he teased

"When was the last time you actually dined there?"

"Last night" Dempsey scrunched his mouth slightly amused at the sergeant's disbelief

"Oh! Was she impressed?" Harry asked with affected disinterest

"Jealous?"

"No" she declared willing her feelings to fall into line with her head

"So I don't need to answer" Dempsey provoked her by his reply

"You're a law unto yourself Dempsey"

"So you keep telling me" Dempsey made a mental recall of his social calendar "we can go Sunday night" he offered out of the blue.

"Just to try out the food" Makepeace clarified

"Well you sure as hell won't let me try anything else out" he reminded and reassured her at the same time.

"So what do we get for pudding?" asked Chas "I've forgotten"

"Vienetta!" Watson suggested

"No way" Chas reacted "I'm not falling for that"

"I wouldn't mind, I rather like Vienetta" Billy said

"Yes but they wouldn't serve that here"

"Suppose not, but we only have it on Sundays"

"Was there Black Forest Gateaux?" asked Chas trying his best to remember

"That's so yesterday" mocked Tom

"What about Baked Alaska?" asked Tony

"Now that was Mrs Spikings party piece before this midget food came in" Spikings contributed "Very clever that ice cream in the oven stuff"

The desserts arrived; the Pavlova with Kiwi Fruit was placed in front of Harry, cheesecake adorned with physalis in front of Dempsey.

"Hey this looks good"

"What sort of fruit is this green one?" Asked Billy

"Kiwi" Harry enlightened him

"What's this?" Fry asked picking up the papery outer of the physalis sitting on his cheesecake "do you eat it?"

"This tastes good" Dempsey exclaimed "How's yours Sergeant?"

"Good." she acknowledged

Makepeace watched Dempsey eat his cheesecake "Is that lemon?" she asked with interest?

"Yeh"

"Tart?" she queried

"Sharp enough to cut across the richness" Dempsey looked at the desert sitting in front of Harry "Is that really sweet"

"Fairly –the kiwi freshens it up well" She watched him cut another slice onto his spoon; Dempsey noticed her eyes fixed on him as he ate

"You want to try some" he asked pushing his plate to the side so she could help herself

"You're obviously enjoying it Dempsey – I wouldn't want to deprive you"

"Here try some" he offered scooping some cheesecake onto his spoon and turned to feed her. Harry smiled and opened her mouth to accept the sample "umm" she murmured as she savoured the tartness of the lemon and the richness of the cheesecake "You're right" she said as she turned back to her own pavlova and loading some gooey meringue and cream on her spoon she returned the offer.

Dempsey bent his head down to a line his mouth to the oncoming spoon but he only ate half the spoonful. Makepeace laughed at him "useless" she teased

"Not me – it's your spoon guiding" Dempsey taunted

She aimed again and he deliberately moved his head out of the way and then back. As he ate the portion Harry noted the cream on the side of his lip and reaching forward brushed it away.

Fry nudged Billy. Tom caught Spikings eye and Watson watched wide-eyed. The others were too intent on eating to notice.

Both Dempsey and Makepeace looked away and then back to each other coyly

"More cheesecake?" offered Dempsey but without waiting for an answer his spoon was in front of Makepeace leaving her little choice other than to accept but Dempsey skilfully tipped the spoon to ensure some of the soft mixture hit the tip of her nose.

"Dempsey!" she scolded

He used his napkin to brush the top of her nose

Spikings coughed. Dempsey contemplated asking him if he needed a cough sweet but decided against it, given that so far every reprimand had been against him. "Could you just swap plates" he pleaded glancing across to the top table, hoping there had been no other witnesses.