Читать книгу The Nanny's Secret - Elizabeth Lane - Страница 10

Four

Leigh opened one eye, found the bedside clock and groaned. Seven-thirty. Of all mornings to oversleep, she had to pick this one.

When she swung her legs off the bed, she noticed something on the nightstand. The baby book. How many chapters had she gotten through before she fell asleep? And how many of those pages could she actually remember? She could only hope she’d have time for a refresher while Wyatt was picking up Chloe and the baby.

She was walking away from the bed when it struck her—she had no memory of closing the book and laying it on the nightstand. And she certainly hadn’t switched off the bedside lamp before dropping off. Somebody had looked in on her in the night. And that somebody was wise to her lack of experience.

She stifled a groan. Not a great way to start a new job.

The aroma of fresh coffee wafted under the door and into her nostrils. Her shower would have to wait. Right now she needed to get herself downstairs and convince Wyatt she had everything under control.

Yanking on her jeans and a black turtleneck, she splashed her face, brushed her teeth and ran a hasty comb through her hair. For now, that would have to do.

Still barefoot, she followed her nose, padding down the stairs and into the kitchen. Wyatt sat sipping coffee at the table, dressed in jeans and a dark blue cashmere sweater that matched his eyes. Those eyes took her measure, from her bare toes to her still-tousled locks. “Coffee’s on the counter,” he said pleasantly. “I put out a mug for you. How did you sleep?”

“Too well. That featherbed is decadent.”

“And your feet? You’re going to need your shoes today.”

“They’ll be fine.” Leigh inhaled the fragrant steam as she poured the coffee. “Cream?”

“In the fridge. If there’s anything you’d like for the kitchen, you can order it through the lodge by phone or email. The number and email address are on the contact list by the phone. It’ll usually be delivered by the end of the day.”

“Thanks. I’ll make a list after I find out what Chloe would like. How soon will you be picking her and the baby up?”

“They should be ready any time after ten. But I changed my mind about going. I’m sending you instead.”

“Me?” A reflexive grab barely saved Leigh’s mug from crashing to the floor.

“Since I’ve already paid the hospital there’s no reason for me to be there. And I’ve got an important phone conference scheduled for ten o’clock.” He pulled a chair out from the table. “Sit down, Leigh. We need to talk.”

She sat, perching on the edge of the chair like a child about to be punished. What now?

He turned his seat to face her. “When I hire someone I usually give them a written job description. I’ve never hired a nanny before, but we both need to know what’s expected.”

Leigh nodded, holding her tongue. Better to keep still than to speak and make a fool of herself.

“You’ve made it clear that your first priority will be the baby. That’s fine. But you need to be aware of my other concerns.”

“Of course.” She willed herself to meet his gaze. His eyes were the color of a deep mountain lake—and at this moment, just as cold, she thought.

“One concern, a big one, is my family’s privacy. Chloe’s friends know about the baby, of course. So does the hospital staff. All of them have been warned to keep the matter under wraps. I won’t have my daughter falling prey to gossip, especially if the press gets involved. And I won’t have her future reputation tainted by one careless mistake.”

How could anyone look at that beautiful boy and call him a mistake? Keeping that thought to herself, Leigh nodded her understanding.

“Is that why you want me to drive her home—so she and the baby won’t be seen with you and recognized?”

“In part.” He rose to put his empty cup in the sink. “That will be one of your prime responsibilities—keeping a lid on things. For now, at least, Chloe’s not to take the baby out in public—for safety reasons as well as privacy. You’re to track her online activity, Twitter, Facebook, anything that could be seen by the wrong people—”

“No.”

He stared in surprise as she rose. “No?”

“I’m a nanny, not a spy. I understand your wanting to protect her, Wyatt, but the one who monitors her computer and phone should be her father.”

His scowl darkened. She plunged ahead before he could interrupt.

“Think about it. I’m here in a nurturing role, to care for the baby and help Chloe learn to be a mother. She needs to trust me. If that’s to happen I can’t wear two hats. I can’t support her and police her at the same time.”

“So you’re saying I should be the bad guy.”

“If that’s what you want. You must have surveillance people at the resort. You’ll find a way.”

He took his time rinsing his mug and stowing it in the dishwasher. “All right, you win—for now. But there’s one more thing.”

“I’m listening.” Leigh remained on her feet, as did he.

“Chloe’s young and she’s bright. If she could put this incident behind her, she could still have a promising future.”

Incident? A baby?

“If she sticks with her choice to raise the boy, I’ll respect her decision,” he continued. “But you and I both know it will change her life, and not for the better. What I’m hoping is that soon she’ll be sensible and give him up for adoption—to a good family, of course. I trust you’ll do your best to steer her in that direction. In the long run it would be better for her and for the baby. Don’t you agree?”

Leigh stood rooted to the floor as his words sank in. Sensible? Yes. But oh, so cold. She found her voice.

“You’re Chloe’s father, and I can see where you’re coming from. I’ll give the matter some thought.”

“Then let me give you something else to think about. I’m sure you’re aware that if Chloe gives up the baby it will mean the end of your job here. In the spirit of fairness, if that becomes her decision and you support her in it, I’m willing to offer you a severance package of twenty-five thousand dollars. I’ll have it written into your contract.”

Leigh willed herself to appear calm. Inside, she was reeling—not so much because of the amount, but because of his icy determination, and his assumption that her help could be bought.

“That’s a generous offer,” she replied. “I’ll keep it in mind. But right now it’s getting late. If I’m to be at the hospital by ten, I need to get ready....”

With her voice threatening to break, she turned and headed out of the kitchen.

“Leigh, one more thing.”

She froze but didn’t turn around.

“I just thought you should know. You have your shirt on inside out.”

Stifling a groan, she fled up the stairs.

* * *

Wyatt stood on the balcony, watching the black sport wagon disappear behind the trees. He’d had the vehicle brought up from the resort for Leigh’s temporary use. The Hummer would be hard for Chloe to climb into, and the girl would turn up her pretty nose at that rust bucket Leigh had driven here.

Later today he’d contact his supplier for a sturdy wagon with all-wheel drive. Chloe would be pestering him for a sports car but she wasn’t getting it before spring, and only then if she showed some responsibility. For now, she and Leigh could share the new vehicle.

Wyatt could afford as many luxury cars as he wanted; but the mountain property didn’t have enough level ground to waste on a big garage. The one at the rear of his house had room for just three vehicles—the Hummer, the new SUV he planned to buy and the Bentley that was his one indulgence, a vintage 1976 Corniche that he’d restored himself after his divorce. He’d be getting it back from the mechanic later today with new brakes. He also owned a couple of snowmobiles, which he kept in a shed, mostly for emergencies.

A scrub jay fluttered onto a nearby pine branch, cocked its head and regarded him with curious eyes. The bird’s presence reminded Wyatt why he’d chosen to live in this remote spot overlooking the canyon. The place was wild and clean, and he’d done his best to keep it that way with solar panels on the roof and state-of-the-art recycling technology. For the past ten years he’d enjoyed his privacy here. Now all that was about to change.

Maybe it wouldn’t be all bad. He’d enjoyed seeing Leigh come into the kitchen this morning, fresh-faced, rumpled and hastily dressed, as if she’d just tumbled out of bed. The warm, pleasant feeling had lingered like an aura—until they’d started talking.

Leigh had barely spoken while he helped secure the baby carrier in the car’s backseat; and she’d driven off without even saying goodbye. Her silence had spoken volumes about his offer and what she thought of it.

Wyatt didn’t take well to being denied. In fact, if he’d known how headstrong Leigh was, he might not have hired her in the first place.

Not just headstrong, he mused. There was something unsettling about the woman. Something that didn’t add up. She was too sophisticated, too self-assured to settle for a job like this one. So why had she taken it? Her reasons from the interview didn’t hold water. If she was as experienced with babies as she’d implied, why had she been reading that baby book in the middle of the night?

Who was she? What did she really want?

* * *

Leigh managed to hold herself together until she was sure the car couldn’t be seen from the house. Then she pulled off the road, pressed her shaking hands to her face and allowed reality to sink in.

Wyatt Richardson didn’t want his precious grandson. And he expected her to talk Chloe into giving the boy up. He’d even offered her money.

How was she supposed to deal with that?

She knew that Wyatt was thinking of Chloe’s future. As far as he was concerned, the baby was an unlucky accident to be hushed up and sent away for the good of all concerned. Her heart rebelled at the thought of it...but she forced herself to take a deep breath and think with her head.

Was he right? Would little Mikey be better off with two adoptive parents than with an unmarried teenage mother and a grandfather who only wanted him gone? Maybe. But even if Chloe decided to take the adoption route today, Leigh was certain it would still take time to find the right parents and get through the paperwork. And in the meantime, the baby was going to need someone on his side, to fight for his rights and his welfare. For now, she would be that someone. And she would do everything in her power to see that whatever choice was made would be driven by love, not by expediency.

But she couldn’t be there forever. When the time came, and she’d done all she could...