McQueen's Agency Read Free Page A

voice sounded concerned. ‘This new venture is a worry to us but if it doesn’t work you will go back to Woolworths, won’t you?’
    Molly had worked in the department store ever since arriving home. She had loved the work and the company of the other girls but had set her heart on being her own boss. Molly, who didn’t want to contemplate failure, nodded.
    ‘Of course I will, Mum. Don’t worry about me.’
    ‘If you need any help just ask Marigold next door. She said she would keep an eye on you.’ Her mother stopped to load the suitcases into the car. ‘And you’ll look after Sabby?’
    Sabby was the large tabby cat. Her father, with his wicked sense of humour had named her after one of his favourite films, Sabu, The Elephant Boy but because the cat was a she, the name had been changed to Sabby.
    Later, she stood on the station platform and waved her parents away until the train was half way across the Tay Bridge before driving the Anglia back to the garage.
    Later, in the office, she was despondent that no enquiries had come in. Edna appeared and they sat down with a cup of tea but no clients.
    Edna kept looking at the door every time someone passed by. If she could have drawn people in by the intensity of her stare then the office would have been mobbed. However no one even gave a passing glance to the shop, let alone crossed the threshold.
    Later Edna’s mother and son appeared and she introduced them. Billy looked like his mother. He had the same dark hair and brown eyes.
    ‘I’m taking Billy into the town to see the celebrations,’ said Edna’s mum, Irene.
    Molly said. ‘There doesn’t seem to be anyone wanting our services today Edna so go off and spend the day with your family. Maybe some work will come in tomorrow.’

3
    Molly was tidying up the reception area when the bell above the door made a small musical sound. At first she thought Edna had come back for something which made the woman’s appearance quite startling.
    She looked like a film star, dressed in an expensive looking grey suit with matching black shoes, handbag and a small black hat perched on her blonde wavy hair. She was beautiful. The only thing to mar the perfection was the woman’s right arm, which was in a sling. Molly saw the white bandage, just visible at her wrist.
    The stranger hesitated in the doorway. Molly went over and introduced herself.
    ‘Good morning, I’m Molly McQueen, owner of the agency. Can I help you?’
    She felt quite dowdy next to this exquisite creature.
    The woman seemed to make up her mind. ‘My name is Mrs Lena Lamont and I’m looking for a temporary secretary for a few weeks,’ she gestured towards her arm, ‘until I get this plaster off. My husband, brother and I run a family antique business and I do all the paperwork, but since my accident I haven’t been able to keep up with it and it’s starting to pile up. It’s mostly typing, filing and taking down letters. I saw your advert in the paper.’
    Molly made a great show of looking at the empty diary. ‘Yes, that can be arranged, Mrs Lamont. When do you want her to start?’
    ‘Oh, as soon as possible. Perhaps next Monday.’
    Molly could hardly believe her luck. This job would keep Edna employed for a while. She got all the relevant paperwork out of the desk and wrote down the details.
    ‘We work from home most of the time and my address is Cliff Top House. It’s just a few miles from Newport-on-Tay.’
    Molly gave her a sharp glance, ‘Can you give me the directions to the house, please?’
    ‘Of course. It’s about five miles from Newport, on the St Andrews Road.’
    Molly wrote all this information down and asked, ‘What time would you like our secretary to work?’
    Mrs Lamont gave this a bit of thought. ‘Perhaps ten o’clock in the morning till three o’clock. If we need any more I can always arrange it with her in advance. I may need help on a Saturday but not on a Sunday.’
    Molly offered her client a cup of tea but she