Read Online Dreams to Sell by Anne Douglas - Free Book Online

mother for once forgetting Dougal. ‘When am I going to meet him, then?’
    â€˜Oh, not just yet,’ Chrissie answered. ‘But you will meet him, Roz, I promise, and then you’ll understand why I think he’s so nice. Meantime, what’s happening with you? When’s your new boss starting?’
    â€˜Next week,’ Roz said swiftly. ‘I’m already collecting for Mr MacKenna’s leaving present. We’re going to get him a new briefcase.’
    â€˜And then he’ll be away?’ asked Flo. ‘Shame, eh? When you got on so well?’
    â€˜He’ll have a day to show Mr Shield the routine and then he’ll be off to Aberdeen.’ Roz sighed. ‘Sold his own house here, you know, in no time at all. Some friend wanted it and Mr MacKenna let him have it without it going to sealed bids, which is just the sort of thing he would do.’
    â€˜You’ll just have to hope that this new chap is as nice,’ Chrissie told her comfortingly. ‘He’s younger, anyway.’
    â€˜As though that matters,’ said Flo, looking into space. ‘I wonder when Dougal’s coming home for that weekend he mentioned? I hope he won’t be wearing his uniform.’
    Oh, dear, thought Roz, catching Chrissie’s eye. There they were – back to Dougal again. She supposed it was only to be expected.
    The big day came at last – Mr Shield’s first and Mr MacKenna’s last. Roz, who had spent half the previous night worrying what to wear, eventually wore what she usually wore to work – white blouse, dark jacket, dark skirt – and arrived at the office hoping to be first there. Mr MacKenna, however, was already at his desk, with Mr Shield in his formal suit with hair well flattened sitting next to him, surrounded by files and papers.
    â€˜Ah, here’s Miss Rainey,’ Mr MacKenna said cheerfully, as both men rose to their feet. ‘She’ll soon sort us out.’
    â€˜I’m not late, am I?’ she asked, as Mr Shield favoured her with his smile. Mr MacKenna smiled too.
    â€˜Haven’t we had this conversation before? No, it’s just that we came in early, to get on with the handover.’
    â€˜Is there anything I can do?’ asked Roz.
    â€˜I don’t think so, thanks. I’m just going through my notes and the legal stuff with Mr Shield here.’
    Roz hesitated, her thoughts concerned with the presentation of the briefcase that was to take place in the afternoon.
    â€˜Will you be going out to lunch at the usual time, Mr MacKenna?’
    â€˜Oh, yes, Mr Banks is taking us both out, with the partners.’ Mr MacKenna looked apologetic. ‘Sorry we couldn’t all have gone.’
    â€˜That’s quite all right.’
    She smiled, aware of a sympathetic look in the new lawyer’s eyes. As though she’d expect to go out to lunch with Mr Banks and the partners! From the door, she asked if they would excuse her as she must just check something with Miss Ward, and as they returned to their files she sped along the hall to Norma at Reception.
    â€˜The briefcase,’ she said to Norma urgently. ‘It’s still there under the counter, eh?’
    â€˜Sure it is. Why wouldn’t it be?’
    â€˜I don’t know, I’m just worried because I had to collect the money and help Mr Newman choose it, then wrap it up and all that. If anything happens to it, I’m responsible.’
    â€˜Honestly, anybody’d think it was the royal regalia!’ Norma cried, laughing. ‘Look, here it is, and our farewell card as well, with all our signatures.’
    â€˜Oh, thanks, that’s grand.’ Roz studied the large parcel wrapped in red paper and tied with a bow. ‘Just as long as we know where it is when it’s time for the presentation.’
    â€˜That’s not till this afternoon.’
    â€˜I know.’ Roz laughed. ‘Should be back from their