Liv shook her head vigorously. ‘No, I certainly didn’t mean it that way. It was a fan letter, that’s all. I poured out stuff because it was cathartic. I felt really embarrassed after sending it. Essie must receive loads of letters and I didn’t expect a response. But then a signed copy of her sixteenth bookWhen Midnight Beckonsarrived for me.There was a small note from her PA asking me to get in touch about a job. I had no idea Essie only lived a couple of miles away from me.’
‘It sounds very serendipitous,’ Anthony said. ‘But I’m not sure it explains everything.’
‘What do you mean?’ Liv frowned at him.
‘About why she left this wish foryou.’
Liv kept asking herself the same thing.
Anthony toyed with his pencil for a while, as if wondering whether to tell her something. ‘You should know Essie also left something for you in her will,’ he said.
Liv’s jaw dropped. Was he kidding her? ‘That’s so amazing of her, and kind,’ she said. Curiosity rumbled inside her and she stole a side-glance at him. ‘Do you know what it is?’
Anthony’s left eye twitched. ‘Applying for probate and dealing with Essie’s estate could take a long time. There’s lots to do, notifying various organizations and authorities.’
‘Won’t they recognize her name?’
‘Everything will be done under Essie’s real name,’ he said. ‘I’ll share the contents of her will with you as soon as I can. Hopefully before you finish writing her book.’
‘Oh, right.’ Liv bit her lip. She felt dreadful speculating what Essie might have left her, but a sum of money could really help out her and Jake’s finances. ‘Did she have any close relatives?’
‘No. She must have thought a great deal of you.’
Liv caught something strange in the tone of his voice, perhaps bewilderment, or even jealousy. ‘Well, it’s a nice surprise,’ she said.
‘Yes, I thought so, too,’ he replied coolly.
Liv fidgeted with her pencil. She’d told Anthony things she’d never even revealed to Jake and now he was acting all judgemental. ‘How didyouknow her?’ she said.
He cleared his throat. ‘A client recommended me to Essie, ah, several years ago.’
Liv thought how he’d personally produced the funeral service sheets and how sympathetically the funeral director had consoled him. She couldn’t help thinking about his bee handkerchief and pin badge, and how they matched the cufflinks under Essie’s pillow. ‘You must have heard of her, before then?’ she prompted.
‘I think I read her first book, a long time ago.’
Before Liv could point out that he knew Essie well enough to recognize her perfume, Anthony peered over her shoulder and read her sonnet. ‘That’s rather accomplished,’ he said.
Liv looked up as a woman wearing a bonnet approached them. ‘My name is Emily Brontë. Accepting your questions would be my pleasure,’ she said.
Liv gripped her handbag. It was strange enough dealing with the Essie situation, without striking up conversation with pretend-deceased authors. She shook her head and Emily Brontë bustled away.
‘I have something for you,’ Anthony said. He delved into his satchel and handed a thick brown envelope to her.
Liv opened it and gasped at the wad of money inside. ‘What’sthisfor?’
‘It’s your expenses, anything you need to complete Essie’s task. Six months of spending shouldn’t come out of your own pocket. I’ve also set up your pay increase. You’ll see it in your next wage.’
Wow, Liv thought to herself. She imagined showing her bank statement to Jake and seeing his eyes light up.She also thought about her conversation with Marlon about the deadline for delivering Essie’s book. ‘I really can’t accept this.’
‘Take it.’ Anthony smiled. ‘It may prove useful.’
Liv met his eyes. She took a moment to think how Georgia Rory would handle things. ‘I actually need more,’ she said.
The solicitor frowned and his mouth parted. ‘More?’
Liv swallowed. ‘I’ve read Essie’s manuscript and there’s lots of work to do, more than I imagined. Iwantto do this for her, but I can’t squeeze it around my other cleaning jobs, and I can’t afford to give them up. A rise is great, but I only work for Essie three afternoons a week and I’m in…’ She trailed off her words, not wanting to saydire straits.
‘Are you telling me you need to work on this full-time?’ Anthony said.
