I heard you, he replied evenly, addingtotally obscurely as far as she was concernedThat is an excellent start. But, he went on, my sole intention in requiring you to have dinner with me is so we may discuss, in informal detail, this newly arisenvacancy.
Colly eyed him warily. Two years ago she hadnt had a suspicious bone in her body. But two years of living under the same roof as the devious Nanette had taught her not to take everything at face value.
This is business? Colly stayed to probe.
Strictly business, he answered, with not a smile about him.
Colly studied him. It made a change. But, looking at him, she somehow felt she could believe him. Could believe that this was not some newfangled way of him getting a date. And, looking at him, sophisticated and virile, she suddenly saw it was laughable that this man, who probably had women falling over him, would need to use any kind of a ruse to get a woman to go out with him anyway. Indeed, Colly started to feel a trifle pink about the ears that she had for one moment hinted that he might be interested in her in more than a business way.
Friday, you said? she questioned finally, when he had given her all the time she needed to sift through everything.
If youre free, he agreed.
This job she gathered her embarrassed wits together you cant tell me more about it now?
Thesituation is recent, as I mentioned. I need to do some research into all it entails.
Youll have done your research by Friday?
Oh, yes, he replied evenly.
She wanted to ask if the job was working for him. But, since he was the head of the whole shoot, she thought it must be. Bearing in mind my lack of experience, you think I would be able to do the job?
I believe so, he replied, his dark blue eyes steady on her.
Colly got to her feet. She felt not a little confused, and hoped it did not show. Where shall I meet you? she asked.
Silas Livingstone was on his feet too. Tall, unsmiling that she had just agreed to have dinner with him on Friday. Ill call for you at eight, he stated.
She opened her mouth to tell him her address. Then closed it again. It was on her application form, and at a rough guess she felt that this man would not have missed that. In fact, she had a feeling that this man, who was obviously going to research into this newly created job pretty thoroughly before he offered it to heror otherwisenever missed a thing.
CHAPTER TWO
HER first interview with Silas Livingstone had been on Tuesday. By Thursday of that same week Collys head was beginning to spin from the effort of trying to pinpoint exactly what kind of job was in the offing that would be better discussed in informal detail over dinner.
She still inwardly cringed whenever she thought of how, without a pennyworth of secretarial experience, she had applied for that senior secretarial job. It just went to show, she realised, how desperate she was for a job that paid well enough to afford her somewhere to live.
And that she would have to find that somewhere to live, and quickly, had been endorsed for her again last night, when Nanette had entertained a few of her rowdy friends. It was her right, of course, but the gales of laughter, male and female, that had come from the drawing room had impinged on Collys sensitivities. Her father had barely been dead a month.
His widow had obviously decided to be the merry sort. If that was her way of grieving, so be it, but Colly had seen little sign of genuine grief. And all she wanted to do now, she mused, as she began to clear up the debris from the previous nights entertainment, was find a place of her own and get started on being solely independent. She knew then that whatever this job was, that was being newly created by Silas Livingstone, she would take it.
While it might not pay as well as that multilingual secretarys job, Silas Livingstone was well aware of her circumstances, so surely he would not be considering her for this new vacancy unless the salary that went with it was an adequate living wage.
By early Friday evening Colly had reasoned that, because her only skills were in keeping a well-run house, some small knowledge of art and an ability with languages, this newly created vacancy must involve the use of her languages in some waywhich, plainly, was not secretarial. But, again, why dinner? It was almost as though the job was not in his office at all! As if it were nothing to do with office lifeand that was why he was interviewing her in informal detail outside of the office.
She was getting fanciful. Colly went upstairs to shower and get dressed, ready for Silas Livingstone to call.
Because this was to all intents and purposes a business dinner, Colly opted to wear a black straight ankle-length skirt of fine wool and a heavy silk white shirt-blouse. She joined the two with a wide suede belt that emphasised her tiny waist. She brushed her long brown hair with its hint of red back from her face in an elegant knot, and when she took a slightly apprehensive glance in the full-length mirror she was rather pleased with her general appearance. It was only then that she accepted that, with no other likely-looking job being advertised in the paper this week, she was pinning a lot of hope on this interview. She did so hope she would not come home disappointed. It was just that afternoon that Nanette had bluntly asked when she was leaving.
It was her luck that when, at ten minutes to eight, with a black wool cloak over her arm, she went downstairs to wait, she should meet Nanette in the hall. Where are you off to? Nanette asked nastily, her eyes looking her over.
Im going out to dinner.
What about my dinner? Nanette asked shrewishly.
Only just did Colly refrain from telling her that she had been her fathers housekeeper, not hers. I thought you might be going out yourself, she replied quietly; the atmosphere in the house was hostile enough without her adding to it.
Afriend will be joining me later, Nanette snapped. And, an anticipatory gleam coming to her eyes, Dont disturb us when you come in.
Colly went into the breakfast room to wait. It was a dark January night and she would see the cars headlights as they swept up the drive. Now, dont hope for too much. She attempted to calm herself down. There was every chance she might not yet be offered this job which could mean independence and a new way of life.
A minute or so later car headlights lit up the drive. Colly donned her cloak and, hoping it was Silas Livingstone and not Nanettes friend, left the breakfast room and went out to meet him.
It was her hopefully prospective employer. He left the drivers seat and came to open up the passenger door. Hello, Colly, he greeted her amicably.
Well, that sounded friendly enough. She preferred Colly to Columbine. Hello, she murmured. In no time she was seated beside him and they were motoring back down the drive. You found the house all right? she asked politely. It was a nice house, in a very well-to-do neighbourhood.
Not a problem, he returned pleasantly, and matched her for polite conversation as he drove them to the eating establishment he had chosen, which happened to be a hotel.
He waited in the foyer while she checked her cloak. After taking a deep breath, her insides churning, she went out to join him. She gave him a smile. He smiled back, his eyes taking in her smart appearance. She had been out on dates beforebut never with someone like him.
But this was not a date, she reminded herself as he escorted her to a lounge area. Youre over your disappointment of last Tuesday, I hope? he enquired as he waited for her to be seated.
I blush whenever I think of my nerve in even applying, she answered as he took a seat facing her.
He seemed to approve of her honesty. But, when she thought that he would now begin to interview her for this other job, the newly arisen job, to her surprise did not, but merely commented, Youre having a rather desperate time of it at the moment, and asked, What would you like to drink?
He went on to be a most courteous and pleasant companion.
Mr Livingstone she began at one point.
Only to lose her thread completely when, Silas, he invitedand kept up a polite flow of conversation as they transferred to the dining room.
He asked her opinion on sundry matters as they ate their way through the first course, and in fact was everything she could wish for in a platonic dinner partner. So much so that they were midway through their main course before she recalled that they were not here as friends but as prospective employer and employee.
This job, she inserted during a break in the conversation, realising only then how thoroughly at ease with him she felt. If that had been his aim he could not have done better.
Well get to that in time, he commented. Is the steak to your liking?
They were back in the lounge drinking coffee before Colly found another chance to introduce the subject of work without appearing to be blunt.
Ive very much enjoyed this evening, she began politely, but
But now, naturally, youd like to know more about the vacancy. He favoured her with a pleasant look, and explained, rather intriguingly, she felt, I wanted to get to know you a little before we embarked on afull discussion.
Anderyou feel you have?
Sufficiently, I believe, he replied, going on, I also wanted privacy to outline what I have in mind. His mouth quirked upwards briefly. I hesitated to ask you back to my home.
Her lovely green eyes widened somewhat. Youreummaking this sound just a little bit personal, she answered warily.
He considered her answer, but did not scoff that it was nothing of the sort, as she had expected him to. Doing nothing for her suddenly apprehensive feelings, he said, I suppose, in an impersonal way, it could be termed personal.
Do I get up and leave now? she enquired coldly.
Id prefer you stayed until youd heard me out, he replied, his dark eyes fixed on her apprehensive green ones. Youre quite safe here, he added, glancing round what was now a deserted lounge. And we have all the privacy we need in which to talk this vacancy through.
So that was why he had not gone into detail over dinner! A few fellow diners had been within eavesdropping distance should they have cared to listen in. So, you having assured me Im not required to sing for my supper, Im listening, Colly invited, relaxing again, because should this conversation go in a way she did not care for she could decline to allow him to drive her to her home, and could ask someone at Reception to get her a taxi.
To hear that she was ready for him to outline the job was all Silas Livingstone was waiting for. Though, instead of outlining the work, he first of all stated, Ive learned a little of you this evening, Colly. Sufficient, at any rate, to know that I should like to offer you thisposition.
Her heart lightened. Oh, thank heaven. She was on her way! Silas Livingstone must believe she could do the job, or he would not be willing to offer it to her. Oh, thats wonderful! She beamed, her overwhelming relief plain to see. She might soon be self-sufficient, have money of her own and be able to afford somewhere to rent, and not beholden to Nanette for a temporary roof over her head.
He looked at her shining green eyes. You dont know what the job is yet, he cautioned.
I dont care what it is, she answered delightedly. As long as its honest and pays well. You wouldnt offer if
Are things really so bad for you? he butted in softly.
Colly took a breath to deny that things were in any way bad for her. Though when she thought of the dire state of her present finances, and then of Nanettes daily barbs that she pack her bags and leave, Colly couldnt think that they could be much worse.
What sort of work would I have to do? she enquired, ready to turn her hand to anything.
Silas studied her for a moment, not commenting that she had not given him a detailed account of just how awful things were at the only home she had ever known. Instead, he asked, Tell me, Colly, if it were not so very essential for you to find somewhere to live and to find a job with a salary sufficient with which to pay rent, what would be an ideal scenario for you?
Again Colly found herself wishing she knew more about the usual interviewing techniques. Though, looking into the steady dark blue eyes of Silas Livingstone, she had an idea that he would not always follow the path of what was usual anyhow.
She looked away from him. I want to be independent, she replied. I thought, a couple of years ago, that Id like to have a place of my own
But your father wanted you to stay on as housekeeper?
Nanette, the woman he married, she preferred that I stayed on.
And now, now that she has inherited the house and everything else, she wants you gone.
It was not a question but a statement. And one that Colly could not argue against. So that makes my first priority to find somewhere to live and, of course, a job too. She shrugged, feeling more than a touch embarrassed, but, it not needing any thinking about, she went on to honestly answer his question about her ideal scenario. From choice, I would prefer to do some sort of training. Perhaps take a years foundation course while I looked into possible careersor even go on to university. She felt awkward again as she looked Silas in the eyes and confessed, I probably shouldnt be telling you this, but apart from an interest in artthough no particular talentI have no idea what, if anything, Im especially good at.
Silas smiled then. He did not do it too often, but when he did she momentarily forgot what they were talking about. You have a nice way with you, he answered. You have integrity, and I have formed an opinion that I can trust you.
Colly felt a touch pink. Was that what all that non-business chat over dinner had been aboutSilas gauging from her answers, her questions, her general demeanour, what sort of a person she was? My, but he was clever. So clever she had not had a clue what he was about. Yes, well, she mumbled, just a trifle embarrassed. You mustertrust me to have offered me the job. She got herself more of one piece. And, on thinking about it, considered it was more than high time that she found out more about this vacancy. May I know exactly what the job entails? What my duties will be? she asked.
Then she discovered she would find out what she wanted to know, but only when he was good and readybecause he had not finished asking questions of his own yet. First of all, he began, tell me what you know about the firm of Livingstone Developments?
Realising that since he was paying the piper she would have to dance to his tune, she replied, Thats fairly easy. When I knew I had an interview last Tuesday, I made it my business to find out all I could about the company. Id never been for an interview before, she explained, so I had no idea of what sort of questions I should know the answers to.