Jimmy could drop off the correct part at my mother’s then I could leave at the crack of dawn tomorrow and get here early?’
`Very well, I’ll do that,’ Roseanne nodded resignedly. She turned to the rest of the group. `The rest of you may as well go home early. We shall have to put in a long day tomorrow to catch up and get the order despatched as soon as we can.’
Roseanne arrived early the following morning but Trevor was already working at the plant and Euan was working with him, wearing his faded jeans and with his sleeves rolled up. He looked masculine and attractive and Roseanne felt her stomach muscles clench in a way they never had before. She couldn’t understand why Euan should have such an effect on her. He looked up and caught her glance and grinned, almost as though he could read her thoughts. Roseanne blushed, then felt furious with herself. The two men seemed to be getting on all right and she left them to it to get her own work forward. She knew they would have to work later this evening if they were to make up time with the order. She had telephoned to explain the delivery would be delayed and had received a very brusque and chilly response from the man at the other end. They couldn’t afford to lose such an important customer, especially during Mr K’s absence.
It was almost mid-day before the machine was repaired and checked, cleaned and sterilised ready to run. Roseanne knew all the workers and their circumstances and she went across to the factory line to speak to Anne Gray. The young woman looked strained and tired.
`You can leave at your usual time this afternoon, Anne. I will take your place on the line myself.’ She smiled. `It will be good for me to keep in practice,’ she assured her and was rewarded by the gratitude on the young woman’s face. Anne had ten month old twins and her husband worked shifts. His mother usually helped look after the children but she had not been in good health herself recently.
Euan was surprised when he saw Roseanne putting on a white coat and one of the hats worn by all the women on the processing line. It was almost the end of the day and the staff from the other plants were already leaving.
`Whatever are you doing?’ he asked. She explained about Anne Gray.
`She is a good worker and she has been with us since she left school. Anyway it will be good for me to keep myself trained up in the process and I would not have gone home until I knew the order was safely into the chilled lorry and on its way. ’
`I see, ’ Euan said in bemused tones as he watched her tuck a few strands of her vibrant hair beneath the cap. `What time do you expect to finish?’
`We should be loaded by about eight thirty to nine o’ clock I think so it’s not too late. I am glad Trevor made an effort to get here so early this morning though or we would have been here until midnight.’
`Even so you’ll be hungry and tired. I tell you what I’ll cook dinner for both of us in the flat. Will you promise to come up as soon as you finish?’
`So long as you’re not cooking steak pie or sausages? I couldn’t face them tonight, however good they are.’
All right, I promise to cook something light. I’m enjoying having a kitchen and doing some experimental cooking. Do you li ke fish?’
`Yes, but a salad would do. It is all I would have the energy to make by the time I get home anyway.’
`I’ll see what I can do, to please your ladyship, ’ he said with a grin, and Roseanne had to admit she enjoyed the pleasant camaraderie they shared since the weekend they had spent at Ashburn. She frowned, recalling his uncles’ strange comment regarding their visit to the farm. She must remember to ask Euan about that.
It had been a long day by the time everything was finished and made ready for the processing plant to begin all over again the following day. Although Roseanne was tired and almost wished she had said she would go straight home, she felt a glow of satisfaction at a
`Very well, I’ll do that,’ Roseanne nodded resignedly. She turned to the rest of the group. `The rest of you may as well go home early. We shall have to put in a long day tomorrow to catch up and get the order despatched as soon as we can.’
Roseanne arrived early the following morning but Trevor was already working at the plant and Euan was working with him, wearing his faded jeans and with his sleeves rolled up. He looked masculine and attractive and Roseanne felt her stomach muscles clench in a way they never had before. She couldn’t understand why Euan should have such an effect on her. He looked up and caught her glance and grinned, almost as though he could read her thoughts. Roseanne blushed, then felt furious with herself. The two men seemed to be getting on all right and she left them to it to get her own work forward. She knew they would have to work later this evening if they were to make up time with the order. She had telephoned to explain the delivery would be delayed and had received a very brusque and chilly response from the man at the other end. They couldn’t afford to lose such an important customer, especially during Mr K’s absence.
It was almost mid-day before the machine was repaired and checked, cleaned and sterilised ready to run. Roseanne knew all the workers and their circumstances and she went across to the factory line to speak to Anne Gray. The young woman looked strained and tired.
`You can leave at your usual time this afternoon, Anne. I will take your place on the line myself.’ She smiled. `It will be good for me to keep in practice,’ she assured her and was rewarded by the gratitude on the young woman’s face. Anne had ten month old twins and her husband worked shifts. His mother usually helped look after the children but she had not been in good health herself recently.
Euan was surprised when he saw Roseanne putting on a white coat and one of the hats worn by all the women on the processing line. It was almost the end of the day and the staff from the other plants were already leaving.
`Whatever are you doing?’ he asked. She explained about Anne Gray.
`She is a good worker and she has been with us since she left school. Anyway it will be good for me to keep myself trained up in the process and I would not have gone home until I knew the order was safely into the chilled lorry and on its way. ’
`I see, ’ Euan said in bemused tones as he watched her tuck a few strands of her vibrant hair beneath the cap. `What time do you expect to finish?’
`We should be loaded by about eight thirty to nine o’ clock I think so it’s not too late. I am glad Trevor made an effort to get here so early this morning though or we would have been here until midnight.’
`Even so you’ll be hungry and tired. I tell you what I’ll cook dinner for both of us in the flat. Will you promise to come up as soon as you finish?’
`So long as you’re not cooking steak pie or sausages? I couldn’t face them tonight, however good they are.’
All right, I promise to cook something light. I’m enjoying having a kitchen and doing some experimental cooking. Do you li ke fish?’
`Yes, but a salad would do. It is all I would have the energy to make by the time I get home anyway.’
`I’ll see what I can do, to please your ladyship, ’ he said with a grin, and Roseanne had to admit she enjoyed the pleasant camaraderie they shared since the weekend they had spent at Ashburn. She frowned, recalling his uncles’ strange comment regarding their visit to the farm. She must remember to ask Euan about that.
It had been a long day by the time everything was finished and made ready for the processing plant to begin all over again the following day. Although Roseanne was tired and almost wished she had said she would go straight home, she felt a glow of satisfaction at a
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