Claire arrived at Cross Manor on a Tuesday afternoon.
Emma was in the garden, sitting on a bench near the roses, trying to process everything. The recording. Richard. Tyler. The money. It was too much. All of it was too much.
Claire found her there with two coffees and a smile.
"Thought you might need this," Claire said, handing her one.
Emma took it. The coffee was still warm. Claire must have brought it from the city.
"Thanks," Emma said.
Claire sat beside her without being invited. She'd been doing that more lately. Appearing. Being present. Making herself indispensable.
"You've been avoiding me," Claire said. It wasn't accusatory. Just observational.
"I've been busy," Emma replied.
"With Damien?"
Something in the way Claire said his name made Emma look at her more carefully.
