As I wondered why she had paused when mentioning the length of time I would be away from my home, her face took on a somewhat disapproving look:
“If I am honest with you, Robert, I was a little surprised and disappointed that you did not react with more… gratitude… when I first mentioned the possibility of you coming to work here.”
Though, as a rebuke, it was an exceptionally mild example, it was also the first time she had come close to such an attitude towards me and I felt myself colour with a mixture of anger and shame.
Anger that a woman of her kind, and younger than me in years into the bargain, could feel secure enough to act in such a way towards me.
Shame, that, mild or not, I felt compelled to sit there and take it from her.
The slippery slope had been shown me and, reluctan
