“I guess so. You mean it wouldn’t sound so good if I said I wasn’t really interested in saving Milo Scott? It would sound better if I said something like, ‘I like working for Scott Industries so much that when I saw Milo Scott was in danger, I knew I had to try to save him, even at the risk of my own life’?”
“Yes.”
She laughed. “Okay. If it’ll help you. But I don’t want to kid you, Mr. Norton. I don’t know what made me do it.”
He smiled. “That will be our secret. I’ll let the lions in.”
There were more than two dozen reporters and photographers from radio stations, newspapers, and magazines. It was a man-bites-dog story, and the press intended to make the most of it. It was not every day that a pretty young employee risked her life to save her boss’s brother. And the fact that he happened to be Milo Scott did not hurt the story one bit.
“Miss Dudash—when you saw all that iron hurtling down at you, what was your first thought?”
Ellen looked over at Sam Norton with a straight face and said, “I thought, ‘I must save Mr. Scott. I’d never forgive myself if I let him be killed.’”
The press conference proceeded smoothly, and when Sam Norton saw that Ellen was beginning to tire, he said, “That’s it, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you very much.”
“Did I do all right?”
“You were great. Now get some sleep.”
She slept fitfully. She had a dream that she was in the lobby of the Empire State Building, but the guards would not let her go up to the top because she did not have enough money to buy a ticket.
Milo Scott came to visit Ellen that afternoon. She was surprised to see him. She had heard that his home was in New York.
“I heard the press conference went very well. You’re quite a heroine.”
“Mr. Scott—I have to tell you something. I’m not a heroine. I didn’t stop to think about saving you. I—I just did it.”
“I know. Sam Norton told me.”
“Well, then—”
“Ellen, there are all kinds of heroism. You didn’t think about saving me, but you did it instinctively, instead of saving yourself.”
“I—I just wanted you to know.”
“Sam also told me that you’re worried about the hospital bills.”
“Well—”
“They’re all taken care of. And as for your losing some wages”—he smiled—“Miss Dudash, I—I don’t think you know how much I owe you.”
“You don’t owe me anything.”
“The doctor told me that you’ll be leaving the hospital tomorrow. Will you let me buy you dinner?”
He doesn’t understand, Ellen thought. I don’t want his charity. Or his pity. “I meant it when I said you don’t owe me anything. Thanks for taking care of the hospital bills. We’re even.”
“Good. Now may I buy you dinner?”
That was how it began. Milo Scott stayed in Gary for a week, and he saw Ellen every night.
Ellen’s mother and father warned, “Be careful. Big bosses don’t go out with factory girls unless they want something.”
That had been Ellen’s attitude at the beginning, but Milo changed her mind. He was a perfect gentleman at all times, and the truth finally dawned on Ellen: He really enjoys being with me.
Where Milo was shy and reserved, Ellen was forthright and open. All his life, Milo had been surrounded by women whose burning ambition was to become a part of the powerful Scott dynasty. They had played their calculating games. Ellen Dudash was the first totally honest woman Milo had ever met. She said exactly what was on her mind. She was bright, she was attractive, and, most of all, she was fun to be with. By the end of the week, they were both falling in love.
“I want to marry you,” Milo said. “I can’t think about anything else. Will you marry me?”
“No.”
Nor had Ellen been able to think about anything else. The truth was that she was terrified. The Scotts were as close as America could come to royalty. They were famous, rich, and powerful. I don’t belong in their circle. I would only make a fool of myself. And of Milo. But she knew she was fighting a losing battle.