She's my challenge, this Lindys.' He assumes a dramatic mien. Contrary to all his good habits, he stuffs his hands into the pockets of his newly pressed trousers. I look up from my newspaper. I nod. 'It certainly looks that way,' I say. 'Are you disappointed?' He pulls his hands out of his pockets. 'I'm nervous. I'd been expecting something else. We don't speak the same language, she and I, and she makes me feel incredibly inept.' I cannot help but smile. 'You are inept,' I say. 'But you can learn how to interact with other people. God knows you need the practice. I gave you a young, damaged woman because I needed a contrast. I needed something that might turn nasty.' 'Is she nasty?' he asks swiftly. His grey eyes darken. 'Not at all,' I assure him. 'But she lives in a rough world and she has been hardened by that. I would advise you to proceed with caution, Alvar. She probably knows a lot of people you wouldn't be able to handle.' 'Will there be more of them?' he asks. 'I'm not sure yet.
