"Is something wrong?" He leant against the doorjamb as he spoke, crossing his arms as he viewed her through narrowed eyes.
"You seem... disturbed."
"Disturbed?" She was acutely aware of Elda in the next room and the sudden desire to hit him hard was as shocking as it was irrational.
"Lydia..." He paused as though he found it difficult to continue, but his voice was quite expressionless when he spoke.
"Is everything all right at home? I mean, are there any domestic difficulties that are worrying you, any problems?"
"Of course there aren't." Her relief at his misinterpretation of her agitation was overwhelming.
"Everything's fine." She dropped her eyes for a moment, her face flushing.
"Yes, it would be." He stared at her for a long moment with expressionless eyes.
"He wouldn't be such a fool--' He stopped abruptly and moved to her desk, picking up the report she had finished.
"Goodnight, Lydia." His voice was cold and abrupt and she stared at him for a moment, nonplussed by his coolness.
What had she done now? He turned and re-entered his office without looking at her again, a small muscle jumping in his jaw that convinced her she was right. She had _done something to annoy him, but what? Suddenly she had the crazy impulse to fling open his door, march up to his desk and demand an explanation, but then a soft husky giggle from the inner room swamped her with cold reason. What was she thinking of, for goodness' sake?
He hadn't said or done anything wrong, in fact he had shown concern, albeit frostily, that something was bothering her. And there was. She frowned helplessly at the shut door. But she couldn't put a name to it. All she knew was that from that moment in the lift she just couldn't view him in quite the same light. The incident had revealed a wildly passionate, sensual side to him that didn't fit in with the cold, intimidatingly intelligent individual of office hours and she wanted-- She cut her thoughts abruptly.
She didn't know what she wanted! Yes, she did--the safe, comfortable, ordinary existence she had always known without disturbing nighttime dreams that made her feel shamefully wanton if she recalled even a part of them.
She rubbed her hand across her hot face and took a deep breath as she buttoned her jacket and checked the word processor was switched off.
She should never have worked for him in the first place, never have got embroiled in the lie that had seemed to stretch and grow in the last few weeks. Wolf never referred directly to her private life but there had been one or two instances when a negative reaction, a reiteration of her husband's place in her life, more by what she had not said than what she had, had proved itself necessary.
Hannah was thrilled with the kitten, a tiny scrap of fur and eyes that she immediately named Tiger because of its markings, and Lydia let her stay up later than usual after tea, watching them both through the open kitchen _door as she made up a little basket for the animal and arranged a Utter-tray in an alcove near the back door. She had just ventured up the somewhat rickety stepladder to reach a small dish on top of one of the kitchen cupboards that was just right for such a tiny scrap when the phone rang, making her jump.
Whether she leant over too far or the step-ladder slipped she was never quite sure, but the next moment she was clutching frantically at thin air as she fell, landing with a bone-jarring thud on the kitchen floor as the step-ladder caught her a stunning blow across the head as it collapsed at her side.
"Mummy! Mummy!" Hannah's voice was shrill with panic as she ran into the kitchen, the kitten disappearing under a chair, its back arched in fright.
"It's all right, Hannah." She wanted to be sick, desperately, but she fought it along with the rising tide of blackness that was threatening to take her over. She couldn't pass out, not when- Hannah was alone like this. "Answer the phone quickly, darling," she mumbled through numb lips, 'it's. probably
Grandma. Tell her I've fallen down and need some help. "
"Oh, Mummy..." As large tears welled up in Hannah's big brown eyes, Lydia used all her strength to speak again.
"Answer the phone, Hannah, quickly." It was their lifeline. Wow, darling.
“And then the rushing in her ears became like an express train and darkness closed in, shutting out Hannah's sobs and her own frantic desperation.
She could only have lost consciousness for a few minutes, and as she struggled back out of the roaring blackness her first thought was for Hannah.
She must have spoken her daughter's name because a little voice answered immediately by her side.
"Yes, Mummy?"
_"Don't worry, darling." As her eyes focused on the small face she lay for a few seconds, willing the faintness away, and then moved gingerly, pulling herself into a sitting position with her back against the line of cupboards.
"I'm all right, Hannah, I promise."
Hannah nodded tearfully but looked far from convinced, and as Lydia opened her arms dived into them like a tiny, frightened rabbit.
"Did you answer the phone?" Lydia asked weakly, relaxing again as the little head nodded an affirmative. Thank goodness. Help was on the way.