Chapter 86: The Daughter's Manumission, Part 20, Twenty-Six Years Ago, Getting To Know Her

Outside, Mitch gestures down the street. "There's a little place down the road I sometimes stop for coffee."

Without giving her a chance to refuse, I take the bag of books from her. "Let me carry that for you."

The 'little place', a small cafe, is mainly occupied by student types. They sit in groups, wearing bohemian clothes and cheap gothic jewellery, arguing loudly. It's not quarrelling, but debate of the kind you get from the types that think they know the secrets of the universe, or they can put the world to rights by talking about it.

"Interesting place," I comment, trying to keep the sarcasm out of my tone.

Her lips make that quirk again; a sort of half-smile that would make the Mona Lisa long to be more subtle with her body language.

She chooses a table by the window, speaking in a low voice. Humour dances at the corners of her eyes. "It's always interesting. Some of them can be quite profound. Some of them wouldn't know their ass from their elbow. But there's always c