That Would Be a Fairy Tale - By Amanda Grange Page 0,22
his strong fingers close around her own she felt a surge of energy course through her, making her shiver from head to toe. It was a good thing she was wearing gloves, she thought with a gasp, for if he had closed his fingers round her bare hand the sensation would have been overwhelming.
Hastily, she retrieved her hand. Or tried to. But he held onto it, his eyes locked onto her own.
‘When . . . ’ She swallowed. For some reason she had difficulty getting her words out. Her heart was beating rapidly, and her voice was little more than a breathless gasp. ‘When would you like me to start?’
‘On Monday, if that is convenient,’ he said. His eyes still held her own.
It wasn’t just the way they flashed that attracted her. It was their dark depths that fascinated her.
‘Very well.’ She tried to withdraw her hand again, and this time he allowed her to do so. She took a deep breath to steady herself. ‘Until Monday, then.’
She moved to go past him. For a minute he blocked her way. Then he moved aside and allowed her to walk out of the office.
She was trembling from head to foot as she descended the stairs. She had just agreed to become Alex Evington’s secretary, and she had the alarming feeling that she had been foolish. How would she fare, alone with him at the Manor? Would she be able to concentrate on her duties?
She gave herself a mental shake. She must. She needed the money. She would just have to curb her feelings for Mr Evington, whatever they might be, and concentrate on being an efficient secretary instead.
And having made this resolution she reclaimed her bicycle and set off back to the Lodge.
‘You’ve taken a position as Mr Evington’s secretary?’ asked Alice in astonishment the following day as the two young women tidied the garden at the Lodge.
‘I have.’ Cicely pulled the dead heads from the roses and took them over to the small compost heap behind the house.
‘I didn’t know you were so short of money,’ said Alice, her astonishment giving way to a frown.
‘I didn’t want you to know,’ admitted Cicely. ‘In fact, I wasn’t going to tell you about my job. But as I will be at the Manor for three mornings every week from now on I felt I had to tell you. It would be just too difficult to keep thinking up excuses as to why I was never at home.’
‘I should think so, too,’ said Alice.
‘But I don’t want anyone else to know. Everyone thinks the sale of the Manor left me well provided for and I don’t want them to think any differently. I may not have much money but I still have my pride.’
Alice nodded. ‘Your secret’s safe with me. And as I am the only one who visits you regularly in the mornings, no one else need suspect anything. Unless they see you at the Manor?’
‘It isn’t likely. And if they do, well, why shouldn’t I be there? With the Sunday school picnic coming up, and after it a variety of activities which involve the Manor, they will simply think I am talking Mr Evington into behaving as the owner of the Manor should.’
‘You must have softened towards him, then,’ said Alice as she began to weed the rose bed. ‘For you to take a job with him, I mean. A few days ago you could not even bear to hear his name mentioned.’ She sat back on her heels. ‘I think it’s a good thing. The village is too small a place for people to take a dislike to one another.’
‘I dislike Mr Evington as much as I ever did, and he feels the same way about me,’ said Cicely decidedly. ‘We have, however, discovered we need each other and we have decided to call a truce.’
Alice gave her a sideways look.
‘There is no need to look like that,’ said Cicely vigorously. ‘When I say we have discovered we need each other I mean we need each others help. Mr Evington needs someone to show him the ropes at the Manor, and I need a job. Fortunately he thinks I need one because I am bored, rather than realising I need one so that I can earn some money. If he knew how straitened my circumstances are it would be just too mortifying. And so we have come to an arrangement which suits us both.’