Page 6 of Royal Bastard

“Very good. Now, you won’t be exposed to anything confidential regarding clients, but you will be asked to do some research, maybe even type up some briefs or subpoenas, and maybe even make travel arrangements. The possibilities are endless, but we’ll keep them simple at first. Can you type?” I knew what her file said, but I wanted to know what her answer was. Typing was key to this job.

“I have to be honest with you, Henry. I’ve never had a job, not since I graduated high school. I did learn to type there, but I’m a little rusty. I think, with practice, I’ll improve a lot.”

“That’s fine. Alana can give you some pointers on that if you want them.” I could have sat there and looked at her all day, she really did take my breath away, but I had a case to attend to later that afternoon and I needed to prepare for it. “Right, Alana should be back soon. I want to tell you one more thing…”

She’d started to stand up but eased back down in the chair. Her face looked solemn and her eyes had widened as she did so.

“There is a lot of confidential information here, and there’s even more that’s written in jargon you’re not going to comprehend. You’ll need proper training before most of it makes any kind of sense to you, so don’t get overwhelmed, alright? Just do what you can, stretch your limits, but don’t let it get to you, okay?”

“Right. I’ll try my best, I promise you that. Thank you so much, really, for this opportunity. I’m so very grateful.” I could see how grateful she was when tears filled those pretty green eyes of hers.

That broke my heart. I’d read the personal notes of her adviser, and they were right. Evie was a sensitive but strong woman who’d been through hell. I didn’t know her exact story personally, but I could see in the way her shoulders sagged for a moment that she carried a huge burden.

As the main designer of this program, I knew quite a lot about Evie, and the other candidates, but I’d never bring up anything sensitive with any of them. I was thorough in my vetting process, but I wasn’t callous. I’d never say anything to any of the clients of the program that might embarrass them or put them on the wrong track, especially on their first day.

“You’ll do fine, Evie. Really, you will. Ah, here’s Alana.” I looked up as the door opened and Alana came in with an ice pack.

“I knew we had to have some of these around here somewhere. I finally found them in the first aid kit in the break room. Here, this is cold now, Evie. Why don’t we go to my desk and you can have a few minutes to let this work, alright?” Alana guided her out of my office, but she turned at the last minute, her smile already back in place.

“I know you had a lot to do with this program, Henry, and I just want to say, you are a good man.” She walked away and her words left me stunned.

I’d never expected, or wanted, gratitude. I just wanted to give people a chance who deserved one. I set my jaw and shuffled through papers as a new emotion welled in my chest. I think it was pride, but I wasn’t sure. Evie was going to be a delight, but she might just be trouble too. It was a chance I was more than willing to take.