Charlotte Lamb - Pagan Encounter Page 7

  When she found the offices of World Gazette she stood outside for a long time, staring up at the rows of windows with a sinking heart. She had been buoyed up throughout her journey by the thought of violent action. Now she felt her courage fade.

  But she stiffened her backbone and went into the foyer. A porter in a gold-buttoned uniform gave her an encouraging smile. 'Can I help you, miss?'

  'I want to see Mr. Hume,' she said huskily. She showed him her letter. 'I can't keep the appointment tomorrow.'

  He looked at her. 'Miss West,' he said, reading the letter. He was a man in his early sixties, a wiry, friendly- faced man with grey hair. 'If you'll take the lift to the top floor, miss, you'll find yourself right opposite the door to Mr. Hume's office. Miss Harrison will deal with the problem.'

  Leigh went up in the lift and stepped out into a long, cream-painted corridor. She tapped on the door opposite and heard a voice invite her inside. Nervously, she looked at the girl facing her.

  'Miss Harrison?'

  The other girl smiled in a friendly fashion. She was extremely attractive, her tall, rounded body graceful in a black skirt and white blouse, her chestnut hair enlivened by golden light which shone in the sunlight streaming through the window behind her.

  Brown eyes smiled at Leigh.

  'You're Miss West? Sam rang up that you were on your way.'

  'Sam?' Leigh frowned.

  'Our porter. Nobody comes in or goes out of the building unless Sam notices it,' said Miss Harrison. 'If you're going to work here you're going to see a lot of Sam.' She smiled again, displaying even white teeth. 'Mr. Hume will see you right away. You're lucky--he thought you might arrive early as it was such short notice, and he cancelled some of his appointments for today.' Her brown eyes danced. 'Believe me, he needs a good secretary. He works like a slave and you have to keep an eye on him to make sure he doesn't overdo it.' She leaned forward, depressing a button on the console. 'Miss West is here, Mr. Hume.'

  'Send her in,' said the maddening voice, the familiarity of it altered a little by the medium.

  'Through that door,' Miss Harrison said calmly.

  Leigh walked through the door and closed it behind her. Across a large, pleasantly furnished office she saw him lounging in his chair, his jacket open, his shirt unbuttoned at the throat, a gleam of mockery in his grey eyes.

  At the sight of him her rage was so fierce she could barely move or speak. Forcing herself forward, she walked to the desk and looked at him. With a frantic gesture she tore the letter across, ripped it to pieces and threw the pieces into his face.

  He laughed softly. 'I bet you've been planning that little piece of histrionics ever since you opened the envelope,' he said.

  The shrewdness of the reply inflamed her. 'How dared you send me that letter? You know very well I didn't apply for the job, and you know I don't want to be interviewed.'

  'But you're here,' he pointed out, his mouth humorous.

  'Only to tell you what I think of you,' she said bitingly.

  He leaned back, his eyes filled with that secret mockery. 'I know what you think of me, Leigh. Sit down. You might as well hear the details of the job.'

  'I wouldn't take a job working for you if you offered me four times what I'm getting now,' she said.

  'You aren't worth four times what you're getting now," he said wryly. 'I'm offering you a salary commensurate with your ability.'

  'I'd rather work for nothing than work for you,' she snapped, turning on her heel.

  He was on his feet and beside her before she had taken more than a few steps. She wrenched her arm out of his hand. 'Let me go, damn you!'

  'You came, Leigh,' he said tersely. 'I knew you'd come.'

  There was a second's silence while they stared at each other. She was so furious that she flung her hand up to hit him, but he caught it in his own, making her wince at the strength of his grip.

  'I told you last time that if you hit me I'd hit you back,' he said. 'I meant it. Now, sit down.'

  He pushed her into a chair and sat down on the edge of the desk nearby, staring at her. Seeing the way his eyes were fixed on her left hand she pushed it down into her skirt.

  'Too late, Leigh,' he said drily. 'I'd already noticed it. I gather the engagement is off.'

  'Thanks to you,' she said bitterly.

  'You were never in love with him,' he shrugged.

  She got up rigidly, facing him with burningly angry eyes. 'I only came here to tell you what a despicable, conceited swine you are. I have no intention of taking that job and I never want to hear from you again!'

  She turned to leave, feeling him move from his casual position on the desk. The door was abruptly flung open at that second and a girl walked into the room, her eyes swinging curiously from Leigh to Mattieson Hume.

  'Matt darling,' she pouted. 'Your secretary tried to put me off, but I have to talk to you.'

  She ignored Leigh, moving to his side, putting a graceful arm around his neck, gazing into his eyes. 'You are going to the party s tonight, aren't you? You haven't answered your invitation yet, and Mother wondered if you were coming...'

  He gazed back at her, his grey eyes lightly amused, a faint smile on his hard mouth.

  'Of course I'm coming, Cathy. If you'd rung me, I would have told you that. I'm very busy interviewing today, so I'm afraid you can't stop now. Run along, darling, and I'll see you tonight, I promise.'

  She made a little face. She was about twenty, Leigh decided, watching her curiously.

  The curly black hair and huge green eyes gave her skin a delicate transparency which made her appear younger than she was, but she wore expensive, high fashion clothes which compensated for that.

  So this was Cathy Lord, Leigh thought wryly. No wonder poor little Ann had no chance with him. What competition! Every glossy, spoilt inch of her was devastatingly attractive, and her confident, sweet smile at Mattieson Hume hinted at a very intimate relationship.

  Realising that now was her chance to escape while his attention was distracted, she began to move discreetly towards the open door, but his hand snaked out and caught her by the wrist, halting her.

  'Don't leave just yet, Miss West,' he said coolly. 'I haven't finished outlining the details of the job.'

  Cathy Lord turned to eye her, taking in Leigh's cold, tense blonde beauty, the sleek black dress which fitted her like a second skin, the graceful elegance of her rigidly held body.

  Leigh sensed that the younger girl was jealously apprehensive as her glance slid over her. Icily, she said, 'I think we'd said all we have to say, Mr. Hume. I don't think this job would suit me at all.'

  Cathy Lord took in the chilly tone, the frozen expression of the blue eyes with a satisfied expression.

  'Nevertheless,' said Mattieson Hume with a bite, 'I still have a few things to say to you.' He looked at Cathy. 'Would you mind, darling? I'll see you later, I promise.'

  Cathy gave Leigh a little glance, then shrugged. She moved to the door, then looked back, taking in the way Mattieson Hume still gripped Leigh's wrist. A frown wrinkled her forehead. 'Could I just have a private word first?' she asked him.

  He hesitated, his face slightly grim. Releasing Leigh, he walked to the door. Cathy whispered to him, perfectly audibly, 'I don't like her. Don't give her the job.'

  For a few seconds Mattieson Hume stared down into the big green eyes. He smiled, all his charm coming into play. 'Minx,' he whispered back, slapping her lightly on her bottom. 'You leave me to manage my office, if you don't mind.'

  Leigh could feel Cathy's jealousy as if it was visible. The green eyes surveyed her sulkily, then the girl went out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

  Mattieson Hume leant on the closed door, his arms folded, and stared at Leigh. She thought angrily of Ann. He had a way of handling young girls so that they were weakly adoring even while they could sense that he was beyond them. Cathy Lord was no Ann, though--she had a rich family to protect her interests. Remembering what Ann had said, it was
clear that Mattieson Hume meant to marry the girl one day. She was the right sort of girl, from a wealthy background, beautiful and presentable. Leigh could tell by the way he had looked at her that he was not in love with her. He was indulgent, amused, flirtatious with her. But in that marriage he would be the dominant partner. She suddenly remembered that he had accused her of preferring to be the one who dominated in a relationship, and told her that they were the same. If she had married Phil, she admitted grimly, he might have been right. When one person loved so much more than the other they were in a very weak position. In a way, she felt sorry for Cathy Lord.

  'Have dinner with me tonight,' he said now, his tone careful.

  'You're going to a party, remember,' she pointed out coldly.

  He shrugged. 'I'll turn up late.'

  Her mouth was sardonic. 'Not on my account, please.'

  He studied her, his eyes attempting to get past the cold mask of her features. 'What sort of effect did the news of your broken engagement have at home? It must have caused some talk, I imagine.'

  She met his gaze ironically. 'Both Phil and I refused to discuss it, so the gossips made up their own story.'

  'Which was?'

  'That I'd caught Phil with Fiona and broken the engagement out of jealous rage,' she said drily.

  He lifted a dark brow. 'So you got all the sympathy? How unfair on Phil.'

  'He seems quite flattered,' she said lightly. 'It hasn't done his reputation among the men he works with any harm at all.'

  He grinned. 'What about your reputation?' he asked.

  'I'm cast in the role of the deserted woman,' she said, her blue eyes cool. 'There's been some laughter and a great deal of snide comment.'

  He gave her a curious little glance. 'That stings, does it? I'm surprised you don't want to get away from all the talk, then.'

  'Phil says it's a nine-day wonder and will blow over,' she shrugged.

  He moved away from the door. 'You've been seeing him?' There was a rasp in his voice.

  'Hasn't the man any pride? Has he suggested you get engaged again?'

  Leigh backed before his advance until she stood against the desk. 'He's going to Saudi Arabia for six months,' she said tartly.

  He stared into her cold eyes. 'You would enjoy working here, Leigh,' he said quietly.

  'At least let Miss Harrison explain the work to you. Think about it.'

  She frowned at him. 'Why do you want me to take it? If you think that I...'

  'I think you'll make a very useful secretary,' he said, cutting her off. 'I've given you my reasons. I have no intention of employing anyone who might try to trap me into marriage, and I'm pretty sure you wouldn't do that.'

  'I don't want any sort of relationship with you,' she said bluntly, her voice stiff.

  'Good,' he said at once. 'Cathy will be relieved about that.'

  Her blue eyes lifted to his face. 'She won't be pleased if you give me the job,' she said.

  He grinned. 'I thought you'd heard that. Cathy would be jealous if I employed any woman who didn't look like Dracula's mother, but I'll have no trouble persuading her to accept you.'

  No, thought Leigh angrily. He would have no trouble talking Cathy Lord into anything.

  He was used to having things all his own way. She was under no illusions. He wanted her as his secretary because he intended to try to seduce her into a private relationship with him once she was constantly in his company. He had made his desire plain from the first moment they met. But Leigh had suddenly discovered a burning desire of her own--a wish to get her revenge on Mattieson Hume both for herself and for Ann. He had used his charm once too often. She had no intention of succumbing to it, as Ann had, and then finding herself thrown aside when she became an embarrassment.

  He might be able to charm Cathy Lord into believing that he was not interested in her for the moment, but one day, Leigh firmly decided, she would turn the tables on him with a vengeance. Sooner or later she would get the chance to ruin his chances of marrying Cathy Lord. If he had really loved the girl, she might not have thought of the idea, but she had felt a distinct prick of pity as she saw the young face jealously turned up towards him, her adoring emotions written on her pretty face. It would be a kindness to Cathy Lord to show her exactly what sort of man Mattieson Hume was now before she had tied herself to him for life. Cathy Lord had some of Ann's vulnerability. Under her sophisticated exterior she was very young and easily hurt.

  'Mr. Hume,' she said slowly.

  'Matt,' he replied at once, watching her intently.

  Her dark lashes flickered. She looked up at him through them, bitterly viewing his hard, handsome face. 'If I took this job there would be one condition,' she said.

  'Which is?' he asked, staring at her.

  Her lashes rose, revealing her icy blue eyes. 'This is a purely business relationship,'

  she said. 'If you attempt to alter that condition I shall leave at once.'

  His mouth twisted. 'Agreed,' he said flatly.

  They stared at each other. She knew in the centre of her being that he had no intention of keeping the promise he had just given, and he knew that she was aware of his unspoken reservation. A bitter challenge lit her eyes.

  'I mean it,' she said. 'If you so much as touch me you'll regret it.'

  'You've made yourself very clear, Leigh,' he said sardonically. 'I understand perfectly.'

  He didn't understand at all, she thought grimly. When she laid down that condition she had known that if he did try to seduce her she would make it her business to be certain that Cathy Lord found out just what sort of man he was, and by forcing him to promise to keep his hands off her she had made it his own decision. If he broke his word, he would be bringing his punishment on his own head. If he kept it, she would say nothing and do nothing which would upset his plans for marrying the poor girl.

  'So,' he said slowly, staring at her face with a faint frown. 'Is it a deal?'

  She nodded, still half reluctant. She was not going to find it easy to work for him, but she had decided it was time someone taught him a long-needed lesson.

  'It's a deal,' she said.

  He moved round behind his desk and sat down, depressing a button on the console.

  'Come in, Miss Harrison,' he said. He looked at Leigh. 'I'll leave you with her while she explains this job to you. She's leaving in two weeks. How soon can you start work?'

  'I have to give a week's notice,' she said.

  'Can you do that tomorrow? Then you could have a week working with her so that she could show you the ropes.'

  'I think that will be possible,' she agreed.

  Miss Harrison came into the room, smiling. He gave her a nod. 'I've just engaged Miss West as your replacement. She'll start here in a week's time.'

  Miss Harrison smiled at Leigh. 'Good. I shall be able to help you through the first problems. I'm afraid there are quite a few of them in this job, not least Mr. Hume himself.'

  Her friendly, teasing smile touched his face.

  Leigh followed her out of the office and for the rest of the day she listened attentively while Miss Harrison dealt with a number of callers and queries. The work was complicated, largely concerned with personnel and management problems, and Leigh admired the way the other girl coped, so cheerfully and easily, with the various different situations she was called in to unravel.

  At five-thirty, Miss Harrison sighed. Thank God another day's over! I love this job, but I'm looking forward to my marriage and the day when I start to run my own home instead of an office.' She grinned at Leigh. 'My future husband works in Exeter, so after our marriage I shall get a job down there near our house. I would have stayed on here if he'd lived near London, but actually I think this job is just too demanding for a married woman.

  Some evenings I don't get away until late at night, and no husband would put up with that.' She looked at Leigh appraisingly. 'You're very pretty. I suppose there's a man in the background for you, too.'

  Mattieson Hum
e had opened the door halfway through that remark. His dry, mocking smile touched Leigh's face. Before she could reply, he said, 'I'd like a few words with you, Miss West. Goodnight, Miss Harrison. You might as well get an early night for once.'

  'Thank you,' Miss Harrison said eagerly. 'I'll be seeing you in a week, then, Miss West.'

  Leigh smiled back at her. 'I'll look forward to that.'

  'So shall I,' the other girl said, leaving in a hurry.

  Mattieson Hume stood away from his door, waving Leigh into the room. She sat down near the desk, her slim legs crossing. He leaned on the desk, his eyes on the elegant, silk-clad calves.

  'Where shall we eat tonight?' he asked casually.

  She gave him a cold look. 'I'm getting a train back to Leicester at once.'

  'You must eat before you go,' he said. 'Why not with me?'

  Her brows rose. 'Have you forgotten our agreement?'

  His mouth was ironic. 'Does it cover having dinner as well as trying to get you into bed, Leigh? It seems a rather wide agreement.'

  She felt a hot flush in her face. 'It covers anything that entails a personal rather than a business relationship,' she said crisply.

  'I see.' He folded his arms. There was an odd silence. Then he asked flatly, 'What happened between yourself and your fiance, Leigh? What did he say to you?'

  'That's none of your business,' she said tartly.

  'I would have said it was very much my business,' he said. 'Did you run off back to Leicester right away and send him back his ring? Or did he insist on seeing you?'

  'Neither,' she said. 'I went to his room after you'd gone and we talked it over.'

  Incredulity darkened his eyes. 'You went to his room, then?'

  'It was the only thing I could do,' she said, stiffening angrily. 'I'd hurt him. I couldn't just run off and avoid a scene because I couldn't face him.'