anything she could do to convince David she wasn't after his money, so he would let her go? Her situation seemed entirely hopeless, and once again she cried herself to sleep.
Chapter 7
The next morning Laura awoke in a more cheerful frame of mind. She remembered her lunch date with Midge and was looking forward to it. After showering quickly, she walked to her closet in search of an outfit suitable for the day's activities. She frowned, remembering that all her clothing was new and she had nothing in the way of jeans. She could just imagine Miss Wentworth's shocked expression if she had suggested purchasing a pair of jeans. However, she didn't feel that one of her sophisticated new outfits would be appropriate attire for the plant shop. She looked through the closet until she found a pair of apricot linen slacks with a matching silk blouse and cashmere cardigan. Then, quickly applying her lip gloss and running a comb through her hair, she opened her bedroom door and walked into the kitchen.
"May I please have some coffee and toast?" she said to Mrs. Thompson, who was busy dicing some vegetables.
"Mrs. Lattimer, if you would just ring the bell we would bring your breakfast into the dining room, or your bedroom, if you prefer. I'm sure Mr. Lattimer would be very upset if he found that you were eating in the kitchen."
"Very well," Laura said contritely, "it won't do to disturb Mr. Lattimer, so I'll have my coffee in the dining room."
She proceeded to the huge dining room, which was elegantly furnished with ornately carved walnut pieces. Feeling totally dwarfed and alone, she sat at one end of the massive table, staring into the sparkling glare of an enormous silver candelabrum. Jeffry walked into the room bearing a tray with her toast and coffee.
"Mrs. Thompson asks if you would like eggs or sausage with your toast?"
"No, thank you, Jeffry, please tell her that toast and coffee are all I ever eat for breakfast."
Jeffry frowned. "Mr. Lattimer believes in having a hearty breakfast. He won't approve of you having just toast and coffee."
Laura looked into Jeffry's distressed eyes. "Mr. Lattimer may not approve of many things I do."
Jeffry was startled. "Mrs. Lattimer! Please don't say things like that. I have been in Mr. Lattimer's employ for many years and it makes me most uncomfortable to hear such talk. We are all very fond of Mr. Lattimer and always do our best to make him happy. Now, if you have no further need of me, I shall return to my duties."
Well
, thought Laura,
there goes my only friend. I suppose David can't be all bad if his employees can feel so strongly about him
. She gulped down her coffee and ran out the door, eager to exchange this hostile atmosphere for the warmth of the plant shop which she loved so well.
She had exited the elevator and was walking through the lobby, when she was confronted by Dan, her husband's chauffeur.
"Would you like me to drive you somewhere, Mrs. Lattimer?"
"No, thank you, Dan, I can take a taxi. I'm not going very far."
"That's quite all right," Dan said, following her out the door. "Mr. Lattimer said I was to drive you wherever you wanted to go," he said, as he opened the limousine door for her.
Laura knew better than to argue with David's orders by now. She entered the limousine and directed Dan to the plant shop. When the car stopped, Dan came around to open the door for Laura.
"What time shall I return for you, Mrs. Lattimer?"
"Oh, don't bother, Dan. I'm not sure when I'll be leaving. It will be very simple for me to get a taxi to take me home."
"It's no bother, Mrs. Lattimer. If it's all right with you, I'll get myself some lunch and check back with you later."
"That will be fine, Dan," Laura said, realizing that unless she agreed to return home with him, Dan would forego his lunch and remain parked in front of the plant shop all afternoon.
She opened the door and found Midge busily watering the plants, a chore which had previously been her own
Chapter 7
The next morning Laura awoke in a more cheerful frame of mind. She remembered her lunch date with Midge and was looking forward to it. After showering quickly, she walked to her closet in search of an outfit suitable for the day's activities. She frowned, remembering that all her clothing was new and she had nothing in the way of jeans. She could just imagine Miss Wentworth's shocked expression if she had suggested purchasing a pair of jeans. However, she didn't feel that one of her sophisticated new outfits would be appropriate attire for the plant shop. She looked through the closet until she found a pair of apricot linen slacks with a matching silk blouse and cashmere cardigan. Then, quickly applying her lip gloss and running a comb through her hair, she opened her bedroom door and walked into the kitchen.
"May I please have some coffee and toast?" she said to Mrs. Thompson, who was busy dicing some vegetables.
"Mrs. Lattimer, if you would just ring the bell we would bring your breakfast into the dining room, or your bedroom, if you prefer. I'm sure Mr. Lattimer would be very upset if he found that you were eating in the kitchen."
"Very well," Laura said contritely, "it won't do to disturb Mr. Lattimer, so I'll have my coffee in the dining room."
She proceeded to the huge dining room, which was elegantly furnished with ornately carved walnut pieces. Feeling totally dwarfed and alone, she sat at one end of the massive table, staring into the sparkling glare of an enormous silver candelabrum. Jeffry walked into the room bearing a tray with her toast and coffee.
"Mrs. Thompson asks if you would like eggs or sausage with your toast?"
"No, thank you, Jeffry, please tell her that toast and coffee are all I ever eat for breakfast."
Jeffry frowned. "Mr. Lattimer believes in having a hearty breakfast. He won't approve of you having just toast and coffee."
Laura looked into Jeffry's distressed eyes. "Mr. Lattimer may not approve of many things I do."
Jeffry was startled. "Mrs. Lattimer! Please don't say things like that. I have been in Mr. Lattimer's employ for many years and it makes me most uncomfortable to hear such talk. We are all very fond of Mr. Lattimer and always do our best to make him happy. Now, if you have no further need of me, I shall return to my duties."
Well
, thought Laura,
there goes my only friend. I suppose David can't be all bad if his employees can feel so strongly about him
. She gulped down her coffee and ran out the door, eager to exchange this hostile atmosphere for the warmth of the plant shop which she loved so well.
She had exited the elevator and was walking through the lobby, when she was confronted by Dan, her husband's chauffeur.
"Would you like me to drive you somewhere, Mrs. Lattimer?"
"No, thank you, Dan, I can take a taxi. I'm not going very far."
"That's quite all right," Dan said, following her out the door. "Mr. Lattimer said I was to drive you wherever you wanted to go," he said, as he opened the limousine door for her.
Laura knew better than to argue with David's orders by now. She entered the limousine and directed Dan to the plant shop. When the car stopped, Dan came around to open the door for Laura.
"What time shall I return for you, Mrs. Lattimer?"
"Oh, don't bother, Dan. I'm not sure when I'll be leaving. It will be very simple for me to get a taxi to take me home."
"It's no bother, Mrs. Lattimer. If it's all right with you, I'll get myself some lunch and check back with you later."
"That will be fine, Dan," Laura said, realizing that unless she agreed to return home with him, Dan would forego his lunch and remain parked in front of the plant shop all afternoon.
She opened the door and found Midge busily watering the plants, a chore which had previously been her own
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