‘Oh, no! You’re going home. I don’t want it on my conscience that anything went wrong with your baby.’ She picked up the phone, dialled reception and ordered a taxi on the firm.

‘Go home and call the doctor,’ she said. ‘And don’t come back until you’re a lot better.’

‘But how will you manage without me?’ Sara asked worriedly.

Olympia gave her a cheerful smile. ‘I’ll just have to stagger along somehow. Don’t worry.’

She went down to reception, saw Sara into the waiting taxi and waved it off.

She was frowning as she returned to her office. She’d spoken reassuringly to Sara, but it was the worst possible time for this to happen.

She called Central Staff and explained that she urgently needed a temporary secretary, adding, ‘the best you have. And quickly, please.’

‘Someone will be there in five minutes.’

When she’d hung up Olympia took some deep breaths and closed her eyes.

‘I will not let this get to me,’ she said to herself. ‘If things go wrong I will overcome them. I will. I will. I am strong. Nothing can defeat me.’

She repeated this mantra several times before opening her eyes and getting the shock of her life.

A young man was standing there, watching her with interest.

He was very tall with slightly shaggy brown hair, dark brown eyes and a wide, firm mouth. He seemed to be regarding Olympia with some amusement, but perhaps that was only her imagination. She hoped desperately that her lips hadn’t been moving.

‘Can I help you?’ she asked coolly.

‘I’m looking for Olympia Lincoln. They told me downstairs that I’d find her here.’

The Central Staff Office was downstairs. After the first surprise Olympia recovered. Male secretaries were quite common these days.

‘I am Olympia Lincoln,’ she said. ‘I’m glad you got here quickly. They said they’d send me a replacement in five minutes, but-’ She shrugged.

‘Replacement?’