Fortune's Lead by Barbara Perkins Read Free Book Online Page B

I believe you said. It’s rather quiet at Thurlanger, but we’ll cure that once we start entertaining. Dreadfully dull people, I expect, but we can always do our best. I think,’ he added mischievously, ‘between us we might make the task quite amusing! I’m short of kindred spirits down at Thurlanger. So do come, Shah! What else can I tell you, I wonder?’
    ‘Er...’ I tried to think of something. ‘What would I do?’ I asked. ‘Housework?’
    ‘Good gracious, no. Mrs. Mott deals with all that. With a varying selection of local help. I’m not inviting you down to scrub floors, my dear!’
    ‘Sorry.’ I smiled back at him, unable to help catching his amusement at the thought—though I’d scrubbed plenty of floors in my time. ‘I was just,’ I admitted, ‘trying to think of something I ought to ask!’
    ‘Then you will consider it?’ he asked eagerly. ‘Good! As to your duties—oh, entertain, organize things, choose Esther’s clothes—that’s very necessary—and generally be there to supervise. And you and I can keep each other amused while everyone else talks about hunting, as they undoubtedly will!’
    I was feeling dazed—at the prospect of such a job falling into my lap, and by the effort I was having to stop myself feeling as if fate was pushing me straight into Henry Thurlanger’s arms. After all, he was only offering me a job ... even if he had called me a kindred spirit, and described me in startlingly flattering terms. I told myself firmly that Henry probably looked on me in as fatherly a way as he did Esther—and had to restrain an inner comment that his manner towards me wasn’t at all paternal. He said,
    ‘If you dislike the idea too much, I won’t press it. But you don’t really—do you?’
    ‘No, of—of course not. But—’
    ‘There is just one thing. I think we’d do better to conceal the fact that you’re a nurse. We just won’t bother to mention it.’
    ‘Why?’ I asked—surprised, and put a little on my guard.
    ‘Because one of two things would happen. Either—and most probably—people would assume I’m suffering from some dreadful disease, which I don’t want to mention, but that I’ve brought you down to look after me. The vultures, in the shape of my relations, would gather hopefully.’ He grinned unrepentantly. ‘Or Esther would jump to the conclusion that you’re not there as my secretary but as her nursemaid, and would rebel accordingly. We need subtlety. You see what I mean? Would you object to that?’
    ‘ I —suppose not.’ It made sense: Henry looked extremely healthy to me, but if he suddenly employed a living-in secretary who admitted to being a nurse, people might well draw the wrong conclusions. ‘If—if I decided to take the job, I mean. May I—think about it?’
    ‘You really will think about it? I’m glad you haven’t said no.’
    ‘It’s too good an offer to refuse point-blank,’ I said frankly—doing a further job on crushing the voice of Gypsy Rose, whispering inside my head. Journeys, and a change coming into my life. I pushed the thought away and hoped I wasn’t blushing. ‘How soon,’ I asked, trying to sound businesslike, ‘would you want an answer?’
    ‘As soon as you can give me one. A few days? I’m sorry if I seem to be rushing you, but if you’ll agree to come it would be pointless to waste time. I’d have liked you to come to Thurlanger as soon as possible—if you will.’ He gave me a charming smile. ‘Now we’ll talk about something else, shall we? It’s not at all late yet, so let’s enjoy the rest of the evening, while I have the pleasure of your company. And—’ he twinkled at me—‘I’ll do my best to put in some subtle persuasions while you’re not looking!’
    If being an entertaining companion was one of his ‘subtle persuasions ‘he could manage that without any effort at all. He talked well, and amusingly; and while half my mind was wrestling with the idea of the proffered job and