The Millionaire's Convenient Bride

The blue eyes shadowed. ‘She was very tired.’

‘But getting stronger slowly,’ Connah assured her.

Lowri gave her father a worried look. ‘She doesn’t look stronger. I didn’t know she needed a nurse to look after her.’

‘I insisted on hiring one for a while. At Grandma’s age it takes time to get over surgery,’ he told her. ‘Don’t worry. She’ll soon pick up now she’s beginning to eat normally again.’

‘I hope so. Will she be well enough for us to have Christmas at Bryn Derwen?’

‘Good Lord, yes.’ He ruffled her hair. ‘There’s an entire term at school to get through before then.’

Lowri smiled as Sam approached with a coffee tray and a jug of orange juice. ‘Is that for me?’

‘Yes. Have you finished your lunch?’ he demanded.

She smiled smugly at the empty platter. ‘Every crumb.’

‘No sarnies left for me?’ he teased, then relented as she looked stricken. ‘Only joking, pet. I ate mine before you arrived.’

‘Did you have some with chicken?’ she asked eagerly.

‘I certainly did.’ Sam put the tray down and bowed in Hester’s direction. ‘Best I’ve ever tasted.’

Connah finished his coffee and got up to follow Sam into the house. ‘Thank you for lunch, Hester. Be good, Lowri; I’ll see you ladies at dinner.’

Lowri heaved a sigh as she watched him go. ‘Daddy’s always so busy,’ she said disconsolately. ‘And he’s got to go to London tomorrow. He said it’s urgent or he wouldn’t.’

‘We’ll have to think of things to do while he’s away,’ said Hester, pouring more juice.

‘Thank you.’ Lowri drank some of it, eyeing Hester over the glass. ‘But won’t you be too busy housekeeping?’

‘No,’ said Hester firmly. ‘With Sam’s help, it won’t take long. The rest of the time I’ll spend with you.’

Lowri gave her a very adult look. ‘Will you tell me the truth?’

Help, thought Hester. ‘I’ll try. What do you want to know?’

‘Are you really a housekeeper, and not some kind of nanny?’

‘Hey, do I look like Mary Poppins?’ Hester demanded, resorting to indignation to avoid a direct lie.

‘No. But you don’t look like a housekeeper either.’ Lowri giggled, then sighed gustily. ‘Anyway, Mary Poppins had two children to look after, and I’m only one. I’d just love to have a baby sister—even a baby brother would do.’

‘Maybe that will happen one day.’

‘I don’t think so,’ Lowri said forlornly, then brightened. ‘But I’ve made lots of friends in school.’

‘That’s good. Your father says you really like it there.’

‘I don’t like all the lessons, but otherwise it’s great. Some girls get homesick, but I don’t.’

Because you don’t have a mother, thought Hester with compassion. ‘Right, I must get these things indoors. Would you carry the jug, please?’

Once the kitchen was tidy, Hester said it was time to unpack.

Lowri made a face. ‘The trunk will be a mess. I’m rubbish at packing.’

‘Then let’s attack it right away. You can tell me where to put everything.’

‘I don’t really know. I’ve only been here once, and that wasn’t to sleep,’ said Lowri. ‘I usually go back to Grandma’s for school holidays, but last half-term I went to stay with Chloe Martin. It was brilliant. She’s got two brothers and a little sister and her mother’s very nice.’

‘Is her father nice too?’ asked Hester as they went upstairs together.

‘Oh, yes, but I didn’t see him much. He’s in the police. A deputy something.’

No wonder Lowri was allowed to stay there. ‘Deputy Chief Constable?’

‘That’s right.’ The child scowled at the trunk beside her bed. ‘I just hate this part.’ She looked guilty as Hester raised the lid. ‘I’ve got some clean things in my backpack, but it’s all got a bit jumbled in here.’ She sighed. ‘If you were Mary Poppins you could make everything fly into the drawers.’

‘Since I’m not, you can hang the things up from your backpack and I’ll take this lot down to be washed. Your blazer and skirt must go to the dry cleaners.’ Hester cast an assessing eye at the tall, slender child. ‘But I think you need new ones. You’ve grown out of these.’

‘Yes!’ Lowri punched the air in triumph. ‘How soon can we go shopping? I want new jeans, lots of tops, trainers, a miniskirt like Chloe’s—’

‘Hold on,’ said Hester, laughing. ‘I need a chat with your father first.’

Hester loaded the washing machine then suggested they take a stroll in Victoria Park, but, with Connah’s instructions fresh in her mind, she asked Sam to drive them there.

‘I’ll wait here, Hester,’ he said as he parked near the entrance gates. He took a paperback thriller from the glove compartment. ‘I’m well prepared.’

‘Are you sure about this, Sam?’ asked Hester.

‘If you mean is it OK with the boss, yes. Just press my button and I’ll come after you at the double if you need me. Not,’ he added, looking round the peaceful, sunlit park, ‘that I think you will.’

‘I don’t either.’ She smiled wryly. ‘But I’d rather not break any rules on my first day.’

Hester’s previous charges had all been toddlers with limited conversation and it was a refreshing change to listen to Lowri talk about her friends in school and the boy from the farm near her grandmother’s home.

‘I used to go there to buy eggs with Alice—she was my nanny when I was little. Owen’s twelve, but he’s only a bit taller than me,’ she said with satisfaction. ‘He’s nice. He helps on the farm after school and his father pays him wages. I just get pocket money.’ Lowri looked at Hester hopefully. ‘I’ve got some left. I could treat you to an ice cream from the park café. May I?’

‘I don’t see why not. I’ll have a vanilla cone, please.’

Lowri’s long legs covered the short distance to the café at top speed.

‘Thank you,’ said Hester, accepting her ice cream. ‘Do you want to walk or sit while we eat these?’

‘Walk, please!’ Lowri cast Hester a glance as she licked. ‘Do you live here in the town?’

‘When I’m not working in other people’s houses, yes. I have a flat all to myself at my stepfather’s home.’