it is my responsibility to reward exceptional work, and I will not take no for an answer.” He firmly pressed the flowers into her hand, ignoring her gasp as a thorn found her finger. Before she could say anything else, he glanced around in admiration. “I had heard you did a good job here in the library. Actually you have done a fantastic one.”
He gazed at the library shelves. He could tell exactly which ones she had finished. The six shelves beside him were neat, the books were in good order, and their spines were all facing out. Small tabs of paper with numbers written on them had been glued to the spines, and the duster had been used to full advantage.
Looking ridiculously pleased at his compliment, she glanced toward the table. “I am starting a card catalog that will correspond to these numbers,” she said proudly. “Soon you will be able to find any book within a few minutes.”
“You have done a great job,” Charles said in admiration. “My applause, Miss Appleton.”
Winifred smiled, unconsciously burying her nose in the flowers. “I am just glad to make a contribution. I finished most of the copying this morning, then the filing. I thought I would keep busy with this until Mr. Witherspoon comes back with more work.”
“I see.” He suddenly noticed her dingy desk. “Is this where you have been working?”
“Yes.” She nodded. “Mr. Witherspoon suggested I do the copying here. It is perfectly adequate, even if the lighting is poor.”
He walked across the library to a suite of offices. Taking out a key, he unlocked the door and held it wide open. “Take this one. Chambers is on leave and will not be returning until spring.”
“But—” She put the roses down and peeked inside. The office was comfortable and functional. A green leather chair stood in one corner, shelves lined the wall, and a polished oak desk graced the center of the room. There was an oil lamp on the table, and a gas chandelier hung overhead. Charles turned it up, and the room burst into brilliant light.
“This is beautiful,” she said, gazing at the office in awe. “But I could not possibly—”
“Why not? It isn’t being used. Besides, without enough light, you will damage your eyesight. Didn’t your mother ever tell you that?”
The teasing quality was back in his voice. Winifred swallowed hard. “Thank you,” she said awkwardly. Suddenly she realized how close she was standing to him. Taking a step backward, her bustle hit the door, preventing her escape.
“You are welcome.” He took a step forward, closing the distance between them. “That is twice you owe me. I think I like having you in my debt.”
There was something alarming about his voice. Winifred took a deep breath, but that proved her undoing, for the scent of his cologne, lime water mingled with male, filled her head, making it difficult to think. Remembering her resolve, she tried to compose herself, but when his hand gently touched her cheek, his thumb softly brushing the fullness of her lip, she was undone. She closed her eyes in anticipation, waiting for his kiss.…
It never came. Her eyes flew open after an embarrassingly long pause, and she saw Charles watching her with an odd smile.
“Why, Miss Appleton, are you tempting me to forget my promise?”
Mortification filled her, as she realized that he had never intended to kiss her!
“No, I never! I don’t know what you mean—”
He laughed, then chucked her affectionately under the chin.
“Good night, Winifred. I am looking forward very much to continuing our … working relationship.”
He turned on his heel and left. His manner was less of a cocky assurance than of cool determination. As his footsteps receded, Winifred sighed in relief.Picking up his flowers, she stared thoughtfully at the gorgeous blooms. It had been her first test, and she had failed miserably.
“It will not happen again,” she said to the empty room.
C HAPTER 3
T he New York sun did little to
He gazed at the library shelves. He could tell exactly which ones she had finished. The six shelves beside him were neat, the books were in good order, and their spines were all facing out. Small tabs of paper with numbers written on them had been glued to the spines, and the duster had been used to full advantage.
Looking ridiculously pleased at his compliment, she glanced toward the table. “I am starting a card catalog that will correspond to these numbers,” she said proudly. “Soon you will be able to find any book within a few minutes.”
“You have done a great job,” Charles said in admiration. “My applause, Miss Appleton.”
Winifred smiled, unconsciously burying her nose in the flowers. “I am just glad to make a contribution. I finished most of the copying this morning, then the filing. I thought I would keep busy with this until Mr. Witherspoon comes back with more work.”
“I see.” He suddenly noticed her dingy desk. “Is this where you have been working?”
“Yes.” She nodded. “Mr. Witherspoon suggested I do the copying here. It is perfectly adequate, even if the lighting is poor.”
He walked across the library to a suite of offices. Taking out a key, he unlocked the door and held it wide open. “Take this one. Chambers is on leave and will not be returning until spring.”
“But—” She put the roses down and peeked inside. The office was comfortable and functional. A green leather chair stood in one corner, shelves lined the wall, and a polished oak desk graced the center of the room. There was an oil lamp on the table, and a gas chandelier hung overhead. Charles turned it up, and the room burst into brilliant light.
“This is beautiful,” she said, gazing at the office in awe. “But I could not possibly—”
“Why not? It isn’t being used. Besides, without enough light, you will damage your eyesight. Didn’t your mother ever tell you that?”
The teasing quality was back in his voice. Winifred swallowed hard. “Thank you,” she said awkwardly. Suddenly she realized how close she was standing to him. Taking a step backward, her bustle hit the door, preventing her escape.
“You are welcome.” He took a step forward, closing the distance between them. “That is twice you owe me. I think I like having you in my debt.”
There was something alarming about his voice. Winifred took a deep breath, but that proved her undoing, for the scent of his cologne, lime water mingled with male, filled her head, making it difficult to think. Remembering her resolve, she tried to compose herself, but when his hand gently touched her cheek, his thumb softly brushing the fullness of her lip, she was undone. She closed her eyes in anticipation, waiting for his kiss.…
It never came. Her eyes flew open after an embarrassingly long pause, and she saw Charles watching her with an odd smile.
“Why, Miss Appleton, are you tempting me to forget my promise?”
Mortification filled her, as she realized that he had never intended to kiss her!
“No, I never! I don’t know what you mean—”
He laughed, then chucked her affectionately under the chin.
“Good night, Winifred. I am looking forward very much to continuing our … working relationship.”
He turned on his heel and left. His manner was less of a cocky assurance than of cool determination. As his footsteps receded, Winifred sighed in relief.Picking up his flowers, she stared thoughtfully at the gorgeous blooms. It had been her first test, and she had failed miserably.
“It will not happen again,” she said to the empty room.
C HAPTER 3
T he New York sun did little to
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