The million pound banknote

Then she began to get a little worried, and wondered if we were making a mistake. So she started the salary on a higher figure than before for the first year. This was good sense, though it made me feel a little less confident than I had been feeling before. However it gave me a good business idea, and told it to her frankly.

'Portia, dear, would you mind going with me on the day when I confront those old gentlemen?'

She looked a little worried about this, but said 'N-o; if my being with you would help hearten you. But - do you think that it would be good manners for me to come?'

'No, I don't think that it would - in fact, I'm afraid it wouldn't. But, you see, it's just so very important that-'

'Then I'll go anyway, good manners or not' she said, with a beautiful and generous enthusiasm. 'Oh, I shall be so happy to think I'm helping!'

'Helping, dear? Why, you'll be doing it all. You're beautiful and so lovely and so winning. With you there I can pile up our salary till I break those good old fellows, and they'll never have the heart to struggle.'

Oh! You should have seen the blush on her face, and her happy eyes shine!

Vocabulary:

Confident: Sure things will go to plan
Frankly: Clearly and honestly
Confront: Meet and challenge
Hearten: Encourage
Enthusiasm: Excitement and enjoyment at doing something
Winning: Here this means 'persuasive'
Blush: To go red in the face from embarrassment