Upstairs Downstairs Baby

by Cat Schield

  Knox chuckled. “I’m surprised they waited that long.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “A year ago, Augusta and Ruby approached Austin, Roy and me. They wanted us to warn you that London was too focused on your social position. I think they spent quite a bit of time chatting with your mother about it as well.”

  It wasn’t a stretch to imagine how some of those conversations must’ve gone. Bettina often entertained his friends and saw nothing wrong with cultivating relationships with women she perceived as being more suitable for Linc to marry.

  “Did London know that so many of my friends were rallying against her?”

  “How could she not?”

  That explained a lot of things. As his relationship with London had deepened toward marriage, she’d made it so that he spent less and less time with his old circle of friends. How ironic that the very people she wanted to associate with had shut her out and she’d responded by cutting them off from Linc. It had become a vicious cycle.

  “I guess it’s better for all of us that we’re no longer getting married,” Linc said.

  “It’s certainly better for your housekeeper.”

  Linc frowned at his friend. “Leave it alone.”

  “So you’re not going after her?”

  “No.” He stared at the pool. “Maybe if things were different...”

  If Claire wasn’t still in love with her dead husband.

  “You mean if she didn’t work for you?” Knox asked.

  “Yeah.”

  “You could always fire her.”

  Linc gave his friend a rueful grin. “I actually thought about it a couple days ago. But that would probably just make her hate me.”

  “What if she quit?”

  “Why would she do that? She has a swell setup here, and I’m a great boss.”

  Knox finished off his scotch. “Ever think that Claire might be interested in turning in her French maid costume for a set of chef whites?”

  Linc hadn’t considered this. In fact, although he’d hired her more for her cooking skills than her cleaning abilities, there hadn’t been much opportunity for him to utilize the former in the past year.

  “She’s happy right where she is.”

  “Maybe. But Austin was right when he pointed out that her culinary talent is wasted on just you.”

  “So I’ll entertain more.”

  “Didn’t you say she’s catering your mother’s party in a couple weeks?”

  “Yeah. What of it?”

  “Augusta cornered Claire just before we left and asked if she could do the food for the function she’s coordinating next month for that free medical clinic her cousin volunteers at.”

  “Did she agree?” It hadn’t occurred to Linc that Claire might be interested in picking up some extra work here and there.

  “She said she’d think about it and give her a call.”

  Linc didn’t consider himself selfish, but the thought of sharing Claire irritated him.

  “Have you considered that you’re doing her a disservice by having her as your housekeeper?”

  “I guess I haven’t.”

  Until now, he hadn’t given it much thought. She seemed happy enough keeping his forty-five-hundred-square-feet home neat and clean. Often she pointed out that his long periods of absence during the spring and summer months enabled her to devote time and attention to her daughter. But now that Honey was getting older, wouldn’t she be going off to preschool? Maybe with more free time Claire would start to explore opportunities where she could use her culinary skills.

  And if Claire decided to quit and pursue a career as a chef? Linc fought down a rising uneasiness. The idea that his house would no longer ring with Honey’s silver giggles or be filled with Claire’s beautiful smiles made his gut knot.

  “She won’t leave me.”

  “What if she does?”

  Something in Knox’s tone snagged Linc’s attention. He turned from his contemplation of the pool and noted his friend wore a concerned expression.

  “She won’t.”

  * * *

  With Linc’s guests gone, Honey finally succumbed to sleep. Although the rooms Claire and Honey occupied were on the third floor, noise from the boisterous dinner party had filtered up the stairs and the unusual activity in the house meant her curious daughter had resisted settling down for the night. Even though Claire had been the one to finally get Honey to fall asleep, she’d given the babysitter a little extra for her trouble.

  Confident Honey was down for the night, Claire descended to the quiet kitchen to survey what still needed to be done. Since they’d finished most of the cleanup, she probably could’ve left the balance for the morning, but with euphoria pumping through her body on the heels of the successful dinner party, there was no way she was going to be able to sleep.

  So, instead of pacing around her room or lying in bed and staring at the ceiling, Claire decided to wash the table linens and put away the crystal and china in the butler’s pantry off the kitchen. With Honey’s ever-increasing climbing ability, the sooner Claire could secure the breakable items, the better.

  Claire padded barefoot into the kitchen. She’d exchanged her chef whites for what served as pajamas for her: a pair of blue-and-green-striped drawstring pants and a light camisole. Because it was cooler downstairs, she’d also slipped on a thin hoodie.

  Under-cabinet lighting softened the stark white cabinetry and marble countertops, giving the kitchen a cozy feel. When Linc wasn’t home, Claire often put Honey to bed and then came back to the first floor to fix a cup of herbal tea or enjoy a rare glass of wine. As much as she loved spending time with her daughter, Honey’s high energy level left her needing a little peace and quiet at the end of the day.

  She set the linen napkins to soaking in the laundry room and then carefully dried and placed all the china and glassware back where it belonged. Deciding she deserved a glass of wine after all her hard work, Claire chose one of the crystal goblets and poured some of the crisp leftover Soave that she’d paired with the scallops. A dry white from northern Italy, this particular vintage had notes of peach and marjoram. Savoring the flavor, Claire wandered into the dark sunroom and sat in her favorite chair overlooking the pool.

  Several windows were opened to allow the cool night air to filter in. Cigar smoke drifted toward her on the breeze. Obviously, Linc hadn’t gone to the bar with the rest of the party. And from the sound of things, he wasn’t alone. Claire recognized the second voice as belonging to Knox Smith.

  “Tonight at dinner,” Knox said. “I saw the way you looked at her.”

  “How was that?” Linc asked, his tone light and unconcerned.

  Claire knew she shouldn’t stick around to overhear her employer’s conversation, but curiosity kept her in place. Which of tonight’s guests had piqued Linc’s interest? From her brief glimpse of the assembled women, if she had to bet, Claire’s money was on Landry, the stunning brunette with the green eyes.

  It would be another adorable L and L combination. Linc and Landry. Like it had once been Linc and London. Plus, her rich sable hair would make for a nice contrast with Linc’s blond all-American looks. The media would eat them up.

  “Like you couldn’t wait for the rest of us to get the hell out of your house so you could be alone with her,” Knox replied, his tone dry.

  “That’s ridiculous.” Linc sounded calm, almost bored. “Claire works for me. That’s all there is to it.”

  They were talking about her. Shock and panic swamped Claire’s lighthearted mood. She nervously rubbed her arms.

  “And if she didn’t?”

  “She’s still hung up on her dead husband.”

  “Are you so sure about that?”

  “Yeah. Why would you think otherwise?”

  “Because there’s the way she gobbles y
ou up with her eyes.”

  Claire shook her head, rejecting everything Knox was saying. It had been bad enough indulging her fantasy about sleeping with her boss, but that her interest in Linc was so obvious...

  The heat of humiliation threatened to turn her to ash. What could be worse than having Linc’s best friend point out her secret crush on him? She scooted forward on the chair, perched on the edge of the floral cushion. But instead of fleeing the room, she stayed to hear what Linc had to say about her in reply.

  “She doesn’t.” Linc sounded doubtful. “You’re making stuff up to mess with me.”

  “Only partially. I wanted to see your reaction.”

  And in turn, Claire wanted to pummel Knox. How dare he put ideas like that in Linc’s head. The last thing she needed was for Linc to start questioning her reactions to him.

  “And?”

  “You might not be sleeping with Claire, but you want to.”

  Claire’s thoughts flashed once again to the moment they’d shared before dinner. By the time she’d put the finishing touches on the dessert course, she’d convinced herself that she’d completely misread his signals.

  “And what’s so surprising about that?” Linc asked. “She’s beautiful, sweet, and we get along great.”

  “She’s also your housekeeper.”

  “Men have been known to fall for their secretaries and nannies. Why not a housekeeper?”

  “Fall for?” Knox sounded surprised, but no more so than Claire.

  Had she stepped into some sort of alternate universe where she had a shot with someone as wealthy and socially connected as Linc Thurston? Claire didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

  “Figure of speech. Sounds better than ‘sleep with.’” A pause and then, “Damn. I’m back in Charleston only a few weeks and my Southern manners kick in.”

  Jolted by the realization that she’d heard too much, Claire got to her feet and moved like a ghost from the room. Heart pounding, she stood in the kitchen, an empty wine glass in her hand, her thoughts reeling. She poured herself a second glass and sat at the breakfast bar to ponder what she’d overheard.

  You might not be sleeping with Claire, but you want to.

  Was that true? It seemed impossible. Especially after she’d glimpsed the beautiful, socially connected women who’d come to his party. Surely he’d be more likely to settle on one of them. Each one was sophisticated and, if not wealthy, they sure dressed and shopped as if the words on sale and discounted were not in their vocabulary. They had grace and manners. Or if they didn’t, at least they’d been raised knowing how to behave in Charleston society. Claire thought back over some of the conversations she’d heard Linc have with his sister and Knox.

  One thing about being a housekeeper, she was often taken for granted. Like the furniture. People rarely guarded their conversations around her, speaking of anything and everything without fear of the information going anywhere. And why not? She was good at keeping secrets. Her own and those of others.

  Besides, what did she have to gain by taking gossip to the media? Nothing. Why risk her job? And Linc had been good to her and Honey. She’d never do anything to harm him.

  She’s beautiful, sweet, and we get along great. What’s not to like?

  Like being the operative word. He liked her. She liked him. They’d become friends. To misinterpret something he said during a private conversation was foolish. Men talked about women and sex all the time. No need for her to go all stupid over it. She’d bet that every single one of Linc’s friends had considered hitting on her at one point or another. Part of the reason she’d put on a wedding band and let everyone believe she was a widow was to avoid such awkwardness. If a man showed any interest in her, Claire merely whipped out her grief over her late husband and it shut down any advances.

  Her status as a military widow had also lulled London’s objections. Claire doubted that Linc would’ve been allowed to hire an attractive single mom as his live-in housekeeper, but a wife who was mourning the love of her life could be expected to keep her thoughts and hands off her employer.

  When she heard the sound of a car door closing and an engine starting, Claire noticed the goblet was empty in her hand and was surprised how much time had passed. As the knob on the back door began to turn, she sat frozen at the breakfast bar, her cheeks heating as she realized she would have to face Linc after what he’d said about her. Why hadn’t she gone upstairs?

  “You’re still up,” Linc said, entering the kitchen.

  “I came down to put everything away before morning.” She gestured at the tidy, organized space with her glass. “And have some wine.”

  “You deserve to relax after such a long day.”

  “Just part of what I signed up for when I became your housekeeper.” With her body moving of its own accord, leaning into the space between them, suddenly Claire recognized the importance of maintaining her distance. What better way than by bringing up her role in his house.

  “Maybe, but you’re more than just my housekeeper.”

  You might not be sleeping with Claire, but you want to.

  Heat flared as Knox’s words came back to haunt her. “You did hire me for my cooking skills.”

  “They are pretty spectacular.”

  Claire sneaked several glances in his direction and decided the conversation she’d overheard earlier hadn’t meant anything. Nothing about his expression gave any indication that he was attracted to her. Was she doing as good a job concealing her own feelings? Claire hoped so.

  The last thing she needed was for Linc to pick up on her impossible longing for him. The best she could hope for was that he’d be flattered by her interest. The worst thing that could happen would be they’d cross a line, and then everything would blow up in her face. She couldn’t risk having that happen. What if he kicked Honey and her out and she had to scramble to find a new place to live and work?

  “You could’ve left everything until morning.” His gaze drifted from her eyes to her lips and then over her sleepwear. “Looks like you’re ready for bed.”

  Claire cursed herself for trembling in reaction to his lazy smile. “I wouldn’t be able to sleep, imagining the mess. You know how I am about the kitchen.”

  “Clutter is definitely your Achilles’ heel.” Linc set two crystal tumblers in the sink. “I challenge you to leave those unwashed until tomorrow.”

  “Ha ha. Very funny.” But her fingers twitched as she regarded the dirty glasses.

  “It’s making you crazy, isn’t it?”

  “A little.”

  Bantering like this with Linc made it easier for her to ignore the drumbeat of her heart at his nearness. Did the man have any idea of the power of his sex appeal? How could he not with all the advertisers clamoring for him to represent their product, the Armani cologne being the latest?

  He turned on the faucet and ran water into the glasses. “I’m happy to wash them. It’s the least I can do after how hard you worked to make the dinner party a success.” He gestured toward her empty crystal goblet. “If you’re done with that, I can do it as well.”

  “I was just having a glass of wine,” she replied, unsure why she felt compelled to explain herself. “Some of the leftover Soave.”

  “Which one was that?”

  “The one I paired with the scallops.”

  Linc nodded. “That was nice. Dry with a note of peach.” He arched an eyebrow at her. “What? You’re surprised I remember it?”

  “I did throw a lot of different wines at you.”

  “Showing off?”

  “A little. I thought your first post-London dinner party should be memorable.”

  “You succeeded.”

  Claire immediately wished she hadn’t mentioned London. “I’m sorry.”

  “For what?”

  “I shouldn’t have brought up London.
”

  “I’m the one who ended the relationship,” he reminded her. “The person who might be sensitive about discussing our breakup is London.”

  “I know, but you can’t tell me that ending your engagement was easy on you.”

  “I feel guilty that I let it go on so long.”

  “You shouldn’t. Sometimes falling out of love can sneak up on you in the same way falling in love does.”

  “What do you know about falling out of love?”

  Although he didn’t say Jasper’s name, she suspected he was on Linc’s mind.

  “I’m not still hung up on my...” She couldn’t call him her husband, couldn’t speak the lie in this moment. “On Jasper.” She delivered the statement with more heat than either of them had expected.

  “Okay.”

  “You don’t sound like you believe me.” Now she was getting annoyed. “You know I’ve been out on several dates in the last year.”

  Linc’s eyes widened at her fierceness. “Several dates,” he mused. “Well, there you go. Sounds like you’re ready to move on to the next stage in your life. Was there anyone special?”

  His question flustered her. She opened her mouth to reply but had no idea what to say and set her hands on her hips in an imitation of Honey’s terrible-twos willfulness.

  “The point I’m trying to make is that I’m ready to move on. I just haven’t found the right guy yet.”

  “You’ve always struck me as a woman who wants the right guy as opposed to a right-now guy.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “That you aren’t going to give someone a chance unless you can see yourself with him for the long-term.”

  “That just shows how little you understand me. Women have needs, too, you know. I have needs.”

  Linc nodded sagely, but the glint in his eye told Claire he wasn’t done teasing her. “No doubt.”

  “I heard Knox teasing you about me.” She cursed the husky note in her voice.

  His expression turned to granite, all amusement gone. Looking chastened, he raked his fingers through his hair. “Damn, I’m sorry.”