Raisins and almonds - Poisoned Pen Press (UK)

8 Kerry Greenwood
‘No, well, it’s a sort of family matter, Phryne, if you wouldn’t
mind not mentioning it? Uncle Chaim was in love with my
mother, when she and my father first met. For awhile she thought
about which brother she wanted, and she picked my father. And
Chaim never really got over it—it’s sad, over the years Mama has
brought him all the eligible women in Melbourne and he will
not look at them. But he is grateful to my father for rescuing
him, and he’s very useful to Papa. He handles all the day-to-day
arranging: the social things and the dates, you know, anniversaries,
that sort of thing. He’s my father’s secretary, and they get
on well. But he is a bit self-effacing, Uncle Chaim.’
‘Your mother is really delightful.’
‘Did you like her?’ Simon blushed. ‘I’m so glad. She was a
little worried about…about you and…’
‘Yes, dear boy, but that is all sorted out. Only took three
sentences and we were like sisters. Where does she stand on the
Messiah and Rabbi Elijah?’
‘Difficult,’ said Simon, and Phryne extinguished a giggle in
her high-octane drink. ‘Naturally we all admire him, a man of
such scholarship, such austerity. But he won’t take more than a
few pupils, all as fanatical as he is, and he lives in that dreadful
flat as poor as a…’
‘Church mouse?’ suggested Phryne.
‘I’ve always wondered about that. You’d think, in a church,
that there’d be candles to munch on…where was I? Phryne, shall
I tell you that I love you?’ He took her hand and kissed it.
‘Yes, I am always pleased to hear this, but not now, not when
we have guests for lunch.’ Phryne leaned forward and kissed
Simon full on the mouth—he tasted of tea, an ordinary taste on
a silky mouth—and effectively took his breath away. ‘So despite
my private feeling that one should only talk about important
matters in bed, we shall stay here and converse about Rabbi Elijah
and your father and many other interesting things.’
Simon nodded, gathering his wits, but kept one hand on
Phryne’s knee as he continued. ‘Father tried to give him a nice
place to live and a little money—maybe to hire someone to look