Dia stood off to the side watching both Lev and Betty Jo and the four other students in highly select group move through the warm up forms.  A world class t'ai chi studio in Bayswater of all places.  Who'd have thought.  She'd watched Betty and Lev work out several times at the manor and at the town house.  She practiced yoga with Betty Jo most mornings.  But this was different.  Here they they were both students learning the dance-like motions and movement, focusing on each form, moving infinitely slowly. 

She shifted her gaze from Betty to Lev, watching the lithe, elegant movement, the grace and harnessed power he brought the study of this art form.  If you never saw him like this, Dia thought, you'd say he wasn't a particularly handsome man, though he was attractive.  But here, working out or at the townhouse with Betty the way his body moved, the control he had over it, the clean precision of each action, each form was breathtaking.  Doing this he became beautiful, she realized, as much because of his body as because of the transcendent concentration he brought to the task.  All dross was stripped away as he plied what was, she guessed, a part of his craft.  Craft in the sense of being an artisan, of being someone who created. 

She licked her suddenly too dry lips and refocused her attention on the class as a whole, ignoring the frisson that went through her as his eyes met hers briefly.  She leaned lightly against the wall and focused her mind on the book and her eyes on everyone and everything but him.  Later, after the class, as they were walking out to the car, waiting at the curb, she smiled to herself.  There was no reason she couldn't enjoy looking at him like she enjoyed looking at Michelangelo's David. 

She was about to step into the car when it happened.  Smoothly accomplished,  probably rehearsed until the timing was perfect. Betty Jo was getting a cup of tea from the cafe wagon a few steps away and Lev was watching her while across the street a car pulled up and disgorged four men in suits, one of whom carefully looked both ways before crossing the street.  Dia had barely glanced at them and then turned back to Betty Jo, when she felt a presence behind her close enough to make her feel claustrophobic.  She turned around, the car door between him and her and said, "Yes?"

The man barely had time to open his mouth before Lev was there beside her. Betty Jo was suddenly inside the car. Both of them must have zapped to where they were, in public.

"I just wanted to hand you a card," the man said, eyeing Lev, who's hand was meaningfully inside his jacket.

"It's not my birthday," Dia said.

"Very funny. It's an offer for the book," he said, pulling the card out of his pocket slowly. The other three men stood across the street, apparently aware that any movement would start a string of events they might not want happening in public.

"It's not for sale," Dia said, making no move to accept the card.

"It might be wiser to sell it while you still can," he hissed.

Then Lev shoved Dia into the car and slammed the car door shut, leaving the two women safely in the vehicle.  "The lady said she's not interested," Lev said "I'm counting to 5, the gun comes out regardless of what you are doing.  "One..."

"Hey!" the man said, "we're trying to avoid trouble," he added as he threw his hands up in the air.

"Sounds like a good idea to me," Lev said. He stood there, his hand on his weapon as the man walked away, his back to Lev. The four got into their vehicle and drove away.

Dia leaned back against the seat for a moment, her eyes closed and her face pale.  "Well, I'm wide awake now," she said.

Lev got into the vehicle and looked around at the two of them. "Sorry for the shove Dia. Are you all right?  Betty Jo?"

"We're fine," Betty Jo said.  "The only thing wrong with me is I still want a cup of tea.  But I suppose that'll have to wait until we get back home."  She looked at Dia out of the corner of her eye.  "Remind me to start carrying a bottle of scotch with me in the future."

Lev clicked his seatbelt into place and drove them home, his eye on the rear-view mirror. "They've got to be watching the townhouse."
 
"I'm sure they are," Betty Jo said.  "They seem very well organized, hopeful of avoiding violence but not unwilling to use it.  Ian," she went on, "is not going to be pleased."

"No, he won't be. I'm afraid we'll have to practice at home from here on out for awhile."

"I think you may be right," Betty Jo said.  "Among other things.  Have you noticed anything at the museum?"

Dia shook her head.  "No, but then I can't honestly say I've been looking or that I even know what to look for."

"I did notice something yesterday,"  Lev put in. "But thought I might have been a bit paranoid about it. Now, probably not."

After that the rest of the drive continued in silence.  Lev dropped them off at the front door, escorting them to the door and inside before going to put the car away.  Betty Jo asked Edwards to bring tea as she knocked on the study door.  "Hullo, darling," she said.

He smiled as she came in, but the smile faded when he saw her face. "Come in. What's wrong?"

She kissed his cheek and settled herself in an armchair while Dia got a drink and found a spot on the sofa.  "Another offer for the book.  Outside the dojo."

"Did Lev handle it well?"

"Very well," she said.  "And no bloodshed."  She stopped, waiting as Lev came in and helped himself to a drink.  "So the house is probably being watched," she finished.

"I realize," Lev said, taking a seat, "that you don't trust Blackheath, but I suggest asking them for assistance. Otherwise the ladies are pretty much stuck here, other than perhaps we port to wherever and give up on the vehicles, but then of course, they're aware of our routine, so it isn't much of an improvement,"

Ian looked thoughtfully at Dia. "Blackheath will have a ton of questions and want in on whatever. What do you think, Dia, since it is your book."

Dia studied her hands for a moment.  "I think it would be simpler if I returned to Tel Aviv," she said.  "I don't want you to become a prisoner in your own home over this."

"It's up to you, of course. But I think it's a bit late for that now. They know about your connection to Betty Jo. And I doubt she'd feel happy to see you leave."

"He's right, honey.  I wouldn't be happy at all," Betty said.  "So stop worrying about that.  The only thing we need to worry about right now is whether to ask Blackheath for help."  She sat up as she finished, in response to Edwards appearing with the tea tray.  He set in front of her and then left her to pour.  "You've created a monster," she told Ian.  "I'm addicted.  Does anyone else want a cup?"

"Yes, please," Ian said as Dia nodded. Lev decided to stick with the scotch. "Lev, any words of wisdom?"

"Only that Dia needs to decide what she's doing and we need to make it known, and be clear about it."

Dia stirred her tea, declining the plate of cookies Betty Jo offered her.  "I'm going to continue my work," she said simply.  "The only way to end this is to solve the riddle of the book itself.  If, while I do that, you feel Blackheath can help keep Betty Jo safe, then I'll find a way to deal with their questions."

"All right. Let's talk to Blackheath, and see if we can set some boundaries with them, and if we can, we ask them to help.  Do you still need to go to the BM, Dia?  Elsewhere?"

"Today?  No.  I can wait a few days until things are sorted out here," she said.

"Good," Ian replied. "Lev, you coordinate with Blackheath, assuming we come to an accommodation with them. I don't want Dia at risk if we can help it."

"Got it," Lev replied.

Emma pushed the doorbell on the townhouse on Old Park Lane.  "He was a bit terse on the phone," she said  to St. John.  "More so than usual."

Withers opened the door. "You again," he muttered, giving St John a thorough once-over.

"Hullo, old fellow. Your milord really should give you a day off now and again."

"Hrmph," Withers replied as he lead them at a funereal pace into the drawing room. "The master will be with you soon. Please make yourselves comfortable."  Withers withdrew and St John headed for the drinks cart sitting there tempting him.

"Drink, Emma? Damn it, no champers."

Nothing for me thank you," she said.  "And if I were you I'd wait until it was offered, just as a matter of form and all that."

"You really can be such a killjoy, Emma," St John was saying as they were joined by Ian, Betty Jo, Dia and Lev.

"Emma, I think you know Betty Jo.  This is Badi'a Batal and Lev Nazarov. By all means St John pour. I'll take a scotch."

Betty Jo bit her lip, hiding a smile and took a seat that would give her a good view of the action.  "Edwards is bringing tea, if you'd prefer, Emma.  Please have a seat," she added.  "Business goes some much better when one is comfortable."

Dia grinned and joined Betty Jo on the couch, waving no to the scotch while Emma took a straight backed chair and declined the scotch as well.

"I'll save you the preliminaries. There was another offer for the Book this morning and you'd like us to assist with security, correct?" St John asked, as he handed Ian the scotch.

At Ian's raised eyebrow, St John added, "CCTV coverage in London is extensive."

Emma glared at him.  "I apologize for my colleague, Lord Avery.  We've been directed to assist you in whatever way we can."

"Just like that?" Ian asked. "And the price?"

"Champers with dinner," St John replied easily. At Emma's glare he amended, "Oh, just a good wine for each course. I shouldn't be fussy."

Emma sighed and took the cup Betty Jo passed her with a smile of thanks.  "No, not just like that.  But close to it.  It is felt that we are, on balance, in your debt and that paying it in this manner is preferable to some other unknown currency.  As well assisting is the only way we might learn anything about what this is about since it is held to be an absolute certainty that you will tell us as little as possible."

"Now I know why he prefers to do business with you Emma," Betty Jo said.  "Well done indeed."

"That's not the only," Emma's pointed high-heeled toe caught St John in the calf. "I'm the comic relief," St John amended. "Seriously, how can we help?"

Dia stifled a laugh. 

"Well," Betty Jo said, smiling calmly, "We are fairly sure the house is being watched.  Probably the country house as well."

"The Zoo reports they are under surveillance as well as your brownstone, Ms DuBois. Current plans in D.C. are to go on about things normally and not react to it." "St John smiled. "We've got a car on this street and one block over."

"My, you have been remarkably proactive," Betty said with a smile.  "I am surprised."

"We are terribly efficient. Aren't we, Emma?"

She ignored him.  "What we're having trouble understanding is if the book is the object of interest why are they paying attention to the brownstone and the Zoo," she said. 

"No questions?" Ian reminded her with a smile.

"Well, it would help if we understood what was going on, but if you insist on keeping us in the dark, then we'll simply have to take things as they are. Would you like one or more of us on site, Lord Avery?"

"No, I don't think that is necessary. However, additional security when Dia leaves the house would be appreciated, so long as you coordinate it with Lev, here."

"Ah," St John said, looking him up and down. "Yes, indeed."

"I am working at the British Museum, as I'm sure you know, most days," Dia said.  "I've been getting there about nine and leaving around two but that is a matter of preference, not requirement."

Emma nodded.  "We'll coordinate it with Mr. Nazarov, Ms Batal.  Hopefully it will be mostly transparent to you."

"Lev if you'd arrange things?" Ian asked.

Lev nodded.

"Have we a plan then ladies and gentlemen?"

Lev, who'd been appreciating the line of Emma's leg, looked up in time to nod.

"I think so," Emma said as she set her cup aside and rose to her feet.  She handed Lev her card.  "That number will always reach me," she said.

"I'll talk to you in the morning then, shall I?" Lev said.

"Thank you.  And it was a pleasure seeing you again Ms DuBois.  And looking so well."

"Thank you Ms Peel," Betty Jo said as Edwards answered Ian's tug on the bell. 

"Please see our friends out, Edwards."

"Good evening, everyone," St John said with a separate bow to Dia.

Ian sat back in his chair once the two were gone. "I always worry about what they're really up to."

"They certainly were very well informed," Betty Jo said.  "Is it possible they're bidding for it?"

"You know, I wouldn't be a bit surprised if they were."