Charles pressed his finger against the tiny pad at the bottom of his laptop to drag the flashing icon until it hovered beneath the word 'inbox'. Of course he could do this without a conventional mouse!
"Once you've mastered that, let me know, and I'll order you a tablet," a familiar voice said from the doorway.
He concentrated on the screen as she lowered herself into a chair, doing his best to ignore her. Easier said than done, he thought, when the top button of her blouse was undone like that.
"Here, take a break," she said, placing a cup in front of him.
"What's that?"
"Skinny latte. You know the doctor said no full cream," she added before he had a chance to complain aloud.
He picked up the drink and moved to his office's side table to pour it into a china cup, eliciting an exaggerated sigh from his companion.
"It wouldn't kill you to drink from a plastic cup occasionally," she muttered.
"Just like it wouldn't kill me to have a tiny bit of fat in my milk," he countered.
She changed the subject. "Have you read the email from William?"
"I haven't read any emails. I've been at the Downton offices all morning."
"And?"
"And it looks like Robert Crawley will sign the new contract by the end of the day."
"You do work wonders, Mr Carson."
"That's why you put up with me, Ms Hughes."
"There are a few other reasons why I put up with you, Mr Carson," she murmured.
Their gazes met and held, squeezing the air out of his lungs for a long moment.
Then, she abruptly stood. "Well, no rest for the wicked. Back to work."
"Yes," he agreed.
He reminded himself once again, Elsie Hughes was only his business partner.