Cattle Baron: Nanny Needed by Margaret Way Page A

grandfather is to encourage disaster.”
    “If the worse comes to the worst I guess I’ll have to live with it,” she said.

CHAPTER FOUR

    T HERE was a great shot of them in the Sunday papers: Amber Wyatt and her Mystery Man . They looked like a pair of movie stars. Anything to keep the public on the edge of their seats.
    Monday morning came and she found to her horror that the Cattle Baron had been right. She didn’t have a job any longer.
    “What possessed you, Amber?” Paddy Sweeney, the station manager, asked in dismay. “You’ve really blown it this time, girl. Insulting old man Erskine! How bright is that? I’m worried about you. The public love you. The station would have tolerated just about anything from you, including appearing topless, but I have to tell you no one ticks off Clive Erskine. You did it Big Time. It doesn’t make me happy—far from it—”
    “Who likes to be the hatchet man?” She gave him a wry smile.
    “Don’t say that, love. You know how I’ve always fostered your career, but the order has come down from on high.”
    “The Almighty?” Anger was expressed in derision.
    Paddy grunted. “Always supposin’ the Big Fella exists. Or, to His everlasting credit, He doesn’t like to interfere.”
    “Perish the thought! So, no warnings, no last chances, no last-minute reprieves?”
    “I wish!” Paddy groaned. “It’s such a shame. We’re top ofthe ratings. But it was a horrendous idea, showing up at the wedding, Amber. Why didn’t you speak to me about it?”
    “Hello, Paddy? I did .”
    He paled. “But I thought you were joking! You’re always joking.”
    “You’re kidding me.”
    “Amber, I’m sorry. To think I could have stopped you from causing a scandal”
    “Oh, yeah?” Amber was getting angrier by the moment. It went with the red hair. “It was Mr and Mrs Sean Sinclair who caused the scandal,” she snapped back. “Don’t call my behaviour brazen, Paddy.”
    It was barely ten o’clock but Paddy looked as if he’d had a really rough day. “Amber, I know exactly what they put you through.” He crunched up a memo and lobbed it at a waste paper basket. Missed. He always did. “Sinclair’s a blaggard.”
    “No argument here. The thing is, he is now Sir Clive Erskine’s grandson-in-law.”
    Paddy responded with a despondent wave of his hand. “You could have got away with most anything. But not this. Not for a good while, anyway. Even your chances of getting in to another channel are zero. No one will dare touch you. You crossed a very powerful man. Woe to the station who tries to pick you up. The old bugger would buy it just to make sure he got his way.”
    “So he’s only posing as a pillar of the church?”
    Paddy gave a sardonic laugh. “It’s the way things work, Amber. Billionaires don’t have to throw their weight around. They just give the order. People like Erskine are too powerful to fight.”
    “So I’m bounced for a misdemeanour?” Amber was trying hard to adjust to it.
    “Erskine considers it a near crime. You got yourself engaged to a cad. He betrayed you. You’re better off without him. He was never good enough for you.”
    “So I clear my desk? I take it I’m off air tonight?”
    Paddy’s cheeks turned ruddy. “I’m sorry, Amber. Really, really sorry. We all are.”
    “Not dear old Jack, I bet! Jack will be delighted to have the news slot to himself.”
    Paddy nodded his assent. “Only redeeming feature, he’s a pro. He never stuffs up and he’s got a great speaking voice.”
    “I prefer mine.”
    She stood up and Paddy stood too, coming around his desk to her. “Take a holiday,” he advised.
    “I’m thinking space travel.”
    “Keep that for a future project. Let things cool down. This isn’t going to last for ever, love. The public will want to know where you are.”
    She gave a snort of disgust. “I bet it’s all over town as we speak.”
    “And you can bet your life the whole country will be taking sides. Lie