.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. Chapter Thirteen: The Irregularity .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. Beatrice noticed the shift in him before he said a single word about it, which she supposed was one of the stranger costs of having once known someone well enough to read the weather in his silences. He'd arrived at the due diligence meeting late — unusual for him — and sat through most of it with the particular stillness she recognised now as the effort of a man holding something carefully behind his teeth. When she caught his eye across the table, he offered nothing but a small, tired smile that didn't reach anywhere near h

