Umbernauld. She nodded, then left, moving towards the back room. As she walked, she considered her options. She could simply leave; he might eventually tire of waiting and do the same. On the other hand, he might grow increasingly frustrated and eventually blow up at one of the actual employees, which wouldn't have been fair to them. She could have actually looked for the books, but she was loathe to do anything that might be construed as helpful to Picardy. She could pretend to find the order, but instead just emerge with a collection of utterly useless novels. That was an amusing idea... but the fact that this man could spell meant he was probably literate, so he might notice if she brought out a book order that was patently ridiculous. Whether he would care or not was another matter, but she couldn't risk it. He'd asked her to check again instead of just accepting the books weren't in, so he was evidently more invested in this than a typical servant running errands.
No, she'd just have to stick with they're not in, but after he left perhaps she'd take the order, just to see what Picardy was up to with his 'research'...
"I'm sorry, Mr. Umbernauld, they're not in yet," she said definitively as she reemerged, sliding out from behind the counter before anyone who actually worked there could wander by, see her standing there talking to customers, and raise an eyebrow.
Jules
No, she'd just have to stick with they're not in, but after he left perhaps she'd take the order, just to see what Picardy was up to with his 'research'...
"I'm sorry, Mr. Umbernauld, they're not in yet," she said definitively as she reemerged, sliding out from behind the counter before anyone who actually worked there could wander by, see her standing there talking to customers, and raise an eyebrow.
Prof. Marlowe Forfang
Jules