by Belita Renn
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Red Rose Publishing
www.redrosepublishing.com
Copyright ©2007 by Belita Renn
First published in 2007-11-01, 2007
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NOTICE: This work is copyrighted. It is licensed only for use by the original purchaser. Making copies of this work or distributing it to any unauthorized person by any means, including without limit email, floppy disk, file transfer, paper print out, or any other method constitutes a violation of International copyright law and subjects the violator to severe fines or imprisonment.
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Mansion's Halloween Ball
By
Belita Renn
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Mansion Halloween Ball by Belita Renn
Red Rose Publishing
Copyright© 2007 Belita Renn
ISBN: 978-1-60435-013-5
ISBN: 1-60435-013-X
Cover Artist: Rene Lyons
Editor: Kitren Meyers
This is a work of explicit adult romance written from the author's imagination and should not be construed as truth or fact. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews. Due to copyright laws, you cannot trade, sell or give any ebooks away.
Red Rose Publishing
www.redrosepublishing.com
Forestport, NY 13338
Mansion's Halloween Ball
By
Belita Renn
Chapter One
"You are invited to the annual Halloween Ball on October 28th at the mansion of Albert Morrison, hosted by Morrison, Morrison, and Torque. The festivities are to begin at eight with a welcome from Mister Torque, and then a toast to Mrs. Winslow in the ballroom in honor of her retirement.
"I hope she receives more than a toast.” Mary Lawrence tossed in, while reading the invitation to Carie Clark at the cafeteria table. Inhaling a deep breath she began reading again. "Hired carriages will be available for those that wish a moonlight ride around the lake.
"I went on that last year, it was very romantic.” Mary injected. Clearing her throat she continued, "Cottages and spare rooms are available for stay over guests, if arrangements are made in advance.
"Now why do you suppose he would offer us rooms in his home? You think he has hidden cameras in every room?"
"Really Mary, you are incorrigible.” Carie mocked.
"I know, still I'll bet there are video recorders hidden all over the mansion.” Flashing a big smile, she focused her brown eyes on the paper. “Oh good, The Wilks Band will be performing until dawn in the ballroom.
"That means lots of slow dancing."
"I do believe there is a security camera system in the mansion,” Carie supplied.
"See I told you."
"Food and drinks will be available in the dining hall, with a bond fire of the south lawn, and picnic tables with refreshments, and a second dance area. The cast from Horror Night will be hosting a kissing booth to test your courage, and will be working the cloakroom," Mary shuddered, “You have to kiss those horrid made up faces, and they French kiss you, and you don't know until midnight, if you frenched a male or female.
"For the brave at heart the pool will be expecting you.
"This is a costume Ball, all not wearing costumes upon arrival will be provided masks, and no masks can come off before midnight, unless you become sick. Feel free to have as much fun as you can stand, but no fighting no matter how drunk you get. The Kerry and Bach wedding chapel will be on the south lawn."
"Remember that party of four that got married last year, all of them to each other. Then they spent the night having an orgy, and in the morning they were so embarrassed,” Carie chuckled as she remembered the situation.
"I don't know why they bother to invite us? Why not send a office memo stating we must attend?” Carie queried, over their luncheon plates.
They received one hour for lunch, which barely gave them time to eat and only a little talking. The two coffee breaks during their workday were really so they could fetch coffee and take it back to their desk. Only the executive offices had coffee pots.
"Then they, the powers that be, could not pretend that they are doing us a favor. No holiday but the one day for Thanksgiving, and one for Christmas and New Years, how can they not be ashamed?” Her cheek propped on her palm, Mary was suffering from fatigue, and barely able to keep her eyes open.
"Don't forget you only get the holiday if it falls on a work day,” Carie reminded, raking her fingertips over her cheek, massaging her aching jaw. It ached from tensions; she had to learn to stop clenching her jaws.
"Hum.” Her heavy eyelids lifting, Mary gazed at her with bleary eyes.
"Am I keeping you awake?” Carie teased, a grin tugging at the corner of her lips.
"I need caffeine. Would you fetch me a cup of coffee?” Fatigue was even in Mary's voice; she had been missing a lot of sleep lately.
"Sure.” Crumpling her napkin, Carie rose from her chair. Her long black hair tied behind her head in a ponytail, snagged on the back of the chair. A gentleman sitting at the next table stood, and helped her free the tangled tresses. “Thanks,” automatically she offered, as she glared at her sleeping friend that had been of no assistance. Sighing, she shook her head and hurried to the front of the lunchroom. After fetching the black coffee, she started back to her seat.
The cafeteria was crowded with employees, and she had to squeeze between groups of people standing around the room talking. Seeing the empty table beside the area where Mary and she were sitting, she wondered who the gentleman was that had helped with her hair. It would have to be cut. She had been putting it off, but this was the third time she had gotten caught in one of the lunchroom chairs. Hair hanging to the waist was out of date, and the style old fashioned, but she loved the slick strands. It had taken seven years to grow it this long and she hated to chop it off in five minutes. Which was all the time it would take for a hairdresser to cut it to a reasonable length before cutting it into a style. Eyeing the chair, as though it were a living evil thing, she grasped her hair and pulled it over her shoulder for safety, before sitting. After placing the coffee cup on the table before Mary, she looked at her wristwatch. “It's getting late. You had better hurry, if you plan to drink the coffee before we must return to work."
Forcing her eyes to open Mary patted her lips with flat fingers over her yawning mouth. “Sorry, I stayed out too late last night."
"It's not wise to do that during the week. Can't you wait until the weekend?” Carie asked feeling concerned for her friend's health. Mary had stretched her energy beyond its maximum limit.
Flinching, Mary raked her short red curl. “We were celebrating. Gabe got a raise."
"Another one, that makes three this year.” A frown tugged her eyebrows inward, she felt slighted and used by the company. What was she doing wrong? What was Gabe doing right?
"Um, his boss must really admire his work,” Mary absently dismissed. It was understandable that she was proud of Gabe's accomplishments.
Carie was pleased for him also, still she felt bad inside. “What could be so special about his work that affords him three raises in a year? He does the same job we do."
Lifting the coffee cup to her red lips Mary shrugged. “Don't know. Wish I knew his secret. I haven't gotten a raise in two years."
"I
haven't either. Guess, we don't have the right equipment between our legs."
It was a joke they shared that the men in the company were always getting the promotions and raises, while the women struggled to make their rent. It was a general stereotype and didn't actually fit their company. Still, Gabe had a female boss, so it had become a joke between them. Mary didn't really believe Gabe would cheat on her, which was why they were able to joke about the topic.
Glancing at her watch, Carie rose. “Got to go. Tell Gabe, I'm jealous. See you after work."
The women carpooled to save on gas and parking fees as they lived near each other since the company parking lot was not large enough for all of the employee cars. Only the executives and senior employees received spaces in the parking lot. As the company had only been hiring women for the late ten years, all of the seniors were men. This was the source of additional jokes.
Mary was suppose to meet Carie in the parking lot, but never did. Her reason was a logical one, Carie worked over many nights, and Mary hated waiting in an empty parking lot. She said it gave her the creeps. Most days she drank coffee in the cafeteria, or waited in Carie's office while she finished her work. It wasn't that Carie was slow at her job; she was a regular worker bee.
It seemed no matter how hard she worked her boss always had more for her to do. Often Carie's boss required some last minute work before she could leave. Carie didn't mind the overtime pay, but a raise would have been an acknowledgment of her extra efforts on behalf of the company.
Taking the elevator to the top floor, Carie returned to the vice president's office. Sitting at her desk, she lifted the phone to receive the messages the switchboard had taken while she was out. Her boss was in a meeting, and was not expected to return for the day. After writing down the messages, she switched on her computer, and began typing the dictation she had received earlier.
Typing with the headphones on she didn't hear the door open, or see the gentleman standing in the doorway. Closing the door, he departed. Two hours later, he opened the door again. She was on the phone, and typing out the information research was dictating.
"Thanks Gene, I will see that you get a copy, as soon as Mr. Phifer has signed it.” As she was hanging up the phone the line lit again, and she answered it.
"That information should be sent to Mr. Hatfield's office on seven. Oh, Mr. Phifer said I would. All right, send it up.” The pleasant sound of her voice never altered. Carie did her job, whatever it was without complaint. “I will have it to you, by the end of the day. Thanks."
Hanging up the line, she heard a soft click. Thinking someone was entering her door, she looked around expecting to find a messenger with a delivery from research, but the door was closed. Frowning, she returned to her work.
When it was time to leave, she was in the middle of typing a document. Calling, “Come.” In answer to the tap on the door, she continued typing.
"Be with you in a second Mary. Have a seat while I finish this.” Without looking around, she continued typing. Two minutes later, she was printing out the document, while making a file folder for the pages.
"I think I would like Mediterranean tonight. You interested?” Stacking the pages, she placed them neatly into the file folder, and then switched off her computer. When Mary didn't answer she looked around, and discovered an empty room. Walking to the file cabinet, she placed the file folder inside. Behind her, the door opened and Mary walked in. Glancing over her shoulder, she cast her friend a smile.
"I was wondering where you had gotten to."
Chapter Two
He had lost fifty dollars on a foolish bet with Mr. Phifer. He still couldn't believe the boasts of a perfect secretary appeared to be true. Phifer had dared him to enter her office at any time during the day.
"You'll find her working, if she isn't at lunch. Miss Clark doesn't waste time. She likes to keep busy."
"I know how busy executive secretaries can be. Especially, when the boss is away. I'll take your bet, and your secretary, if she is all that you say."
"Hey now, that wasn't part of the bet. She is my secretary.” Phifer's bushy eyebrows sank into a frown. He was a round man, over confident, full of his self worth, and a braggart.
He figured the threat of losing the secretary would put a stop to the old man's bragging. Phifer was at least sixty, and would be retiring soon.
Still, Phifer persisted in claiming that Miss Clark was a most productive secretary in the company.
Accepting the bet, he decided to put a fast end to it. Leaving the top floor office, he strode down the hall to the vice president's office.
Opening the door, he paused and gawked at the lovely woman working at the computer. Closing the door before she noticed him, he returned to the president's office. Later he made the trip to the office again. This time he was assuming she would have cleared her desk of work, and was filing her fingernails.
Again she was busily working, double working actually while typing dictation from over the phone. At the end of the day, he went to speak to her. But, she was too busy to talk. Returning to the president's office, he passed the smug vice-president fifty dollars.
"Told you.” Phifer said smugly, assuming the threat of losing the secretary had been a jest.
"Thanks for the assistant. I doubt I could find a better recommended employee in the company."
"Well no, but you're not really going to take her are you? My work will suffer. I need her."
"Your work will not suffer,” though it was softly spoken, it was a command. “You will have a new secretary. We shall even allow Miss Clark to pick one out for you. She knows you well enough to pick one that would suite your temperament."
After Phifer left the office, he decided he would investigate Miss Clark in greater detail. He needed to know if he could trust her with the delicate nature of some of the company documents, was the excuse he would use to discover all he could about Miss Beautiful Clark.
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Closing the file cabinet door, Carie locked the cabinets. Removing the keys from her wrist, she placed them in a hidden pouch she carried around her waist, beneath her blouse.
Mary watched her, with an amused expression. “I don't believe anyone is as conscientious as you, Miss Carie Clark,” she teased. “Even the President's secretary/assistant, Mrs. Winslow doesn't guard her files as closely as you.
"I knew you should be finishing by now.” Holding onto the doorknob, she waited for Carie to fetch her purse, and double check to see if everything was turned off, and in its proper place. She wouldn't leave until she was satisfied that all was secure.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to keep you waiting. See, I finish faster when you don't talk to me."
"It helps me prevent talking, if I don't sit here waiting. I fetched a cup of coffee. I didn't want to risk driving while sleepy.” She held a travel cup in her hand.
"Would you please get some sleep tonight?” Leaving the office behind Mary, Carie locked the door. Side-by-side they strolled to the elevators.
"Are you going with me to find a costume for the party? I mean Ball.” Correcting herself in a wryly tone; Mary hit the button to call the elevator. Her gray tweed suit complemented her hair, making her look like a professional executive.
Knowing her simple black dress looked good with her hair and skin didn't stop Carie from feeling a twang of envy. Mary had the kind of looks that appealed to men.
While Carie might attract their attention, she didn't have what it takes to inspire a serious association. Men that lusted for her body asked her out on dates often, but apparently she didn't have what it took to make them fall in love. Not that she had ever fallen in love, her affairs had always turned out to be lust that faded. She supposed it was lucky for her that no one had fallen in love with her.
Still she had that empty longing inside for a connection; therefore it would be wonderful if a man fell in love with her. Which was why she continued to accept dates, and hoped their advances were from the heart and not the
loins.
Each time when she discovered she had been wrong she became resigned to the coming end. She accepted that the fault lay inside her. She inspired lust not love, still her soul cried out from loneliness. Inside she wished she had that special something that helped inspire a tender emotion for her as a person.
"No, I will be wearing the witch costume I bought for the fall play. It would be foolish to attempt to conceal my identity with this hair."
Scooping her hair over her shoulder, she raked her fingers through the strands to detangle and then flipped the tail over her shoulder.
"I thought you were going to cut it?” Mary had no sympathy for her long hair. She wore her hair short and claimed that all women should cut their hair short.
"I need to; I keep getting caught on the chairs in the lunchroom. I merely haven't gotten around to it."
"Liar, you are stalling,” removing the sting of her declaration Mary, flashed a smug smile.
"Yes, I hate to cut it.” Reaching behind her back, she released the bow holding her hair, and shook it free. “I suppose I will have to though. Mr. Phifer has started complaining that it's unprofessional to appear feminine."
"He wouldn't know professional if it bit him in the ass."
It was reassuring to her ego to have a loyal friend that would stick by her and offer emotional support when there was nothing else that could be done.
Punching Mary's arm, Carie glanced over her shoulder to make certain the hall behind them was empty.
"Remember where you are; a comment like that could get us both fired. No derogatory comments about superiors, you know the rules.” The swishing sound of the elevator rising in the shaft could be heard.
"Sorry, it slipped.” The elevator doors opened, and Mary stepped inside as though she were anxious to be out of the hallway. The elevator provided no haven for gossip. It had a security camera that recorded everyone that rode in the small conveyance.
Sighing, Carie followed Mary into the portable room.
"Thanks for the support,” Stepping inside she faced the doors, and then noticed an office door on the right side of the hall closing. Elbowing Mary, she nodded for her to look into the hallway. Carie hadn't looked in that direction when checking for listening ears. Feeling anxious, she waited until the doors closed.