S1 E5 – The LBB
Camille passes the bank manager in the doorway. Dumping her purse onto her desk, she sees her boss is fuming, "What's up? Did you insult her too?"
"No, I bloody well did not! She propositioned me!"
"Oh, let me guess, you have a date?"
"What?! No, of course not! She's married! Marriage is a sacred institution that I firmly uphold."
Deciding to tease him a bit, she fishes out a little black notebook from her desk drawer and pretends to write in it, "So. Married women are off the list. Good to know." He looks quizzical. "I'm working on your 'Little Black Book'. Don't worry. We'll whittle away until we find your soul mate." He mumbles something, begins shuffling files, and she relents. For now.
A bit later:
Later, in La Kaz, she whips out the LBB and poises a pen, "What about her?"
"What? Crazy Murder Fan? Not bloody likely!"
Camille shrugs, "She obviously finds you fascinating. Admires your big brain and all!"
"She's mad as a bag of frogs! Besides, I don't need her. I have you."
A stab of pride and something much less identifiable makes her smile.
"But, of course, we can never date, can we? You and I?" He sees her frown, "You don't agree?"
She jumps, "Hey! I told you before, keep that big brain to yourself!"
He acquiesces but looks thoughtful.
A bit later yet:
Camille tells him that Maman is so impressed after witnessing his reveal on Leon Hamilton that she has agreed to work on the LBB too. He groans. Camille sits him down and asks him about his preferences. He humours her. The torture will end sooner.
She is amused by his list: no married women, no divorcées with children (he wants his own children, thank you very much), no Germans, no French (Full or half? she'd asked)(This had elicited another Hmm from him)(What? she'd responded, It's a valid question!), educated… the list went on and on.
"What about appearance?"
"Immaterial. I can't shop for a beautiful woman when I'm hardly attractive myself."
"You don't think you're attractive?"
"I'm under no delusions."
She scoffs, "Yeah, you are!"
He leans forward, suddenly interested, "Really? Enlighten me."
She tries to back off, feeling flustered, "Oh. Well. You… you have nice eyes."
He sits back, huffs, "My eyes, along with a sense of humour and nice smile, translates as 'ordinary'. No, I need someone to complete me, the inner me. Appearance doesn't really matter."
"Right," she murmurs, writing furiously.
He fidgets a bit, "Er… there IS one thing. I hope it doesn't sound shallow."
"What is it?" she asks, hoping he doesn't say 'blonde' or 'blue-eyed' or 'English'.
"I'd like her to be slim and lithe. I'm not a very big man. I'd like to be able to tuck her into my side when we walk together. Does that seem strange?"
Happily doodling two people walking on a beach, she sighs, "Not at all. About my height, then?"
His smile is there and gone, "Exactly your height."
Sunset:
When Camille kisses him, he murmurs her name as he rouses. He is unaware. She is surprised and thoughtful, "Pleasant dreams?" she whispers so the others don't hear.
He hesitates, looking up into her eyes so very close to his own, "Yes."
She sees something in his eyes before he wakes up enough to hide it.
He joins the party on his veranda. They toast his birthday and the setting sun with champagne. He is suddenly happy. Friends and champagne on his birthday. A first. He looks to Camille. He hardly dares hope but he sees a similar hope reflected in her eyes. They smile.
Catherine sees it and a hope is born in her heart too. Later, she tears up the LBB she'd started.
END – S1 E5 – The LBB