The Millionaire's Convenient Bride

‘One of my friends has a stepfather and she doesn’t like him.’

‘How sad for her! I’m lucky. Robert’s a darling. He had my flat redecorated just for me. If your father agrees,’ Hester added, ‘I could take you to see it one day, if you like.’

Lowri’s eyes widened. ‘Go to your house? Could I?’

‘We’ll ask your father this evening. If he gives permission, I’ll get my mother to make cakes. She’s a great cook.’

‘I hope Daddy says yes,’ said Lowri wistfully. ‘I never go to other people’s houses, except to play with Owen sometimes.’

‘You stayed with your friend Chloe,’ Hester reminded her.

‘Only because Grandma was too ill to have me for half-term.’

As they strolled back to the car, Hester hoped she hadn’t raised hopes that Connah Carey Jones would dash. But he’d not only met her mother, he had good reason to be grateful to her. His daughter would come to no harm in the Marshall household.

As soon as they got back, Hester provided Lowri with milk and biscuits, then took a tea tray up to the study.

Connah looked up at her in surprise. ‘Hester! Sam could have done this.’

‘I’m supposed to be the housekeeper,’ she reminded him. ‘Lowri chose the biscuits, so please eat one or two.’

He stared down at the plate, bemused. ‘Oh. Right. Thank you.’

‘If you can spare a few minutes, I’d like to talk to you later,’ she informed him.

‘Problems?’ he said sharply.

‘None at all, so far. But I need instructions. You’re obviously busy right now, so perhaps you’ll let me know when it’s convenient.’ She smiled politely and went from the room, closing the door behind her.

She found Lowri glued to a cooking programme on the kitchen television, and Sam got up to go, eyeing Hester with something like diffidence. ‘I eat my dinner downstairs on my own in peace, by the way.’

‘Then I’ll make a plate up for you. Any dislikes?’

‘You serve it, I’ll eat it,’ he assured her. ‘Thanks, that would be great, Hester. Connah eats at seven when Lowri’s with him, so I’ll collect mine a few minutes beforehand, if that suits.’

‘Of course. I’ll ring down when it’s ready.’

Lowri tore her eyes away from the television when he’d gone. ‘This programme’s making me hungry.’

‘Then let’s see what’s on the menu for dinner,’ said Hester and went off to the giant refrigerator to find that Sam had ordered every conceivable kind of food necessary to serve a cold supper.

‘Can we have more of your chicken?’ said Lowri eagerly.

‘We certainly can. I’ll lay the dining room table.’

‘Can’t we eat here?’

Hester shook her head. ‘I’m sure your father would prefer the dining room.’ At least she hoped he would, then, like Sam, she could relax with her own meal in peace.

‘I’ll ask him!’ Lowri shot out of the room before Hester could stop her and went running from the kitchen to make for the study.

Hester thought about following her to apologise, then shrugged. If Connah disapproved he could tell her in private later. She collected some potatoes and had scraped several by the time Lowri came back, tongue between her teeth as she concentrated on the tray she was carrying.

‘Daddy said he only uses the dining room for visitors, and would you please put supper in here for the three of us.’

So that was another question answered. ‘Thank you, Lowri. And before we eat we must have a bath and change our clothes.’ Sometimes one just had to be nanny. ‘But first I’ll finish these potatoes, then wash some salad greens and boil some eggs. I’ll show you how to devil them, if you like.’

Lowri nodded eagerly. ‘Chloe’s mother let us help her in the kitchen and make scones and things, but Mrs Powell does Grandma’s cooking and she hates mess, so I don’t go in the kitchen much in Bryn Derwen.’

‘We’ll do some baking some time, if you like,’ offered Hester. ‘And if you make a mess, you clean it up. Deal?’

‘Deal!’ said Lowri, beaming.

Sam had departed, with grateful thanks for his appetising meal, and Hester was decanting buttered, herb-scattered potatoes into a serving dish when Connah came into the kitchen in jeans and open-necked shirt, his hair still damp from a shower. And looked so much more like the man who’d taken her breath ten years ago that Hester’s pulse went into overdrive as the scent of warm, clean male skin stood every hormone she possessed to attention.

‘You look nice, Daddy,’ said Lowri, running to him.

‘Thank you, cariad, so do you.’ He gave her a hug, smiling at Hester over the shining dark head of his child. ‘Good evening.’ He cast an eye over the dishes on the table. ‘Tempting display.’

Get a grip, she ordered herself fiercely. ‘Thank you. Lowri helped prepare it.’ She smiled as the child launched into the list of things she’d done for the meal, including laying the table and devilling the eggs.

‘You mash the yolks with butter and pepper sauce, Daddy,’ she informed him. ‘They’re yummy.’

‘I’m sure they are. And such a splendid feast deserves some wine,’ Connah told her. ‘Would you fetch three wineglasses from the cupboard over there? You can have lemonade in yours, and Hester and I will drink some New Zealand white.’

She certainly knew exactly where she stood with Connah Carey Jones, thought Hester as they sat down to the meal. But thank God he had no idea that she’d ever carried a torch for him—and still did, heaven help her.

‘Hester said I can do some baking with her some time,’ said Lowri, as she helped herself to potatoes.

‘Brave Hester,’ her father said dryly.

‘Oh, it’s all right, Daddy,’ Lowri assured him. ‘If I make a mess, Hester said I just clear it up afterwards.’

Connah smiled across at Hester with respect. ‘An excellent policy.’

Lowri chattered nineteen to the dozen while they ate, but even so Hester found it hard to relax in the company of her new employer, who might still have the same effect on her hormones, but was nevertheless very different from the man she’d romanticised in her teenage dreams. However courteous and polite he might be, these days there was a remote, untouchable quality about Connah Carey Jones that only warmed when he was interacting with his daughter. As a result, Hester ate sparingly and, though she enjoyed the intense fruit flavour of the wine, refused a second glass when Connah offered it, and could see he approved.

‘Tomorrow I’ll make a pudding,’ she said, as she began clearing away their empty plates. ‘But tonight it’s a choice of fruit or cheese.’

‘I think Lowri’s full, for once in her life,’ said Connah, ‘and I’ll forgo the cheese in favour of coffee.’

‘Certainly. I’ll bring a tray up to you.’

‘Better still, I’ll wait while you make the coffee, then take it up myself,’ said Connah firmly.

Hester thanked him and switched on the coffee-maker, glad that it was a make she was familiar with, since she had an audience for the process.

‘When the coffee’s ready, Lowri, we’ll leave Hester in peace for a while,’ said Connah. ‘How about a game of chess?’