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was boundless when he dropped his questioning. ‘You will have thought to cancel your hotel accommodation?’ was all he said as he stood up intimating their interview was over.
    'I'll do it today,’ she assured him, standing up at the same time, feeling more confident now as some of her calm returned.
    As he came level with her she turned to face the door, and when he went in front of her to open it, his back towards her, she couldn’t resist putting up her hands to rub her tingling shoulders where his hands had crushed them. She wasn’t quick enough in dropping her hands to her sides, and felt the faint pink of colour suffuse her cheeks as he turned unexpectedly and caught her action.
    She thought she saw remorse in his glance as his eyes found hers, but it was gone in an instant as she gave an embarrassed laugh and said with as much calm as she could muster:
    ‘Remind me never to get pregnant—I’m sure you’d put me in plaster for a month if you had to find a new P.A. for your cousin! ’
    His eyebrows ascended that she knew William Hudson was his cousin, but he didn’t comment on it; she would rather he had done so, rather than say what he chose to say, which had the power to deflate her completely. ‘My dear Miss Barton,’ he said coolly, ‘P.A.s are two a penny.’
    Gerry stalked out into the corridor ahead of him as with exaggeration he held the door open and almost bowed her out. Then he had overtaken her and she hated having to hurry after him, but could do nothing else if she wasn’t to lose sight of him completely among the many doors and corridors in the building.
    He didn’t stay very long after introducing her to Janet Langley, though she did learn before he left her in Janet’s charge that he would be out of town until Wednesday, and might not have the chance to see her again before she left for Little Layton. Thankful for small mercies, Gerry buckled down to learn everything Janet Langley had to teach her. Janet was a friendly girl with a curly mop of red hair, and only a few years older than herself. She had a bubbling-over manner when the two of them were together, but was crisp and efficient in her dealings over the telephone or when talking with clients in a way that greatly impressed Gerry.
    For all she hadn’t thought there would be very much difference in their two jobs, Gerry drove back to Little Layton on Monday night with her head buzzing with new impressions and ideas, and the knowledge that there was a lot more involved in the job of P.A. to a Company Secretary than Mr Gillett had shown her.
    Teddy came out to greet her as she pulled the A35 on to the drive. She would have liked five minutes to unwind, but greeted her sister with warmth and affection and asked how her day had gone.
    ‘Much better than I thought it would,’ Teddy told her, obviously glad to see her back.
    The return journey had taken longer than the journey to London earlier that day, and it was nine o’clock before Gerry was sitting down attempting to eat the meal that Teddy, true to her word, had made. On the way home she had thought she was ravenous, but now, with a plate of steaming casserole before her, her appetite left her. For Teddy's sake—after all, her day couldn't have been too easy coping with the twins—she made a brave stab at eating some of it, but had to give up half way through.
    ‘That was delicious, Ted,’ she said, pulling back from the table. ‘Do you mind if I leave the rest—what I could do with now is a nice hot bath.’
    For no reason she could think of, once she was in her bath, unexpected tears began to roll down her face, and she had to fight very hard to blink back further tears—she didn’t even know why she was crying. It was a luxury she couldn’t afford if she didn’t want Teddy upset if she were to notice her red eyes. I’m overtired, I expect, she thought, dragging herself wearily out of the bath. A few hours’ sleep and I’ll feel as fit as a fiddle.
    On Tuesday