"I don't see why they wouldn't...." she replied with confusion. How could she help with that? "Why?"

  

---

“You’re an educated young woman,” he said, unfolding his arms and resting his hands on the counter behind him. “With a respectable name you make certain to maintain in public... do you know anyone in the medical field?”

  

"Not closely, but yes" she tilted her head slightly. What was it he was after? A change in jobs? She supposed it might be possible.

  

---

So close. He was so close to finally getting Kumru here – and all it cost was his dignity.

Whatever. Dignity was a luxury few were truly born with.

“I know a mediwitch who could use a change of scenery. Works well under pressure. Fluent in several languages.”

Was English one of them? She wrote back in Turkish a lot. Oh well.

  

A mediwitch? His wife perhaps... but he didn’t wear a ring and Papa preferred staff without family he might end up having to support... maybe a loved one then? Would make sense why he was willing to ask... Why did she feel slightly jealous? Must just be the thought of having someone care that much about someone else.

“I could ask for a interview and recommendation from one of the mediwitchs here” She finally replied after a moment of thought. She was still in contact with the one who help mama through her births and her death. “But that’s about all I could do. The rest would be on her.”

  

---

There was a flicker of... something, in her eyes at the request. He’d pushed it too far. He’d asked too much, and now she was going to run to Mr. McPadraic and make sure he was eating out of Baudelaire’s dumpster for the rest of his life.

His shoulders sagged in open relief when she finally spoke.

“Thank you, Miss McPadraic. I am in your – ” wait, she was doing this for his forgiveness.

He cleared his throat.

“You will be forgiven as soon as Ku-... uh, Katherine, is interviewed.”

No need to let a girl who had it all know how much this meant to him.

Because he was clearly not equipped to hide this well.

  

Katherine.

Such a English name... It sent another way of jealously through her. Not that she knew why.

With a light blush of embarrassment due to the emotion, she gave a gentle smile and moved a step away from the sink and towards him. “I look forward to that day.”

  

---

It was as though a great weight had been lifted from Armel’s shoulders. He stood taller, with his chin up and a light in his eyes that hadn’t been there before.

Was it that easy? If he could get her to yell at him in public again, could he get a job for Ferah, too? Maybe even a squib position for Nalan?

It didn’t register immediately, but there was something strange about the way she stepped closer.

“I’m a forgiving man,” he said, with a note of teasing to his voice.

There was something strange about an auror’s daughter sneaking off to see the chef unattended. About risking coded letters to him in the week. About going to such lengths for French chef who couldn’t speak French.

“See you tomorrow?” he ventured, and the amusement had yet to fade from his tone.

  

Alexandra smirked lightly.

"Perhaps" she replied slowly moving past him on her way out. "Perhaps I might take the horse out. Perhaps I might do some nail work. Perhaps I might come to sneak a mid morning snack. Who knows? Tomorrow is a new day."

  

---

Her dress sleeve nearly touched him, and his eyes dipped down to it. His gaze was not immediate in returning to meet hers.

“The early bird gets the worm,” he retorted, voice low with the corner of his mouth quirked. “But the night owl seems to get a bigger catch.”

It wasn’t flirting if her father never found out. That was his logic and he was sticking to it.

His eyes skittered over her form from behind.

  

"Pity I'm not here tomorrow night then" she responded as she reached the door, looking over her shoulder back at him.

There was so much amusement in the conversation and yet the feeling of jealousy had disappeared. He wanted to see her. It wasnt just one sided. Even with the letters and him not just kicking her out there had been doubt in Alex's mind that he was just doing his job.

  

---