The Nanny and the Millionaire. Линда Гуднайт

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СКАЧАТЬ outstations operate successfully keeps me busy. It’s a dawn to dusk job. Add to that I have other business interests that require I spend a fair bit of time away from home. You won’t be required to do any domestic work. We have a housekeeper, Olly, short for Olive, who has been with us for thirty years and deserves an Order of Australia. Olly manages the household staff, part aboriginal girls who enjoy working at the Big House, which is what they call the homestead. How does that sound?’ He sat back regarding her sardonically.

      ‘It sounds like the miraculous answer to my prayers.’

      ‘Don’t think about it like that.’

      It sounded like a warning. ‘May I ask how much you’re thinking of paying me?’ She tried to appear composed and business like.

      He sat back, considering. ‘You can hardly expect pay until we get to know you.’

      He liked doing this. ‘You’re joking, of course.’

      ‘Of course.’ He nodded. ‘I was hoping you might smile. I’m not quite the ogre you think I am, Ms Devlin.’

      Her heart started to beat so fast she might have run up ten flights of stairs. ‘I think no such thing.’

      ‘That’s good, because you’ve been looking at me very critically.’

      Oh, my God, he’d noticed! ‘I certainly wasn’t conscious of it,’ she said, dismayed that it came out quite haughtily.

      ‘That makes it all the more noteworthy,’ he said. ‘But I suppose we should get back to talking business. Full board, of course. What did you make at your girls’ school?’

      Marissa told him with faint trepidation. She had been well paid. Far above anything she expected as a governess.

      Yet he confounded her. ‘You couldn’t have been too comfortably off on that, you and the boy?’

      ‘It’s good money actually,’ she said, taken aback. ‘You’re a rich man!’

      ‘So?’ He stared straight into her eyes.

      She could feel herself flushing. ‘I have a little money left from a family trust. It’s very important Riley receives a good education. It’s my intention to send him to boarding school when he turns ten.’

      ‘And a very laudable ambition it is, too,’ he said, that maddening glimmer of amusement in his eyes again. ‘There is of course the possibility you might marry money.’

      Clearly he was having his idea of fun. ‘Money doesn’t resolve all problems,’ she said in a heartfelt way.

      ‘I couldn’t agree more. Now what about—?’ He named a sum that was more than fair given that he had offered them full board.

      ‘I’m happy with that,’ she said, betrayed into giving him his first real smile of the day.

      ‘Wonderful!’ he feigned a gasp. ‘That smile has taken some time!’ But it was so magical it even squeezed his hard old heart. ‘Now what about that dog of yours, Dusty?’

      ‘He’s a wonderful dog,’ Marissa said, always ready to sing Dusty’s praises. ‘He’s really looked after us. Could you possibly take Dusty on, too? He’s a working dog. I’m sure you could put him to good use. Riley loves him. So do I. I desperately need this job but I’ll have to turn it down if we can’t bring Dusty.’

      He laughed out loud. It was an extraordinarily attractive sound, one that took her unawares. ‘Could you repeat that, Ms Devlin?’

      ‘I said—’

      ‘I know what you said. I have to tell you I find it very touching. You’re going to insist I take your dog?’

      ‘I’m afraid so.’ She nodded, but her expression was tinged with worry.

      ‘Then aren’t you fortunate you’re talking to a dog lover. Okay, Ms Devlin.’ He put his two hands down on the table, ‘I’m prepared to take you, Riley and your dog, Dusty, on board on the condition I put you and Dusty to work. Riley will have plenty of time to see him.’

      So kindness did lie beneath that tough exterior! ‘That’s awfully good of you, Mr McMaster.’

      His handsome mouth quirked. ‘Whether I’m being awfully good or not remains to be seen,’ he said, dryly. ‘But I do like to see young people with a special attachment to their dog. People don’t often confuse me, Ms Devlin, but you do.’

      ‘How could I confuse you?’ She was finding it increasingly difficult to resist the glittering magnetism of his eyes.

      ‘To start with you’re extremely out of place in the Outback. This really is the sun burnt country. You look like you’d be more at home in dewy Ireland. How are you going to protect that skin?’

      ‘You mightn’t believe this but I don’t burn and I’m used to very strong sunlight.’ She was surprised her voice sounded so normal when she was fighting an avalanche of sensations; all of them quite inappropriate. ‘Brisbane is sub-tropical. I’ve coped up to date. In fact Riley and I are surprisingly sun proof. Besides, there’s always sun block and a hat.’

      ‘When you remember to wear it,’ he said, looking pointedly at her bare head.

      ‘We forgot this morning,’ she explained. ‘When would you want me to start?’ She could scarcely credit their good fortune.

      He sat back, wide shoulders squared, looking very much the Outback cattle baron. ‘I suppose today makes sense,’ he said. He was obviously a man long accustomed to making on-the-spot decisions. ‘I’ll take you and the boy in the chopper. My overseer can drive your utility back to the station. That is your bright red ute with the panther displayed so prominently on the side?’ His mouth twitched.

      ‘Yes.’ She felt defensive, but the ute was hard to miss. ‘I got it for a bargain. The panther was rated a big selling point. How did you know it was our ute anyway?’

      He smiled. ‘It’s a long way from anything I’ve seen around here, Ms Schoolteacher.’ He rose to his stunning height, his width of shoulder emphasising the taper to his narrow waist. ‘Could you get yourself together in say an hour?’ He glanced at his watch.

      Marissa sprang up with alacrity. ‘No problem!’ Her mood was suddenly euphoric. She had a job. She would have Riley with her. Dusty would be looked after.

      ‘Dusty will go back in the ute, so I’ll need the keys.’ His voice brooked no argument. ‘It’s just not possible to take him on the chopper.’

      ‘He’ll be fine,’ Marissa nodded her acceptance. ‘I’ll explain the circumstances to him.’

      He looked down on her as though what she said was preposterous. ‘You’re joking, right?’

      She shook her head. ‘No, I mean it. Dusty understands perfectly well what I’m saying. Besides I don’t want him nipping your driver.’

      That laugh again! ‘Highly improbable, Ms Devlin. Bart is in no danger whatever of getting nipped by the likes of your guard dog. Besides, cattle dogs have СКАЧАТЬ