'You can depend on me, Rafe.'
"That's great, Mrs Hunt.'
'Dot. Call me Dot.'
'Dot.' He grinned at her. 'Wish me luck, Dot.'
'You won't need too much luck, you sexy devil.'
'Dot! I'm shocked.'
Tm not too old that I can't see what Isabel sees in. you. But I'm not so sure that not telling her you love her is the right tactic.'
'Trust me, Dot. It is.'
'If you say so. Heavens, I have to confess you've surprised me. Look, I'd better go inside or Isabel might come out and catch us together, and she might start asking awkward questions. She thinks I don't like you.'
'Gee. I wonder what gave her that idea?'
Dot's fine grey eyes sparkled with a mixture of guilt and good humour. 'You are a cheeky young man too, aren't you?'
'Go lightly on the young, Dot. I'm over thirty.'
She laughed. "That's young to me. But I take your point and I'll try to get with it, as you said.'
Dot was not long gone and Rafe had just sat down again to finish his food when Isabel burst out onto the porch. 'I've been looking for you. Mum said you were out here. What on earth did you say to her just now?'
'Nothing much.' Rafe hoped his face was a lot calmer than his insides. The more time he spent with Isabel the more hopelessly in love with her he was. And the more desperate for all his plans to succeed. .'Why?'
'Well, she actually smiled at me and told me how much she liked you. You could have knocked me over with a feather. She's been giving you killer looks all day, then suddenly she likes you? You must have said something.'
'I told her she had a wonderful daughter and I was going to marry you.'
Isabel blinked, stared, then burst out laughing. 'You didn't?'
'I did, indeed.'
'Oh, Rafe, you're wicked. First you lie to your mother about getting married, and now to mine. Still, it worked.'
Rafe almost told her then. Told her it wasn't a lie, that he was crazy about her and did want to marry her. But it simply was too premature for such declarations.
'How's Rachel coping?' he asked, deftly changing the subject.
'Not too bad, actually. Did you see that woman we were talking to?'
"The one built like a battleship?'
"That's the one. Her name's Alice McCarthy and Rachel does alterations for her. Did I tell you that's how Rachel's been making some money at home?'
'Yes, I think you did mention it.'
'She's a darned good dressmaker, too, but alterations pay better and take less time. Anyway, Alice has this son. His name's Justin.'
'Oh, no, not another match-making mother. Poor Rachel. She's deep in grief and some old battleaxe is already lining her up for her son.'
'Oh, do stop being paranoid. And Alice is not a battle-axe. She's very sweet. Anyway, this Justin doesn't want a wife. He wants a secretary. As for Rachel being in grief, she needs to get out and about as quickly as possible, otherwise she'll get even more lonely and depressed than she already is. A job is ideal. She'll have to interview, of course, but Alice is going to twist her son's arm to at least give her a go for a while.'
'That's nice of her, but can Rachel do the job? Has she ever been a secretary before?'
'Has she ever been a secretary before!' Isabel scoffed. 'I'll have you know that Rachel was a finalist in the Secretary of the Year award one year. Of course, that was a few years ago, and she has lost a bit of confidence since then, but nothing which can't be put to right with some boosting up from her friends.'
'Mmm. Tell me about this Alice's son. What does he do for a crust?'
'He's some high-flying executive in the city. One of those companies with fingers in lots of pies. Insurance. Property development. You know the kind of thing.'
'What happened to his present secretary? He must have one.'
'The story goes that she suddenly resigned last month. Flew over to England a few weeks back for her niece's wedding, realised how homesick she was for her mother country, came back just to get her things, and quit. He's been making do with a temp but he's not thrilled. Says she's far too flashy-looking and far too flirtatious. He can't concentrate on his work.'
'My heart goes out to him,' Rafe said drily. 'Still, I guess his wife might not be pleased.'
'He's divorced.'
'What's his problem, then?'
Isabel sighed. She should have known a man like Rafe wouldn't see a problem. If he was in the same position, he'd just have the girl on his desk every lunchtime and not think twice about it.
'Office romances are never a good idea, Rafe,' she tried explaining. "This is something you might not appreciate, since you don't work in a traditional office. And since you're not female. If a female employee has an affair with a male colleague, especially her boss, it's always the girl who ends up getting the rough end of the pineapple.'
He laughed. 'What a delicate way of putting it.'
Isabel rolled her eyes with utter exasperation. 'Truly. Must you always put a sexual connotation on everything?'