26 Ill Protect You (2/2)
”Great Expectations.”
”What's it about?” Paolo wasn't looking at the waxwork. He was looking at Gemma, intently. He reached out and ran his hand down her arm while she answered. It was a very confident move, to touch her like that, seconds after reintroducing himself. She didn't usually let people touch her, but she didn't mind with Paolo. He was very gentle.
”This orphan boy falls in love with a rich girl,” she told him. ”Her name is Estella. And Estella has been trained her whole life to break men's hearts, and perhaps she has no heart of her own. She was brought up by a crazy lady who was jilted at the altar.”
”So this Estella breaks the boy's heart?”
”Many times over. On purpose. Estella doesn't know how to do anything else. Breaking hearts is her only power in the world.” They walked away from Dickens and into a different section of the museum. ”Are you here on your own?” Gemma asked.
”With a friend of my dad's. I've been staying with him for a few days. He wants to show me the city, only he keeps having to sit down. Artie Thatcher, you know him?”
”No.”
”His sciatica flared. He went to rest in the tea shop.”
���And how come you're in London?”
”I did the backpacking thing through Spain, Portugal, France, Germany, the Netherlands, France again. Then I came here. I was traveling with my friend, but he went home for Christmas, and I didn't feel like going back, so I came to stay with Artie for the holidays. You?”
”I have a flat here.”
Paolo leaned in close and pointed down a dark hall. ”Hey, there's the Chamber of Horrors, down that hall. Will you go in there with me? I need protection.”
”From what?”
”From the crazy-scary waxworks, that's what,” Paolo said. ”It's going to be a prison with escaped inmates. I looked it up. Lots of blood and guts.”
”And you want to go?”
”I love blood and guts. But not alone.” He smiled. ”Are you coming to protect me from the inmates of the asylum, Willow?” They stood at the door to the Chamber of Horrors now.
”Sure,” said Gemma. ”I'll protect you.”