It wasn't often Bill stopped by at his sister's flat for a cuppa, but something one of the constables had seen in the Courier made him drop in. He'd helped May when her husband had been killed in France and she was left to bring up their daughter alone. Evie was eight then, the apple of her father's eye and Bill's only niece. Now sixteen, she was a beautiful young lady with a good job at one of the hotels; a receptionist who welcomed the visitors with a ready smile and a pleasant, friendly demeanour. She had a wide circle of friends, and a lively social life.

May opened the door. Bill was saddened to see tears on her face and worry in her eyes, and hear the sound of gulping sobs from the living room.

"Oh, you've heard then," she sniffed and stepped aside to let him in. "She's in there."

"Uncle Bill!" Evie jumped up and threw herself into his arms, "it's not true! I swear it's not! I didn't do what he said, and now everybody is talking about me."

"Tell me, love," he sat her down on the couch and put his arm round her.

"He wanted me to, he's been asking me out for ages, but I don't really like him, he's a bully and not nice to girls anyway."

"Who, love? Evie, it didn't say who reported it."

"Edward Tyneman, he thinks he can do what he likes just 'cos his dad owns the paper and the shoe factory and he's on the council."

"He's no older than you …"

"He is, but only a year."

"Has he done it with other girls?"

"I don't know, I know he went out with Rosie Foster when they were at school but her parents moved away last year and he's not really been with anyone else since." Evie looked up at him, "Uncle Bill, they won't let me in work, because of what people think, mum's angry; what do we do?"

"We get the truth, Evie, love. What he's done is libel, but we need proof that you haven't …" he didn't want to give a name to what had been said, but the idea of sixteen and seventeen year olds, particularly his niece, having casual sex upset him. He'd only just started thinking of girls then, and while his dating hadn't been particularly successful he'd had his moments.

"How do we do that? Get proof, I mean?"

"Let me talk to Dr Blake, he'll know, then we'll start lookin' into this. If you are telling the truth …"

"I am, Uncle Bill, I swear …"

He kissed the top of her head, "… we'll get a full retraction printed, and maybe Miss Blake can do something in the legal way."

"We can't afford a lawyer, Bill," May shook her head.

"You leave that to me, May, I'll pay whatever she asks. Anyway, I'll ask her, I'm doing her garden for her."

"That's good of you," May smiled a little smile, Bill often talked about Miss Vivienne.

"Yeah, well, with her arm …" he coughed a blushed a little, it was true, he was fond of Vivi, she was kind, and when he offered to help with her garden because all the other gardeners just seemed to want to have a look at this almost reclusive woman who practiced law and had a burned arm, she had been relieved. He supposed they had become friends. "… and it's nice to do some gardening again."

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"Medically there's nothing I can do," Lucien told him when he enquired how they could prove his niece hadn't done what Edward Tyneman accused her of.

"Thing is, doc," Bill sighed, "he's given our Evie a reputation she doesn't deserve, sayin' she's been with more than one boy, that she sleeps around. She says she hasn't been with him or anyone and I believe her."

"What do you want to do, Bill?"

"I want to go and punch his lights out," he admitted, "but then, if it was Miss Li I expect you'd want to do the same."

"Yeah," Blake nodded, "father said he was an entitled, pompous lad when we came here."

"Given his dad cheats on Mrs Tyneman and everyone knows it, I can see where he gets it from, little prick."

Lucien smiled at his choice of words, "I suggest we ask my sister what she thinks."

"I did wonder if Miss Vivienne would help," Bill nodded, "May is worried about the cost, but I can deal with that. I don't have kids of my own, doc, Evie is the nearest I have to family, her and May, I don't want either of them hurt."

"Of course, Bill, family is important, however you make it." Lucien frowned then had an idea. "There is no way to tell if Evie has been sexually active, that's a myth, so there will be no need or use in an examination."

Bill nodded.

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Bill put all his anger into digging up the weeds in Vivi's garden before he planted roses and jasmine, imagining it was Edward Tyneman's head he was bashing in with the spade. Instead of retreating and muttering something in the way of an apology he had just grinned and laughed that Evie was 'up for it'. Bill had wanted to throttle him but Matthew held him back and sent him off duty.

Vivi watched him from the kitchen window; he was down to his singlet and uniform trousers not having gone home before heading over to her bungalow. She didn't know why he was so angry, or who he was angry at but she was glad he could take it out on something she wouldn't have to defend his actions in court about.

She poured some cold lemonade for herself and pulled a bottle of his preferred beer from the fridge.

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Bill stood back and surveyed his handiwork. He would be able to plant enough to give her a good show. Roses, jasmine at the back over the fence, low growing azaleas at the front, maybe some begonias – his dad had liked begonias.

"Beer?" she passed from behind, "I think you've earned it."

He took it wordlessly and swigged half the bottle.

"Sorry," he squatted then sat on the grass.

"Whatever it is, Bill, we can work it out."

"You see that thing in the paper, about a girl who was sleeping around?"

"Yes, but I just thought it was sad, that someone should print that. Pa keeps saying the Courier isn't worth reading, calls it a rag."

"It's not true, about the girl," he pulled at a blade of grass, "she's not sleepin' around, never been with a boy – she's my niece and …"

"… you're so bloody angry you wanted to bash whoever with my spade." She finished for him.

"Edward Tyneman. Evie said he's been badgering her to go out with him and she keeps refusing so he has his dad publish that and get her sacked, and a reputations she don't deserve. The doc, your brother, says there is no way to prove she's untouched. We only have her word."

"Well, he'd know." she sat next to him. "What do you want to do – apart from beating the life out of him?"

"I want him to publicly apologise, to take back what he's said, pay her her missing earnings and never speak to her again."

"Sounds reasonable," she hummed, "would you like me to drag him through the courts?"

"Yeah … public humiliation, that's what he's done to Evie."

"Does Evie have any distinguishing marks? Somewhere he would see if he'd …" she cleared her throat.

"You'd have to ask her. Send me the bill, for your work," he looked at her.

"No charge, Bill, you've been good to me, you don't look at me as if I have an extra head or something."

"We all carry scars, Miss, some are hidden," he tapped the side of his head "some are physical," he lifted his singlet to show a long scar down his side and ending somewhere below his waist.

"How?" she traced it lightly with her little finger.

"Some young drunks during the war; seems they thought I was a coward for not joining up. They found out I wasn't, but I paid for it."

"You were in a reserved occupation, Bill, we still needed coppers."

"So they found out. They were offered the choice of jail or the army."

"And …?"

"Mixed."

"Ah."

"Well," he stood up, "these plants won't get themselves in …" he offered her his hand to stand up.

She left him to his work.

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Bill arranged for May and Evie to meet Vivi at her office.

"Oh Uncle Bill, do you think she will help me?" Evie grabbed his hand.

"I know she will," he smiled, "Tyneman will meet his match."

"His father came to see me, offered me money to stop this," she frowned, "I said no, that Edward should face up to what he did."

"You gave her the strength, Bill," May nodded, "she'd have taken the money and gone away, just like he told her to."

"Hmph," he growled.

The door to the office was opened and they entered a light, softly decorated space. Vivi hadn't wanted the dark, austere décor usually found in serious places, she wanted light, a place that inspired hope. There was a desk, and a chair for her, chairs for clients and a couch for others who might find the idea of visiting a lawyer distressing.

"Bill," Vivi stood up and smiled, "and Evie?"

Evie nodded, "Evie Simons."

"Lovely to meet you, Evie," she indicated she should sit on the couch, "and Mrs Simons?"

May stepped forward and shook her hand, "Miss Blake, its' very good of you …"

"Nonsense, Mrs Simons," Vivi shook her head, "people like Edward Tyneman can't be allowed to get away with such things, this is libel and we can sue. Now, let's talk eh?"

She called through to Elsie to bring in some tea and they set to discussing what had happened and how Evie could have justice.

"Now, of course there is no way to tell whether you have had sexual intercourse or not, not by examination …" Vivi watched for a reaction. Evie blushed and her eyes filled with tears.

"I haven't Miss Blake, honest," Evie blurted out. "I haven't let a boy touch me, 'cept for a kiss, but only a kiss."

"I believe you, dear," Vivi smiled. "So, do you have any marks that he would see if he'd touched you, intimately?"

She shook her head.

"Ah."

"You've got that scar from when you fell onto the fence, you know," May reminded her, "when you were climbing over it instead of walking round to the gate."

"Oh, yeah," Evie brightened, "it's about an inch long, here," she pointed to her upper thigh.

"That's perfect," Vivi smiled, "not the scar, but the fact you have one."

"Will I have to show it, in court?"

"How about a photograph, eh, can't have you lifting your skirts in court, the judge will have a coronary."

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A summons appeared at the home of Edward Tyneman and his parents.

"You'd better be telling the truth, boy," his father, Patrick, glared at him. "Spreading stories like this is libel, and you will be sorry. Miss Blake will tear you to pieces in court."

Edward knew he was in deep, but it was too deep for him to pull out now. He hadn't thought it would get this far, that Evie would take his father up on the offer of money, but she hadn't. He'd been sent to the family lawyer and told him all that he had said to the papers. All he could hope for was that Evie was too embarrassed to make an appearance and it would all go away. Anyway, it was his word against hers, and who was she? Just a hotel receptionist whose mother was a shopworker and a dead father, she was of no consequence. He scowled at his father and strode past him out of the house.

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Vivi did tear him to pieces.

In her sweetest voice, with pleasant questions about his social life, the things he liked to do, the friends he had, she got round to how many girls he had been out with, reminding him that lying under oath was a serious offence.

"I mean, Mr Tyneman, you are only seventeen," she smiled pleasantly.

"Um, well, a couple, maybe," he mumbled.

"Ah, a couple, as in two?" she raised an eyebrow.

"Er, yeah," he nodded.

"I see, and was Miss Simons one of these young ladies?"

He looked across at his lawyer who shook his head, subtly.

"No."

"Did you ask her out?"

He nodded.

"For the court, please," the judge frowned.

"Yeah."

"And what was her answer?"

"She said no."

"Did you accept that?"

Edward coloured and fidgeted.

"Mr Tyneman?"

"No," he whispered.

"So you asked her again?"

"Yes."

"How many times?"

"Can't remember."

"Ah," she turned a page of her notes, "you do realise that constitutes harassment, don't you?"

He nodded again.

"Speak up, boy!" the judge commanded.

"Yes."

"Did you stop?" she waited, "Mr Tyneman, did you stop harassing my client?"

Again, silence.

"Mr Tyneman, this case revolves around claims you made in the Courier that you were intimate with Miss Simons and that she was intimate with other boys, a claim she strenuously denies."

"She's lyin'," he huffed.

"Can you prove it?"

"What?"

"Can you prove you had sexual intercourse with Miss Simons?"

He looked across at Evie, head held high and no sign of a blush, more confident than he was.

"I did do it with her," he insisted.

"So, if you did, then what can you tell me that would prove it?"

"What do you mean?"

"Your honour," his lawyer stood up, "is this really necessary, my client is clearly embarrassed."

"I don't know why your client should be embarrassed, Mr Cox, Miss Simons had more reason to be embarrassed than him," the judge turned to Vivi, "continue, Miss Blake."

"As I was asking, does Miss Simons have any distinguishing marks you would have seen at the time the act occurred?"

"I don't remember."

"You don't remember," she wandered around, "is that because you have an appalling memory, Mr Tyneman, or you are lying, and in fact, Miss Simons has not been intimate with you, or anyone else."

"I didn't see anything."

"So, you didn't see this," she held up the photograph of Evie's scar. It was very evident, had obviously been a deep cut that had not healed properly in the beginning and so left a wide scar that he would have seen even if all he'd done was lift her skirts.

He recoiled from the picture and registered his disgust.

"Ah, I see," she passed the picture to the jury. "I put it to you, Mr Tyneman, that you were not intimate with Miss Simons and this is just an act of revenge because she refused to go out with you. No more questions."

Edward's lawyer took over and questioned his client gently, mainly going over all that Vivi had done, but also adding in that the case was not just about Evie Simons but that there was quite a group of teenagers, who were indulging in casual sex and that the article was only meant to raise awareness of the activities.

"Your honour," Vivi stood up, "regardless of 'raising awareness' of teenage activities, Miss Simons was specifically mentioned."

"Noted, Miss Blake." The judge nodded, "keep to the point, Mr Cox."

"Your honour," Mr Cox dipped his head slightly. "No more questions, Mr Tyneman."

Evie was called to the stand and answered all of Mr Cox's questions clearly and without decoration. Yes, she knew Edward, no she did not want to go out with him and told him so, several times. No she had definitely not been intimate with him and he was the last person she would be so, should she ever consider it.

"And you haven't been intimate with any other boy?" Mr Cox inquired.

"Absolutely not," she huffed in reply.

"So why did Mr Tyneman say you had been?"

"That's not for me to say, sir," she tipped her head, "but like Miss Blake said, I think it was revenge, for me telling him I wasn't interested in him."

"Ah," he hummed. "No more questions."

"Miss Blake?" the judge turned to Vivi.

"No questions, your honour," she smiled.

The closing statement from Vivi reminded the jury that this was a case of revenge for being slighted and had likely gone too far. Mr Cox went with the idea that it was an article on casual sex in the teenage groups that hung around Ballarat that Edward had wanted to highlight.

The judge, in summing up, asked the jury to be very careful in their deliberations but was also mindful that most of them would have read the article in the paper.

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"You did very well, Evie," Vivi hummed as they waited.

"I started to feel sorry for him, Miss," she admitted, "he's kinda dug a hole he can't get out of."

"I think you could be right, there, but I doubt he's ever going to admit it, no matter how the jury vote."

"Will he be sent to prison?"

"I wouldn't, if it were me, being out and about in town should be enough punishment for him. I also think his father is going to be dealing with him." Vivi had noticed Patrick sitting in the court with a look on his face that should have killed his son. She was sure he knew Edward had been lying.

"Miss Blake?"

"Yes, Evie."

"How do you get to do what you do, be a lawyer?"

"University – I took a law degree then worked as a junior in a law firm before establishing my own practice. You're looking at about seven years hard work."

"Oh, only I was wondering what to do, I don't want to be a hotel receptionist all my life, though I do like it …"

"… you just thought you could do better?"

"I suppose that's it."

"There's nothing wrong with having ambition, dear," Vivi smiled, "university is costly though."

"I can help with that," Bill butted in, "if it's what you want, Evie."

"Oh, Uncle Bill," she sniffed, "you are the best uncle any girl could have. I won't let you down."

"You never have done."

Vivi silently worked out how it needn't cost Bill as much as he thought, as she would be asking for compensation from Edward, perhaps Evie's university fees could be covered that way. After all, Patrick Tyneman had offered Evie money to make the whole thing go away.

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The jury weren't out for long. Vivi hoped this was a good sign and Evie would have her good name back.

Everybody shuffled back into place and stood as the judge took his place. Looking round, Vivi could see Edward sitting with his lawyer, a mutinous look on his face; behind him sat his father, glowering.

The jury filed in and the foreman was called to give their finding.

It was unanimous – Edward Tyneman was guilty of libel.

Evie let out an audible sigh of relief, Bill squeezed her and May's hands and wondered what Patrick would do to his son.

The judge said it was a sad case, that a young man should take such revenge on a younger girl who didn't want to go out with him. "You have your whole life ahead of you, Mr Tyneman, I suggest you try to be a little kinder, a little more of a gentleman. You will pay costs to Miss Simons, to be determined by the end of the week." He looked at Vivi and Mr Cox, "I turn to you to determine how much Miss Simons deserves as compensation and will discuss it with you in my chambers on Friday."

Patrick reached forward to clip his son over the back of his head.

"I suggest, Mr Tyneman senior, that assaulting your son in a court of law is not in your best interests." The Judge raised an eyebrow.

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"Well, Devon," Vivi sat back in her chair, "how much is Tyneman offering?"

Devon Cox sighed, it had been the first time he had been on opposite sides in court with her; they had studied together so he had a good idea what she was like.

"Probably less than you want, Vivienne."

"Evie wants to go to university, to study law; you and I both know how costly that will be."

"You want her fees paid?" he gasped.

"Shall we talk?" He knew how much Patrick had originally offered Evie but he thought he might be able to persuade him to offer more.

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Patrick was more angry with Edward for lying in court, though he was grateful the judge didn't serve him with a fine for contempt, than he was concerned about how much it was going to cost him. Edward was not yet employed, the girl was, he thought she was a better child than his own son. However, he had to pay recompense to her which he would get back from Edward in the fullness of time. Edward hadn't been a good student when he was in school so sending him to a place of learning was not something he was planning on – he would find him a job at the paper, or the factory and he could work his way up the ladder.

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"Who's bloody idea was it?" Patrick growled when Cox put Vivi's proposal to him.

"Her's, I mean the girl's, not Miss Blake's; she always wanted to do more than stay as a hotel receptionist but knew it would be expensive to go to university."

"Do you think it will be worth it? Will she study hard, I'm not throwing good money after bad," Patrick sat back with his arms folded.

"I do, Mr Tyneman, Evie is a bright girl and not easily cowed, as you saw. I believe Edward thought she would be too embarrassed to appear at court and he would get off scot-free …"

"Hm," Patrick agreed, "well, alright, I'll pay her university fees but she finds her own accommodation."

Cox thought this was reasonable.

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Evie was delighted, Vivi warned her she would have to wait until she was eighteen to start her studies.

"That's ok, Miss Blake," she laughed, "I'll stay at the hotel, if they'll have me, and earn some extra money for my digs."

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Bill Hobart stood nervously on Vivi's doorstep; this time he wasn't here to dig up weeds and plant roses and azaleas, this time he wanted to thank her properly for helping Evie.

"Bill!" she stepped aside, "come in."

"Er," he cleared his throat and wiped his feet, "I, er, I just wanted to thank you, for what you did for our Evie." He thrust forward a large bouquet of flowers, "these are from her, and this," he passed a bottle of fine scotch, a single malt, "is from me."

"They're beautiful," she took them off him, "come in, I'll put them in some water."

He followed her into the kitchen usually used to being in the bungalow with her, when he was gardening, but this was different, this was social.

She looked up at the shelf where her vases were kept and went to pull out a stool.

Bill reached up and looked at her.

"The plain one," she smiled.

He lifted it down and set it by the sink.

"Thanks, Bill."

He shrugged, he'd have done the same for anyone, he thought, but Vivi couldn't reach that far with the burned skin on her arm, so he did it for her.

She put the flowers in the vase and set it on the dresser in the living room.

"They look lovely," she looked up at him and thought he was a little nervous about something. "Do you want a drink, maybe …" she nodded to the whisky.

"Actually, Miss Vivi," he inhaled, "I was wondering if you'd let me take you out to dinner, by way of a thanks, that is? We could go out of town, if you want."

While Bill didn't go out to dinner often, he did know of some nice restaurants in and around Ballarat, places he wouldn't be embarrassed to take her to.

"Oh …"

"You probably have plans," he interrupted.

"Actually, Bill, I don't. Jean's left me something to heat up, but it will keep another day. I'd love to go out to dinner with you, and I don't mind where."

"Italian?"

Her eyes widened, she took him for a steak man, meat and three veggies …

"Lovely," she nodded, "I'll just change into something more suitable."

"Right."

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She found a dress with a high neck and long sleeves, and a soft skirt. It was blue, something Jean had made for her, in between one job and another, and seeing to the baby, Jennifer Jean and chasing Peter around. She brushed her hair to hide the burnt earlobe and grabbed a light jacket for later when it turned cooler.

"Pretty," Bill murmured.

"Like it?" she twirled round, "Jean; she somehow finds time to make clothes for me, or alter them to hide …" she waved her hand down her left side.

"How the hell does she do that?" he frowned, "with two babs and the house and the docs … woman's a miracle worker."

"That she is, Bill, that she is," she laughed and took his offered arm.

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"Bill!" a woman in black opened her arms to him, "such a long time …" she had a pronounced Italian accent, "Arno! Come see, Bill has brought a lady friend," she teased and smiled.

A man in a black suit, white shirt and red tie that matched the flower in the woman's hair slipped between the tables.

"Bill, so good to see you," he shook his hand, "how is life?"

"Life is good, Arno," Bill laughed, "this is Miss Vivienne Blake …"

"Ah the lawyer who is making a name for herself in Ballarat," Arno held out his hand for her, "welcome, Miss Blake."

Vivi smiled and allowed him to kiss her hand.

"Come, we have just the table for you," the woman led the way through the restaurant to a table by a window that overlooked a patio and garden.

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"Not your first visit, then," Vivi allowed him to pull out a chair for her.

"I've come off and on for a few years. Mrs Colombo was being harassed by a few likely lads in town, during the war." He shrugged.

"You saw them off?"

"I guess so; I brought her back, with her purchases and ever since I've popped over occasionally."

"But not for a while."

"I've been busy," he hummed.

Arno appeared at the table with a bottle of red wine and poured two glasses.

Vivi smiled, there had been a restaurant in Melbourne she used to frequent, alone, where they too would pour her preferred wine without her asking.

They chose their meals from the menu and talked about anything and everything. He told her more about his childhood and youth. How his mother and father had not been wealthy, they ran the ironmongers, but he and May had been loved. He had stayed at home after his sister married and when his father died from a fall in the shop he had done all he could to keep his mother comfortable.

"We tried to keep the shop going, but mum couldn't do it on her own and she wouldn't let me leave the academy. May tried, but she couldn't run it and look after a lively kid and when Ray was killed we decided to sell it. It kept mum comfortable until she died."

"I'm glad you stayed the course, Bill," Vivi sipped her wine, "we need coppers like you."

"I like being a copper," he admitted, "I learnt how to do things around the house from dad, and gardening, he loved his garden …"

"I wondered where you got it from," she smiled. "He taught you well."

"Just glad to help." He took a mouthful of his lasagne and swallowed, "so, what made you choose law?"

"I didn't fancy medicine, not a huge fan of blood, and I can't draw or paint for toffee so following either parent was off the table. I'm not really sure, I suppose I drifted into it; I don't like being lazy and I didn't want to marry and have kids …"

"No, somehow I don't see you as the little woman at home, good as you are with Jean's babies."

"That's as far as I am prepared to go, as an aunt and a godmother – ma says I am not responsible enough to have children."

"I suppose it's a different kind of responsibility, bein' a parent," he agreed, "and a different kind of worry."

"Oh, I'll defend them with my life," she tapped the table, "but I will also make sure they pay for their crimes, should they commit any."

"I don't think Jean will let them …"

"She does still worry about Jack, he seems to have cut off all contact with her."

"Until he wants something," Bill mused, "he shouldn't have messed around with guns, he was in the wrong but he doesn't see it. His dad was a bit like that …"

"Christopher was an idiot, he hurt Jean more than she will ever admit."

"She's done well, though, since he went."

"I bless the day she came to work for pa," she agreed, "it did her good, in the beginning and now I think she's done Lucien good – he adores her."

"Clearly besotted," he laughed.

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They walked back to her bungalow arm in arm after a lovely meal. Vivi found Bill easy to be with, he was different person away from his work, a gentleman, and she knew she was safe walking at night with him.

"Drink?" she unlocked the door.

"I shouldn't," he shook his head.

"Why not? You're not driving, come and open that lovely bottle you brought me," she tugged him forward.

"Just a small one," he sighed, "if you insist."

"I do," she laughed.

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She poured their drinks and kicked off her shoes before sitting on the couch, curling her legs beneath her, he sat in a chair opposite her.

"Thank you, for all you've done for me, for the garden," she smiled and raised her glass.

"You did more, for us, for Evie."

"I'm glad you felt you could ask."

"I only wanted advice, you know, not a freebie."

"I know, but Edward can't get away with tarnishing a girl's reputation, or anyone's, just because his nose was put out of joint. I suspect he's used to getting what he wants and this time he didn't, and for your ears only, I don't believe he had been with a girl at all, just bragging like a lot of young lads do."

"Yeah, the two girls who had gone out with him had run a mile when he decided he wanted more."

"Must take after his father," she muttered into her glass.

Bill swallowed the last of his drink and stood up. "Well, thanks for the drink, and for coming out with me …" he put the glass on the coffee table, "I'm on duty tomorrow so, best be off."

Vivi stood up, "I had a lovely evening, Bill, thanks for asking me." She followed him to the front door.

"Goodnight, Vivienne."

"Goodnight, Bill," she tiptoed up and kissed his cheek, "see you soon."

"Yeah," he blushed slightly, she smiled and watched him stride down the drive.