Page 50 of All I Want for Christmas

‘Max. I see.’

‘You know him?’

‘Yes, of course.’

Of course.She remembered how Max had mingled at the museum drinks reception last week, speaking with the benefactors as if they were old friends. His job required him to be socially adept and well connected; not to mention the Madsen Foundation’s involvement with the retrospective meant he was bound to have crossed paths with Otto at some point.

‘And so that’s the ongoing arrangement, is it? Any work undertaken outside of office hours is conducted at his house? Evenings and weekends?’

‘As it stands,’ she nodded. ‘But I’m going to lobby Viggo as soon as I get back over there, after this. Clearly there are still time limitations working in someone else’s home – I can hardly work through the night! – whereas if I could have them at home, I could work as late as I needed.’

She had absolutely no intention of returning to Max’s house, no matter how tight the deadline. Natalia’s arrival might have been badly timed for him, but it had been a godsend for her, stopping her in the nick of time from losing herself and becoming just another one of his conquests. Freja had been right. He was bad news for her. She wasn’t cut out for a player like him.

‘Will that be possible?’ Otto asked sceptically. ‘Insurers are known for being fastidious.’

‘Yes, but if theprinciplehas been established that the material can be released from the gallery – under strict conditions – then there’s surely room for negotiation on what those conditions can be. The precedent has been set, so...’ She held up her crossed fingers.

‘I see. Well, then, I hope something can be worked out along those lines; it would certainly be helpful for you. And if anyone can make it happen, it’s Rask. He’s very highly regarded.’

‘Yes, he’s been a tremendous help.’ She sipped her coffee, her fingers still red from cycling over here in the cold. ‘Has there been any development with the extrication?’

‘Only that it’s coming away slowly, slowly. I believe Lauge’s feeling more confident than he was this time last week.’

Darcy winced. ‘I’m glad it’s not my job to get it out.’

‘It’s painstaking work. Lauge has been pretty stressed.’

‘But nothing can be seen yet?’

‘No. They obviously have to preserve the integrity ofHerChildrenfirst and foremost. It appears the portrait is pretty bonded to the backboard.’

‘Are they any closer to knowing how long the removal might take?’

‘They’re saying three weeks now.’

‘Oh? Well, that’s an improvement.’ It was still no help to her, though. She would be working blind for all that time.

‘Provided they don’t hit any stumbling blocks, of course.’

‘Of course.’ Darcy’s eyes traced the sharp-edged shadow of a tree branch on the floor and she sighed, knowing that another long day in the twilight of the archives awaited her. She was leaving home in the dark and getting home in the dark too at the moment. ‘Well, I’d better get on. I’ll obviously let you know the second I find anything with potential.’

‘Do that,’ Otto nodded, watching as she got up. ‘And good luck with Viggo. I hope he can help.’

‘Mm, me too,’ she said, rolling her eyes and feeling her stomach lurch at the alternative. ‘Me too.’

‘Good morning.’ Viggo’s smile was wide as she came down the stairs. ‘And how was your weekend?’

‘Very productive, thanks to you.’

He looked pleased. ‘Yes? You found something?’

‘No. Not yet. But at least I got through another level of boxes.’

‘Indeed.’

She shrugged off her coat and hung it on the hook beside his. ‘I’ve just come from my weekly meeting with Otto and let’s just say, I’m not in the good books. He’s pretty disappointed I’ve not found anything useful yet.’

‘But you are doing all you can.’

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