he scent of old paper and cedar filled the room, calming in a way most places in the estate weren't. The house was wi

les with the catalog sheet tucked into her apron pocket. It was the

she th

ed, startled, and found Alexander standing in the doorw

moothly. "Didn't m

"Good evening, Mr. Ashbourne. I

nto a small porcelain dish on the sideboard. "Thought I'd finish t

ook in her presence again

nishing the

on your feet

nod, not sure w

ightly to his arms. He didn't look like a man who belonged behind a desk-there was a natural authori

elf beside her, "most people don't treat t

roperly," she replied, brushing a bit o

not like the others who've worked

how to respond. "I jus

etly, "you do far

on her, warm and unflinching. She busied herself aligning the

guarded," he sai

eyes. "I've l

hrough his expression-underst

tronger," he said. "But sometimes, t

them, soft and loaded. Ma

nough that she could see the faint stubble on his jaw, the quiet fatigue in

he way you avoi

d slowly.

appear the moment I enter a room. You speak only when nec

was no accusation in his tone,

she said, barely above a w

mured, tilting his head

rushing against the edge of the mahogany sh

she said, trying to

he replied. "But being your em

wh

yo

ime. The room was dim, the shadows long and soft, and in

heart beating louder

te," she said, more t

his voice low, thoug

shelf, the next, his hand was lightly resting on the wood beside hers.

s. "I don't want to m

she said, a lit

btly-softened, warmed. "Then te

d, but no words came. She didn't

sy," he said quietly.

her voice.

o doesn't try to be anything she's not. Because you see things no one else sees

it was filled with something diffe

r her hand. His fingers grazed hers-barely

dn't mo

of the

ntly on the doorframe-sh

both

. Ashbourne," she said, her voice even, "your sister just called. She n

w tightening. "Thank you

the briefest moment-cold, assessin

ent was

hen looked at Maya. "We'll

ent nod, her he

of cedar wood and something deeper-something

or support, her fingers still t

w. Not just in passing glances or quiet admi

rners of the estate, so