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

busy for quite some time.' He gave her another wolfish grin. 'You'll be well up on scientific data by the time the site starts operating again. For once, my reports won't be handwritten.' His grin widened. 'You know, I could make a good case out of keeping you on as my personal assistant. You haven't got a job, have you?'
    Sarah's fingers clutching the notebook stiffened. She said nothing, but her eyes spoke volumes.
    Sean nodded complacently. 'Not to your liking, eh? Well, that's to be expected. It's a bit of a come-down from your usual work. No more cosy dinners with intended victims, no more chat-ups in intimate surroundings. The only male in your vicinity will be someone who's wise to you. I'm willing to be entertained, of course,' his firm lips twisted disdainfully, 'but that's as far as it's going.' His blue, ice-cold eyes met hers. 'There'll be times, no doubt, when you'll think you've made a conquest, but I'm telling you now, there'll be nothing you can rely on, not from one day to the next,' he added grimly.
    Sarah's flush deepened, and her eyes flashed back at him. 'If you mean what I think you mean,' she said, hardly able to keep her voice on an even keel, she was so angry. 'You're living in a fool's paradise to even consider that I'd—' she stopped, lost for words.
    Sean's expressive brows lifted. 'Make a play for
    me?' he finished for her, and nodded grimly. `Sure you will. You're no different from the rest of your tribe. You couldn't resist it! Besides, I'm considered a good catch—or hadn't you heard that?' he jeered at her.
    Sarah was beyond replying. All she could think of was that she was stuck there for goodness knew how long. The work could go on for months, and if that wasn't bad enough, she was going to have to put up with this despicable character. She would have preferred the canteen work, and was tempted to ask to be kept on there, but decided not to make a point of it. He would enjoy turning the request down.
    `You can go back to your old quarters,' he went on. 'That way I can keep in touch with you. You can use the next room as an office—I'll get it fixed up while you sort through these notes of mine.' He thrust a bulky file at her. 'I hope you can read my writing. In any case, you've got plenty of time to study, haven't you?' he added hatefully, and got up and walked to the door. `Thank you for reminding me about the wet. I'll have a word with Mrs Pullman to make sure we've got enough supplies to keep us going if it gets really bad.'
    As the door slammed behind him, Sarah sat staring at the file in her hands, and after a brief glance through its contents, slammed it down on the desk. This was ridiculous! she thought angrily. She knew nothing about that kind of work, and what was more, she didn't want to know! Half her time would be spent in asking questions, and it just wasn't on!
    Her angry glance rested on the telephone on Sean's desk, and her eyes narrowed as a thought occurred to her. The next moment she had picked the receiver up and was immediately connected with an unseen source on the site that answered with a flat 'Yes?'
    Sarah immediately asked for an outside line. `Sorry, miss, only Mr Cartier can make outside calls,' replied the disembodied voice.
    Sarah took a deep breath. This was her only chance to contact the outside world, and she didn't intend to lose it. 'Look, I'm Sarah Helm. Mr Cartier has just appointed me as the site press secretary. I want to place a call to the Daily, Sydney office,' she ordered in a no-nonsense voice, hoping to intimidate the operator, but the hand holding the receiver trembled slightly as she thought she heard Sean Cartier returning.
    `Sorry about that,' came the laconic reply. `You'll still have to check with Mr Cartier. He didn't say anything about anyone else making outside calls. If you'd get Mr Cartier to--'
    That was as far as Sarah allowed him to get before slamming the phone down in frustrated fury. So far everything was going his way. He'd