Of course she had never said as much to anyone, especially not the likes of Henrietta or Bryony, because there was no way she would chance it getting back to Harry. Or Laura. The thought of that – Laura would have a field day, if she could report back to Harry that Mia didn’t like him.

He was waiting for her now to tell him what she wanted. She’d always been grateful that he didn’t dally in small talk; Harry hadn’t once asked about her personal life.

‘It doesn’t look like you’re bringing the good news I was hoping for?’ he said now, raising his eyebrows.

‘Not really, I’m afraid.’

‘But you’re not here to talk about Coopers?’

‘No, that’s all going fine. This is a more personal issue that I need to discuss with you.’

‘Okay?’ he asked cautiously.

Mia straightened herself in the chair. ‘I think you need to know there’s a lot of concern among the women in the office.’

Harry screwed his eyes up at her and leaned his head to one side. He had no idea what she was talking about, but then of course he wouldn’t. He could sit in his glass office with the doors closed and have no idea what went on the other side of it. ‘How do you mean?’

‘Bullying,’ Mia went on. ‘I’m afraid someone has confessed to me that she is being bullied, and I feel it right to come to you with this.’

‘Bullied? Who?’

‘Sarah Clifton, but she’s not the only one concerned.’

‘Who’s she complaining about?’ he asked.

‘Mike Lewis.’

‘Mike?’ Harry gave a short laugh. ‘You’re not serious?’

‘I am,’ Mia replied, confused by his reaction and a little pissed off that he could think this was anything to laugh about.

‘But Mike’s … you know what Mike’s like, he’s – Christ, what’s he actually supposed to have done?’

‘He undermines his staff,’ Mia said. ‘He doesn’t listen to what they have to say. He makes them feel like they aren’t important.’

‘Oh, right.’

God, Mia thought, he isn’t taking me seriously.

‘It’s the women he does this to, Harry. I’m just pleased they feel they can finally share their concerns with someone.’

Damn you, Harry Wood, she thought, as she watched his expression change from shock to confusion, to a mild irritation that she had brought this issue to him.

‘Why hasn’t Sarah spoken to me herself?’ he asked.

Ah, that was the problem. Sarah didn’t actually know that Mia was here. As Mia had predicted, Sarah had spoken to her boyfriend again over the weekend and had come in that morning and told Mia she didn’t want to take it any further.

‘I’m doing it on her behalf,’ Mia told him.