had an idea it might be him, Ma,’ she said, smiling triumphantly, ‘but I didn’t say anything because it sounded so far-fetched. But I was right. The man in need of a temporary nanny for his daughter really is our mysterious Mr Jones.’
‘Amazing! How did you react when you saw him?’
‘Luckily there was a photograph of him with a little girl on his desk, to give me advance warning.’
Moira shook her head in wonder. ‘Did he recognise you?’
‘Of course not. I’ve changed a lot since then. Besides, you saw far more of him than I did. They didn’t end up leaving early in the morning as they’d planned and I had to get back to college before they left—so I never did meet his lady.’
‘He was worried in case she had something infectious. She didn’t, as it happened, but she was far too ill to travel, so I let them stay on for a few days until she was better.’ Moira smiled reminiscently. ‘Mr Jones was very appreciative. He sent me the most wonderful flowers afterwards.’
‘Now you’ve solved your mystery, would you like the job, Hester?’ asked Robert.
She nodded fervently. ‘I certainly would. But apparently the daughter would object to having a nanny again, so if I did get it I’d have to pose as the temporary housekeeper.’
‘No problem for you, darling,’ said Moira promptly. ‘You’ve had far more experience of housekeeping than most girls your age.’
‘I think the age bit might be the problem. I got the impression he wanted someone a bit older.’
Hester found out sooner than expected. During the evening John Austin rang, asking if it was convenient for her to call back at the house in Albany Square to meet his employer at noon the next day. She raced into the garden to break the news.
‘First hurdle over, folks. I’ve got a second interview tomorrow.’
Hester felt nervous as she mounted the steps to the elegant house in Albany Square the following morning. Which was silly. It wouldn’t be the end of the world if she didn’t get the job. But, having met Mr Jones again, she was very keen to work for the man she’d had such a crush on when she was a teenager. And the bonus of six weeks generous salary while she was filling in time wouldn’t hurt, either. The original plan for the gap between jobs had been a holiday in the South of France, but she’d kept that secret in case it fell through at the last minute. Which it had.
The butler gave her a friendly smile as he opened the door. ‘Good morning, Miss Ward. I’ll show you straight upstairs.’
This time Connah Carey Jones was waiting at the open study door to greet her.
‘Thank you for coming again at short notice.’ He led her to the chair in front of the desk. ‘To get straight to the point, your credentials tick all the boxes, Miss Ward. I notice you even live here in town.’
‘Yes. Though it’s actually my stepfather’s house.’
His eyes sharpened. ‘You don’t feel welcome there?’
She shook her head. ‘On the contrary, Robert couldn’t be kinder.’
When his phone rang he glanced at it, then, with a word of apology, left the room. Hester’s tension mounted as she waited for him to come back. It looked as though the job was hers. But first she had to tell him that they’d met before. He obviously didn’t remember her. No surprise there. He’d been so worried about his lady at the time he’d had no attention to spare for a chubby teenager with heavy eye make-up and yards of blonde corkscrew curls. She was ten years older now, twenty pounds lighter, and her smooth coiled hair and discreet cosmetics were more in keeping with her job.
Connah Carey Jones came back into the room shortly afterwards and sat behind the desk. ‘John has checked your references, Miss Ward, and has also run a security check on your background—’
‘Before you go on,’ she said, bracing herself, ‘I must tell you that we’ve already met.’
He sat back in his chair, nodding slowly as he trained his eyes on her face. ‘I thought you looked familiar, but I couldn’t pinpoint why.’
‘Until I saw you yesterday,’ she said quickly, ‘I didn’t know we’d met before. I’d read about you in the press, but I’d never seen a photograph—’
‘Because I make very sure I keep out of the limelight,’ he assured her. ‘I’m not a social animal, so where exactly did we meet, Miss Ward?’
‘You came knocking on the door of our B & B one night, looking for accommodation.’
He stared at her, arrested. ‘That was your home?’
‘Yes. We were supposed to be closed, but it was snowing, so my mother hadn’t the heart to turn you away.’
‘And I thanked God for it. I’ve never forgotten her kindness.’ He frowned. ‘But I’m afraid I don’t remember you.’
‘I was the one who brought your trays up.’
‘The teenager with yards of hair?’ He smiled, surprised. ‘You look very different now.’
‘Ten years is a long time,’ she said wryly.
‘It is indeed.’ He looked at her in silence for a moment. ‘Right. Let’s get down to brass tacks, Miss Ward. You and your mother were so kind I’m only too glad to return the favour in some small way. If you want this job, it’s yours.’
She smiled warmly. ‘Thank you. I promise to take good care of your daughter.’
‘Good. Talking of Lowri, you need some details about her.’ He looked at his watch. ‘Let me give you some lunch while I put you in the picture.’
The meal was served under a vine-covered pergola overlooking a suntrap patio garden at the back of the house.
‘May I give you some wine?’ asked Connah.
‘Thank you. I’m walking today; my car’s in for service.’
‘You won’t need your own car while you’re here,’ he informed her as he filled glasses. ‘Sam Cooper will drive you wherever you need to go. His official job description is butler, but he’s a great deal more than that. While Lowri is here with me, his priority is security.’
Hester eyed him, startled. ‘You’re afraid of kidnap?’
‘Afraid isn’t the exact term. Let’s say I keep a constant guard against the possibility.’
‘Does Lowri know this?’
‘No.’ The handsome face set in grim lines. ‘Nor, if humanly possible, do I intend her to find out.’
‘But how do you manage when she’s at school?’
‘I chose one with security as one of its top priorities.’
‘But she had a nanny up to that point?’
He
