Dreams to Sell by Anne Douglas Read Free Book Online Page B

property department. Buying a house is the biggest investment most people have to make, and we’re here to help them to get it right. Wanting to do that is what’s drawn you to this particular post, I suppose I can say?’
    â€˜Oh, certainly,’ plump Mr Appin said at once. ‘That’s certainly true for me.’
    â€˜And me,’ chimed Mr Franklin, while Mr Shield nodded without speaking.
    â€˜Fine.’ Mr MacKenna looked at his watch. ‘Well, we’d better return now to Mr Banks, I think. Follow me, gentlemen. Thank you, Miss Rainey.’
    â€˜Thank you,’ the young men echoed with enthusiasm, giving her farewell smiles as they left, Mr Shield’s being as friendly as the look in his hazel eyes.
    Feeling completely unsettled as she sat down at her typewriter, Roz’s head was in a whirl. She’d seen the three candidates, who would now be taking it in turn to suffer an ordeal by interview, and it had all been pretty painless for her, hadn’t it? The chaps had been very nice and polite. One in particular had been very friendly, she had to admit, and that was Mr Shield.
    Mr Shield – he had a really pleasant manner, hadn’t he? One that he could probably turn on for anyone, but that didn’t make it any less attractive. Could she see herself working with him?
    Roz stared at the paper in her typewriter.
    She could, she decided, she’d like to, but what she’d like and what Mr Banks wanted could be two different things. Slowly, she began to type in the details of a bungalow that had recently come on to the market, wondering when the interviews would be over and Mr MacKenna would return. And would she get to know who the lucky winner was?
    Sometime after four o’clock, she helped Norma to carry a tray of tea into the waiting room where Mr Appin and Mr Franklin were sitting in silence.
    â€˜No Mr Shield?’ asked Norma brightly. ‘Is he still having his interview?’
    â€˜He’s been in there ages,’ Mr Appin muttered, accepting his tea and drinking it fast.
    â€˜Longer than either of us,’ said Mr Franklin, shovelling sugar into his cup, as though he felt he needed it.
    The girls, returning to the staffroom, exchanged glances as they drank their own tea.
    â€˜Oh, d’you think that Mr Shield’s going to get it?’ Norma whispered. ‘What a nice fellow, eh? You must be keeping your fingers crossed, Roz.’
    â€˜Oh, I don’t know – you can’t really tell what someone will be like from first meeting, can you? We’ll just have to wait and see.’
    Wait, Roz did, of course – for Mr MacKenna’s return, anyway. He looked weary, she thought, when he finally appeared sometime after five o’clock, but pleased. Things must have gone his way, then?
    â€˜Well?’ she asked anxiously. ‘Who got it?’
    â€˜There’s been nothing official said to the candidates – we’re going to write to them.’
    â€˜They’ve gone?’
    â€˜Oh, yes, to catch their trains.’
    â€˜Nothing official. What’s unofficial, then?’
    Mr MacKenna smiled broadly. ‘Mr Banks and I have both agreed – it’s to be Mr Shield.’
    Mr Shield. As she took in the news, her face told her thoughts and Mr MacKenna laughed.
    â€˜You’re pleased, aren’t you, Roz? It wasn’t just that he’d had some experience, he was the best all round and we think he’ll be an asset to the firm. But why do I have the feeling that you’re not going to miss me at all?’

Twelve
    It wasn’t the case, of course, that Roz wouldn’t be missing Mr MacKenna, her mentor, her father figure, when he departed. Having always worked with him at Tarrel’s and finding it so pleasant, it would take more than a new fellow to replace him, however good he was at smiling. True, she was pleased Mr Shield had got the job and she felt more at ease about