A Man To Tame - Rachel Lindsay (Roberta Leigh) Read Online Free PDF Page A

felt too ill or nervous
to work. But here she was entirely alone. Had Peter realised
this when he had suggested she come here? Her spoon rattled in her Saucer and
she looked at it, surprised to see she was holding it and her fingers were
trembling. She set it down and put her hands in her lap. Joshua Howard was
still looking at her and she knew he was waiting for her to answer his
question. Yet to tell him she knew nothing about this job other than the
strictly medical work she was expected to do—would require her to explain why
she had come here in the first place. Seeing his hard glance she knew such an
explanation was impossible. So physical a man as Joshua Howard would only be
likely to understand physical illness. The suffering that mental anguish could cause
would be quite outside his appreciation.
    'As Peter recommended the job,' she
murmured, ‘he suggested I leave all the arrangements to him.'
    'I'm surprised you didn't consider
it a sign of weakness to do so.'
    'I try to find advantages in being
female, Mr Howard, and leave others to find the
disadvantages.'
    He did not appear to appreciate the
comment, nor did he ask if she wanted another cup of coffee, but stood up to
indicate the lunch was over. 'I will have Dermot Kane show you around.'
    She nodded and walked beside him as
they left 4he private dining room. The large one was already deserted and
glancing at her watch she saw they had only been an hour at lunch. But
obviously this was considered too long for the man beside her, for he had
increased Ms stride as though he were impatient to
return to his office. Unwilling to lag behind Mm, she half-ran to keep up with
him and her breath was fast and shallow by the time he reached the end of the
corridor. Expecting Mm to stop at his secretary's door, she barely stopped
herself in time. As it was her arm brushed against his and she drew back
sharply. Close to Mm she felt even smaller than usual and had to tilt her head
back sharply in order to look into Ms face. He must be
all of six foot three, she surmised, and had the build of a rugger
player. No wonder he had felt he could ride rough-shod over her when he had
seen her.
    He opened the door and beckoned her
to go in ahead of him. She did so and Dermot Kane jumped up from a chair. He
glanced from her to his employer and appeared to read the man's expression, for
he gave Kate a faint smile.
    'Show Dr Gibson where the surgery
is,' Joshua Howard said abruptly, 'then take her and
get her settled in the house.'
    ‘What house?' she asked, turning
quickly to look at him.
    ‘Read your letters, Dr Gibson,' he
said coldly. ‘You will find it all written there.'
    Colour came and went in her cheeks and without a word she walked
out He really was the most insufferable man she had met!
    'Don't let him rile you,' Dermot
Kane said, falling into step beside her. 'If he knows he can get under your
skin he'll do it all the more.'
    'You mean he's a sadist as well as
a bully?' Even as she spoke she knew how childish the words sounded. 'Don't
take any notice of me, Mr Kane. I'm tired and in a
bad mood.'
    'It must be an ordeal taking up a
new post.' 'It isn't easy,' she admitted. 'You knew Mr
Howard would try to send me away, didn't you?' she continued.
    knew he hadn't realised you were
a woman when he engaged you. You signed your letters K. Gibson. I spent quite a
time wondering what it stood for. I finally came up with Kenneth. It never
dawned on me it would be——-' He paused. 'What actually is it?'
    'Kate.' Her look was still
speculative. That's why you didn't recognise me when
I got off the train this morning-'
    'I was looking for a middle-aged
man in tweeds!'
    'It's Peter's fault,' she said
crossly and, seeing Dermot Kane's questioning look, added: 'He's one of the
partners in the group practice where I've been working. He knows Mr Howard personally. It was foolish of him not to warn me
he was a woman-hater.’
    'Howard a
woman-hater!' The young man stopped in
his stride.