Chapter 1
Penny was nineteen; a pretty little thing, her slim body attracted male attention. She looked like a Florentine madonna with pale face and sensual lips framed by magnificent chestnut hair that glinted red in the sun. The impression was confirmed by the innocent expression in her clear, blue, doll’s eyes.
It was a month since she had left school to look for work. The aunt, who had previously kept her and paid for her studies, had been killed in a car accident, and Penny was making contact with the hardships of life.
On that particular morning, she was on her way to an address given her by the Students’ Employment Bureau. When she arrived in front of the rather luxurious building to which she had been sent, she took out the visiting card and, for the last time, checked the name of the man she had come to see.Victor Jennings, Esq., Barrister-at-Law, Third Floor.
As she walked up the stairs, the child began to pray that this time she would find a job. Her efforts so far had been a resounding failure because of her youth and lack of training, and the little store of money was dwindling. Trembling, she rang the bell. The door opened to reveal a young woman, elegantly dressed, who smiled curiously at Penny. Penny explained that she had come to apply for the post of secretary, that is, if it were still vacant.
The woman, who appeared to be about thirty years of age, looked at Penny with undisguised interest, and invited her into the lounge.
“Do sit down, Miss Harvey. I’m Mrs. Jennings. I expect my husband at any moment. But, if you don’t mind, I’ll ask you some questions first? That may save us some time. How old did you say you were?”
“Nineteen, ma’am.”
“Oh! how young you are. But anyone can see that by your baby face.”
“Am I too young?” asked Penny, almost in tear rs.
“Not at all, not at all. On the contrary. Victor is looking for a young secretary. What training have you had?”
“None.”
“Well, that doesn’t really matter. We can soon teach you, unless you’re stupid, and you don’t look it.”
“You think I’ll suit, ma’am?” asked Penny timidly.
“I’m sure of it,” laughed the young woman. “But it’s my husband who has to decide.”
“Perhaps he’ll think me too childish,” sighed Penny.
“Not at all. I’m sure he’ll find you greatly to his liking.” said Mrs.
Jennings, smiling mysteriously.
At that moment, they heard the noise of a key turning in the lock, and a distinguished, handsome man of about forty, wearing a well-cut suit, came into the lounge.
“Ah, here comes my husband,” the women cried gaily. “Darling, this is a young lady, who has come about the post of secretary.”
“How do you do, young lady. Well, Carola, send her into my office, and we’ll see what we can do.”
“You know, dear, I’ve already had a long talk with her, and I think she’ll do very well.”
“Well, we’ll soon see if that is so.”
They moved into a very comfortable office where Mrs. Jennings ushered Penny into a deep armchair. Mr. Jennings, standing close to his wife, began to question Penny. After a few minutes, he smiled at the child.
“Well, I think we’ll get along very well together, but I have one last question to ask. Have you any family in Paris?”
“No sir. My aunt died a month ago and all I have left is a godmother living in the country.”
“No fiance? No boyfriend?”
“No sir,” whispered Penny, blushing like a rose.
“Victor asked you that because if you’re going to work for him, you can come and live here,” said Carola, smiling at the young girl’s embarrassment.
“Well, Miss Penny, this is the way it would work,” the lawyer went on. “You would help Carola with her secretarial duties; my wife will teach you how to type. You will have your own room here, take your meals with us and receivethirty thousand francs a month. Are you interested?”
“But… but… but…” Penny was overwhelmed. “This is marvelous. You’re too kind. I don’t know how to thank you…”
“Don’t try, my dear little Penny. You’ll allow me to use your Christian name, won’t you? Besides, I count on your being friends with my wife, who is alone a great deal. Now, if you start tomorrow, that gives you all today to prepare your affairs, and tomorrow morning. I shall come and collect you at your hotel in the car. Then you will settle in here. Does that suit you?”
“Oh yes,” cried Penny, radiant.
“But Victor, darling,” the interruption came from the lawyer’s wife. “You forgot to warn Penny about the condition.”
Penny’s heart sank at these words; so there was a condition; she should have realized as much. It had been too good to be true, and she probably wouldn’t be able to fulfil the condition. She hung her head in despair and missed the significant look exchanged by the other two.
“True, very true,” said Mr. Jennings. “I don’t quite know how to explain it. Let’s see… Miss Penny, I’m sure you’d be a perfect secretary, but even so, I’d expect you to make mistakes from time to time.”
“My husband is very fussy about that,” added Carola with a smile. “I have good reasons for knowing it.”
“As I was saying,” the lawyer went on, “you will probably make some mistakes. Now in some firms each mistake earns a black mark and a warning, until finally the person gets the sack. But my methods are different, I think it is unkind to sack a young girl who is, after all, doing her best. I find it more natural, to inflict a corrective punishment for each offense. Don’t you agree with me?”
“Ye… yes sir,” murmured Penny, who really didn’t see what he was driving at.
“Secretaries are generally women. What, then, does a man do when he wants to punish a woman?”
“I don’t know, sir.”
“He smacks her bottom, as if she were a little girl. Isn’t that right, Carola?”
“Oh yes,” replied the young woman, laughing. “I’ve been through it often enough to appreciate your famous system.”
“Well, young lady. Do you think you’d be able to stand your employer’s hidings?”
“I… I… I don’t know, sir,” Penny stammered out. “I’ll try,” she said with a shy smile.
`I’ll not turn down a good job for that,’ she thought. She’d had enough when she was a kid, and it couldn’t be too bad from a nice looking fellow like her new boss.
“I’m so pleased you’ve accepted,” said Carola, putting her arm around the child’s shoulder, and kissing her on the forehead. “Now you’ll share the hidings that I had to take by myself before. You’ll soon see, dear. We’ll be real friends. I like you very much, you know. You’re very pretty, isn’t she, Victor?”
“It’s true. The young lady is pretty, and I, too, like her very much. We shall get on well together.