From a Sombre Prologue to a Lasting Legacy
The very first time we meet Paul Robertson in “A Good Man,” it’s at the funeral of Will Brown. It’s a poignant framing device that immediately tells us how pivotal this man will be in Paul’s life.
“He loved you,” Will’s wife Amy tells Paul. “You were the son he never had.”
And Paul’s own thoughts confirm the depth of their connection: “Amy knew that Will had been like a father to me since I lost my real father. But more than that—more than being my mentor, my teacher, and then my business partner—he was also my friend.”
This opening scene, set decades in the future, casts a long, heartfelt shadow over the entire saga. It provides the destination, and across four books, we have been privileged to witness the journey of how this incredible, life-shaping bond was forged.
A Good Man: A Father's Shadow, A Guiding Hand
When tragedy strikes and Paul loses his own father, a gaping void is left in his life. It is Will Brown who steps into that void. He doesn’t try to replace Paul’s dad—an impossible task—but instead offers a different kind of paternal support. He becomes a surrogate father, a steady hand on the rudder during the stormiest period of Paul’s young life.
Much of this takes place before the events of “A Good Man,” but we see the result of it when Will is there to look after Paul and play the father figure after the events of the Halloween Ball.
The key moment when their relationship really begins to evolve happens on the afternoon when Will tells Paul about his inheritance from his parents. It’s the moment we find out why Will has stepped into this role—about the deep fraternal bond between Will and Paul’s father that was forged during their time together at university.
The moment when Will shares a glass of fine Scotch whisky with Paul, teaching him how to truly appreciate the drink, is a profound moment for their relationship from both sides. For Paul, this ritual should have been taught to him by his father—a special moment between father and son—and by doing it himself, Will cements his role as Paul’s ‘surrogate’ father. From Will’s perspective, the whisky comes from a bottle he should have been sharing with Paul’s father, not with Paul, so the moment is when Will accepts that Paul could, potentially, take his place by Will’s side as a friend.
As the author, I feel this is a hugely significant moment and one of the most profound and moving in the whole saga. And it’s one of the scenes I’m most proud of having written.
A Tortured Soul: The Mentor from Afar
As Paul moves on to university, the dynamic of his relationship with Will naturally shifts. The surrogate father figure recedes a boy in his late teens needs is replaced by the steady, supportive voice of a wise mentor and guide. Will is no longer just looking out for the boy who lost his dad; he’s investing in the future of a promising young man he has come to see as a son.
Throughout “A Tortured Soul”, their bond is strengthened mainly through phone calls, the promise of a summer work experience. These moments are lifelines for Paul. While he navigates the tumultuous waters of university life, heartbreak, and self-discovery, Will remains a constant. He is the anchor that keeps Paul connected to his ambitions and his potential.
When Paul is wrestling with his future, it’s Will’s counsel he seeks. When he’s adrift, it’s the prospect of working alongside Will that gives him direction. The relationship becomes less about paternal comfort and more about professional aspiration and mutual respect. Will is shaping Paul’s future, not by dictating it, but by quietly opening doors and reminding him of his own strength.
Will provides a safe harbour, a sense of stability that allows Paul to begin the slow process of grieving and healing, setting the stage for the man he will become. He offers wisdom, guidance, and a sense of purpose when Paul’s world has been turned upside down.
A Wounded Heart: The Dynamic Shifts
The next key moment that shifts their dynamic is Paul’s work experience at Will’s law firm in the early chapters of “A Wounded Heart.” It’s more than just a summer job; it’s an initiation. It’s here that Will begins to mentor Paul, not just as a potential lawyer, but as a young man finding his way.
This period is defined by Will’s gentle, guiding presence, but it’s the ‘accidental’ invitation to an ‘all staff’ meeting at the law firm that shifts things again, and sets them on the path to being business partners.
This period also represents one of Will’s most selfless acts towards Paul. Rather than use his significant influence over him to take advantage of Paul, he instead introduces Paul to a set of professional advisors who will help and guide him through the profound changes he’s about to embark upon. Will recognises that’s what’s best for Paul, may not be what’s best for Will himself, and so he steps aside. This is partly due to his own sense of professionalism, but also it’s about keeping that promise he made to Paul’s father, and Will’s best friend, when he took on the Guardianship role in the first place.
A Healing Love: The Partner in Waiting
By the time we reach “A Healing Love,” the evolution of their relationship enters its most exciting phase. Paul is no longer a boy in need of a father figure or a student in need of a mentor. He is a man on the cusp of his own career, and the conversations with Will are now conversations between near-equals.
As Paul says to Will during one meeting: “We’re going to be partners, right? So, start treating me like one.”
This is an important moment for Paul. He asserts himself in a way he hasn’t done before and it’s a moment when he realises that Will isn’t just the friendly, comforting father figure he’s always seen him as, but he’s a cunning, ruthless businessman and lawyer with a wealth of experience that Paul can either learn and benefit from, or become a victim of.
Without venturing into spoilers, this fourth book sees the groundwork being laid for the future we glimpse in that very first prologue. The discussions are no longer just about summer internships; they are about building a shared future. They talk of partnerships, of business plans, of the firm they will one day run together. Will now sees Paul not just as his protégé, but as his partner and eventual successor.
Paul’s perspective has also matured. He sees their future together with a clear-eyed ambition that is a testament to how far he’s come.
The relationship has come full circle. It began in the shadow of loss and has blossomed into a partnership built on mutual respect, shared ambition, and a deep, abiding love. Will saw the good man in Paul from the very beginning, and through years of unwavering support, has helped him grow into the man he was always meant to be. The journey isn’t over yet—there are some significant moments to come—but they are far closer to being the partners we see in saga’s prologue than they were when Will was there with him as he woke up in that bathroom at the Halloween Ball.
