‘Did Lowri settle down happily?’
‘Yes. She was tired enough to welcome going to bed.’
‘It’s been a long day for her,’ agreed Connah and sat opposite, eyeing her closely. ‘So, Hester, Lowri seems to have taken to you. Do you think you’ll enjoy spending time with her?’
‘I will, very much. She’s a delightful child—remarkably adult in some ways, yet still a little girl in others.’ Hester smiled. ‘Up to now I’ve worked with under-fives, so it’s quite a revelation to be with someone of Lowri’s age. There was one sticky moment, though,’ she added. ‘She asked me point-blank if I was a nanny.’
He raised an eyebrow. ‘And how did you answer?’
‘To avoid the direct lie, I asked—very indignantly—if I looked like Mary Poppins.’ Hester gave him a straight look. ‘But if she brings it up again I prefer not to lie.’
‘She probably won’t. It’s just that Alice—her former nanny—was never required to cook meals.’ He paused. ‘Thank you again for dinner. I normally eat out or have it sent in. But I don’t expect you to cook for all of us on a regular basis.’
‘I have no problem with that. I like cooking. I’m no cordon bleu chef, but my mother’s a very good cook and taught me well. And Lowri likes helping in the kitchen so it’s a good way of keeping her occupied.’
‘And will do her in good stead when she has to fend for herself one day. Thank you, Hester. I’ll adjust your salary, of course.’ He eyed her expectantly. ‘So what did you want to talk about?’
‘First on the list, clothes. Before I take Lowri shopping, I need a clear idea of what you want—and don’t want—for her.’
Connah looked taken aback. ‘I thought you’d know more about that than me.’
Hester smiled. ‘For starters, she wants jeans, tops and trainers and—I warn you—a miniskirt like Chloe’s.’
He laughed. ‘Then buy her one. She’ll look cute in it.’ He gave her an impersonal, assessing look. ‘Judging by your taste in clothes, she’s in good hands.’
Hester felt a warm sensation inside at his comment on her appearance. ‘Thank you. The list is pretty extensive. When I unpacked her trunk I found that Lowri’s outgrown practically everything, including her uniform.’
Connah got up to go over to the desk. ‘I order that through the school. I’ll give you the number and you can get on to that right away. They add it to the bill for fees.’ He came back with a thick roll of notes. ‘For shopping here in town I’d rather you used cash, Hester.’
‘As you wish. I’ll keep a list of what I spend.’ She paused. ‘Talking of clothes, I dressed soberly today, for obvious reasons. But for walks and picnics and so on I’d be more comfortable in something casual, if you’re happy with that.’
‘Wear what you like,’ he said, surprised. ‘In fact, the less you dress like a nanny the better.’
‘Thank you.’ She looked at him in appeal. ‘Now I have a favour to ask. Could I have your permission to take Lowri home to see my mother one day? When I broached the subject, Lowri was very enthusiastic.’
For a moment Hester was sure that he was going to refuse point-blank. Then he smiled wearily. ‘I must seem like an ogre to you, keeping my child shut away from the world.’
‘I’m sure you have good reason.’
‘I do. But Lowri would enjoy a visit to your home. I remember your mother very well.’ His eyes softened. ‘Is she up to entertaining a lively ten-year-old?’
‘She’ll just love it. So will Robert, my stepfather. You can check with Sam about him, if you like. They met when Robert insisted on delivering me here this morning.’
‘I already have. Your family was cleared when John ran the security check on you.’ Connah got up to cross to a drinks tray. ‘Have a nightcap before you go up, Hester.’
‘I won’t, thank you.’ She got up, battening down her resentment. ‘I’ll look in on Lowri, then take myself to bed.’
‘In that case, I’ll say goodnight.’ He walked with her to the door. ‘I won’t see you in the morning, but if you need to speak to me at any time while I’m away, Sam will know where to find me.’
‘Thank you. Goodnight.’
‘Goodnight, Hester.’
She forced herself to walk slowly upstairs instead of running up to burn off some of her annoyance. Connah Carey Jones might be paying her well for her services but he was getting good value for every penny. She was an experienced, highly qualified nanny, who could also cook and keep house. And, as the icing on the cake, her family had unknowingly passed John Austin’s security check with flying colours. It was the unknowing part that really hacked her off, no matter what her hormones felt about him.
Lowri was fast asleep. Hester drew the covers higher and went to her own room to ring her mother to report on her first day in the Carey Jones household. Moira was full of eager questions, which Hester answered in detail before mentioning the proposed visit with Lowri. This received such an enthusiastic response that Hester promised to bring the child round for tea as soon as possible.
‘We’ve got some shopping to do first, Ma. Lowri needs clothes, and I must have a session at the supermarket.’
‘Come on Wednesday afternoon, then. I’ll bake.’
‘I told Lowri you would!’
Hester woke next morning at six as usual, and got up to shower before Lowri surfaced. Leaving the sleeping child to the luxury of a lie-in, Hester went silently downstairs to the kitchen to make herself a cup of tea, and almost turned tail and went out again when she found Connah there before her, drinking coffee, dressed ready to leave and looking so much the embodiment of every dream she’d ever had that Hester was struck dumb for a moment.
‘Good morning, Hester,’ he said, surprised. ‘You’re an early riser.’
She pulled herself together, irritated by the effect he had on her. It was too much to cope with at this time of day. ‘Good morning. Babies and toddlers wake early, so it’s a habit I can’t break. Lowri is still asleep, so I left her in peace for a while.’
He gave her one of his piercingly direct looks. ‘Actually I’m pleased to have caught you before leaving. Last night I could tell that you were unhappy about having your family investigated, Hester, but where Lowri is concerned you must appreciate that I can’t take risks.’
‘And now you know that my stepfather is a recently retired headmaster and my mother the daughter of a clergyman, you’ll be happy to leave Lowri in my care,’ she said without inflection, and moved past him to fill the kettle.
‘From your point of view, I was sure of that the moment I saw you with John at the Chesterton,’ he said, surprising her.
She swung round in surprise. ‘You were there when he interviewed me?’
‘Beforehand, not during. I sat outside in the lounge behind a newspaper.’ He shrugged. ‘I was beginning to despair by the time you arrived. The other three might have been suitable carers for small babies, I suppose, but much too old to be a companion for Lowri.’
‘So my age was your main reason for employing me?’
‘It was part of it, yes.’ He gave her a sudden disarming smile. ‘But watching you talk to John as he saw you out, I knew Lowri would take to you. And, to be candid, I’m sure the others would have marched off in high dudgeon if asked to pose as my housekeeper.’
‘But you thought I’d take it in my stride?’
‘I