More Than Meets the Eye Read Online Free PDF Page B

Fraser. ‘The only fault I’d find with him is that he’s not much of a team player. He takes on anything I ask him to do without complaint, but I find it better to use him on individual tasks. He’s not as good when he’s working in a group. But that might come with time.’
    Cooper nodded thoughtfully. He wandered away to the edge of the gardens as the first influx of the day’s visitors flowed into the popular areas. Near the southern boundary of the property, he found Alex Fraser at work with a scythe beneath ornamental trees. He was stripped to the waist, but there was no mistaking the fiery red hair which marked Fraser off from his peers. He watched him swinging the scythe rhythmically, the naked torso and the ancient implement moving almost as a single unit, the long blade cutting the lush grass with surprising swiftness round the boles of the trees.
    â€˜You’ve got the knack of that quickly!’ Dennis said as the scythe reached the last tree and its handler prepared to move on to the next section of his task.
    Fraser jumped a little at the comment. He had been so absorbed in the rhythm of his task, so dedicated to the movement of man and scythe as a unit, that he had been totally unconscious of any other human presence in this quiet place. It took him a moment to realize that this was not a member of the visiting public, who often felt the need to compliment him upon his work, but the boss himself. The big boss, the man who controlled the careers of even men like Jim Hartley.
    Alex managed a smile as he said, ‘You get the hang of it, eventually. I’d never even seen a scythe afore I came here. You have to get your whole body moving with it, to get the best out of it. You sort of let the blade control you.’
    Cooper looked at the widely spaced handles, polished smooth by decades of use by long-departed hands. ‘I’ll take your word for that. I’ve never even tried to use a scythe.’
    For a moment, he thought Fraser was going to offer him the use of the implement. Then he grinned and said, ‘There’s no need, is there? You’ve got other things to do.’ Though exactly what bigwigs like Cooper did had always been a mystery to Alex. Took decisions, he supposed. But you couldn’t do that all the time, could you?
    Dennis said as casually as he could, ‘Like it here, do you, Alex?’
    Fraser was always suspicious when bigwigs used his forename. When people had done that in the home, there had usually been something bad coming up. ‘S’all right.’ Then, realizing that he should have grown out of this teenage surliness, he made an effort. ‘It’s better than all right. I’m enjoying the work here even more than I expected. Better than I ever thought I could.’ He realized that this might be one of his rare chances to talk to the top brass, the person who made decisions. He wasn’t stupid, and he also realized that he should be making out a case for himself. ‘I’m glad of the chance I was given, Mr Cooper, and I want to make the most of it. I like the work here.’
    Alex wondered if that sounded too much like arse-licking. But he wasn’t used to sucking up and the chance had come to him unexpectedly. He said desperately, ‘I’d like to work here permanently, if there was any chance of that. But I don’t suppose . . .’ His voice trailed away miserably and he wondered if he’d said too much.
    â€˜Out of my hands, that, Alex. All depends on the funds available to the Trust at the end of the year.’ Cooper delivered smoothly the answer he had ready for anyone who mentioned permanent employment. He leaned a little towards Fraser, looking at the green of the trees above his head even as he spoke almost into the young man’s ear. ‘With a bit of luck, we might be able to take one of you lads on, in due course. But there can’t be any promises as