Catier's strike by Jane Corrie Read Free Book Online Page A

stupid story! 'Of all the ridiculous ideas!' she fumed at him. 'I gave you more credit than that.' She flung the cablegram back at him. `And I give Eddie more credit than to believe it. Is that all you wanted to see me about?' she demanded. 'I understand I'm being taken off kitchen duties. No doubt you've some other delightful work lined up for me,' she added pithily.
    Sean continued to study her. 'I like you in a temper,' he said softly. 'It brings out the wildcat in you. I'm going to enjoy bringing you down to earth—you've got too exalted an opinion of yourself. All those admirers have gone to your head. Still, all that's changed from now on. You're right about the new job,' he added airily. 'I can't have my fiancée doing menial work, can I?'
    Sarah stared at him. That wasn't the only thing she had been right about, she thought. He had lost his senses!
    His eyes mocked her. 'I think you'd better sit down before you fall down,' he suggested silkily. `Yes, I did say fiancée . As you so rightly pointed out, your editor wouldn't have accepted a vague reference of you settling down; I had to make it more plausible. I told him that no future wife of mine would be 'expected to earn her living—also,' he paused, and his eyes narrowed as they met Sarah's wide stare, 'that I wouldn't hear of your going back without me.' He gave a mirthless smile. 'I guess your editor's just an old softie underneath that hard exterior. Said he'd known it would happen one day, and asked for an invitation to the wedding.'
    Sarah did sit. Her legs did not seem able to carry her weight. She wanted to shout and scream at this man, who looked sane enough, but must be mad, shouting wouldn't get her anywhere, she thought dully, it would only give him more cause to hit out at her. Her only hope was in playing the game his way until she could get away.
    At that moment the telephone on the desk rang, and Sean frowned at the instrument that dared to interrupt his enjoyment of watching the different emotions that ran the whole gamut from disbelief to resigned weariness on Sarah's face. His abrupt 'Yes,' as he picked the phone up said it all. 'Well, send someone out there,' he barked out authoritatively, 'and then get on to the coach firm and give them a rocket. We've got more to
    do than pander to their incompetence!' He slammed the phone down and transferred his annoyance to Sarah. 'That will be one of your jobs now,' he said tersely. 'You're the official press secretary for the site from now on. You'll also deal with any other enquiry that comes in—apart, that is, from the actual work on the site; that's my province, and you'd be wise to remember that. No snooping around—got that?' he added harshly.
    Sarah took a deep breath. She couldn't see a great deal of work coming her way under those stipulations, but it was better than nothing. At least she would be in contact with the outside world. As for the other position he had landed her in—well, she didn't want to go too deeply into that.
    Her silence was taken as acceptance, and if he was disappointed by her non-reaction, he did not show it as he jerked his desk drawer open and all but threw a notebook at Sarah. 'You can make a note to charge time and a half to Sunset Tours for the use of a site tractor. A damn fool driver's got stuck in a rut a mile away from camp. They know full well they have to take it easy along that route, but they're always trying to beat time.'
    Sarah duly made a note in the book, then looked up at him. 'Aren't you trying to beat time, too?' she asked, and at Sean's raised brows, went on, 'the wet won't be long, will it?'
    His blue eyes studied her. 'So that's what you've got in mind, is it?' he said. 'Counting on a three-week drudge, are you? No wonder you took it so well! I'm afraid I've got a nasty surprise in
    store for you. Sure, we stop excavating for the time being, but that's when the real work is done. Paper work, I'm talking about, and we've enough to work on to keep us