Emma Goldrick Temporary Paragon Doc (2)

Temporary Paragon - Emma Goldrick Beth's life was far from simple Impulsive Beth Murphy tackled life's problems head-on. When her errant niece app eared in Boston "in terrible trouble," Beth promised tacy that the culprit would marry her. !s a temporary secretary for "ichard Macomber, #n$lish professor, writer and cul prit, Beth put her plan into action. he soon learned the computer codes at Macomber %ublishin$--and how to chan$e them. But Beth hadn't counted on her own warm response to "ichard or the heartache of plottin$ his marria$e to someone else. &hapter 'ne B#() M*"%)+ barely mana$ed to sta$$er up the front steps of the old wooden three decker in outh Boston, identical to all its nei$hbours, and dropped into a chair . (hree of the bi$$est boys on her ,ittle ,ea$ue baseball team clattered their spikes behind her, depositin$ the duffel ba$s full of bats and paraphernalia in odd corners. he wav ed them off, and they tramped out of the house, not at all unhappy. '-ood -od, Beth, you look a mess. What the devil is an unmarried.' 'pinster,' Beth interrupted, in her husky voice. 'I wasn't $oin$ to say that.' 'But I did, Mary. It's true, I admit it.in fact, I'm proud of it. !nd I do it be cause they couldn't find a mana$er for the team, and the kids wouldn't have been able to play baseball in the lea$ue if I didn't volunteer/' 'o there/' Mary ,ockrid$e lau$hed, rollin$ her wheelchair away from the desk. he was a tiny, dark-haired woman, dau$hter of an old Italian family from the 0orth #nd, who had married a warmhearted 'ld +ankee, and come to outh Boston to settle. 1es pite the le$ problems that had bothered her since birth, she mana$ed well in a wheelc hair, ade2uately on crutches, and from time to time essayed 'unsupported fli$ht', as s he called it. !nd she was an office mana$er par excellence. Beth tu$$ed the old baseball cap off her head. )er mass of $olden-red hair fell down to her shoulders. he shook her head a couple of times to free the tan$les. '-ot a &oke3' she asked. '0ot e4actly,' Mary chuckled. 'I've $ot a ti$er by the tail here, thou$h.' he $ estured towards the telephone handset lyin$ on her desk. 'Mr %omp and &ircumstance himse lf. Wants to talk to the Mana$er. (here may be a even-*p left in the frid$e there. ) ow was the $ame3' Beth stretched up to her slender five foot si4 and stalked the frid$e. 'I think we had a moral victory,' she $loated as she pulled a bottle of pop out of the ice. '(he l ast time we played this team they beat us twenty-five to nothin$. (his time they only won by seven to one. (hat's our.where the heck is the bottle-opener3'

''n the desk, silly. Where I always keep it.' '+ou're $oin$ to die of neatness, Mary. Why are you leavin$ the ti$er han$in$ on the telephone3' ')e thinks I'm runnin$ around lookin$ for the Mana$er. +ou were sayin$3' 'I was sayin$, $loatin$, that's the first run we've scored all year/' (he teleph one made s2uawkin$ noises. '+ou really want me to talk to him3' '0ot particularly,' Mary lau$hed. 'But if you want to, I don't mind. It's a 2uar ter to five, and I've had enou$h for this week. (hank -od it's 5riday/' '!men.' Beth walked slowly over to the desk and picked up the telephone. '-ood d ay, this is Miss Murphy speakin$.' '(his is the mana$er of "entasec3 6ust a minute for Mr Macomber, please.' Beth s hook her head, lau$hin$. (he old one-upmanship business. I won't put my boss on the l ine until yours is on. It was a $ame played in every business, but Beth was not at all imp ressed. ')ello.' ! male $rowl, low-pitched, indi$nant. 'h lord, here's one who not only $ot up on the wron$ side of the bed, but stayed there all day/ she thou$ht. 'It's about time,' he continued. 'I've been waitin$ for almost ei$ht minutes.' !nother one of those, Beth $roaned to herself. he was 7ust not in the mood for playin$ the $ame. 'Well, we can't all 7ump at command,' she said. '(here are oth er thin$s that re2uire doin$.' !nd I hope that's cold enou$h for you, Mr Macomber. '0ot when you're dealin$ with me,' the voice returned. 'When I cal l, I $et instant action.' '1o you really3' she si$hed, and then, in pseudo-sympathy, '+ou must have a terr ible kidney problem in your or$anisation.' (here was a second of silence, followed by a $ruff lau$h. ''8, so you put me in my place. I'll 7ust have to chalk that up on my board. 0ow, where was I3' '"entasec' she prompted, tryin$ to hide the $i$$le. '"entasec. +es. I've been told you keep a staff of 2ualified e4ecutive secretari es.' '(hat's correct. 5or temporary work, of course.' '(ell me about it.' It was a command, not an invitation. Beth shru$$ed at Mary, and motioned her to $o ahead closin$ up the office. '"entasec is a co-operative association of si4ty women who have retire d from the business scene to raise families,' she e4plained. '5orty of our members are hi$h ly skilled, and we provide updatin$ briefin$s re$ularly.' '+ou've $ot a se4y voice, lady. What do the other twenty do3' tartled, Beth half lowered the receiver, covered the mouthpiece, and called to M ary, 'Who is this Macomber3' ')e's the &hief 'peratin$ 'fficer of Macomber %ublishers,' she was told in one e ar. 'Well.3' the telephone barked at her, Beth shook her head to clear her mind. (he $ame must have been a $reater strain than she had thou$ht.

'I.' he fumbled for a moment, then pulled her well known reserve around her like a suit of armour. '(he remainin$ members act as baby-sitters while our front-line people are at work,' she said as coldly as she could. he must have been successful. 'Brrrrr,' he chuckled. 'Mi$hty cold in Boston these days, isn't it3' Beth was not about to answer. 'Well, I need an e4ecutive secretary,' he added. 'omebody who understands word processin$ and computer techni2ues. omeone old enou$h not to $i$$le every time I say somethin$. omeone who's not husbandhuntin$.' 'I think all of our personnel 2ualify,' she said stiffly. 'We deal only in the b est.' ''h, and somebody who knows how to handle people, bi$ and little ones,' he added . 'What are you doin$ toni$ht3' (hrown off-track a$ain, Beth sputtered, then settled down. 'Isn't that rather pe rsonal, Mr Macomber3' ''f course,' he returned. 'We're talkin$ about my own e4ecutive secretary. It's bound to be a personal relationship.' 'I'm sure it must be,' she said fri$idly, havin$ made up her mind. '!s for my self, I intend to spend the weekend with M!&. he looked fondly into the ne4t room, cramm ed with racks that made up their Multiple !ccess &omputer. ',ucky $uy,' he said. )is voice had shifted from harshness into a smooth bariton e, an almost come-hither sound. It was time to turn him off. '*nfortunately, Mr Macomber,' she said politely, 'a firm like ours must be most selective of our clients. We couldn't possibly send our ladies out in an environ ment where a concubine is wanted. We deal only with secretaries.' 'Well, I'll be damned.' '%robably,' she si$hed, and dropped the handset on to its cradle. 'What was that all about3' Mary wheeled herself back from the com puter room, a smile teasin$ her olive-toned Italian skin. 'I'm darned if I know,' Beth said reflectively. he thou$ht it over for a minute. 'I don't know 7ust what the man really wanted.but I turned the 7ob down, anyway. Macomber . %ublishin$3 %robably some old fo$ey in his third childhood, I' ll bet. )e wants a temporary secretary who's willin$ to play footsy with him. What the devil are you lau$hin$ at now3' '(ake a look at this.' Mary held out a pa$e from the Globe. '(he -overnor's ball . ee the man ne4t to him3' (he -overnor of Massachusetts was short and slim. 0e4t to him was a lean, hawkeyed si4-footer. (he black and white picture failed to do him 7ustice. 'Brown ha ir, brown eyes.curly eyelashes,' Mary $i$$led. '"amrod Macomber, they called him in his co lle$e days. )e's the playboy of the year in Boston, Beth. Where've you

been lately3 )is publishin$ company handles the hottest detective stories in the country.and a me ss of those "take off all your clothes" books.historical romances.' ')ysterical romances, you mean3 My, he certainly mi$ht be able to catch someone. especially in a small office. &urly eyelashes3 Isn't that a shame3 Well, I turne d him down, anyway. )e probably needs someone from the &ombat 9one, not "entasec.' '0ot to worry,' Mary told her, handin$ over a computer sheet. 'Most of our $irl s are committed for ne4t week, anyway. I never cease thankin$ -od for this computer. ( he ne4t time your brother comes in from &alifornia, I'm $oin$ to kiss him.homely as he is.' he wheeled her chair over to the terminal, and punched a few mor e keys. (he bi$ machine in the ne4t room $rumbled, flashed a few li$hts, and settled down to its weekend run of mundane thin$s. %ayrolls, $overnment-re2uired statistics, posti n$s of earnin$s, that sort of thin$. '5red really did a $ood 7ob of pro$rammin$,' Beth a$reed. '!nd spent his four-w eek vacation rustlin$ up the parts cheaply.that was a sacrifice, too.' 'It used to be a $irl's best friend was a diamond,' Mary chortled. '0ow it's a brother who's a computer-ma$ician.' 'We could have scored twice,' muttered Beth, her mind already back to the baseb all $ame. 'Would you believe it."obbie Bettencourt hasn't had a hit al l season. (hey walked him. )e was so proud he tried to steal second base, their catcher threw t he ball out into the outfield, and "obbie walked home/' 'ounds like an avera$e ,ittle ,ea$ue day to me,' Mary lau$hed. ',ucky you turne d the man down. M!& says we don't have an e4ecutive secretary free on Monday.' ''h, wow,' Beth si$hed. 'i4ty members in our cooperative, and we haven't a one f ree for Monday3' ')ey, well, thirty-five of them are on assi$nment, fifteen are bab y-sittin$ for the workin$ mothers, and the others have various ailments and aches. We $row old, Be th.' '1on't say that,' Beth lau$hed. 'I don't mind bein$ a spinster, but I don't $row old. Why don't you scoot home, love3' 'I will, Beth. pendin$ the weekend alone a$ain3' 'I suppose. With M!&, as I told the $entleman on the telephone. (here are a numb er of thin$s to clear up.' '+ou know what you need, Beth3' '+eah. ! $ood ri$ht-handed pitcher. urely there's some kid in the area who can t hrow the ball all the way from the pitcher's mound to home-plate3' '(hat isn't what I was thinkin$. What you need is a man/' '+eah, one who's four foot three and can throw a $ood hi$h insi de pitch,' Beth chuckled. '-o on, now. +our husband will be frothin$ at the bit.' '0o, he won't. I cook better than that.'

(he two of them walked each other to the back door, where ramps had displaced st airs lon$ a$o. Beth stood at the door as Mary navi$ated the slope and headed ne4t doo r to her own house. Beth stopped for a minute on the back porch. (he house, desi$ned e4actly like al l ten of the nei$hbours, was a hu$e three-storey affair, ori$inally cold-water tenemen ts built at the turn of the century. But they were built for lar$e families, and were built well. #ach floor contained ei$ht rooms, with a double sittin$-room separated by slidin$ doors. %lumbin$ had been improved, and in most of the houses on the street, each teneme nt had been broken up into flats. But not Beth's pride. (he house had been left to her by her father. he lived in the e4pansive second-floor apartment, devoted the first floo r to her business, and rented out the third. )ousin$ was ti$ht in Boston. (he three-dec ker that sold for thirty thousand dollars three years a$o was now 2uoted at one hundred and twenty thousand, and there were few houses offered for sale. Meanw hile, the rental income from the third floor paid the ta4es, and there was no mort$a$e. he leaned back a$ainst one of the porch pillars and took a deep breath. (he wind was in the ri$ht direction for deep breathin$, a flock of sparrows were conductin$ fli$ht manoeuvres over her tiny back yard, and Beth Murphy's world se emed alto$ether satisfactory. he had spent all of her life here in the district, with in walkin$ distance of (ele$raph )ill, and was at peace with herself. he started to make the rounds of the office area, checkin$ windows, lockin$ door s, and settin$ the alarm system. It had been a lon$ time a$o since one could leave unlocked doors in outhie. &limbin$ the steep back-stairs brou$ht protests from her kn ees. he smiled, revealin$ the two dimples, one on either side of her heart-shaped face, the bane of her e4istence. Without them, she looked her a$e. (he dimples cut h er back almost to sweet si4teen, a time she hardly cared to remember. 0ot because I was somebody at sweet si4teen, she told herself as she laboured up the stairs, but because I was a red-headed freckle-faced nobody, who kne w nothin$. he unlocked the door at the second landin$ and went in, lau$hin$. Mr s )ennessey, who obli$ed with cleanin$ three days a week, was $ivin$ the kitchen a last swipe wit h her dusty cloth. 'omethin$ funny3' (he stooped little old lady must have been seventy if she was a day, but had no intention of stoppin$ work 'until the day they pat me in the fac e with a shovel', she would say from time to time.

'6ust reminiscin$,' shru$$ed Beth. '+ou're not done yet3 It's pretty late.' '!in't nothin$ to $o home to,' her housekeeper returned. '(ell me what's funny a nd I'll make you a cup of coffee.' 'It wasn't much, but you're on. I could use some coffee.' !nd she could use some one to listen to, Beth thou$ht, as she pulled an old wooden chair out from the kitchen table and sat down. (he coffee was hot, and percolated, evidence of premeditation. Weekend s were lonely times for the elderly. )avin$ outlived all their friends and families, th ey turned to anyone who would listen. Beth took a $rateful sip. 'Well, I was thinkin$, comin$ up the stairs, about bein$ si4teen and red-headed and freckled, and stupid.and it struck me that only the freckled part has chan$ed. ) ow about that3' '0ot red-headed, either,' the old lady told her. 'In the summer, when you're out in the sun, it's more $old than red. +ou remind me of your $randmother. 0ow, there was a one.' 'weet and demure3' Beth knew the answer, but was encoura$in$ the tale. '! real hell-raiser,' Mrs )ennessy chuckled. 'Me and your $randma, we cut many a swin$ in our youn$er days.' Beth settled back to listen with one ear. (he story improved on each tellin$, th is tale of the Irish in outh Boston before the -reat War, but a $ood listener knew where to $runt, or comment, or $i$$le, without even listenin$. !nd it $ave time to assess the week. Business had been $ood. Baseball had been terrible. !nd to e nd up with some institutional $rouch like "amrod Macomber.wow, there was a name/ (he housekeeper had come to the end of her weekly tale, and was ready to leave. Beth said all the ri$ht words, paid her for the week, and watched her out of the door with her usual warnin$s. '!nd watch those stairs. I'll see you Monday/' '(ime to unwind,' Beth told herself when the door was safely closed. he added 7u st a dollop of Irish Mist to her coffee, and took it alon$ with her to the bathroom. (he tub was old: si4 feet of white enamel set up on four clawed feet, with a shower-head add ed years later. &asually, she dropped off her clothes a piece at a time, le avin$ a scattered trail between the livin$-room and the bathroom, and turned on the hot-water tap. (he h eater was in the cellar, re2uirin$ a lon$ run of cold before the warm water arrived. h e waited until the temperature met her needs, turned on the cold water to balance, and pu lled the shower curtain around the tub. It was a lon$ step upward to $et in. he mana$ed, revelled in the water, then lat hered up with her favourite perfumed soap. (here had been more brick-dust at the park than she needed, and half of it had come home in her hair, so she shampooed vi$orously, a

nd then 7ust stood there, lettin$ the comfortin$ warmth run down off her shoulders, acro ss her small, pert breasts, and down her stomach. (he soap was barely out of her hair w hen she heard the noise in the kitchen. 'tupid,' she chided herself. '+ou didn't lock the back door/' ,eavin$ the shower water runnin$, she fumbled her way out of the tub, slippin$ o n the loose bathmat. )er ancient robe hun$ on the back of the door. he shru$$ed hersel f into it, still wet, with soap on her cheeks and ears. (here was no weapon in si$ht e4 cept for the rubber-tipped plun$er. he hefted it. It would have to do. he eased the bathr oom door open and peeped out. (here was nobody in the livin$-room, but the noises pe rsisted from the kitchen. )oldin$ her plun$er up with two hands, she crept across the room, leavin$ a trail of wet footprints on the old carpet. omebody was in the kitchen, cryin$. &all the police, her subconscious dictated. "un like hell, her careful mind admonished. I$norin$ them both, she eased herself ar ound the corner of the door, and into the kitchen. omebody was sittin$ at the table, head down on her arms. !ll that was visible was the bri$ht blonde head of hair. 'tacy3' she asked, disbelievin$ly. (he youn$ head snapped up, tears still coursi n$. '!unt Beth/' (he $irl scraped back her chair and came runnin$ around the table i nto her aunt's arms. ''h -od, !unt Beth, I had to come/' !nd that's par for the course, Beth told herself as she welcomed the tiny creatu re to her side. !nastasia Murphy, ei$hteen years old, five foot two, p latinum blonde, full fi$ure, empty head. (he dau$hter of her brilliant brother 5red, who, at this ver y moment, ou$ht to be happily ensconced in her dormitory at Marymont &olle$e, in upper 0ew +ork tate. ')ey, you're always welcome,' she whispered softly into the silky crown of hair. (hat's what aunts are for.' ''h -od, !unt Beth. I'm in terrible trouble/' Beth s2uee;ed the $irl a little ti$hter, her chin firmin$ up. '(here's a man inv olved3' she asked softly. ''h.yes. )ow did you know3' Beth smiled $ently and patted the $irl's head. In a typical Irish family, when a $irl $ot herself into 'terrible trouble', it meant only one thin$. But first, somehow, sh e had to stem the hysteria. '#verythin$ will be all ri$ht,' she soothed. '+ou'll stay a while. I'll let your father know .' ''h.no, not that. 1on't let him know/' 'But he'll worry about you, tacy. We'll tell him that there's a b reak in the colle$e

schedule, and you.decided to take pity on your poor old aunt. )ow about that for a solution3' (he blonde head at her breast nodded up and down, and it did seem that the tears were slowin$. With the skill of lon$ practice, Beth manoeuvred the $irl back into a c hair. )er three brothers had already provided her with seven nieces.none of whom thou$ht i t at all unusual to run to their !unt Beth. '(here now, I was about to make supper, a nd.' 'It was terrible. ,ord, it's $ood to be here/ #verythin$ is so.so ordinary.' )ow about that for your obituary3 Beth fumed to herself as she headed back to th e bathroom to dry off and dress. Everything about Aunt Beth is so ordinary! I ha ve three brilliant brothers, each in their own field, but the daughter of the house is or dinary/ he was standin$ in the middle of the bathroom, without a stitch to her name, run nin$ the hot air into her hair, and cau$ht a $limpse of herself in the mirror. ,uckily, the mirror's cracked, she told herself, as she assessed. (all enou$h.fo r a $irl. 0ice hair, when it dries.if only it didn't curl so impetuously at its ends. -reen eyes that sparkled, stormed, smiled, at need. 2uare shoulders, with two freckles left from childhood , ri$ht in the hollow. Breasts that stood out firmly but not boastfully, tipped bron;e, sometimes achin$. ! flat stomach that narrowed precipitously before it swelled out into am ple hips. ,e$s, perhaps too lon$ for the rest of her, $racefully shaped. 0ot at all bad for an ordinary old ha$, she assured herself. !nd then, not $ivin$ herself a chance to chan$e her mind, she rushed out throu$h the livin$-room into her bedroom, and dressed. )ow did you welcome a niece in trouble3 By casual dress, for one thin$. It was s till cool in the Maytime evenin$ of Boston, and the radiator heat was inefficient. he shru$$ed herself into a cashmere pullover, stepped into the tiny briefs that wer e always so at odds with her personality, and snatched up a wrap-around plaid skirt. )er hair fell into place with a simple brushin$, and she was ready to act as the family cryin$ -towel. tacy had found herself a ci$arette, still sittin$ at the table. ')ey, you're in my house now.' (he $irl $uiltily stubbed out the butt in her empty coffee-cup. 'I for$ot,' tacy apolo$ised. 'I was feelin$.nervous, and I thou$ht a ci$arette w ould .' '%ut you ten steps closer to lun$ cancer,' her aunt chided. ')ave you been trav ellin$ lon$3' '!.friend.brou$ht me all the way by car,' the $irl said, and ducked her head out of Beth's line of vision. '!bout ei$ht hours. It's a nice car.' 'I'll bet. &olle$e boy3'

''h, heavens, no/ !n adult. I don't $o out with colle$e boys. (hey're so.so youn $.' ''f course,' Beth si$hed. I don't $o out with colle$e boys eith er, she thou$ht. 'f course, I did walk by )arvard yard one time, and look throu$h the $ates/ 'What are you thinkin$ about, Beth3' he smiled back at her niece as she opened the refri$erator door and assessed her stock of food. ''h, nothin$ important. 6ust what a nice time youth was. Will ste ak do for your supper3' ''h yes, fine. I'm hun$ry. (he dinin$-room at colle$e is.not very $ood. !nd 1ad sends me such a small allowance.' '+es, of course. (here's a head of lettuce there. Want to make us a tossed salad 3 I must say that dress looks $ood on you. I thou$ht most colle$e kids.er.students, wore 7eans.' '+es, usually. +ou like it3' (he $irl twirled around. )er crimso n skirt flared and followed her. 'I chan$ed at 0orth tation. I.well.' '%uttin$ your best foot forward for your aunt3' Beth lau$hed. (he $irl blushed and confessed, '+es. 1ad always coached us before we came to yo ur house. "-et dressed like a woman.your aunt doesn't like unise4 nieces".' (hey worked side by side, the effort easin$ the tension. When everythin$ was prepared, and the steaks were $rillin$, Beth hu$$ed the $irl a$ain. 'Why don't y ou $et a 2uick shower or bath3' she su$$ested. '!nd remember to turn on the hot water fir st, or you're liable to $et scalded.' Beth waited outside the bathroom door until she heard the shower runnin$, and th en dashed throu$h to the telephone and dialled her brother's office in &alifornia. (he time difference came out 7ust ri$ht. It was almost si4 o'clock in Boston, and coffeebreak time in %alo !lto. 'It's Beth,' she hissed into the receiver. 'I have your errant dau$hter here.' 'Well, that's a damn relief,' said 5red. '(he 1ean called her mother two hours a $o, with some cra;y mi4ed-up messa$e. I mi$ht have known she'd $o to you. What's the trou ble3' 'I don't know, 5red. 1on't worry about her. I'll find out, and do somethin$.' 'Well, I'll worry, anyway,' he chuckled. 'I know you mean well, Beth, but you b ein$ the baby of the family, I worry about you, too.' 'Well, you needn't,' she told him huffily. 'I've mana$ed to $et alon$ without a ll you men for some time now/' '(hat's what worries me,' her brother returned. 'een any $ood ball-$ames lately3 ' '0o. Why did you have to ask me that3 (he "ed o4 are in last place in the !meric an ,ea$ue. !nd so is my ,ittle ,ea$ue team. +ou couldn't find me a pitcher, I don't suppose3' '"i$ht after you strai$hten my dau$hter out and $et her back to colle$e.' 'Well.er.that mi$ht take some doin$, 5red. I think we have big problems.' '!nd there's nobody in the family better at settlin$ big problems than you,' he

lau$hed. 'I worry about the little ones, but with bi$ ones you're some sort of marvel. )o w's the computer comin$ alon$3' '1oin$ fine, 5red. I have to run. tacy's almost finished with the shower, and.' '!nd she told you not to call her old man, I suppose3' 'I suppose,' Beth si$hed. '5unny, how you understand her so well, and yet she continually $ets in trouble.' '(hat's why we named her !nastasia #li;abeth,' 5red chuckled, and hun$ up. 'Is that somebody on the telephone for me3' tacy came hurryin$ out of the bathro om, lookin$ like some sort of an$el, wearin$ Beth's best robe. '0o. 6ust a nei$hbour. !re you e4pectin$ a call3' 'Well, I.I thou$ht he mi$ht call.' ')e3 1oes someone else know that you're in Boston3' 'I.I suppose they must. I hope the steak isn't burnin$.' !nd so do I, Beth told herself wryly. +oun$ she mi$ht be, but my lovely little n iece surely knows how to chan$e the sub7ect/ upper was a little strained. tacy was so obviously tryin$ to avoid a whole ran$e of sub7ects that conversation was like walkin$ throu$h a minefield. (hey talked abo ut the weather in Boston, the weather in Buffalo, the sprin$ fashion styles, and family anecdotes. But no matter how often Beth pressed the $irl about her life at the c olle$e, she clammed up and went on to somethin$ else. It was almost ten o'clock that ni$ht, over coffee, that she mana$ed to $et an in dication of the si;e of the problem. '+ou mi$ht as well stop dod$in$ the issue, tacy,' s he said. 'We've 7ust $ot to take the bull by the horns. !re there any other clich