knows where it will end. The two company officials are leaving tomorrow and I’ve been hoping that somehow I could get Jim to meet them before they go.”
She shook her head. “He won’t - not now. He’s made his plans for going all out on his own.”
“And what if they fail?”
Her eyes darkened, but this time she spoke without a tremor. “You’re going to be the boss round here, and I asked my father why we couldn’t get you to help us. He said you were too strong on ethics and all that, that if you worked for the company you’d never do anything against their interests. It’s a fine point - whether a man owes more loyalty to a friend than to the company he works for.”
“It’s nothing of the sort,” Steve said roughly. “Jim’s standing out because he can’t imagine living any other way than he lives now. You’re the only one who can change him.” He took in a sharp breath and said tigh tl y, “I’ve been able to manage just one concession as far as Jim’s concerned. The company is willing to keep the cash offer open for a month. I want you to tell him that, and when it’s had time to sink in I’ll come and see him.”
In low tones she said, “I think i t would be better if you put it into writing.”
“And have it acknowledged in a polite schoolgirl hand? I think not. I haven’t yet recovered from that last note of yours, turning down my invitation to supper here in the Club!”
“You’re getting sensitive, Steve.” She lifted a clear unsmiling gaze to his. “All right, I’ll tell him, but I know what his reaction will be. He’ll go straight out for a swim and keep at it till he’s tired. Then he’ll drink whisky and tell me about the old days, after which he’ll go to bed and sleep heavily. And tomorrow he’ll go right ahead with his own plans.”
“And in the evening,” Steve said crisply, “you’ll remind him about the month’s grace, a nd keep on at him, day after day. It’s the only way. You’ve got to do i t, Peg. I’ll do all I can to help you.”
She pushed the glass away from her, passed a hand round the back of her neck in a youthful, nervous manner, and smiled. “I’ve said I’ll try. I think you’d better stay away from us.”
Steve sat silent for a moment, looking withdrawn and intent. Then: “ All right,” he said. “I’ll leave you to it for a week, but you must let me know how things are going. If you can’t get Jim to come over to my place at least send me a word of some sort, but I won’t come to your house till the week is up. Like another drink?”
“No, thank you. I must get back.”
“Weren’t you just coming from the clinic when I met you?”
“There was a child with severe stomach pain; I drove him in.”
“You feel fit yourself?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Well, don’t get the idea that you’re immune from all the germs about you. It’s not a very bright notion - a girl like you dealing with people who live in primitive conditions. Whose was it?”
“Mine, and Dr. Passfield’s.”
“Had a check-up recently?”
“I’m fine,” she said briefly, and stood up.
Steve had got to his feet too, and he looked down at her with a vexed half-smile. “Why do you two Maldons bother me so much? I believe it’s because there’s one way in which you’re both so darned young that you feel you can fight the world. You get after Jim, there’s a good girl.”
Ahead of him, she walked out of the stone-coolness of the Club into the stored heat of the street, and he came beside her as she turned towards the station wagon. His fingers on the door handle, he asked softly:
“What is he like - your Paul? Besides being very sweet and too old for you, I mean?”
She let out an audible breath and shrugged. “He’s everything you’re not, Steve.”
“That’s interesting - yet he’s still a bachelor, like me. How come he didn’t marry you and keep you in England? Weren’t you certain?”
“We were very certain,” she said
She shook her head. “He won’t - not now. He’s made his plans for going all out on his own.”
“And what if they fail?”
Her eyes darkened, but this time she spoke without a tremor. “You’re going to be the boss round here, and I asked my father why we couldn’t get you to help us. He said you were too strong on ethics and all that, that if you worked for the company you’d never do anything against their interests. It’s a fine point - whether a man owes more loyalty to a friend than to the company he works for.”
“It’s nothing of the sort,” Steve said roughly. “Jim’s standing out because he can’t imagine living any other way than he lives now. You’re the only one who can change him.” He took in a sharp breath and said tigh tl y, “I’ve been able to manage just one concession as far as Jim’s concerned. The company is willing to keep the cash offer open for a month. I want you to tell him that, and when it’s had time to sink in I’ll come and see him.”
In low tones she said, “I think i t would be better if you put it into writing.”
“And have it acknowledged in a polite schoolgirl hand? I think not. I haven’t yet recovered from that last note of yours, turning down my invitation to supper here in the Club!”
“You’re getting sensitive, Steve.” She lifted a clear unsmiling gaze to his. “All right, I’ll tell him, but I know what his reaction will be. He’ll go straight out for a swim and keep at it till he’s tired. Then he’ll drink whisky and tell me about the old days, after which he’ll go to bed and sleep heavily. And tomorrow he’ll go right ahead with his own plans.”
“And in the evening,” Steve said crisply, “you’ll remind him about the month’s grace, a nd keep on at him, day after day. It’s the only way. You’ve got to do i t, Peg. I’ll do all I can to help you.”
She pushed the glass away from her, passed a hand round the back of her neck in a youthful, nervous manner, and smiled. “I’ve said I’ll try. I think you’d better stay away from us.”
Steve sat silent for a moment, looking withdrawn and intent. Then: “ All right,” he said. “I’ll leave you to it for a week, but you must let me know how things are going. If you can’t get Jim to come over to my place at least send me a word of some sort, but I won’t come to your house till the week is up. Like another drink?”
“No, thank you. I must get back.”
“Weren’t you just coming from the clinic when I met you?”
“There was a child with severe stomach pain; I drove him in.”
“You feel fit yourself?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Well, don’t get the idea that you’re immune from all the germs about you. It’s not a very bright notion - a girl like you dealing with people who live in primitive conditions. Whose was it?”
“Mine, and Dr. Passfield’s.”
“Had a check-up recently?”
“I’m fine,” she said briefly, and stood up.
Steve had got to his feet too, and he looked down at her with a vexed half-smile. “Why do you two Maldons bother me so much? I believe it’s because there’s one way in which you’re both so darned young that you feel you can fight the world. You get after Jim, there’s a good girl.”
Ahead of him, she walked out of the stone-coolness of the Club into the stored heat of the street, and he came beside her as she turned towards the station wagon. His fingers on the door handle, he asked softly:
“What is he like - your Paul? Besides being very sweet and too old for you, I mean?”
She let out an audible breath and shrugged. “He’s everything you’re not, Steve.”
“That’s interesting - yet he’s still a bachelor, like me. How come he didn’t marry you and keep you in England? Weren’t you certain?”
“We were very certain,” she said
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