Jason drove to the part of the town where Nancy had alighted from his car.

He searched for her asking questions about her and describing her but no one seem to know her or have seen her.

He was getting frustrated. He realised that Nancy had lied to him about the place she lived and wondered why. Did she think that he would come and harass her if she told him exactly where she lived?

He could not believe how impossible the damn girl was being.

How was he doing to locate her now? She refused giving him her contact number and didn't also give him her real resident address. How was he going to locate her?

'Well, that is her business. I have other pressing matters and cannot afford to waste time trying to help someone who is not ready to be helped'.

He was going to get into his car and drive off when he decided to look around again, he went into the slumy part of the neighbourhood. He knew that if those who knew him were to see him, they would wonder if he was still in his senses but he had never cared about that and was not about to start.

He asked a few of the people he saw there. The place was indeed repulsive and he wondered how people could lice in such a place. The health of such inhabitants was definitely not assured.

He felt that for someone who didn't have a job and any source of sustenance, this might be the place she would live. A place where she would pay less. But it was abhorrent given her condition. Yet she was so stubborn that she didn't want any help from him that might be tagged charity.

'Foolish girl'.

one person he asked remembered seeing such a girl.

'I do not know much about her. She always keeps to herself. I believe I saw her going out this morning. But I haven't seen her since then'.

'Thanks alot'. Jason said offering the lady some money which she grabbed immediately.

Jason decided to wait for a little while longer for Nancy to assure himself that he had done all he could.

He could not believe the girl. How could she live in such a place as this? And she had refused his help too.

After about an hour waiting, he got tired. He would have to come back tomorrow to check back on her if he had the time.

He had so many other things to take care of. He just wanted to handle this himself else he would have sent some employee of his to do this for him.

He was not comfortable leaving his number with the woman who had agreed that she had seen Nancy that morning but he left her with the message that Nancy should wait for him the following day because he had news for her.

After promising to relay the message, Jason walked to where his car was parked and got in.

He had just got into his car when Nancy came back through the opposite route.

The woman was just about to go in, when she heard some noise and looking back, found that it was the girl, the gentleman had come looking for.

'Did you see him, girl?' she asked.

Nancy at first did not know that the woman had been referring to her. She was just too exhausted from the day's exertion and very hungry and she just wanted to get into her hole of a room and prepare something for herself to eat before she started feeling nauseous and faint.

'Girl, did you not hear my question?' the woman asked again.

'Sorry, were you referring to me?'

'Is there anyone else within hearing distance?' The want countered.

'Oh, I'm sorry what was your question again?'

'The gentleman who came here looking for you, did you see him as you came in?'

'What gentlem....' Nancy was already asking before she remembered Campbell. Could he be the one this woman was referring to?

She had assumed that he would not get in contact with her this quick bit maybe she was wrong.

'Please could you describe him?'

'You mean, you have more than one gentleman? Girls. Anyway he was tall and dark haired. He looked very wealthy. You had better hold him tight. Though I must confess that I do not know what you are doing living here if you have such a friend as he and from your question, you seem to have more than one of them What do you do with the money they give you?'

'Forget about that. Has it been long since he left?'

'No. He just left now'.

Nancy wondered how she could have missed him, except of course, he went in the opposite direction.

'What direction did he take?'

The woman pointed and Nancy ran as her strength would allow her but as she got to a bend and heard a car start and drive off. She shouted, waving, trying to stop the car but it zoomed off.

She knew it must have been him. If she had come home a bit earlier, she would definitely have met him. How was she to see him now? Given what she encountered today, she didn't think she was up to it again just yet.

She walked back to her rathole discouraged. Her luck seemed not to be favouring her

Why was she this unlucky?

When she got back, she found the woman still there.

'Did you see him?' She asked hopefully, thinking that she might just get another financial reward for sending the girl to the gentleman which was why she had waited patiently thinking that the gentleman would come back to the place with the girl and reward her for a job well done.

'No, he drove off just as I got to where he had parked his car', Nancy said sorrowfully.

The woman was disappointed but something the girl had said caught her attention. 'Car'. That would explain it

She had felt that such a man should have come in a car but obviously, he had parked his car some other place and trekked to this slum.

'Did he say anything else before he left?' Nancy asked hopefully.

'Yes. Before he left, he said to tell you not to go anywhere tomorrow as he would be here again because he had news for you'.

Nancy could feel the creases in her face let up. There was hope. She was not planning on going on such a venture as she embarked on today, anytime soon, So, yes,she would stay home and wait for him. And since he said he had news for her, she knew that it must be good news else, he would not have come all the way to tell her that.

'Thank you. Thank you so much'. Nancy said profusely to the woman and went in to take care of her basic needs.

Nancy felt nauseated after the meal she had prepared for herself. She knew it was not just her condition acting up but probably because she had stayed for a long time that day without food and had not eaten it easily but had eaten it in a rush.

She took deep breaths be ause she didn't want to throw up. She might feel hungry afterwards and weaker in the bargain.

'Why hadn't I eaten the food slowly knowing it wasn't the best meal to have chosen in the first place but I had chosen it because of the available money?'.

The nauseous feeling finally subsided and she decided to sleep. It had been a long day and she was completely exhausted.

The last thought she had before sleeping was that the Campbell gentleman had found out where she lived. All her effort at concealing it had been in vain.

The next day, she was reluctant to get up early.

'Afterall, I'm not going anywhere today', she thought to herself. Her joints were aching and she just wanted to just lie in and stretch and sleep till she was satisfied. She also felt the baby in her womb weightier than normal.

'All this is because I stressed myself too much yesterday but not anymore. I believe my luck is about to change'.

As soon as she thought that, she remembered Sarah's message yesterday about the gentleman coming over that day and that she was not to go anywhere but to stay indoor and await him.

It was like adrenaline was pumped into her. Her body was suddenly infused with strength and she got up and started getting herself prepared. She did not want to be the reason for her not to get the job she was sure he was coming to offer her curtsey his friend who she was sure he had spoken to on her behalf.

She dressed herself after bathing, the best way she possibly could and made herself something light to eat, she did not want to look faint in case she would have to answer a few questions when being interview for the job whatever the job description might be. Then she sat to wait for him.

****************"**********************

Jason could not sleep that night. He could not believe that such a place existed in Lake District. He. had heard that there were living waters that were not supposed to be inhabited by humans but we're by the poorest of the poor but he had not thought that it could be as bad as he had seen for himself yesterday. She was really annoyed but didn't know what to do. When he had asked the woman how much they paid in such a cluster of holes with no ventilation and smelly dirt everywhere, he had been surprised at the amount she had mentioned.

He had mind to due the owner of the place to court for providing such a place and charging such an amount without taking care to make the place more habitable for his tenants.

He had not even gone in but he was sure that if he did, he would throw up. If the exterior was as repulsive as he had found it, then the interior would definitely be worse off.

He had seen the outside walls soaked up and knew that the walls inside would be in the same or even a worse condition.

He felt that he was troubling himself overmuch but he just could not help it. He just hated injustice.

He knew that though he may not help all the people living in that hellhole, he was definitely not going to allow Nancy continue to live there no matter her objections and talk about charity. She was stubborn but so was he. He would never allow an employee of his to be seen inhabiting in such a place.

His thoughts drifted to Sandra Amos, his late secretary. He did not know if he was going to be able to get another that was as efficient and reliable as she had been.

He felt a pang again The pang of guilt. If he had gone to find out that first day she had not reported for duty why that was, he probably would have been able to saved her but no he had been so tired from the shock of nearly killing a pregnant woman who had a death wish and wasting more time trying to convince her to accept help from him so that the death wise would at least go off her mind.

He had made his heart easier there at the detriment if his secretary's life.

A little voice said to him,

'But you could not have been at both places at the same time. You could only have been able to help or save one of them and not both, you are not clairvoyant to have been able to predict what would have happened!'.

He knew all that but it didn't help his conscience at all. He felt that he could have been able to save the both of them if he he had only tried.

He was so overwhelmed with thoughts and with pity for Sarah's daughter and how heartbroken she had sounded on the phone that he felt the beginning of a headache. It grew in intensity and he had to take some pain relievers and fell asleep instantly.

He woke feeling better and got himself prepared for work. He had to get to the office and make arrangements about who would take the place of Sarah while Nancy was being groomed. Or should he go to her hole and pick her for the office at once rather than going there later? The later seemed to be the better option as it would be time saving. He only hoped that she would be ready when he got there.

He drove to that part of the time he was begining to detest with every fibre of his being to take Nancy with him to his office. He called his human resource person to intimate him that he would be late for the office that morning and that he should take charge and endure things were running smoothly.

'Done sir!' was his response and he continued his drive to his detested destination.

When Jason got there, he found Nancy outside. He understood immediately the reason. She didn't want him inside. She looked as ashamed as she must feel and he swallowed the rebuke he was about to give her for not being truthful with him the other day.

'Good morning, Mr. Campbell'.

'Good morning Nancy. How are you doing today?'

'Very well thank you. Hope you are fine yourself?' Nancy asked politely.

'Yes. Have been better though'.

She heard something in his voice which she could not really explain but let it go. If it was something that she needed to know about, she was sure that he would tell her about it.

'Shall we? I can see that the woman I met yesterday relayed my message to you'.

'Sarah. Her name is Sarah and yes, she did'.

They were leaving when the woman in question came out and called out to them. Campbell knew that she wanted more money and he obliged her without waiting for her to ask. She needed it in any case if her living quarters and appearance was anything to go by.

'Thank you sir. Thank you very much

May your life be long and may the both of you find happiness'.

Nancy was about to tell her that they had no personal relationship but Jason stopped her. He didn't have the time for that type of discussion. Let her assume whatever she wanted.

'Okay. Have a great day', he said as he for stalled anything Nancy had been about to say.

On their way to where he parked his car, Nancy could not stop herself from saying, 'Why did you allow her think that there is anything other than a business or working relationship between us?'

'How would that have helped and do you think she would have believed it? Anyway, I didn't have the time to go into such arguments and clarifications. So I felt it was easier allowing things rest. Arguing with her might escalate the issue as more explanations I do not have time for would have been called for'.

Nancy understood perfectly, afterall she had not corrected the impression Sarah had made yesterday as well because she had just been too exhausted to argue.

'You are right', she said simply'.

'By the way where were you yesterday? You went out? I got the impression that you had no place to go, pardon my assumption'.

'There is nothing to forgive. Your assumption is right because I am actually new to this area but I had to go out in search of a job

I felt that I should help myself while waiting for any feed back from you and the friend you promised to speak to and I felt it could take up to a week or there abouts and I was not sure I could wait that long before earning'. Nancy explained as they got into the car.

'Please strap the seat belt', he said when it seemed she did not want to do that.

'Oh!' she interjected as she did as she was told. She had not been thinking about it. Not that she forgot actually.

'I came here take you to the office to get started with the job but you were not in. I waited but you didn't come home. You must have come back quite late, not that it is any of my business of course', he said curious to find out if she had been successful in her job search.

'I tried alot of places including apartments'.

'Apartments! Oh you were searching for a change of residence. That is good because where you stay is no place for a woman in your condition or anyone for that matter to stay'. he said thinking, 'Thank goodness she realised that she should move from that hellhole she is living'.

'I went to the apartments to see if they had jobs for me as housekeeper or a cook. I was ready to do any job to earn my living than wait for help and charity from anyone's, she said accusingly.

Jason knew that she was referring to him and grimaced.

When he did not say anything, she continued, 'And well, I came in just as you left. I ran to where you had parked your car and called for you but you had started the car and did not hear my call, I tried to run after you waving and shouting for you to stop but it was useless. Then Sarah told me you had asked her to tell me you would be here the following day and that I must not go anywhere'.

He still did not say anything as he drove into a very big premise and as Nancy looked up, she found to her surprise, the name of the company and it read.

The Campbell Enterprises.

'So he was actually going to give her a job on his own company. She should have known that someone who looked as wealthy as he would be a CEO of a company.

Before she could comment, he stopped the car, stepped out after unstrapping the seat belt and came round to open the door for her before she could do it herself.

She stepped out of the car as well and immediately missed the comfort of the car. But that was okay since her search for a job had finally come to an end. He knew where she lived and her pregnancy and still wanted to employ her, she was sure that her securing the job was a given and her heart swelled with joy as she rubbed her hands round her stomach, silently thanking her baby for bringing her such wonderful luck.

The premise was bigger than any she could imagine and we hen they went in, she was sure she could never get tired of working there but she we would have to be careful not to get missing.

There were just too many offices and industrial plants.

The man was even wealthier than she had envisaged.

Alot of the people stopped what they were doing to greet him and he just waved at them and they continued what they were doing.

Jason took her directly to the office in top floor and Instated her in one office that had an adjourning door.

'This was the office of my former secretary, but you shall be staying here as you shall be doing the job she did for me. I shall ask someone to show you what you are to do exactly and how and if you have any questions as you work, feel free to ask me. You shall assist the person who would show you the ropes till such a time as you are strong enough to work on your own, by that I am considering your pregnancy'.

'I am pregnant sir, not sick or abled. I can perform any duty given me efficiently but you are right. This is all new to me and I shall need someone to put me through'. she conceded.

'Anna, Anna?'

A young girl of about Nancy's age came forward.

'Sir, you called for me?' Anna asked.

'Yes, I did. This is Nancy .....'

'Jones. Nancy Jones', Nancy offered, smiling and taking the girl's hands. 'And you are Anna, I presume?'

The girl was taken aback 'Yes, Anna Pitts'.

'A pleasure meeting you, Anna Pitts'.

'Same here', the girl said not sure if it was really a pleasure knowing this new girl that was so bold in the presence of the boss.

'Right. Now that the both of you have met, I would like for you, Anna to put her through on the things she should do as my secretary but you shall be taking the reins while putting her through. Once she gets the hang of it, you shall go back to your original duties. Do you have a problem with that or any questions?' he asked.

'No sir. I shall do as you have instructed. It is a pity what happened to Mrs. Amos'.

'Yes indeed. please get on with it. I have lost a lot of time I would have used productively and I need to get started to make up for lost time', he said as he went through the adjourning door into what Nancy pressumed was his office.