Marion Lennox - His Miracle Bride

Uh-oh.

‘You read it?’ she whispered.

‘The whole six of them sent it on to me,’ Pierce said. ‘They’ve agreed. The stipulation’s lifted.’

But there was no pleasure in his words. ‘They don’t get it?’

‘They don’t get it.’

‘But you do?’ She held her breath.

‘Maybe I’m beginning to,’ he said. ‘You’ve taught me a bit. Ruby and her niece Shanni-taking in the waifs and strays of the world.’

‘Hey, it’s not me who’s taught you anything. I’d have hoped the kids could.’

‘How do you mean?’

‘If you have to ask then you really don’t understand. It’s just…’ She took a deep breath. ‘You know, being part of a family, a proper family, leaves you open for all sorts of hurt.’

‘Like when your parents change the locks?’

‘Exactly,’ she said, struggling to figure out what to say next. She was feeling more than a little disadvantaged. He was looking so damned sexy and she was in pyjamas. And she was in no position to lecture him when he’d just saved her financially.

‘But it’d hurt worse if I didn’t have them to change the locks,’ she said.

‘That’s because you haven’t learned to be independent.’

‘I hope I never have to.’

He didn’t reply. He was looking at her but he was looking through her, she thought. Holding himself in check. Not making real contact…

‘What will you do now?’ he asked, and she started, jolted out of preoccupation.

‘What do you mean?’

‘You’ve lost the lease on your gallery, but there are others. Blake has contacts in the art world. The story about what happened is already in circulation. I think you’ll find it’s Mike who’s the bad guy in all this.’

‘And I’m just the dope.’

‘The story doing the rounds is that he swindled you out of what was legally yours. Your artists would be more than happy to start sending work your way again.’

‘You have been busy.’

‘Blake has.’

‘Wow.’ She hesitated. ‘I’ll write and thank him. And try and explain a bit more about Ruby.’

‘He still won’t understand. And no thanks are necessary. Maybe you could have a drink with him when you go back to London.’

‘Maybe I won’t be going back to London.’

‘No?’

‘I don’t know. I have this fantastic position here, starting Monday.’ No need to tell him it was as a waitress in a railway café.

‘Oh.’

‘But thanks,’ she said awkwardly, and he nodded.

‘My pleasure.’ He hesitated. ‘If you stay…the kids would like to see you again.’

‘I have plans to see them.’

‘You do?’ Was she imagining it or was there eagerness in his tone.

‘You know Ruby’s interviewing housekeepers?’

‘She told me. I knew she’d interfere.’

‘She’s loving it. Shut up and let her be. So, anyway, the day you come home from the farm…Saturday week?’

‘Yes.’

‘Ruby’s never been to the farm, and she doesn’t drive long distances. I said I’d take her down to see it. If she finds someone suitable as housekeeper we thought we’d take her down and introduce you. See if you like her. Maybe we could light the stove before you get home-make it a bit welcoming.’

‘There’s no need.’

‘There is a need,’ she said. ‘Ruby wants to do it, and for me it’d be a better sort of goodbye.’

‘Are there variations of goodbye?’

‘Yes,’ she snapped, suddenly angry. ‘I don’t want the last time you see me to be when I’m wearing pig pyjamas and watching Dallas with chocolate on my nose. I have some pride.’

‘You look cute.’

‘I’m a businesswoman,’ she snapped. ‘A career woman. Not that you’ve noticed.’

‘I’ve noticed.’

‘Then we’ll be down there.’

‘Shanni…’

‘What?’

‘I wish-’

‘So do I,’ she snapped before he could say another word. ‘You have no idea how I wish. But it’s not going to happen. Now, if you don’t mind, I have things to do. I need to wash chocolate off my nose and see whether JR gets it.’

‘But…’

‘That’s all,’ she said with a lot more finality than she was feeling. ‘Unless you’re delivering roses, I’m closing the door.’

And before he could respond she stepped back through the doorway. She looked up at him, half hoping he’d lunge forward and take her into his arms and kiss her senseless.

Or at least say goodbye.

Nothing. He looked blank.

‘Goodbye then,’ she said herself. She bit her lip. ‘I’ll see you briefly next week. For a couple of hours. And then that’s it.’

It nearly killed him to drive away.

She was so cute she damn near broke his heart. And when she’d hugged him…

Don’t go there.

Things were spiralling out of control.

The kids.

That was one area where he was out of control. He’d imagined that he’d take the kids to the castle, hand over their care to the professionals and get some real work done.

He was getting work done, but in ways that surprised him. Sure, Susie and her army of helpers had taken over care of the kids and the kids were gloriously happy. But they’d whoop downstairs on their way to the beach and their cheerful whooping would reach something inside he was trying to block off.

The blocking tactic didn’t work. What was happening was that he’d stare down at his plans, double or triple or quadruple his efforts, do what had to be done and then somehow find himself on the beach as well. Sitting in the shallows with Bess on his knee. Holding up small persons as they struggled with this new wonderful skill called swimming. Umpiring beach cricket, or even taking a turn at the bat himself.

They’d come home from the beach tired and happy and sleep as they’d never slept before. He’d hit the plans at night, and his work was sailing.

But all the time he was working…he was thinking about Shanni.

Hell, he couldn’t ask her.

Ask her what?

He knew what he wanted to ask her. To be more involved than she already was. To be…

No. Too soon. Far too soon.

And she’d walked away.

Of course she’d walked away, as he should have the minute Maureen had asked him for her help.

And where would the kids have been then?

He swore and concentrated on his driving for a bit. His mobile phone rang. He’d fitted it to the dash so he could take calls when driving. His work colleagues had his number and so did the staff at the castle.

‘Yes?’

‘Hello, dear.’

‘Ruby.’

‘I hope it’s not an inconvenient time to ring?’

‘No.’

‘I just want to know the children’s sizes.’

‘Sizes?’

‘For my macramé club. We’re having a working bee.’

Agh.

He was being sucked into a black hole, he thought, and there was no control at all. He couldn’t even clutch the edges as he slid down.

‘Did you see Shanni?’ Ruby asked.

‘Yes.’

‘Did you tell her the good news about her money?’

‘Yes.’

‘And is she going back to London?’

‘I don’t think so.’

‘That’s lovely,’ Ruby said, and he could hear her satisfaction down the phone.

‘Ruby?’

‘Yes, dear?’

‘Don’t.’

‘Don’t what?’

‘Do what you’re doing.’

‘Oh, I’m not doing a thing, dear,’ she said, and he could hear her beaming. ‘You know me. I never interfere. Now just tell me…what are those sizes?’

THE morning they left the castle was heartbreaking. The kids were up at dawn for a last swim. Then they wandered the castle saying their private goodbyes to everything in the place. Pumpkins and suits of armour included.

Pierce said his own goodbye to Queen Vic.

‘Okay, large families are fun,’ he admitted. ‘But they didn’t make you smile after you lost your Albert.’

Was it his imagination, or had her expression changed? She looked…somehow more pitying than disapproving.

Weird.

‘Look after the aspidistra,’ he told her, and made his way down to the breakfast room. Susie’s pancake making was well under way. They’d have to learn how to make their own pancakes back at the farm.

Shanni would have made a mean pancake.

Cut it out.

He sat and ate, and the kids chattered, and Taffy begged a piece of pancake from everyone.

‘She’s going on a diet the minute you guys leave,’ Susie said sternly. ‘Just lucky she’s stretchy and there’s lots of her to fill.’

He’d miss Taffy. She nuzzled his hand under the table.

Maybe he could get the kids a dog.

He met Susie’s eyes over the plate of pancakes, and she beamed.

‘That’s a wonderful idea.’

‘What’s a wonderful idea?’ asked Wendy.

‘What your father is thinking. Now, there’s one more treat…’

‘Treat?’ The kids’ eyes lit up. Every morning there’d been some little thing to look forward to. A sand-castle competition. A trip to the local aquarium. Kite flying. Two days ago they’d all trooped into Dolphin Bay cottage hospital to check out the new Angus. He was jaundiced, so was spending the first few days of his life under lamps. The kids had been enchanted. A new little life…

Pierce had thought of the work Bessy had been, and cringed. But a puppy was a lot less work than a new baby. Maybe.

‘You’ll cope,’ Susie said with understanding, and he blinked. She read him like Shanni did. Dratted women.

‘Your today treat is dolphin watching,’ Susie said, and he stopped thinking about Shanni. For a moment.

‘We didn’t think we’d get a treat today,’ Donald said. He was the calculator of the family. The mind. ‘It took three hours to drive here. We have to be home by dark.’

‘And it’s nine o’clock now. You’re all packed. Mr Ross who runs Dolphin Bay Charters is picking you all up in half an hour, with your luggage. Mrs Ross will look after Bessy. You guys get to see the dolphins, then Mrs Ross will give you a picnic on the beach, and you get in the car by one. You’ll be home by four. All sorted.’