The Nanny and the Millionaire. Линда Гуднайт

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СКАЧАТЬ her,’ Aunt Lois repeated, pink flags of colour in her cheeks.

      ‘You’ve made your point, Lois,’ Holt McMaster said, mildly, watching Georgia run out on to the verandah where she favoured Riley, who was sitting on the steps, with a womanly pat on the cheek. Maybe Riley would replace Zoltan, who was always getting her to do the wrong thing.

      ‘I suppose you’re not telling the truth about yourself and the boy?’ Lois turned on Marissa quite bitterly for someone she’d only just met.

      ‘Why would I not be?’ Marissa countered, trying to hide her upset. She hadn’t realised there could be someone even more awful than her aunt Allison.

      Lois gave her a sarcastic stare. ‘Even a six-year-old child isn’t buying your story.’

      Holt called for a ceasefire. ‘Marissa doesn’t have to listen to that, Lois,’ he said, his expression full of a deep impatience ‘Apart from anything else, it’s none of your business.’

      Lois squeezed anguished hands together. ‘After all I’ve done?’ she cried, wild eyed. ‘Hardly a day goes by without Georgia punching, kicking, screaming, swearing, and I’m the only who cares.’

      Holt kept a tight rein on his temper. ‘That’s simply not true and you know it. Your help has been very much appreciated, Lois. I’m sure I’ve told you that many times, but you must be desperate for a break from Georgy?’

      Marissa didn’t need any little bird to tell her Aunt Lois would endure a dozen little savages who punched, kicked and swore like a wharfie just to be near him. And now she looked like she was getting dumped? So much for appreciation! Holt McMaster was one tough hombre. Marissa understood all at once she had been hired so Aunt Lois would no longer have a good reason to stay. He had faked that kindness.

      The reason behind Marissa’s sudden employment must also have occurred to Lois judging from the look on her face. ‘Holt, what are you saying?’ She spoke in a low rush, looking up at him. To her he was the most wonderful man in the entire world, but he had said something exceptionally brutal.

      Time to make my getaway, Marissa thought, beset by cynicism.

      ‘Would you excuse me,’ she said. ‘I have a spare lead for Dusty. I’ll get it.’ She couldn’t bear to listen to the rest of this pleading, especially with Holt McMaster looking like he had no feelings at all. She hadn’t taken to Aunt Lois one teeny bit given Aunt Lois had only wanted to attack her, but she had to admit to feeling a little sorry for the woman. It must be hell being in love with your sister’s ex-husband. Probably she had been in love with him when she was chief bridesmaid at their wedding. She must have thought then, end of story, only the marriage hadn’t worked out. A never to be missed opportunity had presented itself and Aunt Lois had seized it.

      While not unsympathetic, Marissa couldn’t help thinking Aunt Lois didn’t stand a chance.

      CHAPTER FOUR

      IT TOOK Georgia less than twenty-four hours to decide she didn’t want to remain in her own bedroom. She wanted to join Club Devlin in the west wing. Used to pushing and pushing for whatever she wanted, she was starting to sound a bit strident, repeating herself over and over.

      ‘I want to come over to you, please, please, Marissa! We shouldn’t be all over the place. We should be together!’

      Riley ran his fingers anxiously through his curls wondering what having Georgia over might mean. He had never met such an explosive kid in his life.

      ‘God, you’re a dreadful child!’ Lois stood at the door of the schoolroom, listening in. She felt vindicated at hearing her niece playing up on the unwanted governess.

      Marissa was going about arranging the classroom the way she wanted it, while the children sat at their desks drawing whatever they fancied. In Riley’s case an excellent representation of a space shuttle complete with astronaut in his space gear; in Georgia’s, a forest of gnarled trees standing in some kind of swamp inhabited by fierce four legged black creatures that Riley identified as wild boar.

      At the sound of Lois’s cutting voice the chatter stopped. ‘What would you know?’ Georgia swung into stride, screeching over her shoulder.

      Really she was being baited Marissa thought, but took the time to correct the child. ‘Georgia, please turn around and go on with your drawing,’ she said, slipping easily into her schoolteacher mode. It had proved effective in the past, though her girls had never behaved remotely as badly as Georgia. ‘If you expect to have your wishes considered, you must act in a courteous manner. It’s not nice to shout at your aunt.’

      ‘Okay, sorry,’ Georgia said gruffly, adding a particularly ugly boar to her drawing. ‘Tell her to quit being rude and shouting at me. You haven’t heard her. Neither has Holt.’

      ‘Shouldn’t you call your father, Daddy?’ Riley couldn’t understand how Georgia came to be using her father’s first name.

      Georgia turned fully to face him. ‘He doesn’t mind, Riley,’ she assured him. ‘He likes it.’

      Riley didn’t look convinced. ‘I always called my father Daddy.’

      ‘Okay, I’ll call Holt Daddy, if it’ll please you!’ Georgia had no wish to put Riley offside. She was absolutely enchanted with him. In fact he was so much fun he’d put Zoltan out of her head. ‘I really love him. He’s a great guy. I just wish I was a boy like you, then he’d love me more. Why are boys so bloody important?’ She threw off the swear word effortlessly, demonstrating it was one of her favourites.

      Marissa shook her head. ‘No swearing, Georgy.’

      Georgia’s face settled into a wicked grin. ‘Can I say damn and blast?’

      ‘Only if you really have to say it,’ Marissa said. ‘As in falling over and hurting yourself, but I prefer you didn’t. We’re going to be learning lots and lots of new words. We won’t need swear words, I promise.’

      ‘It’s true, Georgy,’ Riley said, taking another look at her wild drawing. It made his look ordinary. She had added what looked like a clump of black barbed wire. ‘I love words.’

      ‘So do I,’ Georgia said earnestly. ‘But I love swearing, too,’ she whispered behind her hand. ‘I won’t swear at you and Marissa. You’re too nice.’

      ‘Could I see you outside, Ms Devlin?’ Lois asked very shortly indeed, her eyes dark with multiple resentments and thwarted hopes.

      ‘Of course.’ Marissa paused for a moment to speak to the children. ‘When you finish your drawing, Georgy, would you like to show Riley your favourite books and Riley can show you his. There’s a big selection in the bookcases. I’ll be right outside.’

      ‘So, can I shift my bedroom down to you guys?’ Georgia called after her, a lot of appeal in her hoarse little voice.

      ‘We’ll talk to your father about that,’ Marissa said. ‘I can’t see he’ll have any objection, but we must ask.’

      ‘You’re not going to see him today unless you go looking for him,’ Georgia warned her. ‘You can find him.’ She turned about to offer encouragement. ‘I know where he is. I’ll tell you. Riley and СКАЧАТЬ