Bruce had physically taken a backward step when she’d told him. The look on his face revealed more emotion than she’d expected. They’d both worked for Lombard and Jones, or L&J as it was known, for fifteen years, but with Bruce constantly travelling between the six national galleries, they’d never formed a close relationship. He was twenty years older than she was and his personal life had always been somewhat of a mystery, though she’d met his partner Robert on a number of occasions. However, they held a deep respect for each other, and Audrey was in awe of his knowledge of art. She’d learned a great deal from him over the years—about art, about artists, and about business acumen—and had always felt incredibly lucky to have been his protégée.
Audrey remembered Bruce finally expressing hi
