'Thick black hair cut very short and he was wearing one of those short sheepskin coats. 'Oh, big and broad and very attractive,' murmured Caroline, smiling. What was he like anyway? To look at, I mean?' 'Well, you know best about that, I suppose. 'Rather older than you,' she remarked dryly. 'Oh, in his thirties, I'd say,' replied Caroline blandly. 'Ruth, if she could hear you! By the way, that reminds me, I came up in the lift with the most gorgeous man this morning.' Maybe she's got herself a man at last.'Ĭaroline giggled. 'You've only been here a fortnight and I've never known her understand about anybody sleeping in before, let alone a new girl. Ruth, who was nineteen and two years older than Caroline, raised her eyebrows. Today she simply said she knew what it was like with alarms and that I should hurry and catch up with my work.' I've only been late once before and that time she was furious about it. 'Oh, I was only wondering why Miss Morgan was so understanding this morning. 'Penny for them,' remarked Ruth, bringing Caroline back to earth abruptly.Ĭaroline smiled. Ruth was smoking, but Caroline was sitting staring thoughtfully into space, her shoulder-length hair framing her piquantly attractive face. It was ten-thirty and the typing pool staff were allowed ten minutes for their coffee break. Caroline Sinclair sat drinking her morning coffee with a fellow typist, Ruth Weston. 'Who else?' said Adam easily, entering his office and closing the door firmly behind him. 'Miss Morgan in the typing pool?' exclaimed Laura. Oh, and Miss Freeman, get me Miss Morgan on the phone immediately please.' 'No, don't bother, I'll ring when I want you. 'The mail is on your desk,' she said in her most. Laura remained unembarrassed, and refused to rise to his baiting. I could almost hear the wires tingling as I rode up in the elevator.' 'Surely reception hasn't slipped up for once. 'Come now, Miss Freeman,' remarked Adam, crossing the room to his own office. 'Why, Mr Steinbeck,' she exclaimed as though surprised at his appearance. Their relationship remained strictly businesslike, much to Laura's chagrin.Īs he closed the door now she looked up and upon seeing him she rose to her feet. Adam was well aware of her personal feelings for him but could not find any appeal in her himself. Whereas the rather severe style made some women look austere, with Laura Freeman it merely enhanced her good looks, giving her a businesslike air. She always looked bandbox fresh and wore her long dark hair piled on top of her head in a neat knot. Laura Freeman was thirty and had been with him for over ten years. He entered the outer office of his own domain and saw that his private secretary was diligently typing as though unaware of his arrival. The corridor here was thickly carpeted and all the rooms were soundproof and luxurious. He had his own staff of typists and his personal assistant, John Mercer, was in the adjoining office. His office suite was accommodated on this floor, along with the offices of his co-directors and the imposing board room. 'You may, indeed,' he said easily, and closed the gates, firmly pressing the button for the top floor. 'I trust you won't have too much trouble with Miss Morgan.' 'Yes, I work here,' he replied with a wry smile. 'Do you work here, too? Are you late as well? I've only been here two weeks, so of course I don't know everybody yet.' She stepped into the corridor. His rather dragon-like senior in the typing pool had always amused him. 'Yes,' she replied, trying to get her breath back. 'Do you work here?' he asked, realising that she was probably an employee of his, although as it was almost nine-thirty, she was obviously late. 'Oh, thank you,' she gasped with a smile, looking up at him with a pair of eyes which were incredibly green.Īdam closed the gates. It was obvious from her manner that she was unaware of his identity and the hall staff looked agitatedly at Adam who moved his shoulders in a slight, deprecating gesture and stood aside for the girl to enter the lift. He got a swift impression of long, straight, fair hair, almost white hair in fact, a tall slim body dressed in a dark blue duffel coat, a shoulder bag swinging from one hand. Wait for me!'įrowning slightly, Adam saw a girl rushing across the hall towards him. He stepped into the lift and was about to close the gates when a young voice called: 'Oh, please.