The Nanny and the Millionaire

Time to go find them! Both children would need to wash their hands for lunch. She wondered what Aunt Lois would be like. A ‘wilfully moody’ woman like her sister? Marissa hoped not. It was good to know Riley would respect Holt’s admonition not to go outside the home compound. Riley was an obedient child, a child of light.

Marissa had just reached the foot of the staircase when a young woman entered through the front door.

When she caught sight of Marissa she frowned heavily, looking Marissa up and down in hostile inquiry. ‘Who are you?’ There was a snap in her voice like a released elastic band.

Ah, another rambunctious one! ‘I’m Marissa Devlin,’ Marissa introduced herself as pleasantly as she could. ‘Mr McMaster has hired me as the new governess.’

‘He’s what?’

It sounded as if Aunt Lois couldn’t believe her ears. ‘I’m Georgia’s new governess,’ Marissa repeated, her euphoric mood flattened in a second. ‘And you would be Georgia’s Aunt Lois?’

The haughty young woman held up a staying hand ‘Just one moment. This is very difficult for me to take in. I had breakfast with Holt this very morning. He said nothing whatsoever about hiring a governess.’

Had he, Marissa had no doubt, Aunt Lois would immediately have talked him out of it. She was an attractive woman. It was her manner that wasn’t. Her thick blond hair fell in a straight pageboy around a sharp featured but interesting face. She was wearing expensive riding clothes, cream silk shirt, fawn jodhpurs and burnished riding boots. She was fashionably bone thin, maybe a borderline anorexic.

Marissa hastened to placate this woman who was fairly sizzling with indignation. ‘Mr McMaster wouldn’t have known about me then. We met in Ransom. I was looking for work as a governess. He took me on.’

‘What were you doing in Ransom? What are you doing out West anyway? What exactly are your qualifications? Who would know if you’re to be believed or not? I just don’t understand this.’ Aunt Lois bit her lip. ‘Georgia has been doing extremely well under my tutelage.’

‘I’m sure that’s true—’ Marissa kept up her valiant attempt at conciliation ‘—but Mr McMaster did say you had your own life in Sydney.’

Aunt Lois looked like she might go after Holt that very minute and kill him.

‘If you do have qualifications, I would very much like to see them.’

‘Mr McMaster has seen them,’ Marissa told her, not at all intimidated by the other woman, though clearly she was meant to be. Even so, she was unhappy their meeting was going so badly.

Out in the driveway, the sound of a little girl yelling at the top of her voice cut through the golden stillness. It wasn’t an angry yell or a frightened yell. To Marissa’s trained ears, it sounded more like high excitement, fast getting out of control. Next came the sound of a dog barking. Marissa would know that bark anywhere. It was Dusty. Why wasn’t he tied up? No way was Aunt Lois going to tolerate Dusty.

‘What is going on?’ Aunt Lois demanded in furious amazement. She turned to go back onto the verandah only a sandy headed little girl came flying up the steps with a mad urgency, followed by a worried looking Riley and an overexcited Dusty in full bound.

Aunt Lois screamed.

‘Riley, Dusty!’ Marissa tried for the voice of authority but couldn’t get either’s attention. Certainly not Georgia’s. In fact she nearly got knocked down as the little girl—the heralded terror— tore into the entrance hall followed up by the extremely frisky Dusty, his tongue lolling, his strongly muscled body almost rigid with excitement, just loving the kids and the game.

Marissa was horrified, aghast at what damage might be done. Riley was trying desperately to control his beloved pet without a great deal of success. Her own commands were equally ineffectual. What a start! The odds were she would finish the day out of a job.

‘Sit!’ A man’s voice cracked like a whip.

Dusty dropped on all fours, his expression previously so joyful, unmistakably shame faced. He knew he had done wrong.

Marissa thought she would be pleased to sit, too, her legs were so wobbly.

‘He’s a lovely dog, isn’t he?’ Georgia, who enjoyed nothing better than giving everyone a good fright, caught sight of her father and ran to him. ‘His name is Dusty.’

Holt McMaster placed a restraining hand on her head. ‘I’ve already had the pleasure of meeting Dusty, thank you, Georgy. Dusty is not, I repeat, not to come into the house. He can only come as far as the verandah. Have you got that, Riley?’ He glanced at Riley who like Dusty was looking chastened.

‘Yes, sir. I’m sorry he got so excited.’ Ever gallant, Riley didn’t add it was mainly because of Georgia’s frenzied behaviour.

‘What is going on here, Holt?’ Aunt Lois, rubbing furiously at her temple, was looking at him in alarm. ‘That ugly brute almost knocked me down.’

‘Excuse me, he’s lovely!’ Georgia now full of truculence bellowed, a spindly little girl with a big voice. One foot kicked out in a temper, but mercifully didn’t connect with anything.

‘You’re a wild, wild child, completely undisciplined!’ Aunt Lois accused, on her own furious streak.

‘Riley, take Dusty outside,’ Marissa said quietly. ‘How did he get here anyway?’

‘Bart must have dropped him off.’ Holt McMaster came up with the explanation.

One could scarcely expect a cattle baron used to hazards and even life threatening situations on a daily basis to take a small domestic incident too seriously.

‘Take Dusty onto the verandah, Riley,’ he instructed. ‘I’ll find you something to tie him up. Everything is okay now. You can relax.’

‘Yes, sir.’ Riley immediately brightened at Holt’s level tone.

Georgia, the problem child, now walked up to Marissa beaming beatifically, displaying a missing front tooth. ‘Are you Riley’s mummy?’ she asked as though absolutely thrilled at their arrival.

‘Wh-a-t?’ Aunt Lois’s voice rose as shrill as a seagull’s.

‘Listen and learn, Lois,’ Holt said.

Marissa went down to the little girl’s level, smiling into the small freckled face. Georgia was plain at this stage. The missing tooth didn’t help, but Marissa thought early adulthood would see a breakthrough. She certainly looked intelligent, even a character. Her fine wiry hair was sticking out at all angles as if electrified. It was sandy in colour with a tinge of orange, her eyes, her best feature, a clear light green. ‘Hello, Georgy. I’m so pleased to meet you. I’m Marissa.’ She offered her hand and the child took it with aplomb, as if trained from birth. ‘I’m Riley’s sister, not his mother. I’m here to help you with your lessons. Riley will be doing his with you. Would you like that?’

The beaming smile remained etched on Georgia’s face. ‘I’m thinking about it,’ she said graciously as if it were all up to her. ‘You’re really, really pretty!’ She suddenly inflated her cheeks to their full extent, then slowly released the air like a hissing balloon. ‘Riley looks just like you. If you’re not his Mummy why does he call you, Ma?’ she asked, demonstrating she hadn’t been behind the door when it came to intelligence. ‘Why is he little and you’re big?’

Aunt Lois cast her eyes heavenwards in scorn. ‘Don’t ask!’

Marissa had no choice but to ignore her. ‘Ma is short for Marissa,’ she explained to the child, though she knew too well it didn’t sound like that when used by Riley. ‘Riley was born a long time after I was. We have the same father, but different mothers.’

‘Then where’s his mother?’ Georgia asked, engaging Marissa woman-to-woman. ‘She should be here right now. To emphasise the point she raised her small foot, encased in sturdy brown boots that went oddly with an expensive smocked dress, and stamped it hard on the marble floor.

‘My father left Riley in my care, Georgia,’ Marissa told her.

‘No, call me Georgy!’ the child said quickly. ‘I like it. You’ve got a pretty voice, too.’

‘Thank you.’ Marissa smiled. ‘Riley being with me works out well, Georgy. He’s happy with me.’

‘Because he loves you,’ Georgia cried. It was a near operatic declaration. ‘Can I go outside and talk to him?’ She put out a hand fingering one of Marissa’s silky, curls. ‘Are these curls real? Just thought I’d check.’

Marissa nodded. ‘Riley and I have naturally curly hair.’

‘And it looks great on you! I really loathe my hair.’ Georgia sighed deeply.

‘Actually, Georgy, all your hair needs is the right preparation for flyaway hair.’ Marissa wisely decided on the truth. ‘You have so much life in you, it gets into your hair. All you do is rub the dressing between your palms, then smooth it over your hair. You’ll find it works. One needs things to keep curly hair under control.’

‘So that’s it then!’ Georgia sounded like she had been waiting years for a solution. ‘Can we get some?’ Abruptly she spun about, the steam of indignation coming off her. ‘Why didn’t you get me some?’ she demanded of her aunt, bridling like a grown woman.

‘All your hair needs is a good brush,’ Aunt Lois insisted, looking like she wanted to give her niece a good whack with the said brush. ‘That’s if you’d stand still long enough.’

Holt McMaster appeared to Marissa’s eyes, to be bored to distraction. Wearily he cut in. ‘Now we’ve got that settled, maybe we can move on.’

‘Just a sec, Holt.’ Georgia flashed him an engaging smile, turning back to Marissa. ‘Maybe we can try a new style?’ Her sandy eyebrows arched in enquiry.

‘Your hair doesn’t need styling,’ Aunt Lois exploded, foolish enough to break in again when anyone else would have left well alone. Only Lois was enormously put out her wretched little niece had taken a liking to the single mother Holt had brought into his home.

‘Who asked you?’ Georgia shouted rudely. ‘I’m talking to Marissa, okay?’

‘Holt, are you going to allow her to talk to me like that?’ Lois pleaded.

‘Sorry, I must have nodded off,’ he groaned. ‘That’s quite enough, Georgy. Apologise to your aunt.’

‘Don’t worry, Holt, I will.’ Georgia who really was being naughty, launched into a spirited little tap dance. ‘Sorry, Auntie!’ She said, stopping her tap dance abruptly, arms outstretched.

‘Oh, for goodness’ sake, give us a break, Georgy,’ Holt groaned. ‘It seems to me, you could make quite a good living as a child movie star. You can go outside and join Riley for as long as it takes to tie Dusty up. After that, the two of you can wash your hands for lunch.’

‘Thank you very much, sir.‘ Georgia smiled up at him sweetly, or as sweetly as her missing tooth would allow, having very smartly picked up on Riley’s form of address for her father.

Marissa laughed, despite herself. The child was an entertainer in the making.

‘Don’t encourage her,’ Aunt Lois ordered stiffly, giving Marissa a green glare.

‘I’m sorry,’ Marissa apologised. She knew she shouldn’t have laughed, but Georgia definitely had a comedic flair.

‘It really won’t do to encourage 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 I can find plenty of things to do, can’t we, Riley?’

‘You bet!’ Riley laughed, a carefree sound that was music to Marissa’s ears. ‘This is a marvellous place.’

‘We’ll see.’ Marissa kept walking to the door, wondering if it might be a good idea to find Holt McMaster and settle the matter. Georgia wouldn’t give up. ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day,’ she remarked. ‘Please remember, Riley, the two of you must stay inside the home compound at all times.’

‘Right, Ma!’ Riley promised.

As she went out the door she heard Riley launch into a thumbnail sketch of Julius Caesar, undisputed master of ancient Rome and how he came to his gory end. Georgia hung on his every word.

Lois beckoned Marissa farther down the corridor, her face tight and cold. ‘You’re really going all out to ingratiate yourself here, aren’t you? Holt, Olly, even my quite impossible little niece. I suppose you’ll drop a curtsy to Mrs McMaster, when you meet her?’

Breathe in. Breathe out. Count to ten. Maybe fifteen. ‘Why do you dislike me so much, Ms Aldridge?’ she asked, wishing it weren’t so. ‘You don’t even know me. I don’t want to be on bad terms with you, rather the reverse. What’s the problem? Georgy does need a governess and a firm hand. I’m hoping to supply both.’

The reasonable approach didn’t touch Lois. The unwelcome glare never left her eyes. She didn’t want conciliation. She wanted confrontation. ‘I suppose because you’ve had a child you think you know all about how to handle them?’ There was a bitter twist to her mouth. She was nearing thirty and her biological clock was ticking away like a time bomb. It was all too sad!

‘Why in the world do I have to keep repeating myself.’ Marissa gave a heartfelt sigh. ‘Riley is my half brother. I don’t seem to be able to get you to understand that.’

Lois made an unladylike snorting sound. ‘Stupid to deny it,’ she spoke scornfully. ‘It can be easily checked out.’

‘Maybe then I can expect an apology?’

Lois didn’t answer.

‘What is it you wish to see me about?’ Marissa asked, not wanting to hang around crossing swords.

‘I actually want to warn you,’ Lois said, her eyes glowing eerily. ‘My sister may have left Georgia in Holt’s care, but she is still Georgia’s mother and she’s still in love with Holt no matter what she says. Don’t try to get too close to him, that’s all.’

Marissa suddenly felt intensely irritated. ‘I have no intention whatever of getting too close to him, Ms Aldridge, whatever that means. Maybe you can relay that to your sister. I’m sure you report to her.’

‘Why ever not!’ Colour flew into Lois’s cheeks. ‘She is my sister.’

And I bet she knows you’re in love with him. Probably gets a cruel kick out of it.

‘What?’ The word came out like a gunshot. Lois obviously had ESP. She had read Marissa’s mind.

‘I didn’t say anything,’ Marissa protested.

‘What can you possibly get out of burying yourself way out here?’ Lois changed tack. ‘I have noticed how pretty you are.’ She couldn’t bring herself to say lovely.

‘I need to keep Riley with me until he’s old enough to go to school,’ Marissa made another bid for understanding. ‘It proved too difficult in the city. A good friend of mine was raised on the land. She had a governess. She was the one who suggested I try governessing for a year or two. Riley was devastated when our father died. He needs me close by for a while.’

‘So you’re going to persist with your story?’ Lois asked, her nostrils pinched. This was all a bad dream—a nightmare really—this girl coming here. Lois could see Trouble written all over her.

‘No story, Ms Aldridge, it’s true.’ Marissa was quite aware of Lois’s silent fears. They shocked her. ‘I must go back to the children.’

‘You don’t appear to be doing a good job so far,’ Lois snapped in satisfaction.

‘Actually things are going a lot better than I anticipated. I’m immensely grateful. Do please excuse me.’

But Lois was in a foul temper, an unfortunate trait that appeared to run in the family. ‘I suggest you don’t go after Holt. Georgia has a beautiful room of her own. I was the one who refurbished it. Leave well alone.’

Please, God, help! Marissa stopped, then turned around. ‘I’m sure you’ve been a very good aunt to Georgia, Ms Aldridge, but I answer to Mr McMaster. He is my employer.’ She had to stand her ground, even in the light of Lois’s aggression. ‘I may have needed the job, but I would never have taken it if I wasn’t going to have a free hand.’

‘Free hand!’ Lois gave her a furious look. ‘Okay, have it your own way! But make an enemy of me and my sister and you’ll be sorry.’

That sounded like a threat. Marissa retraced her steps so she was standing only a foot away from Lois. ‘I wonder if you’re not overestimating your own power?’ she asked quietly, dismayed at inciting so much dislike. She could have pointed out Holt McMaster had already told Lois not to interfere, but she simply didn’t have the heart. Everything about Lois screamed here was a woman tearing herself to pieces over a forbidden man. Marissa wasn’t even sure if one could marry one’s sister’s ex-husband? Probably. Lots of things had changed.

Lois’s cheeks went from pink to crimson. ‘You’re certainly different from the other governesses we’ve had.’ Her voice shook with outrage. ‘How dare you speak to me like that. I’m family. You’re an employee. And not for long, I can assure you of that. I’m a tabby cat compared to my sister. She’s a tigress.’

Marissa didn’t doubt that for a moment. Holt McMaster wouldn’t have married a tabby cat. ‘Is that why she didn’t like the desert?’ she asked, before going on her way.

Marissa sought Olly’s advice before leaving the house. She found her in the kitchen, writing up menus.