Read Her Man Friday for Free Online Page B

with her friends, the Children of the Corn."
    In response to her assurance, he only arched one eyebrow in silent query.
    Lily lifted her chin smugly. "Chloe is what some people would call a gifted child," she began in the girl's defense.
    "She's what other people would call a menace to society," he countered, his gaze never flinching.
    Lily was about to speak again, but before she could comment, Mrs. Puddleduck began to rouse herself. She stood silently, wavered a bit, smoothed out her dress, wavered a bit more, and then made her way to the closet with all the imperiousness of a czarina. Well, a czarina who was completely whacked on laudanum, anyway. Without a word, she withdrew a suitcase from inside, opened it on the floor, and began to jerk her clothes from the hangers above. She didn't bother to fold them, only tossed them one by one into the suitcase at her feet.
    Even though she knew it would probably be pointless to try to make amends, Lily offered, "In light of today's, urn, incident, I'm sure we could talk Mr. Kimball into giving you a little bonus for your troubles." She bit back a derisive chuckle. Even Publisher's Clearinghouse didn't have enough money to pay a nanny for Chloe Sandusky.
    The other woman spun around and glared at her.
    "No, thank you," she bit out through gritted teeth.
    "How about if you just take a little time to think about it, hmm?" Lily tried further. "A few days off? Paid, naturally."
    But the nanny shook her head and went back to her packing. "No, I think I'll check into that prison matron position I saw advertised in the paper last Sunday. That should be an enormous improvement over this place."
    Lily sighed. "Well, naturally, you'd know what's best for your career."
    The other woman expelled a strangled sound, but said nothing more.
    "Truly, I wish you'd reconsider," Lily tried again. She did
not
relish the prospect of interviewing potential nannies for Chloe. She might spend weeks trying to find someone else. And she had a million other, more pressing, things to do than search for an appropriate companion for Chloe. "Let me talk to Mr. Kimball to see what kind of permanent future arrangements we can make," she said.
    Mrs. Puddleduck hesitated in her packing. "I'm assuming you mean permanent future
financial
arrangements?"
    "Of course," Lily assured her.
    "Significant ones?"
    "Well, you are already earning far more than the average nanny. Let's not get greedy."
    The other woman spun around and thrust her fists upon her ample hips. "I am
not
greedy," she said. "And Chloe is
not
a nanny's typical charge. The girl is a menace."
    "But a gifted menace," Lily reminded her.
    "Nevertheless, if Mr. Kimball wants me to continue working with her, he's going to have to make it worth my while. Call it hazardous duty pay, if you want. Because that's exactly what it will be. That girl needs a drill instructor, not a nanny."
    "Well, I do appreciate all the work you've put in with Chloe," Lily said. "I know it hasn't been easy."
    That strangled sound erupted from the nanny again, then she said, "You might want to tell that to Mr. Kimball. And don't forget to include the part about me deserving a bonus. A
big
bonus."
    "I'll do my best," Lily told her, "but you know how Mr. Kimball feels about bonuses."
    Mrs. Puddleduck's expression pretty much illustrated her feelings without a word spoken. Which was just as well, Lily thought, because that kind of language really wasn't appropriate coming out of the mouth of a nanny.
    Lily sighed. "I'll see what I can
do
about increasing your salary. And your bonus, as well," she added when she saw the other woman open her mouth to remind her.
    "I'll give him one week to… you know… see to my needs," the nanny stated quite forcefully. Then she stared down at her half-filled suitcase with what was obviously
much
regret. "I need a drink," she muttered. And before Lily had a chance to object—happy hour didn't begin until six o'clock, after all—the other woman had left