Somebody Wonderful by Kate Rothwell

from his perch at the back of the cab. “Want to keep on? My horse’ll get too cooled.”
    “May I walk with you?” Timmy addressed Daisy. She was smart enough not to ask Mick. “The evening air is so pleasant and I would like to get to know you. Might I be so bold as to call you Daisy?”
    “Of course!” said a thrilled Daisy before Mick could get a word in. He’d have to wait until later to tell Timmy what he thought of her current exploits. Staying with the natives, indeed.
    Good God. And he’d thought the creature was a common whore. No, not entirely. He’d never thought of her as common.
    Timmy touched Henry’s shoulder as he stood watching the cab with sad longing. “Henry, would you be good enough to see our purchases home? I believe you know which parcel goes to whom.”
    She dug into a shiny little blue bag. New, of course. And pulled out some coins, shiny and new. “This will pay for the cab and the cabby’s tip. Be sure to get him to help you carry in everything.”
    “Got it, Miss Timona. See you, Mr. Mick. Good-bye, Miss . . . um.” Henry dashed back to the cab.
    According to convention, Mick was supposed to walk along with a woman on each side, but the way Daisy chattered across him as if he was some kind of post, he soon dropped back so Daisy could get better access to Miss Calverson.
    He shoved his hands in his pockets and walked along behind, catching what he could of the women’s talk. Most of the conversation consisted of Daisy recalling facts she had read about Miss Calverson and her famous father, and her terribly fascinating, mysterious er brother who ran the business side of things and spent a great deal of time in New York. The one who taught Timmy to knee a man in the ballocks, Mick recalled.
    Occasionally, Timmy corrected a “fact.” More often she tried to steer the conversation towards other topics. Mick plodded behind them as they made their way back to Daisy’s house, lost in his own confused gloom. Bad enough that Timmy had been conducting some kind of masquerade with him. Worse that he’d babbled to the woman about his life and his job. Now he saw Daisy, who’d always been so cool with him, was near to drooling all over the Timona creature. Daisy repeatedly jabbered about the honor of meeting such an illustrious traveler.
    He managed to pick up one fact. Daisy had invited Miss Calverson to dinner. She seemed about to invite Miss Calverson to stay the night. Timmy interrupted to say she was all set for a place to stay, but dinner sounded divine.
    “And what time would you like us to arrive for dinner tomorrow?”
    “Do you mean you will bring your father?” Daisy said eagerly. “I thought you said that he was on his way to Chicago?”
    “Yes, and you wouldn’t want him just now, at any rate. He is in a dreadful state about his projects. I meant only Mr. McCann and myself.”
    Daisy’s adorable lips parted for a second as if she were about to speak. Then she giggled. “Michael often works so late. I suppose he could join us later.”
    “I’m off at five,” he grunted. “But if you’d rather have just Miss Cooper. Er, Calverson.”
    Daisy swung around and shook a playful finger at him. “Don’t be silly, Michael. I’m sure Daddy and Mother will be delighted to have you. I know we’ve been meaning to ask you for the longest time. Why don’t we say seven?”
    “This would be Mr. McCann’s first meal in your home?” Timmy asked casually.
    “Yes, we usually like to spend our free time away from my parents, you see,” said Daisy, with a giggle.
    Timmy nodded, a slight frown on her face.
     
     
    “ The Timona Calverson?” he asked, as soon as they had waved good-bye to Daisy and Timona again refused her invitation for a quick stop in for refreshment. Fifty times Daisy must have asked, thought Mick grimly.
    “You needn’t sound so unpleasant about it.”
    “You’re rich.”
    “My father is. And I repeat, you needn’t sound so unpleasant. I have lied to