Read Online Sing as We Go by Margaret Dickinson - Free Book Online Page B

yes, that’d be lovely. Thanks, Kathy, I’d really like that.’
    As all the staff trooped out of the store, Mr Kendall was waiting by the main exit.
    ‘Good night, ladies. Miss Robinson, good night. Ah, Miss Burton . . .’ He put out his hand to draw her to one side. ‘Could you spare me a moment?’
    Kathy bit her lip. Amy would be waiting outside in the cold for her, but she smiled and stepped to one side. She saw Jemima glance back and raise her eyebrows but then she turned and walked on and out through the door.
    ‘Good night , Mr Kendall,’ Miss Curtis said pointedly a moment later as she passed by.
    ‘Miss Curtis,’ Mr Kendall murmured without looking at her, but he waited until Kathy’s superior had got through the door and out into the street. Kathy watched her go and saw her glance back as the door closed behind her. The look on the other woman’s face shocked the girl. It was hatred.
    She was so shocked that it took her a few moments to gather her wits and to concentrate on what Mr Kendall was saying to her.
    ‘I just wanted to tell you, Miss Burton, how very pleased I am with your progress. Better than I could possibly have hoped, and rather than keep you wondering for a further two weeks, I’d like you to know that I’m happy to confirm you appointment as permanent.’
    ‘Oh!’ Kathy blushed. ‘Thank you very much, Mr Kendall.’
    ‘Good night, Mr Kendall.’ Another member of staff passed by and the store manager smiled briefly and nodded ‘good night’.
    ‘And now that you’re a permanent member of the staff here,’ he went on. ‘I was wondering if you would have dinner with me one evening.’
    Kathy’s eyes widened. ‘Dinner? With – with you?’
    He smiled and tiny lines around his dark brown eyes crinkled and then he adopted a hangdog look. ‘You don’t want to?’
    ‘Oh yes, I mean, I don’t know if I should. I mean – is it – well – allowed?’ she stammered, completely at a loss to know what to say.
    Of course she’d love to go out with this handsome, debonair man, but for some reason she could not explain, she had the uncomfortable feeling that Jemima Robinson would not approve.
    Now he threw back his head and laughed aloud, and the last few stragglers leaving the store glanced at him in surprise. To her discomfort, Kathy saw two of the women from the ground floor, their heads close together, whispering to each other as they went out.
    ‘That’s one advantage of being the boss,’ Tony Kendall said. ‘There are only the store owners who might object and I don’t think either of them will.’ When she still said nothing, he added, ‘So – would you like to go out with me?’
    Suddenly there was something endearing about the little-boy hesitancy in his tone, as if he really feared she might refuse. Now Kathy felt shy too. It was the first time, the very first time that any man – apart from Morry, and he didn’t count – had asked her out.
    ‘I’d love to,’ she said softly. ‘If you’re sure it would be all right.’
    ‘Of course I’m sure, but perhaps – ’ he touched her arm – ‘it would be better to keep this our secret, eh?’
    ‘Yes – er – yes, all right.’
    ‘Then how about next Saturday night?’
    ‘Yes, thank you,’ she stammered. ‘That – that would be lovely.’
    ‘I’ll book a table and let you know where to meet me. I’d offer to pick you up in my car, but you’re still lodging with Miss Robinson, aren’t you?’
    Kathy nodded.
    ‘Then I think it best we meet in town. All right?’
    Again, she nodded and then found herself being ushered from the store, her head in a whirl.
    As she stepped out on to the wet pavement, Amy hurried forward out of the shadows. ‘There you are! I thought you’d got lost. Or had to stay behind in detention. Been a naughty girl, have you?’ She linked her arm through Kathy’s, not noticing how quiet her friend seemed. ‘Come on, we’ll have to hurry if we don’t want to miss some of the