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‘It was a patronising book on grief.’ He rolled his eyes and then came over and perched on her desk. ‘What are you watching?’
‘Footage of Claude’s funeral and of the one-year anniversary memorial service,’ Beatrice said. ‘Your behaviour was impeccable.’
‘Thank you.’
‘So this book you borrowed and lost...?’
‘It was awful. As well as that there were all the notes Jordan had made in the margins. Believe me, I’m not going to go into detail, but it felt like I was reading her diary.’
‘She’s very—’ Beatrice stopped. She herself might be cold and friendless, but she didn’t gossip.
Julius smiled. ‘If she talks too much then it means she likes you. She’s so indiscreet—but only in here. Anyway,’ he added, ‘I don’t think her magical book applied to me...’
‘Because you’re unique?’
‘Actually, yes.’ He gave her another smile. ‘It said that I’m to “talk about the departed”,’ he quoted. ‘But every time I do they all bow and lower their eyes.’
‘Oh.’
‘You don’t, though,’ he said. ‘Honestly, that’s probably why I caved.’
‘Caved?’
He nodded.
‘What else did the book say?’
‘That I should try not to make major changes or big decisions for a year. Well, that wasn’t going to be possible. I immediately became the heir. I was hauled back here, given more staff...’
He was right.
‘What else?’ she asked.
‘That I should let people know how I’m feeling.’ His smile was tight.
Beatrice, whose social skills were so dire she couldn’t even manage the thought of a flower festival, would usually have given an equally tight smile in response, closed down the computer and wished him goodnight, but instead she took a breath.
‘You can,’ she offered.
‘Please...’ He rolled his eyes at her offer.
How rude! He hadn’t even noticed that she was trying to be nice.
‘So, I threw the book in the sea.’
‘Get her a new one.’
‘Should I?’
‘Say you made a lot of notes in her copy and underlined some bits. Perhaps say something about privacy...’
‘Yes!’ He was delighted by her solution. ‘Could you do that now, please?’
‘I’m not your PA.’
‘No, but it’sformy PA.’
He smiled as he got his way and her fingers typed out the search and purchase of a new book for Jordan.
