Sarah was waiting for me on the other side of the reception area. “You go on,” I said to her. “I’ll get this sorted out and see you up there.”

She nodded. “I’ll make coffee.”

I sat and waited, though I didn’t know what I was waiting for. Danny had disappeared and I had no idea where he’d gone. Perhaps he needed a key to open the gate? And then I saw Mark, one of the guys from the Sales department, come in from the car park, carrying a huge box. Another security guard came over to the turnstiles and flashed his own card so that Mark could pass through.

I walked over to the turnstile. “Can I come through with him?” I asked. “I’ll get my card sorted as soon as I get upstairs.”

“Sorry, miss.” The security guy looked at me, then looked quickly away. “You’d better wait for Danny to come back.”

I stared at him, but he walked away. Slowly I went back to my chair. I waited for another five minutes. People filed through from my office and waved hello. A couple of the directors’ PAs gave me curious glances but I just smiled and said, “Won’t be long.”

And then the lift doors opened and our director of Human Resources, Eleanor Jones, got out. A group of young women instantly stood up straight and I saw one check her watch, clearly relieved she was early. Eleanor was a stickler for timekeeping. She was holding a cardboard box that looked like it held reams of photocopier paper. It was only as she looked across at me that I realized she was there to meet me.

My stomach lurched. She came over to me and though I wanted to stand to greet her, I couldn’t; my legs were shaking too hard. She sat beside me, pink with embarrassment.

“I’m sorry, Ruby,” she said. She passed the box to me. I looked down and saw my things from my desk drawers. My spare cosmetics. My sweater. A hairbrush. Headache pills. I winced. I knew my contraceptive pills would be in there, too. On top was an envelope with my name on it. “Your contract’s been terminated.”

CHAPTER 8

Ruby

Eleanor didn’t stay long and neither did I. I started to ask why they were letting me go, but she stopped me.

“You haven’t been here two years yet,” she said. “Legally we’re not obliged to give you that information. I’m sure you know the reason why, though. I don’t think we need to discuss it here, do you?”

I glanced round at the inquisitive faces that were passing by and flushed. How had she known about our affair?

“But you haven’t the right to fire me.” My voice rose. “It’s not my fault!”