interfere? It made her even more determined to help Ross start his own business and when he came home that evening, she told him of his mother’s visit.
He was livid! ‘You see what I’m up against don’t you?’ He poured himself a drink. ‘Well that’s it! Tomorrow, I’ll make a determined effort to find office space!’
He caught sight of the painting. ‘When did that arrive?’
‘This morning. Max was just leaving and met Gloria on the doorstep. She didn’t like it, of course, and told me as much.’
He stood for a while studying it. ‘You’re right you know, the way he’s caught the evening light is really quite special. I’d say this was a good investment. It should be worth something in time.’
Valerie was appalled. ‘I’d never ever sell it!’ she proclaimed. ‘You bought it for me as a gift and I’ll keep it, thank you!’
‘All right darling, I was only making an observation.’
Later as they sat down to dinner, Valerie questioned him further about moving his office.
‘Will you take your clients with you?’ she asked.
‘I’ll give them the choice, of course, but I doubt I’ll lose any of them. They won’t want to start all over again with someone new. I really want to get into corporate litigation. Dad wouldn’t hear of it, but that’s where the money is to be made.’
‘You’ll need more staff won’t you?’
‘Yes, of course. Once I’ve procured my office space, I’ll advertise but …’ he hesitated.
‘What?’
‘I know one or two of the younger members in Dad’s office are chomping at the bit to move on and I do believe they might be interested in coming with me.’
Valerie grimaced. ‘That will put the cat among the pigeons!’
‘What on earth does that mean?’
Laughing she explained. ‘It’s a British saying meaning, that will cause a furore.’
‘It’s been on the cards for a while really, but Dad will be surprised. He only wants to see what he wants. The fact that I might leave, I don’t suppose has ever entered his head.’
‘Your mother will have a fit! I wonder what she’ll have to say?’
But Gloria Johnson, unable to get Valerie to intervene, had another plan. She was determined as always to get her own way and she put her plan to work the following morning after her visit to Valerie.
Ross was working on his papers for an approaching court case when his secretary rang his intercom.
‘What is it?’ asked Ross
‘Miss Laura Kennet to see you, sir.’
He frowned. Whatever did Laura want? ‘Show her in,’ he said.
Laura, dressed immaculately, sauntered into the room, smiling and walking round the desk, kissed Ross on the mouth – to his surprise – then sat down.
‘Good morning, Laura. This is a surprise. What can I do for you?’
She gazed coyly at him. ‘So very formal darling!’
‘You’ve come to see me at my office, Laura, so I assume you want some advice?’
She crossed her legs, hoisting up her skirt just enough to be provocative. ‘In a way, I suppose I do. I want us to be friends again, Ross.’
He looked somewhat puzzled. ‘I don’t understand.’
Letting out a deep sigh she said, ‘I can’t believe you’ve forgotten already just how close we used to be. I miss you, darling.’
He became impatient. ‘For goodness’ sake, Laura, that was quite some time ago and you seem to have forgotten I’m now married!’
‘You don’t have to pretend to me, Ross. We all make mistakes. I can forgive yours!’
His eyes narrowed and he stared at her with disbelief. ‘You are wasting your time and mine. I have a wife I adore, believe me she is no mistake but the best thing that’s ever happened to me.’ He shook his head. ‘You don’t fool me for a minute. Mother put you up to this! She’ll do anything to get her own way. She may run my father’s life but she certainly doesn’t run mine. How pitiful!’ He pressed the intercom.
‘Will you please show Miss Kennet out, she’s leaving!’ He sat and
He was livid! ‘You see what I’m up against don’t you?’ He poured himself a drink. ‘Well that’s it! Tomorrow, I’ll make a determined effort to find office space!’
He caught sight of the painting. ‘When did that arrive?’
‘This morning. Max was just leaving and met Gloria on the doorstep. She didn’t like it, of course, and told me as much.’
He stood for a while studying it. ‘You’re right you know, the way he’s caught the evening light is really quite special. I’d say this was a good investment. It should be worth something in time.’
Valerie was appalled. ‘I’d never ever sell it!’ she proclaimed. ‘You bought it for me as a gift and I’ll keep it, thank you!’
‘All right darling, I was only making an observation.’
Later as they sat down to dinner, Valerie questioned him further about moving his office.
‘Will you take your clients with you?’ she asked.
‘I’ll give them the choice, of course, but I doubt I’ll lose any of them. They won’t want to start all over again with someone new. I really want to get into corporate litigation. Dad wouldn’t hear of it, but that’s where the money is to be made.’
‘You’ll need more staff won’t you?’
‘Yes, of course. Once I’ve procured my office space, I’ll advertise but …’ he hesitated.
‘What?’
‘I know one or two of the younger members in Dad’s office are chomping at the bit to move on and I do believe they might be interested in coming with me.’
Valerie grimaced. ‘That will put the cat among the pigeons!’
‘What on earth does that mean?’
Laughing she explained. ‘It’s a British saying meaning, that will cause a furore.’
‘It’s been on the cards for a while really, but Dad will be surprised. He only wants to see what he wants. The fact that I might leave, I don’t suppose has ever entered his head.’
‘Your mother will have a fit! I wonder what she’ll have to say?’
But Gloria Johnson, unable to get Valerie to intervene, had another plan. She was determined as always to get her own way and she put her plan to work the following morning after her visit to Valerie.
Ross was working on his papers for an approaching court case when his secretary rang his intercom.
‘What is it?’ asked Ross
‘Miss Laura Kennet to see you, sir.’
He frowned. Whatever did Laura want? ‘Show her in,’ he said.
Laura, dressed immaculately, sauntered into the room, smiling and walking round the desk, kissed Ross on the mouth – to his surprise – then sat down.
‘Good morning, Laura. This is a surprise. What can I do for you?’
She gazed coyly at him. ‘So very formal darling!’
‘You’ve come to see me at my office, Laura, so I assume you want some advice?’
She crossed her legs, hoisting up her skirt just enough to be provocative. ‘In a way, I suppose I do. I want us to be friends again, Ross.’
He looked somewhat puzzled. ‘I don’t understand.’
Letting out a deep sigh she said, ‘I can’t believe you’ve forgotten already just how close we used to be. I miss you, darling.’
He became impatient. ‘For goodness’ sake, Laura, that was quite some time ago and you seem to have forgotten I’m now married!’
‘You don’t have to pretend to me, Ross. We all make mistakes. I can forgive yours!’
His eyes narrowed and he stared at her with disbelief. ‘You are wasting your time and mine. I have a wife I adore, believe me she is no mistake but the best thing that’s ever happened to me.’ He shook his head. ‘You don’t fool me for a minute. Mother put you up to this! She’ll do anything to get her own way. She may run my father’s life but she certainly doesn’t run mine. How pitiful!’ He pressed the intercom.
‘Will you please show Miss Kennet out, she’s leaving!’ He sat and
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