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Roscoe thought.
    He pulled himself together. This was a time for business. The ‘other’ Pippa, the one he’d seen last night, must be firmly banished. He did his best to achieve that, but it was hard when all around them people were turning to look at her in admiration.
    They toasted each other in hot tea, and Pippa sighed theatrically with relief.
    â€˜You don’t know what I owe you,’ she said. ‘Those papers won the case for me. Without them, it would have been a disaster.’
    â€˜Yes, you couldn’t have made Frank Blakely sorry he was born, which I gather you did.’
    She gave a triumphant chuckle. ‘I reported the figures, he disputed them, I produced the papers that proved them, he demanded to know how I came by those papers, I said my lips were sealed—’
    â€˜That sounds a bit dodgy,’ Roscoe said, grinning, pleased.
    â€˜Do you mind?’ she demanded, mock-offended. ‘I am not “a bit dodgy”.’
    â€˜I beg your pardon—’
    â€˜I’m very dodgy—when I have to be. It depends on theclient. Some need more dodginess than others. Some don’t need any.’ She added wickedly, ‘They’re the boring ones.’
    â€˜I see you believe in adjusting to their requirements,’ he said appreciatively.
    â€˜That’s right. Ready for anything.’ She chuckled. ‘It makes life interesting.’
    â€˜Miss Jenson—’
    â€˜Please, I think we’ve passed the point where you could call me Pippa.’
    She didn’t add, After the way you saw me , but she didn’t need to.
    â€˜Pippa—I’m sorry if I embarrassed you last night. I only wanted to return your property.’
    â€˜It wasn’t your fault. It was just unlucky that you turned up…well…at that moment.’
    â€˜He seemed to feel very strongly about you.’
    She sighed. ‘He’s a nice boy but he can’t understand that I don’t feel the same way. We went out for a while, had some fun, but there was nothing in it beyond that.’
    â€˜Not on your side, but surely his feelings were involved?’
    For a moment Roscoe fancied a faint withered look came over Pippa’s face.
    â€˜And if it had been the other way around, do you think he’d have cared about my feelings?’ she asked quietly.
    â€˜Perhaps. He seemed to have really strong emotions about you.’
    The look vanished so fast he couldn’t be sure he’d seen it. ‘Life’s a merry-go-round.’ She shrugged. ‘You have to look forward to the ups but always be ready for more downs.’
    â€˜So there’s nobody special in your life at the moment? Or are there a dozen like him ready to spring out like last night?’
    â€˜Possibly. I don’t keep count. Look, I just wanted toapologise for the way I flew at you. After what you did for me, you deserved better. Today was a triumph. I had two job offers as I was leaving the court, and without those papers I’d have got nowhere. So I owe you, big time. I meant what I said. I’d have hunted you down through all London to tell you that.’
    â€˜And if I hadn’t known exactly where to find you, I’d have hunted you down too. I have a job that only you can do.’
    â€˜Are you the client David mentioned?’
    â€˜That’s right.’
    â€˜Ah, I begin to see. You want someone good with figures, right?’
    â€˜Among other things,’ he said carefully. ‘The case I want you to take concerns my younger brother, Charlie. He’s not a bad lad, but he’s a bit irresponsible and he’s got into bad company.’
    â€˜How old is he?’
    â€˜Twenty-four, and not very mature. If he was anyone else I’d say he needed to be taught a lesson, but that—’ he hesitated before finishing stiffly ‘—that would cause me a certain amount of difficulty.’
    â€˜You couldn’t