Niles felt his heart beating, and looked at the woman in the seat beside him. She had her head leaning back against the leather interior, eyes looking down. He had driven her home many a night, but something was different in her expression.
"Miss Babcock?"
"What is it, Niles?"
"Perhaps this is a bit out of line to ask, but are you alright?"
The butler heard soft laughter from beside him. "I'd say that it isn't out of line, but out of character."
"Even still, answer my question."
"I saw the look on Maxwell's face when he saw her."
"Miss Fine?"
"Mm," she replied softly. "I haven't seen him look that way at a woman since Sarah died."
"I haven't either," Niles admitted. "Something about that woman…she's what he needs."
CC didn't reply. He knew that his answer had angered her. She had always pinned after their boss, but Niles always knew that it would never work out. Maxwell cared for her, but he saw no chance of a romance with her. To him, they would always be business partners. To CC, well, CC was clinging to a chance she never had.
"She's a breath of fresh air," he added. "For all of us."
"More like pollution if you ask me," CC scoffed.
"Is it just Miss Fine that is bothering you?"
"When Margaret walked down the stairs….she looked just like Sarah," CC admitted cautiously. Niles listened to the sadness in her voice. As cold as CC could be, he knew that Sarah had been her one friend.
"She did, didn't she?"
"I felt like I was looking at her again. It was like seeing the same woman I met freshman year at Bryn Mawr." She really was drunk. For CC to admit to emotions, she had to have had liquor that night.
"Even after all this time, it's still hard to imagine she's gone," Niles replied, allowing himself to sound wouldn't remember their conversation in the morning. "I quite miss her."
"So do I," CC replied as they pulled to the front of her apartment building. "Good night, Butler Boy," she said, getting out of the car.
"Miss Babcock!" he called before she shut the door. "Do you need help getting to your apartment?"
"I'll be fine!" she exclaimed, slamming the door behind her as Niles drove away.
