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- 12 -
Routine had always been a friend to Daventree, as had solitude, and it didn’t take him many mornings to develop one to take advantage of the other. Each day, he rose early, saw to his ablutions, ate a small breakfast, and arrived in the office before his colleagues. In that first hour or so of the day, with no distractions, Daventree fell into his work, absorbed by the tasks he’d been set. The time passed in a flash, and Daventree knew this was his most productive period.
And so, when he entered the office to find Yanthi already at her desk, he felt a momentary stab of irritation.
“Hey,” Yanthi said, looking up with a smile. Steam rose from her mug, and even from the door Daventree could smell the over-sweetened excuse for tea she preferred.
“Good morning. You’re in early to
