wouldn't now feel as though she were the star attraction at a freak show.
When she stalked into the suite of offices used by Dain, Keri knew she had her wish. Miss Barth hadn't heard. She was standing close to Dain as he gave her instructions, evidently concerning a report he held in his hand, but Keri sensed that the report was merely window dressing. Dain was there to see if she had obeyed his orders, and from the way his eyes flickered from Keri, confirming her appearance, back to watch Miss Barth, Keri knew he had wanted to be on hand to see Miss Barth's reaction. It was worth watching, if you liked that sort of thing.
It certainly was classic. Miss Barth's mouth dropped open, her eyes widened and darkened with shock. She turned white, then red, then white again around the mouth and nostrils, her shiny red lipgloss standing out starkly against the surrounding pressure-whitened skin. It gave the momentary effect of a clown mask—scarlet mouth against white greasepaint,—but it wasn't a smile that twisted those lips.
All humor had fled from the situation as far as Keri was concerned. She had made an enemy, though not by her will or by her desire. Miss Barth was feeling a fool and she was sure to blame Keri, human nature being sadly what it is.
"Ah, good morning, Miss Dalton." Dain's smoothly appreciative voice unfroze the three of them. "How charming you look this morning. A new outfit?"
Keri shot him a malignant glare. Somehow she knew that he'd never commented on Miss Barth's attire, new or not, and was merely pouring gasoline instead of soothing oil on inflammable and troubled waters! He didn't wither suitably beneath her scorning glare and his mouth compressed and twitched suspiciously.
Keri tried to salvage what she could of the situation. She ignored his comment. "Good morning, Mr. Randolph. Good morning, Miss Barth. I hope you had a pleasant weekend, Miss Barth."
Miss Barth didn't answer. No matter how exciting her weekend had been, Keri had just ruined her day!
"I had a very nice weekend, Miss Dalton," Dain introjected smoothly. Keri waited for his next words with a sense of inescapable fatalism. He was going to ... He did. "I found your godparents charming, and I'm glad they enjoyed our dinner together. Well have to take them out again soon, won't we?"
Keri's look assured him that she'd see him served up as the main course, an apple stuffed firmly in his mouth, if they ever dined together again. Miss Barth was oblivious to the byplay and Keri's disinclination to attract Dain's notice. As far as she was concerned, Keri Dalton was a scheming, manchasing, unprincipled epithet and the sooner she, Elise Barth, made Keri's position untenable, the better.
Keri glanced briefly at Miss Barth and read her mind like an open book. Oh, Mr, Simonds, she lamented mentally. Why did you ever have to mention that you had a new secretary? Keri still suffered under the delusion that Dain had heard of her through normal channels. Her enlightenment on that misconception was in the mercifully still shrouded future.
Feeling that nothing more could be gained, Keri prepared to retreat into the relative safety of the office she shared with Mrs. Covey. At least that lady wouldn't look at her with the hungry ferocity of a starving vixen preparing to take the first bite out of a farmyard chicken. Miss Barth's eyes had lost their initial dark surprise and now glittered with an icy malice, the pupils contracted to pinpoints of antagonism.
"If you'll excuse me, Mr. Randolph—"Keri began, moving toward the door. She wasn't allowed to finish.
"Just a moment, Keri." Her eyes flashed to him in shock. This was really going too far. Miss Barth's mouth had fallen open again. "I'd like to see you in my office for a moment, Keri. I have a few things I wish to discuss with you that I wasn't able to cover on Sunday." His look was significant and compelling.
Keri knew then, without further confirmation, that it had been Dain on Sunday, letting
When she stalked into the suite of offices used by Dain, Keri knew she had her wish. Miss Barth hadn't heard. She was standing close to Dain as he gave her instructions, evidently concerning a report he held in his hand, but Keri sensed that the report was merely window dressing. Dain was there to see if she had obeyed his orders, and from the way his eyes flickered from Keri, confirming her appearance, back to watch Miss Barth, Keri knew he had wanted to be on hand to see Miss Barth's reaction. It was worth watching, if you liked that sort of thing.
It certainly was classic. Miss Barth's mouth dropped open, her eyes widened and darkened with shock. She turned white, then red, then white again around the mouth and nostrils, her shiny red lipgloss standing out starkly against the surrounding pressure-whitened skin. It gave the momentary effect of a clown mask—scarlet mouth against white greasepaint,—but it wasn't a smile that twisted those lips.
All humor had fled from the situation as far as Keri was concerned. She had made an enemy, though not by her will or by her desire. Miss Barth was feeling a fool and she was sure to blame Keri, human nature being sadly what it is.
"Ah, good morning, Miss Dalton." Dain's smoothly appreciative voice unfroze the three of them. "How charming you look this morning. A new outfit?"
Keri shot him a malignant glare. Somehow she knew that he'd never commented on Miss Barth's attire, new or not, and was merely pouring gasoline instead of soothing oil on inflammable and troubled waters! He didn't wither suitably beneath her scorning glare and his mouth compressed and twitched suspiciously.
Keri tried to salvage what she could of the situation. She ignored his comment. "Good morning, Mr. Randolph. Good morning, Miss Barth. I hope you had a pleasant weekend, Miss Barth."
Miss Barth didn't answer. No matter how exciting her weekend had been, Keri had just ruined her day!
"I had a very nice weekend, Miss Dalton," Dain introjected smoothly. Keri waited for his next words with a sense of inescapable fatalism. He was going to ... He did. "I found your godparents charming, and I'm glad they enjoyed our dinner together. Well have to take them out again soon, won't we?"
Keri's look assured him that she'd see him served up as the main course, an apple stuffed firmly in his mouth, if they ever dined together again. Miss Barth was oblivious to the byplay and Keri's disinclination to attract Dain's notice. As far as she was concerned, Keri Dalton was a scheming, manchasing, unprincipled epithet and the sooner she, Elise Barth, made Keri's position untenable, the better.
Keri glanced briefly at Miss Barth and read her mind like an open book. Oh, Mr, Simonds, she lamented mentally. Why did you ever have to mention that you had a new secretary? Keri still suffered under the delusion that Dain had heard of her through normal channels. Her enlightenment on that misconception was in the mercifully still shrouded future.
Feeling that nothing more could be gained, Keri prepared to retreat into the relative safety of the office she shared with Mrs. Covey. At least that lady wouldn't look at her with the hungry ferocity of a starving vixen preparing to take the first bite out of a farmyard chicken. Miss Barth's eyes had lost their initial dark surprise and now glittered with an icy malice, the pupils contracted to pinpoints of antagonism.
"If you'll excuse me, Mr. Randolph—"Keri began, moving toward the door. She wasn't allowed to finish.
"Just a moment, Keri." Her eyes flashed to him in shock. This was really going too far. Miss Barth's mouth had fallen open again. "I'd like to see you in my office for a moment, Keri. I have a few things I wish to discuss with you that I wasn't able to cover on Sunday." His look was significant and compelling.
Keri knew then, without further confirmation, that it had been Dain on Sunday, letting
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