It seemed the moment she opened her mouth to say something, the door chimed again. First, Dinah, then Lestat, and then a... a customer, she was sure. She didn't know the brunette personally, but Beauty recognized the hesitation and the way the woman browsed. Here was a customer who wanted not to be caught up in Beauty's friends' visits. Here was a customer, Beauty was pretty certain, who was both intelligent and studious. The way she looked at the books by the door said as much. But then her attention switched from their customer to her two friends. "Thank you so much! How did you both know that roses were my favorite?" she whispered. Even though her voice was muted, her delight most certainly was not. Reaching out with both hands, one for Lestat and one for Dinah, she said, "Come, come meet Errol! And then: the tour!"
Leading her friends toward her co-worker, she remembered (belatedly) what she was going to tell Errol. It was a bit too late now, wasn't it?! She grinned a little sheepishly. "I wanted to tell you," she whispered quickly to Errol, "That today is my birthday, and I have friends coming to visit!"
Hoping he wasn't too put out with the late notice, she stepped back and gestured to Dinah and Lestat and then to Errol as she spoke -- more loudly than a whisper, now, but far more hushed than usual. "Dinah, Lestat, this is Monsieur Errol Partridge, my co-worker and the first friend I made when I arrived here. There's no finer man to ask for help in finding a book or discussing your favorite author!
"And Errol, Lestat, this Madame Dinah Lance of Sherwood Florist. She and I have recently become friends. We both enjoy tea and girl talk, but I promise, gentlemen, that we'll only ever inflict the tea on you!
"And Dinah, Errol, this is Monsieur Lestat de Lioncourt - a vampire well versed in all manners and natures of affairs here in our city and beyond. He's been most kind in helping me grow smarter and wiser, and I don't mind saying that he's helped keep me safe with his council."