Dreams of Another Day by Daphne Wright

Author:Daphne Wright [Wright, Daphne]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pan Macmillan UK

Chapter Fifteen

Obediently if pessimistically following Max’s instructions, Ming decided to drop into Roger Sillhorne’s office at Westminster and, if he was there, talk to him as though they had met often in the past few months. As she walked through the gates to the great arched doorway, it occurred to Ming that at the same time she could have a friendly word with his new secretary and perhaps defuse some of the anger that Diana Frontwell had described.

When Ming put her head round the door the first person she saw was Roger himself.

‘Hello!’ she said. ‘How good to see you, Roger.’

He looked up from the letter he was reading and saw Ming’s face framed in a small mink hat. Dropping the letter on his secretary’s desk, he beamed at Ming and held out his hand.

‘What a charming surprise.’

There was enough sarcasm in his voice to make her say quickly:

‘What a debate that must have been yesterday! Did you speak?’

‘Weren’t you in the gallery?’ he asked, diverted at once by the thought of his own triumph. ‘You ought to have let me know if you were having trouble getting a place. I’d have seen you got a seat.’

‘Alas, I missed it. I was in Sussex. But I’ve been reading the reports. I’d love to know what you think of it all.’

‘I’d be delighted to tell you,’ he said with the familiar self-satisfied smile. ‘Why don’t you come and have a cup of tea with me now? We’ve just time before this afternoon’s debate.’

‘You really ought to get these letters done.’ The secretary’s voice was slightly harsh and had overtones of complaint that made it unattractive. Roger turned to Ming and raised his eyebrows in an expression of theatrically exaggerated patience, then he looked back at his secretary and shook his head.

Ming turned deliberately and smiled at her replacement.

‘I’m awfully sorry for coming to distract him,’ she said. ‘I remember how infuriating it always was. My name’s Mary Alderbrook,’ she added and walked over to the desk with her hand outstretched.

‘I know,’ said the woman shortly and gave Ming’s hand a brief, limp squeeze. Ming saw that she was quite pretty with a rosy complexion and softly curling brown hair. Her plain grey jacket and skirt looked thoroughly appropriate for the office and fitted well enough, although something about her made Ming feel uncomfortable.

‘Come on, Ming,’ said Roger, grabbing her arm. ‘Veronica can manage. She always does.’

Ming looked at the girl with what she hoped was a friendly, commiserating smile and allowed Roger to usher her out of the office. His willingness to talk seemed to present an opportunity that she would be silly to ignore, even if it increased his secretary’s animosity. As they were walking down the long, dark corridors towards the tea room, Ming asked why he had disliked Veronica so much when she first went to work for him.

‘She seems perfectly clean and tidy, polite, good-looking, efficient, even if her voice grates a bit. What made you so

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