Page 57 of Perfume Girl
“Oh, no, really?” And then the scientist in me kicked in. “Bruises?”
“It was leukemia.” She gave a nod. “Astor was right there and ended up paying their medical bills.”
“That was kind of him.” A lump of guilt wedged in my throat when I thought about how I’d been snooping around Arabella’s office.
“Astor’s been through a lot himself, too,” added Taylor.
“How?” My breath stilted as I waited for her to continue.
She stared down at her coffee. “Why do they make it so tepid?”
“I think someone sued a fast food restaurant once,” I said. “You were talking about Astor?”
She looked around as though checking to see if anyone was listening. “When he was thirteen, he was sent away to live in Cuba.”
“Why?”
She shrugged. “He never talks about it.”
“What do you think happened?”
“I think it’s connected to his dad but I’m not sure.”
My heart flinched for him. “I was expecting someone older when I met him.”
She agreed with a nod. “His last name, right?”
“Yes, Beauregard is so…”
“Grand.” Her smile faded as she leaned forward and whispered, “Something happened in that house when he was a boy. It was so bad he was sent to live in Cuba in a monastery.”
“Not with a relative?”
“No.” She shook her head. “His sister stayed behind.”
“Penelope? Maybe his mom couldn’t cope with two children?”
“They had a nanny.”
“What do you think happened?”
“Don’t know, but his dad died and then the next day he was gone.” She raised her hand in defense. “Before I accepted his job offer, I thought it was a good idea to do some research on him.”
I hadn’t read anything about these details, and assumed it had happened so long ago I’d not dug deep enough. “What did you find?”
“I shouldn’t gossip.”
“You never asked him what had happened?”
She looked horrified. “No.”
“And his sister?”
“Penelope’s stuck up. I hardly talk to her.” Taylor took a sip of coffee. “I think she’s afraid of him.”
“Astor? Do you know why?”
“She once warned me that Astor’s willing to go to any lengths to protect what he loves. It was during my annual report. I think she was trying to scare me.”
