Megan of Merseyside by Rosie Harris Read Free Book Online
Authors: Rosie Harris
matter. Miss Pearce made it quite clear that she didn’t approve of him stopping to chat to Megan whenever he came into the office. Since Miss Pearce was so rarely in the general office, either Mavis or Olive must have reported the fact to her.
‘Simply ignore them,’ advised Miles when Megan told him.
‘I daren’t! I might get the sack and I don’t want that to happen.’
‘In that case, if I can’t talk to you in the office then we’ll have to meet after you finish work.’ He grinned.
For a moment, Megan couldn’t believe she had heard aright. Ever since she had first met Miles, even before she knew he was the boss’s son, she had fantasised about how wonderful it would be to go out with him.
The new clothes she had bought, the lipstick and eye make-up, had all been chosen with him in mind. She spent hours in front of a mirror experimenting with them. She even listened when Lynn insisted she really needed to do something about her hair.
‘That straight style makes you look as if you are still at school,’ Lynn told her. ‘Stop pushing it back behind your ears. Try bringing it forward onto your cheeks at least!’
‘It won’t stay like that.’
‘It will if you do it properly.’
‘It’s all very well for you,’ grumbled Megan. ‘Your hair is different. You can do anything you like with it.’
‘Well, try fastening it into place with two or three hair grips before you go to bed,’ Lynn suggested.
‘I’ve tried doing that, but they’ve always fallen out before morning.’
‘Why don’t you have a marcel wave, then?’ Lynn suggested.
‘I can’t afford one! Not yet anyway because there’s so many other things I need to buy.’
‘Mam will lend you the money if you ask her.’
‘Yes, perhaps I will after Christmas.’
‘Please yourself.’ Lynn shrugged. ‘I know I would rather borrow it than go round looking like you do.’
Now, with Miles standing there beside her desk, waiting for her to answer, Megan wished she had taken Lynn’s advice. It might have helped her to feel more sure of herself if she’d had a smart haircut.
‘I’d like to, but I have to go to shorthand and typing classes three nights a week,’ she heard herself telling him apologetically.
‘That still leaves four nights free, doesn’t it?’
‘Well, yes. I suppose it does!’ As she looked up into his brilliant blue eyes she felt as if she was drowning. Even her legs seemed to go weak. More than anything in the world she wanted to go out with him.
Megan felt sick with disappointment as Miles turned and walked away. She couldn’t believe what was happening. The chance of a date with Miles Walker, something she’d dreamed about for weeks, and she’d bungled it!
For a long time after Miles had left the office she sat there staring into space, wondering how she should handle it. She even planned what excuse she could make at home if he ever asked her again.
Her father had stopped them both from going out in the evenings ever since he had found out that Lynn was still sneaking off to the Stork Club after he’d told them not to go there. Megan being allowed to attend night school was the one exception.
‘I want both of you to keep right away from that place,’ he ordered, ‘or you’ll be getting a bad reputation.’
Lynn protested defiantly. ‘Why must we? It’s only a jazz club …’
‘I mean it!’ He cut her short, his eyes dark with anger. ‘You are both to stay away from the Stork Club, now is that understood?’
Megan had tried to comfort Lynn when she found her huddled on her bed crying.
‘You don’t understand,’ Lynn sobbed. ‘It’s all your fault, you’ve spoiled everything for me. I’ve got a date there with this boy, Flash.’
‘You’ll just have to tell him that you can’t see him.’
‘I especially want to see him because he’s really into jazz. He’s a smashing dancer and he picked me out because he said no one else partners him like I do.’
‘You heard
‘Simply ignore them,’ advised Miles when Megan told him.
‘I daren’t! I might get the sack and I don’t want that to happen.’
‘In that case, if I can’t talk to you in the office then we’ll have to meet after you finish work.’ He grinned.
For a moment, Megan couldn’t believe she had heard aright. Ever since she had first met Miles, even before she knew he was the boss’s son, she had fantasised about how wonderful it would be to go out with him.
The new clothes she had bought, the lipstick and eye make-up, had all been chosen with him in mind. She spent hours in front of a mirror experimenting with them. She even listened when Lynn insisted she really needed to do something about her hair.
‘That straight style makes you look as if you are still at school,’ Lynn told her. ‘Stop pushing it back behind your ears. Try bringing it forward onto your cheeks at least!’
‘It won’t stay like that.’
‘It will if you do it properly.’
‘It’s all very well for you,’ grumbled Megan. ‘Your hair is different. You can do anything you like with it.’
‘Well, try fastening it into place with two or three hair grips before you go to bed,’ Lynn suggested.
‘I’ve tried doing that, but they’ve always fallen out before morning.’
‘Why don’t you have a marcel wave, then?’ Lynn suggested.
‘I can’t afford one! Not yet anyway because there’s so many other things I need to buy.’
‘Mam will lend you the money if you ask her.’
‘Yes, perhaps I will after Christmas.’
‘Please yourself.’ Lynn shrugged. ‘I know I would rather borrow it than go round looking like you do.’
Now, with Miles standing there beside her desk, waiting for her to answer, Megan wished she had taken Lynn’s advice. It might have helped her to feel more sure of herself if she’d had a smart haircut.
‘I’d like to, but I have to go to shorthand and typing classes three nights a week,’ she heard herself telling him apologetically.
‘That still leaves four nights free, doesn’t it?’
‘Well, yes. I suppose it does!’ As she looked up into his brilliant blue eyes she felt as if she was drowning. Even her legs seemed to go weak. More than anything in the world she wanted to go out with him.
Megan felt sick with disappointment as Miles turned and walked away. She couldn’t believe what was happening. The chance of a date with Miles Walker, something she’d dreamed about for weeks, and she’d bungled it!
For a long time after Miles had left the office she sat there staring into space, wondering how she should handle it. She even planned what excuse she could make at home if he ever asked her again.
Her father had stopped them both from going out in the evenings ever since he had found out that Lynn was still sneaking off to the Stork Club after he’d told them not to go there. Megan being allowed to attend night school was the one exception.
‘I want both of you to keep right away from that place,’ he ordered, ‘or you’ll be getting a bad reputation.’
Lynn protested defiantly. ‘Why must we? It’s only a jazz club …’
‘I mean it!’ He cut her short, his eyes dark with anger. ‘You are both to stay away from the Stork Club, now is that understood?’
Megan had tried to comfort Lynn when she found her huddled on her bed crying.
‘You don’t understand,’ Lynn sobbed. ‘It’s all your fault, you’ve spoiled everything for me. I’ve got a date there with this boy, Flash.’
‘You’ll just have to tell him that you can’t see him.’
‘I especially want to see him because he’s really into jazz. He’s a smashing dancer and he picked me out because he said no one else partners him like I do.’
‘You heard