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“Sir. This is hard to say.” She was starting to falter.
“Let’s have it all since you’ve chosen to begin this line of conversation.”
“I have a need for good discipline, for my bottom to be spanked or paddled or…” She hesitated to go on.
“I’ve given up those practices,” Reggie informed her. “These are more dangerous times to be taking liberties with females in a company like this.”
“Even willing females?” she asked.
“I’ll keep the thought in mind,” he said, briskly trying to return to his work.
“I am quite serious, sir,” she made her final comment.
“Unless you want me to flog you right now, I’d suggest that you better get that pretty ass out of this office.”
“Yes sir,” she replied. She considered the conversation a positive sign, even if Mr. Harold was noncommittal.
***
Three days later, the nervous Shelby Crandall was in his office again. This time she was standing in front of him with the remains of a report in her hand. Reggie had gone over it with a cursory eye, marking it with the bold stripes of a red pen. He handed the document back to her.
“I’m sorry, sir,” she said, meekly. This her first task for him, and she’d failed miserably. She was too scared to ask questions of him, and that was her undoing. Her guessing was all wrong.
“It’s poor first try,” he said. “Have the corrected file on my desk by five.”
“Yes, sir, I will.” She left hastily.
It was seven o’clock before the file finally appeared in front of Reggie. Though the report was perfect this time, he was annoyed by the delay.
“Miss Crandall, I hope your future work will be accomplished a little more efficiently,” he said.
“I’m sure it will be. I was just…”
“Excuses aren’t necessary. Top quality work is. You may go.”
Reggie could almost see the thrill of delight run though the young woman as he made his stern rebuke. He smiled to himself, thinking how easy it was with the right woman. Jocelyn, good god! She was a bother, but the damnedest bother he’d ever known. She’d never in a million years be like Shelby, or Alexandra or Margo, or any of the others. Finding even the thought of her refreshing, he took a few minutes to think about her, wondering what time it was in London.
Shelby Crandall was in his office several days later, along with Dwight and her immediate supervisor. It was a grim conference. Two days late on important company deadlines was something Reggie did not abide.
“There have been some good reports coming in on your new assistant,” Reggie observed, trying to soften the message that would follow. Jocelyn would be proud of his effort. “But,” he continued, “we seem to have a problem with Shelby’s accuracy. Let’s handle it.”
It was just that simple, the meeting was over.
“Miss Crandall,” Reggie called to the woman, as she was on her way out. She was the last to leave. “One more thing.”
“Yes, sir?”
“Close the door,” he directed.
Shelby closed the door and moved back toward Reggie’s desk.
“If you are deliberately trying to rouse my passions fo
r discipline again, I think you should be careful. I have given it up. The last secretary I had didn’t believe me, and I fired her when her work started to suffer. She challenged me and lost the game. Do you understand?”
“Yes sir,” she replied.
There was a sad look on the girl’s face, almost despondent. At least it furnished Reggie with the answer he was looking for. The mistakes in her work were so contrived, it was obvious what she was looking for.
