Joseph looked at the new recruits with mounting excitement. There were young men who looked as if they had not finished school, so young and fresh-faced they were. The girls were even more young-looking; but he did not fail to notice their bodies were better-developed than if they were still in school. He seemed to recognize one of the girls as a daughter of his wife's relative, though he could not place her in his mind. He called her to his office and handed her a reference book, instructing her to take in as much as she was able. He intended that she would soon be the best among them.
With that he left her in his office and went to catch up on some lab work on his bench. He had been sending requests to a the Works department to install his work bench inside his office but so far he had only received unfulfilled promises. After about ten minutes the telephone rang in his office.
Muttering to himself, "This is one of the reasons why I want my work bench to be in my office," he got to the ringing instrument before it stopped; that happened quite often. If he had reagents on his hands, by the time he had washed or wiped them, the telephone would have stopped ringing.
"Hello," he said impatiently. It was the Chief Matron of the Hospital. Immediately he softened his tone. "Good morning, Madam!"
"Please come to my office when you have a moment. There is something urgent I must talk to you about."
"I will be there shortly, Madam." He knew better than to delay when such a request came from the boss.
Casting a stern eye on Rose, he took off his lab coat, handing it behind the door and left for the Matron's office on the seventh floor. She had overseen the building of the new tower block, amazing the architects with her quick grasp of building technology, even though her training was in nursing. She felt it was right for her office to be on the top floor, so that the doctors, heads of department, ward sisters and even external partners had to climb all the way up to her citadel. Joseph was on that trip now.
When he got to the secretary's office, that lady said, "She is ready for you now," making him wonder what the matter was that the boss had cleared everything to see him.
He knocked. "You do not have to knock, Joseph. Come right in!"
******************
Joseph returned to his department after a very rewarding meeting with the Matron and Director of Medical Services. They had given him news of his being promoted to the Head of Pathology at the University. But he explained that he had lately developed a speech condition which, though it did not stop ordinary conversation, would not allow him to teach. They understood his position readily enough, but insisted that his grade would still be raised; he would be over-rated for his present post. Nobody had held it at such a high grade.
"That can't be helped now, Madam," concluded the Director.
He found Rose surrounded by the other recruits poring over the tome he had left with her. He walked into his office and called the young woman. "I did not permit you to make my property public, did I?" Normally he would have been furious at such behavior but today his mood was upbeat.
"No, sir," replied the girl, her face filled with terror.
"Put it back there in my bookcase," pointing, "and never do that again. Do you hear me?"
"I am sorry sir. I shall not repeat it."
"Go back to the others and continue with the other reference materials. Mrs Duncan will show you what to do next."
She went out, wondering why this man, whom she had never seen before today seemed to be giving her preferential treatment. Was this the office romance she had heard of? Did he want to take advantage of her?
******************
Rose was actually first cousin to his wife, Rose's mother being the elder of the sisters. This knowledge, coming though it did from his wife, did nothing to dim his lust for the beautiful young woman. He was determined to take her to bed. This was very odd behavior, he reflected. Every year they brought recruits round the departments of the hospital, the aim being that the youngsters, on seeing what was done in each, could choose which best suited them. Joseph had never looked at any of them (some had been quite lovely) with the eye that he now seemed to possess. He could not quite understand what had got into him over Rose, but he was in the grip of something much more powerful than he had ever known.