Free Elizabeth's Daughter by Thea Thomas Page B

she had to change. The downstairs study she’d turn into the nanny’s room. She’d hire someone to build a lattice-work wall around the patio, it would be prettier anyway, and that same someone could perhaps put baby gates at the top and the bottom of the stairs.
      Then she had to get a crib, a play pen and some toys. And she’d have to discuss with Mrs. Vargas or Gail, if she agreed to be Amy’s nanny, about essentials for the baby. What did she know about diapers and baby food? All she knew about baby clothes was that they were very small. She went to the telephone to call Martha. But she stopped with the number half dialed. No, she decided. She wanted to keep this moment to herself. There would be plenty of times to share her new happiness with her friends later, after Amy had moved in. She retrieved the phone number of the nanny and called Gail, instead.

Chapter XI

    Gail, who had been completely apprised of the situation by Mrs. Vargas, agreed to come over the next afternoon. Elizabeth liked Gail’s voice and manner on the telephone and hoped that impression would carry over in the interview as well.
      When she got to work, she bounced into Tony’s office. He was on the telephone and he held his hand up with his “I’m busy” gesture without looking at her.  But she continued to stand in the doorway.
      Finally Tony hung up. “Good grief, Elizabeth, can’t you tell I’m busy?”
      “And can’t you tell I have some business to discuss?” Elizabeth returned. Wow, she thought, she could never have talked to Tony like this before yesterday... before Amy.
      Tony leaned back slowly in his black velvet swivel chair, steepling his fingers. “My, my! We ate our Wheaties this morning, didn’t we?”
      Elizabeth shrugged. “I just wanted to tell you that I’m taking the afternoon off.”
      Tony leaned forward again. “Why?”
      “I have some personal business.”
      “You haven’t ever taken one minute off.”
      “I know,” Elizabeth answered. “In fact, I’ve often worked through lunch. I’ve earned an afternoon off.”
      “Mighty short notice,” Tony said, sounding tough. “I was going to have you take the Watsons around.”
      “Well, I won’t be able to.” Elizabeth was curious about this new person in her who could so easily talk assertively with Tony.
      “I’ve never seen you like this,” he said.
      “I’ve never been like this,” Elizabeth answered, turning to leave his office.
      “Wait,” Tony said in a big cat-purr-voice that could not have been more absent just seconds before.
      It caught Elizabeth by surprise and she stopped with her hand on the door frame. She looked over her shoulder. “Yes?”
      Tony stood and moved toward her. As always, whenever he came near her, his musky fragrance and powerful eyes made her heart perform irregular calisthenics. He leaned up against the wall close by her and yet did not touch her.
      “Does my girl have a date?” he asked, holding her gaze.
      Elizabeth laughed. “A date, in the afternoon ? For pity’s sake, Tony, I just have an appointment. It’s personal. That is, for the moment I don’t want to talk about it.” She walked through the door, then turned and gave him a big smile. “You flatter me though, thinking I could come up with someone to date in the afternoon.”
      Tony shrugged. “I’m just trying to figure out why you’re acting so strange.”
      “You mean, as if I have a life of my own? Just between you and me, Tony, I suspect I’ll be acting a lot more ‘strange’ from now on.” Elizabeth returned to her desk.
      A short while later Tony, frowning, passed her desk. “I’ve got to get some things done if I have to take the Watsons around this afternoon.”
      “Okay,” Elizabeth said.
      At noon she organized and locked her desk then picked up her purse. “See you tomorrow, Edna,” she said as she opened the door.
      “Huh?” Edna said, blank-eyed.
      “I said,