One last squeeze to the little dog. “Almost every day, you ask me to perform secretarial tasks, work I’m not trained to do. Meanwhile, Mrs. Iversen’s talents go to waste.”
“I’m bored.” Frustration rose in the secretary’s voice. “I want to do my own work again.”
Mortensen’s face went still. Cold.
Else refused to shiver. “Likewise, you send me on errands, but that’s work for graduate students. We all ran errands as students, and they should pay their dues too. From now on, I will remain in the lab to do the work of an assistant physicist.”
Mortensen’s gaze chilled to the bone. “When I give you a task, I expect you to complete it.”
Else batted her eyes in an innocent manner. “All tasks will be completed. If you give me a physicist’s task, I’ll do it. If you send me on an errand, I’ll find a student. If you give me a secretarial task, I’ll pass it to Mrs. Iversen, who is more than competent, as you know.”
“Thank you, Dr. Jensen.”
Time for Else’s act of kindness. “However, I will continue to make copies for you since Mrs. Iversen doesn’t like the mimeograph machine, and your Miss Bruun”—she smiled at Wolff—“she shouldn’t have to do the work for both labs.”
Mortensen stood, stretching above Else by several inches. “I am not accustomed to being spoken to in such a manner.”
He’d better get used to it. She didn’t lower her eyes.
Wolff sniffed. “Sounds reasonable.”
“Reasonable?” Mortensen glanced back at Wolff.
Wolff shrugged slender shoulders. “Aren’t you always complaining that Jensen isn’t in the lab, can’t be found? That she isn’t assisting you?”
Else’s back and her resolve stiffened. So that was Mortensen’s game? Send her away, then complain that she was away? How dare he?
With Mortensen’s deception exposed, she had the high ground, and she’d claim it. She rounded her eyes and let out a tiny gasp. “I had no idea you felt that way, Mortensen. I’ll never run errands again.”
He winced.
“See?” she said. “We all benefit. You’ll have an assistant, Mrs. Iversen can be a secretary, and I can be a physicist.” She smiled with her mouth but let her gaze cut. Let him know he’d abuse her no more.
Down by his sides, Mortensen’s fingers stretched and coiled. If he humiliated her in front of Wolff, he’d lose face. Because her plan was indeed reasonable.
Her smile grew in strength.
“Fine.” Mortensen waved her away, then plopped into his chair. “Now, may we please get back to work?”
“Of course.” She matched the sarcasm of his tone, turned on her heel, and hurried back into the secretary’s office.
Mrs. Iversen shut her door.
Else grinned. “We did it.”
“Yes.” Mrs. Iversen frowned at the closed door. “But watch out. You know what they say about wounded animals.”
Something twitched in Else’s stomach. Had she wounded him? If he’d tripped over his own lies, he’d wounded himself.
Mrs. Iversen put on her hat and grabbed her purse. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Thank you.”
“No, thank you.” Else followed the secretary out the door to the hallway.
Before she left, she had one more promise to keep and one more act of courage.
She rushed to Niels Bohr’s office. A twinge of sadness overcame her. He hadn’t called her to his office to chat in over a month. She missed their lively discussions.
He stepped out of his office, hat in hand, and he smiled at her. “Goodbye, Jensen.”
