Georgia’s spine stiffened in protest. She didn’t want to spend money on an expensive evening dress she might never wear again just so that Keir Strachan wouldn’t be embarrassed by her lack of suitable attire on just one occasion!
‘Perhaps I could just sit and wait for you outside the concert hall?’ she suggested, thinking how that would be infinitely preferable to enduring a shopping trip she couldn’t afford with a man who put her so on edge she would be apt to buy the first unsuitable dress she set eyes on because he distracted her so!
‘Out of the question! Don’t you enjoy dressing up on occasion? Most women I know don’t find it such a great hardship.’
Surprised to find amusement lurking in his compelling eyes, Georgia did not smile back. ‘I’m afraid I manage on quite a tight budget that doesn’t run to buying lots of expensive clothes. I have a brother, a house and a dog to look after, as well as myself, and that takes quite a bit of financial juggling I can tell you!’
He was frowning again as she finished speaking, and Georgia’s heart was thumping too hard inside her chest at having confessed her situation so candidly. But one thing she didn’t want to do—even to save face—was pretend. In her book it was always best to tell the truth…no matter what. Her parents had drummed that fact into both her and Noah from almost as soon as they could talk.
‘I agree that London can be an expensive place to live,’ Keir commented. ‘But isn’t Noah’s gardening business paying its way yet?’
‘Glenteign was his first really decent commission. Every spare penny we’ve both earned has gone back into the business. It’s early days yet, but Noah is such a brilliant designer I’m sure it won’t be long before people are flocking to his door to get him to come and design their gardens!’
‘Judging from what I’ve personally experienced of his abilities, I’m sure you’re right.’
‘Well…I’ll just finish this letter, then I’ll go and walk Hamish.’
‘Georgia?’
‘Yes?’
‘I’m sure Moira will come up with something to save the day.’
Feeling heat rush into her cheeks at the unexpected kindness in his voice, Georgia turned her attention back to her typing.
Watching her slender fingers fly across the keyboard at a rate that was definitely impressive, Keir silently acknowledged that so far everything that Noah had said about his sister’s secretarial skills was true. She’d coped with everything he had thrown at her today, and she hadn’t flapped…not once. He regretted it if he’d embarrassed her about a dress for the benefit concert, but he’d appreciated her candour. Not many people would have had the guts to tell him the truth about their finances—and without any sense of feeling hard done by either just simply stating facts.
‘Good. That’s settled, then.’
Going to the door, he stood there for at least half a minute, staring at the way her long chestnut hair curled so provocatively at the ends and remembering the way her flimsy cotton blouse had outlined her very arresting figure as she’d stretched. By the time Keir turned away to leave the room he found himself to be in a state of highly aroused tension, and the only sensible thing to do to alleviate it was to put some distance between his new secretary and himself as quickly as possible…
‘And where are you off to this fine morning, my dear?’
Keir’s friendly housekeeper waylaid Glenteign’s newest employee as she was about to get into her car the next morning. The day was seasonably warm and bright, and Georgia was wearing a dark lime cotton sweater with white tapered linen trousers, very conscious since his remark about Noah’s shirt not to appear too casual for her employer’s liking.
Pushing her sunglasses onto the top of her head, she smiled, already feeling very much at home with the older woman.
‘I’m off to Lochheel. I need to go to the post office for the Chief. He was going to take me himself, but he’s got several phone calls to make this morning and can’t spare the time.’
The truth of it was—because he’d definitely got out of the wrong side of the bed this morning, judging by his extremely tetchy mood—Georgia was glad to be going on her own. It would also give her a chance to enjoy some of the spectacular countryside without having to make stilted conversation with her new boss.
‘That’s usually the way of it…’ Moira sighed. ‘The man just always has so much to do! Considering he’s scarcely been Laird here for two minutes, it’s an absolute credit to his skill and dedication that he’s already achieved so much!’