CHAPTER SIXTEEN

NO THANKS

Part One

"Papers. Old files. Anything from before."

Alexander didn't answer. He looked at Victoria sitting in the orange chair with her hands folded in her lap and her smile held perfectly still.

"Why?" he asked.

"Why what?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"I told you. I'm trying to help."

"How does asking about files help me?"

"Because they might." She said it easily, as if it were obvious. "If you've got something from before, a record, a note, a copy of anything, it could be useful. My father's lawyers are very good. They could look at it."

"Your father's lawyers."

"Yes."

"The same ones who called me two months ago to say the engagement was over."

"They were doing their job."

"And now they want to help me."

"Not them. Me." She leaned forward a little. "Alexander. You're in trouble. Real trouble. They're going to take you to court. I don't want to see you go through that without any support."

"How do you know about the court?"

"Everyone knows."

"I haven't told anyone."

"It was in the papers."

"The hearing date wasn't."

A very small pause.

"A friend mentioned it," she said.

"Which friend?"

"Does it matter?"

"Yes."

Her smile slipped, just for an instant. Then it came back, warmer.

"You've become so suspicious," she said.

"I've had good reason."

"Not with me."

"Especially with you."

That landed. He saw it land. She looked down at her gloves, and when she looked up again her face had changed. It was softer, almost hurt.

"That's unfair."

"Is it?"

"I came here in the rain. I came because I was worried."

"You came because you wanted something."

"I wanted to see you."

"And ask about files."

"As a favor."

"Victoria."

"What?"

"I don't have anything."

She went still.

"Nothing?"

"They took it all. The house, the office, the accounts, the cars. Everything I owned. Everything I wrote down." He opened his hands. "I have a bag and a folded piece of paper with my cash on it. That's what's left."

"Nothing in storage? Nothing at a friend's?"

"What friends?"

She didn't have an answer for that.

"Then I'm sorry," she said at last, and for a moment she sounded almost sincere.

"Are you?"

"Yes."

"For which part?"

She didn't answer.

Part Two

"I think you should go," Alexander said.

Victoria rose slowly from the chair. She smoothed her coat. She picked up her umbrella and turned it over in her hands.

"You're sending me away."

"I'm saying no thanks."

"To what?"

"To all of it. The doors. The lawyers. The help."

"You don't know what you're refusing."

"I think I do."

"You'd rather carry boxes for her."

"I'd rather earn it." He kept his voice calm. "I'd rather do it myself, and get it wrong, and start again. I've never done that before. I'd like to see what it's like."

She stared at him for a long moment. Then she let out a short breath, almost a laugh.

"You've changed."

"Maybe."

"I'm not sure I like it."

"You don't have to."

She walked past him to the glass door. He held it open. The rain was still falling, thin and steady, and the street lights made little gold rings on the wet road.

She stopped on the threshold.

"May I ask you something else?"

"No."

"It's not about the files."

He waited.

"Does she know?"

"Does who know what?"

"Mia." She said the name carefully, as though testing its weight. "Does she know where you're staying? How you're living?"

"She knows what she needs to."

"Does she treat you well?"

"She's fair."

"That isn't what I asked."

"It's the answer I'm giving."

Victoria tilted her head. She was studying him in a way he didn't like. It was the way she'd studied a guest list or a seating plan, looking for the weak spot.

"You're protective of her," she said.

"I'm tired. Goodnight, Victoria."

"She must be very good at her job."

"She is."

"She built all this from nothing, didn't she? A whole company." Victoria's voice was light. "I'd love to meet her properly. It's a pity we only crossed paths so briefly, back when she worked for you."

"There's no reason for you to meet her."

"Isn't there?"

"No."

"I think there might be."

He felt something cold move down his back.

"Victoria. Don't."

"Don't what?"

"Don't go to her. She has nothing to do with this."

"With what?"

He didn't answer. She smiled, and opened her umbrella, and stepped out into the rain.

"You're right," she said over her shoulder. "You don't have to tell me where she is. I know exactly where to find her."

He watched her walk down the pavement, small and straight under the black umbrella.

"I think I'll see her myself," Victoria said.