Читать книгу Snowbound with the Billionaire - Кэрол Мортимер, Carole Mortimer - Страница 7

‘LET ME,’ JAKE INSISTED, as Caro would have unstrapped Magdalena from the baby-seat before lifting her out of the car.

Magdalena had woken up the moment Jake parked the car in front of a mellow stone manor house, and the deep green of her eyes was now fixed steadily on Jake as Caro reluctantly stepped aside to allow him to take their daughter from the back seat.

A lump caught and held in Jake’s throat as one of Magdalena’s tiny starfish hands came to rest on the broadness of his shoulder as he straightened with her in his arms. She was heavier than he had expected, but warm, and her gaze was so trusting and open as she looked at him—in a way so reminiscent of the way Caro had once looked at him—that Jake just wanted to bury his face in the softness of her red-gold curls. To at last hold his daughter close and never let her go.

‘We should get this conversation over with—snow is forecast for later today,’ Caro reminded him huskily, after a brief glance at the grey and overcast sky.

Jake straightened, his gaze completely unreadable as he turned to watch her take Magdalena’s changing bag from the boot of the car. ‘I’ll get the rest of your luggage later.’

‘We won’t be staying long enough to need any of the other luggage,’ Caro insisted quickly as she slung the bag over her shoulder.

Jake gave her a pitying glance before striding off towards the house with Magdalena still in his arms.

Caro’s unease returned with a vengeance as she hurried to follow him up the stone steps to the huge oak door. But she was prevented from questioning him about that pitying look as the door was immediately opened by a beaming middle-aged woman.

‘Mr Montgomery!’ the woman, obviously the housekeeper, greeted him cordially as the three of them stepped inside the warmth of the house. ‘And this must be Mrs Montgomery.’ Her smile widened to encompass Caro. ‘And little Magdalena.’ The woman’s face softened completely as she looked at the baby Jake held so confidently in his arms.