Buttoned-Up Secretary, British Boss by Susanne James Read Free Book Online

difficulty so far,’ Sabrina said neatly, suddenly rattled at the company she was in, and realizing that she herself had hardly uttered a word to anyone yet.
    Lucinda shrugged. ‘Efficient typists are difficult to find; I know that to my cost,’ she said. ‘Though I’m afraid secretarial work would drive me absolutely bonkers, whoever I was working for,’ she added. ‘I mean, any office work is deadly boring—surely only a stop-gap before finding other more intellectually fulfilling occupations for the more intelligent among us?’ She blinked, her false eyelashes sweeping her cheek. ‘I run my own marketing company,’ she drawled importantly. ‘Which regularly keeps me out of the country. But I’m afraid my secretary in the London office comes under the heading of “brain dead”. Lazy and utterly useless!’
    The others all tittered at that, and Alexander cut in calmly, ‘You’ve obviously lost your powers of discernment, Lucinda,’ he said. ‘I have no such problems. Janet was a loyal, hard-working, good-natured professional and was seldom away. She was with me for fifteen years.’ He paused, glancing at Sabrina. ‘And I very much hope that Sabrina will beat that,’ he added, though thinking that that wasn’t likely. Sabrina would want to return to her own line when the time was right.
    Lucinda slipped her arm through Alexander’s and held him to her. ‘Oh, we don’t want to waste time talking about boring work. Now, Alex, you do remember our little arrangement…?’ she said eagerly.
    The expression on Alexander’s face told its own storyas he stared at the woman. He answered coolly, ‘What arrangement was that?’
    ‘Oh, you must remember, surely?’ Lucinda cried.
    ‘Bad luck, Lucinda,’ the others laughed. ‘We told you he wouldn’t have given it another thought!’
    ‘Then I’ll remind you, Alex,’ Lucinda persisted. ‘We agreed that when I came back to the UK, if neither of us had, shall we say, settled down, we’d see what fate had in store for us. Remember now?’
    ‘It was all a very long time ago, Lucinda,’ Alexander said calmly, thinking, and I only said that to keep you out of my face.
    ‘Well, Lydia has certainly not forgotten,’ Lucinda said. She paused. ‘Your mother has prepared the west wing for anyone who might need it tonight, Alex—who may prefer not to go home until tomorrow, I mean.’ She looked up into Alexander’s eyes. ‘We’ll be able to discuss things, Alex, be alone. It’ll be like getting to know each other all over again.’
    Sabrina felt herself go hot and cold with embarrassment at the unbridled talk going on over her head. Not embarrassed on her own behalf, but on Alexander’s. But he merely shrugged his shoulders as if Lucinda had just given out the weather forecast.
    ‘No can do, I’m afraid.’ he said casually. ‘It’s always an early start on Mondays, and deadlines are deadlines.’
    At that moment, Lydia came up to them, her face wreathed in smiles as she saw her son surrounded by adoring females. Totally ignoring Sabrina, she said, ‘There, isn’t this wonderful? There’s nothing like a get-together with old friends!’ She glanced at the expensive gold watch on her wrist. ‘Dinner’s being served, so come along, everyone—the night is young!’
    Sabrina suddenly felt angry at the situation she was in, because it was being made absolutely clear that she was not really a guest. After all, Alexander hadn’t even told his mother he was bringing her. Nothing so far had managed to put Sabrina at her ease. She was like a fish out of water. How could he have put her in this position, and not give a thought to her sensitivities?
    By now the noise and forced gaiety in the overcrowded room was deafening, making Sabrina’s head thump uncomfortably. Then she was aware that Lydia had moved next to her son, not bothering to keep her voice down.
    ‘What on earth made you decide to bring someone—that woman—with you tonight,