One Rainy Day (12 page)

‘You can tell him about it, Charlotte, but don’t mention it to Mother, for she wouldn’t approve of me bringing you somewhere like this.’

‘You will bring me again, though, won’t you?’ his sister begged. ‘If I ask you nicely?’

‘Only if you will be quiet while I tell you what happened today.’

‘What did happen today, Andrew? Was it something that pleased you?’

‘I bumped into the young lady I pushed over yesterday. You remember her, don’t you?’

‘Of course I do! I could hardly forget such a happening. Did you ask if she had been hurt?’

‘She barely spoke to me. I offered to compensate her for the cleaning or repairing of her coat, but she said she would never take money off me, and as she was perfectly all right I shouldn’t worry about her. It was an accident and couldn’t be helped. And with that she flounced off as though she couldn’t get away quickly enough. Oh, she did say my girlfriend had been very kind, and when I said you were not my girlfriend but my sister, she said you were very pretty.’

‘That was nice of her, considering the circumstances. Although I have to say she is far prettier than me. I really thought she was quite beautiful.’

Andrew nodded. ‘I would very much like to see her again. To get to know her. I really was taken with her, Charlotte, but unfortunately she doesn’t want to know.’

His sister leaned across the small table to look into his face. ‘I do believe you’ve fallen for her, Andrew. Or am I imagining it? Has Cupid been busy with his arrow?’

‘I’ve only met her twice, and she’s made it quite plain that she would be perfectly happy never to set eyes on me again. And yet I can’t get her out of my mind. I have never felt like this about any girl, my dear sister, and I hope I can trust you to keep what I’ve told you a secret. I don’t know the girl’s name, or where she lives or works, or if she already has a boyfriend, or even a husband. All I know is that she walks past our office block every day, or has done for the last two days, and she delivers letters for a firm. And while I am very sure that I would like to get to know her, she seems equally sure she doesn’t want to have anything to do with me. I’m telling you this because I need to tell someone.’

‘How could she not like you?’ Charlotte couldn’t understand anyone’s not liking her brother. He was good-looking, kind, caring and very lovable. ‘I’m sure if she got to know you she would like you. If you’ve met her two days running at the same time, why can’t you meet her tomorrow? Wait for her to come along and pretend it’s a coincidence.’

‘I’m sure she wouldn’t fall for that. In fact it would probably cause her to change her route, and then I’d never see her again. I don’t even know her name, so how can I find out where she works or lives?’

Charlotte had many ideas running through her head at the
same time, making it impossible to think straight. She’d go over it in bed tonight, and come up with a way to help the brother she loved. ‘Can I make a suggestion, Andrew? I know I’m not as clever as you, but if you let a week go by before bumping into this girl of mystery, then she wouldn’t think anything of it. She’d put it down to being a pure accident. But don’t push her too hard, or she might not like it. As you say, she may already be spoken for.’

Andrew sighed. His sister was right. He couldn’t push the girl into liking him. He’d leave it for a week, and then try again. If persistence might pay off, then persist he would.

While she was sorting the morning mail into separate piles for the two partners, Poppy kept an eye out for Jean Slater coming out of Mr John’s office, where the secretary was at present taking dictation from him. She’d been summoned to his office soon after he arrived, for apparently when he reached his home last night he had remembered a very important letter that should have been answered by return of post. It was from one of the firm’s best clients, and he had put it aside, intending to give it special attention after he’d dictated replies to the other letters. However, the matter had slipped his mind. Now he wanted a reply sent off as soon as possible, which meant, of course, that Poppy would be ordered to deliver it post-haste. And he would probably check the times she left the office and returned.

Poppy heard the office door open and Jean came out with pad and pencil in her hand, and a not too happy expression on her face. She rolled her eyes as she passed Poppy’s desk, and said softly, ‘He slips up, but everyone else has to take the blame. He can be very unpleasant when things don’t go his way, and if I didn’t need the money I’d have told him long ago to get lost.’

Poppy made sure the office door was still closed before crossing the floor to the secretary’s desk. ‘If you think you are
hard done by, how d’yer think I feel? I’m the sucker who will be expected to deliver that letter, running all the way. Is it any wonder I want to get away?’

‘Are you still intent on shorthand lessons?’ Jean asked. ‘You’d be a fool if you don’t.’

‘I’ve already signed up for the full course. Two nights a week for twelve weeks.’

‘Good for you.’ Jean put a sheet of paper into the typewriter. ‘If and when you do qualify, don’t take a job here if Mr John offers you one. I’ve seen the way he looks at you, and you’d be better off with another firm. He likes the ladies does Mr John, and with his money there’s plenty of empty-headed females that fall for him. He never tells them he’s a married man with children, though; he conveniently forgets that. I feel sorry for his wife.’ She gave a sigh as she thought of the long day ahead. ‘Anyway, I’ll get on with this letter or he’ll have something else to find fault with.’

‘Just before yer start, Jean, can I have a quick word? Now I’ve got me mind set on bettering meself, I can’t wait to start. So can yer tell me where I could buy a book on shorthand, so I’ll at least know a little about it when I go to the first lesson next Monday?’

Jean opened a side drawer in her desk and took out a book. ‘You can have this. I don’t need it any more. As you can see, it has been well thumbed, but you might learn something from it. And persevere, Poppy, because you deserve better than this. It may take you weeks to get the hang of it, but keep going because it’ll pay off in the end.’

Poppy was just closing her desk drawer after putting the book inside when Mr John came through from his office. ‘Have you finished that letter yet, Miss Slater? I did tell you it was urgent.’ He took a watch out of the pocket of his waistcoat
and glared, as though the watch was responsible for his mistake. If the client, who was a very important person, rang his father to complain, there would be a real rumpus. The only person Mr John didn’t look down on was his formidable father.

‘I shall have it ready in five minutes, Mr John,’ Jean said, her fingers flying over the keys. ‘I’ll bring it in for you to check as soon as I’ve finished.’

‘No time for that. As you get paid for being a competent secretary, there should be no spelling errors. I shall merely sign it, and then Miss Meadows can deliver it by hand as quickly as possible.’

Poppy could see Jean’s back stiffen and knew the secretary was finding it hard to refrain from giving her very ungentlemanly boss the answer he deserved. So Poppy spoke up with a smile on her face, hoping to smooth things over. ‘If I can run as quickly as Miss Slater types, the recipient will soon have the letter in his hand. She is the quickest typist I’ve ever seen.’

John stood in front of Poppy’s desk, and whether he intended to rebuke her or not no one would ever know, for one look at that beautiful face, with its generous mouth, wonderfully shaped lips and laughing hazel eyes, was enough to restore both his good temper and his appetite for a closer relationship with the delightful typist. ‘I’ll order a cab for you, Miss Meadows. We can’t have you running there and back. As soon as Miss Slater has the letter ready, I shall ring the taxi company.’

Poppy was stunned. But she soon regained her voice when she saw the lust in his eyes. ‘Certainly not, Mr John. I get paid to deliver the letters and I wouldn’t dream of allowing you to call me a taxi. We can’t have the rest of the staff thinking it’s favouritism. It would cause me a lot of trouble. Teacher’s pet, that sort of thing.’ Poppy gave him her brightest smile, thinking she’d gone far enough. The last thing she needed was to lose
her job. ‘It was very thoughtful of you, and I appreciate that. But I quite enjoy the walk each day.’

Although Jean Slater had been typing at her usual speed, she hadn’t missed a word of the conversation going on behind her back. And she gave full marks to Poppy. Most of the typists would have jumped at the offer of a taxi to take them on their rounds, but they would never be given the chance because they didn’t have the looks or figure to whet Mr John’s sexual appetite.

‘The letter is ready now, if you will sign it, Mr John?’ Jean placed the letter flat on her desk, and as soon as her boss had signed it she called Poppy over. ‘Wait for an answer, Miss Meadows.’

Mr John stood behind the two women. ‘And come to my office the instant you get back, Miss Meadows, as the answer may require a response.’

Poppy didn’t reply. She picked up the letter, took her coat from the stand and left the office. Once out in the street, with people passing to and fro, she stood for a few seconds shivering. That was the effect John Sutherland had on her. The sooner she didn’t have to see his lustful eyes, or feel his breath on her neck when he was leaning closer than necessary, the happier she would be. Roll on the next few months.

Poppy didn’t take her usual route up Castle Street, for fear of bumping into that bloke again. She thought she’d heard his sister call him Andrew, but she wasn’t sure. Anyway, she’d go a different way today, just in case. It wasn’t that she was angry with him – what happened had been a pure accident. And she didn’t dislike him, for he seemed a nice, polite bloke. In fact she couldn’t put her finger on why she felt uncomfortable in his presence, she just did. Perhaps it was because he was so well spoken and wore such expensive
clothes that he made her feel inferior. But Poppy dismissed that idea as she ran up the steps to the office where the letter was to be delivered. There was no reason to feel inferior: she was as good as anyone. Her mother had drummed that into her and David when they were young and money was tight. Clothes don’t make the man or woman, she used to tell them. It’s what’s inside that counts.

‘You’re early today, Poppy.’ The woman sitting at the desk behind the open window smiled. ‘An hour early, to be exact.’

Poppy handed the letter over. ‘My boss told me to deliver this as quickly as possible.’ She pulled a face. ‘I didn’t mind me mam telling me to run all the way there and back when I was a kid going to the corner shop on a message, but I’m a bit old to be spoken to like that now. If I didn’t need the money, I’d have told him to keep his job.’

The woman, whose name was Amy Wright, checked whom the letter was addressed to before saying, ‘If I was a betting woman, I’d lay ten to one that your boss is the young Mr Sutherland, and this letter should have been here yesterday. Am I right?’

Poppy nodded. ‘I don’t know what happened. Mr John must have slipped up. He wouldn’t admit it, though – he’s too big-headed to confess he’d made a mistake. Anyway, I’ve got to hang around for an answer, so can I come through and wait? It’s blowing a gale and freezing out here.’

Amy grinned. ‘It’s not much warmer in this tiny cubbyhole. I’ve only got a one-bar electric fire. Anyway, Poppy, come on through. I’ll take the letter up to Mr Fortune and see if he wants to reply straight away or not. Stand near the fire and warm yourself ready for the return journey. I’ll be as quick as I can be, but like you I don’t have a very understanding boss.’

Amy Wright was back before Poppy had time to feel the
benefit of the pitifully inadequate electric fire. ‘I don’t know whether I’m better off than you or not, Amy. Half an hour ago I would have gladly swapped places with yer, but at least we have heating in our office, whereas yer could freeze to death in here.’

‘The partners here have heating in their offices, but they’re too tight-fisted to consider the rest of us.’ Amy sighed. ‘Anyway Poppy, there’s no reply for you to take back. Mr Sutherland will be getting a telephone call. And if a tone of voice is anything to go by, the conversation is going to be a heated one.’

Poppy chuckled. ‘Oh, I hope he gets cut down to size. It’s about time someone gave him down the banks. He loves his little self, but God’s gift to women he isn’t.’ She wrapped her scarf tightly round her neck and shivered. ‘I’ll get going and walk quickly to keep meself warm. And I think I’d be wise to keep out of Mr John’s way. If I see him coming, I’ll make a dash for the ladies. That’s one place he wouldn’t dare enter.’ She walked out of the door, then waved to Amy through the window. ‘See yer tomorrow. Ta-ra.’

Waiting to cross the busy main road to get to the office, Poppy saw Mr John coming out of the building. He was wearing a scarf tucked inside his tailored overcoat, and his hands were being kept warm by fur-lined gloves. Poppy was hoping to avoid him, but unfortunately he had spotted her, and he waited for her to cross the road. There was no smarmy smile on his face now, and his words were clipped when he said, ‘See the rest of the mail is attended to, Miss Meadows, as I have an important meeting to attend. It is possible I won’t be back in the office until early afternoon. In that case I want you to keep yourself busy going though the filing cabinets and making sure all files are in order. My
absence is no excuse for shirking. Is that quite clearly understood?’

‘Yes, Mr John,’ Poppy said aloud. But in her mind she was saying that understanding didn’t mean doing. She wasn’t a shirker by nature, but being spoken to as though she was not only lazy but also stupid was hard to take. Nobody, no matter how rich they were, should look down their nose at someone just because they weren’t rolling in money.

Back in the office, Poppy found Jean Slater so angry and tearful she could hardly speak. ‘Wait until I hang my coat up, and then we can go to the ladies and you can tell me what it is that’s upsetting you. There’s no hurry, ’cos I’ve just met Mr John and he won’t be back before our dinner break.’ Her coat on the stand, Poppy took Jean’s arm and steered her from the office.