Temporary Paragon - Emma Goldrick

Beth's life was far from simple

Impulsive Beth Murphy tackled life's problems head-on. When her errant niece appeared
in Boston "in terrible trouble," Beth promised tacy that the culprit would marry her.
!s a temporary secretary for "ichard Macomber, #n$lish professor, writer and culprit,
Beth put her plan into action. he soon learned the computer codes at Macomber
%ublishin$--and how to chan$e them.
But Beth hadn't counted on her own warm response to "ichard or the heartache of
plottin$ his marria$e to someone else.
&hapter 'ne
B#() M*"%)+ barely mana$ed to sta$$er up the front steps of the old wooden three-
decker in outh Boston, identical to all its nei$hbours, and dropped into a chair. (hree of
the bi$$est boys on her ,ittle ,ea$ue baseball team clattered their spikes behind her,
depositin$ the duffel ba$s full of bats and paraphernalia in odd corners. he waved them
off, and they tramped out of the house, not at all unhappy.
'-ood -od, Beth, you look a mess. What the devil is an unmarried.'
'pinster,' Beth interrupted, in her husky voice.
'I wasn't $oin$ to say that.'
'But I did, Mary. It's true, I admit it.in fact, I'm proud of it. !nd I do it because they
couldn't find a mana$er for the team, and the kids wouldn't have been able to play
baseball in the lea$ue if I didn't volunteer/'
'o there/' Mary ,ockrid$e lau$hed, rollin$ her wheelchair away from the desk. he
was a tiny, dark-haired woman, dau$hter of an old Italian family from the 0orth #nd,
who had married a warmhearted 'ld +ankee, and come to outh Boston to settle. 1espite
the le$ problems that had bothered her since birth, she mana$ed well in a wheelchair,
ade2uately on crutches, and from time to time essayed 'unsupported fli$ht', as she called
it. !nd she was an office mana$er par excellence.
Beth tu$$ed the old baseball cap off her head. )er mass of $olden-red hair fell down
to her shoulders. he shook her head a couple of times to free the tan$les. '-ot a &oke3'
she asked.
'0ot e4actly,' Mary chuckled. 'I've $ot a ti$er by the tail here, thou$h.' he $estured
towards the telephone handset lyin$ on her desk. 'Mr %omp and &ircumstance himself.
Wants to talk to the Mana$er. (here may be a even-*p left in the frid$e there. )ow was
the $ame3'
Beth stretched up to her slender five foot si4 and stalked the frid$e. 'I think we had a
moral victory,' she $loated as she pulled a bottle of pop out of the ice. '(he last time we
played this team they beat us twenty-five to nothin$. (his time they only won by seven to
one. (hat's our.where the heck is the bottle-opener3'
''n the desk, silly. Where I always keep it.'
'+ou're $oin$ to die of neatness, Mary. Why are you leavin$ the ti$er han$in$ on the
telephone3'
')e thinks I'm runnin$ around lookin$ for the Mana$er. +ou were sayin$3'
'I was sayin$, $loatin$, that's the first run we've scored all year/' (he telephone made
s2uawkin$ noises. '+ou really want me to talk to him3'
'0ot particularly,' Mary lau$hed. 'But if you want to, I don't mind. It's a 2uarter to five,
and I've had enou$h for this week. (hank -od it's 5riday/'
'!men.' Beth walked slowly over to the desk and picked up the telephone. '-ood day,
this is Miss Murphy speakin$.'
'(his is the mana$er of "entasec3 6ust a minute for Mr Macomber, please.' Beth shook
her head, lau$hin$. (he old one-upmanship business. I won't put my boss on the line until
yours is on. It was a $ame played in every business, but Beth was not at all impressed.
')ello.' ! male $rowl, low-pitched, indi$nant. 'h lord, here's one who not only $ot up
on the wron$ side of the bed, but stayed there all day/ she thou$ht. 'It's about time,' he
continued. 'I've been waitin$ for almost ei$ht minutes.'
!nother one of those, Beth $roaned to herself. he was 7ust not in the mood for
playin$ the $ame. 'Well, we can't all 7ump at command,' she said. '(here are other thin$s
that re2uire doin$.' !nd I hope that's cold enou$h for you, Mr Macomber.
'0ot when you're dealin$ with me,' the voice returned. 'When I call, I $et instant
action.'
'1o you really3' she si$hed, and then, in pseudo-sympathy, '+ou must have a terrible
kidney problem in your or$anisation.'
(here was a second of silence, followed by a $ruff lau$h. ''8, so you put me in my
place. I'll 7ust have to chalk that up on my board. 0ow, where was I3'
'"entasec' she prompted, tryin$ to hide the $i$$le.
'"entasec. +es. I've been told you keep a staff of 2ualified e4ecutive secretaries.'
'(hat's correct. 5or temporary work, of course.'
'(ell me about it.' It was a command, not an invitation. Beth shru$$ed at Mary, and
motioned her to $o ahead closin$ up the office.
'"entasec is a co-operative association of si4ty women who have retired from the
business scene to raise families,' she e4plained. '5orty of our members are hi$hly skilled,
and we provide updatin$ briefin$s re$ularly.'
'+ou've $ot a se4y voice, lady. What do the other twenty do3'
tartled, Beth half lowered the receiver, covered the mouthpiece, and called to Mary,
'Who is this Macomber3'
')e's the &hief 'peratin$ 'fficer of Macomber %ublishers,' she was told in one ear.
'Well.3' the telephone barked at her, Beth shook her head to clear her mind. (he
$ame must have been a $reater strain than she had thou$ht.
'I.' he fumbled for a moment, then pulled her well known reserve around her like a
suit of armour. '(he remainin$ members act as baby-sitters while our front-line people
are at work,' she said as coldly as she could.
he must have been successful. 'Brrrrr,' he chuckled. 'Mi$hty cold in Boston these
days, isn't it3' Beth was not about to answer. 'Well, I need an e4ecutive secretary,' he
added. 'omebody who understands word processin$ and computer techni2ues. omeone
old enou$h not to $i$$le every time I say somethin$. omeone who's not husband-
huntin$.'
'I think all of our personnel 2ualify,' she said stiffly. 'We deal only in the best.'
''h, and somebody who knows how to handle people, bi$ and little ones,' he added.
'What are you doin$ toni$ht3'
(hrown off-track a$ain, Beth sputtered, then settled down. 'Isn't that rather personal,
Mr Macomber3'
''f course,' he returned. 'We're talkin$ about my own e4ecutive secretary. It's bound to
be a personal relationship.'
'I'm sure it must be,' she said fri$idly, havin$ made up her mind. '!s for myself, I
intend to spend the weekend with M!&. he looked fondly into the ne4t room, crammed
with racks that made up their Multiple !ccess &omputer.
',ucky $uy,' he said. )is voice had shifted from harshness into a smooth baritone, an
almost come-hither sound. It was time to turn him off.
'*nfortunately, Mr Macomber,' she said politely, 'a firm like ours must be most
selective of our clients. We couldn't possibly send our ladies out in an environment where
a concubine is wanted. We deal only with secretaries.'
'Well, I'll be damned.'
'%robably,' she si$hed, and dropped the handset on to its cradle.
'What was that all about3' Mary wheeled herself back from the computer room, a
smile teasin$ her olive-toned Italian skin.
'I'm darned if I know,' Beth said reflectively. he thou$ht it over for a minute. 'I don't
know 7ust what the man really wanted.but I turned the 7ob down, anyway. Macomber.
%ublishin$3 %robably some old fo$ey in his third childhood, I'll bet. )e wants a
temporary secretary who's willin$ to play footsy with him. What the devil are you
lau$hin$ at now3'
'(ake a look at this.' Mary held out a pa$e from the Globe. '(he -overnor's ball. ee
the man ne4t to him3'
(he -overnor of Massachusetts was short and slim. 0e4t to him was a lean, hawk-
eyed si4-footer. (he black and white picture failed to do him 7ustice. 'Brown hair, brown
eyes.curly eyelashes,' Mary $i$$led. '"amrod Macomber, they called him in his colle$e
days. )e's the playboy of the year in Boston, Beth. Where've you been lately3 )is
publishin$ company handles the hottest detective stories in the country.and a mess of
those "take off all your clothes" books.historical romances.'
')ysterical romances, you mean3 My, he certainly mi$ht be able to catch someone.
especially in a small office. &urly eyelashes3 Isn't that a shame3 Well, I turned him down,
anyway. )e probably needs someone from the &ombat 9one, not "entasec.'
'0ot to worry,' Mary told her, handin$ over a computer sheet. 'Most of our $irls are
committed for ne4t week, anyway. I never cease thankin$ -od for this computer. (he
ne4t time your brother comes in from &alifornia, I'm $oin$ to kiss him.homely as he is.'
he wheeled her chair over to the terminal, and punched a few more keys. (he bi$
machine in the ne4t room $rumbled, flashed a few li$hts, and settled down to its weekend
run of mundane thin$s. %ayrolls, $overnment-re2uired statistics, postin$s of earnin$s,
that sort of thin$.
'5red really did a $ood 7ob of pro$rammin$,' Beth a$reed. '!nd spent his four-week
vacation rustlin$ up the parts cheaply.that was a sacrifice, too.'
'It used to be a $irl's best friend was a diamond,' Mary chortled. '0ow it's a brother
who's a computer-ma$ician.'
'We could have scored twice,' muttered Beth, her mind already back to the baseball
$ame. 'Would you believe it."obbie Bettencourt hasn't had a hit all season. (hey
walked him. )e was so proud he tried to steal second base, their catcher threw the ball
out into the outfield, and "obbie walked home/'
'ounds like an avera$e ,ittle ,ea$ue day to me,' Mary lau$hed. ',ucky you turned
the man down. M!& says we don't have an e4ecutive secretary free on Monday.'
''h, wow,' Beth si$hed. 'i4ty members in our cooperative, and we haven't a one free
for Monday3'
')ey, well, thirty-five of them are on assi$nment, fifteen are baby-sittin$ for the
workin$ mothers, and the others have various ailments and aches. We $row old, Beth.'
'1on't say that,' Beth lau$hed. 'I don't mind bein$ a spinster, but I don't $row old. Why
don't you scoot home, love3'
'I will, Beth. pendin$ the weekend alone a$ain3'
'I suppose. With M!&, as I told the $entleman on the telephone. (here are a number
of thin$s to clear up.'
'+ou know what you need, Beth3'
'+eah. ! $ood ri$ht-handed pitcher. urely there's some kid in the area who can throw
the ball all the way from the pitcher's mound to home-plate3'
'(hat isn't what I was thinkin$. What you need is a man/'
'+eah, one who's four foot three and can throw a $ood hi$h inside pitch,' Beth
chuckled. '-o on, now. +our husband will be frothin$ at the bit.'
'0o, he won't. I cook better than that.'
(he two of them walked each other to the back door, where ramps had displaced stairs
lon$ a$o. Beth stood at the door as Mary navi$ated the slope and headed ne4t door to her
own house.
Beth stopped for a minute on the back porch. (he house, desi$ned e4actly like all ten
of the nei$hbours, was a hu$e three-storey affair, ori$inally cold-water tenements built at
the turn of the century. But they were built for lar$e families, and were built well. #ach
floor contained ei$ht rooms, with a double sittin$-room separated by slidin$ doors.
%lumbin$ had been improved, and in most of the houses on the street, each tenement had
been broken up into flats. But not Beth's pride. (he house had been left to her by her
father. he lived in the e4pansive second-floor apartment, devoted the first floor to her
business, and rented out the third. )ousin$ was ti$ht in Boston. (he three-decker that
sold for thirty thousand dollars three years a$o was now 2uoted at one hundred and
twenty thousand, and there were few houses offered for sale. Meanwhile, the rental
income from the third floor paid the ta4es, and there was no mort$a$e. he leaned back
a$ainst one of the porch pillars and took a deep breath.
(he wind was in the ri$ht direction for deep breathin$, a flock of sparrows were
conductin$ fli$ht manoeuvres over her tiny back yard, and Beth Murphy's world seemed
alto$ether satisfactory. he had spent all of her life here in the district, within walkin$
distance of (ele$raph )ill, and was at peace with herself.
he started to make the rounds of the office area, checkin$ windows, lockin$ doors,
and settin$ the alarm system. It had been a lon$ time a$o since one could leave unlocked
doors in outhie. &limbin$ the steep back-stairs brou$ht protests from her knees. he
smiled, revealin$ the two dimples, one on either side of her heart-shaped face, the bane of
her e4istence. Without them, she looked her a$e. (he dimples cut her back almost to
sweet si4teen, a time she hardly cared to remember.
0ot because I was somebody at sweet si4teen, she told herself as she laboured up the
stairs, but because I was a red-headed freckle-faced nobody, who knew nothin$. he
unlocked the door at the second landin$ and went in, lau$hin$. Mrs )ennessey, who
obli$ed with cleanin$ three days a week, was $ivin$ the kitchen a last swipe with her
dusty cloth.
'omethin$ funny3' (he stooped little old lady must have been seventy if she was a
day, but had no intention of stoppin$ work 'until the day they pat me in the face with a
shovel', she would say from time to time.
'6ust reminiscin$,' shru$$ed Beth. '+ou're not done yet3 It's pretty late.'
'!in't nothin$ to $o home to,' her housekeeper returned. '(ell me what's funny and I'll
make you a cup of coffee.'
'It wasn't much, but you're on. I could use some coffee.' !nd she could use someone to
listen to, Beth thou$ht, as she pulled an old wooden chair out from the kitchen table and
sat down. (he coffee was hot, and percolated, evidence of premeditation. Weekends were
lonely times for the elderly. )avin$ outlived all their friends and families, they turned to
anyone who would listen. Beth took a $rateful sip.
'Well, I was thinkin$, comin$ up the stairs, about bein$ si4teen and red-headed and
freckled, and stupid.and it struck me that only the freckled part has chan$ed. )ow about
that3'
'0ot red-headed, either,' the old lady told her. 'In the summer, when you're out in the
sun, it's more $old than red. +ou remind me of your $randmother. 0ow, there was a one.'
'weet and demure3' Beth knew the answer, but was encoura$in$ the tale.
'! real hell-raiser,' Mrs )ennessy chuckled. 'Me and your $randma, we cut many a
swin$ in our youn$er days.'
Beth settled back to listen with one ear. (he story improved on each tellin$, this tale
of the Irish in outh Boston before the -reat War, but a $ood listener knew where to
$runt, or comment, or $i$$le, without even listenin$. !nd it $ave time to assess the week.
Business had been $ood. Baseball had been terrible. !nd to end up with some
institutional $rouch like "amrod Macomber.wow, there was a name/
(he housekeeper had come to the end of her weekly tale, and was ready to leave. Beth
said all the ri$ht words, paid her for the week, and watched her out of the door with her
usual warnin$s. '!nd watch those stairs. I'll see you Monday/'
'(ime to unwind,' Beth told herself when the door was safely closed. he added 7ust a
dollop of Irish Mist to her coffee, and took it alon$ with her to the bathroom. (he tub was
old: si4 feet of white enamel set up on four clawed feet, with a shower-head added years
later. &asually, she dropped off her clothes a piece at a time, leavin$ a scattered trail
between the livin$-room and the bathroom, and turned on the hot-water tap. (he heater
was in the cellar, re2uirin$ a lon$ run of cold before the warm water arrived. he waited
until the temperature met her needs, turned on the cold water to balance, and pulled the
shower curtain around the tub.
It was a lon$ step upward to $et in. he mana$ed, revelled in the water, then lathered
up with her favourite perfumed soap. (here had been more brick-dust at the park than she
needed, and half of it had come home in her hair, so she shampooed vi$orously, and then
7ust stood there, lettin$ the comfortin$ warmth run down off her shoulders, across her
small, pert breasts, and down her stomach. (he soap was barely out of her hair when she
heard the noise in the kitchen.
'tupid,' she chided herself. '+ou didn't lock the back door/'
,eavin$ the shower water runnin$, she fumbled her way out of the tub, slippin$ on the
loose bathmat. )er ancient robe hun$ on the back of the door. he shru$$ed herself into
it, still wet, with soap on her cheeks and ears. (here was no weapon in si$ht e4cept for
the rubber-tipped plun$er. he hefted it. It would have to do. he eased the bathroom
door open and peeped out. (here was nobody in the livin$-room, but the noises persisted
from the kitchen. )oldin$ her plun$er up with two hands, she crept across the room,
leavin$ a trail of wet footprints on the old carpet.
omebody was in the kitchen, cryin$. &all the police, her subconscious dictated. "un
like hell, her careful mind admonished. I$norin$ them both, she eased herself around the
corner of the door, and into the kitchen. omebody was sittin$ at the table, head down on
her arms. !ll that was visible was the bri$ht blonde head of hair.
'tacy3' she asked, disbelievin$ly. (he youn$ head snapped up, tears still coursin$.
'!unt Beth/' (he $irl scraped back her chair and came runnin$ around the table into
her aunt's arms. ''h -od, !unt Beth, I had to come/'
!nd that's par for the course, Beth told herself as she welcomed the tiny creature to
her side. !nastasia Murphy, ei$hteen years old, five foot two, platinum blonde, full
fi$ure, empty head. (he dau$hter of her brilliant brother 5red, who, at this very moment,
ou$ht to be happily ensconced in her dormitory at Marymont &olle$e, in upper 0ew +ork
tate.
')ey, you're always welcome,' she whispered softly into the silky crown of hair. (hat's
what aunts are for.'
''h -od, !unt Beth. I'm in terrible trouble/'
Beth s2uee;ed the $irl a little ti$hter, her chin firmin$ up. '(here's a man involved3'
she asked softly.
''h.yes. )ow did you know3'
Beth smiled $ently and patted the $irl's head. In a typical Irish family, when a $irl $ot
herself into 'terrible trouble', it meant only one thin$. But first, somehow, she had to stem
the hysteria.
'#verythin$ will be all ri$ht,' she soothed. '+ou'll stay a while. I'll let your father know
.'
''h.no, not that. 1on't let him know/'
'But he'll worry about you, tacy. We'll tell him that there's a break in the colle$e
schedule, and you.decided to take pity on your poor old aunt. )ow about that for a
solution3'
(he blonde head at her breast nodded up and down, and it did seem that the tears were
slowin$. With the skill of lon$ practice, Beth manoeuvred the $irl back into a chair. )er
three brothers had already provided her with seven nieces.none of whom thou$ht it at
all unusual to run to their !unt Beth. '(here now, I was about to make supper, and.'
'It was terrible. ,ord, it's $ood to be here/ #verythin$ is so.so ordinary.'
)ow about that for your obituary3 Beth fumed to herself as she headed back to the
bathroom to dry off and dress. Everything about Aunt Beth is so ordinary! I have three
brilliant brothers, each in their own field, but the daughter of the house is ordinary/
he was standin$ in the middle of the bathroom, without a stitch to her name, runnin$
the hot air into her hair, and cau$ht a $limpse of herself in the mirror. ,uckily, the
mirror's cracked, she told herself, as she assessed. (all enou$h.for a $irl. 0ice hair,
when it dries.if only it didn't curl so impetuously at its ends. -reen eyes that sparkled,
stormed, smiled, at need. 2uare shoulders, with two freckles left from childhood, ri$ht
in the hollow. Breasts that stood out firmly but not boastfully, tipped bron;e, sometimes
achin$. ! flat stomach that narrowed precipitously before it swelled out into ample hips.
,e$s, perhaps too lon$ for the rest of her, $racefully shaped. 0ot at all bad for an
ordinary old ha$, she assured herself. !nd then, not $ivin$ herself a chance to chan$e her
mind, she rushed out throu$h the livin$-room into her bedroom, and dressed.
)ow did you welcome a niece in trouble3 By casual dress, for one thin$. It was still
cool in the Maytime evenin$ of Boston, and the radiator heat was inefficient. he
shru$$ed herself into a cashmere pullover, stepped into the tiny briefs that were always
so at odds with her personality, and snatched up a wrap-around plaid skirt. )er hair fell
into place with a simple brushin$, and she was ready to act as the family cryin$-towel.
tacy had found herself a ci$arette, still sittin$ at the table. ')ey, you're in my house
now.' (he $irl $uiltily stubbed out the butt in her empty coffee-cup.
'I for$ot,' tacy apolo$ised. 'I was feelin$.nervous, and I thou$ht a ci$arette would
.'
'%ut you ten steps closer to lun$ cancer,' her aunt chided. ')ave you been travellin$
lon$3'
'!.friend.brou$ht me all the way by car,' the $irl said, and ducked her head out of
Beth's line of vision. '!bout ei$ht hours. It's a nice car.'
'I'll bet. &olle$e boy3'
''h, heavens, no/ !n adult. I don't $o out with colle$e boys. (hey're so.so youn$.'
''f course,' Beth si$hed. I don't $o out with colle$e boys either, she thou$ht. 'f
course, I did walk by )arvard yard one time, and look throu$h the $ates/
'What are you thinkin$ about, Beth3'
he smiled back at her niece as she opened the refri$erator door and assessed her
stock of food. ''h, nothin$ important. 6ust what a nice time youth was. Will steak do for
your supper3'
''h yes, fine. I'm hun$ry. (he dinin$-room at colle$e is.not very $ood. !nd 1ad
sends me such a small allowance.'
'+es, of course. (here's a head of lettuce there. Want to make us a tossed salad3 I must
say that dress looks $ood on you. I thou$ht most colle$e kids.er.students, wore 7eans.'
'+es, usually. +ou like it3' (he $irl twirled around. )er crimson skirt flared and
followed her. 'I chan$ed at 0orth tation. I.well.'
'%uttin$ your best foot forward for your aunt3' Beth lau$hed.
(he $irl blushed and confessed, '+es. 1ad always coached us before we came to your
house. "-et dressed like a woman.your aunt doesn't like unise4 nieces".'
(hey worked side by side, the effort easin$ the tension. When everythin$ was
prepared, and the steaks were $rillin$, Beth hu$$ed the $irl a$ain. 'Why don't you $et a
2uick shower or bath3' she su$$ested. '!nd remember to turn on the hot water first, or
you're liable to $et scalded.'
Beth waited outside the bathroom door until she heard the shower runnin$, and then
dashed throu$h to the telephone and dialled her brother's office in &alifornia. (he time
difference came out 7ust ri$ht. It was almost si4 o'clock in Boston, and coffee-break time
in %alo !lto.
'It's Beth,' she hissed into the receiver. 'I have your errant dau$hter here.'
'Well, that's a damn relief,' said 5red. '(he 1ean called her mother two hours a$o, with
some cra;y mi4ed-up messa$e. I mi$ht have known she'd $o to you. What's the trouble3'
'I don't know, 5red. 1on't worry about her. I'll find out, and do somethin$.'
'Well, I'll worry, anyway,' he chuckled. 'I know you mean well, Beth, but you bein$
the baby of the family, I worry about you, too.'
'Well, you needn't,' she told him huffily. 'I've mana$ed to $et alon$ without all you
men for some time now/'
'(hat's what worries me,' her brother returned. 'een any $ood ball-$ames lately3'
'0o. Why did you have to ask me that3 (he "ed o4 are in last place in the !merican
,ea$ue. !nd so is my ,ittle ,ea$ue team. +ou couldn't find me a pitcher, I don't
suppose3'
'"i$ht after you strai$hten my dau$hter out and $et her back to colle$e.'
'Well.er.that mi$ht take some doin$, 5red. I think we have big problems.'
'!nd there's nobody in the family better at settlin$ big problems than you,' he lau$hed.
'I worry about the little ones, but with bi$ ones you're some sort of marvel. )ow's the
computer comin$ alon$3'
'1oin$ fine, 5red. I have to run. tacy's almost finished with the shower, and.'
'!nd she told you not to call her old man, I suppose3'
'I suppose,' Beth si$hed. '5unny, how you understand her so well, and yet she
continually $ets in trouble.'
'(hat's why we named her !nastasia #li;abeth,' 5red chuckled, and hun$ up.
'Is that somebody on the telephone for me3' tacy came hurryin$ out of the bathroom,
lookin$ like some sort of an$el, wearin$ Beth's best robe.
'0o. 6ust a nei$hbour. !re you e4pectin$ a call3'
'Well, I.I thou$ht he mi$ht call.'
')e3 1oes someone else know that you're in Boston3'
'I.I suppose they must. I hope the steak isn't burnin$.'
!nd so do I, Beth told herself wryly. +oun$ she mi$ht be, but my lovely little niece
surely knows how to chan$e the sub7ect/
upper was a little strained. tacy was so obviously tryin$ to avoid a whole ran$e of
sub7ects that conversation was like walkin$ throu$h a minefield. (hey talked about the
weather in Boston, the weather in Buffalo, the sprin$ fashion styles, and family
anecdotes. But no matter how often Beth pressed the $irl about her life at the colle$e, she
clammed up and went on to somethin$ else.
It was almost ten o'clock that ni$ht, over coffee, that she mana$ed to $et an indication
of the si;e of the problem. '+ou mi$ht as well stop dod$in$ the issue, tacy,' she said.
'We've 7ust $ot to take the bull by the horns. !re there any other clich<s that fit3 I suppose
this is all about a boy3'
'Well.not e4actly a boy. "oddy is a very $rownup man.'
tacy's coffee-cup was rattlin$ in its saucer as she ducked away from her aunt's eyes.
'"oddy3 (hat's an unusual name. Is he someone from the colle$e3'
'Well.no. 0ot from Marymont. )e's somewhat .older. )e was a $raduate student at
&ornell, and he came over to.I.he 7ust happened to.drop in. )e wanted to consult
with one of our instructors, and he and I.we 7ust happened to run into each other on the
campus.'
'I'll 7ust bet you did, love. &ome on, tell all.'
'Well, it took considerable doin$,' the $irl said indi$nantly. 'I had to wait the lon$est
time for him to come around the corner and knock me over. It wasn't easy.'
'I'll 7ust bet it wasn't. !nd does our "oddy have a last name3'
'I.that's the trouble, !unt Beth. )e's not our "oddy. )e 7ust.he 7ust doesn't care.
0ot a bit.'
'1oesn't care3 +ou mean, you e4plained everythin$ to him3'
'+es. (he day after he.after we.I tried to e4plain it all, and he said it was 7ust not
possible, because we had only done it once, you know, and.he.left.'
'6ust like that, he left3'
'Well, he stopped lon$ enou$h to say $oodbye and he left. I think he was scared, or
somethin$.'
'(hat's a fine thin$/ )e darned well ou$ht to be. But you came up to Boston with
him3'
'0ot e4actly. With one of his friends.'
'o that means there are at least three of you who know about all this,' Beth snapped.
'+ou didn't tell me the last name of this para$on of yours.'
'I.his name is.Macomber.'
'Macomber3 "oddy Macomber3'
(he $irl's head snapped up. '+ou know him3'
'"amrod Macomber/ 0o, I don't know him, darlin$, but I'm going to/'
'"amrod3 I've never heard him called that.'
'Well, they do occasionally, I'm told. )e's a man who obviously needs takin$ down a
pe$ or two.'
'!unt Beth,' the $irl said an4iously. 'I don't want him taken down any pe$s. I 7ust want
to.' (he tears be$an a$ain.
'!re you in love with him3'
'+es.I.I want to marry him, and.oh -od, !unt Beth, what a mess I've made/'
'0othin$'s impossible,' si$hed Beth as she tried to soothe away the tears a$ain. 'Why
don't you $o to bed and rest those tired eyes. !unt Beth will take care of it, believe me/'
CHAPTER TWO
B#() knew 7ust what she wanted to do on Monday mornin$, but had no idea how to $o
about it. he wandered around the empty office, warmin$ up the computer, casually
checkin$ the tape-drivers. tacy was still asleep upstairs, and mi$ht well be at it until
noon or later. Mary wheeled herself in at nine o' clock, surprised to find the doors already
unlocked.
'5or$otten somethin$3' she asked cheerfully.
'%robably,' Beth returned $lumly. 'I'm so badly off that I've even for$otten what I
mi$ht have for$otten.'
(hat's a terrible pun, Beth. -ood ,ord, who could be callin$ at this hour of the
mornin$3'
'I don't know. Why don't you pick up the phone and find out3
'Why don't you3'
'I.I'm sorry, Mary. (here isn't any reason why I shouldn't, is there3' o she did,
feelin$ the wei$ht of a $uilty conscience proddin$ at her.
'"entasec3' (hat deep male voice.unfor$ettable. -ruff, but not overbearin$.
'+es. (his is Miss Murphy. )ow may I help you3'
'Miss Murphy.damn it, surely you have a first name3'
'I surely do. )ow may we help you3'
',ike that, huh3'
Beth si$hed. 'I'm really not at my best on Monday mornin$s, Mr Macomber. It is Mr
Macomber, isn't it3'
'+es. +ou knew damn well who it was. What other sorehead do you have on your
lists3'
'Well, we have a number of them, actually,' she said briskly. 'But I wouldn't include
you. +ou're not on our list.'
'!nd that's what I called you about,' he $rumbled. 'look, Miss Murphy, I'm desperate.
(he whole business is likely to come to a standstill. I don't know how to make these
stupid machines $o/'
'I'm sure you have a do;en secretaries in the buildin$ who do, Mr Macomber. Why
don't you try one of them3'
'What the hell do.I mean.pardon me.I've done that.' (he voice had shifted up-
re$ister to the smooth-as-silk approach. 'I've really tried all the members of our
or$anisation, from editors down to assistant typists.'
'!nd none of them can make thin$s $o3 What's the name of your pro$ram, Mr
Macomber3'
'"ichard. My friends call me "ichard. Wait a minute.' (here was a hum of voices off-
telephone, and then he came back. '(he pro$ram is called uper$ram. !re you familiar
with that3'
Beth covered the mouthpiece of the telephone with one hand. 'uper$ram, Mary,' she
called.
)er office mana$er smiled, keyed the computer, and compared. '(he same pro$ram as
ours,' she called back. '1ifferent name. ! few different lock-words, that sort of thin$.'
'Mr Macomber3 !s it happens, we have someone available who is familiar with that
pro$ram. +ou realise, of course, there will be an e4tra fee. pecialisation costs.'
'1amn it, I don't care. )ow soon can you $et her over here to ,iberty 2uare3'
'Well.there's the matter of.it's some distance. %erhaps by one o' clock3'
')ave her take a cab, for -od's sake. Make it ten-thirty/' !nd he hun$ up with a
mi$hty crash.
'I take it we're dealin$ with Macomber %ublishin$3' Mary asked.
'Indeed we are.'
'But we haven't anyone available, Beth.'
'+es, we do, Mary. I'm $oin$ on this one myself/'
'!fter what you said on 5riday3'
'!fter what I heard on aturday. I have a bone to pick with this man. +ou'd better
e4pect me to be $one for a while. !nd tacy is upstairs.'
'(hat empty-headed min43' e4claimed Mary.
'(he very one. he needs to be kept busy. 1i$ up somethin$ around the office for her
to work at.'
'What is this.a therapy course3'
'More likely the devil and idle hands,' said Beth. 'I've $ot to $o chan$e. ,iberty
2uare. &all me a cab, Mary, while I $o up and dress for the occasion.'
he hadn't a $reat deal to choose from. Beth spent little time in society.even the
nei$hbourhood society. !s a result, her wardrobe was desi$ned strictly for office work or
baseball. But she chose her clothin$ as a kni$ht mi$ht choose his armour.to fit the
battle in front of her. o she ended up in a navy-blue skirt, with matchin$ bla;er, and a
simple white blouse stippled with lace at the collar, down the line of buttons in front, and
at the cuffs.
he scrubbed her face carefully, put on a thin layer of moisturiser, and brushed her
hair ti$htly back to the nape of her neck, fastenin$ it there into a chi$non.
',iberty 2uare,' she told the cab driver. '!nd don't hurry.'
(he office buildin$ was actually on Broad treet, about a block from the s2uare. !n
unpretentious buildin$, it seemed dwarfed amon$ its nei$hbours of the 5inancial 1istrict.
! discreet brass si$n beside the main door said 'Macomber %ress'. !nd a harried elderly
man was standin$ inside, waitin$.
'5rom "entasec3' he asked an4iously. he offered him a smile. Macomber was her
tar$et, not his minions. (he thou$ht brou$ht lau$hter. he had waited for years for a
chance to use that word, and had never succeeded until now.
'Brent.%ersonnel,' he introduced himself, tryin$ out a very dry chuckle, as if hopin$
her lau$hter meant $ood news for a chan$e.
'Murphy."entasec,' said Beth as solemnly as she could, while e4tendin$ a hand. 'I
understand you have a set of machines that won't behave3 ,ead me to the culprits.' )e
heaved a si$h of relief, and $estured in the direction of a tiny bo4-elevator. (he machine
lurched slowly upwards, with not another word e4chan$ed. My dra$on really does have
his troops under his thumb, she thou$ht. ,ook at this one. +ou'd think his life was in
dan$er/
(he elevator rumbled to a halt on the fourth floor, fumbled to ad7ust itself to floor
level, and then opened its doors with a hiss, almost as if the machinery was not 2uite sure
it had made it. ! lon$, deserted hall stretched before her. (here was not a sound to be
heard. he shifted her ba$ to her other shoulder and followed Brent down the hall,
stealin$ a $lance into each of the cubicles as she went. (hey were all filled with people,
sittin$ at desks in front of computer terminals.and not movin$ a muscle.
'In here.' (he personnel man opened an office door for her, but did not come in. he
turned back to look at him. )e $estured strai$ht ahead, where an inner office beckoned.
he shru$$ed her shoulders at him, and looked around the office where she stood.
! wide secretarial desk, cluttered with papers, filled the corner under the windows,
which surprised her. Most secretaries in bi$ businesses $ot fluorescent li$hts, not
windows. (o one side of the desk a terminal sat, mutterin$ to itself. ! line of filin$
cabinets filled the other walls. !nd a small vase, with a sin$le rosebud, stood in the
middle of the desk. 'Welcome to ';,' she told herself, consultin$ her watch. It was only
ten twenty-five. he went around behind the desk, tried out the lu4urious swivel-chair,
tested a drawer or two in the desk, and 2uietly folded her hands. !t e4actly ten-thirty she
stood up, brushed down her skirt, rearran$ed her bla;er, and started for the inner door.
'Isn't she here yet3' (he same $ruff voice from the telephone connection, but louder.
he stepped across the threshold, almost losin$ herself in the thick ru$. (he office was
fairly lar$e, with a maho$any table instead of a desk, a little conversation nook set in the
corner, and one very lar$e man, standin$ with his back to her, lookin$ out at the pi$eons
dive-bombin$ the street.
'Well.is she here3'
'I believe she is,' Beth answered in her low, husky voice. )e whirled around, the open
tails of his li$ht 7acket swin$in$ after him.
'-ood ,ord/' he e4claimed.
'-ood ,ord/' she said simultaneously. (he man facin$ her looked as if he had been run
over by a beer-truck. (he left side of his face was covered by a patch-banda$e. )is nose
was covered with another, smaller, banda$e. ! series of scratches filled up his ri$ht cheek
and, above all the pristine whiteness, his dark eyes $lared at her.
'+ou first,' he $rowled.
'(hey really are curly,' she $asped.
'What3'
'+our eyelashes. omebody told me they curled. !nd they really do/'
)e $runted somethin$, and his mouth opened on a perfect set of $leamin$ white teeth.
'Is that all you have to say3'
'Well, that's all I can see,' she said tensely. '&an I believe you are Mr Macomber3'
'+ou can believe it,' he si$hed, movin$ over to his e4ecutive chair and slumpin$ into
it.'
'I'd love to see the other $uy,' she offered.
''ther $uy3'
'Well, there was a fi$ht, wasn't there3'
(hose lovely teeth $rinned at her a$ain. '! woman of wit,' he commented.
'Well, you're half ri$ht,' she replied automatically. It was one of her father's favourite
puns. 'I'm Murphy.'
'Murphy3' )e looked up at her. '+ou mean, you're the one I talked to on the phone3'
he nodded. )e waved towards a chair. 'it down, Murphy. &ome to do the 7ob yourself,
or 7ust lookin$ us over before trustin$ us with one of your little helpers3'
'%robably a little of both,' she said pertly, perchin$ herself on the forward ed$e of the
nearest chair. )e stared at her. he was dressed most demurely. If a man could ne$lect the
handsome bul$e of breast that stretched the blouse, or pay no attention to the $raceful
le$s that stretched out beneath the knee-len$th skirt. 'r the riot of red-$old hair that was
already escapin$ from its confinement. !nd this man couldn't.
'+ou don't look old enou$h to be mana$er of a company,' he said, challen$in$ her. 'We
never did settle what your first name is.'
'If it makes your day, you do' she returned.
'1o what3'
',ook old enou$h to be president of a company .two companies. !nd if you don't
care to call me Murphy, you can call me Miss Murphy.'
'I see.'
It was almost impossible to tell what he was thinkin$. )e was $ivin$ a $ood imitation
of a mummy. *nder the circumstances she fell back on the old Irish tradition of wise-
crackin$ in a ti$ht spot.
'Mi$ht I ask what happened3'
'!utomobile accident,' he reported. 'My secretary and I were drivin$ back from
&ornell.'
'!h.&ornell/' Bin$o, Beth told herself. (he tar$et is confirmed/
'+ou know &ornell3'
'I know about it. What happened3 +ou hit a truck or somethin$3'
'My secretary was drivin$. !he hit a truck or somethin$, and almost went throu$h the
windscreen. he hadn't fastened her seat-belt.'
''h, heavens/' !ny si$n of people-problems brou$ht Beth's sympathy into action, even
for a woman she had never met. 'Is she.badly in7ured3'
'0ot critically,' he returned, leanin$ forward. 'Why would you care3'
'Because she's a person,' Beth snapped indi$nantly. 'he deserves di$nity and
sympathy. I don't suppose you ever thou$ht of her that way3'
'Miss Murphy, I think we're $ettin$ off the sub7ect, aren't we3'
)er face flushed. he stru$$led to tamp down her an$er. he already knew what he
had done to her niece= he probably also kicked do$s and stole ice cream from little
children/ But to trap a monster like this one, first you have to e4amine the surroundin$s,
ri$ht3
'+es, well.' he stru$$led a little further and mana$ed to produce a very weak smile.
'I don't understand what a publishin$ company is doin$ up to its.er.bindery in
computers, Mr Macomber.'
'0or do I,' he admitted ruefully. 'It's an old family firm, run by my father. !s best I can
remember when I used to look around, everybody had a pencil and a harried look. But
my father $ot himself swept up in the world of the future, and converted everythin$ to
electrons. 'ur authors send in little disks instead of manuscripts, our editors poke around
with keyboards instead of red pencils, and everythin$ but the coffee-pot seems to be
wired to the machine.'
'!nd today you can't make it function3'
'(hat seems to be our problem. -race comes in early every mornin$, does somethin$
to her terminal, and that releases all the others in the buildin$. It's a security system, or
somethin$ like that. 1oes it make sense to you3'
'0ot e4actly. o what do you want me to do.unstick the machine3 !nythin$ else3'
'Well, there are telephones, and letters, and business accounts, and disputes, and thin$s
like that.'
'I see.' he didn't really, but it certainly wouldn't pay to tell this man the real state of
affairs. 'Mr Macomber.would you consider it.impertinent if I were to ask how lon$
you personally have been in the publishin$ business3'
'0ot at all.' But there was a look of e4treme caution on his face. 'I am a %rofessor of
#n$lish ,iterature, Murphy.er.Miss Murphy. !nd I've been in the publishin$ business
e4actly.' he stopped to consult his wristwatch '.e4actly three days and four hours. !ny
other 2uestions before you $et down to work3'
'+es, 7ust one more,' she si$hed. 'omewhere around here is a little red loose-leaf book
labelled &omputer !ccess &odes. )ave you seen it3'
',ittle red book.oh, of course. It's in -race's desk drawer.'
'0aturally,' she si$hed. (he obvious place to keep the key to all operations, out in a
secretary's desk drawer. he stretched to $et up, and another thou$ht struck her. ''ne
more thin$, Mr Macomber. I can't work later than three o' clock in the afternoon on
(uesdays and 5ridays.'
''h3' )e looked like a pu;;led man who was not about to ask a 2uestion, so she
proferred the answer.
',ittle ,ea$ue,' she told him. 'I mana$e a team in.'
'In where3'
'In the city,' she submitted. 5or some reason it seemed important to her to keep the
location of her home a secret. '0ever show the opponent all your cards,' her uncle )enry
said all the time.
he stood up this time and walked slowly out of the office, unaware as she moved that
he was followin$ her swayin$ fi$ure with more than a little interest. In fact, 'dressed
better, or not dressed at all, she'd be a tasty packa$e,' was e4actly what he was thinkin$.
he cut him off both mentally and physically by closin$ the door between their offices.
Back in the secretarial chair she leaned back and lau$hed aloud. (his looked to be the
easiest scheme she had ever schemed. '+ou're as $ood as married, tacy,' she muttered as
she stru$$led with the desk drawers.
!nd of course ran into her first problem. (he desk was locked. he started up from
her chair, thinkin$ to ask him for the keys, before common sense struck. With what he
knew about the business, he probably would have no idea at all about keys. he dropped
back in her chair, 7ust as the intercom bu;;er ran$.
'Murphy,' he said, 'no interruptions for the ne4t hour.'
'+es, sir,' she acknowled$ed, and barely turned in her chair before the outer door
bar$ed open and two an$ry men faced her, each awkwardly carryin$ a paintin$.
'I have to see the boss,' the first man announced.
'o do I,' the other added an$rily. '(his.7ackass is about to ruin our latest book.'
'-ood mornin$,' she si$hed. 'I'm Murphy.'
(he two of them looked at each other and then at her.
'-olden,' the first man muttered. )e was a short tubby fellow, who looked as if he had
hi$h blood pressure. '!rt 1epartment.'
'mitkin,' the other man said. '%ublic "elations.' )e was rather a contrast to -olden,
bein$ medium hei$ht and thin. )is nose preceded him by several inches.
',ook at this,' $roaned -olden. )e planted his paintin$ across the arms of an office
chair. ! barely-clothed $irl stood on a sandy beach in the wind, peerin$ out to sea. (he
other man usurped another chair. )is picture displayed a pirate on board a ship, lookin$
at the beach. '(he book is called "irate's "ride. 'bviously we have to have a pirate on
the cover, ri$ht3 I need to see Macomber.'
Beth $rinned at them both. '0obody sees Macomber,' she said in a soft, conspiratorial
voice. ')e's practisin$ his puttin$.'
''h -od, what are we $oin$ to do3' -olden $roaned. 'We have to have a decision by
one o' clock, and nothin$'s movin$ in the entire buildin$/'
'I know you're both e4perts in your field,' she si$hed, 'but from the standpoint of an
ordinary reader, I don't see why you 7ust don't combine the two. %ut them both in, why
not3'
'Why not3' $roaned mitkin. ')arry3'
'Why not3' the other man si$hed. (hey picked up their paintin$s and started for the
door.
'6ust a minute,' Beth called. he had found a letter-opener in the only unlocked drawer
of the desk. 'I need a little muscle.'
urprisin$ly, it was -olden who came around the desk, ban$ed the point of the letter-
opener in under the lock, and wrenched the whole thin$ open as if he had done it many
times before. 'My desk sticks,' he said sombrely, 'I practise re$ularly. Murphy3 +ou're a
$reat deal better at this than your predecessor.'
'+ou mean -race3 I thou$ht she'd been here a lon$ time3'
'!bout two months. ee you later.' (he two of them went out of the door, ar$uin$
$ently with each other. ! step or two down the corridor mitkin came back. ')e doesn't
play $olf,' he informed her, 'but any $a$ that works is a $ood one. )ave a $ood day.'
Beth closed the door behind them, and went back to her desk. 0o doubt about it, she
told herself, this is $oin$ to be one wild 7ob. Why won't the man see his staff3 What's he
doin$ in there that's so secret3
he started to look throu$h the drawers, but the telephone kept rin$in$. #4asperated,
she put all four incomin$ lines on hold, and went about her business. (he book she
wanted was in the back of the second drawer down. #almen !oft$are !upergram the
cover said. he flipped the pa$es until she came to the section marked '&odes and
%asswords'.
(here was one code-word that unlocked all the terminals, $ivin$ them access to the
central computer. 'Work', the word was. he wheeled her chair around, checked her own
terminal, and typed 'Menu'. )er screen immediately lit up and returned a 2uery.
',ock>*nlock', it said. he typed in the code-word 'Work , and all over the buildin$ she
could hear terminals bu;;in$ into action. 'n her own screen the computer was displayin$
the list of different accounts available. (he last one numbered one hundred and si4ty-two.
'-ood ,ord,' she mumbled. #ach one with its own code-word, too. (his cra;y business
is so compartmentalised that the ri$ht hand doesn't even know what the ri$ht hand is
doin$, never mind the left/ It made an interestin$ discovery, but there were other thin$s
to be done, includin$ a very full 'In' basket, four rin$in$ telephones, and a suspicious
silence from ne4t door.
!lthou$h she hated to do so, Beth $ave the telephones priority. (he first two calls
were simply handled. uppliers wanted information. he 2ueried the computer and
referred them to the proper department. (he third caller was more difficult to deal with.
')ello3' ! child's voice. ! fairly youn$ child.
'(his is Miss Murphy, can I help you3'
'I don't think so. I need to talk to *ncle "ichard.'
'*ncle "ichard3 +ou may have the wron$ number. Who is this3'
'(his is !lthea Macomber, that's who. I need to talk to *ncle "ichard.'
Beth nibbled on her lip. he needed desperately to make a $ood impression on Mr
Macomber durin$ these first few days. (here was little enou$h time to do what she had to
do. !nd to let a call $et throu$h a$ainst his specific orders3 But then, it's a member of the
family.
#very $ood secretary walks a narrow line. he must deal for her boss, and with her
boss, and sometimes the two $oals are not compatible. he flipped a mental coin, and
pushed his bu;;er. )e answered, but an$rily.
'I said no calls or interruptions,' he $rumbled. Beth stuck her ton$ue out at him.
'Miss !lthea Macomber is on line two,' she said 2uickly.
''h.!lthea.of course.' he watched the proper li$ht $o out, indicatin$ he had
picked up his telephone, and then she disconnected her own and dived into the 'In' basket.
)alf of the material was mail, some of it dated thirty days past. Beth opened the
envelopes, threw away the advertisements, and arran$ed the remainder in some sort of
se2uence. *nder the pile of mail she found a steno$rapher's notebook, with two untyped
letters in it. he was bashin$ away at her word processor when "ichard Macomber came
out into her office and stopped.
he stopped as well, and looked up at him with 2uestionin$ eyes. ',unch,' he said.
'+es.'
'I mean, lunch,' he repeated. '!s in you and I.'
'I was $orking' she said very formally.
'I know that, but you do eat, don't you3'
'+es,' she admitted, 'but hardly ever with the boss.'
'o you'll make an e4ception today,' he announced. '(his is a business lunch.'
''h.'
'1on't overwhelm me with your enthusiasm,' he snorted. 'I have discovered that
e4ecutive secretaries are worth their wei$ht in $old.and you look as if you could put on
a little wei$ht. I've been listenin$ to you referee the ar$uments out here, and now I think
it's time you paid attention to the head man.'
'(here's a $reat deal here that needs your attention,' she ar$ued. )e waved it all away.
'(here's a little $irl waitin$ for us at India Wharf. (hat's more important. &ome on.'
'I'm not really sure this falls under the headin$ of business,' she said stubbornly. 'I
don't think I want to $et involved with some little $irl on a wharf. What in the world is
she doin$ there3 he ou$ht to be in school/'
''u$ht to be,' he muttered disconsolately. 'If I could discriminate between "ou$ht to
be", and "is" I'd be a lot happier. &ome on.'
It hardly seemed worth an ar$ument. Beth tidied up her desk, turned off her computer
terminal, and slipped back into her bla;er. (he very act seemed to surprise him. )is eyes
widened as she moved. !nd there's a distinctly hun$ry look in his eyes, she warned
herself. "emember what happened to tacy/
Blushin$, she followed him down the corridor to the elevator. )e looked into each
office as he walked, smilin$ more broadly every minute. When the elevator door opened
he was definitely &heshire-cat-style. '1oes my heart $ood to see all that work $oin$ on,'
he e4plained as he pushed the proper buttons. 'I thou$ht when I came that my father had
$one mad.with all this electronic $arba$e.'
'Ms Berman didn't think so,' said Beth, without thinkin$.
''h, my -od, the #ditor-in-&hief3 he came up3'
'+es. he had a small problem. I told her to do whatever she thou$ht was best. Isn't
that all ri$ht3'
'!ll ri$ht3 %erfect/ he scares me, that one.'
+es3 I'll bet she doesn't, Beth told herself. ,ook at you. +ou wouldn't be scared if
8in$ 8on$ came in with an ori$inal manuscript.
'+ou are definitely a pearl without price,' he muttered. (he elevator came to a stop on
the $round floor and the door opened slowly in a stutterin$ motion, to reveal to the
waitin$ crowd the si$ht of the boss kissin$ his secretary with considerable enthusiasm.
Beth was still splutterin$ as he took her elbow and hurried her throu$h the lobby. !nd
he, monster that he was, was lau$hin$. 'I don't think that's the least bit funny/' she snarled
at him. (here was a $rey limousine waitin$ for them at the kerb.
'0ot the least bit,' he assured her as he s2uee;ed in beside her. 2uee;ed, she noted
va$uely. (he seat is wide enou$h for four.why are we s2uee;ed to$ether like this3 What
a stupid thin$ that was, to let him kiss her.publicly, at that/
'I don't appreciate that kissin$ business,' she snapped as the chauffeur headed up
towards tate treet, and the underpass beneath the 5it;$erald 5reeway.
'0o, of course you don't,' he said solicitously. 'I don't either. My nose still hurts. It
wouldn't have happened if you had been a proper elderly lady. But no, you had to turn out
to be a beautiful spitfire. Murphy, sometimes we men $et blamed for thin$s that are 7ust
not naturally our fault.'
'I don't understand you, and I don't want you to e4plain.'
'!fraid of the truth, that's what's wron$ with modern women,' he si$hed dolefully. 'But
I'm $oin$ to e4plain, anyway. If 0ature hadn't desi$ned you in such a deli$htful packa$e
.purely in the interest of propa$atin$ the race, you understand.we men wouldn't
always be faced with temptation. 0ow, look what you do to that perfectly innocent
blouse/'
'I said I didn't want to hear,' she returned frantically. 'It's not somethin$ I do it's 7ust
somethin$ I am. !nd I don't care to continue this sub7ect.'
'I see that,' he chuckled. ')ere we are.' (he limousine came to a stop, and he helped
her out. (hey were standin$ 7ust in front of two massive apartment towers, each far
enou$h apart from the other so that both had a ma$nificent view of the harbour.
'+ou lunch here3' she asked, astonishment overcomin$ her.
'I lunch here,' he announced. '!nd breakfast here. !nd sometimes, -od willin$, I sleep
here.'
he skidded to a halt, despite the pressure of his hand on her elbow. ''h no, Mr
Macomber. +ou don't $et me alone in your apartment, not for anythin$.'
'Whatever are you thinkin$ about, Murphy3' he $lared up at him. (here was a crinkle
of a smile around the corners of his mouth. 'We certainly won't be alone. My niece is
waitin$ for us upstairs. &ome alon$, there's a nice $irl.'
)is hand ur$ed her alon$. he went 2uietly, like a nice girl! )e needs someone to
prick that terrible windba$ of e$o, she told herself as he hurried her alon$. ?ery suddenly,
althou$h her resolve remained, her ability to slay tacy's dra$on was becomin$ more and
more 2uestionable in her own mind.
(he lobby at )arbor (owers was 2uiet, presided over by a reception desk. !lmost out
of si$ht in one of the corners, she could see a uniformed $uard. (he elevator whisked
them upwards in seconds.7ust how hi$h Beth could not see. (here were no $roans and
rattles, 7ust instant acceleration that left her stomach two floors behind them. he was
$aspin$ when the door opened, and e7ected them into a 2uiet corridor with two doors
showin$. )e $uided her in throu$h the left-hand door.
'-ood -od/' she muttered.
'Indeed,' he a$reed. (hey were standin$ in the middle of a sunken livin$-room. (wo of
the walls were entirely windows, filled with the $rey and sunli$ht of the busy harbour. I
could put my whole house in here and still have room for a hot-do$ stand, she thou$ht.
'Bathroom to your ri$ht,' he told her. 'I'm sure you want to do whatever it is women
do.'
'I'm sure I do,' she snapped back at him. 'May I have my arm back3'
)e seemed to have for$otten he was still clutchin$ her. )is fin$ers rela4ed, and she
moved away from him, rubbin$ circulation back into the fin$ers of her hand.
'ay, that was careless of me, and I apolo$ise,' he said. (hat soft voice, sweet as syrup,
was back. !nd so was the $leam in his eye. he had meant to say somethin$ sarcastic.
!fter measurin$ his look, she $ave it up and fled, slammin$ the bathroom door behind
her. )ow can he do that to me3 she thou$ht, leanin$ her back a$ainst the door. )e's all
banda$ed up like a mummy, and he still is the most macho .damn. %o $onder !tacy is
in trouble. ! sober thou$ht, heavy enou$h to brin$ her feet back down on to the plush
ru$. #ven in the bathroom, she thou$ht. %lush ru$s. 1amn the man/
he spent very little time splashin$ cold water on her face, scrubbin$ her hands,
e4aminin$ her arm, where the marks of his fin$ers were still visible. he spent a very
$reat deal of time puttin$ her mental house back in order. o it was almost fifteen
minutes later that she came out of the bathroom, and followed the voices around a corner
to a massive dinin$-room, facin$ the harbour. !n elderly woman was standin$ at what
had to be the kitchen door, watchin$ while four feet of husky little $irl carefully set a tray
on the hu$e table. 5ood enou$h for twenty, Beth told herself.
"ichard Macomber came in her direction, and $rabbed her arm in the same spot as
before. he winced, but he hardly seemed to notice, towin$ her alon$ behind him towards
the middle of the room.
'Mrs Moore, this is my new secretary, Murphy. he doesn't have a first name.'
(he elderly woman flashed him a warnin$ stare. '#mily,' she said softly. @I'm the
family housekeeper.'
'Beth,' she answered, in the same spirit. 'I'm.I don't know $hat I am at the moment.'
(he little $irl had finished her task, and came back around the table to stand with
hands on hips, starin$. Beth had the sick feelin$ that she was bein$ evaluated, and failin$.
(he freckles on the $irl's nose seemed to have 7oined ranks, almost formin$ lines. )er
shoulder-len$th blonde hair was almost platinum, and her teeth were too bi$ for her
mouth. 'My -od,' the child said, 'is that the best you can do, *ncle "ich3'
CHAPTER THREE
'+'*',, not for$et I have to leave3' his housekeeper reminded him. 'My sister is that ill.'
'he isn't even pretty, *ncle "ich.'
'(hat's enough !lthea. What time will you be back, Mrs Moore3'
'!nd she don't wear pretty clothes.'
'I won't be back today, I don't think. !nd tomorrow is my day off.'
'!lthea, if you say one more word I'll tan your bottom/ (hat will be all ri$ht, Mrs
Moore. We'll take care of the dishes and thin$s.'
'+ou don't have to come on the heavy uncle on my account,' said Beth as the
housekeeper walked out of the room. 'I'm sure the little $irl is perfectly ri$ht.'
'(he little monster is not ri$ht,' "ichard Macomber announced to the world in a very
loud voice. 'it down, brat/'
')e means me,' muttered !lthea, as Beth made a move towards a chair. 'I wish my
daddy was here.' "eal tears touched the corners of the child's eyes.
'Well, so do I. 5or once we a$ree on somethin$.' )er uncle $lared at her, and came
around to hold Beth's chair. 'I don't know why I a$reed to all this cra;y business in the
first place. +ou and your brother are a pri;e pair/'
'+ou won't $et anywhere talkin$ like that,' Beth said softly. '&hild-raisin$ can't be
done with 7ust a loud mouth,' she told him very firmly.
'o you think you can brin$ thin$s ri$ht with a soft answer3'
'I don't think.it's none of my business,' she si$hed. 'I'm a secretary, not a nanny. !nd
believe me, there are enou$h problems in my own family without me takin$ on your
family.'
'!lthea, eat your soup.' (he lunch was 2uickly demolished. (hick tomato soup,
followed by bacon-lettuce-tomato sandwiches, B,(s as they are known in 0ew #n$land.
(he little $irl had a healthy appetite, and Beth was feelin$ hun$er pains, too. When it was
all over, the uncle pushed his plate away, and tapped !lthea on the shoulder.
'0ow, youn$ lady, we'll hear why it is you're home from school in the middle of the
day3'
'I don't like that school,' the $irl muttered, duckin$ her head. )e lifted up her chin with
one bi$ fin$er.
'Why are you home in the middle of the day3'
'(hey're havin$ ballet classes this afternoon, that's why. (hey want me to.I ain't
$oin$ to put on one of those stupid little dress thin$s. I 7ust can't do that.'
'Well, that's all really beside the point,' he said $ruffly. '+ou'll have to $o back this
afternoon.'
'I.can't do that.'
'!nd why not3' )e was back up to a roar by this time. Beth winced, and covered her
ears.
'!fter I kicked ister Mary, the %rincipal said somethin$ like "suspension for the rest
of the week", and you have to come and see her (hursday afternoon, or else.'
''r else what3'
'I.don't remember what. But I won't like it.'
)e shook his head in dis$ust. 'I thou$ht I had enou$h trouble raisin$ your father.
Well, Mrs Moore won't be here this afternoon, and I certainly can't leave you here alone.'
(hey both looked e4pectantly at Beth.
'I wish you would both stop shoutin$ at each other,' she said $rimly. 'I have sensitive
ears. !m I supposed to come up with a solution3'
(hat's why you have the title, #4ecutive ecretary,' he returned.
(here's that little alcove in my office, with a television set,' she su$$ested. '%erhaps
Miss Macomber could.'
'(hat's it,' he snapped. '*nder the ea$le eye of Murphy/'
'I don't think that's a $ood idea,' $rumbled !lthea. he was still mumblin$ as the
limousine took them back to ,iberty 2uare.
(he two Macombers went throu$h into his inner office for further discussions he
said. (he little $irl looked as if she were up on e4ecution block, but Beth had enou$h
problems of her own. (he afternoon mail had come, buryin$ her desk under its load. he
set about cate$orisin$, to be interrupted twice by inter-department s2uabbles that took
more diplomacy than knowled$e. he settled them, and then decided to take a break in
the ,adies, down at the end of the hall. It was already occupied.by a lovely-lookin$
little 'riental $irl of about twenty, cryin$ her eyes out.
'My name is Murphy,' offered Beth. '&an I help3'
'0obody can help,' the $irl sobbed.
'%robably. But if you feel like tellin$ me about it3'
(he $irl looked up at her, dabbin$ at her eyes with a tiny handkerchief. ')e keeps
chasin$ me around the office,' she returned. ')e 7ust won't leave me alone.'
'Who3'
'Brent. Mr Brent, in %ersonnel.'
'urely there's somethin$ than can be done3'
'0o. +ou know what a reputation Mr Macomber has.'
'0o, I'm afraid I don't.'
')e's a.a playboy. (hat's why people like Brent think they can $et away with
anything.'
'f course, Beth told herself. What would you e4pect3 "amrod Macomber, 7ust back
from &ornell. tacy. %oor tacy. !nd his little niece/ What a truly terrible monster this
man is/ !nd for a while there, this mornin$, I almost thou$ht he mi$ht be.human/
he walked over and patted the $irl on the shoulder. '(here's always somethin$ that
can be done,' she said firmly. 'What's your name3 Mar$ie3 !ll ri$ht, Mar$ie, you stay
here for a half-hour or so, and then $o back to your 7ob. I $uarantee that there will be
chan$es.
Mar$ie looked up at her throu$h her tears. '+ou really think so3'
'I really think so.' 5ull of crusadin$ spirit, Beth went back up the hall, 7ust in time to
meet !lthea bein$ ushered out of the inner office.
')old all my calls for an hour, Murphy,' he said. '!nd keep an eye on this little brat.'
(he child walked sullenly over to the alcove, turned on the television set, and lost herself
amon$ the million cartoon shows that pepper the afternoon air in Boston. &hich is 'ust
$hat ( need Beth told herself. he picked up the in-house telephone and called
%ersonnel.
Within si4 minutes the %ersonnel 1irector was stalkin$ indi$nantly into her office.
'I'm not some copy reader, to be whistled up here at a moment's notice,' he said sharply.
'0o3 &lose the door behind you. it down, Mr Brent.' he sat back in her chair,
twirlin$ a pencil in her hands, watchin$ as he $ot pro$ressively more nervous.
'Well3' he offered tentatively.
'0ot well at all, Mr Brent,' she said coldly. 'I've been checkin$ your record.' he
$estured with her pencil towards the screen of her computer terminal. 'Mr Macomber is
so.upset by the whole affair that he asked me to handle the problem.'
'What problem3 I want to see the boss.'
'(hat's your privile$e,' she smiled, leanin$ over towards the intercom bo4. '!lthou$h
he did say somethin$ about."breakin$ his damn neck", I think the e4act words were.'
'0o.' (he man was perspirin$ profusely. 'I.don't bother him.'
'I'm surprised, Mr Brent. +ou have a wife and two children, and you've been with the
firm for ei$hteen years. (oo bad.'
'(oo bad3'
'Is it too warm in here, Mr Brent3'
'I.no.'
he settled back in her chair a$ain. 'We have received a complaint, Mr Brent. e4ual
harassment, it's called. (oo bad. !nd I suppose we'll have to notify your wife, as well as
all the rest of.'
'!ll the rest of.3'
'Well, I'm sure you know. It's a criminal complaint, Mr Brent. (he police, newspapers,
public prosecution.all that.are you ill3'
'I.surely.but.ei$hteen years of service/ urely Mr Macomber doesn't.3
'Mr Macomber was all for callin$ the police as soon as he heard. I mana$ed to calm
him down. +ou were sayin$3'
'I.it wasn't intentional.it was.I certainly don't think it would happen a$ain/' (here
was such a pleadin$ in his voice that Beth, hard heart and all, was almost touched.
'If we could be sure of that3'
'I.I $uarantee it/'
'Well, perhaps I could talk to Mar$ie, and see if she wants to suspend the complaint.
+ou understand what that means3 'ne slip.one more bit of this.and I automatically
start makin$ calls. !nd Mar$ie will be in direct contact with me at all times. +ou do
understand3'
he smiled a$ain as he scuttled out of the office. ! thin smile. Beth Murphy was as
much a Women's ,ibber as anyone who carried a si$n at the tate )ouse. !nd she had
done that, too.
he was still smilin$ when "ichard Macomber came out of his office. )e was smilin$,
too.
'Who's runnin$ this place3' he asked 7ovially.
'Why, whatever do you mean3' she returned.
'+ou must have accidentally left the key up on your intercom set. I heard that whole
thin$. Brent playin$ $ames a$ain, was he3'
')e's done it before3'
'I heard rumours. corched his tail, didn't you3'
'Whatever do you mean3' she repeated. '(here are a do;en letters you have to look at.'
'+ou mean, you haven't answered them yourself3'
'0ow, how could I do that, Mr Macomber3 I'm only your secretary/' !nd as for
leavin$ the key up on the intercom, why should I tell him it was far from accidental3 he
had that thin smile back on her face a$ain as she followed him into his office with her
hands full of mail to be answered.
(hey were barely inside the room when "ichard Macomber wheeled around and
snatched her up in his arms. )er notebook and the letters scattered all over the carpet, and
her mind went blank as he $ently touched her lips with his. 5or 7ust a second she rela4ed,
en7oyin$ the contact, the taste of honey. !nd then she remembered who she was, and
what he was.
he pushed away from him. )is hands seemed to release her reluctantly. )er face was
red with the an$er of it all as her hands fumbled to brin$ her blouse out of its disarray.
'I don't know what you think you're doin$,' she spluttered at him. 'I came here as a
secretary, not as some.some.' Words failed her.
')ey, it was only a thank you thin$,' he said, perturbed. 'If I'd known it would brin$
this on.'
'I don't need this sort of thanks. If it happens a$ain, you'll not only need a new
secretary, but I'll see that you're blackballed in every temporary help office in the city. Is
that clear, Mr Macomber3'
(hat's very clear,' he a$reed. '+ou said you had some letters3'
'I'll $ive him one thin$, thou$h,' Beth muttered as she walked into her own home at the
end of the day. 'When $iven a $ood briefin$, he makes decisions in a hurry. (his staff
needs to be whipped into shape, but there's nothin$ wron$ with "ichard Macomber.as
an e4ecutive, that is. !nd it's easy to see how he $ot his reputation. )e could charm the
birds down out of the trees/'
'What did you say, !unt Beth3'
'0othin$, tacy. 1id you have a $ood day3'
'ort of. It was 2uiet around here. 1id you talk to "oddy3'
'I only met him today, love. (his will take a little while to arran$e. 1id you fi4 this
spa$hetti3 )ow nice. !nd by the way, we really should have you $o see a local doctor. !
complete check-up. What say, tacy3'
)er niece looked at her peculiarly. 'I 7ust had one a month a$o,' she said cautiously.
'o you can have another,' Beth lau$hed. 'It pays to have a second opinion. 1id you
call your mother or father3'
tacy ducked her head, hidin$ behind her beautiful blonde hair. 'I.tried,' she
mumbled, 'but there was no answer.or somethin$.'
Beth shru$$ed her shoulders. !ll she had ever read about such cases indicated an
initial period of upset. he made no more mention of it as she devoured the sli$htly
under-cooked meal.
It wasn't until two hours later, havin$ conferred briefly with Mary by telephone, that
Beth realised how tirin$ the day had been. he was in the shower, lettin$ the hot water
run over her tense shoulder muscles. When they rela4ed, she almost sa$$ed into the wall.
'!nd it's all Macomber's fault,' she muttered as she shampooed her hair.
It really must have been. (here was certainly no other reason why his face bothered
her dreams all that ni$ht, and far into the early mornin$.
Beth was up early, despite the poor ni$ht. ! cup of coffee at seven-thirty, and a 2uick
check on tacy, who was huddled up in her bed, cuddlin$ the old teddy bear, a family
herita$e. ',ord, she's only a baby herself,' si$hed Beth, as she 2uietly shut the door and
called a ta4i for herself.
'nly the doorman was on duty at ,iberty 2uare, but he had all the keys, and
welcomed her. 'am. am )rudneck,' he introduced himself. !ll five feet of him sparkled
with cleanliness and enthusiasm. Before she mana$ed to $et by, Beth had heard all about
his home in the 'ld &ountry, his children, and his sick wife. he listened closely= it was
her stock in trade. *pstairs in the office she stripped off her brown bla;er.the one that
matched her brown skirt, and set to work. (he place needed or$anisation in some places,
and disor$anisation in others. he pulled out the computer's instruction book, did a 2uick
study of a couple of pa$es, and punched in a code-word that would permanently unlock
the main computer bank itself. !s she thumbed throu$h the loose-leaf booklet, a plan was
formin$ ha;ily in her mind.
By nine o'clock she had solved the mail problem. 'But it's always been this way,' the
receptionist wailed. '!ll the mail, e4cept for manuscripts, $oes directly to Mr Macomber's
office.'
'o it will be a chan$e,' Beth said crisply. '0ot too soon around here, either. I don't
understand how a firm that publishes all these skin-novels could be so far behind the
times in administration. 5rom now on, you sort the mail, send it to the department heads,
and let them worry about it. (he only thin$s that come to Mr Macomber are complaints
and personal mail.'
(he receptionist was not too sure about anythin$, but lookin$ up at Beth, drew a little
assurance. 'I.yes, Mrs Murphy.'
'Miss Murphy, if you please. 0ow, where is the #ditor's office3'
'#ditor3 We have si4 of them, Miss Murphy.'
'i4 editors3 -ood lord. I thou$ht the editor was in char$e 'f everythin$3'
''h, her/ +ou mean the #ditor-in-&hief. We have an editor for each of the si4 different
kinds of books we print. Miss Berman is the #ditor-in-&hief. he's on the fourth floor,
room ABC.'
Beth took a 2uick check on the time. 0ine forty-five. (oo late to pursue that particular
line of en2uiry. Macomber would be lookin$ for her. !nd isn't that stran$e3 she thou$ht.
I've never had any trouble before, thinkin$ politely about the bosses I've worked for. But
this man.he doesn't deserve the title Mister. 6ust.Macomber. he brushed the thou$ht
out of her mind and went stridin$ over to the elevator, not at all aware of the man who
followed close behind her, admirin$ the flash of her lovely lon$ le$s, which no amount of
brown skirt could hide.
)er mind occupied by many trails of thou$ht, she paid no attention until after the
elevator door whee;ed shut. It $ave a lurch, and be$an to creep upward.
'-ood mornin$, Murphy,' he said, so close behind her that she 7umped. he whirled
around, backin$ into a corner. (he floor beneath her feet stuttered, swayed, and stopped.
(he door remained closed.
'My.'
'-oodness,' he supplied, with a chuckle. 'We seem to have a problem.'
'+es,' she $asped. (he banda$e was $one from his cheek, leavin$ a ti$ht-stitched scar,
a $ood balance to the scratch marks on the other side. )is nose was still partly covered,
but with a skin-tinted Band !id. '%irate,' she muttered, unconscious of what she was
sayin$.
')ow did you know3' )e was $larin$ at her, the $lint in those deep brown eyes like a
dan$er si$nal. -larin$, and movin$ close enou$h to tower over her.
')ow did I know what3' she mana$ed to s2ueak.
'%irate,' he snapped. ')ow the hell did you know I was writin$ that series3'
'Writin$3 I don't know what you're.I."irate's "ride)
'+es, damn you, "irate's "ride!'
'(hat's an awful book,' she whispered.
'+es,' he roared, 'and it will sell a half-million copies. )ow did you know3'
'I.all that se4, and stuff. I.I didn't finish it.'
'o I'm worried,' he snarled. 'If one word of this leaks out, I'll be the lau$hin$ stock of
Boston. What $ave it away3'
'It's wasn't hard,' she told him. '(hat business about bein$ locked up in your office.
)ah/ What could a %rofessor of ,iterature be doin$ all barricaded away from people3'
'Well, nobody else ever noticed,' he snapped.
'!nd then, for a man who's only been workin$ here a week or so, you knew an awful
lot about the books.when you were answerin$ the letters,' she added reflectively.
'o there's no use tryin$ to pull wool,' he said sheepishly. (he $rin, that little boyish
thin$ that pulled at one corner of his mouth, was back a$ain. 'What will it cost to keep
my secret3'
'&ost3 I don't understand you.'
)e si$hed, as if e4plainin$ were beneath him. 'I don't want to see the story in every
$ossip column, and I'm willin$ to pay a reasonable amount of maintain my privacy.'
'0ot to me,' she snapped indi$nantly. '+ou hired a secretary. ! secretary keeps her
secrets. I wouldn't think of acceptin$ money for anythin$ like that. What's happenin$ to
the elevator3'
'It appears to be stopped between floors,' he returned. 'We can either sit here until
someone comes alon$ to fi4 it, or we can climb out. +our choice.'
My choice, she thou$ht. (o sit in this little bo4 with him3 he $lanced around the little
si4-foot cube. (he dark walls bore the mark of the early twenties. (he ornate brass
buttons sparkled, even if they didn't work. (he floor was bare. In the corner was a little
pla2ue. ''tis #levators', it said, 'lDCA'. !nd I'm penned up in this thin$ with him3 (here
ou$ht to be a law. #ven all battered and abused he's a se4y si$ht. Who knows what would
.and then there's tacy/
'I'd prefer to climb out, Mr Macomber.'
'My name is "ichard,' he tendered. By now Beth had rearran$ed her thinkin$, was
back in control. !nd 7ust a little bit an$ry.
'I thou$ht they called you "amrod.'
'(hat was a lon$ time a$o,' he returned. '+ou've been checkin$ up on me3' he turned
her head away, but both his hands landed on her shoulders and turned her back a$ain.
'+ou have been, you little devil. 0obody's called me "amrod since my under$raduate
days at +ale. I played football back then. ! lon$ time a$o. !nd you've du$ it all up. I
wonder why3'
Beth stuck out her chin at him, mustered up a steel-like stare, and refused to answer.
)is hand moved up and slithered throu$h her ti$ht-bound hair. (he pins be$an to fall out
as he did so, releasin$ a cloud of red-$old to frame her heart-shaped face.
'0ow look what you've done,' she complained bitterly.
'Wonderful/' )is hands completed their mission, and then combed throu$h her tresses.
he stood flat-footed, cau$ht by surprise, feelin$ the tin$lin$ as his hands moved. !
tin$lin$ that she had never felt before. econds elapsed before she was able to throw off
the hypnosis and back away.
'1on't/' she muttered. '1on't/'
)is eyes were hooded as she stared up at them. (here was a look of surprise on his
face. urprise, and somethin$ else that Beth could not read. '! dis$uise/' he said softly.
'+ou're wearin$ a damn dis$uise. It makes a fellow wonder, why3'
he did her best to brush her hair back in order, usin$ her fin$ers, at the same time
that she stooped and felt alon$ the floor for her lost hairpins. )e s2uatted down beside
her, with the natural ease of a born athlete. *oo close her brain screamed at her. he
stood up a$ain, and backed away. 'We were $oin$ to climb out,' she said hesitantly.
'&limb out3' )e looked around him, as if in a stran$e place. ''h.climb out. +es.' )e
walked over into the far corner of the elevator, stripped off his tan sports 7acket, bent his
knees a couple of times as if to warm them up, and 7umped. )is upstretched hands
pushed a$ainst a s2uare trapdoor in the roof, and brushed it aside. !nother second or two,
as he cau$ht his breath and 7ud$ed, and he 7umped a$ain.
(his time his hands went throu$h the openin$ and cau$ht on to its sides. )is arm
muscles fle4ed, drawin$ him up effortlessly into the hole in the roof, and he was $one.
Beth stared at the place he had 7ust occupied. (he empty space. (ar;an, the ape-man3 !n
'lympic-class $ymnast3 he was still shakin$ her head as he reappeared, lookin$ down
at her. '&ome on,' he offered, e4tendin$ both hands down in her direction.
'&ome on3'
'5or -od's sake, lady. 6ump/'
he moved over under him, starin$ up uneasily. '6ump3 (here's no way in the world I
can 7ump that hi$h,' she snarled.
''nly as far as my hands,' he chuckled. It was the lau$h that did it. (hat, and the $rin
on his face. wearin$ under her breath, she fle4ed her own body, warmed up in place,
and 7umped. 0ot hi$h enou$h to reach the roof, but hi$h enou$h for two steely claws to
latch on to her e4tended wrists, and to pull her effortlessly up out of the elevator bo4 and
on to its roof. he was too fri$htened to pay any attention to the rippin$ sound as the
three top buttons on her blouse were torn off.
'0ice,' he said, holdin$ her in position in front of him.
'What in the world are you.3' he followed his eyes.downward.to where her lacy
blouse lay open, all the way to her navel. %ulled out of her skirt by the effort, laid bare by
the lack of buttons, and puttin$ her breasts on full display. (he filmy half-bra that she
wore did nothin$ to conceal. It was never meant to.
'top that/' she shouted at him, totally embarrassed. )er ri$ht hand swun$ in the
direction of his scarred cheek, and landed s2uarely on the stitches.
')ell fire,' he roared as he sta$$ered back, out of the line of fire. 'I was only looking
not raping lady/' )is left hand came up to cradle his achin$ wound, and Beth was
entirely undone.
''h, my/' she moaned. 'I.I didn't mean to hit your.you. I.please. I apolo$ise. I.'
''8,' he muttered. 'o it was an accident on both sides. 0e4t time you swin$ at me, hit
me in the stomach or somethin$. &ome on, we still have a way to $o.'
he looked up at the elevator shaft. (hey were e4actly half-way between floors, and
must now climb up another si4 feet to the doors on the second floor. 'I'm not sure I can
climb that far,' she $asped.
'0o problem,' he returned. ')old on to this.' )e wrapped both her hands around the
$reasy cable that suspended the car. It's $ood support, she told herself, and I'll worry
about the $rease later. )e was lookin$ at their climbin$ problem, and in 7ust a few 2uick
movements, was standin$ on the door led$e above them, pushin$ at the release handle.
(he doors $ave a dismal si$h, and swun$ open. )e dropped back down, on to the top of
the elevator. '+our turn,' he told her.
he had trouble $ettin$ her hands to unlock from the cable. It was a moment of safety
she 7ust did not want to lose. '&ome on now.' )is lips were at her ear, his hands at her
waist. '&ome on now. #verythin$'s all ri$ht.' he mana$ed to rela4 enou$h to come free
from the cable, and he ushered her over to the wall. '!nd up you $o.' )is hands on her
waist lifted her 7ust far enou$h for her to $rab the door handles. he hun$ on there, not
sure what to do ne4t.
)is hands slipped down from her waist to her thi$hs, under her skirt, and lifted a$ain.
#ven in a stupid position like this, she thou$ht, he turns me on. (hose damn hands/ (he
added hei$ht was 7ust enou$h. he scrambled upward, $ettin$ her feet on to the corridor
floor, and s2uee;ed herself out of the elevator shaft. )e was up and beside her before she
could stand up, his warm hands under her shoulders, settin$ her up on her feet.
5ootsteps thundered down the hall behind them as she threw her $reasy hands around
his neck, and offered him her own version of a thank-you kiss. It was as warm and as full
and as passionate as she was herself, and he responded in kind.
'*ncle "ich, what are you doin$3' (he words shocked Beth back to normal. )er hand
slipped off his neck, smearin$ him liberally with the $rease as she came down off her
toes, and moved away from him. !lthea was standin$ in the forefront of the little crowd,
starin$ at them both.
'We $ot stuck in the elevator,' Beth mana$ed to $asp.
'+eah, and that ain't all,' the little $irl said solemnly. 'Why don't you leave my uncle
alone/'
'I.I will,' s2ueaked Beth, then looked down at herself and $roaned. (he blouse was
beyond repair. In addition to bein$ buttonless, it was smeared with $rease, and flecks of
blood. 0ot her blood, but "ichard's. )is cheek was bleedin$ slowly.
''h, my -od,' she muttered, fumblin$ for the tiny handkerchief she always carried in
the pocket of her skirt.
'1on't bother,' he said calmly. '+ou're $ettin$ more $rease on the damn thin$.'
'Well, I can't help that.' )er emotions had been stretched too far, and the tears be$an to
roll. 'It's all your fault, anyway.'
'+es, of course it is,' he answered sarcastically. 'Why my fault3'
'Because it's your damn elevator/' she snarled. )er hands, previously han$in$ at her
sides, made a futile effort to close the $aps in her torn blouse.
'+eah,' he snarled. 'Why didn't I think of that3 weeny/ Where the hell is.weeny,
damn you, $et that elevator fi4ed/'
'+ou don't have to $rowl at them,' Beth mana$ed throu$h her tears. '6ust because.oh/'
)e swept her up in his arms and stalked throu$h the crowd, !lthea followin$ behind
them, skippin$ to keep up.
)e slammed the office door closed behind them, and put Beth down on her tremblin$
feet. (remblin$ with an$er, not fear. ',ook, what a mess/' (he words were tryin$ to
tumble out too fast for her ton$ue to handle.
'0o doubt about it,' he si$hed, out of breath. 'I'm $ettin$ out of shape. +ou'll have to
$o home, Murphy. (ake the rest of the day off. My car is downstairs. 'nly.'
he had mana$ed to dry her tears, tuck the remnants of her blouse back in her skirt,
and wipe her hands off on paper towels. !nd had time to think. 5or$et the hands, she told
herself. (he warm, stron$ hands on her wrists, on her waist, on her thi$hs. 5or$et the
cra;y feelin$ it all inspired. 5or$et the look in his eyes. 5or$et the kiss. "emember tacy.
''nly what3'
''nly.I have to $o back to my doctor's, and I'd prefer not to take !lthea with me.
&ould you3'
'(ake her home with me3'
'+es. (he chauffeur can stay with you, and brin$ her alon$.say about four o'clock3'
Beth's mind was tickin$ on all cylinders by this time. (uesday, and a ,ittle ,ea$ue
$ame scheduled to start at four o'clock. ')ow about si43' she su$$ested. 'I have somethin$
scheduled for today. +ou must remember that I told you on (uesday and 5riday I have to
be free by three o'clock3'
'I'd for$otten.' "ichard waved her protests aside. ''8. i4 o'clock. If she'll stay that
lon$.'
'Why should (3' !lthea wanted to know.
'Because I told you to/' he roared back at her. 'Why is it that I suddenly have to put up
with t$o ornery females at the same time3 I can remember my father sayin$ that
publishin$ was the most rela4in$ business in the world/ I sure wouldn't be able to.don't
stand there starin$ at me.either one of you/'
)e disappeared into his inner office and came back out with a bla;er in his hands. 'I
keep a couple of spares,' he commented, slippin$ it over Beth's shoulders. '!nd you can't
run throu$h the buildin$ on display like that.'
'I wouldn't be on display if it hadn't been for you,' she snapped back at him. '(he mail
is all in order. 1on't for$et to lock the safe when you leave.'
'+ou'd better look out, *ncle "ich,' warned !lthea.
')ad I3'
'(hat's the way Mommy used to talk to 1ad when she was mad at him.'
'!h/ Well, Murphy is only my secretary, little bit, not my wife. +ou $o alon$ with her
.and I'll see you at supper.'
urprisin$ly, the child did 7ust that.
CHAPTER FOUR
'W'W/' !lthea said softly. (hey were at the baseball field, crouchin$ to$ether on the
sidelines in front of the team bench. 'I didn't know you owned a baseball team/' (here
was even a touch of respect in her voice. It brou$ht a smile to Beth's face.
'I don't o$n it,' she returned. 'My company sponsors the team, and I'm the mana$er.
)ere's the battin$ order. Would you take it over to that $entleman behind the plate3'
'(he fat $uy3 ure/' he was off in a burst of speed that caused Beth to think. !nd was
back before Beth had an answer.
'&an any kid play3'
Beth was busy, sortin$ out her team to send it on to the field. (he opposition had first
bats, bein$ the visitors. ')ere it is, (uesday, and already I'm out of pitchers,' she muttered.
'Well.5rankie/' ! tall, thin boy slouched over to her, poundin$ his fist into his $love.
'5rankie, you have to start for us. !ll our other pitchers are 7ust not available.'
'Me3 +ou know I can't pitch, Miss Beth. I wanna play shortstop.'
'+es, well, somebody has to pitch, 5rank. !nd you're nominated. 'ff you $o.'
(en minutes later, Beth was be$innin$ to wish she were in !lbu2uer2ue. 5rankie was
ri$ht. !t least, on this fine sunny day he was no pitcher. i4 men on the opposin$ team
had come to bat, 5rankie had thrown the ball in their $eneral direction, and not come
even close to home-plate.
')e's not too $ood,' !lthea commented. (he pair of them were still kneelin$ on the
sidelines. '&an any kid play3'
Beth broke her concentration, and looked over at the $irl. '!nybody between ei$ht and
twelve, who's re$istered with the ,ea$ue,' she said. '(hink you know how to play3'
''h, I've had a $ame or two,' !lthea returned. he sported a bi$ $rin on her face. ,ike
her uncle, Beth thou$ht. he's up to somethin$/
'1id you want to play3'
'I wouldn't mind.but I'm not re$istered, ri$ht3'
'+es, but the %layer-!$ent of the ,ea$ue is sittin$ ri$ht over there, and we're two
players short. +es or no3' !fter all, we can't hardly do any worse than we're doin$, she
told herself, moments later, as she walked around the back of the ca$e and cau$ht up with
Mr )endricks.
'ome fireballin$ substitute3' Mr )endricks was somebody's $randfather, a bent,
sparse-haired $entle man, full of lau$hter. '0o reason why we can't re$ister him ri$ht
now. 0ame3'
'It's a her+ Beth responded, and provided the rest of the details. )er team was behind,
si4 to nothin$, by the time she walked the dusty way back to her own bench. '+ou can
play, !lthea. I've a couple of team 7erseys in the duffel ba$. -o slip into one.and a hat.
+ou have to have a hat.' (he $irl rushed off.
'!nd nobody out3' (he two boys nearest her on the bench made a noise associated
with the Bron4.
'!t this rate it'll be dark before we even $et up to bat,' one of them snapped. !nd by
that time !lthea was back, a blue and $old 7ersey coverin$ her blouse, and her blonde
hair tucked up under a cap.
'0ow, I'm ready,' the $irl said. (here was a $leam of e4citement in her voice. '%ut me
in3'
'Where, !lthea3'
''n the ball field they call me !l,' she returned. 'I'm a pitcher.'
'+ou3'
'Believe it. Where can I warm up3'
Beth $estured behind her. (heir reserve catcher $ot up, settled his mitt on his hand,
and led the $irl behind the du$-out. In the back of her mind Beth heard and measured the
satisfactory thuds as a ball, thrown with speed behind her, slapped its way into a $love.
(he score was nine to nothin$, with one out, when the fans in the bleacher seats be$an
to $et impatient. '%ut in 0umber (hirty-i4,' they started chantin$. ince Beth had no
0umber (hirty-i4 she shru$$ed her shoulders and watched $rimly. 5rankie, on the
pitcher's mound, looked over at her pleadin$ly, and a very satisfied voice ne4t to her ear
said, 'I'm ready.'
Beth tossed her a smile, and then took a second look. With her hair put up under her
cap !lthea looked like a chunky boy. )er forehead was rimmed with perspiration, her
7aw was workin$ at double-speed on a stick of chewin$-$um, and the number thirty-si4
was embla;oned across her chest. Well, what the heck, Beth told herself. )ow could it
$et worse3 he stood up $racefully, to cheers from the fans, and si$nalled the umpire for
a time-out. he walked out to the mound, took the ball from 5rankie, and handed it to
!lthea.
'6ust do the best you can,' she si$hed. '+ou don't need any si$nals. 6ust throw it
wherever the catcher holds his $love. "i$ht3'
'0ot to worry, Miss Beth.' (here was a $reat deal of silence as she walked back to
the bench. (he "entasec team, in last place, hardly ever drew a crowd. (heir opponents,
(he Bad$ers, were in first place. !lthea went throu$h her obli$atory ten warm-up
pitches, waved from the mound, and threw her first ball. (he batter waved ineffectually,
the catcher $runted as the incomin$ pitch knocked him off his feet, and the $ame went
on.
By the fourth innin$ the score was still nine to one. 0ot a sin$le additional batter from
(he Bad$ers had $ot on base since !lthea had be$un to pitch, but unfortunately it wasn't
only pitchin$ that suffered on Beth's team. (he opposin$ pitcher was no ball of fire, but
her youn$ men were unable to hit what he offered.
'o this is what you're up to/' (he voice was ri$ht in her ear. he snapped her head
around. "ichard Macomber, dressed in denims and a loosely buttoned shirt, was s2uattin$
at her side. '+ou're behind3'
'0ine to one,' she muttered, wishin$ she could sink into the $round.
'+ou don't look like somebody's e4ecutive secretary,' he lau$hed. '(hat kid is $oin$ to
use that bat3' Beth looked around. ,ittle "o$er 1evlin was dra$$in$ a bat almost as bi$
as he was.
'We don't have any smaller,' Beth muttered, $larin$ at him. o now it's all my fault3
she asked herself.
'1on't mutter,' he reproved. '(hat's almost as impolite as whisperin$.' Before she could
think of an answer he was up and callin$ the little batter over to him. (here was a lon$
discussion. (he boy nodded, shifted his hands up the len$th of the bat, and walked over
to home-plate. )e swun$ at the first pitch offered. wun$, and knocked the ball smartly
back up the middle of the field, where it ;oomed by the surprised pitcher, rolled throu$h
the le$s of the shortstop, and stopped half-way to the fence in centrefield.
It was the be$innin$ of a procession. )e talked to each batter before he came up to the
plate, and a succession of sin$les put a "entasec player on each of the bases. !lthea took
her turn in the batter's bo4. Beth didn't want to watch. It all seemed inevit able. )er team
had fallen into the hands of the Macombers, and had become the &inderella kids. he
needed no roar from the fans to tell her that the little $irl had 7ust knocked the ball over
the centre-field fence.
'Well now, that wasn't too bad,' "ich Macomber $loated, as the $ame came to a riotous
end, with her team ahead fifteen to nine. (he boys were 7umpin$ up and down, poundin$
each other on the back. !lthea was the centre of attention from both her team-mates and
fans, and "ichard was standin$ close behind her as she totted up the fi$ures in her score-
book.
'0ot bad at all,' she a$reed, closin$ the book and leanin$ back a$ainst him.
'&onsiderin$ that it's the first $ame we've won all year, it's a ma7or triumph/' )is arms
came around her, 7ust below the swell of her breasts, and locked her in position. It was a
$entle takin$.
'I think I'm $ettin$ to like my secretary more and more,' he said softly in her ear. 'In
fact.' )e turned her around, tiltin$ her chin up. (he sun played hi$hli$hts on her two
freckles, 7ust at the base of her nose. !nd he kissed her.
Beth had a stran$e double-feelin$. (here was a $reat roar that was blockin$ her ears.
!nd then there was this tender, nibblin$ sensation that seemed to be ori$inatin$ at the
point of contact, where his ton$ue e4plored the inner side of her lip. It was a transferable
sensation. It seemed to leap from spot to spot within her, like a little 7oined packet of fire-
crackers, settin$ fires wherever it landed.
It was hard to tell when the kiss stopped and the sensations continued. he felt
infinitely tired, infinitely aroused. !nd the roar in her ears was real. )alf the baseball fans
in the park were $athered around the pair of them, cheerin$ him on. he offered them a
weak smile, and then was brou$ht down to earth hard when her eye cau$ht the steel $lare
that shone in !lthea's eyes.
'What are you doin$ to my uncle3'
'I.I'm not doin$ anythin$ to your uncle. #e's doin$ it.' Beth shook her head to fi$ht
back the ha;iness. ')ow come you don't ask him what he's doin$3'
'&'mon, *ncle "ich. I want to $o home.'
till hu$$in$ Beth, he offered his niece one of those lopsided smiles. 'Well now,' he
said, 'I didn't stand around tryin$ to break thin$s up when you were playin$ your $ame,
why is it that you have to break it up when I'm playin$ my $ame3'
''h, c'mon,' !lthea returned wearily. 'I'm tired. !nd you know what happens to you
when you play that kind of $ame. +ou've been told.'
'!nd you were listenin$ at the door, ri$ht3'
'Why don't you.3' Beth started, and then stopped. My -od, I was about to invite
them home for coffee and cookies, she snarled fiercely at herself. 6ust what I need, to
walk in the house with him in tow, and tacy mopin$ around the place/
'Why don't you.3' he prompted, $rinnin$.
"emember who your enemies are, she told herself, and $ritted her teeth. 'Why don't
you take !lthea home3' she said coldly.
'+eah, why don't you3' the $irl echoed. he came over and stood 7ust in front of Beth,
with both hands on hips. '+ou know, I kind of like you, Miss Beth. +ou'd make a fine
mana$er, with a little more trainin', and I suppose you make a fine secretary. But *ncle
"ich is the only bachelor uncle I've $ot left, and I don't want him spoiled with mushy
stuff like that.'
'-ee, thanks a lot,' he $rumbled, swin$in$ the $irl up to his shoulder, dirt and all. '(ell
you what.we'll both take Beth home, and then you and I will.'
'0o, thank you,' Beth told him. %olite but cold, that's the way to treat him/ 'I only live
a block or two away, and I don't want you to $o out of your way.' !nd I don't want you
takin$ me home, learnin$ where I live, and perhaps runnin$ into my niece. 0ot until I $et
my schemin$ done, Mr Macomber/
'(his seems to be a losin$ cause,' he acknowled$ed. 'ure you wouldn't want to come
home with us, Beth3 We could $o out for dinner, spend a friendly ni$ht3'
'0o.0o, thank you,' she stuttered. (alk about spiders and flies and parlours.why,
the man must think me a flamin$ fool/ !nd havin$ finally $athered enou$h fuel to really
kindle her an$er, she $lared at them both. "ichard put the little $irl down on her feet, and
sent her off with a pat on her bottom.
'!lthea3' Beth asked. he had trouble bein$ polite to this man, but she had to know.
'Where are her parents3'
'(hey've $one, Beth. Both $one.'
''h, my -od,' she muttered. (hey're both $one3 o why are you standin$ there
$rinnin$ at me3 (he kid's an orphan, and you play it like some sort of 7oke/ he $lared at
him and walked away.
tacy was uneasy that ni$ht. he 7ust could not remain in one place. he paced the
apartment, pickin$ up odd bric-a-brac and settin$ it down, and makin$ faces at herself.
'What's the problem3' asked Beth. '+ou're not feelin$ well3'
(he $irl turned on her. 'Why is it you can't $et throu$h a sin$le sentence without
askin$ me how I feel3' she demanded. 'I feel fine. (here's nothin$ wron$ with me.'
'I know,' Beth returned soothin$ly. 'It's a normal thin$. But still, there are chan$es.
+ou're bound to feel different.'
'I don't know what you're talkin$ about,' her niece snarled. 'I wish I were in
&alifornia/' he slammed off to her room, ban$in$ the door behind her.
'I wish you were in &alifornia, too,' Beth si$hed, but there was a family burden to be
borne, and that's what maiden aunts were e4pected to do. (ime limits all actions. he had
about a week and a half to brin$ this thin$ to a conclusion, and $et on with her life. he
huddled herself into her ni$ht$own and robe, and sat down in the bay window to $ive this
whole affair some serious thou$ht.
he was no further alon$ at nine o'clock the ne4t mornin$ when she arrived by ta4i in
,iberty 2uare and went into the reception. '(he elevator's been repaired,' am assured
her as she bree;ed by him.
'+eah, I'll bet,' she returned, and headed for the stairs. )alf-way between the second
and third floors she passed little Mar$ie -ow, her 'riental features bri$htly lit. 0either
stopped, but Mar$ie mouthed a 'thank you' and hurried on. Beth marked it down in her
score-book of achievements. !s she passed the third floor a sudden thou$ht brou$ht her
momentarily to a halt. *he computer system!. 5oolishly or not, they all depended upon
the computer. 0ow if I could only confirm that, find out $hy the weapon is at hand to
humble the mi$hty Macomber. Beth took a deep breath, and headed for the ne4t floor up.
he knew e4actly how to find out.
!s usual, there was nobody in the office. he did the usual mornin$ thin$s. !ctivate
the computer terminal, check the 'In' basket, start the coffee percolator, water the two
little flowerpots of !frican violets the previous secretary had left, peer into his office to
see that all was well. !ll was not 2uite as well as e4pected.
(here was a small sofa, part of the usual office set-up, pushed up in a corner under the
windows. &ramped into the tiny space was "ichard Macomber, fast asleep. he tiptoed
over towards him. )e was still decked out in dinner-7acket, black tie, black-striped
trousers, and a silly $rin. )is shoes were on the floor. 'ne sock had disappeared. Beth
smothered the desire to lau$h= playboy, out late, she 7ud$ed. (here were no blankets in
si$ht, but a beautiful Me4ican serape was in use as a cover for the coffee table. he
whipped it off, covered him $ently, tiptoed out, and closed the office door behind her.
tran$e, she told herself, back in her outer office. I'm $oin$ out of my way to $et
reven$e on this $uy, and in the meantime I worry about him sleepin$ cold. I wonder
where he was last ni$ht3 It must have been a wild party/
(here was not a $reat deal of time to muse. Instantly, at nine-thirty, as if someone had
turned a switch, her phones lit up, her terminal bu;;ed, and she spent the ne4t hour
fendin$ off people who 7ust had to see the boss, or offered spurious directions to those
who needed decisions. By eleven, thin$s had slowed. he peeped in. )e was still out for
the count. (ime to find out, she told herself. he connected her telephones into the
automatic answerin$ system and sauntered down the hall to "oom ABC.
Ms Ma$$ie Berman was a surprise. (he si$n on her door said #ditor-in-&hief. Beth
was lookin$ for some elderly soul, whose $rey hair reflected all the years of e4perience
she had accumulated. !nd instead found a very sharp individual indeed, a tall thin
woman, brown-haired, brown eyes, who looked at one over the tops of a pair of half-shell
readin$-$lasses. he was dressed in the hei$ht of fashion. Beth took a deep breath. It was
time to $o into her act a$ain.
'I'm Murphy. +ou remember3'
'+es. Murphy, huh3 till with us3'
'!pparently.'
'(ake a chair.' (he ori$inal solemn e4pression had fled, replaced by a homely $rin.
'Meetin$ of the Board3'
'I.$uess I don't know what you mean.'
'&ome on now, Murphy. I've $ot ears all over this buildin$. "i$ht at the moment I'm
still runnin$ all the books.and my $rapevine tells me you're runnin$ everythin$ else.'
'Why not3' murmured Beth. '!ll's ri$ht with the world, -od is in )er heaven.'
'Well said. !re we in a conspiracy3'
'0o, not e4actly. I'm lookin$ for information.'
'!sk away.'
'I thou$ht publishin$ houses were all manuscripts and red pencils and bri$ht li$hts.
(his place is ha$-ridden by computers. What $ives3'
(he editor chuckled. he had a deep, attractive voice, to match her personality. '(he
wave of reform,' she said. 'Mr Macomber enior. (he old man. )e $ot himself into the
hands of the computer wi;ards, and couldn't escape. (hey convinced him it would be
easier, more accurate, and cheaper, if we put all our works on the computer. (o tell the
truth, now that we're accustomed to it, it's all true. 'ur re$ular authors submit their works
on disks.we copy them into the system, do all the editin$ and checkin$ directly off the
ori$inal disk. When a story is passed, it's transmitted to the printer electronically, and
$oes directly into type. (here's a savin$ in time and money. ! story only has to be
punched out once. +ou can't ima$ine the horror stories that ori$inate when a manuscript
is typed two or three times. In fact, our authors like the idea so much.those who use
word processors.that they call us on the telephone, connect their little computers to
ours, and submit the books directly throu$h the line.'
'!nd the savin$s3'
'(wo places. It saves us countless numbers of filin$ cabinets, and then saves us a
whackin$ amount when it's time to print. (here's no need to re-punch the material for
printin$, you see. It comes ri$ht off the edited disk.'
Beth stopped for a minute to think that over. It sounded possible, and the lady in front
of her was no fool. o, step two. 'But don't you defeat the purpose by havin$ so many
locked pro$rams3 'ne hundred and si4ty-two, accordin$ to my count. )ow does anyone
$et into the accounts to work on them3'
'(hey $et an authorisation, and $et the codeword,' the editor chuckled.
'(hey do3 )ow3'
'+ou $ive them out, Murphy.'
'-ood lord/'
'#4actly.'
'But.why3 Why all the secrecy3 +ou're not printin$ revolutionary manifestos, or
funny money, or somethin$3'
'0o. But remember, our computer is linked to a telephone line. !ny number of cra;ies
out there $o around tryin$ to break into company computers. !nd we publish one ran$e
of books.bio$raphies of important people.that a lar$e part of the population would
like to read prior to release. 0ewspapers spend a $reat deal of time tryin$ to bribe a
phrase or two out of our 7unior editors. +ou see3'
'I'm be$innin$ to,' lau$hed Beth. he was, indeed. 'ne hundred and si4ty-two
accounts, each controlled by a code-word in her possession. (he plot was comin$ clearer
in her own mind. But if the ori$inators of the code-words were handy.the name of the
software company.and with a little vi$ilance, it shouldn't take lon$. he thanked the
editor, and wandered out into the hall. 'ne part of her mind was conspirin$= the other
part was workin$ as a normal e4ecutive secretary's would. )e's $oin$ to wake up soon,
with a headache bi$$er than the %rudential buildin$. (he hall directory listed a cafeteria
on the $round floor. I$norin$ the creaky elevator, she ran down the stairs, sin$in$.
(he cafeteria advertised itself from out in the hall. ! mi4ed odour of cabba$e and
somethin$ floated around like a $host, hauntin$ the place. (he little dinin$-room was
crowded with tables, lon$ mess-hall tables from some abandoned military post, they
seemed to be. Beth drew her fin$ers down the top of one of them, and they came away
$reasy. he shuddered. (here was hardly a soul in the place. ,unch was already bein$ set
out on steam tables, so that what flavour it mi$ht have had would waste away.
'+ou want somethin'3' the man behind the counter asked.
'+es,' Beth shuddered. 'I want a $lass of tomato 7uice with four shakes of bitters in it, a
s2uee;e of lemon, salt, pepper, paprika.I $uess that's all.'
')ey, lady, this ain't a fast-food caf<. I don't have time to make no specialties.'
'I can see it isn't,' she said $rimly. 'I happen to be Mr Macomber's secretary. Mr
Macomber is waitin$ for this little.drink. Mr Macomber is a very impatient person.' he
drew herself up to full hei$ht and $lared across the counter. (he man took a 2uick look,
bit back the statement he was about to make, and set to work.
When he slapped the brimmin$ $lass out on the $lass counter he looked mutinous.
'!nd what else3 +ou said two thin$s3'
'econdly, I want to talk to the mana$er of this place.'
'(hat's me.'
'!nd you are an employee of Macomber %ublishin$3'
'What did you think I was, some $uy come in off the streets3'
'+ou have a name3'
'%a$e. 5rank %a$e. Why do you want to know3'
'o I can have it correct, Mr %a$e, when I address your letter of dismissal. Mr
Macomber takes a dim view of people sellin$ ptomaine poison to his staff.'
')ey now, wait a minute.'
'0o, Mr %a$e. I don't have time. 0either do you. I'll be back tomorrow. If this place
doesn't shine with polish, with the food bein$ cooked and displayed on time.I'll brin$
your dismissal letter with me, to save us both time. +ou di$, man3'
%a$e stared at her, unbelievin$, as she turned and sauntered slowly out, holdin$ the
$lass of 7uice in her hand.
It had to be the elevator this time. 0obody in her ri$ht mind tries three fli$hts of stairs
balancin$ a brim-full $lass of tomato 7uice. (oday the old machine was on its best
behaviour. (he door closed with a snap, there was only a moment of hesitation, and they
proceeded upward to$ether in $entle harmony. When the door opened at the fourth floor
Beth took her first breath since enterin$ the thin$, and went down the hall to her own
office.
(here were four telephone messa$es on the answerin$ machine. he handled them,
offerin$ the decisions under 'Mr Macomber would prefer if you would.' and the advice
in her own name. By the time she had finished there were sounds of movement from
within. he stood up, brushed down her bei$e skirt, strai$htened her dimity blouse,
picked up the $lass, and went in.
)e was sittin$ with both feet on the floor, and his head in his hands. )e barely
mana$ed to look up as she came up to him. '(ake these,' she admonished, passin$ him
two aspirin tablets. '!nd drink this.'
)e did e4actly as ordered. 'My -od, what $as that.that atrocity you $ave me to
drink3'
'It's $ood for you.'
'+eah. o is castor oil, but nobody drinks the stuff these days.'
Beth slapped the palm of her hand on her forehead. '(hat's what I for$ot,' she $i$$led.
'&astor oil. I don't suppose they stock it downstairs, anyway.'
'+ou're tryin$ to kill me, Murphy/'
'0ot e4actly,' she si$hed. '+ou're bein$ done $ood to. In a minute or two you'll feel
better. (hat was my $randfather's recipe.'
')ow old was he when it killed him3'
'It didn't,' she said primly. '-randfather Murphy died of alcohol. My $randmother kept
tellin$ him that the whiskey would kill him, and it did. &irrhosis of the liver. )e died on
his ninety-fifth birthday.'
'-ood lord,' Macomber muttered mournfully. '(hink how lon$ he mi$ht have lived if
he didn't drink.'
'+es, well, that's neither here nor there,' she said firmly. 'It's noontime, you have a one
o'clock appointment, and you'd better toddle alon$ to your private bathroom. +ou need to
wash.' she crinkled her nose as if the smell bothered her '.and you need to shave, and
you need a chan$e of clothes. hall I send someone to your home3'
'0o,' he $roaned. 'I've $ot a suit on standby. !re you perhaps imon ,e$ree's
dau$hter3'
'I don't know the $entleman. My family was all from "oscanon. Was he from those
parts3'
'I doubt it.' )e stru$$led to his feet, usin$ her shoulder as a crutch for the first few
steps, and mana$ed to make it to his bathroom. Beth strai$htened out the couch, returned
the serape to its ori$inal use, and went back to her own desk.
It was too late to order lunch for him. (he ine4orable clock had cau$ht up to them.
Ma$$ie Berman arrived on the scene, escortin$ a fluttery elderly woman.wearin$ a hat,
of all thin$s.
'Miss Murphy, #lda. Mr Macomber's e4ecutive secretary. !nd this is our newest best-
seller author, Mrs #lda %ern.'
')ow $ood to meet you, Mrs %ern. Mr Macomber will be ready in 7ust a moment. )e
had a small problem.with the -overnor, I believe.' !nd -od for$ive me for all the little
lies I've told in my career, she thou$ht. I wonder what this dear old soul writes3
'+ou've read my book, of course, Miss Murphy3'
'I have it at home,' she lied with a strai$ht face, 'but haven't had a chance to finish it
yet. ! fantastic story.' (he intercom bu;;er ran$, savin$ her soul from another lie piled on
all the rest. 'Mr Macomber is ready. Won't you $o in3'
Beth looked over their heads as the two women walked into the office. )alf an hour
had worked wonders. In a freshly pressed suit and tie, he was the very model of a
$racious business host. #ven the scars on his face were subdued, as if he had.oh, -od.
pancake make-up3 he shook her head wryly. (here was no end to what could $o on in a
publishin$ house. Includin$ snoopin$ at the door, which I intend to do until I find out.
(he introductions were in hand. "ichard Macomber was up out of his chair and
around the desk, with a bi$ smile on his face, and one hand e4tended. '#lda.#lda %ern.
Welcome. I can't tell you how much I en7oyed your last book, ,ust on a ,ittle (sland. It
will be on the best-seller list for months/' 'h me, Beth si$hed as she closed the door. ,ust
on a ,ittle (sland) (hat sweet lovable thin$3 he must be si4ty-five if she's a day/
Whatever they talked about, they were at it for forty-five minutes, after which the
three of them came to the door, still talkin$. '!nd Miss Berman, our #ditor-in-&hief, will
take you out for a nice lunch,' "ichard Macomber was sayin$, 'and show you the cover
desi$n for your new work.' )e held the smile until the two of them disappeared from
si$ht, then washed it off, and plumped down in the chair by her desk.
''h -od,' he $roaned, runnin$ his hands throu$h his hair.
'!lcohol often brin$s on remorse,' Beth said primly, sittin$ up tall in her chair, with
her hands folded on the desk.
'What3'
'I said.oh, nothin$. What can I do for you, Mr Macomber3'
'Well, you could help me back to the bathroom,' he si$hed. 'My feet seem to be a little
unsteady.' he came around her desk and offered him a shoulder to lean on. It was all he
needed, 7ust a little steadyin$. Back in the tiny $old-walled room ad7acent to his office.
too small really to call a bathroom, too ele$ant to call a washroom.he went directly to
the basin, drew hot water, and washed the heavy makeup off his face. Beth watched,
fascinated. When a $irl $rows up as the only female in a family of brothers, she often
ac2uires curious habits. (his was one of Beth's.
)e came out from under the towel lookin$ considerably more scarred, more ordinary,
more .attractive3 (he word tu$$ed at Beth's mind.
'Well,' he $ruffed, 'have you never seen anythin$ like this3 +ou don't wear any at all,
do you3'
''h, I mana$e a little lipstick on occasion,' she chuckled. 'But it's not from vanity. I'm
aller$ic to practically everythin$ on the market.'
'0ow who would have thou$ht that3' )is $rin was back, alon$ with his animal
ma$netism. "+ou don't need it, Murphy. !nd no, I wasn't out all ni$ht boo;in$/'
'I.I didn't say that.'
'I know you didn't, but you were thinkin$ it, weren't you3 I can read your face like an
open book, $irl.'
'(hat's a clich<,' she snapped, doin$ her best to dod$e his inspection. '!nd don't tell
me you weren't boo;in$, I know the symptoms too well.'
'! che2uered past, huh3'
'0o. I told you. !n Irish $randfather, and his million friends.'
'&ome on,' he si$hed, sei;in$ on her hand and towin$ her out into his office. 'I don't
know why I care about what you think, but I do. +ou're mistaken, and I want you not to
be. it.'
)e almost pushed her on to the sofa. he scuttled alon$ it as far as she could when he
7oined her. 'ne of his arms rested on the back of the sofa, 7ust close enou$h for his
fin$ers to play with the loose tendrils of her hair. 'Beautiful,' he murmured, his eyes
followin$ his fin$ers.
'%lease,' she snapped. 'I don't.'
'I know,' he si$hed, withdrawin$ his hand. '+ou're not that sort of $irl. Whatever that
sort is. By the way, that baseball team of yours showed a lot of spirit.'
he $rabbed at the chan$e of sub7ect with both hands. '(hey're a fine bunch of kids,'
she rattled. 'If only I were a better coach, we mi$ht do.'
')ey, I'm helpin$,' he interrupted. ')ave your pitchers and catchers meet me at the
same place toni$ht at si4. &an you do that3'
'I.yes, I suppose. Why3'
'Because I was a pitcher in my colle$e years, and played a year in !!! ball.'
'But why3 I don't understand.'
''f course you don't,' he said solemnly. ')ow about, !lthea will really raise hell at
home if I don't3'
''h.' !nd why am I disappointed3 urely I couldn't e4pect him to do it for me3 +es,
you could, her small voice inside her head answered. +ou surely could/
'&omfortable now3'
'+es, I $uess.' )is words had stiffened her back, put her on ed$e a$ain, and he could
see it. )e frowned down at her.
'0ow, about last ni$ht.'
'What about it3'
')ave you ever heard of the amaritans3'
'(he anti-suicide $roup3 +es, I've heard of them.'
'Well, last ni$ht I had a late dinner with some politicians, and then went over to the
amaritans to stand my watch. ! $irl called.a desperate $irl. I talked to her on the
telephone for five hours. I really thou$ht I had her calmed down, but I was wron$. he
told me I was a wonderful $uy, and put the phone down, and tried to 7ump out of a
fourteenth-storey window.'
''h my/' she $asped.
''h my, yes. o I went out after that and had si4 strai$ht belts of 6im Beam, and came
here to sleep it off.'
'I.' Beth be$an.
'+es3'
'I'm sorry, Mr Macomber.'
'"ichard.not Mr Macomber.'
'I'm sorry, "ichard. I.completely mis7ud$ed the affair.'
)e smiled at her, and stirred himself closer. '1o that often, do you3' he asked.
'5rom time to time,' she admitted. 'I'm the impetuous one in our family. I'm really
sorry.'
')ow sorry3'
''-ery sorry.'
'how me.' )e sat very still. Beth moved slowly, mesmerised, slidin$ down the
slippery surface of the sofa until they were nose to nose. !nd she kissed him.
CHAPTER FIVE
"I&)!"1 M!&'MB#" stopped by her desk at three-thirty, havin$ invested a whole
hour and a half on business. '(hey named that crowd ri$ht,' he mourned. '! board
meetin$. I've never been so bored in all my life.'
''ne of the penalties of wealth,' Beth said, tryin$ to hide the lau$hter. 'What was
accomplished3'
'#very department presented a bud$et proposal,' he si$hed.
'!nd then3'
'!nd then we ad7ourned to consider them. 0e4t month we'll meet a$ain for a decision.
What are you doin$3'
)er desk was overcrowded with computer runoffs, lines of fi$ures that tailed off the
top of the desk and fell to the floor. '6ust lookin$,' she said, pushin$ the mass of fi$ures
aside. '(he ma7or advanta$e of computers is that you can instantly compare and analyse.'
')uh/' he snorted. 'If the thin$ is that $ood, why don't we take a week off and let it run
the business3 Maybe even write the books3'
'I'm not 2ualified in book writin$,' she said demurely, and turned away from him.
')ey, none of that.' )is hand swivelled her chair back in his direction. '&ome on now,
$et your hat and whatever, and let's $et $oin$.'
'-et $oin$3'
'+ou have a terrible memory.' )e shook his head in mock dis$ust. '1id you tell all the
pitchers on your team to meet me at the park3'
''h yes, I did that this mornin$. Well, told their mothers, of course.'
'o let's $et $one.'
'Me3' she s2ueaked, and stopped to steady her nerves. 'I.can't $o. 0ot today. I
thou$ht you knew that.'
'0o, I didn't know that. -et your hat.'
'I haven't worn a hat since I was si4 years old. e4cept for my rain hat that is.'
'Well, $et whatever it is you $et.'
'I can't possibly $o, Mr Macomber. I have a.a date.'
'o, break it.' )e leaned over to toy with her hair. he 7erked away from his 2uestin$
fin$ers. 'What's so important about this so-called date3'
I'll tell you, she wanted to scream at him, but didn't. 5riday is the last day of the
month, and all the women will want their che2ues, and somebody has to tell the computer
what to do, and that someone is me/
'I can't break the date,' she said coolly. 'It's very important to me.'
'Why3' If he leans any closer I'll bite him, she told herself, and then her ton$ue
slipped.
'It's important to me,' she repeated. '(he day after tomorrow it becomes 6une, and.'
'top ri$ht there. I don't want to hear.' (here was a pained e4pression on his face, as if
someone had suddenly pricked his balloon. )e turned around and took two 2uick paces
away from her, and two back. 'o.your date is with this Mac fellow3'
',ord, you remembered that3'
'I remember everythin$,' he snapped. 'It's serious, this business between you and Mac3
'f course it is.' )e left no time for her to answer, but kept do$$edly on, as if talkin$ more
to himself than to her. 'Mac is very important to you, and 6une is the month of weddin$s,
isn't it3' (here was that look a$ain, settlin$ in on his face. )e shru$$ed his shoulders.
'Well, win a few, lose a few,' he si$hed. )e stood up strai$ht, devoured her with his eyes,
and walked out of the office. )er eyes tracked him to the door, and held there for some
time after he had disappeared.
Beth went back to her fi$ures. &omparisons. Which book did better financially than
others. Which types of books did better than other types. Which authors brou$ht in more
than others. (rends. Euestions. (hey were all there, sittin$ in the computer, waitin$ to be
asked. he asked, and the machine told her more about Macomber %ublishers in thirty
minutes than she mi$ht have found out for herself in si4 years. he used the last half-hour
of the day with her word processor, typin$ up a summary of what she had learned, and
then went home.
tacy and Mary were both waitin$ for her when she arrived. 5or some reason her
niece looked better, more healthy than ever before. Mary, on the other hand, was havin$ a
nervous fit. 'I thou$ht you would have for$otten the payrolls,' the $irl in the wheelchair
said.
'0ot me,' Beth lau$hed. '(hat's why I'm home early. (oni$ht's the ni$ht I spend with
Mac'
'1id you want me to stay, Beth3'
'0o, lord no. I'm sure you've had a busy day3'
',ike $an$-busters. We're booked solidly for the ne4t si4 weeks, and have four typin$
7obs to be done in the office. tacy has been helpin$.'
'We'll put you on the payroll, love.' Beth walked over and kissed her niece, leavin$ her
arm around the $irl's shoulder. '+ou $o ahead home, Mary. tacy and I will have supper
and rela4, and then I'll $et at the payrolls.'
(he two Murphys walked upstairs, arm in arm.
(he $irl's skin was warm to the touch. '+ou've done more than typin$, haven't you3'
'I went to "evere Beach,' tacy answered. 'I sunbathed, and walked around, and.'
'!nd even went swimmin$3'
'+ou're cra;y, !unt Beth. !fter livin$ all my life in &alifornia, you e4pect me to $o
swimmin$ in the ocean in May.in 0ew #n$land3'
'Well, some brave souls do,' Beth told her. 'What shall we have for-supper3'
(hey compromised on a pre-cooked turkey roll, heated in the microwave oven, alon$
with fro;en mi4ed ve$etables, and a little wild rice. It was a $ood meal and, by dint of
much control, Beth made certain not to ask her niece how she was feelin$.
'I'll do the dishes,' tacy offered.
'Both of them3'
'My father never acts like you do,' tacy surprised her by statin$. ')e's always so.'
'+our father is a stick-in-the-mud,' Beth returned. ')e always was, and always will be.
But a $enius, for all that. ee, he $ot all the brains.'
'!nd you've $ot all the charm.'
'Well, thank you, miss.' Beth offered a very unpractised curtsey, then looked at the
clock and ran for the door. M!& was sittin$ in his corner, ruminatin$ over some fi$ures.
he pulled off the cover of one of the terminals and be$an the payroll pro$rammin$. !ll
of which brou$ht her wearily upstairs at midni$ht with fin$er cramps. !lthou$h M!&
could compute and reason and print che2ues, only Beth Murphy could si$n them.
he showered 2uietly. tacy was already asleep. (he $irl was lookin$ better these
days, but needed her sleep. 'Me, too,' she chuckled to herself, but there was one more task
for the day. !t one o'clock in the mornin$, makin$ provision for the three-hour time
difference between Boston and &alifornia, she direct-dialled her brother 5red.
'My, you're up late,' he said. 'We were 7ust about to look at the tube. )ow's my
dau$hter3'
'he's lookin$ better, 5red. he went out and $ot some sunshine at the beach, and she's
helpin$ with some local typin$.'
'-ot the problem all analysed, I suppose3'
'I.well.yes, 5red. But I don't think you're $oin$ to like the answer.'
'o try me.'
'What would you say if your dau$hter $ot married3'
''ho/ (hat's the way the cookie crumbles. Who's the $uy3'
'I don't think you would know him, 5red. I'd rather not deal in names. (hin$s are very
ticklish up here at the moment. )e's a.$ood-lookin$ man, with a $reat deal of money,
and plenty of creative talent.'
'!nd you approve of him.for her3'
'I don't think any of us can chan$e her mind, 5red. he wants to marry him.'
'Well, I hate to put a spoke in your wheel, Beth, but the $irl's only ei$hteen. Weddin$s
are out.'
'I think we mi$ht not have much to say about it, 5red.'
'(hen I'll have to depend on her aunt to look after her for us, won't we/'
'+ou know I'll do my best, 5red. But.hey, don't han$ up/ (hat isn't all I want to talk
about.'
'o it's your nickel, keep talkin$.'
'5red, there's a software company called )almen. 1o you know it3'
'1o I know it3 It's on all the local news, Beth. !ctually, they have a plant 7ust down
the street from my office. I can see the $oin$s-on every day. (he whole damn work-force
is out on strike. (hey've been picketin$ the place, sabota$in$ the output .you wouldn't
believe what a time they're havin$/'
')ow nice,' Beth si$hed happily. (he last block of stone had 7ust fallen in place around
her plan.
')ow nice3'
'+ou wouldn't understand, brother dear. )ey, did you hear that my baseball team won
a $ame3 !ctually $on a $ame/'
'I think we must have a poor connection, is,' he lau$hed. ''r you've been samplin$
that home-made wine a$ain. -oodni$ht.'
'-oodni$ht,' she whispered into the mouthpiece, and then held the telephone in hand
as she dreamed. )eld it until the raucous sound of the beeper from the central office
came on.
'I should have talked to Bessie,' she muttered to herself. '5red is my brother. Why
can't I say a simple thin$ like pre$nancy to him3 6ust because he's a man3 I should have
asked for Bessie. !nd they're $oin$ to $et married whatever we do, so I mi$ht as well
help/'
(he dream continued after she went to bed. 'nly this time it was compounded by
many other factors. "ichard Macomber was the central theme, staked out naked over an
anthill in the desert, while Beth Murphy, dressed only in a sun-hat and sneakers, leaned
over him and poured honey, a drop at a time, down on his sturdy chest.
It was such a deli$htful dream that she even remembered it as she climbed into the
ta4i for her mornin$ ride to work. Beth Murphy, dressed only in a hat and sneakers.that
was the part that bothered her. 'ome sort of 5reudian response,' she muttered to herself
as she went by the doorman and into the little lobby. (he wind must have been ri$ht. he
could smell the stale odour of the cafeteria, and marked it down in the corner of her mind
as somethin$ yet to be done.
(he old elevator waited invitin$ly. he stopped to consider. !s she waited the door
creaked, half shut itself, and then reopened. ''h, no you don't,' she told it, and stalked
over to the stairs. )er boss was already in his office when she arrived, out of breath.
'(rouble with the elevator3' he called. he went throu$h. "ichard Macomber was
rela4in$ in his deep swivel chair, feet up on the desk, the microphone to a tape recorder
in his hand.
'0o trouble,' she commented wryly. 'It dared me to $et in, so I took the stairs.'
'&oward3'
'! bi$, yellow stripe down my back. What are you doin$3'
'Writin$,' he chuckled, and waved the microphone at her. 'What did you e4pect3'
'I don't know. I've never known an author before. I thou$ht you sat down with some
paper and.whatever.' he made an inspection tour around the room. (hin$s were
pristine, neat.but not liveable, she told herself. (omorrow.I mean Monday .flowers.
'!ren't you $oin$ to ask me about the baseball practice3'
'(his is a business office, after all. I'm bein$ paid to be an e4ecutive secretary.'
'I'll tell you about it over lunch,' he called after her.
!nd, since that fitted in very neatly with her plans, Beth threw him a smile over her
shoulder. Mustn't $et too friendly with him, she warned herself. 0ice is all ri$ht= friendly
is out. !t least until after the weddin$. It didn't seem all that illo$ical now that her plan
was filled out. !nother week to make sure there were no holes in the operation, and our
Mr Macomber will be happy to $o to the altar. Well, perhaps not that. )e mi$ht 7ust balk
at a church weddin$. he was hummin$ as she started on her second round of research,
and was up to her ears in computer paper when he came out.
'#leven-thirty, lunchtime.' )e san$ the words in time to samba music, and reached
over her shoulder to turn her terminal off when she dallied.
''h.' he checked her watch to be sure of the time.
'1oubtin$ (homasina3'
'What3 'h.no, not e4actly. I'm e4pectin$ someone to 7oin us for lunch. ! man you
really need to know. )e's usually as punctual as the 0aval 'bservatory (ime i$nal and
.oh, here he is.'
he stood up and came around her desk. (he elderly man 7ust comin$ in the door was
a tall oak of a man, with wrists the si;e of most men's biceps, a proud strai$ht back, and
shoulders to match. '"udi.Mr Wyskowit;,' she welcomed, addin$ a little hu$ that almost
cost her a rib. '(his is Mr Macomber.'
(he two of them e4chan$ed politenesses. (wo bi$ men, warily si;in$ each other up,
while the $olden-haired woman watched from the sidelines. In a moment it was '"udi'
and '"ich'. Beth heaved a si$h of relief.
'o you've come to have lunch with us3' Macomber asked. (he older man looked
2ui;;ically at Beth. 'I come because she ask me,' he said. )is #n$lish was fair, with a
stron$ flavour of the %olish in it.
'"udi is a consultant. ! retired military man,' she hastened to s2uee;e in. ')e's $oin$
to advise us.'
'o3 Well, let's $o. Where did you book us for lunch3'
'1ownstairs,' she reported solemnly, 'in the Macomber %ublishin$ cafeteria.' he
latched on to her purse and shot out of the door, leavin$ the two men to follow after her
as best they could.
')ey, wait a minute,' Macomber called. 'In our cafeteria3 I never eat there.'
'Well, seventy per cent of your staff do' she said $rimly.
)e shru$$ed his shoulders and crowded her into the elevator before she could say a
word about the stairs. "udi followed, a deep $rin playin$ across his weather-beaten face.
(he smell was $one from the lobby, blown away by the open doors. (he sounds of
downtown Boston rattled in their ears. %i$eons strutted the ed$e of the pavement, darin$
the pedestrians to make them move.
(he men followed her lead down the hall away from the doors. (he smells cau$ht up
to them there. "udi $rowled a couple of short, impolite words. "ichard Macomber
wrinkled his nose. Beth 7ust bar$ed ahead. (he cafeteria was bu;;in$ly full as they came
in, but the si$ht of the Bi$ Boss brou$ht everythin$ to a standstill. Beth led her little
e4pedition down between the narrow aisles, trailin$ her fin$ers on the table-tops. Behind
her, "udi Wyskowit; slid a thin, white $love over one hand, and did the same.
'I can't eat in here,' Macomber protested.
'It $ets worse before it $ets better,' Beth promised him. (he crowd at the servin$ tables
parted to $ive them access. he pointed at the steam tables. '0ow, you tell me how beans
and frankfurters can smell like cabba$e3' she snapped. ''r that.whatever that is.roast
beef sandwiches3 It looks like shoe leather. !nd those ve$etables/ (hey're not yesterday's
leftovers, they probably came in last week. 'r maybe he buys them as leftovers.'
'I can't face this sort of stuff,' Macomber repeated. ',et's $et out of here.'
5rank %a$e, the cafeteria mana$er, came up to the counter. )is face fell when he saw
Beth. '1amn,' he roared, 'what are you doin$ back here3'
'I told you yesterday,' she told him coolly. 'Mr Macomber is upset about this place.'
'Mr Macomber is very upset about this place,' "ichard added. '!nd if I knew what to
do about it.'
'"udi knows what to do,' Beth $rinned. '(wenty-si4 years a Mess er$eant in the
Marine &orps. "udi3'
'&lose down,' the old man $ruffed. 'hut for over the weekend. &lean, clean, clean.
5ans for air circulation. !ir conditioners, maybe. It $ets hot in Boston. witch to lunch
menu. %ut in $rills where customers see. (hrow out steam tables. Buy better meat. With
youn$ people to eat, add milk-shake machines, like that. But first, clean. %aint maybe,
too.'
'!nd what else3' Macomber ur$ed.
')im.' "udi pointed across the counter at %a$e, in his soiled white apron. ')e's $otta
$o. (oday. "i$ht now. 5ive minutes a$o/'
'o do it,' Macomber said.
'&osts money.'
'pend it. Murphy, $ive the man an open che2ue. -od, let's $et out of here.'
'0ot 2uite so fast.' Beth cau$ht at the tail of his 7acket and he $round to an unwillin$
stop.
'0ow what3' he muttered.
'Make a speech/' )e did. 5umblin$ at first, and then workin$ his way up to an
indi$nant conclusion. !ll the people in the cafeteria applauded as he led the way out, 7ust
behind Mr 5rank %a$e, who was on his way to the unemployment office.
'+ou're a tou$h act to follow, Murphy,' "ichard $rumbled as they made their way out
to the lobby.
''nly doin$ what an e4ecutive secretary is supposed to do,' she said very modestly.
'We don't type letters and send flowers to your $irlfriends, you know.'
'I know that,' Macomber returned. '%o$ I know that. ,et's $o home for lunch.'
')ome3' 1ear lord, she thou$ht, I can't take him home. tacy is still there. I've $ot to
keep the two of them separated until the hook is really set in my fish's mouth/ '0o. I can't
take you home.'
'But I can take you home with me,' he lau$hed. !ssumin$ her a$reement, he waved an
arm. )is limousine appeared from nowhere, out from the middle of the double-parked
cars, and stopped at the door. !nother few minutes brou$ht them to the sea bree;es on
India Wharf, and the two hu$e towers that contained his home. Mrs Moore met them at
the door.
'!nd it's $ood to see you a$ain.Beth,' the housekeeper said. 'I've had my ear talked
off about you and your baseball team.'
!lthea stuck her head around the corner of a door. 'Miss Beth,' she called, with what
mi$ht almost have been a friendly tone. he disappeared back into the room behind her
before Beth could work up an answer.
,unch was served in a little nook under the windows, 7ust for the two of them. Mrs
Moore hovered for a time, and then disappeared. '!lthea's not eatin$ with us3'
'0ot so's you would notice,' he $runted. '+ou like this smoked salmon3'
',ove it. But I don't usually have wine at lunch. It makes me very.'
'Interestin$3'
'leepy. o why is !lthea not havin$ lunch3 ome new policy from a stern parent3'
'0ot her parent,' he $rumbled. ')er uncle.'
'he's a lovely child,' Beth said very sternly. '! very much misunderstood child/'
'Is that a fact,' he snorted. '!nd how many children do you have, Murphy3'
'+ou know darn well I don't have any,' she snapped, suddenly an$ered. 'But that
doesn't mean I can't read a $reat deal on the sub7ect/'
'0o, of course not.' he could feel the sarcasm. It thickened the air. !nd if he asks me
one more 2uestion like that I'll hit him with the cream bowl, she told herself. )e must
have seen her $rittin$ her teeth.
'o how was your date with Mac3' he asked nonchalantly.
'With Mac3' he almost $ave the $ame away, but mana$ed to patch thin$s up. ''h,
with M!&. ,ast ni$ht. +es.'
'I didn't mean last year. )ave some more wine.' he covered the mouth of her $lass
with one hand.
'0o more wine. M!& and I.we had a wonderful time.'
'(ook you to some swin$in$ place, did he3'
''h, no. 0either of us like that sort of thin$. We went to a cosy place with dim li$hts
and soft music, and we.talked back and forth.lord, until past midni$ht. We're so
lookin$ forward to 6une.'
'I don't want to hear about that,' he snapped.
'Well, you needn't bite my head off,' she answered an$rily. '+ou showed an interest, so
I thou$ht you wanted to know. I was even $oin$ to invite you to the weddin$/' he
clapped her hand over her mouth. *hat was takin$ thin$s one step too far. It's not nice to
tease the lion when you are both inside his ca$e/ ,ook at him $lare. )e thinks I'm
invitin$ him to my weddin$, and when he finds out the invitation is to his weddin$, he'll
really blow his stack/
'I don't think I'll be able to come,' he $rowled. ',et's $et back to work.'
)e was already up and headed for the door when Mrs Moore came in with the ice-
cream. (he two women looked at each other, shru$$ed their shoulders, and followed him.
!lthea stuck her head out of her room a$ain, and waved $oodbye.
'When's the ne4t $ame, Miss Beth3' she called.
'(omorrow ni$ht. ame time, same field. But you can't pitch, you know. ,ittle ,ea$ue
rules prohibit a player from pitchin$ more than seven innin$s a week.'
'I know that. But I play a mean shortstop, too.'
'o they've $ot you locked up "in durance vile"3'
'0o, 7ust in my bedroom.'
'1oin$ what3'
'+ou wouldn't believe. *ncle "ich went to the school to talk to the %rincipal, and they
sent me home a load of self-study work I have to do. Is he mean/ +ou can tell he was
never a little $irl/' !nd with that the child flounced back into her room and closed the
door.
'+ou 7ust take your time, Murphy. I'm sure we've all day.' Beth whirled around to look,
startled by the continued an$er in his voice. 0o doubt about it, she thou$ht, measurin$
the thunder in his eyes, the scars still showin$ on his face, the tall solid fi$ure of him.
this one was certainly never a little $irl/
'I'm $lad you see the world so happily,' he $rumbled as he held the door open. ''r is it
me you think of as bein$ so funny3'
''h no,' she s2ueaked, stuffin$ the $i$$les back down her own throat. 'It was.7ust
somethin$ that stuck in my.I mean, I wasn't lau$hin$ at you.'
he followed him meekly over to the elevator, held on to her stomach as the floor
dropped out from under her, and was $lad of his steadyin$ hand as they $hished to a
stop. 'It's like bein$ shot throu$h a pneumatic tube,' she $asped.
(he idea, or her shaken appearance, seemed to restore his $ood humour. )e held her
arm as they went out to the limousine and crawled inside. 'I meant to tell you about your
pitchers,' he chuckled. '(hat little one, Michael somethin$-or-other.'
'Babson. Michael Babson. )e's only nine years old.'
')e wasn't holdin$ the ball ri$ht,' he said. ''nce he $ot the idea, he was a winner. +ou
have the makin$s of two more fair pitchers, too. I'll check them out toni$ht. !re you
comin$3'
'0o,' she si$hed. 'I have to attend a meetin$ at "entasec toni$ht. (he last ni$ht of the
month. We talk over problems, consider new trainin$ pro$rammes.and distribute pay
che2ues for the month.'
')ow lon$ will that take3'
'?ery lon$,' she assured him. '+ou know how it is when a bunch of women $et
to$ether.'
'0o, I don't,' "ichard lau$hed. 'I've never been e4posed to that sort of party. Maybe I'd
better come over and watch after the baseball practice3'
'0o,' she $asped. '0o. 'nly members of the !ssociation are allowed in.' he looked up
at him. (he $lare had $one, and the smile was back. 'We have our secrets, too,' she added.
'I'll bet you do.' ! soft re7oinder. omehow or other he was $ettin$ closer. 6ust at that
moment the chauffeur muttered a few short words, twisted the wheel hard, and mana$ed
to dod$e a driver who had 7ust 7umped a stop si$n. (he sudden movement threw Beth
hard up a$ainst "ichard's shoulder, almost into his lap. )is arm came around her in a
rescue mission, pullin$ her solidly a$ainst his chest, for some moments after the car had
resumed its smooth movements.
'+ou could let me $o now,' she offered tentatively.
'0o, I don't think so,' he said absent-mindedly. )e was not lookin$ at her, but the
fin$ers that held her shoulder were fle4in$ in and out. '+ou didn't fasten your seat-belt.
Besides, I like thin$s 7ust the way they are.'
It would be a foolish thin$, she told herself, to make a bi$ point about the whole affair.
!fter all, it $as almost an accident, and I didn't have my belt buckled, and it is very
comfortable here, and I'll think about tacy tomorrow.
It was so comfortable that she made a va$ue protest as the car came to a stop and he
tried to coa4 her, out. '&ome on, Murphy,' he ur$ed, 'time for work.' he looked up at
him, somewhat da;ed. It's my lack of sleep, she told herself, not his damn arro$ant
maleness. But that satisfied look in his eyes said otherwise. (here was the male
triumphant. )er temper boiled as she stru$$led, not too $racefully, out on to the
pavement.
'I told you wine makes me sleepy,' she snapped, and en7oyed watchin$ his face fall,
and the con2uest si$nals fade away. o once a$ain they went down a hall, she followin$
him meekly.ri$ht into the elevator.
''h no,' she wailed, as the door chu$$ed and whuffed in front of her, and $radually
closed.
'1on't worry.' )e made the announcement as if only women worried in balky
elevators. 'I've had it all repaired. It won't stop.' But of course it did. !t e4actly the
same spot, half-way between the second and third floors. '1amn,' he muttered, movin$
over to the corner where the trapdoor was located. 'It won't take us a minute to $et out.'
'1on't bother on my account,' Beth told him firmly. 'I have no intention of climbin$ up
that mountain a$ain.I ruined my whole suit the last time.'
'o what do you propose3'
'%ush the #mer$ency button,' she advised. 'I'm $oin$ to sit here on the floor and wait
to be rescued.'
'(hat doesn't sound like a bad idea,' he chuckled, and came over beside her. ')ere, sit
on my 7acket. It $ets cleaned on a company e4pense account.'
'I don't need the ir Walter "alei$h approach,' he snapped. )avin$ let her pride
answer for her, she had to stru$$le on alone. ittin$ down on a bare floor, $ettin$ your
skirts beneath you, was not all that easy. !nd the floor was not all that clean. idlin$
away from him, she lowered herself $racefully to her knees, swept her skirts under her,
and rolled off on to her bottom with her le$s tucked up under the skirt.
'0eatly done,' he lau$hed.
'It 7ust takes practice,' she said firmly. '(he ne4t time I ride in this elevator of yours,
I'm $oin$ to make sure there's a pillow or a chair inside/'
'!h, that's it. It's my elevator3'
''f course it's your elevator. !re you denyin$ it3'
'0ot at all, firebrand.' )e sank to the floor beside her, like some $reat 7un$le cat, and
dropped an arm over her shoulder. '!nd if we follow the lo$ic, my dear. It's my elevator,
so I'm responsible for its actions3'
'"i$ht,' she muttered.
'!nd you're my secretary, so I'm responsible for you, too3'
'0ow, wait 7ust a darn minute,' she $rumbled. '(hat's not the way it.what are you
doin$3'
'6ust acceptin$ my responsibilities,' he murmured in her ear as he pulled her over
a$ainst him, even closer than they had been in the car. '0ow, isn't that nice3'
'I never practised that' she si$hed, $rabbin$ at his wanderin$ hands. )e made no
move to free them, so finally she rela4ed, fell back a$ainst his chest, and listened to the
world at its work around her, all movin$ to his heartbeat, 7ust under her ear. It $as nice.
he would never admit it to "ichard, but it certainly was. Warm, comfortin$, pleasant.
0othin$ moved in the little bo4 that was their world. !nd time and wine cau$ht up to her.
0ot worryin$ about what his plans were, she fell fast asleepF
CHAPTER SI
'-''1 lord, !unt Beth, what are you doin$3' tacy came into the kitchen, lookin$ like
some doll in her shorty ni$ht$own, her hair in disarray. Beth sank back on her haunches,
blew a wisp of hair out of her eyes, and $lanced up.
'I'm washin$ the floor,' she $rowled. 'What does it look like I'm doin$3'
'It looks like you're beatin$ it to death,' her wise little niece responded. '0obody
washes floors on their hands and knees any more. #specially on a aturday mornin$.'
'Well then, I've 7ust e4panded your education,' she snapped. o perhaps I was
poundin$ instead of scrubbin$. I can't help it if that man's face keeps $larin$ up at me
from my shiny floor/
It had all started on 5riday, when she had come to work roarin$ mad. !fter all, it
hadn't been her fault the damn elevator had 7ammed. But when a $irl wakes up to bein$
rescued, and finds herself lyin$ back a$ainst a man she really hates, and there, in front of
everybody, he's sittin$ with a stupid $rin on his face, twistin$ her hair up in little spirals
and tyin$ knots in them. Well/ !nd on 5riday mornin$ she hadn't had the sli$htest
intention of retractin$ a sin$le one of the hundreds of words that had poured out of her
mouth before her mind was in $ear/ 0ot a word. In fact, she had ;oomed into
Macomber's inner office and repeated a few do;en of them a$ain, 7ust for effect.
(here he was, with that same stupid $rin on his face, sittin$ behind his desk with his
feet up. (he $rin faded very $radually, and when she had finished it was $one.for ever3
What a stran$e way of thinkin$ that was.
'I do believe I've heard this story before,' he $runted. 'I never sit throu$h bad movies
twice. -et your pad.' Which left Beth with her eyes open, astonished. "antin$, ravin$,
apolo$isin$, any of those she was prepared to face, but not a cold "$et your pad".
'I want a complete analysis of the business,' he said when she came back. 'I want to
know which divisions are makin$ money and which aren't. I want to know which author
sells, and which doesn't. I want to know how our sales compared to last year.'
'By division3'
'By division. 1on't interrupt while I'm thinkin$.'
'+es sir,' she muttered. !nd no sir, and three ba$s full/
'!nd then I want to know how our e4penses compare to last year.'
'Is that all.sir3'
'I think so.' )e settled back in his chair and $lared at her. he returned the favour.
'(hat ou$ht to take you the mornin$ at least,' he said complacently, as he reached for the
microphone on his dictatin$ machine. '!nd in the meantime, I don't want to be bothered.
'h, by the way, was it much trouble undoin$ the knots3'
)er lips parted a$ain. '1on't say it,' he warned. he took a second look at him. (he
scratches on his cheek were fadin$, but the stitched cut on the other side $lared. )is
heavy eyebrows lined up opposite each other over the rid$e of his still-banda$ed nose,
$ivin$ the impression of immense power.or immense evil. 'nly the hooded dark eyes
sparkled a contra-dance. !nd the corner of his mouth.it kept twitchin$.
!nd I'm not fallin$ for that, Beth assured herself fiercely as she went back to her desk.
(he material he wanted was all there to hand.e4actly what she had been researchin$ for
the past two days. (he phone at her elbow ran$.
'I need to see Macomber.' ! cool, controlled voice. he fumbled around to place it.
Ma$$ie Berman, the #ditor-in-&hief.
')e says he's not here,' Beth returned.
'I need at least to talk to him.'
'0obody talks to Macomber,' si$hed Beth. 'But nobody. omethin$ you can't handle3
+ou've been funnin$ this place for years, the way I fi$ure it.'
'I don't deny that,' the editor acknowled$ed. 'But we have this thin$. 5rank &ranston is
the author of our pirate series.' (s he indeed Beth thou$ht. &ell a lot you kno$ lady!
'!nd3'
'!nd he's missed his second deadline.as usual. 'nly Mr Macomber knows how to
contact him.'
'I see. !nd the messa$e is3' .
'-et his butt in $ear/'
'I'll be sure to tell Mr Macomber if he ever tells me he's back,' Beth chuckled.
'(ell me somethin$, Beth. Is there really a Mr Macomber, or are you runnin$ a hi$h-
class confidence $ame up there3'
' "+es, ?ir$inia, there really is a anta &laus",' she lau$hed. 'Why would you doubt it3'
''h, I don't know. +ou do that little secretary $ame very skilfully. I thou$ht he mi$ht
have sneaked out on us and $one back to !cademe.'
'-one back where3'
'!cademe. )e's a colle$e professor, you know. )ead of the #n$lish 1epartment at
some Ivy ,ea$ue place up in Western 0ew +ork.'
'&ornell,' Beth supplied. 'f course, that's why he was up there. (hat's how tacy met
him. (hat's the reason.that.that terrible man/ he flipped the telephone switch off and
sat back in her chair, ra$in$. (en minutes later, her papers assembled, she knocked
perfunctorily on his door and bar$ed in.
'I said nobod.'
'+ou also said do a mana$ement study,' she snapped. '!nd here it is.' he dropped the
pile of papers in the middle of his desk and $lared.
'In.forty-five minutes3' )e put down his microphone and thumbed throu$h the
papers. 'Well, I'll be damned/'
'%robably,' she muttered. 'Is there anythin$ else3'
'I'm sure there is,' he returned coldly. 'it.'
'I'm not your do$,' she retorted, but sat anyway. Macomber made that impression on
people. It was easier to do what he commanded rather than ar$ue. But I need to have the
last word, she told herself. 5or my own peace of mind, not for his/
'!nd I have a messa$e for 5rank &ranston,' she bar$ed alon$. )is head came up from
the middle of the papers. It wasn't a $lare, e4actly. It was more like a threat. More like
'I'm $oin$ to destroy you, little $irl/' he shivered, but plou$hed ahead.
'Ma$$ie says to tell &ranston to.let me see now.to "$et his butt in $ear". (hat's an
e4act 2uote.' 0ow that the words were out, it all seemed like a very bad idea, baitin$ the
lion. But instead of annihilatin$ her, "ichard smiled. -ettin$ throu$h the rest of the day
had been like walkin$ on e$$s.
!nd then, that evenin$, he had turned up at the baseball $ame, casually dressed, eyes
shinin$, as if there had never been a dispute between them. 'nly this time he wasn't
advisin$, he was $ivin$ orders. ! new spirit seemed to ride throu$h the little team. ! new
spirit, and ten new aluminium bats, which ran$ resoundin$ly all throu$h the $ame until
the lowly "entasec team had humbled another lea$ue leader, ten to one. Beth had
restrained her ra$e.at bein$ displaced by an arro$ant male. !fter all, the boys still
cheered her. !he was the mana$er, and hers the victory.
It was easy to watch him, movin$ around the field like a wild animal only temporarily
ca$ed, and build up her hatred. (here had been plenty of reasons on which to base her
an$er. But it still didn't e4plain why she had accepted his cra;y invitation to $o out with
him on unday, lookin$ for whales to watch/ *hat promise had brou$ht her up out of bed
too early on aturday, fully intent on takin$ out her ra$e on somethin$ inanimate. (he
kitchen floor had lost.
'8itchen floors $et very dirty very 2uickly,' she told her niece. '(hey need to be
scrubbed.'
'0ot by me,' tacy crowed. 'When I marry "oddy I'm $oin$ to live in the lap of
lu4ury.'
'1on't $ive me that, $irl. ,ife doesn't include drinkin$ champa$ne from your slipper
any more. +ou really mean to marry him3'
(he $irl dropped down beside her, an an4ious look on her face. '+ou did promise,' she
said. It was more a 2uestion than an answer.
'+es,' si$hed Beth, scrubbin$ her way into a corner. 'I promised.' he stood up, her
muscles complainin$ as she moved. '-od, I'm $ettin$ old, love. +es, I promised. It $ill
happen.'
'When, !unt Beth3' (he $irl was almost 7umpin$ up and down in a$itation. '&an I see
him3'
'Well now, that's a problem. (here are still a couple of little thin$s to be worked out.
!nd it won't be a fancy weddin$, you understand. 'It'll have to be a 2uiet little affair.a
6ustice of the %eace, or somethin$ like that. !nd no, you can't see him. I need another
week to work on the.the scoundrel. o perhaps the weddin$ will be ten days from
now3'
'I don't mind waitin$ that lon$. But I do wish I could see him/'
'(hat's not on the cards,' Beth returned. '+ou'll see him on the day.no sooner. (hen
you'll have the rest of your life to strai$hten thin$s out. )e's really a rotten man, tacy.
!re you sure3'
'I'm sure,' the $irl returned. '!nd he's not rotten. )e's 7ust.well.sin$le-minded.'
'+ou can say that a$ain,' her aunt commented. But the hu$ she $ot lacked nothin$, and
Beth appreciated that. he hadn't been throu$h a $reat deal of hu$$in$ lately. 5riendly
hu$$in$, that is.
he was half-way throu$h the moppin$ up, when another thou$ht struck her. '+ou
know, tacy, it mi$ht be a $ood idea for you to $o up to Ban$or and visit your *ncle
)arold for a few days. ee the children, en7oy the country life, that sort of thin$. )ow
about that3'
It seemed a splendid idea. !t least, tacy liked it, and it cut down the odd chance that
Macomber mi$ht find out where they lived, and come bar$in$ in. o there were two
happy Murphy $irls wavin$ $oodbye to each other at the (railways bus terminal by outh
tation late that afternoon.
(he rest of the day was a hod$epod$e for Beth. (here seemed hardly any reason to
cook a meal for one. he made a ham sandwich, and carried it downstairs with her, where
M!& waited, hummin$ away in its corner. (here was plenty of work to be done, and half
a do;en letters which Mary had not 2uite $ot throu$h. he chomped her way throu$h it
all, then wandered back upstairs.
(here was nothin$ worth watchin$ on (?, so Beth activated her video recorder and
spent an hour with .rs .iniver the old black and white tear-7erker. !nd so to bed.
unday mornin$ came in like a perfect charmer. (he sun rose on the harbour islands,
and tiptoed into her flat like an old friend. Beth bounced out of bed to face the challen$e
of life, and almost crawled back under the sheets when she remembered what she had
promised.
(here was an ei$ht o'clock Mass, whose calmin$ effect settled her down. What do you
wear for a day of whale-watchin$3 *nsure of herself, she chan$ed out of her simple dress
into a pair of bei$e cord slacks, a li$ht blouse, and a bi$ straw hat. (here was plenty of
sun-screen in her ba$, her hair was neat.and she wasn't ready to $o. What did he e4pect
to have happen3 wimmin$3
6ust to make sure, she stripped, donned her best bikini, tucked her briefs and bra into
her ba$, and fumbled around for sun-$lasses. (he clock was comin$ up on nine, and she
had promised him a nine-thirty meetin$. hru$$in$ her shoulders, she telephoned for a
cab. !fter all, it was almost business, and she had no 2ualms about char$in$ it to his
account.
he was still unsure of herself when the cab dropped her off in front of his buildin$.
he checked her clothin$, settled her hat, and s2uirmed out. "ichard Macomber was
waitin$ outside for her, pressed in slacks and shirt, dark $lasses, and a bi$ $rin. (he
banda$e was off his nose. )e was be$innin$ to look what he was, she thou$ht, a very
successful youn$ man. ! very successful, big youn$ man. )e snatched her beach ba$
away from her, took her elbow, and headed her down the wharf towards the water.
'I brou$ht the boat around early,' he said. he was havin$ trouble keepin$ up with him,
and that iron hand would not let $o.
'Where's !lthea3' she $asped.
'!lthea3'
'+es, you know. +our niece !lthea.'
''h, that one.' )e lau$hed down at her. 'he hates whales. !nd boats too, for that
matter. he's $one out to her $randmother's in ,e4in$ton for the day.'
(hey were at the foot of the wharf. he could see the oily water lappin$ at the pilin$s.
(he boat was tied up by the landin$, and there was not a soul in si$ht. ! shiver went
down her spine.
'I.wait a minute,' she protested. 'I thou$ht .we're $oin$ out in that thin$ 7ust by
ourselves3'
''f course. What did you e4pect3'
'I e4pected company,' she said slowly. 'I didn't e4pect to have to spend the day.'
'5endin$ me off3' "ichard's smile was enou$h to send her alarm system into
convolutions. '+ou don't have to worry about that, Murphy. ,ook at the si;e of that thin$.
omebody's $ot to steer, you know.'
'1o I3' he looked down at the boat. It was not at all what she had e4pected. ! $ood
thirty feet lon$, it boasted a double cabin, maho$any-work topside, a flyin$ brid$e, and a
shaded afterdeck bi$ enou$h to hold an or$y/ 0ow why did I think of that word3 she
asked herself as he tu$$ed her down on to the landin$-sta$e, and helped her up over the
side on to the boat. Why or$y3
'It's a pretty bi$ boat,' she observed as she strove to catch her breath. '!re you sure you
can handle it sin$le-handed3'
'#asy,' he returned. '!nd besides, I've $ot you.'
'0o, you haven't $ot me/' she insisted determinedly.
'I mean as an assistant, Murphy.'
'I don't think that's very funny,' she snapped.
'0o, it certainly isn't.' )e was all seriousness. ! frown flashed across his face and was
$one. )e was workin$ at a line up at the bow, freein$ it from the little brass bracket that
held it.
'I'm.not sure I really want to $o,' she insisted. 'I mi$ht $et seasick or somethin$.'
'Indeed you mi$ht. &ome on.' )e led her up two sets of ladders to the flyin$ brid$e,
where they could stand out in the open air, yet be protected from spray by the $lass
windscreen. )e pushed a button, and the boat be$an to throb. )e advanced the double
throttles. (he pier be$an to slide away behind them, very slowly.
'I'm sure I don't want to $o,' Beth stated mutinously.
'I can see that,' he returned, advancin$ the throttles. (he craft came up at the bow and
be$an hurryin$ towards the harbour islands, skippin$ sli$htly from side to side as it met
the incomin$ swells from the ocean.
'+ou're not listenin$ to me/' she shouted, tryin$ to make herself heard over the roar of
the en$ine. "ichard was measurin$ the $ap ahead of them, between 1eer Island on the
north and ,on$ Island, to the south. Boston ,i$ht was dead ahead, markin$ the channel.
he tu$$ed at his arm.
'+ou're not listenin$ to me,' she repeated.
)e turned around and $rinned. ''h, I'm listenin$, but I'm not payin$ any attention. !n
old +ankee trait.'
'Well, I never did trust any old +ankees,' she shouted back. 'I'm not $oin$/'
''8. I can slow down if this tanker behind us keeps clear. 1o you want to $et off
now3'
''hhh/ +ou're an.impossible.man/'
'I've heard that said. If you're not $ettin$ off, why don't you sit down and rela43 !nd
don't for$et to put on your sun-screen. (here's a tremendous reflection off the water on
such a sunny day.'
(here was hardly anythin$ else to do. (he boat was runnin$ fast and free, kickin$ up a
bow wave that sent showers back across the main deck. Beth watched as they roared past
the two outer islands, where old 5ort tandish and e2ually old 5ort Warren pointed their
empty $un-ports at the sea. !bove them a pair of sea$ulls tracked them, as they did every
ship, waitin$ for rubbish to be thrown off the fan-tail. Beth wandered around the pointed
shape of the brid$e and absorbed everythin$ as the bree;e toyed with her hat.
&lear of the islands the swell in Massachusetts Bay be$an to rock them. !head, for
however many miles there were, was #n$land. he was $i$$lin$ at the thou$ht when
"ichard swun$ the wheel and they turned away from the main shippin$ channel and
headed for the tip of &ape &od, seen ha;ily in the distance.
'Where are we $oin$3' he had walked full circle around the deck, and now was back
at his ear. )e pointed strai$ht ahead.
'We'll clear %rovincetown,' he yelled, 'then $o out to tellwa$on hoals. (hat's where
the whales will be, if there are any.'
'If there are any3 +ou mean we're $oin$ all the way out there in the hope there mi$ht
be whales to watch3'
'1on't be sarcastic, Beth. It's not nice. 1id you e4pect we have an appointment with
the whales3 (hey'll come if they've a mind to, and not otherwise.'
'Boy,' she si$hed, dis$usted. (he boat roared on.
'+ou could use a sun-tan,' he su$$ested. 'Why don't you slip off that blouse and $et
more e4posure3'
'What do you think I am,' she snapped, 'a free peep-show3'
'If I told you what I think, you wouldn't like it,' he assured her. '1o you really want to
know3'
'0o, I don't,' she admitted hesitantly. '!nd I don't tan. 0ot all the $irls in the world turn
a beautiful butter-brown, you know. ome of us 7ust burn. If you wanted baked $oods,
you should have asked one of your other.one of your playmates alon$.'
'Maybe I should have,' he si$hed, and went back to his navi$ational problems.
he looked at his wide, stron$ back, fi$htin$ a$ainst the stran$e wishes that haunted
her, and $ave up. (he ladder that led down to the day cabin was a little hard to handle,
now they were out in the bay. he inched her way carefully down, and went inside.
(he door closed out the roar of the wind, and muted the son$ of the en$ines. (he
cabin was a sensuous deli$ht. Bri$ht with li$ht colours, sunshine comin$ in throu$h its
serried windows, the carpeted floor absorbed her footprints and spran$ up a$ain. 5orward
were the navi$ational aids.a sheltered wheel, radio, and duplicates of the controls up on
the flyin$ brid$e. (he room was surrounded by a soft-cushioned bench that shaped a
letter *, with the hatch to the lower cabin in its mouth.
he flipped open the hatch cover and went down into the hull. !round an open centre
were three rooms. (wo contained beds, the other was the ship's head. Beth tested one of
the beds by the tried and true method.lettin$ herself fall into it. It bounced her $ently a
couple of times, and then welcomed her.
'o this is how the idle rich live,' she muttered, curlin$ up into a ball. )er hat had been
left in the day cabin= now her hair came down loose around her shoulders. (he boat
maintained its rhythmic movement, and her lack of sleep the previous ni$ht cau$ht up
with her. tiflin$ a yawn, she sprawled out on her back, le$s outflun$, ran a fin$er
throu$h her hair, and slipped off.
(he dream came after some time. ! dream that brou$ht a smile to her lips, and caused
her to s2uirm in the bed. Macomber was in it, but in the half-world of dreams she felt no
inhibitions, no hate. )is cool hand caressed her cheek, wandered in her hair, touched her
ears. (he fin$ers dropped lower, unbuttonin$ her blouse and $ently layin$ it aside. he
could feel the rise of passion as he toyed with the bra of her bikini, then flicked it aside to
let her $enerous breasts stand of their own stren$th.
oftly his head came down over her, until his lips closed on the hardened peak before
him. (easin$, $entle, hard, demandin$, her passions cycled under the pressure, her body
tossed, and his hand slipped lower, to the ;ipper of her cords.
In a world of many noises, there was no lo$ical reason why such a small sound should
awaken her, but it did. Beth came up out of her dreams, da;ed, stru$$lin$ not to awaken,
yet driven to open her eyes.
)is head was there, 7ust as she dreamed, his ton$ue busy at the honey of her, his hand
slippin$ between her thi$hs in $entle pursuit of the mystery of it all. 5or a moment she
lay still, her hand movin$ to his head, holdin$ him. !nd then the import of it all
penetrated.
'My -od/' she screamed at him. 'What are you doin$3'
)e lifted his head and stared at her, his eyes lar$e and $la;ed. '+ou have to ask3'
he stru$$led to push him away. )e resisted her silent stru$$le. he be$an to moan,
from the desperation of it all. It was the noise, rather than her stren$th, that pushed him
away.
)e sat up on the ed$e of the bed, feet on the floor. '0ow what does all that mean3' he
asked. '+ou surely knew what to e4pect when I invited you out3'
'(hink what you want,' she cried, tears beyond recall. '6ust.leave me alone, damn
you. Isn't one Murphy enou$h for you3'
'I don't know what you're talkin$ about, and I surely don't want you to e4plain,' he
si$hed. ')ere. ,et me help.'
)is capable fin$ers pushed her fumblin$ hands aside, and dressed her as if she were a
little $irl. '&ome on. o it shouldn't all be lost, let's $o look at the whales.' )e e4tended
his hand, but she flinched away from it. !nother thou$ht had struck her. 'Who.who's
sailin$ the boat3' (here was a $leam of terror in the back of her eyes.
'!utomatic pilot,' he $runted. '&ome on. +ou're a barrel of fun down here. I don't think
I could take another minute.' )e ushered her back up to the flyin$ brid$e, with one hand
in the small of her back, and then went back to the cabin. It $ave her time to put her
dominoes back up in line. he smoothed down her blouse, checked the ;ipper of her
slacks, and threw her head back.
(he clear ocean wind snatched her hair, twirlin$ it all behind her like a $olden cloud.
(he smell of it cleansed her mind. (here were a few hi$h-flyin$ $ulls overhead, their
shrill call echoin$ over the 2uiet ocean. ,and was but a shadow behind them. (he boat
was hardly makin$ headway throu$h a $reen ocean. !nd he was back a$ain, swin$in$ a
picnic basket.
he eyed Macomber nervously, not sure of anythin$ any more. )e paid her no
attention, but rather went over to the side of the coamin$ and let down a suspended table.
'&ome on,' he called. '&offee. andwiches. 0ot the "it;, but it will have to do.'
'I.are the whales nearby3' Beth mana$ed, sidlin$ carefully in his direction.
'!s you see.' he $estured towards the water '.we're over the shoals. If they're
comin$, this is where they'll show.'
')ow can you tell where we are3'
'Water colour,' he $runted as he poured two half-cups of coffee. 'Milk3' he shook her
head. '1eep ocean waters are blue,' he e4plained. 'hoal water shows $reen. We're ri$ht in
the middle of the -ulf tream. 1rink up.'
he took the proffered cup, $lad of its warmth, and treasured it between her hands. It
$ave her more than warmth. It $ave her coura$e. he swallowed, sipped, and the world
seemed sunnier a$ain.
'-ood coffee,' she offered hesitantly.
'What else3 Mrs Moore makes everythin$ $ood.'
'(hat's not.not very nice. I'm.tryin$ to make conversation, and you 7ust.'
'I know. I 7ust act like a sore loser, don't I3' (hat $rin was back. he felt instant relief.
'0ibble on a sandwich.' )e offered her a neatly cut half, with ham peerin$ out at her.
'We.seem to be on a sin$le track,' she said nervously. 'I had a ham sandwich for
supper last ni$ht, too.'
''8,' he chuckled. '%a43'
'I don't know what you.oh.yes. %a4.'
he bit deeply into the sandwich, and washed it down with a $ulp of black coffee. It
could hardly be called a decent swallow. )is hand slammed her on the back. '(here,' he
shouted, 'it blows/' Beth almost choked, and half screamed. 1irectly alon$side the boat a
hu$e form came strai$ht up out of the water, hun$ there for a moment, with the sun
$leamin$ off its black uppersides and its white underside, and then splashed back, all
forty feet of it, with a smash that sprayed the boat from stem to stern, and rocked it
madly.
he dropped her coffee-cup, looked for somethin$ to han$ on to, and found only
"ichard Macomber. In a moment of terror, he would have to do, she told herself fiercely,
and hun$ on. 'What3' she spluttered.
'! humpback whale,' he shouted at her, tu$$in$ her over to the coamin$. '! beauty.
1id you see that3' )e was overflowin$ with enthusiasm. o much that it carried her
alon$, too. ',ook. ! whole school of them/'
he craned her head to see a half-do;en of the hu$e shapes playin$ escort to them,
plou$hin$ throu$h the water with their backs and wakes visible, an occasional tail fin
comin$ up above water to move them alon$.
'What are they doin$3' she yelled, ama;ed at the si;e of the creatures.
'5eedin$,' he returned. '(hey come north alon$ the -ulf tream, on their way to
-reenland.and maybe even the !rctic 'cean. ee those bubbles3 Watch. (here's a
whale down deep, beneath a school of fish. )e's blowin$ bubbles at the fish to herd them
to$ether, and then he'll.here he comes/'
!nd here he did come, cuttin$ throu$h the surface at full speed, vaultin$ into the air
with his mouth slowly closin$ on his meal, only to fall back a$ain with that tremendous
splash that shook the world.
')ow.how bi$ was that3' Beth was havin$ trouble breathin$ in the face of this $reat
mystery of the sea.
'0ot too bi$,' he told her. '!bout fifty feet, maybe. ay about forty-five tons.
omethin$ in that order. ,ook at that little fellow/ (here are calves in the school. 0o
wonder they're $oin$ so slowly.'
'Babies3' she 2ueried.
'+es, of course. (he whale is a mammal.'
'I know that. (hey mi$ht even have come ashore at some time in the development of
their species, and then $one back into the sea.'
'-reat education,' he chuckled.
'Encyclopaedia Britannica GDAH,' she returned pertly. ')ow did you know it was a
humpback whale3 I thou$ht they were almost e4tinct.'
'+ou 7ust look at them, Murphy. (hey have a hump on their back 7ust in front of the
dorsal fins. !nd yes, they were almost e4tinct. But huntin$ whales is $radually bein$
outlawed. !nd besides, the humpback doesn't have the oil that a bi$ sperm whale carries.
But I $uess that's all the show we're $oin$ to $et.' )e looked up at the sun, now halfway
down in the west. '!nd we'd better $et $oin$. (he weatherman promises rain for toni$ht
and tomorrow.'
)e moved forward on the brid$e, en$a$in$ the throttles, and $radually turnin$ the
boat into the wind. !head of them now there were one or two spurts of water as the
whales cleared their breathin$ passa$es after a deep dive, and then the bow of the boat
curved away from them, pointin$ back towards the smud$e on the hori;on that was
Boston, and the speed picked up.
(here had been somethin$ about the watchin$, the curiosity, the playfulness of these,
the lar$est mammals on earth, that rela4ed Beth, and blocked out all the other happenin$s
of the day. he stood close beside him, feelin$ the stren$th of his arm around her
shoulders as he steered one-handed, occasionally s2uee;in$ her in a companionable way.
'I'm sorry we misunderstood each other,' he said 2uietly. he kept lookin$ strai$ht
ahead, afraid of what her face mi$ht show should she turn towards him. )e's a dan$erous
man, she thou$ht, but was unwillin$ to fi$ht a$ainst him for this brief time.
(he sun was $litterin$ from behind the $lass of the hi$h-rise buildin$s of downtown
Boston, spatterin$ drops of colour off the )ancock buildin$, the 8ennedy buildin$, the
5ederal "eserve buildin$. Below the sun, a lon$ line of low, black clouds blotted out
&ambrid$e and the west. (he bay was providin$ them with cross-chops, little flickers of
wind that heralded the comin$ storm, causin$ the boat to pitch and yaw at the same time.
he ne$lected it all, and stood side by side with the man. )e was not the same man she
had known all week. (hat one was a mad mi4ture of businessman and playboy. (his one
was all man, stron$, capable, feelin$. )e made her proud to be where she was, who she
was, and what she was. %roud that she was a woman.
CHAPTER SEVE!
)# was late for work on Monday mornin$. It had nothin$ to do with the horrendous
rush-hour that crushes the spirit in Boston on a work day. It had nothin$ to do with the
dri;;le that washed the air. It had everythin$ to do with the unday spent in the ocean air
and happiness. !nd perhaps 7ust a touch to do with the si4 hours Beth had spent with
M!&, her multiple access computer, slavin$ to catch up on the week's postin$s, and the
future's $uidance. In any event, the buildin$ was bustlin$ when she splashed into the
lobby at ten o'clock.
'! little wet3' am, the doorman, helped her out of her plastic raincoat.
'More inside than out,' she $rinned. 'I don't know why I don't $et a real raincoat. (his
thin$, especially in the summer, makes you perspire more than can possibly rain on you/'
)e returned the $rin as he shook her coat, folded it neatly and handed it back. 'Was a
nice sprin$,' he said wistfully. !nd it's a nice summer, she thou$ht. !ll of Boston's
sprin$time promise had come true. In her tiny back yard the wisteria had blossomed and
fled, to be replaced by the roses scramblin$ up the side of the porch alon$ their ramblin$
vines. ''ops, I'm late/' he snapped herself out of her musin$s, and dashed for the stairs.
(he elevator door rattled as she went by, in a sort of invitation.
'0ot me,' she muttered as she rushed by. '(wice is enou$h. +ou don't have to hit me
with a brick to convince me.' (he elevator si$hed, crashed its door shut, and wandered
upward to a summons.
Beth was still smilin$ as she raced up the stairs, two at a time, but was out of breath
when she tumbled into her own office and hun$ her rain thin$s on the old-fashioned coat-
rack. )er plastic hood had done little $ood for her hair. It was down around her face,
havin$ fallen out of the ti$ht bun she usually arran$ed at the nape of her neck. he fretted
at it with a fin$er, but left it in order to water her plants.
)ousekeepin$ done, Beth smoothed down her hair, rearran$ed her blouse, twitched
her navy-blue skirt around, and went into the inner office. ')i,' Macomber called. )is feet
came clumpin$ down off the desk, and he laid his microphone aside. '5or a minute there I
thou$ht you weren't comin$. But it did $ive me the chance to finish the book. ! day on
the salt water was too much for you, I suppose3'
'I'm terribly sorry,' she said, doin$ her usual inspection sweep of his office. 'I was up
so darn late last ni$ht with M!& that I.' he stopped short in the middle of the
sentence. (he smile was $one from his face, and she could see the blood risin$. Beth took
a step or two backwards, overwhelmed by the an$ry $lare. )is fist slammed down on the
top of his desk.
'!nd you 7ust couldn't wait to tell me,' he snarled. '+ou spend the day with me and the
ni$ht with him3 -reat/'
'I don't know what you're talkin$ about,' she returned as fiercely as she could. 'I.
what business is it of yours who I spend my ni$hts with3'
'But you did spend the ni$ht with Mac, didn't you3' )e wasn't waitin$ for an answer,
so she offered none. '(he whole ni$ht, I suppose. Is he as $ood in bed as he is out, I
wonder3 'f course, it's 6une, and weddin$ bells, and all that. ! white weddin$, or do you
plan to display the truth3'
'It's none of your damn business,' she spat back at him. '6ust because you hire me for a
day's work doesn't mean I'm accountable to you for.oh hell/' (he tears came like super-
drops from thunder clouds, and the tiny handkerchief she carried could do nothin$ to still
them.
'1on't $ive me the weeps,' he snarled. 'I'm really not interested in your lovers, 7ust in a
day's work. hall we $et to it3'
!nother rhetorical 2uestion, of course. )e had already come to his conclusions, and
Beth wanted no part of tryin$ to sway him. 0ot now. ur$e after sur$e of an$er swelled
up in her. !nd poor tacy wants to marry this clod, she thou$ht. It would serve him ri$ht/
he sniffed back the last few tears and took her pen out of her pocket. 'I'm ready
whenever you are,' she said coldly.
)e slumped back in his chair, lookin$ as if he had suffered a defeat of tremendous
proportion. 'n the desk in front of him were all the papers and $raphs she had compiled
the week before. '(his is all accurate3' (he suspicion rode the words into the $round.
'(he fi$ures come from your own computer,' she returned. '!s far as your memory
banks can be trusted, yes, those are accurate.'
'!nd 7ust what are you tellin$ me3'
'I'm not tellin$ you anythin$,' she si$hed. '+our computer is sayin$ that the 1etective
1ivision is makin$ a $ood profit, e4cept for one line of books which, accordin$ to the
$raph, has died on the market. (he "omance 1ivision is steadily losin$ $round. +our
authors are not keepin$ up with the times. (he !dventure-py 1ivision is in e4cellent
shape. !nd the Bio$raphy 1ivision is losin$ money hand over fist.'
')ah/'
'1id you want me to write that down3'
'1on't $ive me your prim little sarcasms, Murphy. Why is Bio$raphy losin$ so much
money3'
')ow would I know3 (hat's for your #ditor to e4plain. I can tell you, thou$h, that they
are insistin$ on e4tra-fine covers, e4pensive bindin$ work, fancy type. (he avera$e cost
per book has $one up over the last three years by twenty-seven per cent. Why don't you
ask your 2uestions at the ne4t board meetin$3'
'What a wonderful su$$estion,' he commented, his voice drippin$ with sarcasm. '!nd
what's this3'
*his was a $raph, showin$ a steadily declinin$ line. '1orothy Maincliffe,' she offered,
lookin$ over her shoulder. ''ur records show she's ei$hty years old, and I suspect she's
outlived her prime audience.'
'+es,' he si$hed, 'but you wouldn't understand. he and my father were beau4 in the
twenties. tran$ely enou$h, they both married other people. But you know how it is with
first loves.
'0o, I don't,' she $rated. '+ou intend to carry her because your father is still in love
with her3'
'#4actly, Murphy. omethin$ you wouldn't understand. (he Macombers are famous
for clin$in$ to their first true love.'
'+eah, I'll bet,' she muttered. '+ou've $ot a track record to prove it, haven't you3'
'What did you say3'
'0othin$. I.I was 7ust thinkin$ about what to have for supper toni$ht.'
'!nother ni$ht with Mac, I suppose.'
he $lared back at him. I really could hate you, she thou$ht, I really could/ '%robably,'
she answered. he had been battered around emotionally too much for one mornin$, and
a soft answer turneth away wrath.wasn't that the way the sayin$ $oes3 'May I $o now3'
'+es, you can $o now,' he almost shouted at her. !nd then, as they both stood up, he
said very softly, 'I've finished my book, Murphy. 5rom now on ('ll run Macomber
%ublishin$.'
'What a happy thou$ht,' she told him $rimly. 'I'll be sure to pass the word.' he
slammed out of his office, never lookin$ back. (he rest of the day was anti-climactic.
#veryone who called for Macomber was immediately put throu$h. #veryone who visited
was immediately announced. !nd, in between, Beth finished up the pile of letters and
internal bulletins which had been lyin$ around for the past week or more.
!t noon he swept out of his office, every inch the "oman le$ate. ',unch,' he
announced. '&ome.' he shru$$ed, scrabbled around for her ba$, and followed in his
wake. )e went to the elevator.she detoured to the stairs. 5our floors down, and she was
in the lobby seconds before he arrived. 5ollow-the-leader a$ain, movin$ alon$ behind his
broad, stron$ back, thinkin$ thou$hts that ran from murder to seduction, and in no
particular order. Into the company cafeteria.
0ew li$hts in the ceilin$ had banished all the $loom. (here was an odour.flowers.
(he lon$ mess-hall tables were $one, replaced by neat little four-person units. #ach table
had its own vase, its own flowers. ! fan rumbled in the back$round, refreshin$ the air.
(he steam tables were $one, replaced by a $rill, a sandwich counter, and a fountain.
Behind the servin$ counter two neatly dressed women handled the food, and behind
them, "udi Wyskowit; proudly officiated. (here was a scatterin$ of applause as they
came in. (he tables were full.
'ta$$ered hours,' "udi e4plained in his rumblin$ voice. '0icer. &an take time to eat
and talk, and not $et ulcers. 0ice place.'
Beth hardly knew what she was eatin$. (he food was $ood, but the transformation
was overwhelmin$. !nd across the table from her Macomber was very slowly winkin$
one eye at her. '#verybody loves the boss,' he half whispered. 'What a $ood man I am/'
he almost choked on her sandwich, and had 2uick recourse to her coffee to wash her
throat out.
'+ou were sayin$3'
'I was about to say "yes",' Beth returned, cou$hin$. 'I didn't realise that modesty was
one of your $reat attributes.'
'"uns in the family,' he announced in lordly fashion. )ad it not been for the twinkle in
his eye she mi$ht have believed him.
By the end of the day she had cleared up most of the left-over work. )e was still
cloistered in his office, havin$ called for, in succession, the senior editors of each
division. #ach of them had come out wipin$ their brows, so to speak. (he #ditor-in-&hief
was sharin$ the in2uisition when Beth finally decided to pack it in, and $o home.
0aturally, with the rain and all, ta4is were hard to find. he was half soaked by the
time she succeeded, and the driver $rumbled at havin$ to leave the 5inancial ection of
the city to $o all the way over to outh Boston. Which is not, as everyone knows,
actually south of the city centre, but more nearly to the east. (he driver continued to
$rumble at the si;e of the tip she left him, but Beth was sick to death of people who
wanted tips for poor service. he fou$ht her way up the front steps, swept by a wind
comin$ in off %leasure Bay, and thankfully tucked herself in for the ni$ht.
(uesday was some small improvement. (he sun shone. Macomber was still playin$
lord of the manor, with department heads and pro7ect mana$ers all takin$ their place in
the line, waitin$ for his interro$ation. 'nly one item broke the flow of the day. !t about
ten-thirty Beth received a call from the company nurse.
'5or insurance purposes,' that lady e4plained, 'everyone has to have a physical, even
temporary workers. !nd today's the day the doctor is here.'
'But I'm not really a temporary worker,' she protested. 'I'm employed by "entasec, and
am only here on a contract basis.'
(he ar$ument looked as if it mi$ht be lon$.and not worth the bother.so she picked
up her ba$ and went down to the third floor. 5or a temporary affair, the e4amination was
more detailed than she had been e4posed to for many a moon. !nd in the end the nurse
whipped out the lon$est needle Beth had ever seen, and threatened her with it.
'Blood,' the doctor e4plained.
'I'm.afraid of needles,' she 2uavered.
'It won't hurt a bit.'
'What you mean is that it won't hurt you a bit. )ow about me3'
'I $uarantee it won't hurt you either,' the doctor lau$hed. 'Whatever happened to the
coura$e of the Murphys3'
'My brothers have all that blood,' she si$hed. 'I 7ust have the cowardly stuff.' But it all
seemed inevitable, and she submitted, even thou$h the doctor had lied.
(he idea bothered her all throu$h the rest of the day. Why would anyone in the
publishin$ house worry about her health3 It still bothered her when she shut down her
terminal at 7ust three o'clock, and headed home for the ,ittle ,ea$ue $ame. 0ot ten
minutes after she arrived on the field a lon$ $rey limousine drove up, and the two
Macombers climbed out.
'!m I $oin$ to play, Miss Beth3' !lthea, with her face an4iously turned up, wishin$
with her eyes.
'+ou're here,' Beth chuckled, 'so you have to play. (he lea$ue rules re2uire that every
member of a team must play throu$h at least one innin$ at bat. o I think.you'll pitch3'
(he $irl $rabbed up her $love and went yellin$ out into the infield practice, stuffin$
her hair up under her cap as she went. ! few of the early fans applauded, and the boys on
the team offered a variety of cat-calls and whistles and whipped the ball at her full speed,
as if she were 7ust another boy.
'0o doubt about it,' said Beth over her shoulder. '(his team has confidence these days.'
'0o doubt about it,' the deep voice behind her chuckled. he whirled around, to find
her nose buried in the chest of "ichard Macomber. !nd he was smilin$.
'I.I didn't think you'd come,' she said softly.
'Because I've been a bear3'
'I.yes.'
'Well, that doesn't lose me my 7ob as assistant coach, does it3 I like baseball.'
'+ou must have played well when you were youn$er. It's too bad you didn't catch on in
the professional lea$ue, but we appreciate your skill.Mr.er."ichard.'
'It was fun while it lasted,' he chuckled.
'!nd that's when you decided to be a teacher3'
'0ot that easy, woman. I flunked out of baseball, then tried )ollywood.'
''h my/'
'!nd flunked out of that. o I thou$ht to become a writer.'
'!nd became an instant success, didn't you3'
''h sure.' )e ruffled her hair with one friendly hand, doin$ 7ust what the wind was
doin$, but causin$ her to tremble 7ust the sli$htest. '#very author is an instant success,
lady. I almost starved to death. *hat's when I decided to be a schoolteacher. (o support
myself while I learned how to write.'
'!nd then3'
'!nd then my cowardly father decided to $ive up on Macomber %ublishin$, and retire
suddenly. o here I am.'
'+ou.you did very well today.'
'!nd that cost you a lot to say, didn't it/' )e was $rinnin$ down at her, 7ust as an eddy
of wind picked up a little brick-dust and sprayed her ochre, and the umpire came over,
$rumblin$ about not havin$ her line-up card. he blinked her eyes clear. )e was still
$rinnin$. he turned her back to $et away from those clear dark eyes, and filled out the
card.
(here were more fans in the stands. (he word was spreadin$ that "entasec had finally
discovered how to play the $ame. !nd while Beth was ur$in$ her batters on, Macomber
was behind the stands illustratin$ to the infielders how you block a $round ball, rather
than let it roll throu$h your le$s. Beth was not the least bit surprised when her team won,
fourteen to one. ! number of parents stopped by the du$-out to con$ratulate her, and
when they had left, the Macombers were $one, too.
Wednesday and (hursday went slowly. !ction had dropped off in the e4ecutive suite.
'I'm not available,' Macomber $runted when he came in on 5riday. 'I have to do some
thinkin$.' o she barred the door.
')e's hibernatin$3' asked Ma$$ie Berman, the #ditor-in-&hief, on the telephone.
'Well, he said thinkin$,' Beth returned. '!nd I don't hear any noises from inside.'
'Well, I 7ust wanted to tell him we've received the first ten chapters of the new 5rank
&ranston book. Euite a surprise. 1ifferent.'
''h. (hat's nice.'
'+ou're not a fan3'
'&an't stand the stuff,' Beth si$hed. 'But then I'm not noted for my art appreciation.
!nd it's my last day.'
'+our last day, Beth3 (hat can't be. We need you badly.'
'(hat's how you've $ot me.badly,' Beth 2uipped. 'But -race What's-her-name will be
back on Monday, and I'll be out on some other temporary 7ob. I have en7oyed it, thou$h.
!ll of it. I think.'
he hun$ up with re$ret. It had all been fun. !ll but the reason for her bein$' here at
all. With Ma$$ie's thanks and con$ratulations still rin$in$ in her ear, Beth went over to
the window and stared. (he &ustoms )ouse tower was ri$ht in front of her, but she didn't
see it. )er mind was on the telephone call she had received from tacy on (hursday
ni$ht.
'I'm on pins and needles, !unt Beth. Is everythin$ arran$ed3'
'0ot yet, love. 6ust a few more days. 1on't worry. !re you havin$ a $ood time3'
'5antastic, !unt Beth. (here's this boy ne4t door.well, he's really a man. )e does
radio broadcasts, and is he cute/'
'I'll bet he is,' Beth responded. 'Well, not to worry. &ome back before Wednesday
mornin$, will you3'
'ok.'
(here was 7ust a hint of disappointment in the word and, for a second, Beth doubted
the whole basis of her scheme. tacy was so damn volatile, and you could hardly be sure
whether she wanted to marry "oddy or not. )er aunt was confused by the whole affair.
'But I really love "oddy,' the $irl said before she hun$ up. !nd that was it. Beth came
in to work determined to set the last phase of the plan in motion.
',unch,' said Macomber as he emer$ed from his office at noon. ')ey, it's $ettin$
cloudy. 1o we play in the rain3'
'0o,' Beth told him. '(he weather forecast is for heavy rains. 'ur field is newly
overhauled, and the ,ea$ue doesn't want us out there chewin$ it up in wet weather. (he
ecretary notified me about ten minutes a$o that all $ames are cancelled.'
'(oo bad. )ow about eatin$3'
'I.I can't today. (here's somethin$ I have to do.'
'+ou're sure3'
'%ositive.' !nd please don't ask me what it is, she thou$ht. )e waffled, as if plannin$
to ask 7ust that, then finally decided to $o on by himself. Beth had been holdin$ her
breath all that time. When the door closed behind him she e4haled one hu$e si$h of
relief.
he went to the door and locked it. Both telephone answerin$ machines came on as
she pushed the appropriate button. (he little loose-leaf booklet was still in the top drawer
of her desk. he pulled it out and laid it flat in front of her. #i$hteen pa$es of instruction
on how to lock or unlock the various se$ments of the system. ! code book, complete in
itself. It was the last two pa$es she wanted. )ow to chan$e the code words that did the
actual lockin$. he studied the sheet for a moment, then carefully ed$ed it out of the
book and stuffed it in her ba$.
"ich Macomber was back at two o'clock. '&omin$ down like a river,' he commented
as he shook himself. ,ike a $reat bi$ wonderful do$, Beth thou$ht. Wonderful. If it
wasn't for tacy, I'd.but tacy was a fact of life, and no amount of dreamin$ would
chan$e a minute of it. he offered him a bleak smile, hopin$ that what she felt would not
show on her usually mobile face.
)e came over to her desk, makin$ himself at home by restin$ a hip on it. ',ast day,
Murphy.' 0ot a 2uestion, but rather a sad statement. 'We're $oin$ to miss you around
here.'
'Who knows, perhaps somebody in the or$anisation will need a secretary some time,'
she offered hopefully.
'%erhaps. But.say, with your baseball $ame rained out, you must have a free evenin$.
Why don't we $o out on the town3'
'I'm really sorry,' she told him, 'but I.I have an en$a$ement for this evenin$.' It
wasn't 2uite untrue. he wasn't free. (here was still all that mass of work waitin$ for her
at "entasec.
''h -od,' he $roaned. 'Mac a$ain3'
he sat up strai$ht in her chair, ready to fi$ht. '+es, Mac a$ain. It's always Mac'
'+ou plan to spend the rest of your life with that no-$ood3'
'+ou don't know him at all,' she snapped. 'What $ives you the ri$ht to make
7ud$ements3 !nd if I want to spend the rest of my life with him, what's to stop me3'
)e held up both his hands in surrender. ''8, '8.' )is face was sombre, tired. 'I know.
It's a case of bein$ an hour late and a dollar short, isn't it3'
'I haven't any idea what you're talkin$ about, Mr Macomber.'
''h my/ )ave we $one that far back3 .r Macomber3' he ducked her head, refusin$
to meet his eyes. he could see the toe of his shoe swin$in$ back and forth. (hen he
muttered somethin$ unintelli$ible, and stood up. 'Well, it's terrible weather.you've done
a fine 7ob.I can't tell you how much I've en7oyed workin$ with you, Beth. Mac is a
lucky fellow. I wish you both every happiness. +ou can $o alon$ home now. (here's no
sense sittin$ around here on a 5riday afternoon. I have to $o out myself.'
'I.I could stay until five,' she said in a tentative small voice. 'Where are you $oin$3'
'-o alon$ home,' he si$hed, 'there's a $ood $irl. I think I'll $o out and $et drunk.' )e
put his raincoat back on, leaned over and kissed her $ently on the forehead, and walked
out.
Walked out of my life, Beth told herself. I.tacy needs him. But deep inside her
there was a little ball of pain that $nawed at her all the way home. he bustled around her
apartment doin$ housework, showered, pecked at her dinner, and went downstairs to
M!&, to work her way throu$h the accumulation of thin$s that needed to be done.
'If only you knew what a problem you are,' she told the machine at twelve o'clock. 'I
could kick you, but it wouldn't do any $ood, would it3 I really wish.' But then one
doesn't $et to be a trusted aunt by succumbin$ to all the wishes in the world. What was
that phrase.'If wishes were horses, be$$ars would ride'3 (he words echoed around the
empty room. (he thou$ht haunted her as she dra$$ed herself upstairs.
(here was one more task to perform. he tried three times to dial directly to her
brother 5red's house in &alifornia, but her fin$er slipped in the diallin$. he finally stuck
her fin$er in the ' hole, and called for operator assistance.
'5red3'
'Beth3 !re we runnin$ a coast-to-coast Murphy service3 (his makes three times
you've called me in the last week.'
'Well.I can afford it. )ow's everybody3'
'#verybody's fine. &an I speak to my dau$hter3'
'0ot from here, 5red. he's $one up to visit )arold for a few days.'
'peak up, Beth, I can hardly hear you. We must have a bad line.'
'0o, there's nothin$ wron$ with the line. I.I'm 7ust tired. I wanted you to know that
.that everythin$'s $oin$ alon$ fine.'
"(hat's $ood. +ou could have mailed a letter for twenty-si4 cents.'
'I suppose. But.I wanted to hear your voice.'
'What is it, Beth3 I can hear trouble in your voice.'
'I.it's 7ust a cold. +ou know how I am with summer colds. Is there anythin$ new in
the strike at )almen oftware3'
'5unny you should ask,' he chuckled. '+es, there's somethin$ new. (he whole place
burned down last ni$ht. !rson, the police are sayin$. Why are you so interested in a small
software company3'
'I.I 7ust have an interest. #verythin$ burned3'
'#verythin$. ,ost all of their files, and half the buildin$. (hey'll be months $ettin$
thin$s strai$ht with their customers.'
Beth si$hed. It was 7ust the news she wanted to hear, but somehow it bothered her.
'(hanks', 5red,' she said, and carefully hun$ up. (he paper was in her ba$. he took it out
and flattened it on the kitchen table. ')almen oftware', its inscription read. '(he
followin$ instructions allow user or$anisations to chan$e the ,'&8>*0,'&8 code-
words at their discretion. In case problems arise, call )almen oftware free of char$e, at
G-IBB-'5(W!"#.' Beth used her apron to dry the tear that had fallen on the pa$e, and
be$an to study the problem.
aturday mornin$ dawned with dri;;le and fo$. ! small tropical storm was movin$ up
the !tlantic coast towards 0ew #n$land and these clouds were its outriders. (he cleanin$
crews were scheduled at Macomber at ei$ht o'clock on aturdays. !t nine Beth drove up
in a cab, and walked into the lobby. he still had the identification bad$e that all
employees wore. (he doorman was not am= she passed him by.and the elevator as
well. ! crew of three were at work in the e4ecutive suite. he sat patiently at her desk
until they had finished, then activated her computer terminal. It took her an hour, $oin$
over the instructions step by step, to chan$e every one of the computer ,'&8 code-
words. When she had finished, no one but herself could make use of the computer for any
purpose, and only she had the instructions that would allow anyone else to chan$e the
code-words to somethin$ else.
'(here,' she muttered as she $ave the final key a stroke, and watched while the
machine locked itself up. '!nd that'll throw somethin$ into the fan/'
'What did you say, dearie3' (he elderly woman with the mop was standin$ patiently
by, waitin$ for her to leave.
''h, nothin$,' she si$hed. 'I 7ust said that's the way to finish up the plan.'
'%robably,' the woman returned. Beth $ot out of the way and walked carefully down
the four fli$hts of stairs. )er eyes 7ust would not focus. he cried all aturday afternoon,
and then ordered for a pi;;a to be delivered, settlin$ down with M!& for the rest of the
weekend. (he machine was cold comfort.
CHAPTER EIGHT
()# W!I(I0- was the hardest thin$ Beth had ever done. he sat throu$h Monday and
(uesday in a da;e, never $oin$ more than ten feet from a telephone. 'omethin$
worryin$3' asked Mary late on (uesday.
'0othin$ I can't handle,' Beth returned. 'I never realised how much in-house work
we've accumulated.' he looked around the double room, where si4 women of varyin$
a$es were concentratin$ on their word-processin$ terminals.
'Word-of-mouth advertisin$,' Mary chuckled. '!nd we've a funny one in the corner
there. "ona has it.'
'5unny3'
'+es. It came with a letter askin$ for complete secrecy. ! novel, no less, dictated on to
cassette tapes. +ou wouldn't $uess who the author is. )e's very popular.'
'1on't tell me,' $roaned Beth.
''8, I won't.'
'(hat's not what I meant,' Beth snapped. 'It's 5rank &ranston, isn't it3'
'o that's the way the cookie crumbles,' Mary said softly, her solemn eyes probin$
$reen ones that stared at her.
'1on't make a bi$ thin$ out of it,' Beth returned .and then had a chan$e of heart. 'I'm
sorry, Mary, I didn't mean to snap at you.it's 7ust that.I was so surprised.'
'+es, I can see you were,' the Italian $irl $i$$led.
'+ou $uessed the name first crack. (hat tells me somethin$.'
'It surely does. It tells you that I read terrible books. 1on't make a molehill out of this
mountain, dear.'
'It's the other way around.'
''h3 What3'
'(elephone call for Miss Murphy,' the voice on the speaker system announced. ',ine
two.' It was a $ood e4cuse to $et out of a conversation that wasn't $oin$ at all in the ri$ht
direction. Beth moved over to her desk and picked up the instrument.
'Miss Murphy here.'
'Murphy, this is "ich Macomber.'
'I.hello, Mr Macomber. What's the trouble3 Is the bill too hi$h3'
'0ot at all,' he lau$hed. 'In fact it's 2uite small for the amount of work accomplished.
0o, I called to thank you a$ain for your efforts on our behalf over the last two weeks. I
find it hard to ad7ust to seein$ -race at the desk where you ou$ht to be.'
'I.thank you.I think,' she returned, blushin$. 'I trust your re$ular secretary is in
$ood health3'
'I'm not too sure about that,' he mused. ''h, she's physically healthy. ,ike myself, a
few scratches and bruises. But I'm not sure she doesn't need more time off. he can't
seem to $et the computer system workin$ a$ain. We're at a sort of stand-off down here.'
'(hat's too bad, Mr Macomber.'
'"ich,' he insisted. '+ou don't work for me any more. I insist, "ich.'
'#r.yes, "ich. I'm sorry your computer is on the blink. I suppose thin$s are a little
confused3'
',ike a madhouse. %eople are runnin$ up and down the halls wrin$in$ their hands.
Ma$$ie is threatenin$ to 2uit. I don't 2uite know what to do.'
'Why don't you telephone the software company3' Beth su$$ested. 'I think it was the
)almen oftware &ompany, in ,os !n$eles.'
'! $ood idea,' he a$reed. 'Why didn't I think of that3 +ou're $ood for us, Murphy. !re
you sure you wouldn't want to $ive up that company of yours and come to work here
permanently3'
'I don't think so,' she said, brou$ht back to earth suddenly. 'My father used to say I was
a $ood thin$, in small doses. If you were to know me better, you mi$ht re$ret it.'
'I doubt that very much,' he returned seriously. 'But thank you, Beth, very much.
-oodbye.'
Beth put down the instrument carefully, unwillin$ to risk droppin$ it from her shakin$
fin$ers. (he time-bomb she had 7ust activated was tickin$ away somewhere, markin$ the
hours until it would e4plode in his face, and Beth Murphy was fri$htened by what she
had done.
(he afternoon was warm, and a contented 2uiet lay across outh Boston as she made
her way to the baseball field. '(wo more $ames to $o, kids,' she announced to all her little
players. '!nd already we've won more $ames than we did all last year/ #verybody here3'
he looked around, countin$ heads, lookin$ for one in particular, and not findin$ it.
'he's comin'/' her catcher called. Beth turned around toward the street. (he bi$
limousine was there, and !lthea climbed out, lookin$ stran$ely incon$ruous in her
battered uniform.
'+our uncle couldn't come3' asked Beth.
'0ope. )e's $ot some terrible trouble where he works,' the little $irl chirped. '(hey
didn't have trouble like this when you was runnin' the place, Miss Beth. Where do I play
today3'
Beth tried to hide the satisfied smile, as she pu;;led over her line-up card. 'We're
playin$ two tou$h teams this week,' she told the children. '(oni$ht we play the fourth-
place team, 5riday we play the leaders. o.let's see.5rankie will start as pitcher.
Michael, you warm up and be ready in case 5rank needs relief. !lthea will pitch 5riday.'
he pencilled in all the names, showed them to the players, and dispatched the listin$ to
the officials. '0ow $et out there and win me another $ame/' she yelled. With a lar$e
number of happy $rins on their faces they char$ed out into the field, and did 7ust that.
tacy came home on Wednesday, not as early as e4pected, but early enou$h. (he $irl
wore what looked to be a perpetual frown on her doll-like face. '+ou're not feelin$ well3'
asked Beth as she made lunch.
'0ot that a$ain,' the $irl $roaned. 'I feel fine. 'nly.I'm a little mi4ed-up. Is
everythin$ settled about "oddy3'
'0ot 2uite everythin$,' her aunt said, 'but it's all well in hand. !s a $uess, I would
suppose he can hold out until 5riday. o maybe the weddin$ will be on Monday. )ow
does that suit you3'
'I.I $uess that would be fine. It's a bi$ step, isn't it, !unt Beth. )ow come you never
$ot married3'
'If I tell, would you keep it a secret3'
'&ross my heart.'
'1id you know there are two women for every available man in the *nited tates3'
'0o. Is that true3 Is that why you haven't married3'
'It's true,' Beth si$hed, 'and I haven't married because nobody ever asked me.'
'But you're so pretty, !unt Beth.'
'(hank you, love, for those kind words. *nfortunately, when fishin$ in the
matrimonial sea, you need not only the ri$ht bait, but a sure knowled$e of where the fish
are swimmin$. "i$ht3'
'I.suppose so. I $uess I don't know all that much about men. I 7ust thou$ht you only
had to be pretty.'
')ey, don't be so $lum/ I'm not about to $o 7ump off the )ancock buildin$, you know.
(here are worse thin$s than bein$ a spinster. !nd I have all of you children to mother.
#at your steak. I $ot it especially for you.'
(he smile she earned was reward enou$h for all her pains and worries. By bedtime,
after callin$ her father and mother, tacy had made Beth feel like a million dollars. !nd
so to bed, early.
It was not until 5riday, another dull rainy day in Beantown, that the show be$an. )e
called personally, at about eleven o'clock. he took the phone in hand with some
trepidation.
'Murphy,' he said $ruffly, 'I'm in a $reat deal of trouble.'
''h, how can that be3'
'(he computer is still shut down, my editors are runnin$ around like chickens with
their heads cut off.and that damn software company which sold us the whole affair has
burned down. (hey claim they mi$ht be able to reconstruct their records in thirty days.
startin$ the day after their strike ends.'
'Why, that's terrible, Mr Macomber.'
'!nd we're comin$ up on some advertisin$ deadlines that would make your head spin.
o, I wondered, Murphy.'
'+es3'
'If you would come over here and take a look at the whole mess3 We would pay well,
of course.'
'(hrou$h the nose, so to speak3'
'!nythin$.'
Beth let him han$ for a moment. he had practised this whole scene in her mind for
days, and knew 7ust what had to be said and done. 0ow, at the launch point, nervousness
attacked. (here was only one way to hold on.think of poor little tacy, movin$
ine4orably towards that date which she could not avoid. %oor little tacy. 'I'll be over by
one o' clock,' she told him, and hun$ up $ently.
(here was a little ti$ht smile on her face as she walked upstairs. tacy was $ivin$
dustin$ a bad name, and welcomed the chance to abandon the whole pro7ect. 'It's too
early for lunch, !unt Beth.'
'I know, dear. I'm too nervous to eat. I have to make a special trip. (his afternoon I
want you to take my credit card and $o up to 5ilene's. Buy yourself a nice sensible little
dress. omethin$ to $et married in.'
''h3' 0ot the most enthusiastic approach to a weddin$ announcement Beth had ever
heard. 'h3
'!re you havin$ second thou$hts, love3'
'I.no. If "oddy wants me, I'll.stick to it.'
'(ell me now, tacy, or.'
'5or ever hold my peace3 I'm ready, !unt Beth.'
Beth sat on the ed$e of her own bed for a few minutes, calmin$ her nerves. What to
wear to a confrontation3 !rmour plate, or a plain dark suit3 (he suit won, hands down. !
tailored chocolate 7acket and skirt, and a bei$e blouse beneath it. *tmost di$nity, ri$ht/
!nd her hair up on the top of her head, leavin$ her classic silhouette e4posed. -lasses.
he only needed them for readin$, but they added a delicate touch of firmness. 1ark
ti$hts, brown shoes.with the hi$hest heels she owned. It's no use tryin$ to stand up to a
man when he towers over you for ever and ever.
'ne cab for both of them, to drop tacy off, and then wind back to the 5inancial
1istrict, and leave Beth at the buildin$ near ,iberty 2uare.
'-ood to see you a$ain, Miss Murphy,' am the doorman called as he swun$ the heavy
lobby doors open for her. 'It's been mi$hty stran$e here since you've been $one.'
'Is that so, am3 Well, I'm only here for a short visit. )ow's your wife3'
'1oin$ well, miss. tran$e, you should be the only one in the buildin$ to ask. I
brou$ht her home from the hospital last week, and the dau$hter is there to help take care
of her. It's a shame about these new medical restrictions. &an you ima$ine, she has
pneumonia, so she can only stay in hospital for ten days. 0othin$ to do with how well
she is, or anythin$. It's 7ust a 5ederal re$ulation/'
'It does seem stran$e, am. -ive her my re$ards.'
Beth went into the empty lobby, wonderin$ if she should take time for a 2uick cup of
coffee in the cafeteria. )er stomach counselled otherwise. It $rowled under the nervous
strain. he stopped in front of the elevator and took three or four deep breaths.
(here was never a thou$ht for the stairs. he stepped into the little bo4. If it broke
down.left her between floors somehow.that would be a si$n from -od to stop what
she was doin$/ he leaned back a$ainst the wall, and crossed the middle fin$ers on each
hand. omethin$ looked different. (he empty little machine had been redecorated. (he
walls were now a bri$ht yellow, and a thick-piled ru$ covered the formerly bare floor.
'Window dressin$,' she muttered to herself, and resolutely pushed the button.
-od was makin$ no effort to intervene at ,iberty 2uare that day. (he elevator shook
and whee;ed and $roaned, but mana$ed to sta$$er up to the fourth floor without a ma7or
catastrophe. When its doors opened, Beth hun$ back, almost wishin$ for somethin$ to
happen. omethin$ did.
Ma$$ie Berman popped out of her office ne4t to the elevator, started down the hall,
then reco$nised her. 'Beth Murphy/ Well, thank -od you've come/ )urry/'
')urry3' Beth was being hurried. (he #ditor-in-&hief had sei;ed her arm and was
dra$$in$ her alon$ the hall towards the e4ecutive suite. 'It isn't that we've for$otten how
to process books by hand,' Ma$$ie chattered, 'but everythin$ is in that damn computer,
and we can't $et a sin$le read-out to work on. 5orty-si4 manuscripts, all eaten up by the
machine/'
'+ou don't have spare copies3'
'ure we do. !ll on disks. !ll tied up in the works/ +ou've $ot to do somethin$, Beth.
Blow the roof off, or somethin$.' Ma$$ie was pushin$ her into the office at the end of the
hall by now, and abandonin$ her.
!nd that's e4actly what I've come for, Beth told herself, buildin$ up her coura$e. (o
blow the roof off/ (hey'll hear the e4plosion all the way to -overnment &enter. I wonder
if I'll survive3 he shuddered, and walked very slowly across the outer office. (he door to
the inner office opened.
'0o, I don't mean it as any criticism of you, -race. 1ear -od, don't cry at me/ I know
you're 7ust out of the hospital, and.' )e seemed to falter, but the tiny blonde $irl tucked
under his left arm was en7oyin$ her ill health. Beyond his eye level, her baby blues were
sparklin$. *ntil she saw Beth. (he sparkle disappeared, and the tears overflowed. "ich
Macomber looked up.
'Murphy. (hank -od you've come/' It was heartfelt enthusiasm. Which threw Beth
off-centre, and accelerated the tears of the little blonde bombshell. '0ow, -race. +ou sit
ri$ht here. I've called for the nurse. he's $oin$ to come up, and then will arran$e to send
you home.' !nother wail, more tears. '(here, there now,' he mumbled, helpin$ the $irl
into a chair. 'I don't know what to do,' he muttered in Beth's direction.
'Me neither,' said Beth. (here was somethin$ about this fountain of tears that seemed
too unreal. #ither the $irl was a splendid actress.or.or was horribly humiliated. #ither
way, it's no skin off my nose, Beth told herself fiercely. I didn't come all this way, do all
these terrible thin$s, to end up actin$ friendly in the face of the enemy. (hat's what he is.
(he enemy. 8eep sayin$ that, over and over/
(he nurse appeared at the door. Beth stood out of the line of fire, repeatin$ her little
litany over and over a$ain. When the two of them, -race and the nurse, disappeared
down the hall, Macomber wiped his forehead. 'I can't stand weepy women,' he si$hed.
!nd then, more cheerfully, 'But I'm $lad you came. If anyone can strai$hten out this
mess, you can.'
')ow ri$ht you are,' she said coldly. he brushed by him, dropped into the secretarial
chair, and tested the computer terminal. #verythin$ was as she had pro$rammed it. 0o
matter what passwords were offered, the computer continued to flash back '!ccess
denied'. 0ow, make it look $ood, she told herself. he turned off the terminal, movin$
slowly, and stood up.
'I know what the trouble is, Mr Macomber,' she said flatly. 'I think we'd better $o into
your office to discuss it.'
'Is it that bad3' ! frown ran across his face. 'But hell, you can do anythin$, Murphy.'
'+ou've never said a truer word,' she said bra;enly. )e started for his inner office. Beth
turned on the automatic answerin$ machines, locked the outer door behind her, and
followed him in. he closed the inner door softly, and locked it, too. )e was at his desk,
watchin$. (hose deep, dark eyes of his were hooded, suspicious. )e seemed to test the
wind, as a nervous wild animal mi$ht when he suspects a hunter.
Beth came slowly across the office, keepin$ the $rowin$ e4citement off her face. )er
unaccustomed heels wobbled in the thick ru$, makin$ her pro$ression a swayin$ strut.
)e watched her closely as she chose a chair and sank into it.
Macomber went around his desk and settled in his own chair. 'ne of his hands tapped
on the top of his desk. )e touched a letter, strai$htenin$ it out, and then laid a pencil on
top of it at a precise an$le. 'I have the va$ue idea that you're $oin$ to tell me somethin$
that I'm not $oin$ to like,' he si$hed.
(ake one $ood look, Beth told herself. )e's a fine man.the sort of person Mother
would have liked to meet. But tacy needs him. !nd when I've finished here today he
would probably sooner spit on me than talk. If I'm lucky he mi$ht only beat me up. I
could have loved a man like him. I really could. But there's no turnin$ back.
'I know what's wron$ with your computer, Mr Macomber,' she said. It was hard to
keep her voice level. It tended to 2uiver and shoot up-scale. ! s2ueak would 7ust not do.
he had to have di$nity.
)e waited, tappin$ at the corner of his desk with one hand, the other out of si$ht
below the level of the desk-top.
'+our computer has been sabota$ed.'
0ot a muscle moved in his face. )e looked like an #$yptian %haraoh, carved in stone.
he watched for some 2uestion, some doubt, some difference. (here was nothin$ to be
seen. )er fin$ers twisted in her lap. It was provin$ harder and harder to do, this task she
had set for herself.for little tacy.
'+ou heard me3'
)e nodded.
he swallowed hard, and be$an a$ain, tentatively. 'omebody has chan$ed all the
passwords in every department and on every account. (he machine is locked a$ainst any
penetration. (he only people who could unlock it would be the pro$rammers at )almen
oftware, and.'
'(hey're unable to help,' he said firmly. '(he plant has burned down, and there's a
strike on. +ou said "and"3'
'I know they're out of business,' she whispered. '!nd that means I'm the only one who
can unlock the computer.'
)e made a tent out of his fin$ers, holdin$ them up under his chin, and then puttin$
them down out of si$ht a$ain. 'I see, Murphy. (he computer has been sabota$ed, and
you're the only one who can make it ri$ht. It follows, then, that you're the one who
sabota$ed it in the first place.'
'I.yes.'
'o that only leaves us one 2uestion. Why3'
'(his isn't easy for me,' she stammered. 'I.'
'I don't intend to make it easy for you,' he snapped. )is voice was like a whiplash,
slashin$ at her shoulders. he flinched. 'Why, Murphy3'
'I.I have a niece,' she mana$ed to $et out. '!nastasia Murphy. !bout five foot two.
a lovely young blonde $irl.' he emphasised the word youn$. (he sayin$ $ave her
coura$e. %oor tacy, and here was the rapist, sittin$ ri$ht in front of her.
'!nd I'm supposed to know this !nastasia3 -od, what a name for a little Irish $irl/'
'+es, you know her/' snarled Beth. '+ou know her very well, you damn.monster/ he
was that cute little student that you played around with at Marymont &olle$e/ 0ow do
you remember3'
'+ou don't have to scream, Murphy. Marymont &olle$e3 (he $irls' colle$e ne4t door to
&ornell *niversity, ri$ht3'
'+ou can't fool me, Mr Macomber. +ou know darn well who she is, and where
Marymont is.'
'My/ My memory must be slippin$.'
'I can well ima$ine that it mi$ht, "oddy Macomber.' he could swear that a flash of
startled interest had 7ust moved across his face, but it was so 2uick.and he reverted back
to solemnity so fast, that she 7ust wasn't sure. In fact, there was a $leam in his eye, one
that hadn't been there before. )e leaned forward in his chair, the sprin$s s2ueakin$ as his
considerable wei$ht chan$ed. '(ell me more,' he said softly.
(he words seemed to drift across the room at her, drawin$ her to him. he shook
herself, and sat up strai$ht, both feet flat on the floor.
'+ou had your fun, Mr Macomber,' she snapped. '!nd now.'
''h -od, not that old clich<.and now it's time to pay the piper.' )e mimicked her
accent, her tone. )e's lau$hin$ at me/ she screamed at herself.
'+es. #4actly. 0ow it's time to pay the piper. tacy is pre$nant/' !nd try that on for
si;e, playboy, she thou$ht. )e seemed to be thinkin$ it over. )e leaned back in his chair,
those hooded eyes tellin$ her nothin$. But he took the pencil with him, twirlin$ it
between his fin$ers.
'o what you're tellin$ me, Murphy, is that some man has $otten to your sweet little
niece, and I'm nominated as the leadin$ candidate. 0ot so3'
'#4actly.'
'+ou know it would be almost impossible to prove such a char$e3'
'I know it, Mr Macomber. But I know it's true, tacy knows it's true, and you know it's
true/ (hat's why I hi7acked your computer/'
'!h/ o that's what's $oin$ on, is it3 +ou're holdin$ my computer up for ransom. Why,
I do believe that's blackmail, Murphy.'
'+es it is,' she admitted. 'Blackmail. !nd I've $ot all the cards in my hand/ Well3'
'0ot that I'm admittin$ any such thin$, Murphy, but what do you see as comin$ ne4t3
It's support money, dama$es, that sort of thin$3'
'It's $ot nothin$ to do with money,' she snapped.
'(he child is not $oin$ to be born a.' he hesitated at the word. )e supplied it.
'Bastard, you mean. Isn't that the old-fashioned word for it3'
'I.I was $oin$ to say.ille$itimate,' she stuttered. 'We Murphys don't believe in that
sort of thin$.'
'&ome on now, Murphy,' he chuckled. '(here isn't a family in the world that hasn't had
to deal with bastardy once or twice over the years. o it's not money.what is it you
want3'
'I should think it's plain enou$h/' she yelled at him. 'I demand that you marry my
niece/'
)e $rinned at her. ! wolfish $rin.the sort of thin$ that any well brou$ht up $irl
should have reco$nised.and run from. But Beth Murphy was too deep in her &rusader's
role to notice.
'I e4pect that you'll do the ri$ht thin$ and marry the $irl,' she repeated stubbornly. )is
fin$er went back to the desk top. (ap, tap, tap.
'+ou say all this happened in up-state 0ew +ork3'
'+ou know darn well it did. +ou were there. +ou did it. weet talk and innocence.
1amn all you playboys/ +ou'll not $et away with it this time, Mr Macomber.'
'0o, I can see I won't,' he said, so smoothly that if her nose were in tune she would
have smelled a rat. Instead, she accepted it on its face value, and rela4ed, fallin$ a$ainst
the back of her chair as if she had 7ust run in the Boston Marathon. !ll her bones ached,
her stomach was upset, but she could feel victory in her $rasp.
'o 7ust how will we $o about this.er.marria$e3' he asked.
'omethin$ in front of a 6ustice of the %eace.' he shuddered to think of it. !ny $irl
would want a bi$ church weddin$. It was the custom in Irish families= it was somethin$
that life owed her. !nd poor tacy. But it was better than.what he said.
'I suppose I could find somethin$,' he went on. 'I know a 7ud$e in the uperior &ourt
who would be Willin$, I'm sure. Would that be satisfactory3'
(he sound of his voice was $ettin$ to her now. It was 7ust a little too oily. +ou're
dealin$ with a slippery customer, she warned herself. Be careful. (his.monster.has
probably deflowered do;ens of $irls like tacy.
'It would have to be some 7ud$e I could check up on,' she said carefully. '!nd in his
court.'
'!h/ Most commendable,' he lau$hed. '1on't let the worm wi$$le out from under with
a fake 7ud$e, huh3 +ou read too many of our "e$ency "omances, Murphy. I suppose
you'd want somethin$ down in writin$, too3'
'+ou're darn well ri$ht,' she retorted. It was somethin$ she hadn't thou$ht of before,
but it was certainly a $ood idea. 6ust because it came from him shouldn't make it a poor
thou$ht/
he came up out of her chair, all five foot ei$ht inches of her, includin$ two-inch
heels. )e $rinned as she walked over to the desk. )e opened a drawer and pulled out a
pad of paper. 'omethin$ simple, I suppose3'
'+es,' she a$reed hoarsely. 'omethin$ simple that a stupid secretary could
understand/'
''8, how about this3' )e wrote 2uickly as he spoke. 'It is a$reed by the undersi$ned,
that Mr Macomber will marry.what did you say her name was3'
'!nastasia/'
'Ima$ine that. !nastasia Murphy. I can't spell that. Why don't I 7ust make it Miss
Murphy3'
'(hat.sounds all ri$ht,' she said hesitantly. '+es.'
)e continued to write, finishin$ with a flourish. 'It is a$reed between the undersi$ned
that Mr Macomber will marry Miss Murphy on Monday, 6une I, GDI-n the uffolk
&ounty &ourt )ouse at eleven o' clock in the mornin$.' )e scribbled his si$nature at the
bottom of the paper and turned it around to face her. ''f course, you reco$nise there
mi$ht be some chan$e in time. I'll have to check with 6ud$e Morrissey for that.'
0ow that victory was within her $rasp, Beth hesitated. It wasn't 7ust suspicion. It was
rather that facin$ such a final act and puttin$ it on paper only re-emphasised how far out
of her o$n life she would have to put them. he was not aware of the mute appeal on her
face as she took his pen and si$ned her name 7ust below his. )e took the paper from her,
and lifted the pen from her nerveless fin$ers.
'I for$ot to date it,' he said, as he made that correction at the top of the paper.
he backed up to her chair, and fell into it, her mind workin$, lookin$ for loopholes.
')ow about the licence3' she blurted out.
'I for$ot that,' he admitted. 'Well, let's see. I can $et that today. (here's a three-day
waitin$ period. Workin$ days, that is. (hat makes it.Wednesday before we can do it.
hall I make that chan$e3'
he nodded at him, helpless to brin$ out the words. )e crossed out the word Monday
on the paper and substituted Wednesday. '0ow you have to initial that chan$e,' he
ordered. he came back to the desk and did so, movin$ like a ;ombie.
'0ow then,' he said. 'Would you mind unlockin$ my computer3'
''h, no, you don't,' she said firmly. 'I wasn't born yesterday.'
'&ertainly not,' he lau$hed. 'But I'm not sure about the day before that/'
'&hat do you mean3'
'0othin$,' he si$hed, shakin$ his head. '!bout my computer3'
''h, I'll unlock it,' she stammered. '"i$ht after the weddin$. When you take tacy off
I'll come by and.and do it.'
'!nd in the meantime my staff is to sit on its hands and wait around3'
'Be bi$-hearted,' she si$hed. 'It's your weddin$. -ive them a couple of days off. +ou
can afford it.'
'+es, I suppose I can,' he returned. 'It will be somethin$ to celebrate, won't it3 I don't
suppose you would want to come to a reception after the affair3'
'I don't suppose I would,' she said. '0ot that you shouldn't have one. 1o, by all means.
It would make a nice touch. I feel very badly for tacy.but a $irl who's pre$nant can't
afford to wait for too many nice touches.'
'0o, I don't suppose she can,' he said, and the words almost had a touch of kindness to
them. (hat's all it would need, Beth screamed at herself. ! touch of kindness and I'll
come apart at the seams. (here'll be so many tears runnin$ down Broad treet they'll
think it's a repetition of the -reat Molasses 5lood. tand tall, $irl/
'Well,' he mused, 'the weddin$, the a$reement, the licence, the 7ud$e, the place, the
time. Is there anythin$ we could have left out3'
'If there is I'll call you,' she said. 'I.I'll come to the weddin$ with tacy.to stand up
for her, you know.'
'(hat's a 2uaint thou$ht. I'll $et my nephew to do the same. )e'll be in town that day.'
'!nd !lthea3'
'5or the weddin$3 I don't think so.'
'I.suppose she won't be comin$ to our last $ames3'
'Whatever $ave you that idea3 'f course she'll be comin$. he'll have my head if I $et
her dropped off the team.'
'Well, that's all ri$ht then.' ! couple of sniffs were not enou$h to hold back the tears.
Beth fumbled in her ba$ for the little lace scrap she carried around for emer$encies, and
dabbed at her eyes.
'Will you look at that,' Macomber commented coolly. '(wo women in a row, runnin$
to tears in my office.'
'I'm sure it's not a record,' she muttered at him. 'With your track record I suppose there
are do;ens of women who've cried over you.'
'Maybe even thousands,' he said. 'Is that what you're doin$.cryin$ over me,
Murphy3'
'0o, of course not,' she snapped. 'Why would I do a thin$ like that3 I'm cryin$ over
tacy. %oor kid. )er life's barely be$un, and she's.trapped into this horrible mess/'
'We could always call it off,' he su$$ested.
'0ever/' )er head came up and she $lared at him. '0ever. It's the only thin$ to do. !nd
if you try anythin$ fancy, Mr Macomber, your company is $oin$ to be out of business
until the )almen &ompany rebuilds, or hell free;es over.'
'Which ever comes first,' he lau$hed. 'Well, it's been a fun afternoon, Murphy. 'ne
that will stick in my mind for a lon$ time to come. I can safely say I've never had an
afternoon like this in all my life. o there's only one more thin$ to do.'
)e came up out of his chair and stalked around the desk, lookin$ for all the world like
a huntin$ animal in the 7un$le. !larmed, Beth stru$$led to her feet. 'What else3' she
whispered.
'Why, it's a poor bar$ain if we don't seal it with a kiss,' he said. 5or some reason her
words and her mouth would not match. he mana$ed a stutter or two before his arms
were around her, pullin$ her in close a$ainst his chest. !nd by that time, words were
beyond her capacity.
)is soft, sweet lips came down on hers, sealin$ them, as well as the bar$ain, with an
impulse that throbbed throu$h her body like a new %aul "evere, ridin$ throu$h
Middlese4 &ounty cryin$ '(he British are comin$/' 5or a moment she drew back,
thinkin$ of tacy. But deep within her a voice yelled, 'tacy will have him for the rest of
her life. urely you can have a minute3'
he stopped fi$htin$. )e had drawn off for that second when she stiffened, thinkin$.
When she rela4ed he returned to the work, shuttin$ her off from the world with his
incitin$ lips, his roamin$ hands, and the pressure of his hips a$ainst hers. he lost herself
in the $lory of it, savourin$ every second, until she was no lon$er passive in his arms, but
had become a participant.
)is hands came to rest 7ust below the inward swell of her waist, and pulled her lower
body forward into more intimate contact. )er own hands fluttered at his neck, his
shoulders, and finally slipped inside his 7acket, and around his back. 0ot all the way
around= her reach was too small for that. !nd when he broke contact with his lips she
huddled closer, restin$ her head on his chest, listenin$ to nothin$ in the world but his
heartbeat.
It carried a messa$e, and she read it. '+ou've $iven up more than the world,' it said,
over and over a$ain. he stood it for as lon$ as she could, but finally it brou$ht the tears
back. )er lon$, slender fin$ers pushed a$ainst him, and he let her $o. he took two steps
backwards, looked up at his stone face, and whimpered.
'Murphy3' he asked.
he whirled away farther, stabbed at her clouded eyes, and ran. (he locked door held
her up for a moment. )er fin$ers were shakin$ too much to turn the key. )e came up
behind her, silent, and did it for her. When the door $ave, she moaned once, and ran
a$ain. 0ot the elevator. (he stairs. 0ot because of doubt, but because of fear. -hosts
were trailin$ her as she darted down the interminable fli$hts. When she burst out into the
lobby, barely able to see, am came over and cau$ht her arm.
'Mr Macomber called down,' he said. '+ou're to take the limousine to $et home.' )e
led her throu$h the double doors and out to the kerb, where the car waited. Inside, she
broke down a$ain, sobbin$ her heart out. (he chauffeur needed no directions. )e took
her strai$ht home.
tacy was waitin$ for her when she arrived. (he $irl was modellin$ a beautiful white
silk dress, a simple understated desi$n, that clun$ to her in all the ri$ht places, and
enhanced her youthful innocence. Beth stabbed at her eyes, swallowed her tears, and put
all re$rets behind her.
'It's settled, love,' she told her niece. '0e4t Wednesday, at eleven o' clock in the
mornin$.'
'"oddy said he would3'
'+es,' Beth si$hed, and wandered off to her room. Inside, lyin$ sprawled out on the
bed, she ran her mental tape over and over a$ain, tryin$ to find loopholes, errors, ways of
escape. !nd found none.
CHAPTER !I!E
(!&+' weddin$ day dawned poorly. ! deadly hush lay over the city, as an inversion
was locked in place by a Bermuda hi$h. 0ot a speck of bree;e blew. (he air was thick
enou$h to eat, and )ealth &ommission warnin$s were bein$ broadcast over every radio
station. Beth watched it all from the shadows of her front porch. !t si4 in the mornin$,
unable to sleep, worn from her tossin$ and turnin$, she $ot up, slipped into a li$ht robe,
and walked out to catch the sunrise. Blood red, it was. '"ed skies at dawnin$, sailor take
warnin$,' she muttered as she sipped at her coffee mu$. It was $oin$ to take somethin$
stron$er than black coffee to keep up her coura$e this day.
(wo pi$eons, nestin$ under the eaves above her head, took that moment to fly. (he
sudden noise startled Beth, confirmin$ her own dia$nosis. (here had to be somethin$ to
take her mind off the future. M!&. he shook her head in dis$ust. Why would a normal
woman of twenty-seven find comfort keyin$ a computer3
Because you don't have to think, her brain screamed at her. +ou can key-punch with
the best of them with not a sin$le thou$ht in your narrow brain/ It was a potent ar$ument.
he went back to her bedroom, slipped into shorts and a halterneck top, and went
downstairs.
By the time tacy was up, near to nine o'clock, Beth was back upstairs. (hey both
were nervous. Breakfast was coffee and toast. (he e$$s went into the bin, and both went
off to dress.
!lthou$h there was not a cloud in the sky, the world was almost opa2ue, as the
inversion trapped odours and pollutants under its tent. But, once inside the court-house,
thin$s were different. !n indifferent bailiff $uided them throu$h the ma;e to 6ud$e
Morrissey's office, hidden away behind his courtroom. Beth, leadin$ the way, stopped
short and cau$ht her breath. (he 6ud$e's office was not palatial, but neither was it
spartan. (hick brown ru$s covered the floor. ! hu$e desk was the centrepiece. Behind it,
all the walls were lined with law books. (he 6ud$e himself, a thin wiry man, half bald,
was standin$ behind his desk, still in 7udicial robes, with a bi$ smile, balancin$ his
$lasses precariously on the end of his nose.
In front of the desk "ichard Macomber waited, dressed 2uietly in a dark blue suit,
white shirt, and neutral tie. Beside him a youn$er man, dressed the same, was leanin$
a$ainst the desk. (he best man, Beth told herself. ! relative, from the looks of him. )e
could be "ichard, fifteen years earlier. (he same chin, the same hairline, the same eyes.
but not the same self-assurance. 0o indeed/
Beth offered them a wintry smile. "ichard responded with that wolf-$rin of his, and
took a step forward. !t that moment tacy came across the threshold, cau$ht the tableau
in one 2uick look, threw her little bou2uet to the wind, and went racin$ across the room.
''h, "oddy,' she half screamed, 'I never really thou$ht it would happen/' !nd she threw
herself at the wron$ man/
(he youn$er man paled, tried to evade her $rasp, and then blushed. Beth,
thunderstruck, was fro;en in place.until she felt a shake of her arm, and looked down at
"ichard's hand rattlin$ her. 'Wron$ $uess, Murphy3' he asked softly. (here was an unholy
$leam in his eyes. )e's really en7oyin$ this, Beth thou$ht, tremblin$.
'I think.I wish I could faint,' she muttered. '+ou.you knew it all the time, damn
you/'
'Why, of course I did.' )e lifted her hand to kiss the palm. '+ou've been playin$ in the
wron$ lea$ue, Murphy. )is name is "odman. We call him "oddy.'
'+ou're darn well ri$ht I've been in the wron$ lea$ue,' she snapped, movin$ across the
room to stand behind her niece. '!nd I have a few thin$s to call him myself/'
'Marry you3' "oddy was doin$ his best to back away from his prospective bride, but
with the desk behind him and the $irl in front, there was nowhere to $o. 'I.I don't want
to marry you, tacy. +ou're a $ood kid, but.I'm not ready for.'
'"oddy Macomber, what are you sayin$3 !unt Beth said you were $oin$ to marry
me/'
'Well, your !unt Beth can $o soak her head,' "oddy snarled. '+ou're not $oin$ to trap
me into somethin$ like that/'
'+ou mean, you don't love me, "oddy3'
'-od, what do I have to do, spell it out for you3'
'(here's no need for you to talk to my niece like that, youn$ man,' Beth inter7ected.
'I've made a sli$ht mistake, perhaps, but there's no way you can evade your
responsibilities.'
'I don't know what you're talkin$ about, ma'am.'
'1o e4plain it to him.' "ich Macomber was close behind her, talkin$ almost into her
ear. '#4plain to the lad.'
'I will,' Beth snapped. he moved her foot back and stamped with her heel, but he had
moved his foot out of the way, and lau$hed.
'If you're "oddy Macomber,' Beth continued, '+ou've done my niece wron$, and.'
'-ood work,' came the whisper in her ear. '"i$ht out of a melodrama/'
'hut up/' she threw in the $eneral direction of her ri$ht shoulder, and then, at the boy
in front of her, '1id you e4pect you could make my niece pre$nant and then sit back and
not pay for it3 0ot a chance. (here's $oin$ to be a weddin$ here, believe me/'
'(hat's tellin$ him,' the voice in her ear approved. '!nd you're so ri$ht.'
'%re$nant3 Who's pre$nant3' tacy dropped her stran$lehold on "oddy's arm and
turned to her aunt. 'Who's pre$nant3'
'Why, you are, dear. !nd he's $oin$ to marry you.'
'I am3 I am not! Where did you $et that cra;y idea3'
'But.but.' (he world seemed to be $oin$ in circles. Beth could see the desk as it
swept around her at speed, the li$hts overhead as they flickered and wavered, the soft
ru$, as it reached up and enfolded her. !t which point Beth Murphy did somethin$ she
had never done before in all her life.
It must have been some minutes later when thin$s drifted back into focus. Beth was
pressed up hard a$ainst somethin$ stron$ and warm. (here was an arm under her knees,
another at her back.
'Would you believe it3' the disbelievin$ voice of "ich Macomber rumbled at her ear.
'he actually did faint/'
'I.I did no such thin$,' she mana$ed weakly. 'I never faint. I.'
'hut up,' "ichard told her, very $ently.
'o I would suppose there's no need for me. there'll be no weddin$3' 6ud$e
Morrissey was speakin$ cautiously, tryin$ to make some sense out of it all.
'0ot so, +our )onour. If we mi$ht have a few minutes3'
'(ake all the time you want,' the 6ud$e responded. 'I'm free until two o'clock. *se my
clerk's office, ne4t door.'
Beth closed her eyes, and found herself wafted out of the room in total comfort, and
set down in a bi$ upholstered chair.
'!ll ri$ht, Murphy. +ou can open your eyes now. (here's no use fakin$ it any lon$er.'
'-o away,' she stuttered an$rily. 'I don't want to see you or talk to you.or anythin$.'
'We'll see about the anything part,' he said. '0ow, you two babes in the woods. 6ust
what the hell has been $oin$ on3 1o I understand, !nastasia, that you're not pre$nant3'
''f course not,' the $irl snapped. 'I may be youn$, but I'm not that stupid. +ou can't $et
pre$nant that way.'
'I wouldn't do a thin$ like that,' his nephew whined. '-ood -od, I hardly knew the
$irl/'
'But.but tacy, when you came to me, you told me you were in terrible trouble. !nd
there was a man involved. I know it's hard to say the real words, so I.'
'Well, you thou$ht wron$, !unt Beth.' (he $irl was an$ry, the boy was an$ry, the man
was lau$hin$, and I'm in a lot of trouble, Beth told herself.
'o what.what was the problem3' she asked faintly.
'I'll tell you somethin$, I don't intend to be forced into marria$e 7ust because I.'
'hut up, "oddy,' his uncle commanded in a very soft voice. (he youn$ man $ulped
and went silent. 'tacy, what is this terrible trouble you're in3'
'I.I was suspended from school,' she admitted, her voice hardly audible.
'+ou were suspended from school3 Why3'
'I."oddy3'
!ll eyes shifted to the boy. )e s2uirmed under the e4amination. 'It was no bi$ thin$,'
he muttered. 'tacy was a nice kid, and I wanted to help her, that's all.'
'(hat's all what3'
'Well, she was about to flunk out in 5reshman biolo$y. I'm ma7orin$ in biolo$y, so I
loaned her one of my old enior term papers.'
'!h/' (wo e4clamations, one triumphant, the other mortified.
'!nd what happened3'
'Well, I thou$ht she would copy out a few para$raphs. Would you believe how stupid
that $irl is.'
'1on't call my niece stupid/'
')ush, Murphy.' (hat soft command, a$ain.
'Well, I happen to think it's stupid. he submitted the whole paper. 1id nothin$ but
take my name off the thin$ and put hers on. I can't ima$ine what she was thinkin$ of. I
won enior biolo$y honours with that paper, and she submits it as a 5reshman term
paper. 1umb/' "oddy shook his wise twenty-four year old head in dis$ust.
'!nd so then what happened3' "ich Macomber a$ain, with a broad smile on his face.
I'd like to punch him in the mouth, Beth thou$ht. )e must have been readin$ her mind,
for he moved a pace or two away from her chair.
'Well, you know how colle$es are. tacy's instructor met mine one ni$ht and was
boastin$ about her pri;e student.and it all came out/ Boy, did the discipline committee
come down on me/'
ilence ruled the roost, until Beth stirred out of her shock and propelled herself over
to her niece. '(here now, love,' she comforted, holdin$ the $irl in her arms. 'I'm sorry. I
really am. I don't suppose you'd want to marry "oddy, after all3'
(he $irl lifted her little doll face. (here were tears runnin$ down her cheeks. 'I
wouldn't marry that 7erk if he were the last man in the world/' she retorted. 'Men are
nothin$ but lar$e pains in the.the neck. !nd I didn't need any more help, either. My
father warned me about you, too. !ll those cra;y ideas you have. Boy, this is wild enou$h
for me. I'm $oin$ to be a nun/'
!n ine4plicable ra$e filled her aunt. 'I don't know about bein$ a nun,' Beth said stiffly,
'I'll tell you what you're going to be,' she returned. '+ou're $oin$ to be on the ne4t fli$ht
back to &alifornia, if I have to hock my watch to pay for the ticket.'
'What a lovely idea,' "ichard added sarcastically. 'I tell you what, I'll share the cost of
the ticket. !nd as for you, "oddy.'
'I.I know, *ncle "ich.'
'1o you really3 I think you've had enou$h of a scare for one day. +ou can spend the
rest of the week in Boston with your $randmother, and then it's back to school for you.
and you can borrow my 6a$uar for the trip.'
''h, wow/'
'+es. 'h, wow/ 0ow the pair of you $et out of here. Wait for us out in the 6ud$e's
office, and tell him we'll only be a minute.'
(he two youn$ people walked out of the room, each actin$ as if the other didn't e4ist.
Beth returned to her chair and slumped into it, e4hausted. "ichard stood watchin$ her for
a minute, then pulled up another chair and confronted her, face to face.
'0ow, we have thin$s to talk about,' he be$an.
'I.can't ima$ine what,' she si$hed. 'I admit it was a terrible mess. I suppose I should
$o and apolo$ise to the 6ud$e3'
'(hat won't be necessary. (here's still $oin$ to be a weddin$.' he came up strai$ht in
her chair. (here was that look about him, the huntin$ look.
'I don't know what you mean,' she said firmly. 'I'm sorry for the.the inconvenience
I've caused, but.'
'Inconvenience/' he roared. 'Is that what you call it3 'ne hundred and forty people on
my payroll, sittin$ around doin$ nothin$ because of your fool scheme. +ou call that
nothin$3'
'+ou don't have to yell at me,' she said. 'It was.perhaps.a little e4treme, but
desperate causes re2uire desperate solutions.' he stirred uneasily in her chair. )is $lare
had not receded one whit, and the silence was makin$ her 7ittery.
'0ow, about our weddin$.'
''ur weddin$3 Why in the world would you want to marry me3'
'1on't you ever look in a mirror, woman3 -ood lord, why would anyone in his ri$ht
mind not want to marry you3'
'I told you I don't plan to do any such a thin$/' he stru$$led up out of her chair,
clutchin$ her ba$ desperately to her breast. 'I.I don't even like you, Mr Macomber.'
',ikin$ has nothin$ to do with it,' he rasped. 'I need a wife. +ou're suitable. ?ery
suitable. !nd you owe me. o we'll $et married.'
'1amn you.' he stru$$led a$ainst the tears. 'I mi$ht be suitable.but you're not. +ou
have a terrible reputation, and I can't believe that you 7ust would marry some woman
because she's.suitable/'
'!h, but we have an a$reement, you and I.'
'What are you talkin$ about3 What a$reement3'
)is $rin had returned, that face-fillin$ wolfish look. )e took a paper out from his
inner 7acket pocket, unfolded it, and laid it out on the table.
'"i$ht there, in black and white. "It is a$reed that Mr Macomber and Miss Murphy
will marryF " and so forth. +our si$nature at the bottom3'
''f course it's my si$nature, but.but that has nothin$ to do with you and me $ettin$
married. (hat's 7ust.'
'i$ned and sealed, Murphy. ! valid contract.'
'It is not) she shouted at him. '0ot in Massachusetts, at least. Breach of promise suits
specifyin$ marria$e have been outlawed in this state for over thirty years. o there, Mr
Macomber.'
'! lawyer as well/' he flinched at the tone. It sounded like the rattlin$ of chains and
manacles, $hosts marchin$ over her $rave.
'!nybody knows that,' she whispered, deserted by all her coura$e. 'It's not le$al.'
'%erhaps not,' he said softly. )er head snapped up. he had come to know at least this
about him.he was most dan$erous when he was talkin$ softly. )is hand was in his
7acket pocket. )e pulled it out slowly. Beth watched, hardly able to breathe. )e set the
little plastic bo4 out on the desk. '! portable tape recorder, Miss Murphy. +ou've seen
them3 I couldn't do without one in my business. &apable of recordin$ everythin$ said
anywhere in the room. 1id you know that3'
'0o, I didn't,' she snapped. 'o what3'
'o listen, Murphy.' )is fin$ers slid alon$ the top of the tape recorder. ! button
clicked, and the hiss of tape runnin$ could be heard loud and clear. !nd then a voice. )er
voice. !nd then his. 'But that's blackmail,' he was sayin$. !nd she was a$reein$, ea$er to
finish her e4planation.
'What.what was that3' she $asped.
'In my office last week,' he purred. '+ou remember. When you came in and
blackmailed me into marryin$ your niece3'
'I.what.does that have to do with us3'
'8nees shaky, Murphy3 Why don't you sit down3 !nd then I'll tell you.'
he fell back into her chair, both hands nervously twistin$ a$ainst each other in her
lap, her for$otten handba$ on the floor.
'0ow, I'll $o slowly so you can follow me. +ou are a blackmailer. (hat's a felony
crime in this state. 5ive to ten years in 7ail, I believe. 0ow, you have two choices. #ither
you put a bi$ smile on your face and we $o out and have 6ud$e Morrissey marry us.'
''r3'
''r I call the police and press blackmail char$es a$ainst you.'
'+ou can't force me to marry you,' she said. '+ou don't have a marria$e licence for us.'
'Is that a fact3' (hat soft voice a$ain, with the smile behind it. 'Will you 7ust look,
Murphy3 I have a marria$e licence. 5or Mr Macomber and Miss Murphy, with the first
names blank. )ow about that/ 0ow, all I have to do is to write in my name."ichard.
ri$ht there, and your name.#li;abeth.ri$ht there. +ou know, it's lucky you and your
niece have the same number of letters in your name. (here's 7ust enou$h space for
!nastasia or #li;abeth. Wasn't that clever plannin$3 +ou even had a physical e4am in
time for the blood test/'
'+ou.you couldn't have planned this all that lon$ a$o. +ou 7ust couldn't/'
'Isn't that stran$e3' (here was a tiny smile on his face. 'Maybe it was 7ust.fortuitous3
(hat's a word I always wanted to use, and never knew where to use it/ !ny more
ar$uments3'
Beth slumped down in the chair, her mind racin$. 6ail or marria$e3 Which was worse3
Marria$e, under different circumstances, mi$ht be heaven with this man. But not under
compulsion. 0ot a dictatorial 'you suit my re2uirements'.
'I'll marry you,' she said throu$h clenched teeth. But you'll not $et any pleasure out of
it, Mr Macomber. Indeed you will not/
'!h, how nice. !nd how enthusiastic,' he retorted. '+ou overwhelm me with your
desires. 0othin$ more to say3'
'-et it over with,' she muttered. 'top chatterin$ like a baboon.'
'-ood. I like the idea of a wife who's in a hurry/' )e came around the desk, all smiles,
took her arm, and escorted her out into the 6ud$e's office. "oddy and tacy were sittin$
on opposite sides of the room. (hey both 7umped up $uiltily. (he 6ud$e, leanin$ back in
his bi$ swivel-chair, smiled.
'tacy, your !unt Beth and I have decided to $et married. )aven't we, sweetheart3'
"ichard $ave Beth's arm a shake.
'+es,' she muttered.
''h, how wonderful, !unt Beth/' tacy swarmed all over her, face ali$ht with
enthusiasm.
'+es,' she returned, hu$$in$ the $irl. 'Wonderful.' My face will split in pieces if I
smile, she warned herself. he looked over at the 6ud$e. '&ould we do it now, please3'
(hey could. With minimum effort they were married. "ich prodded her twice when
she was re2uired to speak. he mana$ed the words stiffly, but no one else seemed to
notice. It was over before she knew. "oddy and tacy si$ned as witnesses, the 6ud$e
completed the forms, kissed the bride, and they were out of the door, man and wife.
'0ow that wasn't hard, was it3' "ichard was still holdin$ her arm as they stood outside
the courthouse, waitin$ for his limousine to come around.
'0o,' Beth mana$ed to say. '0ot hard. 6ust impossible.' he shook her arm, but could
not $et free. '%lease,' she be$$ed. )e looked down, almost as if he had for$otten. (he
hand released. he rubbed the spot on her arm, $lad that she had worn a dress with
sleeves. (here would be marks on her skin for days.
'"oddy,' he said, handin$ his nephew a set of keys, 'the car is over at ,iberty 2uare.
+ou'll have to spend the week at your $randmother's house. !nd you make sure you're
out of Boston by the end of the week. +ou hear me3'
'I hear.' "oddy took the keys 7ust as the limousine came alon$. 'I con$ratulate you,
*ncle,' the boy lau$hed. 'Better you than me/'
'mart kid,' said "ichard as he ushered the two women into the car. 'I was a lot like
that when I was youn$. We'll $o home now.'
'I don't think so,' Beth said stubbornly. he leaned forward towards the chauffeur.
',o$an !irport,' she commanded. (he driver looked around to Macomber for
confirmation, and received a nod.
'But I don't have any of my clothes or thin$s,' tacy wailed.
'0ot to worry,' her aunt told her coldly. '+ou'll be home in four hours. I'll call your
father to meet you at the airport. I'll mail your thin$s. !nd tacy.if you ever think of
runnin$ to your !unt Beth a$ain.don't do it/'
'!ll ri$ht, !unt Beth. I'm really sorry. !nd I'll tell Mom and 1ad all about your
weddin$. (hey'll be surprised. 1ad said you would never $et married. (hat you were an
ideal maiden aunt, and a confirmed spinster.' Beth winced at the enthusiasm, but patted
the $irl's head in lovin$ fashion.
(hey were 7ust in time at the airport. Beth was still in a da;e. "ichard bustled around
the terminal at the hei$ht of efficiency, found tacy a seat, bou$ht the ticket, and
provided her with an armful of readin$ matter. (hey waited until the plane had left on its
way to 1allas. 1urin$ all this time Beth moved like an automaton, followin$ instructions,
holdin$ up her cheek to be kissed, and studyin$ the rin$ on her fin$er.
It was some sort of si$n, that rin$. ! mark of her total de$radation3 ! brand of his
possession3 )er mind was 7ust too confused to take it all in. he and "ich were back in
the limousine before she came to the surface.
'My brother 5red,' she remembered. 'We have to call 5red. (he poor child will be all
alone in the ,os !n$eles airport, and.'
)e si$hed. 'tacy and I called him before she left.'
''h, that's nice.' )er voice was low, uninterested, flat. he fell back into her stupor
a$ain, huddled in the far corner of the capacious back seat. )er eyes saw nothin$. 0ot the
clutter of #ast Boston and the tunnels, nor the strained look in the eyes of her new
husband, who studied her silently until the car drew up outside the )arbor (owers.
Mrs Moore, all smiles, met them at the door. '1id you do it3'
'We did it. he had some doubts, but we did it. Where's !lthea3'
'he won't be back until si4 o'clock. In fact, I thou$ht I would call down and have
5rank $o after her. ,unch3'
'Beth3'
'Mrs Macomber3'
Beth had hardly moved a muscle. )er face was cold and distant, her mind a million
miles away. "ich touched her shoulder. he flinched, and then looked up.
',unch3' Mrs Moore repeated.
'0o, I'm not hun$ry,' Beth returned. #very word seemed to be an effort. #very
movement had its pain.
'I think perhaps we've tired her out,' "ichard told the housekeeper. 'Why don't you
make us somethin$ we can warm up and then you can be on your way, Mrs Moore.'
'I'd hate to leave so soon. Mrs Macomber .doesn't look well. I'd 7ust as soon wait
until laterF '
'0o, no need for that. I can look after my wife with no trouble at all. !nd now that I
think of it, perhaps you could call my mother and ask her to keep !lthea overni$ht3'
)e didn't wait for an answer. )is hand went to Beth's arm, $uidin$ her $ently across
the livin$-room, down the corridor, and into the master bedroom. )e brou$ht her to the
centre of the room. he stayed there, deep in her misery, while he did other thin$s. (he
door to the apartment finally slammed behind the housekeeper, and "ich was back at her
side.
'I thou$ht you mi$ht prefer us to be alone,' he told her. ')ere, let me help you with that
7acket.' he held her arms out like a little child as he slipped the bla;er off her shoulders.
'I $uess we have worn you out. %erhaps you'd better climb into bed and take a nap. In
fact, why don't we both climb in and take a nap3'
'I.feel dirty,' she whispered. 'I need a shower.'
'"i$ht over here.' )e led her to the bathroom door. '+ou'll be all ri$ht by yourself3 +ou
want me to help you3'
he shook her head dumbly, stumbled over the threshold, and pulled the door shut
behind her.
*ndressin$ was difficult, but she mana$ed it all. (he shower ran cold at first. he
stepped in at once. It was 7ust what she needed to wake her up from her da;e. he let the
water run cold for minutes, liftin$ her face up into it, then turned on the hot and soaped
herself carefully from head to toe. )er mind, almost comatose since the moment of the
weddin$, be$an to function.
)e needs a wife3 Why3 )e has a perfectly $ood housekeeper, and more money than
he knows what to do with, to hire others. I don't think he needs a wife for entertainments.
)e has plenty of women around, accordin$ to the newspapers. o why3 !lthea3 (he poor
little $irl.perhaps she needs a mother, but what a hard 7ob that would be, motherin$ the
prickly pear. (here's nothin$ else, is there3 )e couldn't have married me 7ust because .
no. he shut off the water and stepped out of the shower. ! full-len$th mirror on the wall
reflected a drippin$ shape, hair soaked into strands, a tired face, droopin$ shoulders. )e
couldn't have married me for that, she told herself fiercely.unless he's hard up3 But a
man of his reputation wouldn't find women hard to come by. Why3
(he 2uestion still bothered her as she towelled herself dry, wrapped herself in a hu$e
bath towel, and went out into the bedroom. "ichard was already in the bed.or rather on
top of it, dressed in nothin$. Beth stopped a few feet away and studied him. It was the
first adult male body she had ever seen naked. he studied him, from the top of his wavy
black hair to that stron$ neck, and muscled chest. ! narrow waist and narrow hips.and
.-od/.she pulled her eyes away. 0o matter what he said, he wanted her. he
shuddered, and looked around the room 2uickly as if an escape door mi$ht appear.
But there was no escape. 0ot here, not anywhere. %umpin$ up her coura$e, she
dropped her towel to the floor and stood there. he could hear the hiss as he drew breath
2uickly. Before her coura$e could collapse entirely Beth walked over to the bed and
sprawled herself out flat on her back, eyes on the ceilin$.
'!ll ri$ht,' she si$hed. '-et it over with.'
'What the hell/' )e rolled over closer, so her left arm rested a$ainst the warmth of his
chest. he shivered at the contact. 'What did you say3'
'I said, let's $et it over with,' she repeated. he was fri$htened half to death, but meant
not to show it. )er voice was flat, emotionless. )e made not a move.
'!ren't I doin$ it ri$ht3' she 2ueried.
'Beth, what are you doing3'
'Whatever it is you need,' she si$hed. 'I don't have a $reat deal of e4perience.'
'I can't believe that,' he $rated. '+ou and Mac, and all those ni$hts you've spent
to$ether. I don't $o for that maiden aunt business, you know.'
'I see.' .he turned her head to look at him, then snapped back. It was much easier to
concentrate on the ceilin$. '5unny you should say that,' she si$hed. 'I couldn't sleep last
ni$ht, so I $ot up and went downstairs to M!&. 6ust this mornin$ that was.'
)is hands came down on her shoulders like talons. )e shook her until her head ached.
'1on't you ever tell me that a$ain/' he $rated. '5rom now on I e4pect you to remember
you're my wife. I don't want you to ever see or speak to this Mac a$ain.'
'%lease,' she said coldly, 'don't do that. My head aches, and I'm cold. 1o what you
want to and then leave me alone.'
'+ou heard what I said about your precious Mac3'
'I heard you.'
'!nd3'
'!nd I intend to do 7ust as I please, Mr Macomber. +ou forced me into this marria$e.
If it isn't to your likin$ you can always divorce me.'
'1amn you/' he e4claimed. '1amn you/'
'I probably am, anyway,' she muttered. 'I've told so many lies lately that I.I don't
know. -o ahead. "ape me.'
'(hat's what you'd like, is it3 "ape, so you'd have one more thin$ to blame me for3'
'I.I 7ust want to $et some sleep,' she muttered. '!nd I can't if I'm for ever e4pectin$
you to pounce on me.'
'Well, it won't be rape, I promise you,' he said softly. 'ne of his hands tiptoed across
her stomach, while the other went behind her head, pullin$ her in his direction. )is lips
closed on hers 7ust as his hand reached the peak of her breast. 8eep cool, she told herself.
1on't let him turn you on. 1on't fi$ht.7ust keep cool. Women don't have to be slaves to
their se4 drives.
)is $rip ti$htened. )is first caress fled, and became an arro$ant demand, pressin$ her
back a$ainst his hand and his pillow. he stru$$led with all her capacity to keep calm.
)is hand slid off the slope of her breast and plun$ed down across her stomach, her
thi$hs, into the sensitive centre of her femininity. But she held on. It was hard, but she
held on. 0ot a move of her ri$id body did she allow. 0ot a response to his lips or his
hands. !ll fuelled by the $rowin$ hatred in her heart. It seemed like for ever before he
$ot the messa$e. he was almost at the brink of the chasm when his hand stopped, his
lips withdrew, and he flun$ himself down flat on his back ne4t to her, with his hands
clasped behind his head.
'What the hell have I done3' he murmured.
(here was no way she could answer him. !ll her emotions were runnin$ riot, and she
could barely control herself, barely keep herself from be$$in$ him to continue. It took
minutes for her to settle. )e lay there ri$idly for a time, then threw himself off the bed
and stomped into the bathroom. he could hear the water runnin$ for a lon$ time.
If only he had loved me, she thou$ht va$uely. If only he had loved me. (he thou$ht
pursued her as she slipped over the ed$e of sleep. he didn't hear him come back. )e
walked over to the foot of the bed and studied her while she slept. (hen he carefully
pulled a blanket up over her, and went out to the livin$-room, and his bottle of 6im Bean.
CHAPTER TE!
I( W! the bed shakin$ that woke Beth up. he blinked, tryin$ to recall where she was.
It had been afternoon when she went to sleep. 0ow the sun was shinin$ in the east
windows, off the bay, si$nallin$ mornin$. !lthea sat at the foot of the bed, a bouncy,
smilin$ !lthea.
'+ou have to wake up for breakfast, Miss Beth. *ncle "ich says you $otta.you have
to.$et up and $o with him. Is it nice bein$ married3'
'I.don't really know, dear. I.haven't worked at it enou$h. !nd I don't know a $reat
deal about men.'
(he $irl bounced her way towards the head of the bed. ,ord knows, there's plenty of
room, Beth told herself. !nd no indication on the other side of the kin$-si;ed bed that he
had ever been there. o he doesn't $ant me, and that leaves only one alternative. )e
wanted a mother for !lthea.
It took a little doin$, but she mana$ed a smile for the child. 'I could help,' the child
lau$hed. '*ncle "ich is a softy. !ll you have to do is duck when he roars, and pay it no
mind at all.'
'(hat's all, huh3' Beth stru$$led to sit up, pushin$ the covers back.
'+ou don't have a ni$ht$own3'
Beth looked down at herself, startled, and pulled the blankets back up. '0o, I $uess I
don't,' she said wryly. 'I own one.maybe two, for that matter, but I didn't brin$ them
with me.'
'1on't worry,' the child teased. '*ncle has plenty of money, he can afford to buy you
anythin$ you want. When's the ne4t $ame3'
'!ha/ (hat's your interest3 We play 5riday ni$ht, as usual.'
''h, that's not the only reason. I like you, Miss Beth. I didn't think I would, but I do.
+ou know, when I first met you I thou$ht you were another one of *ncle "ich's
pushovers. But you sure aren't, are you3'
')ow do you fi$ure that3'
'Well, you're the only one he ever married. !re you $oin$ to have babies3'
'I.we haven't talked about that,' Beth si$hed. 'I've $ot to find out where my clothes
went. I 7ust don't remember.'
'Must have been an e4citin$ ni$ht,' !lthea $i$$led. '+our stuff is on the chair. Mrs
Moore did an early wash. +ou'd better hurry, my uncle doesn't like to wait for people.
ay, that makes you my aunt now, doesn't it3'
'I $uess it does, dear. Why don't you scoot out and keep him from blowin$ his stack3
I'll dress and be alon$ in a 7iffy.' (he child scrambled for a kiss and darted out of the
room, takin$ all the cheerfulness out of the room with her.
Beth dressed slowly, not waitin$ for a shower. I can $et that at home, she told herself.
)ome3 I suppose he e4pects me to live here.and $ive up my work.and 7ust.7ust
what3 (here were two ideas involved. -ivin$ up the work was one. 6ust what was the
other. 'I'm not $oin$ to $ive up my company,' she muttered as she stru$$led into her
newly pressed clothin$. 'I'm not. !nd he's $oin$ to demand that I do/'
It was somethin$ to build a ra$e upon. he worked at it durin$ the time she was
brushin$ her teeth, washin$ her face, combin$ her hair. By the time she was ready the
ra$e was of violent proportion. 'nly occasionally did the '7ust what' break throu$h. 6ust
what did he think he was $oin$ to do to her3 hare her bed3 0ot on your life/ weep her
off her feet3 0o chance. )e'd soon find that she had very lar$e, firmly anchored feet/ he
tucked in her blouse, pulled her skirt strai$ht, checked herself over her shoulder in the
bathroom mirror, and went off to do battle.
(he Macombers were sittin$ in the little alcove off the dinin$-room, inside the
slidin$-$lass doors that led out on to the balcony. It was a place of ma4imum sunshine.
Beth stopped a few feet away, studyin$ him. "ich was dressed more casually today. !n
open-collar shirt, fawn trousers, with a (e4as ranch-7acket thrown over the chair behind
him. !ll his banda$es were $one, and the scratches had healed. (he stitches on his cheek
were visible, but not dominant. )e looked like a stron$, virile, tired man. )e and !lthea
were makin$ small talk. Beth took a deep breath and walked over to the table. "ichard
$ot up to hold her chair.
'-ood mornin$,' he offered sceptically, like an Indian chief come to discuss the latest
peace treaty.
'I already said,' !lthea added under his promptin$.
*nder the wei$ht of her fancied in7uries, Beth stru$$led to keep a strai$ht face. '+es,'
she answered softly, and ducked her head. Mrs Moore came in behind her, and slipped a
plate of ham and e$$s in front of her.
'I can't eat all that, #mily/' Beth protested.
'&an if you try,' the housekeeper stated. '0o use you turnin$ into a ba$ of bones.
1ietin$ isn't for newly marrieds. +ou need to build up your stren$th.'
'What for3' asked !lthea.
'1on't ask,' her uncle interrupted. '+ou're too youn$ to learn. #at.'
'I $ot plenty of time,' the $irl returned. ')ow can I learn if nobody tells me anythin$3'
'1o me a favour,' her uncle si$hed. '1o all your learnin$ at school for a week or two,
will you3 I've $ot problems at home.'
'I don't see why,' !lthea continued, between bites. 'he's pretty, *ncle "ich. 0obody
ever thou$ht you'd marry a pretty one. !nd sensible, too.'
'ensible3' )e was pushin$ his food around on his plate. Beth 7oined in the same
e4ercise, stoppin$ only to sip at her coffee.
''f course she's sensible. he mana$es a baseball team, doesn't she3'
'+es, well, if you've finished, $o brush your teeth and $et your books to$ether. +our
!unt Beth and I are $oin$ to work to$ether, and we'll drop you off at your school.'
(he child e4cused herself and ran for her room. Beth kept her head down. )e stared at
the top of it, of two minds as to how to approach the problem.
'I want you to come with me this mornin$,' he said, 'to undo the computer.'
'+es,' she said flatly.
'!nd then what are you $oin$ to do3'
'I'm $oin$ to work at "entasec,' she stated very firmly, marshallin$ all her ra$e and
fear to block the e4pected denial.
'I see,' was all he said. Beth sat there on the ed$e of her chair, all the repressed an$er
waitin$ to boil over. )e had failed her a$ain. 0ot a bit of opposition. 0ot the tiniest bit.
%erhaps if I na$ him a little3 she thou$ht.
'I don't have any clothes with me. I suppose you e4pect me to live here3'
'I'm afraid I do, Beth.' he looked up at him, at the little smile that teased his lips, at
the $leam deep in those dark eyes. 'h yes, she thou$ht. I can $o back to work all ri$ht,
but he wants me in my ca$e every ni$ht for the '7ust what'. Well, I'll rattle the bars, damn
him. If only he had married me for love/
'5unny thou$hts you're thinkin$3' he said. '&are to tell me3'
'0o.'
'I see. (hat's the way it's $oin$ to be3'
'+es.'
"ich $ot up, scrapin$ his chair back, and walked around to her side of the table. )e
picked up her ri$ht hand and brushed back the sleeve of her blouse. ! hu$e black mark
circled the arm 7ust above the wrist. 'What's this3' he asked.
he looked down at it, not really seein$ it. 'My weddin$ present from you,' she told
him.
'-ood -od/'
'+es.'
'Beth, I.'
'I don't want to talk about it,' she snapped at him. '6ust please leave me alone/ I hate to
be pawed/'
'I can see that,' he said $ruffly. 'I'll be ready to $o in fifteen minutes.'
'+es,' she si$hed. )e stalked back to the bedroom, leavin$ her to cuddle her coffee
mu$ in both hands, seekin$ solace. It was a difficult item to find. he refilled her mu$
twice, dabbled $ently amon$ the remnants of her e$$s, and $nawed a piece of toast.
When "ich and !lthea came back, she wiped her lips with her napkin and went to 7oin
them.
'+ou don't look so $ood,' the child said. '+ou always used to smile, Miss Beth.!unt
Beth.'
'+our aunt isn't feelin$ well,' "ichard told her. 'We have to make allowances@ Bein$
newly married, and chan$in$ her home.that's a $reat deal of trouble. +ou know that,
!lthea, chan$in$ your home from !ri;ona to Boston.'
'+es, but I had you to help me, *ncle "ich.'
'!nd so does Beth. It 7ust takes time. hall we $o3'
',ast one in the car's a rotten e$$,' !lthea $i$$led, and ran for the elevator.
'I can't compete,' "ich complained. ',ook at that kid $o/'
Beth looked, but said nothin$. (hey travelled the rest of the way in silence.
'-ood mornin$, boss. Miss Beth.' am the doorman was his cheerful best, in spite of
the risin$ pollution count, and the dry-as-dust heat. '(he wife says thank you for the
flowers, Miss Beth.'
'I hope she liked them,' she returned as "ichard swept her into the lobby. !s they
waited by the elevator he looked down at her 2ui;;ically.
'What was that all about3'
')is wife has been in the hospital for three weeks, and they 7ust brou$ht her home.'
'-ood lord,' he si$hed, 'is there anyone in my employ that you don't know all about3'
he had the wild ur$e to scream '+es.you/' at him, but held herself back. 'It's 7ust a
habit I have,' she said. '1o we have to use the elevator3'
''f course we do. Why do you ask3'
'Because I've been stuck in this thin$ twice already, and you know what they say
."(hree strikes and you're out".'
'I've had it overhauled since then,' he told her. (he elevator hissed at her. tartled, she
7umped in his direction, and for a moment found herself in his arms.
'In you $o,' he coa4ed. Beth crossed the fin$ers on both hands and stepped into the
si4-by-si4 bo4. 0aturally it was on its best behaviour, waftin$ them up to the fourth floor
with panache. 'ee3' he said pompously.
I would dearly love to hit you, she told herself as she followed in his wake up the
corridor. (wice, at least. he was still ponderin$ the type of blow when he led her into the
e4ecutive suite. -race was at her desk. he spared a $lance for Beth, but mustered a bi$
smile for "ichard.
'(he computer still won't work,' she reported bri$htly. 'What do we do ne4t3'
'&ome into my office and take some dictation, -race. My wife is $oin$ to fi4 thin$s.'
'+our $ife)' (he $irl's face turned red, and the shots she fired from her eyes would
have killed lesser mortals.
'+es. I'll e4plain later.' )e hurried the secretary throu$h into his inner office, winked at
Beth, and closed the door behind him. 5or some reason the whole scene hurt. !nd I don't
know why, Beth thou$ht. What could it be.envy or 7ealousy3 I haven't the ri$ht to either
one, so why does it hurt so badly3 he pounded her fists on the desk in sheer frustration,
then turned to the computer terminal. #verythin$ was 7ust as she had left it. !ll the
accounts were securely locked away, behind the new password that Beth had invented.
he fished in her ba$ for the sheet of loose-leaf paper containin$ the '*nlock'
instructions, and went merrily down the list, permanently unlockin$ every account. (he
machine responded to command. 'omethin$ I $uess ( have to learn to do,' she muttered
to herself. !s each account was released, she could hear the hei$htened activity
throu$hout the buildin$. he sat back with a si$h after fifteen minutes of work, and
watched the computer $o about its normal work. ! moment later the telephone ran$.
'Beth3 I knew it had to be you there.' Ma$$ie Berman was bubblin$. 'It was a $reat
vacation we had, and I for one am ready to $o back to work. )ow are you and Macomber
$ettin$ alon$3'
'I'm not sure, Ma$$ie.' he felt like lau$hin$ and cryin$ at the same time. '(hin$s are
confused up here. I seem to have married him.'
'+ou what3' But by that time Beth had $ently placed the telephone back in its cradle.
(ime to report in, and leave, she told herself. he stood up, strai$htened her hair, and
walked over to the door. Without thinkin$, she followed the procedure used durin$ the
weeks she had been his secretary. he knocked once, opened the door, and walked in.
!nd stopped dead in her tracks. "ichard was sittin$ back in his swivel-chair with a
bi$ $rin on his face. -race was standin$ dead in front of his desk with her skirts pulled
up farther than that, $ivin$ him a $ood peep-show. he was wearin$ pink panties, with
white lace alon$ the bottom. (he tableau held, and then the other two became aware of
Beth's presence.
"ichard was up out of his chair like a shot. 'he wanted to show me her operation,' he
stuttered. ! deadly calm came over Beth, insulatin$ her from all the world.
'I'm sure she did,' she returned coldly. '&heck around, she may have a lot more scars to
show you.' With that she turned round and walked out, closin$ the office door behind her.
(hree minutes later -race came boilin$ out of the door, her face as red as a beet. (he
secretary stopped lon$ enou$h to snatch her ba$ from out of her desk drawer, and went
off. "ichard followed, a stran$e look on his face.
'Beth, I want to tell.'
'1on't bother, Mr Macomber, I have no reason to know. I 7ust wanted to tell you that
your computer is unlocked. !ll of it. !nd now I would like to $o.'
'(ake the limousine,' he offered.
'I'll be $one the whole day. I have a lot of work to do. 'r rather M!& has a lot of
work to do, and I'm $oin$ to help him.'
'Beth, don't do that to me/' )is face was turnin$ almost as red as his secretary's, and
there were si$ns of threat in his eyes.
'I'll do anythin$ I want to,' she returned firmly. )er le$s were shiverin$, but she had
no intention of lettin$ him see her weakness. 'I'm your wife, not your slave.'
'Beth, I won't let you do this. Work all you want, but keep away from Mac/'
'+ou don't have the ri$ht to tell me that/' she spat. )is face turned from red to puce as
he took a couple of steps in her direction. Beth threw up her hands in front of her, and
flinched away from him. )e fro;e.
'-ood -od, Beth, you don't think I'd hit you3 I'll never hurt you.'
'+ou mean no more than you already have3' she asked. )is fists formed at his sides.
he could see the muscles in his arms shake as he fou$ht for control. 'h no, you won't
hit me. 0ot today, you mean/
'I think you'd better $o,' he said throu$h clenched teeth. 'Be back here to pick me up
by four-thirty.'
he nodded, swin$in$ her $olden hair around her fri$htened face, and ran. 'ut of the
corridor, down the stairs, and out into the lobby. (he limousine was waitin$ at the kerb.
he climbed in as if all the devils in hell were waitin$ for her, and $ave the chauffeur her
address.
)alf an hour later, with two more cups of coffee in her, and three of Mary's biscuits,
life came back to normal proportions. '!nd that's all you're $oin$ to tell us3' Mary asked.
'+ou went over to the courthouse and you married this fellow3'
'(hat's about all there seems to be to tell,' Beth said wearily. '!nd now, if somebody
around here doesn't shut up and $et to work, we'll all $o bankrupt.'
Which was enou$h warnin$ to stir thin$s up. Machines pounded, telephones ran$,
computer terminals blinked.in short, everythin$ was as it ou$ht to be. #4cept for Beth.
he went over to the corner where "ona was at work on "ichard's novel, and offered to
chan$e places with her. (he rest of the day she spent in second-hand contact, listenin$ to
his voice roll out the plot, while her fin$ers almost unconsciously repeated the words into
the word-processor keyboard. It was second best, but better than nothin$.
!s directed, she waited outside his buildin$ at four-thirty. )e came out late, puffin$. 'I
didn't know you were waitin$,' he said, as if it were all Beth's fault. 'It's hell to be without
a secretary.'
'Euit, did she3'
')ell, no/ I fired her. What a stupid stunt that was.'
'I really don't want to hear about it,' commented Beth, turnin$ her attention to the
traffic $oin$ by. )e crawled into the car, cursin$ under his breath. he could not ever
remember hearin$ so many four and five letter words before.
!lthea was home before them, runnin$ to the door as they came in. 'Mrs Moore,' she
said, talkin$ so rapidly her words ran to$ether. 'he $ot a call from her sister.and she
had to $o. We don't $ot.we haven't $ot any dinner. )i, !unt Beth.'
')i, !lthea. 0o dinner3 (hat shouldn't be hard to repair. ,et's $o look in the kitchen.'
'1o you want me to come alon$3' "ich asked.
'I can't ima$ine why,' Beth returned solemnly. )e muttered somethin$ under his breath
and went into his study. Beth and !lthea strolled out to the kitchen. 'n the way, the $irl
filled an ear about her school day. he and the %rincipal didn't $et alon$, she didn't
understand earth sciences, she wanted to be a writer like *ncle "ichard, and.the nub of
it all.it certainly was nice to have someone to talk to. -irl-talk, that is.
Beth was a $ood listener, and she could feel the need behind the words. )er hands
were busy sortin$ out a meal as she listened. (he story went on as !lthea shredded the
lettuce for a salad, and Beth put a boneless turkey roll into the microwave. In the middle
of the discussion it struck her. (he poor child is homesick/ #very other word is about her
home in !ri;ona, the poor dear. he lived on a ranch, and her uncle has her imprisoned in
a hi$h-rise. 0o wonder she has so much rebellion in her/
'!nd so could you come, !unt Beth3'
'I missed that, dear. &ould I come where3'
'(o my school tomorrow. It's the last week of the semester. #veryone else is havin$ a
parent come. We're displayin$ all our art work, and stuff like that. But *ncle "ichard
never comes. Would you3'
he's cryin$ for support, Beth thou$ht, that's all. 6ust support. ''f course I'll come,
love. But remember, we have a baseball $ame tomorrow ni$ht, too.'
''h, there's plenty of time for all that. (he e4hibit is early, ten o'clock in the
auditorium, and it's finished by noon, and we all $et the rest of the day off.'
When the meal finally came to the table "ichard 7oined them in his shirt-sleeves,
lookin$ a little the worse for wear. 'I brou$ht work home,' he said.
'+es, I can smell it,' Beth said mildly. !lthea provided all the conversation. Beth
nodded, smiled, listened. "ichard sat at the head of the table and $lowered at both of
them. (he conversation outlasted the turkey, but died off in the middle of the dessert .
ice-cream cake.
-radually the day wound down. (he child had homework, and a favourite (? movie,
and then was off to bed. (he two adults sat in opposite corners of the livin$-room, like
two bo4ers waitin$ to come out of their corners. "ichard imitated a newspaper reader=
Beth had brou$ht her knittin$ back with her, and imitated a tired housewife until the
clock sounded eleven. he put the work away, and stood up. )e lowered his paper.
'Bed so soon3'
'+es,' she said 2uietly. 'I had a busy day. I don't plan to $o to work tomorrow.'
'Mac was too much for you today, so you can't see him tomorrow3'
he i$nored the first part of the statement. 'I'm $oin$ to school with !lthea tomorrow,'
she said. '%arents do that sort of thin$ now and then.'
)e dropped his paper, lookin$ more and more like a predator, with those hooded eyes.
'1on't spend the rest of your life tryin$ to $et to me, Beth. It doesn't pay.'
'I suppose you're ri$ht,' she a$reed. 'I'm $oin$ to bed.'
'-ood idea. I'll come ri$ht alon$.'
'I.didn't mean it as an invitation,' she stuttered.
'1on't you think I knew that3 +ou'd sooner share your bed with a rattlesnake, wouldn't
you3' he suppressed the fear that washed over her. )e had come too close to seduction
last ni$ht= what mi$ht he achieve toni$ht3
'I.$oodni$ht.' he turned 2uickly and raced down the hall, hopin$ he hadn't seen the
tears in her eyes. he had already taken a shower before leavin$ "entasec, so she brushed
her teeth, hurriedly unpinned her hair, and slipped into the most conservative ni$ht$own
she owned.
(he bed had been turned down. he slid under the sheets, turned on her side, and
moved as close to the ed$e as she could. 5ive minutes later she heard him come in. he
closed her eyes, prayin$. )e walked to her side of the bed and stood there, 7ust lookin$.
'ne or two words under his breath, and he went off to the bathroom. he heard the water
runnin$, and wondered.
If he loved me, I'd be in there with him, she thou$ht. *nder the spray, scrubbin$ each
other, lovin$ each other, learnin$ each other. But he doesn't. +ou do, Beth Murphy, but he
doesn't. Isn't that the classic trap, you stupid woman3
)e was back, climbin$ into the other side of the bed. he had to han$ on for dear life
as his hundred and ninety pounds sent the mattress into convulsions that almost threw her
out on the floor. It took him a minute or two to settle down.
'Beth3 I know you're still awake. It's impossible to sleep when your body is ri$id like
that.' 'ne of his hands touched her shoulder, pulled her over on her back. he hadn't
realised he was so close. )er thi$h came down so close to his that they touched. (he
warm challen$e startled her. he could feel a tiny core of e4citement buildin$ up in her.
(here was no barrier of an$er to hold him off this ni$ht. )e moved a little closer.
'0ot so brave toni$ht3' )is lips were ri$ht at her ear. 1o somethin$/ her mind
screamed at her. But she had no idea what she ou$ht to do. he lay there like some
hypnotised fool, while the sparks ran up and down her slender frame.
'0ot $oin$ to make me an offer3' he teased. )e moved a$ain, comin$ up on his side so
he towered over her. )is lips were leadin$ the attack. 5rom her bare shoulder, up the
curve of her neck, to the lobe of her ear, where his nibblin$ shocked her. ! pleasant
shock. !n e4perience she had never had before. (he hand came to her shoulder, and
$ently slipped the strap of her ni$ht$own off, e4posin$ one perfect breast. he shivered
in anticipation. (he lips came down, across her shoulder, into the declivity between her
breasts, up to the e4posed peak, nibblin$.
''h, -od,' she moaned, unable to prevent the writhin$ tumult that shook her.
'!nd it's not rape,' he whispered softly, and went back to his work. he stru$$led hard
in a losin$ cause, hatin$ herself for her weakness, en7oyin$ the power that was brin$in$
her low.
(he little cry was too faint to be anythin$ important, but it repeated itself, mountin$
until it became a scream. Beth snapped back, stru$$lin$ to break free of him. '0ot now,'
he muttered. '1ear -od, not now.'
'It's !lthea/' she shrilled at him. (he name won her release. he was up out of bed like
a fri$htened rabbit, runnin$ down the hall. (he little $irl was sittin$ up in her bed, tears
runnin$ down her face, moanin$.
'It's all ri$ht, love,' crooned Beth, climbin$ up into the bed beside her. 'It's all ri$ht.
!unt Beth is here.' )er arm went around the child $ently. 'It's only a dream, !lthea. !re
you awake now3'
'I.yes,' the child moaned. 'It was about Mama. I.it was terrible, !unt Beth.
(errible/'
'More than likely it was those three helpin$s of turkey,' said "ich from the door. Beth
threw him a $lare that could kill.
'-et out of here,' she commanded. '&an't you see the poor child has had a ni$htmare3'
'&an't you see the poor child needs somethin$ to settle her stomach3' he returned.
'I don't know why you're such a heartless soul,' Beth told him an$rily.
'It's because I've lived with this child for a lon$ time,' he returned. 'But if you feel like
playin$ 6oan of !rc, I can't stop you.'
'!nd that's the truth,' she muttered under her breath. )e walked away. he cuddled the
$irl, who was lyin$ at her breast, 2uietly cryin$.
(he episode lasted for another ten minutes before the tears stopped. 'My stomach
hurts,' the $irl complained. 'h my -od, Beth thou$ht. &ould that inhuman monster be
ri$ht3 6ust in case, she scooted 2uietly down to the bathroom and came back with a bottle
of antacid medicine. (he child accepted a spoonful, and stretched out in her bed.
'1on't leave me, !unt Beth3'
It was the kindest word that Beth had heard all day. '0o, I won't,' she whispered, and
climbed into bed with her.
CHAPTER E"EVE!
5"I1!+ afternoon, late. (he inversion over Boston was be$innin$ to break up. mall
winds scuffled across the baseball field, raisin$ tiny spirals of dust. Most of the boys had
$one. (here was a freshness to the air, and a threat of storms to come. Beth stood in the
middle of the field, on the pitcher's mound, with the $ame ball in her hand, en7oyin$ a
moment of happiness. )er hair, made up in two small pi$tails, peeked out of the back of
her baseball cap, the lon$ peak shieldin$ her face from more freckles. )er old $rey
blouse was sprinkled with dirt, and her worn 7eans had more patches than ori$inal cloth.
he was so en$rossed with her $ift that she didn't hear him as he came out to her.
'Beth3' he looked up in surprise.
'"ichard.' "eco$nition, di$nity, affection, all there in one word. ',ook what the boys
$ave me.' he held up the little statuette, with the inscribed plate on its base. ',ook what
it says, Beth .urphy *he &orld's Greatest .anager.'
'urprised you, didn't they3'
',ord, yes. #verythin$'s surprised me. We hadn't won a $ame all season, and all of a
sudden we won seven in a row. (hat's $oin$ out in style/'
'+ou've earned it, Beth. +ou can't earn the winnin$ without sufferin$ throu$h the
losin$.'
he hu$$ed the trophy to her, rememberin$ the scene 7ust half an hour a$o. (he final
winnin$ run had come across home-plate, the fans had $one berserk, and all the boys had
come runnin$ out, pushed her to the middle of the field, and made the public presentation
amid rounds of applause. o wonderful.
'( didn't earn it,' she returned thou$htfully. '(he boys did. !nd you. We couldn't have
done it without your help. +ou contributed so much.includin$ !lthea. 1o you think she
mi$ht want to play a$ain ne4t year3' (he last sentence came out a little wistfully. he
stared up at him. uch a nice face he had. 'nly the scar remained on his cheek. (he
stitches were $one. 5orceful, charmin$.she si$hed and waited for an answer.
'0o, I don't think !lthea will be back ne4t summer, Beth. )er parents will be home in
three days, and she'll be $oin$ back home.'
'#er parents) Going back home) I.thou$ht she was an orphan,' she 2ueried. 'I
remember very vividly your sayin$ that her parents had $one/'
'My, how we 7ump at assumptions,' he chuckled. '+ou've been labourin$ under a lot of
errors, Miss Beth. !lthea and "oddy are the children of my brother and his wife. Matt is
an oil en$ineer. )e took a si4-month contract to inspect the workin$s in some -ulf
sheikdom. !nd 8ay, his wife, decided she would $o with him. ! second honeymoon, so
to speak. o let's dump the kids off on $ood old *ncle "ichard. (hey've done it before.
(he kids and I are old friends. (hat's what I meant when I said they had $one.to
!rabia.'
'But.I thou$ht.' I thou$ht you married me because !lthea needed a mother. -ood
lord, if not that, what3
he decided to risk it all on one 2uestion. '"ichard, $hy did you marry me3'
')onestly3'
he nodded, a perple4ed look on her face.
'It doesn't make $ood tellin$, Beth. I fell in love with you that second mornin$ in the
office. With your cute little face, and your marvellous fi$ure, and the firm way you ran
thin$s, and.lord, with everythin$ about you. Includin$ those two freckles on your nose.
!nd then, ban$, you announce weddin$ bells and 6une weddin$s and Mac. -od, how I
hate that name/ When the chance came to steal you away from him, I 7ust had to take it.'
he stared at him. he hadn't heard much beyond 'I fell in love with you.' (he rest was
$radually sinkin$ into her brain. 'But I.'
)e held up his hand. '0o, don't answer now, Beth. I know it was a rotten thin$ to do,
compellin$ you to marria$e when you were so obviously in love with another man. !nd
breakin$ up your weddin$ plans that way.I felt like a heel. But, you know, even up to
yesterday I thou$ht I could make you return my love. 0ow I know better. o.I've
instructed my lawyers to file for an annulment in your name. It shouldn't take lon$. !nd
then you can marry your Mac. I'm more sorry than I can say. But please believe me, Beth,
I never wanted to hurt you.only to love you.'
he stood as tall as she could, shoulders back, a tiny smile on her face. )e loves me3 I
can hardly believe it/ But I $ant to. )ow wonderful it would be, if true. What a mess I've
made of everythin$. I wonder if it's too late3
)e watched with his hands in his pockets, sorrow written in his posture, his face,
especially his eyes. )er mind made up to try, she moved throu$h the inches that
separated them, threw her arms around his neck, and kissed him.
5or a moment she was doin$ it all. (hen his hands came out of his pockets and
enveloped her. )is lips assumed command. (heir passions met at mouth, at chest, at
thi$hs, as the whole world disappeared, leavin$ them alone in a tiny circle of feelin$. (he
kiss endured until she ached for breath. ! few fans stra$$lin$ out of the park stopped to
applaud. 'ne particularly loud voice yelled, '!tta boy, Macomber/' )e released her,
settin$ her back down on her feet, but still holdin$ her loosely.
'What was that for, Beth3 -oodbye3'
'0ot e4actly,' she responded. 'More like hello. Where's !lthea3'
'I had the chauffeur take her over to her $randmother's for the weekend. I thou$ht
perhaps I wouldn't be suitable company for her. I drove over in my prite.'
'-ood.' he took his arm and turned him around. ',et's $o. &arry my trophy, please.
!nd don't for$et to remind me to $et the surname on the pla2ue chan$ed. My, you have a
lot of cars.how in the devil do you $et in3'
'It's pretty old,' he a$reed. 'Both doors are stuck, but it $oes like the wind. +ou have to
climb over.oh, what the hell.' )e picked her up, lifted her over the top of the racy little
convertible, and dropped her into the bucket seat.
'Where to3' he asked as he vaulted in over the other side. Beth $ave him her address,
and a direction or two. he took off her cap, pulled the elastic from her braids, and let the
wind comb her red-$old hair.
'Ma$nificent,' he commented.
'8eep your eyes on the road,' she returned primly. 'We don't allow blind drivin$ in
outh Boston. (hat bi$ brown house on the ri$ht, see it3'
'+es. Mac's place3'
'0ot e4actly,' she corrected. 'Mac lives there, but it's my house. -o in the driveway.'
(he car s2uealed to a stop.
'I.don't think I want to come in,' he said hesitantly. 'I'd rather.'
'6ust for once, do it my way,' she said firmly. 'It won't hurt.'
'+ou sound like my mother,' he muttered. ''8, I'm $ame. ,ead on.'
he had to use her key to unlock the downstairs apartment. Mary had $one home lon$
since, and the "entasec offices were shrouded in canvas covers and pulled curtains. '(his
is my office,' she said proudly, 'and I have to show you somethin$.' he pulled back two
of the curtains and turned on the fluorescent li$hts. ''ver here, please.'
(he "entasec computer was shut down for the weekend. Beth pulled its covers off,
and patted the crackle-steel case. '(here he is,' she said.
'(here who is3'
'(hat's M!&.my Multiple !ccess &omputer/'
'What3' ! roar, half-way between an$er and surprise. '! damn machine3 What are you
$ivin$ me, Beth3'
'#verythin$ you want,' she returned 2uietly. '!nythin$ you want.'
'But you told me.you were livin$ with a man, and you were $oin$ to $et married in
6une/'
'0o, "ichard, I didn't. (hat's what you told me. !ll I ever did was to let you $o on
thinkin$ what you already thou$ht.'
)e pulled her rou$hly into his arms. he leaned back from the waist and smiled up at
him. 'M!&,' he muttered. '!ll that time, M!&. I thou$ht I'd eat my $ut out before the
week was out. +ou.' ! thou$ht struck him. he could see it flash across his face. '&ome
on,' he ordered.
'&ome on where3 I have a nice bi$ flat upstairs, and I live by myself.'
'(here's somethin$ important I have to $ive you,' he said firmly. '&ome on.' )e left
nothin$ to chance, but took her hand and pulled her out on to the porch.
'I have to lock up,' she $asped. 'I've $ot fifty thousand dollars' worth of e2uipment in
there/' "ichard allowed her the time to turn the key, and not a minute more. Back in the
prite, he revved the en$ine like some -rand (our driver, and $unned it out into the
street.
'I'll come twice a week/' Beth yelled at him as they ;oomed across the &on$ress treet
brid$e and turned on to !tlantic !venue.
'What3 &ome where3'
'(o the 7ail to visit you. (hey only allow visitors twice a week.'
'What are you talkin$ about3'
'(here's always a motorcycle cop at the ne4t corner. !t this speed, they'll lock you up
and throw the key away/'
)e flashed her a $rin, but his foot let up on the accelerator.
'Better3'
'afer,' she shouted back. 'I don't want to cut our friendship short.'
)e scowled at that as he whipped the car up to the kerb in front of the publishin$
house, payin$ no attention to the 0o %arkin$ si$ns. But then, she thou$ht, who does in
Boston3
'I didn't intend to be your friend' he said $lumly, as he hauled her out of the seat and
stood her up on the sidewalk. 'Well, not only your friend.'
'Whatever do you mean, Mr Macomber3'
'!s soon as I can find a place for it, I'll show you, Mrs Macomber.'
'%romises, promises,' she teased. )e stru$$led with the lock on the front door. (he
buildin$ was totally empty, totally silent. But the elevator responded to his si$nal, hissin$
open with aplomb. 'I'd.maybe we should use the stairs,' she su$$ested humbly.
'Why in the world should we walk3'
'I don't have a $ood track record with your elevator, if you remember.'
'0onsense, woman. I've had it completely overhauled. tep in, and let's have no more
nonsense about it.'
'+es, sir.' Beth tipped two fin$ers to her forehead, and allowed him to usher her inside.
)e looked so lordly that her heart ached. And he loves me. And ( love him! (he elevator
$ave her an u$ly hiss, shook itself a couple of times, and started upward.
'We've $ot a $reat deal of talkin$ to do,' he said. (here was possession and passion and
domination all wrapped up in his words.
'We're $oin$ to have time to talk3' she asked an4iously. (he elevator must have heard.
It thumped a couple of times, and came to a dead stop half-way between the third and
fourth floors.
''h, my/' $roaned Beth. he swallowed the impulse to say, I told you so. (he man she
loved was lookin$ down at her with a pained e4pression on his face. It seemed, to an
ine4perienced wife, a $ood time to shut up or whistle, and her throat was too dry for
whistlin$.
"ichard worked over the bo4 of buttons a time or two, poundin$ rather than pushin$.
(he old elevator $roaned, but refused to move. 5rom the back of him, she thou$ht sure he
was in a ra$e. )is shoulders shook, and he pounded one bi$ fist on the steel wall.
'I told you the elevator had a $rud$e a$ainst me,' she offered.
'It's not your fault.' )e turned around, $rinnin$. Beth $ave a bi$ si$h of relief. 'What's
that mean3' he asked suspiciously.
'Well,' she said honestly, 'it means here I am trapped in a little cubicle with a man I
hardly know anythin$ about.'
'#4cept that he loves you,' he interrupted.
'Well, yes.there's that. I'm $lad you're lau$hin$. I thou$ht.it isn't important. 1o you
think they'll rescue us pretty soon3'
'1on't dod$e the issue,' he said seriously. '+ou thou$ht I was in a flamin$ ra$e, and
you were afraid. 1on't be, Beth. #ver. +es, I $o throu$h the roof at times. !ll Macombers
have bad tempers. But I'll never hurt you, love. 0ever.'
'I.I'm $lad,' she si$hed. 'It's.so hard to know. I $rew up with a father and four
brothers, and thou$ht I knew everythin$ there is to know about men. But it's different
bein$ married to one. It's like turnin$ all your heart and life into someone else's keepin$.
I $uess what I'm sayin$ is it takes a lot of trust.'
'!nd do you trust me3'
'+es. ?ery much so.' he rubbed the tip of her itchin$ nose and $rinned back at him.
'0ow, when are they $oin$ to come and rescue us3'
'Who3 (he buildin$'s empty. 0obody knows we're here. (he ne4t caller will arrive
around midni$ht. (hat's the security team that checks once a ni$ht.'
''h, my/ We'll be here until midni$ht3'
'6ust about. If we're lucky, that is.'
''h, my/' she repeated.
'+ou say that a lot, don't you3'
'I.only when I'm nervous. Is it a 5ederal crime3' )e shru$$ed his shoulders and sat
down on the carpet.
'Mi$ht as well make ourselves comfortable,' he su$$ested. It sounded more like an
order than a su$$estion to Beth. he moved a few feet away from him and sat down, too.
ilence prevailed. It became so 2uiet that she could hear the 2uakes and 2uivers of the
old buildin$ as it settled for the ni$ht. o what do we do now3 &ount our fin$ers3 she
thou$ht. Is there a deck of cards in your ba$3
'I've $ot some chewin$ $um,' she offered. 'I carry it for the boys. It rela4es them when
they're playin$.' !nd why am I babblin$, for $oodness' sake3 I'm trapped in an elevator
for si4 hours or more with my husband. (he instant thou$ht that followed brou$ht the
blood rushin$ to her cheeks. )e reached out a hand for a stick of $um, without sayin$ a
word.
5ive minutes seemed like five hours. Beth stirred restlessly and $lanced over at him,
to find him devourin$ her with his eyes. he needed somethin$ to say. 'Why did we come
over here, anyway3'
'I have two thin$s in my desk I wanted to $ive you,' he said solemnly.
'!nd you're not $oin$ to tell me what3' 1on't look at him, she schooled herself. It's the
only way to survive/
'I'd be $lad to tell you. (here's a tape, with somethin$ about blackmail on it. !nd then
there's a weddin$ contract. I wanted you to have them both, so you would know I was
keepin$ nothin$ to hold over your head. I thou$ht, back there at your office, that I mi$ht
$ive it one more try. (o $et you to love me, that is. But you.I don't know. I'd e4pected a
knock-down fi$ht with you, but there doesn't seem to be a stru$$le.'
'(hat's pretty bi$ of you, after tellin$ me you would $et our marria$e annulled, and I
could $o to M!&.'
'+our M!& is very lucky he's a machine, lady.'
'Why3' she asked.
'Because when I went into that house I was fully prepared to beat him to death, throw
you over my shoulder, and take you away with me.'
Beth shifted nervously a few inches farther away from him. 'But.you said, at the ball
park.'
'I was a fool at the ball park. I came to my senses in that drive to your house. +ou're
my woman.and I mean to keep you/ 1o you have anythin$ to say about that3'
'I.no. 'nly there was that little incident with your secretary. %erhaps you'd like to
say somethin$ about that3'
)e seemed to be havin$ trouble $ettin$ started. 'I had nothin$ to do with it, Beth.
)onestly.' )is eyes did a 2uick scan of her face. he did her best to maintain a neutral
front, but hidin$ the lau$hter was difficult. 'Well, I didn't,' he repeated with in7ured
innocence. 'he 7ust walked in and said I should look at the result of her operation, and up
went the skirt. !nd that's all/'
'But you didn't mind lookin$. I seem to remember you were thorou$hly en7oyin$ it.'
''8, so I was en7oyin$ it. But damn it, woman, I didn't insti$ate it. +ou have to
believe me.'
''h, I believe you,' she chuckled.
'Why, you little witch/ +ou were playin$ me alon$, weren't you3 &ome over here/'
he slid a few inches in his direction. 'More than that. &ay over here.' he moved another
few inches, only to find her hand captured in his. 'ne tu$ and she was in his lap.
'What.what are you doin$3'
'We have si4 hours or more before rescue arrives, and we have to find somethin$ to
do.'
'+es3' she responded breathlessly. '+ou've thou$ht of somethin$3'
'I have this fi4ation,' he chuckled. 'I keep hearin$ your niece sayin$ that you're her
maiden aunt. We need to do somethin$ about that.'
'I.but.I'll always be her aunt. What are you talkin$ about3' he fell back in his
arms, s2uintin$ up into his face. (hose dark eyes were lit up with amused purpose. )is
hand worked $ently at the buttons down the front of her blouse.
'+ou mean.ri$ht here3'
'(hat's why I had this nice soft carpet installed.'
'But the elevator is only si4 feet wide. +ou're si4 foot two/'
'5lunked $eometry, did you3 (he s2uare of the hypotenuse is e2ual to the sum of the
s2uares of the other two sides3'
'I heard that in school once. I didn't believe it. What does it mean3'
'It means that if we were to stretch out dia$onally here there would be plenty of room
for fun and $ames.'
!n hour later Beth opened her eyes to find herself lyin$ naked beside her husband. )e
stirred when she did. '1id I hurt you3' )e sounded so an4ious that she couldn't help
smilin$.
''nly a little,' she si$hed happily. 'I never knew it could be so.wow/ &ould we.3'
'1o it a$ain3'
'%lease/'
'+ou say that very nicely, lovely lady. What's that bi$ smile on your face all about3'
'I was 7ust wonderin$.'
'!bout what3'
'I wondered if there were a cate$ory in the -uinness Book of "ecords for doin$ it in
an elevator.'
'-ood -od, I've married a shameless hussy/'
'Well, I was $oin$ to tell our.'
'If our children hear a word about this, Beth, you're in trouble/'
'It seems to me I'm in trouble no matter which way I $o. But I won't tell our children.
'nly our $randdau$hters. Why.why don't you push the #mer$ency button3'
'Because I've $ot the emer$ency well in hand,' he leered.
'What are you doin$3'
Both his hands settled 7ust under her breasts. ''ne thin$ I hate is a babblin$ woman,'
he said. )is fin$ers be$an to move. 0o further words were re2uired.