‘Why don’t you let me buy you supper?’ Theo said. ‘Your first night in Rome shouldn’t be spent by yourself.’

‘Oh—I don’t really think… Wouldn’t you rather…? I mean, wouldn’t some of your colleagues be more interesting company than me?’ Lily began.

‘Certainly not,’ he said lightly. He grinned down at her. ‘Let me show you some of the places I’ve been to before, and you can choose which one you like the look of.’

His teeth were almost blindingly white as he smiled, and the face which on first impression had seemed serious and somewhat formidable to Lily now exhibited a heart-throbbingly purposeful image, indicating someone strong, reliable…and utterly captivating. The sort of man she might one day paint riding on a white charger to rescue damsels in distress.

Lily choked back her disbelief in her own thoughts. Rome was a mad place! It was making her mad!

Susanne James has enjoyed creative writing since childhood, completing her first—sadly unpublished—novel by the age of twelve. She has three grown-up children who were, and are, her pride and joy, and who all live happily in Oxfordshire with their families. She was always happy to put the needs of her family before her ambition to write seriously, although along the way some published articles for magazines and newspapers helped to keep the dream alive!

Susanne’s big regret is that her beloved husband is no longer here to share the pleasure of her recent success. She now shares her life with Toffee, her young Cavalier King Charles spaniel, who decides when it’s time to get up (early) and when a walk in the park is overdue!

Recent titles by the same author:

THE MILLIONAIRE’S CHOSEN BRIDE

THE BRITISH BILLIONAIRE AFFAIR

JED HUNTER’S RELUCTANT BRIDE

THE BRITISH BILLIONAIRE’S INNOCENT BRIDE

BY

SUSANNE JAMES

www.millsandboon.co.uk

THE BRITISH BILLIONAIRE’S INNOCENT BRIDE

For all my friends and their lovely dogs who walk with Toffee and me each day in Alice Park

CHAPTER ONE

ON A fine July morning Lily got out of the taxi at Heathrow and, after paying the driver, trundled her overnight case towards the entrance.

Her emotions were a strange mix of regret and relief that her contract with Bella and Rosie’s family had ended. She’d only been nanny to the eight-year-old twins for a year, but it had been long enough for her to know that she’d made a mistake at trying her hand at this particular occupation. Child-minding was not for her—even though, towards the end, she’d begun to establish a much better relationship with the over-indulged children. Had begun to like them and feel sorry for them—their mother, a single parent, had very little time for them, which was hard on the children. But it was not what she wanted to do with her life. She was honest in admitting that her own background was probably responsible for her sense of inadequacy, and sometimes feeling out of her depth.

Fortunately she’d saved up enough money so that she could afford to be unemployed for a short time while she took stock of her situation. She would easily be able to afford the mortgage on her tiny one-bedroom flat in an unremarkable Berkshire town, and knew that with her cookery diploma she could walk into another job within the hour at any of the countless hotels and restaurants in London if she wanted to. But she was restless, feeling the need for a change but not knowing how to bring it about, so she’d decided to have a couple of days in Rome and visit her brother Sam, who part-owned a small hotel there.

She checked in and was delighted at being upgraded to business class as the flight was overbooked. In the queue waiting to board the aircraft, she glanced at her ticket. She’d booked a seat next to the window—not because she enjoyed watching take-off and landing, but because it seemed to offer a greater chance of not being disturbed on the journey by people who were intent on relaying their life story to anyone who would listen.

As they all waited to board, Lily noted that almost everyone—as usual—was casually dressed, mostly in jeans and holiday wear. For some reason she’d chosen her fine grey suit and a white shirt, together with sheer black tights and high heels, for the journey. Perhaps that was why she had been lucky enough to get bumped up to business class.

At last they all filed on board, and Lily edged her way along the aisle, glancing upwards until she located her seat number. The row was still unoccupied, so she didn’t have to ask anyone to get up, and she took her place, glancing idly out of the window at all the activity outside.

After a moment she was suddenly aware of the arrival of the person who would be sitting next to her and, turning her head quickly, found herself gazing up—very far up—into the dark eyes of the most handsome man she’d ever come across in her twenty-six years. He pushed his hand luggage into the overhead compartment and slammed it shut, then sat down and glanced across at her. ‘Morning,’ he said, non-committally.

Lily coloured up to the roots of her hair, and was conscious of her usual feeling of anxiousness. Her heart was gathering pace rapidly, and the feeling of being trapped was threatening to overwhelm her.

‘Oh—hi—’ she said, trying to match his lazy attitude and failing miserably. Why should it matter that she was going to be sitting this close to someone like him for a couple of hours? He didn’t look the sort who would want to make small talk all the way. His powerfully authoritative manner was obvious at once, and his strong profile and determined chin sent a shiver down her spine. He was formally dressed, in a dark well-cut suit, gleaming shirt and plain blue tie, his black hair was immaculately styled. Why couldn’t he have been a portly, elderly, kindly type, instead of this undeniably sexy individual who, Lily was aware, was attracting covetous glances from adjacent females?

He shifted his long legs slightly, trying to make himself more comfortable in the restricted space, then turned to glance at her, noting her stylish appearance, the rather sweet heart-shaped face, the wavy fair hair piled elegantly on top, giving her a brisk, businesslike air. Then he stared past her out of the window, feeling momentarily disturbed inside. And after a second or two, he knew why. It was the first time he had noticed a woman since Elspeth had died.

It had been over a year now—quite long enough for anyone to adjust. But immediately the mental picture of his wife made him think of his three children—his two sons and Freya—who, at nine years old, was so like Elspeth, with her glossy brown hair and hazel eyes. He frowned slightly as he thought of his daughter. She was the difficult one—the one he didn’t seem to have the same rapport with as he had with the boys, he realised. And because of that he’d reluctantly agreed to Freya’s request that she should be a weekly boarder at her school, to be with her best friends. He’d been determined to try and keep them all together, a close family, and this move had seemed to dent that somewhat. But he’d finally agreed, and he had to admit that life had become a bit easier without his daughter’s occasional difficult temperament to deal with. And the weekends, when the family was complete, were usually trouble-free.

Thankfully, soon they were loaded and ready for take-off, and as the aircraft began bumping rapidly along the runway, Lily caught her breath, her knuckles white as she gripped the arms of her seat.

Feeling her tense, he looked across at her. ‘Does this bit bother you?’ he asked mildly, and she was surprised at the question, because it indicated a concern for her. Why should a complete stranger care how she felt? About anything? But those few words sent an unexpected rush of warmth through her, and she smiled up at him quickly.

‘No, of course not,’ she lied. ‘I’m fine.’

He raised one eyebrow briefly, clearly not believing her, but said no more, and in a few minutes they were airborne. People began undoing their seat belts, and Lily’s companion immediately got up to retrieve his briefcase from the locker above them. Good. He was obviously going to be deep in paperwork. There’d be no need for pointless conversation. He took out a folder, then shut the case firmly—giving Lily a brief glimpse of the name on the identity panel.

‘Theodore Montague’, she read. That was all, but it fitted the man exactly. He couldn’t have been called anything else! But what a handle! Would anyone ever dare shorten it? Did his nearest and dearest call him ‘Theo’ or ‘Ted’? Somehow she doubted it.

Leaning forward, she pulled out a magazine from her holdall, flicking the pages idly She was seldom able to read anything worthwhile on journeys. She couldn’t believe how some people could get stuck into a novel, much less concentrate on important matters—as the man next to her was obviously doing…

Presently the chink of cups and spoons announced the arrival of the refreshment trolley, and Lily thought that a cup of coffee would be more than welcome—she’d not eaten any breakfast before she’d left home. A flight attendant came alongside them and gazed down at Theodore Montague, clearly captivated, flickering her false eyelashes at him coquettishly before asking him what he wanted. He turned to Lily.

‘What would you like?’ he asked, his deeply intense eyes looking straight into her smoky-blue ones, and once again she was touched by his consideration. No one had ever bothered to put her first in these circumstances, she thought.

‘Oh—just a black coffee, please,’ she replied quickly. ‘No sugar…thank you.’

‘Snap,’ he said easily, and for the first time she saw the uncompromising lips part in a brief smile, giving a glimpse of strong white teeth. He looked up at the attendant. ‘Then that’s two black coffees, please,’ he said casually.

As they sipped the scalding liquid, he looked across at her. ‘You don’t like in-flight food, either?’ he asked.

‘Oh, I expect it’s quite nice,’ Lily replied, ‘but in these cramped conditions, and with everything shrink-wrapped in plastic, I find my appetite disappears straight away.’

‘My own thinking exactly,’ he said. ‘Anyway, on short flights food is hardly an imperative, is it?’

So…they were beginning to make conversation—and for once Lily felt totally at ease. With no trouble at all he seemed to have completely disarmed her, and she relaxed in her seat.

‘I can’t think that either of us are on holiday,’ he murmured. His eyes ran the length of her body and back again to meet her gaze. ‘We seem to be the only passengers not wearing jeans and T-shirts.’

‘Actually, I’m going to visit my brother in Rome for a few days. He part-owns a hotel there,’ Lily said. ‘And I’ve got some thinking to do,’ she added. Now, why had she said that? she asked herself crossly. It was the sort of thing that would invite him to question her. But he didn’t. He gave her a long, slow look, and she had the awful suspicion that he could read her mind and knew all about her already! Which was silly.

‘And you—you’re not on holiday?’ she asked tentatively.

‘Grief, no—I’ve a seminar to attend. I managed to avoid it last year, but I’m due to give a paper this time, so there’s no getting out of it I’m afraid. Still…’ He smiled that devastating half-smile again. ‘I’m sure I’ll survive. Rome is a good place to spend a few days—for whatever reason.’

There was a companionable silence between them for a while as the aircraft droned on.

‘What’s the seminar about?’ Lily asked curiously, suddenly wanting to know more about the man, what he did. Would it be marketing? Public relations? Something important in the City? She was surprised at his reply.

‘I spend my life thinking about children,’ he said casually. ‘I lecture in paediatrics, which is all very well, but it means that I don’t get to spend much time on the shop floor, so to speak.’ He shrugged. ‘Still, you can’t do everything, and I’m apparently deemed more use on the lecture circuit at the moment.’ He paused. ‘I expect that will change in due course. Life never stays the same for long, I find.’ He pressed his lips together tightly.

Who could ever have imagined the nightmarish situation that had taken his beautiful wife from him so tragically? That an unidentifiable virus would end her life so dramatically, so unexpectedly? It had taught him not to look too far ahead, or to take life for granted.

Lily sensed his change of mood at once, and it made her want to tell him about herself, about things… ‘Well, I’m hoping to change my life in some way,’ she said, ‘but I don’t really know how to.’ She paused. ‘I did a cookery course after I left school, which was OK—but I got sick of cooking for other people all the time, even though it was good experience in London hotels and clubs… Last year I thought I’d have a go at nannying…’ She shuddered. ‘It was not a good move. I think I was unlucky with the family who employed me—very spoiled eight-year old twin girls. They were awful. But so was I,’ she added truthfully. ‘They ran rings round me, and I just didn’t know how to handle the difficult situations that seemed to crop up on a daily basis. I was beginning to get more switched on by the end of the contract, but not enough for me to contemplate pursuing that particular career any further.’ She sighed. ‘You have to live in order to learn, don’t you?’ she said wistfully. ‘I’d have loved to love Bella and Rosie, and I did try. But I don’t think they wanted to love me.’

He had not taken his eyes from her face as she’d been speaking, and he nodded slowly. ‘Everyone hits the buffers at some time in their lives,’ he said. ‘And all experience—even hurtful experience—teaches us something, I suppose.’ He opened the folder on his knees again. ‘I do hope you find what you’re looking for,’ he added quietly.

‘It’s brilliant to see you again, Lily!’

Lily smiled across the table at her brother, feeling a glow of sisterly affection sweep over her. They were sitting in Agata & Romeo, a bottle-lined restaurant near the main station in Rome, and had just dined on delicious broccoli and pasta in skate soup—one of the many delicacies on the menu. As she spooned up the last mouthful, Lily knew that it certainly wouldn’t be the last time she tasted it.

‘That—was—divine—’ she said, sitting back. ‘I was really hungry.’

‘Talking of things divine,’ Sam said, as he topped up Lily’s glass with the rest of the wine. ‘Who was the bloke you came off the plane with? Drop-dead gorgeous, or what? He seemed very…attentive as he helped you with your stuff,’ he added.

Lily looked away, forcing herself to keep the ever-ready blush from her cheeks.

‘Just the man who happened to be sitting in the adjoining seat on the plane,’ she said casually.

‘Really? There was something…something that suggested a certain familiarity, I thought,’ Sam said, looking at Lily curiously. ‘I really thought there was something going on there.’

‘Don’t be silly,’ Lily said, picking up the menu to see what else she’d like. ‘I’ve never met him before. He was just someone…interesting to talk to, that’s all.’

Sam said no more—he knew from his short acquaintance with his sister that when she decided a subject was closed, it was closed.

Thinking about it, Lily admitted to being surprised at how short the flight had seemed. She and her neighbor had managed to make light, undemanding conversation for much of the way—during which he’d mentioned that he had three children. He’d also spent some time absorbed in his papers, and she’d been careful not to interrupt him. She’d been genuinely surprised when their approaching landing had been announced.

After a minute, Sam said, ‘Is there anything else you’d like, Lily? A cappuccino will do me, but choose away. I want to spoil you.’ He paused, thinking how beautiful Lily was. ‘I don’t get the chance to do that very often, do I?’ he went on. ‘We really must make an effort to get together more—twice a year is nothing, and now that we’ve found each other we mustn’t waste it.’ He leaned across and covered her hand with his briefly. ‘Promise that we will manage it somehow, Lily.’

Lily looked back at him, her large eyes warm and moist with almost-tears. Putting down the menu, she turned her palm to hold his fingers tightly. ‘You’re right, Sam,’ she said quietly. ‘We must make some dates and stick to them. It’s not good enough to let work come first all the time—and, speaking of which, how’s the hotel going?’ she asked. ‘You look very affluent.’ She smiled, noting his well-cut trousers and designer open-neck shirt, exhibiting his tanned skin.

‘Work’s good,’ he said. ‘A bit too good. That’s why Federico and I don’t have time to go chasing girls—or sisters,’ he added.

Sitting there with her long-lost brother—two years older than her, attractively open-faced, with his brown hair bleached golden by the Italian sunshine—Lily felt her heart soar, and she felt so ridiculously light-headed she wanted to laugh out loud, to jump up and tell everyone how happy she was. Of course it had to be the wine—or was it simply Rome, with its perfect weather, its magical fountains and warm-hearted people, and the scent of jasmine in the air which had filled her nostrils as they’d wandered along the streets earlier? Or was it because at last she belonged to someone—really belonged to the good-looking man who was holding her hand?

‘Do you realise that two years ago neither of us knew of each other’s existence?’ Sam said. ‘All that wasted time when we could have been together,’ he added quietly.

Of course Lily realised it. And it was thanks to her seeking out her past—with help from the Salvation Army—that she’d eventually discovered she had a sibling. Their now-deceased mother had borne them both before she herself was seventeen years old.

Lily was honest enough to admit that her ignorance of her early life was probably her own fault… She’d been a rebellious, difficult child, passed from one home to another, one foster family to another—and she’d run away twice. It was no wonder everyone had got confused, including the agencies responsible for her welfare. Her personal details had seemed permanently lost somewhere in the system, and by the time she’d reached sixteen and gone on to train at catering college everyone had been glad to be shot of her. But Lily had an instinctive sense of survival, and had worked hard at the course, and at the jobs she’d subsequently got, finally revelling in the purchase of her tiny flat, her first very own private space, where no one could tell her what to do. At last she was in charge of her own life, her own destiny. And that was how it was going to stay. Always.

Sam, apparently, had been different. He’d told Lily how happy he’d been growing up, behaving himself and always doing as he was told by his foster carers. But he hadn’t known, either, that he had any family. When he and Lily had come face to face at last their blood tie had swallowed up those lost years and they’d fallen into each other’s arms with hardly any self-consciousness.

‘I think a coffee is all I can manage, too, Sam,’ Lily said now. ‘I don’t think I’ll be able to eat another thing for the rest of the day.’

‘Oh, you’ll make room for supper later,’ Sam assured her. ‘No one eats here until nine or ten o’clock in any case. There’ll be plenty of time for you to work up an appetite.’

After lunch they sauntered back along the sun-hot pavements, searching out the cool shade of buildings to walk beneath whenever they could.

‘I think I’ll pamper myself and have a siesta this afternoon,’ Lily said.

‘Good idea. And I’ve some paperwork to go through with Federico, so that’ll suit us both,’ Sam replied easily.

The small hotel—with a mere four bedrooms—was situated in a narrow lane just off Piazza Navona, and Lily had been allocated a chic room at the front. It was well-appointed and comfortable, and she flopped down on the bed, kicking off her sandals and laying back languidly. She’d changed out of her suit as soon as she’d arrived, and was wondering whether the small amount of clothes she’d brought was going to see her through her three-night stay. She shrugged happily. If she ran out of clothes she’d buy some more! She’d never been an extravagant shopper—she’d never had the money—but, hey, she was on holiday, and she was in Rome! There were no frontiers, nothing to hold back her glorious sense of freedom.

To her amazement, when she woke up Lily realized that she’d been asleep for nearly three hours! She hadn’t come here to sleep, she thought. She’d come here to enjoy herself, to explore Rome—as well, of course, as meeting up with her brother.

Sliding off the bed, she went into the bathroom to shower. Although Sam’s hotel was air-conditioned, there was a distinct sense of the pervading sultry heat outside, so choosing what to wear would be easy. She’d put on the cream cotton sleeveless sundress with the low neck, she decided. It wouldn’t matter if it was still a bit creased—although she’d hung it up as soon as she’d arrived—because who was going to notice her, anyway?

She dressed and brushed out her hair, tying it back in a ponytail. Then she moisturised her face, adding sunblock but no make-up. She knew she was lucky with her complexion which, although fair-skinned, seemed to have an olive under-layer which saved her from burning or freckling. She added just a touch of blusher and lipstick and went downstairs.

There was no sign of her brother, but Federico was on duty, and he came over at once to greet her with the typical approach of the Italian male when meeting a woman. He took her hand and kissed it gently, looking down at her appreciatively with his dusky, bedroom eyes.

‘Ah…Lileeeee,’ he murmured in his heavily accented English. ‘What a charming pleasure to ’ave you to stay here. You are so…beautiful.’ He paused. ‘You look—wonderful.’

‘Thank you, Federico,’ Lily said lightly. How could you take these people seriously? she thought. He’d be saying the same to every one of his female guests. Yet she automatically smiled back, responding to his compliments. At least he wasn’t pretending to be someone he wasn’t. What you saw was what you got—a red-blooded Latin male, with no nasty surprises in his temperament and a straightforward, lusty appreciation of the female sex. He made Lily feel feminine, and desirable. And because of his openness, he was totally unthreatening.

Still holding her hand to his lips, Federico said, ‘I’m so sorry…Sam is—unwell. He is lying down. Head,’ he added, touching his forehead. ‘He asks you to see him later tonight.’

‘Oh, poor Sam,’ Lily said, remembering that her brother was prone to migraines—as she herself was. ‘Tell him not to worry, Federico. I’m going off to explore, and I’m quite happy being by myself,’ she added, as he went to object. ‘Tell Sam I’ll see him in the morning.’

People were starting to mill about again in the evening sunshine as Lily wandered around. She’d only been here twice before, but it felt surprisingly familiar as she drank in the atmosphere. She stopped idly from time to time, to watch some artists at work, before buying herself a large vanilla ice-cream. She licked at it appreciatively as she sauntered along. It had to be the most delicious confection known to man, she thought, as the creamy substance coated her tongue and slid down, cooling her throat. The Italians certainly knew how to make the stuff.

Presently she came to the Trevi Fountain, and sat down on a nearby seat to watch the huge gush of water stream from its natural spring. The evening sun shone on the spectacle, lighting up the whole picture like an elaborate stage set, and Lily found herself daydreaming as she sat there, her hands clasped in her lap.

Suddenly a light tap on her arm made her turn quickly.

‘Hello, there. What are you doing here all by yourself?’

Theodore Montague was standing there, looking down at her, and Lily felt her throat constrict as she gazed up at him.

‘Oh—hello—’ she said uncertainly. Well, was it really any surprise that they should meet? she asked herself. Rome wasn’t that big a place. She moved over to make room for him to sit down.

He was wearing white trousers and a dark open-neck shirt, his bare feet thrust into strong brown sandals, and Lily felt her heart fluttering anxiously in the usual way. Yet it wasn’t exactly anxiety that she was feeling, she thought. It was something else—something she’d never actually felt before—and she wanted to push it away. But somehow she couldn’t, so she let the sensation wash over her until, hopefully, it would melt away.

They sat there for several moments without saying anything until he murmured, ‘Magical, isn’t it?’ He turned to look at her briefly. ‘Why is moving water so mesmerising?’

‘I think that everything here is just magical,’ Lily said. ‘The weather plays a part, though, of course. Why can’t we have some of this in England?’

‘It’s certainly perfect tonight,’ he agreed. ‘Though next month might be just a tad too hot.’ He paused. ‘You could presumably come here to live, if you wanted to?’ he suggested. ‘Maybe it’s the change you’re looking for. You said that your brother already lives here, so…’

‘No, I have no plans to live abroad,’ Lily said at once. ‘Perhaps one day I will change my mind, but not yet. I feel that my…fate—whatever it is—lies in England.’ She smiled as she looked up at him. ‘That doesn’t sound very enterprising or ambitious, does it?’

He hesitated for a moment before turning to her properly, holding out his hand. ‘Look—this is silly. Why don’t we introduce ourselves? I’m Theo Montague—and you know why I’m here…’

‘And I’m Lily Patterson,’ Lily said quickly, taking his hand briefly. ‘And you know why I’m here.’

He nodded. ‘That’s better. I don’t care for nameless faces,’ he said. ‘So…go on telling me about yourself, Lily. You mentioned ambitions. Are you ambitious?’

‘I think I am,’ she said slowly. ‘But, as I said before, I don’t really know where my ambitions lie. Do I want to go on in catering? Maybe secure an appointment with a wealthy family in a lovely house somewhere in the country, so that I can sit in the garden in the afternoons and paint…?’

‘So—you like to paint?’

‘Yes, though I don’t do it very well—yet. But I’m practising. And I’d love to learn to play the piano. I had some lessons once, when I was a child, but they sort of…stopped…and I never took it up again.’

They’d stopped because at the time, she had been living in one of the homes she’d run away from, she reminded herself.

‘I think most children are guilty of that,’ he said. ‘Starting things and not wanting to go on with them.’ He was thinking of Freya as he spoke, who seemed to have lost interest in most things since her mother had died.

There was quite a long silence after that, but Lily realised that she hadn’t felt so comfortable, or secure, or so plain contented for a long time. She was painfully aware of Theo’s elegant legs stretched out in front of him—the strong, masculine thighs evident beneath the fine cotton of his trousers, the well-kept, unblemished brown toes protruding from his sandals—and she checked herself hurriedly. These thoughts weren’t part of her life plan. They weren’t part of anything to do with her at all. Suddenly she wanted to go back and see how Sam was feeling.

‘I ought to go and see how my brother is,’ she said, standing up. ‘He crashed out with a migraine after we’d had lunch. He was going to take me somewhere for supper, but…’

As soon as she’d said the words Lily could have kicked herself. She’d fed him the line—and he took it.

‘Well—why don’t you let me buy you supper instead?’ he said. ‘Your first night in Rome shouldn’t be spent alone.’

‘Oh—I don’t really think—’ Lily began, but he cut in.

‘Look, why don’t you ring to find out how your brother is—whether he’s well enough to take you out? If he isn’t, I’m sure he’d be happy to think you were being taken care of. Besides,’ Theo added, ‘I don’t much like eating by myself.’

That would have been the perfect pick-up line, Lily thought, had it been said by anyone other than the man sitting next to her. But she knew it wasn’t.

Doing as he said, she rang the hotel from her mobile, to be told by Federico that Sam was still in bed and unlikely to surface before morning. She ended the call and looked at Theo.

‘Sam is still out of it, I’m afraid,’ she said. ‘But wouldn’t you rather…? I mean, wouldn’t some of your colleagues be more interesting company than me?’

‘They certainly would not,’ he said lightly. ‘We’ll have quite enough of each other during the day. The evenings are free, thank goodness, to do what we like with. So—’ he grinned down at her ‘—let me show you some of the places I’ve been to before, and you can choose which one you like the look of.’

His teeth were almost blindingly white as he smiled, and the face which on first impression had seemed serious and somewhat formidable to Lily now exhibited a heart-throbbingly purposeful expression, indicating someone strong, reliable…and utterly captivating. The sort of man she might one day paint riding on a white charger to rescue damsels in distress.

Lily choked back her disbelief at her own thoughts. Rome was a mad place! It was making her mad! That, or she had a bad touch of the sun…

CHAPTER TWO

THEY left the piazza, walking side by side with plenty of space between them as they strolled along. The jostling crowds were an eclectic bunch—families, middle-aged couples wandering hand in hand, and lovers oblivious to anyone but themselves, who stopped at regular intervals to indulge in passionate kissing. At first Lily felt acutely embarrassed when they had to side-step an amorous couple, though it wouldn’t have mattered if she’d been on her own, she thought. But witnessing it with Theodore Montague there as well seemed to put a different aspect on everything. He, however, appeared not to notice or care what was going on around them.

He looked down at her. ‘I expect your brother has already introduced you to most of the sights, the tourist must-sees?’ he enquired.

‘Some,’ Lily replied. ‘But there’s plenty I haven’t seen—and lots I’d like to visit again.’ She stopped to let a small child dash between them as he ran to keep up with his parents. ‘Sam never seems to have a great deal of time to spend with me when I visit—he and Federico, his business partner, work so hard, and I understand that he must fit me in when he can.’ She looked up and smiled. ‘I don’t mind. I’m used to sorting myself out alone. It’s just lovely to be here with him now and again—to catch up.’

Would they ever manage to catch up? Lily thought. There were so many years to talk about—so many things to explain and discuss. Would one lifetime be enough?

After a few minutes, Theo said, ‘It’s a bit later than I thought—and I’m getting hungry. Perhaps you’d let me decide where we’re going to eat? I promise you won’t be disappointed.’

Lily didn’t need convincing about that. ‘Wherever we go will be fine by me,’ she said casually.

‘The place I have in mind boasts a panoramic vista of the city—so we’ll have two for the price of one,’ Theo said. ‘Excellent food, and a view as well.’

He was right. And presently, sitting opposite him at a candlelit table, Lily wondered if she was dreaming. This was the stuff of fairy tales, she thought—to be here in this timeless city, on an evening so balmy that there was no need for a shawl to cover her bare neck and shoulders, even if she’d brought one with her that night, and to be sharing delicious food with the handsome Mr Theodore Montague… Not that his appearance made the slightest difference to her, of course, but it was impossible to ignore the glances he attracted from any woman who spotted him. He was after all the quintessential human male that artists and sculptors liked to fashion. He could have been the model for Bernini’s Apollo himself, Lily thought, smiling briefly at the thought.

While Theo chose swordfish for his meal, Lily selected equally delicious veal wrapped in ham and dressed with sage. For a few minutes they said nothing as they ate.

‘You don’t drink, then?’ he asked, as he refilled Lily’s glass with sparkling water, before drinking some of the red wine he’d chosen.

‘Not often,’ Lily said carefully, privately adding to herself, Not with anyone she didn’t really know. And, after all, she didn’t know him—not in any real sense. Of course it was different drinking with Sam…he was the only man she’d ever been able to feel completely at ease with—and she’d had to wait a long time to experience that, she thought ruefully.

Theo had been watching her covertly as she finished the last of the food on her plate, finding himself really liking his dining companion. The cream dress she was wearing showed off her light suntan to perfection, and her fair hair shone with health. Her eyes were cast down as she ate, and he observed how long her lashes were, unusually dark and moist as they rested on her cheeks. He swallowed, picking up his glass, searching for a word that might describe her—but he couldn’t readily find one. She had a sort of diffident air, yet there was an undeniable strength apparent just below the surface. The way she occasionally raised her chin as she spoke indicated a force to be reckoned with at times, he thought. Was she a trustworthy type? Almost certainly. Shy? Not exactly—but not very forthcoming, either. Loyal? From some of the things she’d said her brother obviously meant an enormous amount to her. There was an almost child-like love and regard for him. Theo liked that.

He cleared his throat. ‘So—let’s talk about your plans for the future,’ he said briefly, in a way that he hoped wouldn’t appear intrusive. ‘In spite of what you’ve said, I feel sure you’ve got some good ideas floating around.’

Lily looked across at him, the soft candlelight enhancing the delicate shape of her face. ‘No, I haven’t—not yet,’ she replied honestly. ‘I’m waiting for some inspiration—but so far nothing.’ She smiled. ‘I can’t wait for ever, of course,’ she admitted. ‘My funds will keep me going for a month or two, but not for much longer.’ She stopped what she was saying abruptly. This man was a stranger, she reminded herself again. Or nearly. Be careful. Don’t get close. Don’t let him get close.

She sat back, steeling herself not to become enraptured with the situation she was in—the atmosphere, the company…and the penetrating blackness of those eyes which seemed to enter her very soul. ‘Tell me about your children,’ she said firmly. ‘You said you’ve got three?’

He paused for a moment before replying. ‘Yes. Tom is three, Alexander is five, and Freya is nine.’

‘Your wife must have her hands full,’ Lily said lightly.

‘My wife—Elspeth—is dead,’ he said flatly, not looking at her as he spoke, his gaze fixed somewhere over her shoulder into the far distance. ‘Fourteen months ago she succumbed to a virus and was gone in three days.’ His expression was impassive as he spoke, but those dark windows of his soul said it all, becoming blacker and even more intense as he relived the ordeal.

Lily felt a huge wave of compassion sweep over her. What a shock—what a tragedy for anyone to have to suffer, she thought. She let a moment pass before saying anything. Then, ‘I am…so…sorry,’ she said quietly.

He shrugged. ‘We’re surviving it together, the four of us,’ he remarked briefly. ‘Tom and Alex are just young enough to weather the storm fairly easily—but Freya…’ He sighed and looked at Lily, noting that her eyes were swimming with unshed tears. ‘Freya has taken it very badly, I’m afraid. There was never any problem with her when Elspeth was alive—she was a bright, easygoing child—but my daughter seems to have a huge, resentful chip on her shoulder all the time now.’

‘That’s understandable…’ Lily murmured.

‘Of course,’ he replied quickly. ‘And, because of that, when she asked I allowed her to be a weekly boarder at her school, to be with her friends. I must say she seems easier now when she’s back home—which she is full-time now, naturally, because it’s the school holidays. I know she misses her mother, but I can’t take her place, and—well…I’m not sure I understand women,’ he added, looking thoughtful for a second.

‘Are there grandparents around?’ Lily asked.

‘No—’ fraid not. My parents are dead,’ he said slowly. ‘They were both well into middle age when I came along…’ His lip curled. ‘I was probably a very unpleasant surprise.’ He shrugged. ‘They were both practising doctors with busy lives—I never actually saw too much of them during my childhood.’

So, Lily thought, he might have known his parents, but in essence he’d been almost as alone as she had.

‘And Elspeth’s parents…?’ she ventured hesitantly.

‘Her father is alive, but he lives in South Africa. We seldom see him.’

‘So—who takes care of the children?’ Lily asked. ‘When you’re at work?’

‘Well, of course I’ve had to employ nannies…though they’ve seldom been asked to stay overnight.’ The strong mouth tightened as he spoke. ‘As soon as I come home, I’m the one in charge.’

And how, Lily thought.

‘But luckily for me I have Beatrice—or Bea—and her husband,’ he went on. ‘They live nearby. Bea used to help my wife in the house, and then with the babies as they came along. But she’s over seventy, and I don’t want to take advantage of her good nature, even though she says she loves helping out. Which she’s doing while I’m here,’ he added. ‘She and Joe move in and sleep over until I come back—the kids adore them. But—as I said—I don’t want to wear them out.’ He leaned back in his chair, crossing his legs. ‘It was a good job we hadn’t any more offspring, because three are about as many as I can handle… We’d intended having a much larger family, but—well—fate had other ideas,’ he said.

‘Well—you may yet have more one day…’ Lily began.

‘Oh, that won’t happen,’ Theo replied at once. ‘I shan’t marry again. That’s not on the cards.’ He paused for a second. ‘I have no plans for myself. The children and their welfare, their future—that’s all I care about, all that keeps me going.’ Who could ever take the place of his beloved Elspeth? Who would he ever want to take her place?

Lily shrugged to herself. He was still young, and a very marriageable prospect for any deserving female, she thought. But it was obvious that his mind was made up, and she somehow knew that he wasn’t likely to change it.

Thinking that he’d divulged far more of himself than he ever had before to anyone—certainly not to a random female—Theo leaned forward.

‘And you?’ he asked. ‘D’you have any other siblings?’

‘No. It’s just Sam and me,’ Lily replied. ‘Though it would have been nice if there’d been more of us.’

‘I’m sure you’ll make up for that one day,’ he said easily. ‘Have lots of kids of your own, and—’

‘No. I don’t want children,’ Lily said bluntly. She paused. ‘If you’d seen me with those twins…I just don’t think I’m a natural mother, that’s all. It wouldn’t be fair—to any of us.’ And I’m never going to be a natural wife, either, she added silently to herself, recoiling at the thought, remembering her past with something approaching revulsion.

‘And your parents—they’re obviously still alive…?’ he went on, making the presumption as Lily could only be in her early twenties.

Lily’s spine began to tingle, and she tore her gaze away from his. She didn’t want to discuss any more of her life with anyone—certainly not with him. Yet he had been surprisingly honest about his own position, so she found it difficult to be evasive.

‘Our parents are no longer living,’ she said. Well, who knew where their father was? ‘So, you see, we’re both orphans, you and I.’ She smiled. ‘I can’t even remember them.’

‘Who brought you up?’

‘Oh, an assortment of aunties and uncles,’ Lily said, looking away. There was no need to say that she’d been a human reject, despaired of by foster carers. Because it hurt her to think it—even to herself.

Theo looked at her for a long moment, sensing an undercurrent of something he couldn’t explain passing between them. She was bright, obviously articulate and intelligent—yet there was something about her that reminded him of Freya. She was sad, too, he thought. Not just about being an orphan, as she’d said, but for other, deeper reasons.

The meal ended rather soberly after all that, and, foregoing dessert, they left the restaurant and walked towards St Peter’s. Late as it was, there was still plenty of activity everywhere, and Lily realised that she didn’t feel at all tired, but relaxed and happy. And she couldn’t put that down to the wine, because she hadn’t drunk any since lunchtime… It had to be Rome, she thought. With just a little credit going to the man walking along beside her. Theo had been personal, and personable, all evening, but he had not once stepped over that line of familiarity which was unacceptable. She realised that no man had ever made her feel so…protected…so appreciated. He seemed to enjoy being with her, with not a hint of wanting anything more. She breathed in deeply, silently. It was a relief to feel this secure.

Presently Theo said, ‘Perhaps it’s time I got you back to your hotel.’ He looked down at her. ‘If your brother has recovered, he’s sure to be wondering where you are by now.’

‘Oh, he won’t be worried about me,’ Lily said at once. ‘He knows I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself.’ She hesitated, thinking how smug and self-sufficient that must sound. ‘It’s just that I’ve had to stand on my own feet for so long I never expect anyone to feel responsible for me in any way,’ she explained. ‘And—that’s the way I like it,’ she added.

He nodded slightly. ‘Yes—I can understand that,’ he said, thinking that he was in much the same position himself. Ever since he’d become a lone parent he’d had to almost fight off the well-intentioned efforts of various women wanting to help shoulder some of the responsibility. But he’d been determined from the outset that that would not happen. This was his problem, and he was going to solve it himself. And he’d done all right so far, he thought—even if Freya was a continual source of worry to him. But he felt sure that it would all come right one day.

‘Your brother’s hotel is very well situated,’ he remarked. ‘You said it’s off Piazza Navona? Couldn’t be better.’

‘I know,’ Lily said. ‘So I don’t have to look far for entertainment. The hotel is just far enough away from the beaten track to be surprisingly peaceful. I’ve never lost a night’s sleep there yet.’

It didn’t take long to get back, and Theo realised, rather disturbingly, that he didn’t want the evening to come to an end. He’d enjoyed himself—really enjoyed himself. Since Elspeth had gone, he’d hated eating alone in foreign countries, and he’d been glad of the chance to invite someone other than a professional colleague to have supper with him. It had been a bit of luck that he’d spotted Lily sitting alone by the fountain, and even more lucky that her brother hadn’t been well enough to accompany her. For some reason he felt…lighter—lighter in spirit than he had for fourteen months. But of course the reason for that was quite clear. He’d been on a mission—even if he hadn’t been aware of that at first. A project had presented itself, and projects were what kept him going these days. The fact was that he liked Lily—liked the woman’s company. She didn’t grate on his nerves, which was often the case now, when he was with a member of the opposite sex. And subconsciously a plan had been forming in his mind, without him knowing it. Why else had he quite shamelessly been assessing her all the evening—assessing her character, sizing her up?

Just as they approached the lighted entrance to her hotel, he stopped, forcing Lily to halt her steps. She looked up at him, smiling quickly.

‘Well, thank you, thanks a lot for that lovely meal, Theo,’ she began.

‘No—thank you—for agreeing to come with me tonight,’ he said seriously, waiting for the right words, the right moment to continue. ‘Actually, Lily, I’ve been wondering whether you’d…’ he began.

Lily presumed that he was going to suggest they meet up again while they were in Rome. But she was here to be with her brother—they only had another two days, after all. She’d have to think of a diplomatic refusal, she thought.

‘No—I’m sorry…I really must be entirely free for Sam. We have such a short time here together,’ she said, ‘and we’ve not seen each other since last year.’

He smiled down into her upturned face. ‘No—no, of course. I wouldn’t dream of intruding upon any more of your holiday,’ he said. ‘It’s not that.’

‘Oh?’ Lily said, immediately feeling foolish and frowning slightly. ‘Well…what is it, then?’

Unusually for him, Theo had difficulty finding words, but then he managed to come out with what he had to say in his normal forthright manner.

‘Would you… Would you step in and look after the boys for me—just for a few weeks?’ he asked. ‘I did notice from the address on your luggage earlier that we live in the same town… I’m between nannies at the moment, and I’m in a bit of a fix. I loathe the thought of interviewing yet more girls who seldom turn out as I’d hoped. It would just be for a short time,’ he added quickly. ‘Not a long-term commitment, but it would give me time to—well, to regroup…while you make up your mind about your future. It would be just a 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 interested eyes and ready smiles demonstrated their obvious well-being. ‘And you’re…Tom? And…Alexander?’ she asked.

‘No. I’m Alex,’ Alexander said promptly. ‘I hate people calling me Alexander.’

‘And I’m not Thomas. I’m Tom-Tom,’ the smaller child lisped.

‘I’ll remember.’ Lily smiled. She turned to the woman. ‘And you’re…Bea?’ she asked shyly.

‘That’s right, dear—Jill-of-all-trades and mistress of none!’ She looked down at the children. ‘Aren’t you going to say hello to Lily properly, boys?’

‘Hi, Lily,’ they chorused obediently.

‘That’s right. Now, Freya is out playing tennis at the moment,’ Bea explained, ‘but she’ll be back in an hour. Do come on through, Lily. Theodore is busy in his private study at the moment, but he’ll be finished shortly.’

Lily tried to take in her surroundings all at once—something she was very good at—and she was aware straight away of the luxury which surrounded her. The huge oak-floored entrance hall was enhanced at one end by a massive antique dresser on which stood two golden-shaded lamps, some expensive-looking objets d’art, and in the centre a silver-framed photograph of a beautiful dark-haired young woman. Lily glanced away quickly, not wanting to appear inquisitive—she didn’t need telling who that was. It could only be Elspeth, whose picture there—to be met by the gaze of every visitor—told its own story. She was still mistress here. Still the most important woman in the house.

Lily was ushered into a spacious, sunny, high-ceilinged room, with three large patterned sofas facing each other, and various footstools and small occasional tables. There was a mirror over the ornate fireplace, and on the mantelpiece were family photos—the one in the centre being of Elspeth, surrounded by her three children. The full-length windows were curtained to the floor in ivory and red striped material, and although opulence screamed at her from every angle, Lily immediately felt this to be a homely room—a room to be enjoyed rather than admired. To prove the point, the two boys immediately leapt on to one of the sofas and started having a friendly fight.

Lily wandered across to look at the garden, which was not only full of fruit trees and flowering bushes, but also the usual trappings of childhood—a climbing frame and a slide, a sandpit, and several footballs lying in corners.

She looked back at Bea, smiling. ‘Everything’s lovely,’ she said, and the older woman nodded.

‘Yes,’ she said, ‘it is.’ She sighed. ‘I understand that you’ve been told of the circumstances here? So sudden… so sad,’ she added.

‘Yes,’ Lily said quickly, glancing across at the boys.

Bea followed her gaze. ‘It is beginning to get easier,’ she said quietly, ‘and we still talk about Mummy, of course.’ She raised her voice. ‘Now then, boys—who’s going to help me in with the tea things?’

The children immediately scrambled off the sofa and followed Bea out of the room, and Lily sank down on to one of the upholstered stools for a moment. She had never set foot in such a place in her life. Bella and Rosie’s home didn’t even come close, she thought. For a moment, she panicked. What was she doing here? Had she had a sudden rush of blood to the head in agreeing to do this? Theodore Montague might have seemed a pleasant person away from England, but she was in no doubt that he could be very different in a work situation. And that was what she was here for. To work.

She could hear the children’s raised voices in the distance—obviously coming from the kitchen—and Lily dropped her head into her hands for a second. Here she was, having to prove herself once more, she thought. Somewhere new, with different people—whose true expectations were unknown.

‘Is everything all right?’ The well-remembered dark tones cut into her reverie, and Lily raised her head quickly, standing up. Her new employer stood just inside the door, looking across at her with that whimsical expression on his face she’d come to recognise. He was wearing chinos and a dark rugby shirt and his hair was tousled, as if he’d been running his hands through it.

‘Of course—yes—everything’s fine,’ Lily said, not bothering to add that all day yesterday she’d been fighting off a migraine—which would probably account for her light-headedness today, she realised. ‘I was just thinking what a beautiful home this is,’ she said, smiling briefly.

He nodded, then came over to stand next to her. She seemed even smaller today than he remembered her. Younger, and rather vulnerable… He wondered whether she’d be robust enough to deal with his sometimes obstreperous children. Then he shrugged inwardly. She’d only be here for a few months, and at least once she was back at school his daughter would only be present for two days out of every seven.

‘You had no difficulty finding us?’ he enquired, glancing down at her. She was dressed in blue jeans and a white T-shirt, her hair tied up in one long plait at the back.

‘No, it’s an easy address,’ she said, in answer to his question. ‘And it’s actually on my bus route. It only took half an hour.’

‘I did offer to fetch you…’ he reminded her.

‘There was no need for that,’ Lily said quickly. ‘At least I know what to do if my car refuses to start.’

Just then the tea trolley made its entrance, pushed enthusiastically by Tom and Alex, with Bea coming behind, holding the teapot and hot water.

‘Careful, boys,’ Theo said. ‘We’d like those cakes on the plate rather than on the floor, thank you.’

Everyone sat down, while Bea handed out plates and paper napkins, and Lily glanced around, struck by the easygoing atmosphere. There were dainty little sandwiches, and buttered scones with jam and cream, and some small squares of iced cake. The children, sitting side by side on one of the sofas, tucked in to everything they were offered. Even the three-year-old seemed to have no difficulty in eating food from a plate balanced on his small knees, though he was given a plastic mug to drink his tea from. Lily noticed that there was not a crisp or a sausage or a soft drink in sight—the children were enjoying afternoon tea, and she sensed their mother’s hand in that.

Lily automatically glanced up at Elspeth’s photograph, captivated by the woman’s warm, engaging expression—somehow she felt that she, Lily, was being appraised by someone no longer here, yet whose presence was tangible. I’ll do my best, she promised. I will try to do my best.

Although all the food looked delicious, Lily could only manage one sandwich and a small cake. As usual, when she was on edge, her appetite disappeared. But she was glad of the strong, unsweetened tea, and she allowed Bea to refill her cup. She noticed that Theo was not eating anything at all, but sat beside his sons, a half-drunk cup of tea on the small table beside him.

Conversation was dominated by Bea, telling everyone to help themselves, and the chattering of the boys, who were not in the least shy. Well, they’d become used to countless strangers passing through their lives, Lily thought, so one more was no big deal. In fact, after the first few moments of their initial meeting, she’d been more or less ignored by Tom and Alex. They were beautiful children, with naturally wavy fair hair, but their dark eyes—even at this early stage—exactly matched their father’s. Glancing at Theo, she realised that he had been watching her, and she wondered what he was thinking. Well…the fact that she was here at all was his idea, not hers. And it had not been just an idea, either—it had been a plea. A plea she’d found irresistible.

She met his gaze unblinkingly. She’d try to fill this temporary gap to his satisfaction, she thought. They’d all survive her efforts—and it wasn’t going to be for long.

When everyone had finished their tea, Theo stood up. ‘I think we ought to show Lily the rest of the house, don’t you? So that she knows her way around,’ he said, and the boys jumped down from the sofa while Bea began clearing things away.

Tom came immediately over to Lily and caught hold of her hand. ‘I’ll show you,’ he said importantly.

‘We both will!’ Alex said.

‘Let’s all do it,’ Theo placated, tilting a smile down at Lily, and for the next twenty minutes she was given a guided tour.

A beautiful dining room was dominated by a huge mahogany table—obviously used for entertaining, Lily thought instinctively—and there was another smaller, television room with a conservatory attached. There was a study area and, best of all in Lily’s opinion, the kitchen, where Bea was putting the tea things away. The room seemed to disappear into the far distance, with cupboards and fitments and cooking facilities at one end, and at the other a long refectory table and benches, with two or three easy chairs alongside. One wall was taken up with shelves that held books and toys, haphazardly placed.

Lily took a deep breath. This wasn’t only the engine room of the house, she thought, it was comfortable and homely and where the family obviously liked spending time. It was where she would like to be, too, she decided. Quite apart from the gleaming Aga there was a double oven, and her professional eye had taken in all the details—a marble slab perfect for rolling pastry, huge wooden chopping boards, and what looked like acres of space to put things down. She wasn’t going to mind preparing the children’s teas here. It was a kitchen to die for.

Upstairs, she was shown Theo’s master bedroom, with private study attached. Each of the boys had a room, and there was a spare room as well.

‘Freya’s room is up on the next floor, where there’s another guest room,’ Theo said. ‘She prefers to be by herself, apparently.’ He paused. ‘It’s the untidy one, I’m afraid. The boys are far better at putting their things away.’

‘Thanks for that, Dad,’ a voice from behind said suddenly, and they all turned to look at the speaker. Freya had arrived, unnoticed, dressed in tennis whites, and she moved to push past them. She was tall and slight, her long hair hanging untidily around her shoulders.

‘Freya—this is Lily, who I’ve told you about,’ Theo said firmly, barring her way. The child stopped just long enough to say, off-handedly, ‘Hi—Lily,’ before running upstairs to her room.

She hadn’t attempted to make eye contact, Lily noticed, but had managed to be just polite enough for her father to do no more than raise his eyebrows helplessly as he glanced at Lily. Lily smiled up at him. Why should the girl show any interest in yet another carer who’d be gone in no time, to be replaced by some other stranger?

‘You missed Bea’s super tea, Freya,’ Theo called up.

‘I had tea at the club,’ the girl replied.

‘I thought you were going to come home for tea today?’

Freya’s face appeared over the banisters above them. ‘Well, everyone else was staying, so I thought I would as well,’ she said.

No more was said, but the dark expression on Theo’s face didn’t go unnoticed by Lily. Suddenly she remembered something, and, slipping her pretty holdall from her shoulder, she opened it, taking out a large paper bag.

‘Are you allowed chocolates and sweets?’ she asked the boys, and before she could go on Tom had come to her side to peer at what she was holding.

‘Yes—but I don’t like chocolate. I only like jellies,’ he said.

‘Well, what a good thing I brought some, then.’ Lily smiled, taking out a packet and handing it over.

‘I love chocolate!’ Alex said, and as Lily gave him a large bar his eyes lit up. ‘This is my favourite! How did you know that, Lily?’

‘Ah, that’s a secret,’ Lily said. ‘I know a fairy who tells me things sometimes.’ She suddenly felt a surge of pleasure run through her. She was being accepted—even if it was because of the sweets she’d brought with her.

They all went back downstairs then, and Alex said, ‘When are you coming to look after us, Lily? Is it soon?’

‘Lily will be here again on Monday morning,’ Theo said, answering for her. ‘But I’m sure she wants to go home now, because she’s probably going out somewhere with her friends tonight. We mustn’t keep her to ourselves.’

‘Oh, I’m not going anywhere,’ Lily said quickly—then wished she hadn’t. Didn’t every young, single woman go out on Saturday nights? She’d made herself sound pathetic!

‘Well, if you’re not going out, you can stay and help Daddy put us to bed,’ Alex announced hopefully. ‘Can she, Daddy?’

‘I’m sure Lily has better things to do…’ Theo said. ‘Even if she isn’t going out.’

‘Of course I’ll stay—if I can be of any use,’ Lily said simply.

The fact was, she already loved being here—enjoyed the atmosphere of this lovely home.

Theo shrugged. ‘You’ve won, then, Alex. Lily can do the honours.’ He turned to look down at her. ‘Thanks,’ he said briefly.

The next hour passed rapidly as Lily took control of a bathing session. There was a lot of splashing, and mucking about with toys, but Lily let them get on with it, not caring too much that she was getting soaked as well.

She spotted their toothbrushes on the shelf, and handed them down to the children. ‘Scrub until I’ve finished counting up to one hundred and twenty,’ she said firmly.

Finally, she decided that enough was enough. ‘Time’s up, boys,’ she said, taking one of the big white fluffy towels and holding it up. ‘Come on—you first, Tom-Tom.’ She lifted him out and held him to her, wrapping the towel around him snugly.

‘I can dry myself,’ Alex said, jumping out as well, and Lily thought what sturdy little bodies they had, and what lucky children they were—to be born into a family like this one—even if their mother had died. How could anyone go wrong, literally enveloped in all the luxury and love that was evident here?

They scampered out of the bathroom ahead of her, and once they’d put on their pyjamas were ready to be tucked in for the night. Going into Tom’s room, Alex said cheerfully, ‘Tom-Tom and me have been sleeping in here together since Mummy went.’ He jumped into one of the single beds, and pulled the duvet up around him. ‘Because it helps him to go to sleep,’ he added. ‘And we always have milk to drink before we go to sleep.’

Lily sat down on one of the low chairs beside the bed.

‘I have mine cold, and Tom-Tom has his warm,’ Alex went on helpfully.

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