"Yes, of course."
"Well, er, goodbye."
"Goodbye, Agatha." He held open the door for her.
Agatha went out stiffly to her car and climbed in. She drove off without looking out of the window. James watched her go. He should not have been so cold towards her but that kiss had alarmed him. He wondered if he would ever get over the shame of his affair with Mary Fortune. He did not even want to think of any emotional entanglement. Perhaps once he was feeling better about himself, he might travel up one day and take her out to lunch. He went back in and stared at the computer screen. It was a cold, windy day and leaves were swirling down from the trees outside.
The horror had left the village and Ca.r.s.ely was settling down for its long winter sleep, safe and calm and untroubled. And boring, he thought dismally, half his mind still occupied with that forlorn figure of Agatha getting into her car.
Agatha arrived at Pedmans at Cheapside on the Monday. The receptionist took a note of her name and phoned upstairs. Then she smiled at Agatha. "Your secretary, Peta, will be down in a minute."
But Agatha waited a whole ten minutes before a lank girl in an Armani trouser suit drifted down the stairs.
"Oh, there you are, sweetie," Peta said by way of greeting. "Follow me and I"ll show you to your sanctum."
Agatha grimly followed her. She looked around a small dark office and bared her teeth. "Let"s get one thing straight, Peta," she said. "When you have informed Mr Wilson that this office is an insult and found me a better one, you will remember to never dare call me sweetie again. I am Mrs Raisin to you at all times. And when you"ve finished doing that, get me a cup of coffee."
Peta made a brave stand. "We all get our own coffee in this firm. Secretaries are not waitresses, you know."
"Just do it," barked Agatha, "or find yourself another boss. Jump to it!"
And Peta jumped.
A short time afterwards, Agatha was ensconced in a larger office while Peta silently placed a tray of coffee and biscuits in front of her.
For one brief moment, Agatha thought of James, of Mrs Bloxby, of her cats, her home, her garden, and closed her eyes in pain.
Then she opened them again and pulled the phone towards her.
She was back in business and there was work to be done.
Ca.r.s.ely could wait.
EOF.
end.