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fill it with, Ruby headed back to the office. To the desk she didn’t deserve and the job that took her two hours a day to do, when she was being paid for eight.
    ‘Is Russell in?’ she asked Bea, Russell’s proper PA—the one with her finger on the pulse of his business commitments, not his social ones.
    Bea nodded, and briefly lifted her gaze from the computer screen to favour Ruby with a laserlike stare. Bea was—without a doubt—ten times more imposing than Russell could ever hope to be. Not that anyone mentioned it.
    ‘Is he free?’
    Another nod and a half-smile this time. ‘Go on in.’
    Russell West did not cut a particularly fatherly figure, never mind that his hair was grey and the creases on his face had been there a while. He did cut an authoritative figure. ‘Russell, may I have a moment?’
    ‘What can I do for you, Ruby?’
    ‘You can accept my resignation.’ Onedidn’t beat around the bush with Russell West. Time was money. A great deal of money. ‘I’d like to finish up in the New Year, once we get your major social commitments out of the way.’
    ‘You mean the Chinese New Year?’
    ‘Nice try. I mean mid-January.’
    ‘Why?’ Russell leaned back in his chair, trusting his imposing office surroundings to work to his advantage, which they probably would have had she not been in and out of offices just as grand as this one all her life.
    ‘Bottom line? The job’s not big enough. I feel like I’m taking money for nothing.’
    ‘The company’s profit margin has gone up thirty-six per cent since you signed on, Ruby. That’s hardly nothing.’
    ‘Your social networking strategy needed some work, that’s all. But that was always going to be more of a consultant’s gig than an ongoing role. My work here is done. Nowadays, I’m just filling in time.’
    ‘You’re welcome to stay on, Ruby. You know that.’
    ‘I do know that.’ She smiled fondly at the older man. ‘And I can’t thank you enough for giving me work when I needed it. When no one else would. But I want to see if there’sstill room for me in the world of law. Even if I have to work gratis for a while until I get the necessary accreditation and experience to go into a particular field. There’s family law. International law. Defence law. Fields where my father’s supposed transgressions won’t—or shouldn’t—reflect back on me. After that, I’ll look towards establishing my own business. It’s a solid plan, don’t you think?’
    ‘Well, it’s a solid thought,’ he said dryly. ‘I wouldn’t exactly call it a plan. Generally a plan requires details.’
    ‘I’m working on it,’ she said simply.
    ‘Do you need start-up capital?’
    ‘Are you offering it?’
    Russell steepled his hands, and regarded her thoughtfully. ‘Yes.’
    ‘Just like that?’
    ‘Yes.’
    ‘Because of your former friendship with my father?’
    ‘Because I have every confidence in Ruby Maguire’s ability to succeed.’
    ‘Oh.’ Suddenly Ruby’s big-girl voice deserted her. ‘You’re very kind.’
    ‘I prefer to use the word
astute.
Okay, Ruby, resignation accepted. Let Bea know when you want to finish up. And, Ruby, Irealise it’s late notice but I do hope you’ll join me and my family for a meal over this Christmas break. Say, tomorrow night or even Christmas Day if you prefer?’
    ‘Russell, thank you, but—’
    ‘Christmas is a time for family, I agree,’ he interrupted gruffly. ‘But when family isn’t around you make do. You’ve already met Damon, and I’ve no doubt the girls will enjoy your company. Try making do with us.’
    ‘I—’
    ‘Make it Christmas Eve? That way you can join us at the restaurant. You booked for five people, didn’t you?’
    ‘Yes, but—’
    ‘We’ll swing by your apartment and pick you up at quarter to seven.’ ‘No, I—’
    But Russell and steamroller tactics were old friends. ‘Excellent,’ he said and offered up a small smile. ‘Join us, Ruby. There’s plenty of room