"It's multicultural!"

"Yes I suppose it is," Tommy replied highly amused. "Sitting in England eating Indian food about to listen to an Italian opera set in China is about as multi-cultural as it gets but let's eat first then I can explain it better as it plays."

"Tell me you are not going to translate every line."

"Why? Don't you think my Italian is good enough?" He raised his eyebrow at her as if to challenge him.

"No, I'm sure it is but it will take forever and I'll miss the flow of the music." Her smile was beguiling and he could almost believe her. They had picked up their curry on the way back from the river. Tommy had enjoyed his afternoon and now looked forward to the evening. He could relax with Barbara in a way he could never do with anyone else, even Helen. He pushed those thoughts aside. There was no point trying to understand it, he should just focus on being in the moment.

He put the CD in the player and was about to sit next to her on the couch. He remembered his impulse when he played the aria and decided to move to the chair. "The first Act is set outside the gates of the Forbidden City in Peking, or Beijing as we call it today. The daughter of the Emperor, a princess called Turandot, is very beautiful and of marriageable age but she hates men and so has set three riddles that any suitor must answer before they can marry her."

"Was she a lesbian?"

Tommy started to laugh so hard it hurt. "No, no she wasn't. I'm sorry that's a perfectly legitimate question but..."

"But it shows the difference between Acton and Eton! See I knew this was a mistake." Barbara sounded frustrated and looked like she was about to run.

Tommy moved over to sit next to her and put his hand on her arm. "No, it's not. I like the way you see things with such refreshing honesty and without pretention. I think you'll really like the opera. I want to share it with you." He had no idea why but this opera had taken on new importance to him well beyond making sure she was not uncomfortable on the night.

"I still think you'll regret this. It's not too late to change your mind and take someone more suitable."

"There is no one more suitable Barbara," he said sincerely. She looked at him and nodded. "Anyway back to the story. An official makes a proclamation telling prospective husbands about the riddles. The Prince of Persia has failed and at nightfall will be executed. The crowd want blood. There is an old man in the crowd called Timur who is actually a deposed king from Tartary which is now under the rule of the Chinese. He has his servant, well actually a slave, called Lui, with him. He falls and she cries for help and a man from the crowd steps forward. It is Calef, the man's long lost son. Both men are afraid to reveal their identities and swear to keep Calef's name secret. Lui knows but Timur trusts her and Lui tells Calef she had been faithful because he had once smiled at her. Here listen." He played the music. "That's the official...that's Timur...and Lui...and Calef, he was the one singing the aria."

"Yeah, you can hear it in their tone can't you? Even when you don't understand the words."

"And on stage it is even better because they act it out."

"Like a musical."

"Yes, just like a musical. Opera is the early form of musicals really."

"You mean musicals for posh people."

"Lot's of different people enjoy opera Barbara." Tommy was annoyed that everything came down to class with her.

"No one from Acton that I knew did."

He grimaced behind her back but did not bite. He paused the music and continued the story. "The Persian Prince arrives and he is so beautiful that the crowd cry for compassion but Princess Turandot orders his execution. Calef instantly falls in love with her and decides to marry her. Everyone urges him not to but he rushes to the gong that anyone wanting to enter the contest has to hit three times. Her ministers Ping, Pong and Pang..."

"Ping, Pong and Pang!" Now it was Barbara's turn to laugh and Tommy laughed with her. He had not thought it was funny until she said it that way and again he had an inextricable desire to hold her close to him. Instead he decided to tickle her. Barbara squealed with surprise then wriggled around trying to stop him and both of them laughed even harder. She was facing away from him when he relented. He leant his head over the shoulder feeling the warmth of her body through the thin cotton of his shirt. "Are you going to behave now?" He turned it into a joke but what he felt when his face had brushed against hers was far from funny. He sat back to focus on the story.

"Anyway her ministers, who shall remain unnamed, try desperately to dissuade Calef not to lose his head for love but he persists and rings the gong and Turandot accepts his challenge and that is the end of Act 1."

"A bit unrealistic isn't it? That he thinks he's in love with her after seeing her at a distance."

"You don't believe in love at first sight Barbara?"

"Lust, most definitely but not love! That takes longer surely."

She was looking at him closely and he felt oddly exposed. Was she saying she had lusted after him? "I am not exactly an expert in that field."

"Oh, I don't know. I've seen you lust after a few people in your time."

"I do not lust Barbara," he asserted indignantly.

"So what do your lot call it then?" Tommy had no escape and laughed. "Do you want me to tickle you again?" he asked holding his hands up and wiggling his fingers threateningly.

"No! I'll behave." They were looking directly at each other and for the second time that day he had that unnerving feeling that she was experiencing exactly the same conflicted feelings he had running around inside him. This time she blushed and looked away. She's your friend Tommy! Don't spoil it like you did with Helen.

"Good. Now listen." Despite his uncertainties he did not move away and as he listened he focused on the energy radiating from her. At the beginning of the second act he paused the music again. "Ping, Pong and Pang hate Turandot and reminisce about life before her and tell us about her failed suitors. Then they hear the trumpets and everyone gathers for Calef's attempts. I'll stop it when he starts the challenge." He watched Barbara listening so carefully to the music. He knew she liked to sing and liked modern music that he thought sounds like wailing banshees but he was pleased she had forgotten her class issues long enough to appreciate the music.

"Now even the Emperor Altoum tells Calef not to attempt it but he refuses. Then Turandot comes out and sings about her ancestor Lou-ling who was murdered by a conquering Prince. This is why she has decreed that no man shall posses her."

"Until she finds the right man to melt her ice." Barbara said and looked at Tommy in such a way that he had to stand and walk away otherwise he would have kissed her.

He poured them both a drink while he regained his composure. He had not expected to feel that way and he had not expect Barbara to identify with Turandot. He passed her the drink and sat down on the chair to avoid temptation. "Yes, that is exactly what Puccini intended to show," he said and he spoke over the music, "this is the first question 'What is born each night and dies at dawn?' and Calef answers 'Hope'."

"Yeah, that's so true." Barbara was looking at him enthralled and seemed mercifully oblivious to his earlier reaction.

"So Turandot asks her next riddle: 'What flickers red and is warm like a flame, yet is not fire?' and he replies 'Blood'.

"Nah, he would never have said that if he worked in our job."

"Well Puccini thought it was true," Lynley said trying not to laugh. "Anyway Turandot becomes concerned that he might have the answer and asks her final question, 'What is the ice that makes you burn?' And Calef says..."

"You!" Barbara cried shocking Tommy.

"Yes. He sings her name and she starts to plead with her father not to allow the marriage but he refuses. Calef, sensing her distress sets his own challenge. If she can tell him his name by morning he will die otherwise he will marry her."

"Why on Earth would he do that?" she asked disbelievingly, "but this is where you played me the soccer song last week."

"Yes but it is not the 'soccer song' it is called Nessun Dorma." Tommy started the CD again and noticed that Barbara had closed her eyes and was listening carefully to Pavarotti's voice. He wondered if she remembered the words.

"The three P's try to persuade him to withdraw his bargain thinking that Turandot will kill everyone in the city if she can't discover his name, but he refuses. The people threaten Calef and he tries to tell them that only he knows his name but then the soldiers capture Timur and Lui. Lui tries to save Timur by telling Turandot that only she knows his name. The Princess orders her to be tortured but Lui says nothing. Turandot can't understand her loyalty and asks how she can withstand and Lui replies 'Love' and tells her one day she will also learn about love. Turandot then orders her to be punished even more and Lui thinks that Calef might step in and be killed so she seizes a dagger and stabs herself. She dies and the crowd carry her away."

Tommy stopped his story when Barbara stood and turned away from him. He went to her but she would not look at him. "What's wrong Barbara?" He lifted her chin and smiled at her but when he saw her tears he put his arms around her and held her. "It's only a story Barbara." He had never seen anyone so affected by an opera but it was endearing.

She broke from his arms and knuckled her eyes. He could tell she was embarrassed. "I'm sorry Sir, that is so sad. So Lui is really the heroine."

"Well no, she's not supposed to be but a lot of people don't like the ending."

"How does it end?" she asked in a low voice.

"Well only Calef and Turnadot are left on stage and he accuses her of being the Princess of Death but kisses her. She resists at first but then begins to cry and admits that since he came she both hated and loved him. She orders him to go but he tells her his name putting him and his father at risk of death. The last scene is the next morning and she tells the Emperor and the crowd that the stranger's name is 'Love'."

"No, that's a crappy ending Sir," she said angrily, "that's not love just because he's good in bed. Lui truly loved him and gave up her life for him but he failed to see it and ran after a pretty face, one that might think she loves him but will never love him the way he needs to be loved. She's too selfish." The look in her eyes told him everything.

"I'm so sorry Barbara," he said understanding he was looking at his own Lui. As he watched her standing next to him he wanted to re-write the opera right here but it would only prove her point. He had no idea what he felt any more and he did not trust any of it to be real. Maybe it was the first riddle; hope that would fade by morning.

Her response brought him back to the moment. "Sir...Sir?"

"Sorry."

"You said that. I said you didn't write it, it's not your fault."

She was smiling and so he tried hard to laugh it off. "Yes sorry. You know Puccini based Lui on his housemaid called Doreen who had killed herself after his wife constantly accused her of having an affair with the composer. Subsequently it was proved that she died a virgin."

"Doreen? You're making that up. Italian housemaids are not called Doreen."

Tommy grinned foolishly. "No, no it wasn't Doreen it was Doria or something like that."

"Did she love him like that?"

"I've no idea." Do you love me like that?

"If she didn't, it's not the same thing."

"You're an incredibly perceptive woman Barbara."

"That's why I'm your partner." Tommy tilted his head on the side, questioning her response. "Because sometimes you're not."

He teetered between saying something or ignoring it. "Come on, I'll drive you home."