Indeed, so delighted was she at this further show of trust in her abilities that her cool exterior slipped momentarily. She smiled, a natural smile. Bon appétit, she replied.
She became aware that Joel Davenport was staring at her as if seeing something new in her for the first time, but before she could change her smile back to her more usual guarded smile he muttered, Those incredibly long eyelashes cant be real.
Im afraid they are, she replied.
Amazing, he commentedand took his number one PA off for a parting lunch.
Feeling a mite disturbed by Joel Davenports personal commenteven if it had sounded more matter-of-fact than personalChesnie was soon over any disquiet when she realised that if Barbara was his number one PA today, then on Monday yours truly, Chesnie Cosgrove, would be number one!
She had plenty to do, and was fully involved in her work when at five to three Barbara came back from what it transpired had been a champagne lunch.
Joel has gone on to keep his three oclock appointment, Barbara explained. Now, what can I help you with?
I think youve filled in as many blanks as you can, Chesnie replied.
And guessed she must have sounded a mite apprehensive when Barbara replied that she was confident she would cope admirably. A bit different from your predecessor.
My predecessor? Chesnie was puzzled. Mustard had nothing on Joel Davenports present PA.
Didnt I mention it? Barbara realised that she hadnt, and went on to correct that oversight.
Apparently Barbaras life had changed dramatically when she had met Derek Platt. In no time she had fallen in love and married him. Derek had been in the process of purchasing a small holding in the Welsh borders, and that had been fine by Barbara. A smart and mature woman, shed looked forward to this change of lifestyle.
I gave ample notice, and we thought wed selected the right person. But she proved not up to the job, and Joel didnt think the other candidates were any better, so we advertised again. And she smiled here you are. And, Im certain, more than up to the job.
Chesnie fervently hoped she was right. That wont prevent you from leaving me your phone number, I hope? It had been Barbaras suggestion that she would. But she laughed and, having more or less cleared her desk, began to expand on matters other than the work which Chesnie would be dealing with.
Barbara was full of praise for Joel. Yeatman Trading had been going through a very tough time when he had joined the firm. He had seen at once what needed to be done, and had done ithad transformed the companyand been rewarded with a seat on the board.
And now, Barbara continued, within the next year Winslow Yeatman is going to retire.
The chairman? Chesnie had picked that up from somewhere during the past two weeks.
None other, Barbara agreed. And Joel wants that jobvery badly. He has very progressive ideas, and believes that to be able to put those ideas into effect he needs to be chairman.
Will he get it? Chesnie asked.
If theres any justice he will, Barbara answered. Its largely through his efforts that a firm that was heading for the rocks has gone from strength to strength this past ten years. He, more than anyone, is responsible for its growth and expansion. Hes ambitious and hard-headed when it comes to business. But hes good. They certainly dont come any better.
Chesnie had seen that much for herself in the short time shed been there. You think he might not get it? she asked.
Nothings certain. The problem here is that this started off as a family firm a hundred or so years ago, and, although new blood such as Joel has gradually infiltrated, over half the board are family members. Three of whom I know for a fact want a Yeatman to head the company. There are nine people on the board, excluding the chairman, and while I know there are three of the directors who are for Joel, he cant vote for himself, so that leaves two other votes as yet unaccounted for. Should the vote be split and Winslow Yeatman have to make the casting vote then its more than likely hell favour a family man.
One of his family?
Barbara shook her head. A man with a family. He also wants what is best for the firm.
Doesnt JMr Davenport have a family?
Hes not married.
Chesnie felt a little surprised. Some woman named Felice phoned for him last week, and a woman named Gina phoned to speak to him on Monday. I put them in the wife and daughter slot.
Girlfriends. Barbara corrected Chesnies assumption. Hes more than happy with his bachelor lifestyle. She gave a wicked grin. Though his fellow director, Arlene Enderby, née Yeatman, recently divorced, non-working but taking her cut just the sameand who just happens to be the chairmans niecehas got her eye on Joel.
Does he know?
Barbara gave a whoop of laughter. Ive an idea that theres not much that goes on in the female mind that Joel doesnt know. Hes taken her out a couple of times, so Im positive she will have filled in any gaps. At that point Barbara seemed to collect herself. And Im talking too muchmust be the champageIm not used to it. Either that or some instinctive feeling that youll be better able to help him get what he deserves and has worked for if you know more of whats going on.
At a quarter to five Joel Davenport, who must have entered his office by the outer door, rang for Barbara to go in to see him. She came out ten minutes later, emotional tears in her eyes, a cheque in one hand, a jewellers box in the other, and a gorgeous bouquet of flowers in her arms.
Oh, Chesnie, she said, emotion still with her after the presentation she had just received, I do so hope youll be as happy working here as I have been.
Im sure I shall, Chesnie answered with a smile, but more hoped that she could do the job. For, aside from the everyday difficulties and stress that were part and parcel of the job, from what Barbara had said earlier it seemed there was a lot of in-fighting going on too.
For a fact, there were three board members who were against Joel Davenport getting the chairmans job.
Chesnie suddenly felt swallowed up by an unexpected huge wave of loyalty, and she determined that if there was any small thing in her power she could do to help him get that chairmans job, she would do it. Then she laughed at herself. What on earth did she think she, a PA, could do that would help when it came to electing the new chairman?
CHAPTER TWO
IT WAS four weeks since Barbara had left, and Chesnie was thankful that in those four weeks she had not had to phone Barbara or needed to call on the services of Eileen Gray, a kind of floating PA who, while not wanting the pressure of being anyones full-time PA, was so good at the job that the company did not want to let her go.
Chesnie drove to work that Monday four weeks after Barbaras departure and for the first time truly believed that she could do the job of Joels number one PA.
It had not been an easy four weeks. Joel Davenport, for all he made his job seem effortless, had an appetite for work that at first had caused her to work in overdrive just to try and keep up with him.
She worked late; once, when he was out for the day, staying at the office until gone nine at night to catch up and so have her desk clear for the next morning.
She worked late; once, when he was out for the day, staying at the office until gone nine at night to catch up and so have her desk clear for the next morning.
Most evenings she staggered home to make a quick snack, get her smart business clothes ready for the morning, and fall into bed. Sometimes she dreamed of him, but that was hardly surprising; he had become a dominant force in her life.
On one weekend she had visited her grandfather in Herefordshire, and another weekend shed gone to see her parents in Cambridge. Robina had been there, having left Ronnie for a final time. She was divorcing him, shed declared in floods of tears, shed had enough. Ronnie had phoned, and there were more tears as Robina had screeched a list of his faults down the phone at him.
All that hate and recrimination had served only to freshly endorse for Chesnie that shed got the better bargain when 23 shed decided never to marry. Though she had to smilewhen would she get the chance? Working for and with such a high-powered, work-oriented man, she didnt have the time to date, much less to build any kind of relationship.
Which reminded her. Nerissa had telephoned last night to say Philip Pomeroy had rung again and could he have her sisters number?
You didnt give it to him? Chesnie had asked, guessing that Philip wanted to ask her out; she didnt have time to go out. By not letting him have her newly connected number, she was spared having to make excuses.
I promised you I wouldnt, Nerissa had confirmed.
With her new-found confidence in her ability to cope with her job, Chesnie parked her grandfathers car, swung into the building and took the lift to the top floor. It went without saying that Joel Davenport would already be hard at work. Unless he was out of town he was always in before her.
An involuntary smile lit her mouth as she recalled that first Monday after Barbara had gone. Hoping to look as cool and as poised as she was striving to look, Chesnie, feeling a bundle of nerves, had entered her office. No sooner had she sat down, though, and Joel Davenport had come to greet her as if it had been her first day.
Good morning, Chesnie, hed said pleasantly. We havent frightened you off, then?
She had given him her guarded smile. Good morning, Mr Davenport, shed replied and, inwardly churning, I dont scare easily, she had added.
Hed studied her, nodded, and then commented, Thats what I like to hear. The names Joel, he indicated, and her first day as numero uno had begun.
The door between the two offices stood open today, as it sometimes did when she went in. Good morning, Chesnie called to the dark-blond-haired man absorbed in the paperwork in front of him.
Good morning, he answered, but did not raise his head. Business as usual.
Chesnie had barely stowed her bag when Darren, the post boy, arrived. Good morning, Miss Cosgrove, he said huskily, and as their hands touched as she relieved him of the bundles of post he blushed crimson.
Chesnie took her eyes from him, giving him time to compose himself. Hows your mother? she asked. I do hope shes on the mend. She glanced at him, glad to see his blush had died down.
Shes going back to work today, he answered on a gulp of breath. Thank you, he added, and gave her a beautiful smile as his eyes glued to her face, he backed to the door.
Then he became aware that Joel Davenport had come from his office and was standing watching himDarren bolted. That young man idolises you, Joel said abruptly.
Its only a crush, Chesnie replied, and was ready to deal with any query her employer had when she discovered he wasnt ready to dismiss the subject yet.
Hell never get over it while you treat him that way!
What way was that? Id rather be pleasant to him than not, she answered, as calmly as she was able.
Is that the way you treat all your admirers?
What had this got to do with work? It depends how old they are, she replied evenly. Young men like Darren, sensitive young men, deserve to have their blushes respected. Older, more cynical men, she went on, looking one such straight in the eye, are too tough to need kid-glove treatment.
A grunt was her answer. Bring the post through when youve sorted it! he rapped.
Yes, sir, three bags full, sir. And, anyhow, he could talk! In the short time shed been there shed observed he had quite a fan club amongst the female staff.
The morning that had got off to a rancorous start did not improve much for Chesnie when, nearing one oclock, Joels office door opened. Observing he wasnt there, the most striking-looking blue-eyed brunette, sporting a sensational tan, fluttered through and into Chesnies office.
You must be Chesnie! She smiled. Uncle Winslow told me all about you.
Uncle Winslow must be Winslow Yeatman, the chairman. Chesnie had by then met him several times and found him a most charming gentleman. You must be Arlene Enderby, Chesnie guessedthe non-working director of the company.
You have it. Ive come to take Joel to lunch, but he doesnt appear to be in.
Chesnie, who managed Joels diary with keen efficiency, knew for certain he did not have a lunch appointment with the chairmans niece. Hes probably been held up somewhere, she suggested tactfully. Perhaps
Oh, we havent arranged lunch. Ive just got back from soaking up the sun on holiday. She almost purred as she trotted out, We have such a lot to catch up on, I thought She broke off to exclaim, Ah! as they heard a door open and saw Joel stride into his office. Joel! Darling! Arlene Enderby cried, and was in the other office, flinging her arms around him as if he was some long-lost lover.
Chesnie met the eyes of her employer as Arlene Enderby snuggled into his arms. Chesnie did not smile; neither did he. She got up and deliberately closed the doorand discovered she was inwardly shaking, experiencing the strangest sensation of not caring to see him with his arms around some woman. How odd! Why should it bother her at all?
It wasnt in the least odd, she decided a moment later. This was a place of business and that was why she didnt care for it. Everything that happened in this office should be purely professional. Which wasnt what was happening next door. What was happening next door? It was very quiet in there. She half wished she had left the door open.
Chesnie was over the slight glitch in her equilibrium by the next day. She smiled and chatted lightly to Darren when he brought the post, and dealt pleasantly with the various heads of departmentmale oneswho seemed to find it necessary to stop by her desk for one reason or another. She had gradually got to know more and more of the people within the organisation, and it was good to be able to put a face to the various names that cropped up from time to time.
Though there was one new face she hadnt seen before. The tall white-haired man poked his head round her office door at a quarter to one and came in. Well, youre a decided improvement on Barbara Thingy, he beamed, and, when Chesnie looked pleasantly enquiring, asked, Is my son around?
Youre Joels father?
I know, I know. I dont look old enough to have a son that age, quipped the man Chesnie thought must be at least seventy. Magnus Davenport, at your service. He extended his right hand, and Chesnie immediately decided she liked him.