Free Just One Night: Part 5 by Elle Casey Page B

you’ve left behind.” He gestures angrily at the stack of papers at the corner of my former desk.
    I can see our mother now, leaning over him to kiss him on the back of the head. “Edward,” she’d say, “what’s the matter, darling? What can I do to make it better?” She was always the soft one of the family. I miss her dearly, but I can only imagine how Edward must feel. He was her favorite and she his. Spoiled rotten baby of the family, he was.
    “I can’t see as how I’m the problem,” I say, not feeling sorry for him one bit. “I don’t even work here anymore.”
    “Exactly!” Edward shouts, dropping his hand and slamming it on the tabletop. “I’m left to pick up all the bloody pieces, and I’ve done nothing but make a pig’s ear of it!”
    “Pieces?” I say, half laughing. “I’ve not left anything in pieces. Everything was tickety-boo when I resigned. If it’s shambolic now it’s not on my account, so quit your whinging.”
    “Scotland was entirely shambolic when you left and it’s even worse now. The dog’s breakfast is what it is. It’s driving me spare.”
    That shuts me up most effectively. Scotland was a thorn in my side when I left, that’s a fact. “Have you figured out what the problem is?”
    “No, not yet. I have to go over there.” He growls and pushes some papers to the floor. “Fecking Scots. When I get there, if I found out it’s one of our people playing the fiddle on company time I’ll …”
    “You’ll what?” I can only imagine Edward’s means of handling such a situation. “Have a barney?”
    “No.” Edward glares at me. “I’ll sort it.”
    “You’ll sort it. And how exactly will you sort it, may I ask?”
    “No, you may not ask,” he says in a smarmy tone, “because you don’t work here any longer, or have you forgotten?”
    “No, I haven’t. But thank you for that reminder.” I open up my agenda. “I’m here to gather the information for the accounts you wish to share with me.”
    “You must mean the accounts Father wishes to share with you because if it were up to me, you’d get nowt.”
    “Well, it’s not up to you,” I say, tapping my pen to paper. “Who shall be first?”
    “Here.” Edward flicks a paper at me from the top of his stack. “Rachel made a list at Father’s behest.”
    I grab the paper before it falls to the floor and scan the names, happy to see that all of the people I brought into the fold and a few extras are there. “Is it my birthday?” I ask, feeling a little overwhelmed at the generosity. Perhaps Ingrid has given Father a bj. That might explain the bonus accounts. I know I was ready to hand over the kingdom myself earlier today.
    “You’d think so, wouldn’t you?” Edward says, bitterly.
    I frown at him. “Why are you so angry about it? What difference does it make to you? It won’t change your allowance, you can be sure of that.”
    Edward shrugs, somewhat defeated-looking. “I have no idea. I’m just dead tired and sick of not knowing my arse hole from a hole in the ground.”
    I soften a bit, seeing some of my own reflection in his expression. “Listen, it’ll get better, don’t worry so much about it.”
    “Easy for you to say.”
    “No, it’s not, actually. It’s quite difficult for me to say anything nice to you these days for some reason. But that doesn’t change the fact that when I started here it was … difficult. It gets better. Just give yourself some time.”
    Edward stares at me for the longest time. I’m almost ready to leave when he breaks his silence. “Thanks, brother. I appreciate that. And I apologize for being so stroppy.”
    I nod and then stand, feeling completely mollified and wanting to be generous. Edward has always been there for me, annoyingly loyal and outspoken, yet lovable in his own way. “No need to apologize. I’m here for you any time. Just call me if you have any questions and I’ll be happy to help.”
    Edward stands and holds out a hand. I can