Caroline

‘His money doesn’t particularly appeal to me,’ replied Caroline lazily, flinging herself on the foot of her bed. ‘I’d probably be better pleased if he was just a two-thousand-a-year clerk. At least he might seriously be interested in me then. As it is…’

‘Now, hold on,’ exclaimed Amanda sitting up. ‘Lunch is all right, dinner maybe, but as for getting seriously involved with a man of his age, well, you must be joking!’

Caroline flushed. ‘Don’t say that,’ she said tensely.

Amanda frowned. ‘Why not? Someone’s got to. Think, Caroline! He probably eats girls like you for breakfast. Men like Steinbeck can have their pick of any woman, and I mean any woman. Be your age. Besides, he’s probably married with half a dozen kids.’

Caroline rolled on to her suddenly churning stomach.

‘He said he wasn’t married,’ she muttered quietly. ‘I can easily find out if he’s lying, so why should he lie?’

Amanda shrugged. ‘Okay, he’s not married. That doesn’t make him any younger.’

Caroline clenched her teeth. Amanda was probably right in everything she said, but she still wanted to see him again. She had to see him again! She had never heard anything derogatory spoken about him at the office, but that was no guarantee; money could close a lot of mouths.

‘Well, anyway,’ she said defiantly, ‘I’m having dinner with him tomorrow night.’

Amanda spread her hands, palms upwards. ‘I can’t stop you. I can only say that the Steinbeck Building must have been up about fifteen years and he’s been there probably as the head for most of that time.’

Caroline sighed. ‘I expect he’s in his thirties,’ she said casually.

‘Late thirties,’ corrected Amanda grimly. ‘Hell, you’re really hooked aren’t you? I’m sorry, kid, but you shouldn’t take people at their face value.’

Caroline shrugged. ‘You’re a great one to talk. What about you and that creature who called this evening?’

Amanda frowned. ‘At least he’s in my age and income group,’ she retorted, and Caroline got up off her bed and walked moodily into the living-room.

No matter what Amanda said, she was going.

CHAPTER TWO (#ub27a17ad-f8d1-585f-a328-a83f6c173710)

THE following morning the office was buzzing with the news that Caroline Sinclair, the new girl in the typing pool, had been seen entering the building with Adam Steinbeck himself. It was also rumoured that they had had lunch together.

Caroline herself had got up earlier to look after Amanda before leaving home and had arrived on time. Ruth could hardly wait to speak to her.

‘Is it true?’ she gasped. ‘Was that why you were so late back yesterday? You had no time to tell me, being so busy when you got back.’

‘Yes,’ admitted Caroline reluctantly. ‘And please, before you start too, I don’t want a lecture.’

Ruth looked surprised at Caroline’s tone of voice. ‘Pardon me for asking,’ she said in a hurt voice. ‘Seriously though, Caroline, before you bite my head off, he is about forty, you know.’

Caroline closed her eyes for a moment. ‘Now, Ruth…’ she began.

‘Oh, I know, he’s a dish,’ interrupted Ruth quickly, ‘I’ve seen him in the distance myself. I expect dozens of women adore him, but really, you don’t honestly believe he’s interesting himself in you for any other reason than the obvious one.’

‘Which is?’ said Caroline irritably.

‘Why, sex, of course,’ replied Ruth, flushing.

Caroline sighed. ‘I honestly don’t know why you and Amanda think you know Adam Steinbeck better than me. Amanda wouldn’t know him if she saw him and you’ve just admitted you’ve only seen him from a distance. You both seem to think he’s some sort of sex-maniac or something.’

Ruth shrugged. ‘We’re only thinking of you,’ she returned coolly. ‘Have you considered what would happen if you get more than friendly? He’s not some boy who expects a goodnight kiss in a doorway. He was married, he’ll expect rather more.’

‘Married!’ exclaimed Caroline. ‘What happened to his wife?’

‘She died of leukaemia about eight years ago. One of the older girls told me about it ages ago.’

‘I see,’ Caroline could not help but feel relieved. At least he had not been lying to her. ‘Has he any family, then?’

‘He has a son, he’s at Radbury University, I believe. Good heavens, Caroline, his son is older than you are.’

Caroline clenched her fists. ‘Truthfully, Ruth, would you think he was too old for you, if you were in my place?’

Ruth was silent. In her heart of hearts she knew that Caroline had her cornered. A man like Steinbeck could not be ignored even without his wealth and position. And to have him invite you to lunch must be very exciting.

‘All right,’ she agreed at last. ‘In your position I’d probably do the same. But I wouldn’t take him seriously, Caroline. Things like that just don’t happen outside of story books. Anyway, how on earth did you meet him?’

‘You remember the man in the lift?’ asked Caroline quietly.

‘You don’t mean that was Steinbeck?’

Caroline nodded.

‘My gosh!’ Ruth was astounded. ‘Do you mean to say he asked you out that day and you didn’t tell me?’

‘No, I bumped into him yesterday lunch time when I was rushing home to see Amanda. He offered me a lift and I accepted. Then he asked me to lunch.’

Ruth shrugged helplessly. ‘Well, well, well.’ She sighed. ‘But do be careful, Caroline. I really mean it.’

‘All right.’ Caroline turned away to her machine. She did not intend mentioning her dinner date. She had heard quite enough comments about him for the time being.

The morning dragged by. She did not have to go home at lunch as Amanda was feeling a lot better after her day in bed and had said she could get herself something to eat.

As she worked, Caroline wondered what on earth she was going to wear that evening. She had only one evening dress, which she had worn last at a party given by the secretarial college where she had taken the course. It was dated already and being of pink cotton, chosen by Aunt Agnes, it made her look very young and schoolgirlish.

She eventually decided she would have to have a new dress. She called at the Post Office during her lunch hour and drew out twenty pounds of her savings. She knew she was being ridiculously extravagant, but she wanted Adam to be proud of her.

After work, in a small dress shop near the office building, she found exactly what she wanted. It was jade green, of see-through lace, and Caroline felt quite daring. The colour matched her eyes and she looked years older than her seventeen years. She felt very satisfied. Now she could hold her own with any of those sleek, society women.

Amanda was horrified when she found Caroline had wasted so much money; and wasted was the word she used.

‘You must be mad!’ she exclaimed angrily. ‘Don’t you realise that if you were to go out regularly with a man like him you would need loads of new clothes? I know you’ve only got fifty pounds in the Post Office, because you told me so.’

Caroline swung round furiously. ‘Really, Amanda, it’s my money, after all!’

‘You want your head examining,’ retorted Amanda fiercely.

‘Just leave me alone,’ muttered Caroline. ‘I’ll tread my own path to destruction, if you don’t mind.’