Morningstar Manor

Anastasia sat at a table in the Mocha with one sleeve of her bright blue sweater rolled up to look at a nasty hand-shaped bruise on her forearm. She'd noticed it while getting dressed this morning, but couldn't remember where or how she'd gotten it.
Not Gavin, she knew. So where?

Out of curiousity she rested her left hand on the bruise and it matched exactly. One palm, four fingertips and one thumb. She'd done this to herself.
When? Why?
Shivering a little, she crossed her arms over her chest and took a sip of coffee.

Rhiannon had waited inside NOIR for the car to arrive, watching in wonder as snow started to accumulate. She'd torn her closet apart for something conservative and expensive, and had come up with a white Armani dress that would show her tattoos, but there wasn't any hiding those anyway. Now she sat in the back seat of a limo, dressed in the dress, a pair of brown heels and with her hair in tamed waves, waiting to arrive and meet Tristan's mother.

Leo always checked the weather forecast before leaving for work in the morning. What he saw today made him grimace and get his furry Russian hat out of the wardrobe again and book a cab.

Standing in the lobby, he peered at the snowflakes beginning to filter from the dull sky and gave a sigh of discontent.

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Fin had decided not to go out. Instead he sat in the Mocha with his laptop warming his knees and tapped away at an article on recipes designed to reduce cholesterol levels. They all sounded pretty dire to him but at least the paycheck was palatable.

###

Guy had just picked up a fare to deliver to the Manor, which was good because he was due to collect Mr Beck. He turned on his windscreen wipers to sweep the snow away and said, "I thought it was spring, didn't you?"