Over My Dead Body

Driscoll, gripping his handkerchief, faced Neya Tormic. "I apologize," he mumbled. "I'm damn sorry." The mumble became abruptly and surprisingly an outraged roar: "Of course I'm sorry, damn it!"

Someone giggled. Nikola Miltan said grimly, "You certainly should be sorry. It might have been disastrous, both for Miss Tormic and for me."

"I know it. I've said I'm sorry, and I am."

The lawyer put in smoothly and sweetly, "I hope, Miss Tormic… may we hope for an expression from you-of forgiveness? Of-er-quittance?" He took an envelope from his pocket. "In fact, I thought it would be as well for you to have Mr Driscoll's written apology to support his oral one, so I brought it along"-he got a paper from the envelope-"and I brought also a quittance, just an informal sentence or two, which I'm sure you will want to sign for him in return-"

"Just a minute." It was me entering on my cue. "I represent Miss Tormic."

The way he went on guard like lightning, facially, was a treat. He demanded, "Who are you, sir? A lawyer?"

"Nope, I'm not a lawyer, but I speak English and I represent Miss Tormic, and we're not before a court. She isn't signing anything."

"But, my dear sir, why not? Merely an informal-"

"That's the trouble, it's too informal. For instance, what if Miltan here gets sore about this fracas, though it's not her fault, and she loses her job? Or what if this thing had been turned loose around town and she can't catch up with it? Nothing doing on the quittance."

"I have no intention," Miltan put in, "of dismissing Miss Tormic. But I agree that it is not necessary for her to sign anything. I am quite sure she will have no desire to make trouble for Mr Driscoll." He looked at her.

She spoke for the first time: "No, certainly." She sounded darned unconcerned for a girl who had just escaped being thrown in the hoosegow as a sneak thief. Almost indifferent, as if her mind was on something else: "I will make no trouble."

The lawyer pounced on her. "Then, Miss Tormic, if you feel that way, surely you have no objection to signing-"