apologise, for disturbing you in the middle of the night. I do know how unsettling late-night phone calls can be. Unfortunately I’ve got a bit of a crisis and it wouldn’t wait until morning.’
About to explain that she hadn’t been asleep, Talie said, ‘Oh.’ Then, ‘What kind of crisis?’
‘Before I go into details, can I just ask if you have a valid passport?’
‘Well, yes.’ She had once had a life and holidays abroad, like ordinary people.
‘Well, that’s the first hurdle. The thing is, I’m supposed to be flying to New York with Mr Radcliffe tomorrow morning—actually, it’s this morning now—but my daughter has gone into labour two weeks early and her husband is away, so she needs me.’
‘And you need someone to take your place?’
‘At zero notice.’
‘And you’re asking me?’ Talie caught her breath. ‘To go to New York?’ With the total bastard?
‘My choice is limited. There aren’t too many secretaries who can take shorthand verbatim. And Mike spoke very highly of you.’
‘He did? Gosh, how kind of him. I’d give him a reference as a great boss anytime.’
‘That speaks volumes in itself. He’d rather type his own reports than cope with incompetence. However, I’d be lying if I said he was as difficult as Jude. I wouldn’t want you to get the impression that this trip will be a holiday. It’ll be damned hard work.’
Yes, but it would be damned hard work in New York!
She hugged the excitement close to her chest and said, ‘Well, of course. I don’t imagine Mr Radcliffe takes his secretary away with him purely for decoration,’ she said. And then clapped her hand over her mouth as she realised how that must sound. ‘Oh, crumbs. I didn’t mean—’
‘It’s okay, Talie. I know exactly what you meant. The other thing I have to impress on you is the need for total discretion.’
‘I always assumed that was the first requirement of the job, Mrs Lester. But if you’re concerned, then maybe you should send someone you know.’
‘It’s Heather. And I’m asking you. Yes or no? Will you go?’
Reality beckoned.
‘I’d absolutely love to, but the thing is I’ve already got another temp job lined up and I can’t let them down—’
‘I’ve already spoken to the agency. They will rearrange the booking if you are willing to take this assignment.’
In the middle of the night?
Apparently sensing her disbelief, Heather said, ‘I’m a personal friend of the manager. Who speaks very highly of you, I might add.’
‘Oh, I see. Well, if you’re sure. I mean, surely there’s someone else at the office…’ She stopped, remembering how the other women at the office spoke about Jude Radcliffe. ‘Who can do shorthand,’ she finally managed.
Heather laughed. ‘Not like you, Talie. You’ll have my undying gratitude if you’ll take this on.’
And clearly the undying gratitude of the right-hand woman to Jude Radcliffe was something well worth having. In the unlikely event that she would ever be able to take on a full time job.
Assuming that all objections were disposed of, Heather went on, ‘A car will pick you up at nine-thirty to take you to the airport. The driver will have everything you need in a carry-on bag, including some notes I made in case something like this happened.’
‘Heavens, that was lucky.’
‘Not lucky. It’s called forward planning. Babies have a habit of doing their own thing. You’ll have my laptop, too, and there’s everything you’ll need on that. Jude’s been away, so I’m sure he’ll want to work on the plane. Have you got a notebook handy?’
Heather spent ten minutes or so briefing her before rushing back to her daughter. Talie replaced the receiver and sat on the bottom of the stairs for a moment, staring down at the pages of shorthand notes she’d taken down, utterly stupefied by the speed at which events had overtaken her.
She needed to move. She needed to pack…
‘Who was that?’ Her mother’s voice finally filtered through the disbelief that something so amazing could have happened to her. ‘Who could be so thoughtless, calling at this time of night?’
She stirred, went back upstairs to her mother’s room. ‘It’s okay, Mum, it was work. A special temping job has come up and I’m going to have to go away for a few days—’
‘Away? Where? I can’t—’
‘You’ll be fine,’ she said, firmly putting a stop to her mother’s panicky reaction. ‘Karen is here until the end of the month, remember? And I’ll ring you every day.’ She decided it would be wiser not to mention exactly where she’d be phoning from… ‘I bought some videos for you today,’ she said, changing the subject. ‘A couple of old Doris Day movies.’
‘Really?’ Her mother brightened momentarily. Then, ‘If only your father were here.’
‘I know, Mum. I know.’ She brushed the hair back from her mother’s forehead and kissed her. ‘You go back to sleep. I’ll bring you some breakfast before I leave tomorrow.’
‘Heather? I’ve been trying to get you all morning. What’s this damn nonsense about you not coming to New York? I’m at the airport and the flight has already been called.’
‘I’m sorry, Jude. I did try and get you last night, but I could only get your answering machine and it ran out before I could explain—’
‘And then you switched off your phone.’
‘I can’t have it on in the hospital.’
‘Hospital! What hospital? What’s happened?’
‘Nothing to worry about. It’s just my daughter. She’s gone into labour early and she’s having a bit of a torrid time, poor darling. They’re considering a Caesar—’
‘And you’re a surgeon?’ He didn’t wait for an answer. ‘Stop fooling around and get to the airport. You can buy the baby something special at Tiffany’s—’
‘Talie can take shorthand as fast I can, and she’s fully briefed. I promise, you won’t even miss me.’
Talie? Who the devil was Talie?
‘Your daughter’s got a partner, hasn’t she? She doesn’t need you to hold her hand—’
‘Jude, I have to go.’
‘I refuse to cope with some stranger. I want you. Here. Now!’
‘She’s not a stranger!’ Then, ‘Isn’t she there? The car was supposed to have picked her up at nine-thirty.’
