lunch by then, I suppose.â
âOh, yes, theyâre all going out to lunch, eh?â Normaâs brow had darkened. âNo question of anybody inviting us, youâll notice.â
âDid you think they would?â
âWell, you shouldâve been asked, Roz. Youâve worked with Mr MacKenna for a long time.â
âI think he would have liked to invite me, but heâs the one being taken, you see. It wasnât his place to tag me along.â
âWell, maybe the new chap will have different ideas.â Normaâs eyes gleamed. âIf you ask me, I think heâll be different altogether from the guys weâve got now.â
As Miss Calder came tapping along the hall, Roz shook her head warningly, and Norma, colouring up, rapidly began to sort a sheaf of papers on the reception desk.
âEverything ready for the presentation, Miss Rainey?â Miss Calder asked. âMustnât mislay the briefcase, must we?â
âNo, Miss Calder. Itâs safe here in Reception.â
âThatâs good. Now, when Mr Banks and the lawyers have gone to lunch, Iâd like you both to help me put out some glasses in Mr Banksâs room. Thereâs going to be wine and sherry provided, so that we can all drink Mr MacKennaâs health and wish him luck.â
âOoh, nice!â cried Norma.
âWhat a lovely idea,â said Roz.
âYes, Mr Banks is always thoughtful like that, of course. Donât forget to put out a glass for Mrs MacKenna. Sheâs coming in to say goodbye, too.â Miss Calder gave a brief smile. âWe didnât see her often, but she was always very pleasant when she looked in.â
âVery pleasant,â agreed Roz, whoâd always found her so on the rare occasions when theyâd met.
âNow, our new Mr Shield isnât married,â Miss Calder went on, rather unusually staying a moment to chat. âBut then he is very young.â
Catching Normaâs look, she laughed a little. âPerhaps you donât think so, Miss Ward, but to me he seems that. Not of course that I mean he is too youthful,â she added hastily, yet giving the distinct impression she did mean exactly that. âWell, I must go â I have things to do. You too, girls. Donât forget to put out the glasses and some small plates for potato crisps. Iâll leave out some packets.â
As she tapped away, Roz said yes, she must get back to the property department, but the irrepressible Norma couldnât resist a last word or two.
âFancy her going on about Mr Shieldâs age,â she whispered. âBet I know whatâs bothering her.â
âWhat?â asked Roz, mystified.
âWell, what she probably thinks is that heâs too young to be working with you. Now donât look like that â you know what I mean.â
âI do not!â cried Roz. âWhatâs it matter how old we are?â
âWell, Mr MacKenna was old enough to be your father, eh? And Mr Shield isnât. So, if the two of you are always together â¦â
âOh, Norma, youâre hopeless! Mr Shieldâs only just started and youâre talking like that? Heâs here to do a job, and so am I, and thatâs all there is to it!â
âOK, OK, Iâm just joking. No offence, Roz.â
âAll right, but letâs just cut out all that stuff, eh?â
âSure.â Norma drew her finger across her throat and laughed. âI promise never to say another word!â
âThatâll be the day,â said Roz, hurrying back to the property department and, without meeting the eyes of either Mr MacKenna or Mr Shield, made for her own office and closed the door.
Fifteen
In fact, the lawyers were not late back from their lunch, Mr MacKenna having said that he needed to be back in good time to complete his handover to Mr Shield before the end of the day. Even so, the men were all
Elise Marion
Shirley Walker
Black Inc.
Connie Brockway
Al Sharpton
C. Alexander London
Liesel Schwarz
John B. Garvey, Mary Lou Widmer
Abhilash Gaur