Edward nodded his assent, taking care not to scrunch up the pages or bump the old leather bindings too badly. This shelf was a musty one indeed, with all the books bound in a similar way, in green and brown. He sniffed as puffs of dust rose from the books that he lifted from the shelf. It felt slightly odd to be so closely observed by his master as he worked, and Edward wondered a little at it: surely this was a job that even an illiterate (such as he most definitely was not) could handle with ease?
He was caught up in his thoughts for a moment, and almost let a book slip from his grasp as he slid it out from the shelf. Lord Robert let out a gruff sound of distress, and swooped down to catch the toppling volume. Edward had already got a grip on it again, however, so Lord Robert’s hand merely came to rest on top of his own, so that they were both clutching the spine of the ancient book. Edward coughed awkwardly, and after a second Lord Robert let go of the book and straightened up again. Edward placed the book gingerly into the box. “Sorry, sir,” he said. “I won’t let them fall again.”
Lord Robert folded his arms. “I trust not,” he said, his voice weirdly strained. He must really care about these books! Edward thought. “These are the volumes containing the Laws of the Realm. Fucking valuable stuff.”
Edward continued packing the law-books into the cardboard box. For some reason he could still feel where Lord Robert’s calloused hand had brushed his own.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2008-11-16 05:29 pm (UTC)He was caught up in his thoughts for a moment, and almost let a book slip from his grasp as he slid it out from the shelf. Lord Robert let out a gruff sound of distress, and swooped down to catch the toppling volume. Edward had already got a grip on it again, however, so Lord Robert’s hand merely came to rest on top of his own, so that they were both clutching the spine of the ancient book. Edward coughed awkwardly, and after a second Lord Robert let go of the book and straightened up again. Edward placed the book gingerly into the box. “Sorry, sir,” he said. “I won’t let them fall again.”
Lord Robert folded his arms. “I trust not,” he said, his voice weirdly strained. He must really care about these books! Edward thought. “These are the volumes containing the Laws of the Realm. Fucking valuable stuff.”
Edward continued packing the law-books into the cardboard box. For some reason he could still feel where Lord Robert’s calloused hand had brushed his own.