103. She Wanted Love Read Online Free PDF Page B

saw at the far end of the room that there was a high desk and seated at it was an elderly woman with grey hair and wearing glasses.
    On the desk there was a large book and in front of her was a woman who was obviously asking for a job.
    As she stood wondering if she should sit down, the woman turned away and started to walk towards the door.
    Obviously she was now leaving and Eleta decided to speak to Mrs. Hill before anyone else did, so, walking slowly as if in no hurry, she approached the desk.
    Mrs. Hill was making a note in the book and so did not look up until Eleta reached her and then she asked in a somewhat affected voice,
    “Who are you?”
    “My name is Ellen Lawson and – I am hoping, Mrs. Hill, that you could – find me a place as a Governess.”
    “As a Governess!” Mrs. Hill exclaimed. “You look too young to be teaching children and that’s a fact.”
    “I am older than I look,” Eleta answered. “And I do speak a number of languages fluently including French, German, Spanish and Greek.”
    Mrs. Hill regarded at her as if she thought that she was joking and then she laughed.
    “There are not many children in Mayfair who want to learn all that,” she said.
    “Perhaps I could be a secretary in an Embassy.”
    Eleta had only just thought of that idea and then she wondered why she had not done so before.
    “Embassies usually take on people from their own countries,” Mrs. Hill said, “and they seldom come asking me for staff.”
    There was a note in her voice that told Eleta it was a sore point, so she therefore persevered quietly,
    “I would be very glad of a position. As I have said, preferably with children or as a secretary to anyone who has to deal with foreign countries.”
    “If you mean businessmen, you will find them hard task-masters and mean on the cash. In fact to be honest I don’t encourage them to come here looking for staff.”
    Eleta was silent. She felt that Mrs. Hill was being hostile and she would then have to think of another way of escaping from her stepfather.
    Then unexpectedly a woman she had not noticed put her head in sight. She obviously had been listening to the conversation and was working behind another desk.
    “What about the Marquis?” she asked almost in a whisper.
    “I had not thought of him,” Mrs. Hill replied. “In fact I had forgotten he was back on our books again.”
    ”For the umpteenth time,” the other woman joked, “and you can be certain it’ll not be the last!”
    Eleta was listening intently and, as Mrs. Hill was hesitating, she said,
    “I am very experienced and I should have given you these the moment I arrived.”
    She handed over the two references she had written herself and Mrs. Hill took them from her and read them.
    Then she said,
    “I do remember the Countess. It wasn’t very often they changed their staff. A very kind Lady she was, which is more than I can say for some of them as live in Berkeley Square.”
    “I was very happy with her until she died.”
    “I can well believe that. You can take my word for it, it’s the best that go first and we’re left with the worst!”
    Mrs. Hill read the second letter again.
    “Why have you left this Lady?” she asked.
    “She has gone back to France and since I have been in France for some years I want to be in England now.”
    “I can understand that,” Mrs. Hill replied. “When it comes down to it, there’s nowhere like home.”
    “That is why I am hoping you will be able to find me somewhere here,” Eleta added.
    Mrs. Hill’s assistant piped up.
    “It’s no use, she will have to go to the Marquis and we can only hope she’ll stay longer than the last two did.”
    “Who is this Marquis,” Eleta asked, “and why does he change his staff so frequently?”
    “You may have heard of him. He’s the Marquis of Teringford and it’s his child who gives us more trouble than anyone else.”
    “His child?” Eleta questioned.
    “There’s not one woman in a million who can