Promoted: Nanny to Wife by Margaret Way

Author:Margaret Way
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2007-10-15T00:00:00+00:00

As well she might!

Holt had been standing a while outside the doorway listening unashamedly to the conversation. He fully understood Olly’s efforts to get the new governess to talk. The strange part was, so great was Marissa’s appeal, not only his grandmother and Olly were starting to worry about her, so was he! It was even difficult to think about her as an employee. She was more like a young family member who had sought refuge on Wungalla. He’d have to stop her calling him Mr McMaster, correct though it might be. He didn’t like the sound of it on her lips.

‘Good evening!’ he greeted them satirically, walking back into the room.

‘And good evening to you, too, sor,’ Olly responded with a thick Irish brogue. ‘How’s Mrs McMaster?’

‘She’s settled. I expect you heard the ruckus?’

Olly’s eyes shifted to Marissa. ‘I’d have been deaf not to,’ she said. ‘Such a shame when Mrs McMaster had been enjoying herself.’

‘There’ll be other nights, Olly.’ Holt glanced down at Marissa’s silky head, a mass of waves and curls. ‘You okay?’

‘I’m fine, thank you,’ she answered, very politely. She didn’t twist her head to look up at him.

‘In that case you’ll be ready for the next course.’ He resumed his seat, opposite her, tossing off the last of the fine red in his wineglass. ‘I would have thought good manners required not starting a fight at the dinner table, but how times do change! What’s for dessert, Olly?’ he asked.

‘Those little ricotta fritters you like with a citrus sauce,’ she answered with satisfaction.

He waved a hand. ‘Perfect! Bring them on. My nerves need soothing.’

‘Will do!’ Olly laughed and walked away.

Marissa, feeling at her most vulnerable, began to fold her napkin, uncertain what to do next.

‘You’re not going anywhere surely?’ His brilliant black eyes pinned her in place. ‘I thought I told you to stay.’

‘Well, I thought probably my being here had something to do with your frayed nerves?’ she found herself saying.

He stared at her for some time. ‘You know you’re right! But let me worry about that. Have dessert, maybe a coffee, afterwards we can take a turn in the garden.’

Her heart fluttered like a bird, right up into her throat. ‘Isn’t that a bit social for a governess?’

He took his time considering. ‘Do you know, I think it is, but you seem to have transformed yourself into a little friend of the family. My grandmother is quite taken with you. That’s not always the case. It’s certainly not in the contract. And you and Olly are into sharing secrets.’

She could feel herself flush. ‘How do you know?’

He leaned forward, giving her a slow, mocking smile. ‘This is my house, Ms Devlin I have no compunction whatever about eavesdropping.’

Simply for something to do, she started to drum her fingernails against the timber table. ‘I’ll have to remember that.’

‘Then I shouldn’t have told you. Can you do that while rubbing the top of your head?’

‘What?’Completely thrown, she stared back at him. My God he was handsome!

‘I can,’ he said.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.