Murphy's Law (Molly Murphy Mysteries, #1)

"I'm not bad," I said.

"You're full of surprises, Mrs. O'Connor," he said.

If you only knew, I thought. I was getting drowsy again. The pain in my limbs was dimming and it seemed comfortable to rest my head against Daniel's shoulder. Again I was awakened with a jerk.

"Come on, we're here," he said. He helped me from the carriage. We stood before an attractive brownstone on a tree-lined street. "Lucky that I live in Chelsea," he said. "I don't think you'd have made it to the Lower East Side. Let's get her inside, Constable."

I was half carried up a flight of stairs. A door was unlocked and I was taken into an austere and tidy room. It was so obviously a gentleman's room. Leather armchair by the fire. Ashtray containing a pipe on the side table. Desk on the far wall. Sporting print over the mantel. Daniel lit the gas lamps, then the gas fire in the fireplace. It hissed to life, sending out immediate heat.

"Thank you, Constable," he said as the policeman helped lower me into the armchair. "You can go back to HQ. I'll phone the chief and join you as soon as I can."

The policeman went, leaving us alone. Daniel crossed to the sideboard and poured from a decanter. "Here," he said. "Get this down you. It will warm you up."

I took a sip and made a face. "It's burning," I said.

"I can tell you're not a drinker. Go on, swallow it."

I swallowed, coughed, then swallowed again. He laughed. "From the face you're making, anyone would think I'm trying to poison you. It's the best brandy, I'll have you know."

"It tastes horrible," I said, shuddering. "Now we have to get those wet things off you as quickly as possible," Daniel said. He disappeared into a back room, then returned with blankets, towels, and dry clothing. "I've nothing that will fit, but put those on. At least they're warm. Go ahead and change by the fire. Don't worry, I won't peek"--the same slightly wicked smile. "I have to make a phone call to headquarters and then I'll be in the kitchen, making you some hot tea while you're changing."

I struggled out of my wet clothes--why did they have to put all those buttons down the back? My numbed fingers struggled with them, but I could hardly call Daniel back to undress me, could I? The brandy was starting to work. I could feel the glow spreading out along my frozen limbs. I ripped open the remaining buttons hearing them strike the polished floor with a satisfying ping. I rubbed myself vigorously with the towel he had provided, then attempted to put on the clothes. Daniel had brought me a suit of long gentleman's undergarments, all in one. I put it on, then turned and caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror on the far wall. I looked so ridiculous that I burst out laughing.

Daniel came running through from the kitchen. "Is something wrong? I thought I heard you cry out."

"With laughter," I said. "Look at me!" I held out my leg and my arm, completely engulfed. He started to laugh, too. "Woman being swallowed by octopus. You could be one of the living picture tableaux that are so popular in the theaters right now."

"Oh, Daniel," I said. "This whole thing is so ridiculous."

"You called me by my first name," he said. He came closer until I was conscious of the warmth of his presence and of the current running between us. I could almost feel myself drawn toward him.

"You called me Kathleen first," I said. "So I did. So we have both made slips of the lip." He put his hands on my shoulders. "My brain is telling me to be sensible. Do you think I should be sensible at this moment, Mrs. O'Connor?" His eyes were challenging me-- sparkling at me dangerously in the firelight glow.

"I think being sensible too often amounts to a boring life, Mr. Sullivan," I whispered.

"Then I fear I'm about to make another slip of the lip," he said, and bent to kiss me.

I had never felt like this in my entire life. Oh to be sure, I'd let enough boys kiss me, and some go beyond kissing too. But, to tell you the truth, I had wondered what all the fuss was about. Now I knew. My arms came around his neck and I pulled him closer to me. The blood was singing in my head again, but this time the feeling was very different. I understood now why men were sometimes mad with desire. I felt mad with desire myself, incapable of a rational thought. Then Daniel swept me up into his arms. As he carried me through to his bedroom I was brought back to reality with a jolt. Any moment now and he would discover that I was not the married woman with two children he thought me to be.

I struggled in his arms. "No, not in here. Take me back, please."

He looked perplexed. "I'm sorry, I misunderstood."

He placed me down gently on the floor. "No, you didn't." I reached up and stroked his face tenderly. "Believe me, my feelings for you are genuine, but I have some explaining to do first. You should know the truth about me."