This story copyright © 2002, 2003, 2004 Mia McCroskey
The characters from The Avengers and Scarecrow and Mrs. King are the property of those television series' respective owners.
[an error occurred while processing this directive] people have read this story since April 2004
Emma follows her heart
Steed goes for speed
Chapter 6
"Too bad you can't finish the rally tomorrow, Steed," Lee said. The two men were standing between Steed's Bentley and Lee and Amanda's rental car on the village green. After Wentworth and Peter Peel were apprehended, Steed had put into motion a well-coordinated effort to collect various vehicles and reunite them with their owners. Mrs. Peel's Lotus and Peter Peel's sedan had been brought in from the road, and a third agent had brought the rental car from last night's stop. Steed had shook his head in sorrow over the damage to Wentworth's car, and Lee had smiled, observing that Amanda had a way of causing damage to fine automobiles.
"Nevertheless, that's a fine partner you have there, Lee. She's smart and level headed. And attractive. I'd hang on to her," Steed had said.
"I know it," Lee had grinned almost foolishly. "And the same can be said of your partner."
Steed had paused for a moment, looking almost puzzled, then smiled broadly, "Mrs. Peel. Yes. I intend to keep her, if I can. This time."
Lee had checked that his and Amanda's luggage was all accounted for in the rental car, and now he and Steed were waiting for their partners so that they could return to London and a debriefing at the ministry. To pass the time Lee began a mental inventory of the gifts that Amanda had purchased on this trip. It was like counting sheep.
"Here comes Mrs. King," Steed interrupted Lee's reverie. Amanda was crossing the road from the pub where they'd had a quick lunch. When she was half way to them Mrs. Peel emerged from the pub too.
"Well," Steed said when both women had joined them, "Back to London then?"
"Mr. Steed, I'm sure you'll be very busy when we get back, so I wanted to thank you for going after Lee. . ."
"Amanda," Lee tried to interrupt.
"No, really, Lee. I appreciate it," Amanda took Steed's hand to shake it, but he bowed slightly and kissed the back of her hand.
"My dear Mrs. King, it was my pleasure," he said. Mrs. Peel cleared her throat, one eyebrow cocked higher than the other, making Amanda chuckle.
"Shall we be getting on, then? If you're quite through?" Mrs. Peel asked.
"Yes," Steed turned to her with such an intimate smile that she had to return it. He winked, and she felt herself drawn to him, although he did not touch her. The anger that had held her aloof from him evaporated. She wanted to sink into his twinkling grey eyes.
"We'll see you at the ministry, then," Lee said, breaking the tension between Steed and Emma.
"Yes," Emma said, glancing at Lee, then back at Steed, "See you there."
Emma tried hard not to lose patience with the agent who was assigned the task of debriefing her. The woman, Miss Tingley, was primly dressed and carefully groomed. Her manner reflected her appearance -- entirely professional. Emma had been shown into the small, windowless room by a young agent who seemed rather nervous to be around her. That had made her smile. The only indication that she was not a suspect was his offer of tea, which she'd declined. It was late afternoon and she was more in the mood for a brandy. With any luck this would not go on too long and she could join Steed and the Americans for supper as Lee had suggested. Miss Tingley had entered the room equipped with a sheath of papers, including Emma's dictated report -- which she'd spent her first hour at the ministry on -- and a folder that Emma recognized as her ministry file. The agent had introduced herself, sat down at the bare table across from Emma, and proceeded to read Emma's four-page report. Then she'd turned to the file, paging through the records of Emma's past work with Steed. Struggling to be patient, Emma reminded herself that it could have been worse, they could have asked Tara King to do this.
"Well, Lady Emma, you have a most impressive history with the ministry," Miss Tingley finally said as she removed her reading glasses. It struck Emma that the woman might be quite pretty if she dressed less severely.
"Thank you," Emma said enigmatically.
"I'll just need to review your report with you. As you might imagine, questions will be raised concerning your connection to the suspect . . ."
"Yes, I can imagine."
The "review" continued for two hours. Miss Tingley's good manners thinly veiled a tenacious determination to find holes in Emma's story. Emma forced herself to breathe deeply and remain calm as she was questioned again and again about her reason for being at the rally. Nearly exasperated, she produced her editor's phone number and urged Miss Tingley to confirm her story assignment with him. Miss Tingley took the number and unapologetically placed it in her file.
Emma gritted her teeth as Miss Tingley's questions brushed on her relationship with Steed. She was certain that her curt responses betrayed that she was hiding deep feelings. But Miss Tingley either missed her tone or recognized it and chose to let it go.
More than two hours had passed when the door opened. Steed stepped in wearing his most charming smile.
"How is it going Miss Tingley?" he asked brightly. The other agent looked up at him and Emma recognized the softening that Steed's charm often elicited. When they'd worked together she'd trained herself not to get jealous, but she must have lost the skill. She felt herself bristling as the other woman smiled warmly at Steed.
"Very well, Mr. Steed."
"Good, then you won't be much longer?" Steed made a small show of checking his wristwatch.
"Well, no, I suppose not. We've been over Lady Emma's statement . . ."
"Fine, then. We have an appointment and I would hate to keep them waiting," Steed said, reaching down to lift at Emma's elbow. She eagerly rose to her feet. Miss Tingley looked up from across the table, a little surprised. "Why don't you review what you have there, and Lady Emma will make herself available to you tomorrow if you have any more questions," Steed added.
"I suppose that would be all right . . ."
"Oh it is," Steed assured her, "I've already cleared it with Mother."
"Oh. Well then. Good evening, Lady Emma, Mr. Steed," Miss Tingley rose and nodded at them. Steed quickly steered Emma out of the room.
"Did you really?" Emma asked as they walked along the corridor.
"Clear it with Mother?"
"Yes."
"Of course. In fact, he's our appointment."
"Oh! I thought it was Lee and Amanda."
"Them too."
A group of agents further down the hall were discussing something one of them held in a folder. Movement down the hall caught Tara King's eye and she glanced up to see Steed and Emma Peel enter Mother's office. Here eyes narrowed and her mouth twisted into a scowl.
"All right there, Tara?" agent Nichols asked. She took a quick breath and managed a forced smile.
"Yes, just a bit of indigestion," she said.
Steed guided Emma into an elegantly furnished office. A male secretary sat at a desk guarding an inner door.
"Good evening Watkins," Steed said.
"Mr. Steed, Lady Emma. Mother is waiting," Watkins said. Steed guided Emma around the desk and opened the inner door.
Mother sat at the far end of a conference table that could seat at least twelve. Lee, Amanda, and some of the other agents who'd been involved in the case were seated at the end near him.
"Lady Emma!" he exclaimed, sounding genuinely pleased to see her. He rolled his wheelchair back from the table and out to the side toward her. She took his extended hand.
"Hello, Mother," she said.
"It is good to see you, my dear. I'm sorry it must be under such circumstances. But perhaps we can work together to make things better."
"I'd like that very much," Emma replied, wondering just how well briefed Mother was, then snickering silently at herself. He'd have been told everything, of course -- at least everything they knew about Peter.
"Good, good. Please join us. We'll keep this short -- I understand Miss Tingley has been very thorough," Mother rolled back to his place and Emma noticed smiles on a couple of the agent's faces.
She was still better than Tara would have been, Emma reminded herself as she sat in the chair Steed pulled out for her.
Mother congratulated both his team and the Americans on their success, then they discussed the next stage: tracking the owner of the estate, extracting information from Sir Peter and Sir Roald, identifying who the ultimate customer for the codes really was. Emma felt gratified to know that she was trusted to hear it all. At last Mother dismissed them, calling Steed for a last word as the others filed out.
"Watkins has the papers. Have her sign them on the way out," he said. Steed nodded and joined the others in the outer office. Watkins did indeed have a small stack of papers centered on his desk blotter.
"Lady Emma, we've prepared your security clearance," he said. Emma glanced down at him, then up at Steed as he emerged from Mother's office. Steed shrugged and smiled. "If you'll just sign here," Watkins extended a pen and placed his finger next to a line on the top sheet.
Emma picked up the papers, tugging them ever so slightly out from under Watkins' grasp. Ministry or not, she never signed anything without reading it. The others stood around for the few moments it took her to skim the document. It was indeed a confidentiality agreement and clearances for the same Top Secret level she'd enjoyed while working with Steed. Seeing no unusual clauses, she set the papers down and signed and dated them.
"I'll see that these are processed first thing in the morning," Watkins said, clearly not in the least affected by her actions.
"That's done then," Steed said, offering his arm to Emma. "Shall we all find a late supper?"
"Yes, that would be great," Amanda said, reaching for Lee's hand.
"That was lovely," Amanda said as the four agents strolled away from the restaurant Steed had guided them to for supper. "I have to take back my criticism of English food."
"Amanda!" Lee chastised.
"Oh, it's quite alright," Emma said, "When I want a good meal I go to Paris."
They all laughed. As they strolled Emma fell in beside Amanda a few paces behind Steed and Lee.
"I have to say, and I hope I'm not being a busy body -- sometimes my mother butts in too much so I know what is feels like -- but it seems like you've made up with Mr. Steed," Amanda said.
Emma couldn't help but smile at her rambling. She was struck by how disarming it was. "Actually," she said, "I'm looking forward to making up with him later." She winked at Amanda, who, to her amazement, blushed.
"I didn't mean to suggest --," Amanda started.
"Of course you didn't," Emma laughed.
"Amanda, here's a taxi," Lee interrupted, waving at a big black sedan that was slowing down by the curb. "We should get back. We've got some more paperwork to deal with tomorrow before our flight."
"Of course," Steed said, opening the taxi door so Amanda could get in. "Good evening. I'm sure we'll be speaking tomorrow."
"Good evening," Amanda said, catching Emma's eye as she slid across the taxi seat. Lee got in after her and Steed shut the taxi door. Then he turned to Emma.
"Well, Lady Emma, it's rather late to be driving out to your estate," he said. Emma wasn't certain, but she thought he sounded a bit uncertain.
"Yes, I suppose it is," she replied, stepping closer to him and peering into his eyes. He cleared his throat.
"You should stay in the city," he said softly.
"Yes."
"With me."
"Yes."
Emma stretched, enjoying the luxury of Steed's soft, 300-thread-count Egyptian cotton sheets and down-filled pillows. She rolled on her side and slid her arm across Steed's chest. As she'd suspected, he wasn't asleep. He turned his head to look at her.
When they come in to his flat the night before he'd offered her a drink and she'd accepted. She'd been rather enjoying his uncertainty, although she did not see how he could be uncertain of her intentions by then. They'd sipped at their brandy and discussed the day's events. He'd filled her in on his debriefing and laughed at her description of Miss Tingley. She did not mention being grateful that it was Tara King who debriefed her.
Eventually she'd put her glass on the table and taken his to place it beside hers.
"Steed," she'd said, leaning close, but not touching him.
"Yes Mrs. Peel."
"Were you planning to kiss me this evening?"
"I was planning too, yes."
"Soon?"
He'd suited action to words, gathering her into an embrace and exploring her face and neck with his lips.
Eventually they'd found their way up the spiral staircase and into his bed as they had so often in the past.
"Good morning," he said softly, that delightful little smile curling the edges of his lips.
She brought a finger up to trace the curl of his mouth. He kissed her fingertip and she savored the wave of warmth that shuddered through her body. He rolled onto his side and slid his arm around her to pull her close.
She traced his jaw with her fingers, then caressed his ear and slid her hand into his curly hair. He feathered kisses on her nose and cheeks, working his way toward her lips, which parted at his touch. She drew her leg up to encircle his, feeling his hardness between them. The warmth within her spread and she pressed against him, craving the feel of his flesh against hers.
The sound of a door opening and closing froze them. Steed pulled away from her leaving a whoosh of cool air in his place.
"Steed?" a voice called from downstairs. Steed seized a bathrobe from a hook on the back of the bathroom door and threw it around himself as he headed for the landing. Emma receded into the bed, pulling the soft sheets up to cover herself.
"Morning Steed. You aren't dressed yet? We've a meeting in less than an hour," Tara said as he reached the bottom of the stairs.
"I must have missed the alarm," he replied. "I'll be ready in a jiffy."
"I'll make you some tea," she said to his retreating back as he spiraled back up.
In the bedroom, Emma was poised to throw the covers over herself.
"It's all right. I'm just going to shower. She won't come up. You can wait until we go," he said, stepping into the bathroom.
Emma sat up and stretched, then reached for Steed's discarded shirt and slipped it on. She examined herself in the dresser mirror as she buttoned it, mind wandering back over the past few days. Footsteps on the stairs roused her. She darted into Steed's walk-in closet and slipped in among his suits. Tara entered the room and bent to pick up Emma's skirt with her left hand.
"Nice dresser," she said, glancing at the tag. "You may as well come out, I found your bag downstairs," she added, bringing her right hand out from behind her, Emma's small Longchamp handbag hanging from her index finger. "I haven't looked inside, but I suppose I could." Her gaze traveled around the room, looking for hiding places. She stopped at the dressing room door, where Emma was leaning against the doorjamb, arms crossed beneath her breasts, enigmatic smile on her face.
"So. It's you," Tara breathed.
"If you go downstairs now I won't say anything to Steed."
Tara had to admit the other woman could be threatening. She steeled herself. "Why should I? I'm his partner, I've a right to look out for his best interests."
Emma sighed as if burdened with a slightly slow pupil, "because there's nothing that inflates a man's ego more than two women fighting over him."
She looked up at Steed standing behind Tara in the bathroom doorway.
"Especially when they're two beautiful women," he added with a chuckle.
Tara jumped, spinning around, "Steed, I -- ,"
"Not now, Tara," Steed stepped past her to intercept Emma, who had crossed the room toward her clothes. Steed grabbed her upper arm, holding her close. "Please wait," he said quietly. Turning just his head toward Tara he said, "could you excuse us please, Tara?"
The young agent gasped and stormed out of the room. Steed turned back to Emma, releasing her.
"She's a good agent, a bright girl. But she is a girl. I prefer a woman. A brilliant, sexy woman." Steed said, searching Emma's eyes for some indication of her mood. Tara's retreating steps clattered on the metal stairs.
Emma's eyes narrowed as she studied Steed. The front door slammed, jarring the entire flat. Emma smiled, "Well the girl is very angry at you."
"And the woman?"
"Is wondering why the girl is so very angry."
"Mrs. Peel, . . ." Steed looked uncomfortable, then took a more determined approach, "A gentleman never tells."
Emma reached up and placed her index finger on his lips, "so long a the gentleman understands the lady's requirements."
He took her hand. "My Lady?" He kissed the back of her fingers, then turned her hand over to kiss her palm.
A slow smile touched her lips and eyes and she allowed herself to be pulled into an embrace. Steed lowered his lips toward hers as a loud whistle erupted downstairs.
"She left the kettle on," Emma said, pulling away from him. "You dress, I'll take care of it."
Sighing, Steed released her and turned to the dressing room to find a suit.
Emma stood in the kitchen sipping tea from a mug when Steed came downstairs. He poured himself a cup and stood beside her.
"I do, you know." He said, not looking at her.
"Humm?"
"Understand your requirements."
She sipped more tea, seeming to contemplate her mug. Steed looked at her nervously.
"Good," she finally said, lifting her head to look back at him. "You may have a bit of a mess at the ministry by the time you get there."
"Yes, I imagine so. Bloody foolish of her if she makes a scene there. She's about the be promoted but that sort of behavior might give Mother second thoughts."
"And would this promotion mean she'd no longer be your partner?"
"She'd be reassigned to a foreign posting for a while."
Emma smiled into her cup. "Then you'd better smooth things out."
"Yes, I see." He said, putting his cup in the sink. "I'll be off then. Will I see you later?"
"No, I need to go home, to begin packing some things, sorting things out. I'll call you later."
He headed toward the front door and she followed, watching him pick up his brolly and hat. He reached for the doorknob, then turned and leaned close.
"I love you," he whispered near her ear, kissed her lips chastely and quickly left. She stood perfectly still staring at the door for a moment, then a satisfied smile filled her face and she turned to go back upstairs.