Sebastian woke with a start as Mattie jumped on top of him. “Daddy, wake up!”
He groaned, reaching for his watch on the nightstand. When his eyes finally focused, he realized it was eight o’clock in the morning. “Mattie, go back to sleep,” he muttered to his child.
“But I want to see the pony.”
“We have to eat breakfast first, Mattie,” Tess chimed in as she sat up in bed.
“I’ll go get dressed,” her daughter gasped in excitement, jumping off the bed and rushing from the room.
Tess pulled the covers back. “I’ll go make sure she coordinates her outfit. Go back to sleep for little while longer.” She kissed him on the forehead and then put on her robe before walking toward Mattie’s room.
Sebastian and his family joined the others in the breakfast room an hour later. Tess sat next to Penny while Mattie struck up a conversation with Max.
“It looks as if Mattie has made a new best friend this weekend,” Penny said, nodding toward her paramour and the little girl at the end of the table.
“Seems to me that Max has made more than one good friend this weekend,” Tess smiled.
“Sebastian told you, didn’t he?” Penny whispered.
Tess nodded her confirmation. “I’m so happy for you, Penny.”
“At least someone in the Irons household is happy for me.”
“Don’t worry about Sebastian. He’ll come around. You know he’ll go to any lengths to protect those he loves fiercely. Bas is still a little suspicious of Max. It will take some time for him to realize his loyalty.”
Penny nodded. “Yes, I can understand his hesitation after what happened between his mother and him. I think it’s a good thing they’ll be working together to find his father—it will bring them closer together.”
“I hope so,” Tess agreed.
Chapter 10 - Watching the Detectives
Sebastian jogged up the steps of the Westminster Tube Station and turned left to walk down Whitehall Road toward Maxwell’s office. A middle-aged personal assistant greeted Sebastian as he opened the door. “Mr. Irons, your brother is waiting for you. Follow me.”
Sebastian followed the woman down the short hallway and waited patiently as she knocked on the door. “Enter,” a voice said from inside. The assistant opened the door and smiled at Sebastian, who nodded his thanks and stepped inside the office.
It was a simple room furnished with a large cherry desk, a few chairs, and a sofa. It looked as if Max had just moved in and hadn’t had time to decorate the space yet. Then Sebastian noticed the tall, thin man in an ill-fitting suit standing behind Maxwell, staring out the window.
“Sebastian, this is Nigel Minton,” Max introduced as he stood from his desk.
Mr. Minton turned around and offered his hand in greeting. Sebastian shook it. “Thank you for meeting with us today, Mr. Minton.”
“Both of you, please sit down. Can I get you a beverage?” Maxwell asked. Both men declined and took seats opposite Max. “Well, let’s get started. Mr. Minton, my brother and I would like to hire you to find our father.”
“When was the last time you had contact with him?” Mr. Minton asked, pulling a notepad out of his jacket pocket.
“Twenty-six years ago,” Max replied.
“That may prove a little difficult, being so long ago. What can you tell me about him?”
“His name is Martin Christopher Baker,” Sebastian began. “I have this photo.” Sebastian pulled the photo out of his coat pocket and handed to Mr. Minton.
“Our mother divorced him when she found him cheating on her. I was only ten years of age and Sebastian wasn’t born yet, so I’m not sure how much information we can provide,” Maxwell jumped in to explain.
Minton nodded as he scribbled away in his notebook. “Do you know of any places he liked to frequent? I need a starting point.”
“He met my mother at the Blakesfield Country Club. It was a whirlwind courtship and they married quickly. I don’t recall meeting his parents or siblings. I know it’s not much to go on,” Max apologized.
“Has your mother given you any hints over the years?”
“She won’t speak of him. That’s why we contacted you. We need this done discreetly.”
“Of course. Let me start with public records: birth certificate, divorce decree. Maybe I can pull your mother’s financial records to see if she’s made any payments to him over the years.”
Sebastian looked to Max, who silently nodded his head in agreement. “We would appreciate any information you could gather, Mr. Minton.”
Minton reached into his suit coat pocket and produced two business cards. He handed one each to the siblings. “Give me some time to see what I can come up with. I’ll keep you informed. My number is on the card if you need to reach me or if you remember anything that will assist me in the search.” He shook hands with both men and then he left the office.
Sebastian wasn’t sure what he expected from the meeting, but it certainly wasn’t Mr. Minton’s quick, no-nonsense demeanor. He scratched his head, then headed to the sideboard and poured himself a scotch. “Do you think it is possible she’s still paying off father to stay away?”
Maxwell sat in his chair and pondered the question for a long moment. “If she’s paying him off, it would explain why he’s never tried to contact me.”
“Well, I guess we just wait and see now,” Sebastian agreed, sitting down in the chair and sipping his scotch.
Max sighed as he shuffled the papers in front of him.“I’m really not in the mood to deal with charities today.” He looked at his watch and noted the time was just eleven forty-five. “Why don’t we go to my club for lunch?”
Mattie was with Sigourney, so Sebastian didn’t need to rush home. “All right, let’s go.”
~ ~ ~ ~
Sigourney and Mattie paid a visit to Penny. They sat in the parlor drinking tea and eating cucumber sandwiches.
Mattie looked at Sigourney and then turned her attention to Penny. She sat quietly, as if deep in thought, and then asked: “Are you and Uncle Max going to get married?”
“Mattie!” Penny exclaimed. “Whatever gave you that idea?”
“Mummy and I talk about it. We want you to have a boyfriend.”
Penny put her hand over her heart, speechless at the child’s sweet response.
“Is Max your boyfriend?” Sigourney played along with Mattie.
“It’s early days, I don’t know how to define it,” Penny admitted.
“Have you gone out?” Sigourney asked, creeping to the edge of her seat.
“He has escorted me to charity balls.”
“He’s come to have tea with Aunt Penny, too,” Mattie added.
“And we may have gone on the occasional dinner,” Penny admitted with an impish grin.
“Have you kissed?” Mattie inquired.
“Mattie, that’s not polite to ask,” Penny chided.
“Oh, come now, it’s just us girls! Fess up, Pen.”
Lowering her eyelids and blushing she whispered, “Yes, we’ve kissed.”
“Don’t boyfriends and girlfriends get married?” Mattie asked.
Sigourney grinned. “Sometimes they do.”
“Please, I don’t want to jinx it,” Penny pleaded.
“What does that mean?” Mattie asked looking back and forth between Sigourney and Penny.
“It means that if you say it aloud, it might never happen,” Penny explained.
~ ~ ~ ~
Maxwell’s private car chauffeured the men to Soho. They entered the dark club, full of rich wood paneling and plush green carpets. An attendant greeted them. “Earl Sutton, it’s a pleasure to have to back again.”
“Thank you, Marcus. This is my brother, Sebastian. We’d like a table for lunch, please.”
“Right this way, my Lord.” Marcus escorted them to a prime table in the center of the room—one where you could see everything and be seen. Marcus left the table and Sebastian began to chuckle as he too
k his seat.
“What has you so amused?” Max inquired with suspicion.
“‘My Lord’—I’m sorry, it’s just been a very long time since I’ve been around all this pomp and circumstance.”
Max joined in with laughter. “It does take some getting used to. This could have all been yours if you were born first,” he reminded.
“Well, thank God for small favors.” Sebastian looked over the menu. “What are you having?”
“Steak—rare.”
“I think I’ve have the veal.”
It was a relaxing meal. Sebastian and Max talked and were becoming more comfortable in each other’s presence. When their meal was consumed, they joined the other club members in the smoking room to enjoy a brandy.
Sebastian relaxed into the maroon leather tall-backed chair and inhaled the smell of cigarettes. It had been years since he last smoked, but sometimes the scent made him crave it—especially after a good meal. He observed the room: some members were reading newspapers, some were in deep quiet conversation, and others sat alone drinking. Someone familiar entered the room. He walked down the carpeted steps and stopped in his tracks when his eyes locked with Sebastian’s. A smile curled up on the man’s handsome face as he set course in Sebastian’s direction.
“Bloody hell, Irons. What brings you to London?” Prince Alistair asked, stopping in front of him.
Sebastian stood from the chair and held out his hand. “Blue blood, it is good to see you again. My family recently moved back. My wife has a job with the Associated Press here in London.”
“Family—wife? By God, we have a lot to catch up on.” Alistair looked at Maxwell. “Earl Sutton, it’s good to see you again.”
Maxwell stood from his chair. “Your Royal Highness, it’s always a pleasure. You are welcome to join us.”
“I would love to. However, I have a meeting.” Alistair reached into his pocket to pull out a calling card. He handed it to Sebastian. “Please ring me later. I’d love to catch up.”
Sebastian nodded in agreement. “I’ll do that.”
Alistair left the pair and headed toward the back of the room.
“How do you get away with calling him blue blood?” Max wondered, taking his seat.
“I roomed with him at Eton. We’ve had some interesting adventures together,” Sebastian explained, but declined to go into detail. “He must not be aware that you’re seeing Penelope Stanton. If he was, I don’t know that he’d be so gracious.”
“He dated her years ago. He’s had ample opportunity to rekindle the relationship if he chose to do so,” Max replied.
“Penny doesn’t forgive cheaters. Be warned,” he clipped out.
“I have no intentions of cheating on Penny.”
“Good.”
“It’s rather endearing how protective you are of the women in your life. I admire that quality in you.”
Sebastian was taken aback by the revelation. Unsure how to respond, he took the last sip of his brandy. Finally he muttered, “Thank you, Max.”
Sebastian made Mattie her favorite dish, macaroni and cheese, and put her to bed at eight o’clock. Tess had phoned ahead saying she had a deadline and wouldn’t be home until late that night. To fill the time, he tried to read a novel, but his mind was too full of information to concentrate on the written words in front of him. Sighing, he closed the book and lay back on the couch. Whatever had made him think he could quietly move his family back to London and go about his business unknown? Ever since stepping foot back in his homeland, he’d been greeted with the ghosts of his past. It seemed as if he were living in a Charles Dickens’ novel.
He heard the key turn in the lock and sat up to find Tess walking through the front door. She was the consummate professional: dressed in a light gray suit, her hair pulled up into a chignon, briefcase in hand.
“Hello, darling,” he announced, rushing over to greet her with a passionate kiss.
Tess teetered on her heels. “Wow, miss me that much?”
“You have no idea,” he replied. “I made a light salad, if you want to eat.”
“Oh, that sounds perfect. Could you open a bottle of wine while I get changed and check on Mattie?”
Sebastian confirmed her request by kissing her on the forehead. He busied himself in the kitchen while Tess changed out of her suit. He lit a taper candle and placed her salad and wine on the dining table. Tess came back dressed in her blue silk robe, her hair flowing over her shoulders. She was beautiful and Sebastian would never tire of looking at his wife.
“So how did things go with investigator?” she asked before taking a bite of her salad.
“Okay, I suppose. I mean it’s not as if I expected him to say, ‘I can find your father in twenty-four hours.’ Unfortunately, we didn’t have much information to give him. He has to find a paper trail. I don’t know how long it will take or if he’ll even find anything.”
“And how did things go with Max?”
“Things are getting easier in our relationship. He took me to his club for lunch. I ran into Alistair Windsor.”
Tess hadn’t heard that name in a long time. Her curiosity was piqued and she raised an eyebrow. “What’s up with him?”
“He said I should ring him to catch up. He was surprised I had a family.”
“Considering what you two used to do when you hung out together, can you blame him for being surprised?”
“No, I can’t blame him. It was odd being in between Penny’s ex-flame and current one, though.”
“You slept with her, too. So technically all three of you were paramours.” Tess grinned. “So are you going to meet up with him?”
“I don’t know.”
“You changed—maybe Alistair has, too.”
“How was your day?” he asked, changing the subject.
“Good. My boss has been so happy with my articles, he wants to send me to Paris next week to cover a story.”
“That’s great news! I’m so proud of you. When do you leave?”
“Wednesday night. Come with me, Bas. We can spend the weekend in Paris. I had such a wonderful time there on our honeymoon.”
Sebastian reached over and took her hand. “I would love that, but what about Mattie?”
“Don’t be mad, but when my boss asked me to go I called Penny and asked if she wouldn’t mind taking Mattie. She was more than happy to say yes. They’ll spend the weekend at the castle with Max.”
All Sebastian could do was chuckle. “I really don’t know if Penny understands what she agreed to, but I’m game. I certainly would love a romantic weekend with you.”
Tess reached over the table and kissed her husband. “Thank you!”
Chapter 11 - Take Me, I’m Yours
Sebastian and Mattie rode to Penny’s townhouse in a black cab. When they arrived at their destination, Sebastian paid the cab driver and then took Mattie’s suitcase and stepped out onto the sidewalk while holding his daughter’s hand. Mattie ran up to the familiar red door and knocked. Sebastian reached for the doorbell.
Penny opened the door with a warm smile and Mattie jumped into her arms.
“Well, hello, you two,” Penny beamed, hugging the child.
Sebastian leaned in and kissed Penny’s cheek. “Thanks for taking her this weekend.”
“The pleasure is all mine.”
“When is Uncle Max picking us up?” Mattie asked impatiently.
“He should come around in about an hour.”
Sebastian knelt down in front of his daughter. “Martha, be on your best behavior this weekend. I’ll know if you aren’t and you won’t be permitted to stay with Aunt Penny again.”
The child let out a heavy sigh. “Daddy, I’m always good.” She then looked up at Penny for confirmation. Penny simply laughed.
Sebastian hugged Mattie and kissed her goodbye. “Ring me at the hotel if you need anything, Pen.”
“We’ll be fine. Go have a wonderful weekend with your wife!”
Sebastian sat on t
he Tube heading back to St. John’s Wood, studying his fellow riders. It was a constant source of fascination to him. You could observe people from all walks of life: businessmen in their suits and ties, mothers holding babies in their arms, an elderly woman with her grocery shopping, young lovers standing close and whispering in each other’s ears. He never would have noticed any of these things if it weren’t for Tess. The writer in her was compelled to take in all these little details and she naturally shared them with him, unwittingly turning him into the observer he was today.
The train pulled into the station. The prerecorded message played on the PA system: “Please mind the gap.” The riders filed out onto the busy platform and made their way toward the exit.
Walking along the tree-lined street, he reveled in the bright, gorgeous summer afternoon. He was going to spend four days in the City of Love with his amazing, wife and he was heady with anticipation.
Sebastian opened the door to the flat to find Tess grabbing a Coke out of the refrigerator. “Hey, Bas,” she greeted.
“You’re home early,” he said, coming up behind her and planting a kiss on her neck.
“Yes, my boss said I could leave early to pack. Did you get Mattie to Penny’s okay?”
“Yes, they both seemed very eager for their weekend in the country.”
“I put the suitcases on the bed. Let’s go pack. I’m so excited. I can’t believe we’re going back to Paris!”
The sun was setting as Sebastian and Tess arrived at their hotel, just a few blocks away from the Eiffel Tower. The bellman collected their luggage while the couple walked up to the front desk to check in. “Monsieur et Madam, bienvenue!”
“Merci beaucoup,” Sebastian rattled off without thought.
Tess glanced over at her husband and smiled as he and the desk clerk continued their polite conversation in French. She watched as the clerk handed over the room key and motioned for the bellman to take their luggage to the room.
London Loves - Book 3 - Love's Great Adventure Series Page 6