The British Billionaire's Innocent Bride. Susanne James

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СКАЧАТЬ temporary thing, I assure you. The children will be back at school in a month or so, so you’d have plenty of time for yourself to make plans, write off for interviews, make telephone calls and stuff… And I pay well over the going rate for the job,’ he added, almost afraid to hear her reaction to his request.

      Lily sank down on to the low stone wall skirting the entrance of the hotel and looked up at him, amazed at what he’d asked. ‘Do you honestly believe that I could be up to the task?’ she said. ‘I’ve told you—I don’t think I’m any good with children. If you’re looking for Mary Poppins, you’ve come to the wrong person.’

      ‘I’m sure you’d be better than some of the girls I’ve employed so far,’ he said flatly. He hesitated. ‘I expect it’s my own fault—I must be rubbish at the selection process,’ he said. ‘They all seem OK at interview—but it never quite works out.’ He held her gaze for a moment. ‘And—by the way—I’m not asking you to be Mary Poppins. I’m just asking you to be a stand-in until I find her.’

      ‘Well—how many nannies have you employed so far?’ Lily asked curiously, still utterly taken aback by the unexpectedness of his proposal. What on earth was she going to say? What on earth did she want to say?

      ‘Three in just over a year,’ he said. ‘I had to sack two of them because they turned out to be totally unsuitable, and the third left because she’d suddenly decided to take off and go backpacking for a year. So then I had to use the temporary services of an agency, and that wasn’t ideal at all. The poor kids never knew who was going to be there when they got home.’

      Lily swallowed, not sure how to respond. She’d made up her mind that being with children all day was definitely not for her, but deep down she felt that it might not be such a bad idea to fall in with Theo’s wishes. It could be a timely stop-gap while she reviewed her future—as he’d suggested.

      He broke in on her thoughts. ‘If you did agree, Lily,’ he said, ‘it would mean turning up in time to take Tom and Alex to school in the mornings—though of course they’re on holiday for the next six weeks or so—and to pick them up at three. Then giving them their tea and waiting with them until I get back at about seven. I always put them to bed,’ he added. ‘And of course you’d need to be available all day at the end of the phone to deal with any problems when they’re at school. Although I’m obviously contactable in a dire emergency, I cannot leave my post for minor things.’ He ran a hand through his hair. ‘I suppose what I’m really trying to do—what my subconscious hope is—is to find a replacement for my wife… Which is unreasonable of me, of course. How could that ever happen? How could any staff member fill that sort of gap?’

      He sat down next to Lily, the lighting from the hotel throwing strange shadows across his face, and, staring across at him, Lily thought how tired he looked—and a bit lost. She sighed inwardly. Despite all her misgivings, something was dragging her towards accepting his offer. From what he’d said, it shouldn’t be too onerous a commission, and his boys weren’t likely to be such little horrors as the twins. They wouldn’t dare—not with Theodore Montague for a father!

      She smiled suddenly. ‘Let me sleep on it,’ she said. ‘I need a little time to make important decisions.’

      ‘Quite right—I’d go along with that,’ he said earnestly, sensing victory. Somehow he’d read her mind, and in that brief instant he knew that she was going to say yes to his request. But he also knew that she would make him wait a while for his answer.

      The frown on the handsome brow cleared, and he stood up, taking a business card from his pocket.

      ‘My mobile number’s on this,’ he said briefly, handing it to Lily. ‘Give me a ring—any time—with your decision.’

      Lily studied the card. ‘What if I interrupt something important?’ she asked, not looking up at him.

      ‘Oh, don’t worry about that,’ he said at once. ‘Bea also has my number, and she knows she can contact me at any time if necessary. My children come first in my life.’

      They eventually said goodnight, and Lily watched for a moment as he strode away to return to his own hotel on the other side of the city. When she went inside, Sam was at the reception desk.

      ‘Oh—Lily!’ he exclaimed, coming over to give her a hug. ‘I’m terribly sorry about this evening. I’ll make up for it tomorrow, I promise. Is everything OK—where have you been?’

      ‘Out to a wonderful supper—and walking about, soaking up the atmosphere,’ Lily said happily.

      And she was happy. She’d had a great evening, and she’d enjoyed a man’s company more than she could have believed possible. But most of all bubbling up in her consciousness was the fact that not once had he attempted to touch her, to take her hand or even to brush against her. They had not made physical contact all evening. And that was the best thing of all. No wonder she’d been able to completely relax.

      As she got ready for bed, she glanced at the business card again. She’d ring him later on tomorrow, with her acceptance. After all, she’d be daft to turn down the opportunity of marking time—and being paid for it—while she reassessed her future.

      CHAPTER THREE

      A WEEK later, Lily caught the bus which would take her to the opposite end of the town—the posh end—where Theodore Montague lived. She was too ashamed to drive over in her battered old car, preferring to leave it where it was outside her flat.

      It was Saturday, and she’d been invited over to tea to meet the children, and to see where she’d be spending much of the next three months of her life.

      Gazing out of the window, Lily remembered again how appreciative Theo had been that she’d fallen in with his request, and he’d accepted the fact that she would give it until the end of October before moving on to pastures new.

      ‘By that time I ought to be able to find someone else,’ he’d said. ‘Especially if you’re around to sit in on the interviews.’ He’d paused. ‘I do think that a woman is better at assessing another woman in these special circumstances. You’ll probably spot the warning signs that seem to have gone over my head so far,’ he’d added.

      Lily hadn’t made any comment, still surprised that he considered her, or her opinion, to be of any value. But it had made her feel good inside—had even made her look forward to the challenge of taking up this unlooked-for post. She would try her best to succeed where others had failed—maybe prove to herself that she wasn’t as bad at handling children as she’d thought. After all, it was only going to be for twelve weeks.

      The house turned out to be one of a terrace of Georgian dwellings, opening out onto the street, with no front garden. The imposing shiny black front door was flanked on either side by two bay trees, and looked solid enough to keep out the most determined intruder.

      Lily took a deep breath as she raised her hand to grasp the large knocker—but before she could make her presence known the door was flung open, and a tall, elderly grey-haired woman stood there, with two small boys jockeying for position in front of her.

      ‘Hello…you must be Lily!’ the woman exclaimed. ‘Do come in. We’ve been watching at the window, waiting for you.’ She smiled, standing aside for Lily to enter, and almost at once her heart lifted at the genuine welcome she was receiving.

      ‘Yes, I’m Lily,’ she said hesitantly. She looked down into the upturned faces of the children, whose СКАЧАТЬ