The Importance of Being Emma Read Online Free

loud check suit.
    ‘ Hiya, I’m Harriet Smith,’ the girl squeaked.
    And I’d have to do something about that accent, Pseudo Posh meets Estuary English.
    Dad got slowly to his feet. ‘Good morning, Harriet, I’m Henry Woodhouse. No doubt Mary’s been telling you what an old ogre I am.’
    Harriet stared at him, obviously unsure how to respond, while Batty tittered, ‘Oh Henry, you and your little jokes.’
    Dad went on, ‘This is my daughter, Emma Woodhouse.’
    Harriet took my outstretched hand and managed a shy smile. ‘Hiya, Miss Henhouse. Shit – I mean, sorry … ’
    I laughed and tried to put her at ease. ‘Just call me Emma, Harriet.’
    ‘ Hiya, Emma-Harriet.’
    My eyes widened. To my right, Mark seemed to be having a coughing fit.
    Dad looked at him anxiously. ‘And this is Mark Knightley, our friend and non-executive director. Mark, that’s a nasty-sounding cough, would you like to chew on a garlic clove? I always keep some handy, with my troublesome throat.’
    ‘ Thank you, Henry, but I seem to have recovered. Delighted to meet you, please call me Mark, Harriet.’ Mark shook her hand and gave her one of his most dazzling smiles.
    The poor girl went crimson. As she opened her mouth to speak, I intervened before she came out with ‘Hiya, Mark-Harriet’.
    ‘ It must be confusing being bombarded with so many new names. I’m sure Mary will make you a seating plan for the Board meeting, then you’ll know who’s saying what.’
    Batty’s face lit up. ‘Such a good idea, Emma, as always, I don’t know how you … Harriet dear, come with me and we’ll get started.’
    They went out and I smiled to myself. More through luck than skill, Batty had found me the perfect PA. First, Harriet’s nervousness wasn’t a problem. It was even understandable, since Highbury Foods was a big step up from a half-baked outfit like Abbey Mill Haulage; and I much preferred nervousness to brash self-confidence. Second, she was crying out for my help. A complete makeover was needed and I had plenty of spare time now that my academic studies were at an end. Finally, she had neither the intellect nor the experience to challenge my ideas – or so it seemed. I made a mental note to reserve judgement; anyone would act like a halfwit after a long dose of Batty.
    As if he could read my mind, Mark said, ‘Let’s hope Harriet’s up to the job.’
    ‘ Poor Kate, why did she get married?’ Dad spread out his hands in despair.
    Mark was incredulous. ‘Poor Kate? More like clever Kate. She’s just halved her workload – only Tom to run round after, instead of you two.’
    I noticed a teasing glint in his eye and decided to rise to the bait. ‘Especially when one of us is such a pain.’
    ‘ You took the words right out of my mouth,’ he said, with a grin.
    Dad gave a wan smile. ‘I know I can be a bit of a nuisance at times – ’
    ‘ Oh Dad, we didn’t mean you!’ I darted behind the desk to give him a swift kiss on the cheek. ‘Mark thinks I’m the pain, not you. But it doesn’t bother me, we always say whatever we like to each other, then forget all about it.’
    Dad shook his head in bewilderment.
    ‘ If that was true, I’d be wasting my time – and Henry’s money – mentoring you for the next six months,’ Mark said, a note of irritation in his voice. ‘Anyway, I’m probably underestimating Kate, I expect she’s already got Tom running round after her . And I bet she’s enjoying every single minute.’
    Then it hit me. Kate’s life had taken a new direction and she was no longer at my beck and call. I made a big show of arranging the pens on Dad’s desk.
    Mark broke the silence. ‘Now, Henry, where’s that agenda you mentioned?’
     
    ~~MARK~~
    With the mentoring in mind, Henry had suggested I share Emma’s office whenever I was at Highbury Foods. I sat there now, pretending to re-read the Board papers but secretly watching her as she scowled at her PC.
    I still couldn’t get over how