She couldn’t in any way blame him for his disbelief. It was universal. Besides, she didn’t think she was here to bring back his belief in Father Christmas or the Tooth Fairy—or to convince him of the existence of angels. She wasn’t one hundred per cent sure why she was here yet, but she did know that it concerned this tall, cynical man before her.
‘If you would care to call the telephone number on the card, Mr Rafferty,’ she advised softly, ‘Mrs Heavenly will be only too happy to confirm my presence here.’ It was the usual practice, and seemed to satisfy most people.
Although Nick Rafferty, she acknowledged wryly, wasn’t ‘most people’… But he was distracted at the moment, had so many other things on his mind, and gave the impression that he just wanted to get some normality and order back into his life. And having someone to look after the children for him was sure to help with that.
‘Mrs Heavenly…’ he repeated with some relief. ‘Hence the name Heavenly Angels?’
Not quite, but… ‘Of course,’ Bethany confirmed lightly.
He arched dark brows as he looked down at the card again. ‘And Robert hired you, you say?’ he murmured thoughtfully.
‘Robert Fairfax is the name of the person who required our services, yes,’ she answered with great care. After all, she wasn’t in the business of telling outright lies, only prevaricating with the truth; there had been no formal call from Robert Fairfax, only a heartfelt plea for help. And that was something she was in the business of dealing with—not very successfully to date, she admitted, but maybe this time it would be different… ‘If you would just like to make the call, Mr Rafferty?’
‘Nick,’ he put in abruptly, although he was obviously mellowing a little.
Probably because he could now see the possibility of lightening his own load as well as Robert’s by accepting this unexpected offer of help with the children!
Bethany nodded acceptance of this concession. ‘I’ll just go and check on the children while you make the call.’
She had noticed they seemed to have gone very quiet since going to their bedrooms—and she quickly realised the reason for that as she approached the door, hearing a faint scuffling noise on the other side of it; the children had been listening to her conversation with their father.
It was naughty of them, but she could understand only too well their concern; they were wondering if the ‘angel’ was to stay or to be despatched back to where she had come from. But if that were to happen—and she sincerely hoped that it wouldn’t—then she had no doubt that someone else would be sent in her place. This family needed help.
She hoped it wouldn’t be the case; she wanted to stay herself—she liked the children, felt an affinity with Nick Rafferty that she couldn’t altogether explain. Perhaps it was because she felt that his harsh cynicism hid pain he hadn’t shared with anyone else. Or perhaps it was that she wanted to help him show his love for his children. Or perhaps it was just that she liked Nick Rafferty…
The children were looking very busy by the time Beth managed to locate their bedrooms, their expressions angelically innocent as they turned to look at her. Bethany laughed softly at her own thoughts. These three weren’t angels—but they were innocents. Which was exactly as it should be.
‘Ready?’ she enquired brightly.
‘Is it all settled? Are you staying?’ Jamie, the oldest and more reserved of the three children, looked at her expectantly.
Bethany’s heart went out to him. He was so much like his father to look at, and, being the eldest, the break-up of his parents’ marriage must have affected him the most. ‘I think your father may be sorting out the details with my—superior, right now,’ she answered dismissively. ‘We’ll just wait and see, shall we?’
‘Can we still go and play in the snow?’ Josh frowned, this immediate matter of much more interest to him than any long-range ‘details’.
‘I should think so.’ She ruffled the darkness of his hair playfully, sure that during his telephone call to the ‘agency’ Nick Rafferty would receive all the assurances he needed to allow her to stay on here. ‘Are you all ready?’ They certainly looked it, with their thick coats, bobble hats and gloves. ‘Come on, let’s go and see what your father has to say.’
She didn’t feel she was being unfair to Nick Rafferty by having the children on her side in this way, and really was convinced that Mrs Heavenly would give him all the confidence in her ability that he required.
She only hoped she lived up to Mrs Heavenly’s expectations!
Three identically angelic faces beneath differing coloured hats looked expectantly at their father once they were in the sitting-room, though Bethany’s expression was much less anxious than the childrens’. She was needed here; she became more sure of it with each passing minute.
‘Well, it seems Robert did indeed ask for you,’ Nick Rafferty reported cheerfully, looking like a man who had just had a great weight lifted off his shoulders. ‘Where did the four of you intend going to play in the snow?’
‘One of the parks should do,’ Bethany replied as she pulled on her own jacket, freeing the fiery length of her hair from her collar.
Nick Rafferty was watching her admiringly; now that the immediate responsibility for the children had been lifted his masculine instincts seemed to have returned to the situation—and from the expression on his face he was seeing her as a rather attractive female!
It wouldn’t do, of course, Bethany ruefully acknowledged. It wasn’t her that Nick Rafferty was supposed to take an interest in. She had a feeling that his interest was to be directed towards the children, and also to adding some purpose to his life. Financial success alone—of which, judging by these sumptuous surroundings, he appeared to have plenty—couldn’t be enough. But she, personally, wouldn’t be the one to enrich his life. That certainly couldn’t be allowed. She was here only temporarily, would be moved on to another assignment once this one was completed satisfactorily.
Why did she suddenly feel so saddened at that prospect…?
‘We can get public transport back, if you could just drop us off?’ Her voice was sharper than normal, and she was inwardly annoyed with herself because of that. She was here to help these people, yes, but she couldn’t become emotionally involved with them—or they with her. That would just make the situation worse, not better!
That brief recognition of her as an attractive woman had gone from Nick Rafferty’s face now, and he began to scowl. ‘What do you mean, drop you off? Can’t you drive?’ He sounded incredulous at the very idea.
She wasn’t sure; she had never tried. But she certainly didn’t have the necessary licence or the appropriate paperwork, that she did know; how could she, when she didn’t exist?
‘Come and play snowballs with us, Daddy Nick.’ Lucy grasped his arm, pulling on it imploringly.
Bethany almost laughed at his dazed expression; obviously throwing snowballs wasn’t on Nick’s list of priorities at the moment. Perhaps it never had been. Maybe Lucy had had a good idea after all…
‘I—’ He broke off as the telephone began to ring,looking relieved at the interruption. ‘I have to get that, Lucy.’ He extricated himself from her clinging fingers, picking up the receiver.
‘Lisa!’ He had instantly recognised his caller. ‘Yes, I—No, I—But—Will you just shut up for a minute and listen, woman?’ His initial placatory tone had quickly turned to anger; he was scowling darkly now. ‘Just hang on a minute, Lisa,’ he coldly instructed the woman on the telephone, putting down the receiver to reach into the pocket of his jacket and pull out a wad of notes.
‘Take a taxi to wherever you want to go,’ he told Bethany distractedly as he handed her several of the twenty-pound notes. ‘And you had better take a key, just so that you can let yourself in if I’m not home when you get back.’ He handed over the key too. ‘Have a good time,’ he added dismissively, returning to his telephone call without giving them a second glance.
Bethany didn’t move, looking at him wordles
sly for several seconds, frowning herself now.
Nick continued his conversation, coldly clipped now, until he suddenly became aware of Bethany’s stare, and there was an irritated expression on his face as he put his hand over the receiver. ‘Yes?’
She raised auburn brows at his terseness. ‘Say goodbye to your father, children.’ She took the opportunity to pocket the money and the key as the children took it in turns to kiss their surprised father briefly on the cheek—almost as if it weren’t a regular occurrence, she realised. Maybe it wasn’t?
She noticed that Nick looked even more uncomfortable when it came to Lucy’s kiss, and the little girl threw her arms about his neck to hug him for good measure.
‘Thank you for giving us the angel, Daddy Nick.’ Lucy grinned up at him.
‘You’re welcome,’ he answered shortly, moving abruptly away.
Thankfully the little girl looked completely unperturbed by her father’s distant behaviour, but Bethany was still frowning as they left.
And not, she realised, just because of Nick’s reaction to Lucy’s show of affection. Who was Lisa? And why should she care…?
CHAPTER SIX
WHAT a day, Nick inwardly groaned as he made his way up to the apartment. The children. An angel. Lisa. Good God, Lisa! He had never realised, until an hour ago, what a temper the woman had.
Talking on the telephone earlier had been far from satisfactory, and so, with the children out, he had agreed to meet Lisa for an early dinner. Dinner? They hadn’t got past the drinks stage! Lisa hadn’t believed a word he’d had to say about Samantha and the accident, how he had the children to take care of over Christmas—and she certainly hadn’t been interested in hearing about the ‘angel of mercy’, as Lisa had so scathingly called Beth. Maybe it hadn’t helped the situation that he had smiled at that particular analogy, but in the circumstances he hadn’t been able to help himself.
It was at about that time that Lisa had decided her drink would look much better over him than in her glass. About the same time as he lost all patience with her ridiculous accusations that he had obviously become involved with someone new and had decided to go skiing with this ‘someone new’ instead of her. About the same time as he had got up and left…
He doubted he would see the lovely Lisa again. Strange, but until today he had found her good company, very accomodating, both in and out of bed. He had even started to think along the lines of a possible marriage. Lisa had suited his lifestyle, was beautiful to look at, an accomplished hostess, satisfied him in bed—what more could he ask for in a wife?
Love.
Where the hell had that come from? He scowled as he put the key in the lock of his apartment, as quickly dismissing the thought as he prepared himself to face the chaos that had existed in his previously ordered home since the children had invaded it.
Silence. Peace. No children fighting. No noise of the television. Just a soft murmur of voices as he approached the sitting-room.
‘Hi, Dad,’ Jamie greeted him as he entered the room, looking up from the game of Scrabble he and Josh were playing on the coffee-table. ‘Beth is just putting Lucy to bed,’ he added before going back to his game. ‘Your turn, Josh,’ he prompted evenly, once he had taken his own turn.
‘Hi, Dad,’ Josh greeted him, as calmly, before concentrating on the letters in front of him.
Nick walked over to join them, looking down at the two bent heads before slowly sitting down in the armchair nearest them, continuing to watch them for several minutes. They were miniature versions of himself, dark-haired, grey-eyed. It was only Lucy who—
‘I called the hospital before I went out earlier,’ he told his sons abruptly. ‘Your mother is still doing very well.’ He hadn’t managed to talk to Robert, but the nurse in charge had assured him that ‘Mrs Fairfax is making a miraculous recovery’, and that she might even be able to see the children for a short time tomorrow, if her recovery continued as rapidly. Although Nick didn’t intend telling them that just yet, thought it better to wait. There had been no mention of the baby either, and he hadn’t liked to ask, was sure that Robert would get back to him personally on that once he had some news.
‘We know,’ Jamie informed him now. ‘Beth rang the hospital when we got in. They said we might be able to go in and see Mum tomorrow,’ he added excitedly.
‘Beth rang the hospital when we got in…’
‘Did you enjoy your snowballing earlier?’ Nick lingered to ask.
‘It was great!’ Josh’s face lit up. ‘Beth showed us how to make snow angels. Do you know how to make snow angels, Dad? It’s quite easy, you just lie down in the snow and—’
‘Josh,’ Jamie cut in warningly. ‘Remember what Beth said about letting Dad relax when he came in.’
Josh looked sheepish. ‘Sorry, Dad.’
Nick shook his head, standing up. Angels again—this time snow angels! ‘I’ll just go and change.’ He ruffled Josh’s hair, frowning as he realised it was damp. ‘I think you should have dried off earlier when you got in from snowballing; your hair is still wet.’ The last thing he needed was the lot of them coming down with a cold.
‘Oh, that isn’t from snowballing,’ Josh told him dismissively. ‘Beth gave us all a bath when we got in.’
‘Before she gave us our tea,’ Jamie added happily.
‘Yours is being cooked in the oven,’ Josh put in with satisfaction.
Beth had showed them how to make snow angels. Beth had rung the hospital. Beth had given them all a bath. Beth had cooked them tea. Beth was now putting Lucy to bed. Beth had obviously managed to achieve the impossible where Jamie and Josh were concerned—to stop them fighting each other. Beth had a meal warm in the oven… What the hell else had Beth done while he had been out?
And why was he so damned mad at her efficiency? Probably because it threw into sharp contrast his own efforts of yesterday, he acknowledged ruefully as he went through to his bedroom to change out of his suit and formal shirt.
He had to pass Lucy’s bedroom on his way to his own room, and he couldn’t resist glancing in at the open doorway as he walked by. Lucy lay in one of the single beds, listening with rapt attention to the story that Beth was relating to her. Not from a book, but obviously straight from her own imagination. About an angel on top of a Christmas tree…
Damned angels again—
‘Daddy Nick!’ Lucy cried happily as she spotted him in the doorway, holding out her arms for him to join them.
He had never been able to understand why Lucy showed such affection to him, in spite of all his efforts that she should do otherwise. Samantha hadn’t even been living with him when Lucy was born, and Nick had had very little contact with any of the children during the next five years. And yet Lucy persisted in showering him with innocent affection every time she did see him.
Beth stood up, and he thought again how beautiful she was. So tiny, and yet perfectly proportioned, those small breasts pert beneath the green of her jumper, her hair gloriously long and luxurious, making him want to entangle his fingers in it and—
‘Have I usurped your place?’ she asked pleasantly. ‘I wasn’t sure what time you would be returning, so I thought it best to put Lucy to bed and tell her a story,’ she explained. ‘But if you would—’
‘No, no, you carry on,’ Nick assured her quickly, his wandering thoughts on Beth’s feminine attributes dying a sudden death as he took a step backwards; he had never read Lucy a bedtime story in her life. And he wasn’t about to start now! ‘I have to go and change,’ he added hastily, before Lucy could add her pleas to the argument that he could see she was about to make.
‘Your dinner—’
‘Is in the oven,’ he finished drily, smiling ruefully. ‘The boys already told me.’ He nodded.
She smiled. ‘I hope you like lamb.’
It was one of his favourite meats. But he knew there hadn’t been any in the refrigerator, so where the hell had she got lamb from in amongst all the other things she seemed to ha
ve managed to achieve this afternoon? Oh, God, he gave up where the enigma of this young lady was concerned; he would just have to accept that she was efficiency itself.
He certainly wasn’t about to accept any other explanation!
CHAPTER SEVEN
BETHANY moved quickly about the kitchen; the vegetables were slowly cooking, the meat was ready for serving, the table was already laid. All she needed now was Nick Rafferty to come and eat.
She had spent a wonderful couple of hours playing with the children in the snow; their faces had been glowing by the time they had all returned home, and the good news about their mother had added to their happiness. All in all it had been a successful day. She hoped it continued that way.
‘The boys appear to be clearing away in preparation for going to bed.’ A puzzled Nick entered the kitchen.
She had been instantly aware of him when he’d returned to the apartment, had heard him talking to the boys before he’d joined her in Lucy’s room on his way to change. But, even so, she hadn’t been quite prepared for how handsome he now looked.
So far she had only seen him in business clothes, but he had changed into close-fitting black trousers and a pale blue shirt, the latter giving his eyes the appearance of being the same colour. He looked very attractive, totally male. And Bethany wasn’t supposed to think of him as such!
‘They need an early night.’ She nodded abruptly, turning back to the food she was cooking. ‘Apparently they were rather late last night—probably due to the unusual circumstances,’ she excused lightly. ‘And they’ve had an exciting afternoon too. Besides, tomorrow is going to be a busy day—’
‘I wasn’t criticising, Beth,’ Nick cut in softly. ‘Merely congratulating you on your ability to get them to go to bed without the usual arguments. I—What’s happening tomorrow?’ He frowned as he suddenly realised what she had said.
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