Read Online To Dream Again by Laura Lee Guhrke - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Laura Lee Guhrke
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recognizing him as the secretary he had met several days earlier. He looked at the women who had again stopped work to watch. A glance below told him the men were also watching. Most of them couldn't hear what was said, but they understood what was happening and were wondering what their new boss would do.
"Mrs. Elliot," he began, "why don't we—"
"Those who work here are expected to arrive on time, sir. Even you."
He stared into her determined, angry eyes, and knew that she was challenging his authority, trying to establish control. He couldn't really blame her. He was once in her position, and he'd done the same. Nonetheless, he couldn't allow it. He tried again. "Mrs. Elliot—"
"Your tardiness must not become a habit," she interrupted him a second time. "I must insist that you be punctual."
Nathaniel didn't like to humiliate anyone, especially a woman. He found that charm was usually more effective than force. But she really hadn't left him any choice. If the employees saw him back down to her, he would never earn their respect. He had to make it clear in front of everyone that he was the boss. He pulled a snowy white handkerchief out of his pocket.
"Mr. Chase," she went on, "I realize that you have very little concern for time, but this is a factory. We have a schedule, we have quotas to meet."
He gave reason one last try. "Yes, I know, but—"
"I cannot permit you to set this kind of example. If I do, there will be nothing but problems. And as for your presumptuous behavior..."
He reached out with the handkerchief the moment she paused for breath, stuffing the center between her teeth and tying the ends behind her head, effectively cutting off her lecture. "You're quite right, Mrs. Elliot. It wouldn't do for us to set a bad example. It wouldn't do at all."
He smiled at her, ignoring the murderous look in her eyes. Amid the laughter that rose above the puff of steam engines, she whirled around and walked away, her hands reaching up to untie the knot of his handkerchief. She tore it from her lips and strode past Percy, then disappeared down the stairs.
Nathaniel followed her as far as the stairs and halted
before the man standing there. He held out his hand. "I'm Mrs. Elliot's new partner."
The other man continued to stare at him and said nothing.
Nathaniel glanced at the stairs leading to the next floor. "I'd like to see the rest of the factory. What's up there?"
"The first floor is used for storage. The second floor is empty."
Nathaniel looked around. "I've seen all there is to see on the ground floor." He gestured to the stairs. "Lead on."
Percy hesitated only a moment before he answered. "Of course."
The two men went up to the first floor, which consisted of one huge room. Nathaniel took a glance around, noting that there were plenty of tables and chairs. Packing crates and pieces of equipment that were no longer needed lined the walls. He continued up the stairs, and Percy followed.
The second floor was also one huge room. Columns rose to the high ceiling, supporting the flat roof, and a row of windows let in the light. A sink and faucet stood in the far corner, there was a view of the Thames in the distance, and stairs at the other end went up to the roof. He could have his office and laboratory here. He could even live here. It would be convenient, and he'd have plenty of room when the rest of his things arrived.
He faced the other man. "Is there any management staff employed here?"
There was a long pause before Percy answered. "No, sir."
"Not even a foreman?"
"No, sir."
Nathaniel sighed. "Percy, you don't have to call me sir. Who supervises production?"
"Mrs. Elliot handles that."
Before Nathaniel could ask any more questions, Percy asked one of his own. "Are you planning to turn Elliot Electrical into a toy company?"
"Yes."
"I see." Percy opened his mouth as if to ask another question, but closed it again without speaking.
"Percy, you may not believe this, but I know what I'm doing. I
"Mrs. Elliot," he began, "why don't we—"
"Those who work here are expected to arrive on time, sir. Even you."
He stared into her determined, angry eyes, and knew that she was challenging his authority, trying to establish control. He couldn't really blame her. He was once in her position, and he'd done the same. Nonetheless, he couldn't allow it. He tried again. "Mrs. Elliot—"
"Your tardiness must not become a habit," she interrupted him a second time. "I must insist that you be punctual."
Nathaniel didn't like to humiliate anyone, especially a woman. He found that charm was usually more effective than force. But she really hadn't left him any choice. If the employees saw him back down to her, he would never earn their respect. He had to make it clear in front of everyone that he was the boss. He pulled a snowy white handkerchief out of his pocket.
"Mr. Chase," she went on, "I realize that you have very little concern for time, but this is a factory. We have a schedule, we have quotas to meet."
He gave reason one last try. "Yes, I know, but—"
"I cannot permit you to set this kind of example. If I do, there will be nothing but problems. And as for your presumptuous behavior..."
He reached out with the handkerchief the moment she paused for breath, stuffing the center between her teeth and tying the ends behind her head, effectively cutting off her lecture. "You're quite right, Mrs. Elliot. It wouldn't do for us to set a bad example. It wouldn't do at all."
He smiled at her, ignoring the murderous look in her eyes. Amid the laughter that rose above the puff of steam engines, she whirled around and walked away, her hands reaching up to untie the knot of his handkerchief. She tore it from her lips and strode past Percy, then disappeared down the stairs.
Nathaniel followed her as far as the stairs and halted
before the man standing there. He held out his hand. "I'm Mrs. Elliot's new partner."
The other man continued to stare at him and said nothing.
Nathaniel glanced at the stairs leading to the next floor. "I'd like to see the rest of the factory. What's up there?"
"The first floor is used for storage. The second floor is empty."
Nathaniel looked around. "I've seen all there is to see on the ground floor." He gestured to the stairs. "Lead on."
Percy hesitated only a moment before he answered. "Of course."
The two men went up to the first floor, which consisted of one huge room. Nathaniel took a glance around, noting that there were plenty of tables and chairs. Packing crates and pieces of equipment that were no longer needed lined the walls. He continued up the stairs, and Percy followed.
The second floor was also one huge room. Columns rose to the high ceiling, supporting the flat roof, and a row of windows let in the light. A sink and faucet stood in the far corner, there was a view of the Thames in the distance, and stairs at the other end went up to the roof. He could have his office and laboratory here. He could even live here. It would be convenient, and he'd have plenty of room when the rest of his things arrived.
He faced the other man. "Is there any management staff employed here?"
There was a long pause before Percy answered. "No, sir."
"Not even a foreman?"
"No, sir."
Nathaniel sighed. "Percy, you don't have to call me sir. Who supervises production?"
"Mrs. Elliot handles that."
Before Nathaniel could ask any more questions, Percy asked one of his own. "Are you planning to turn Elliot Electrical into a toy company?"
"Yes."
"I see." Percy opened his mouth as if to ask another question, but closed it again without speaking.
"Percy, you may not believe this, but I know what I'm doing. I
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