Chapter Thirty-Four
On Monday morning, there was a shift in the atmosphere at Hood, Mann & Derek, one which junior partner Alan Mann likened to a sense of foreboding. He’d already heard, through the office grapevine, that Chrissie had packed her bags and left her prat of a boyfriend. Rumour had it she’d caught Andrew with a woman old enough to be his great-great-great-grandmother. There was another story circulating about Dee, who’d been spotted driving through Seal with tear-stained face, but nobody knew why.
Despite specialising in family law, Alan wasn’t very good with hysterical females. He hoped he didn’t find Dee sobbing over her keyboard when they exchanged their good mornings. Approximately twice a week, a female client would burst into tears and weep all over Alan’s jotter pad, which he found incredibly awkward for two reasons. Firstly, in today’s no-touching-or-I-will-sue-you society, he was unable to put a comforting arm around a client’s shoulder. Secondly, the client’s tears always made his notes, written in ink, spread out and bloom like a pH indicator test on litmus paper. Alan hoped Dee would maintain a British “stiff upper lip” over whatever had upset her. He relied heavily upon her, especially when he had the occasional female breaking down as they filed for divorce. A client always calmed down when Dee came in with a soothing cup of tea and a plate of “cheer-up” biscuits. The last thing he needed was a weeping client and a wailing secretary duetting over his jotter pad. He pulled the notebook possessively towards him as the first client of the day took a seat opposite his desk.
Cougar Kate was feeling jubilant. As she stood in the staff kitchen pouring boiling water into two mugs for Clive Derek and herself, she was confiding in young Jessica from Accounts everything that had happened to her over a crazy but fabulous weekend. Kate was so excited because, after months of despairing it would ever happen – not to mention a warning from Madam Rosa – her much younger boyfriend had moved in. He’d finally been able to escape the clutches of his unstable, highly-strung, totally neurotic ex-girlfriend. He’d assured Kate his relationship had been dead for months, but he’d not been able to extricate himself before now because the wretched woman had always threatened to kill herself. But for some bizarre reason, the nutty ex-girlfriend had lost the plot and gone bonkers. Apparently, she’d emptied the entire contents of his wardrobe all over their lawn.
‘Between you and me, Jessica, and this is not for repeating, I’m handing in my notice this morning. Now that my boyfriend has moved in, he can support me. I’m going to give up work and start trying for a family. I’ve been reading how important it is to be relaxed in order to conceive. After all, I’m now forty. Time is not on my side. So bye-bye work, and hello to getting pregnant.’
‘I won’t tell a soul, promise,’ said Jessica, crossing her fingers behind her back.
Kate sighed happily as she stirred the two drinks. She had clouds in her coffee and love in her heart. ‘The only downside to the weekend was losing a diamond earring.’
Outside, in the corridor, Steve Hood froze. He’d already overheard Amber whispering down the phone to her sister – something about chucking clothes about, and a diamond earring in her bed. Amber might have thought Steve couldn’t hear her, but she didn’t realise she had a voice like a fog-horn and her voice box didn’t know how to talk quietly. Steve had glanced at Amber to see if she was all right, but she’d misconstrued his expression as one of annoyance for making a personal call in company time. She’d gazed at him with watery eyes and mouthed, ‘Sorry, just five minutes, please,’ and he’d nodded and mimed sipping a drink, to which Amber had given the thumbs up. Steve remembered only too well how Kate had made a move on Amber’s boyfriend at the last Christmas party. Now it would seem the two of them had been having it off behind Amber’s back. What a despicable pair. He stepped into the kitchen, and Kate and Jessica clammed up.
‘Morning, ladies,’ he said, with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.
Jessica nodded in greeting. Grabbing her coffee, she hastily absented herself leaving Kate alone with Steve. Kate regarded Amber’s boss with cool eyes.
‘Hello,’ she said, her lips pinching into a thin line. She’d never told a soul, but in a moment of gloominess, thinking Matthew might never leave Amber, she’d recently made a clumsy pass at Steve. He’d rejected her. Kate had felt humiliated. Her cheeks flamed at the memory. She’d heard the rumours about Steve Hood. Both conflicting. She certainly didn’t believe he was gay. And he definitely wasn’t a woman who’d had a sex-change operation – because that was a rumour she’d put about herself after his rejection. Revenge was sweet. She picked up the two coffees and made to leave the kitchen, only to find Steve shutting the door and barring exit. She smiled, coldly.
‘If you’re looking for sexual favours, you’re too late,’ she said nastily. ‘I’m no longer interested.’
‘I’m not,’ said Steve bluntly.
‘What do you want?’
‘I want you to drink your coffee with Clive Derek and, whilst doing so, tell him that not only are you handing in your resignation today, but it is with great regret you cannot work your notice. I expect you to tell Clive, truthfully, why. Your position here is not tenable.’
Kate’s eyes narrowed. ‘Why isn’t it?’
‘It won’t be long before Amber finds out Matthew has moved in with you. It’s bad enough that neither of you had the decency to tell her yourself, but there’s no way you’re rubbing her nose in it for another month while you strut around this office like the cat who’s swiped the cream.’
‘You bastard,’ Kate spat. ‘Got the hots for her, have you? I always thought you looked at her with dewy eyes when her back was turned.’
‘My feelings for Amber are borne out of concern,’ said Steve, ‘but I’m not having my first-class secretary compromised by a second-rate typist.’ He opened the kitchen door again, and stood aside for her. ‘Don’t let me hold you up, Kate.’