what your employer pays you to do?’
Two bright spots of colour appeared on her cheeks. Who did he think—? A sudden realisation occurred to her: he didn’t know she was co-owner of this hotel, appeared to have no idea she was Beth’s sister. Probably because he didn’t expect to see the owner of the hotel on the reception desk or in the rooms turning back the beds. But this was a small, family-run hotel, and she and Beth had always filled in wherever necessary.
And then another, more wicked thought occurred to her. If he didn’t know she was Beth’s older sister, then he didn’t realise he was having dinner with her later this evening either...
‘And I suppose you would tell her I’ve been lax in my duties,’ she said in a disgruntled voice, deliberately keeping her head down as she moved to turn back the bed; if she had looked up at him at that moment he would have seen the laughter in her eyes—at his expense! ‘And if I lose my job what will happen to the husband and seven children I have at home?’ she added accusingly.
His mouth twisted. ‘You’re too young to have seven children!’ he scorned disbelievingly.
Ellie met his gaze with steady innocence. ‘I was a child bride.’
‘You would have to have been,’ he said drily. ‘Are you really—?’
‘Don’t you have someone waiting to talk to you on the telephone?’ Ellie reminded him lightly. ‘And I have the rest of the rooms to see to.’ She walked back to the bedroom door. ‘I hope you enjoy the rest of your stay, Mr Thackery,’ she told him dismissively as she prepared to leave.
‘I’m sure I will,’ he said slowly, his frown obvious in his voice.
Ellie didn’t turn to look at him, making a dignified exit and no longer feeling at such a disadvantage where Daniel Thackery was concerned. Yes, he might have his suspicions about her presence in his room last night, but she had also been in his suite this evening, so if directly challenged she could always make the claim that it must have been the lingering smell of her perfume that had caused him to sneeze.
And she now had a certain advantage inasmuch as he didn’t realise that she actually co-owned this hotel and that he was having dinner with her this evening. She didn’t feel quite so awkward about the situation now. In fact, she was quite looking forward to the dinner now!
Beth eyed Ellie with a frown a short time later as she moved about the kitchen humming to herself as she put the finishing touches to the dessert. ‘You seem to have cheered up since our conversation earlier,’ she said suspiciously.
Ellie gave a dismissive shrug. ‘I was a bit concerned about the staff problem. But it’s all sorted out now, so we can relax for a while. Will you be OK here while I just go and change?’
‘Fine,’ Beth answered distractedly, still eyeing her uncertainly. ‘But what’s wrong with what you’re wearing?’
She was still in the smart skirt and blouse she had been wearing to work in all day, and while she accepted that they were perfectly suitable to entertain in she wanted to be able to disconcert Daniel Thackery completely. And, looking and feeling her best, she felt sure she would be able to do that.
‘I feel like changing,’ she dismissed. ‘I won’t be long.’
Just long enough to freshen up and change into her little black dress—a figure-hugging sheath of a dress that finished just above her knees. Her legs were long and shapely, her hair she had washed that morning, so it swung silkily about her shoulders, and she added light make-up to her creamy complexion, red gloss to her lips. The overall effect was one of cool elegance.
Let’s see what Mr Daniel Thackery thought now of the hotel receptionist-cum-maid who was also a child bride with seven children!
She could hear the murmur of voices in the sitting room as she approached—Both seemed to have relaxed enough at least to engage in conversation with their guest. What was he going to think when Ellie joined them?
He turned frowningly when she opened the door to enter the room, that frown turning to puzzlement as he instantly recognised her. Well—he thought he recognised her; he obviously still had no idea she was Beth’s sister. He rose slowly to his feet.
‘Ellie!’ Beth said with some relief. It was evident that she wasn’t as relaxed in their guest’s company as she had been trying to give the impression she was. ‘Daniel is here,’ she said unnecessarily.
Poor Beth—she wasn’t at all happy, Ellie realised. Not that she exactly blamed her sister for feeling the way she obviously did, but the two of them were here now; surely together they could get through this evening?
‘How nice,’ she murmured with complete insincerity. ‘I don’t think the two of us have ever been introduced.’ She moved forward into the room as she spoke, extending her hand in greeting. ‘I’m Beth’s sister, Ellie. And you are an old friend of James’s.’ She smiled at him as she spoke, and knew by the way his mouth tightened that he hadn’t missed the slight barb in her tone when she’d said ‘old’ friend. Not that Daniel was in the least old—probably in his late thirties at the most—but she intended keeping him slightly off-balance if she could.
He clasped the hand she held out to him a little too tightly, painfully so for a few brief seconds, before slowly releasing it again. “The two of you don’t look in the least like sisters,’ he murmured softly, his narrowed gaze taking in Ellie’s appearance.
‘We’ve fooled a lot of people with that over the years.’ Beth smiled, starting to look more relaxed now that she was no longer alone with Daniel.
Beth had always been tiny and blonde, Ellie tall and red-haired—some people might have described her as statuesque—and when they’d been at school together it had disconcerted more than one person to find that Beth had a big big sister.
‘I’ll just bet you have,’ Daniel said slowly, his narrowed gaze still on Ellie.
He looked very attractive himself in a dark blue suit and light blue shirt, with a conservatively patterned tie knotted meticulously at his throat. His hair had dried now, and was brushed back from his face, curling softly over the collar of his jacket.
‘I’ll just go and check on the chicken and put out our first course,’ Beth put in brightly before she hurried from the room, obviously anxious to get the meal started.
There was silence once Beth had left the room, and Ellie met Daniel’s gaze challengingly as he continued to look at her. She had no reason to feel embarrassed by the assumptions he had made earlier—but he did. Although she doubted embarrassment was something this man felt very often, no matter what the circumstances!
‘What happened to the husband and seven children?’ he finally said drily.
She gave a dismissive shrug. ‘You know how it is—here today, gone tomorrow!’ she said flippantly, green eyes alight with mockery.
‘Is that a family trait?’ he said hardily.
Ellie tilted her head questioningly, frowning slightly. ‘Sorry...?’
Daniel shrugged. ‘Your sister and James haven’t been married very long, and yet they appear to be separated.’
Her
