Unknown by Unknown

Propinquity is the solution to our problem. After a few days of exposure he could hardly resist you, could he?’
    ‘You mean Harry—him and me? You—must be kidding!’
    ‘That’s terrible English, dear. Of course, you and Harry. Who else? He has noticed you, hasn’t he?’
    ‘Noticed?’ Katie squeaked. ‘He does seem to have a very low female resistance-level. He believes deeply in that song about loving the girl he’s near. Any girl. But you must understand, Aunt Grace, that what he has in mind is definitely not marriage. Not with me, anyway.’
    ‘You mean he’s made some improper advances?’ Aunt Grace mustered up a smile that could easily be called Cheshire Cat. ‘Well, that just proves what I said—he’s interested.’
    ‘I know he’s interested,’ Katie said sombrely. ‘But I don’t think I’m interested in what he’s interested in, if you follow?’
    ‘Don’t underestimate yourself,’ the older woman returned. ‘Nothing would suit me better than a wedding between Harry and yourself.’
    ‘You make that sound as if I only need to—and—and what about Eloise? Doesn’t she have anything to say? You think she’s going to sit still while I snatch at her man? Or what about Harry? Doesn’t he have anything to say?’
    ‘As far as the Harrys of this world are concerned, my dear, the answer is no. I see that your education has been sadly neglected. Sex is an inherited trait, but marriage is an acquired taste, and the female of the species has always been the best teacher in that lovely subject. Now, what can you do that Harry would be interested in?'
    ‘Me? Not much. All I seem to do is get in his way. I break a mean foot, of course.’
    ‘Skilfully done, my dear. That was second on my list of suggestions. Not necessarily a foot, of course. Now he has to keep you at hand for a suitable period. Excellent.’
    ‘Yes, I thought I did it rather neatly,’ Katie returned wryly. ‘But since I have only two feet there’s little chance for a repeat performance. Outside of that I can cook, sew, keep house—’
    ‘Nice for later. Worth nothing now. What else?’
    ‘I really think Harry’s only interest is in how well I might do in his bed. And I don’t do that at all, frankly.’
    ‘How nice. What else?’
    ‘I—I take pictures. I’m really very good at it.’
    ‘That might help, but not much. Every now and then Harry needs pictures of his experiments. But he calls in a professional from Johnson City. Anything else?’
    ‘No, that’s about—oh no. Wien I helped my father in the studio he always had trouble with the books. So when I went to college I majored in Business Administration. I never did anything with it, you see, but I did study.’
    ‘Aha!’ Aunt Grace pounced. ‘You’re a secretary— and with a college degree!’
    ‘Well, not exactly. I studied all that, but all I ever got to do is sort the mail, and file things, and type out bills. Things like that.’
    ‘Exactly what we need,’ the old lady crowed. ‘Exactly! You’re a college-trained secretary!’
    ‘Okay, okay,’ Katie sighed in surrender. ‘If you say it real fast, I suppose you’re right. Yes, I’m a high-priced what you said.’
    ‘And that’s exactly what we need around here,’ Aunt Grace returned. There was a smile of relief on her face, and she tapped her bottom lip with her knitting needles as if her mind were going into high gear. ‘Yes, very nice indeed. Now all you have to do is be helpful—very helpful. From time to time I’ll offer a few suggestions, but you can safely leave the rest of the programme in my hands, my dear. So nice.’
    ‘And Eloise?’
    ‘There are many strange things going on in this house,’ the old lady said. ‘Harry is a brash young man, and intensely loyal. George Bradford was his closest friend in the world. George was engaged to Eloise. He was killed in a racing accident at Le Mans. Before he died, he managed to get Harry to promise him something. I don’t