“I’m sure Anna would have taken good care of it,” he said.
“But then I wouldn’t have had an excuse to meet you.”
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Anna’s little white car turn into the driveway. He wondered if she had seen the woman’s pregnancy or if the plant had hidden it from her as well.
Anna wanted a baby and she couldn’t have one of her own. Being with pregnant women must be excruciating.
Ignoring his own reaction to the woman, he smiled at her and stepped to one side. “Come in,” he said to her. “I’ll ask Linette to get you something to drink. We’ll sit in the sunroom.”
Anna wouldn’t come back there. She had, true to her promise to become invisible, been avoiding him completely. And once she was securely ensconced in another part of the house, he would politely escort his neighbor back to the door. Anna need never even see her.
Anna was pacing the floor wondering what she should do. Dana Wellinton had finally made it past the defenses she had erected and had wormed her way into Donovan’s house.
The woman, who had divorced husband number two several months ago, was clearly angling for husband number three, and Donovan was a decent prospect.
“Doesn’t she have any heart?” Anna muttered. Everyone had heard about Donovan’s little boy and that he had still not recovered. Did Dana think her pregnancy would be a draw? A child was irreplaceable, not a toy. It was hard enough for Anna to be around the woman, knowing that Dana didn’t appreciate the children she already had while other women would kill for even one baby, but for Donovan…
“I can’t leave him to deal with her alone.” The woman had been terribly persistent the past two times she’d come here. Donovan had probably felt that he had to be polite.
If Anna had been here, Dana would have been sent away. Taking a deep breath, Anna scooped up the first piece of paper that came her way and headed for the sunroom.
“Mr. Barrett,” she said, waiting in the doorway.
Both Donovan and Dana looked up. Dana’s ever present smile seemed a bit forced. “Look, Anna, he was home this time,” the woman said. “I guess I got lucky at last. But then I was bound to meet him sooner or later. We are neighbors and fellow homeowners.”
What a not-so-subtle dig, Anna thought. Clearly the hired help was being put in her place.
“Of course,” Anna said. “Mr. Barrett, I hope this isn’t a bad time, but I have a rather important matter I need to speak to you about.” She looked down at the blank piece of paper she held in her hand. “It’s about the plumbing emergency in one of the guest baths. I’m afraid it’s rather urgent, but if you’re busy I’ll try to tend to it myself.” She added that last as an afterthought. Maybe Donovan wanted to visit with Dana.
“I’m sure you can handle it, dear,” Dana agreed. “Donovan and I are just getting acquainted.”
But Donovan rose to his feet. “I believe in being a hands-on owner,” he told Dana. “After all, I just moved to Morning View, and I need to know all its quirks and charms. These old mansions are fascinating, aren’t they?”
Dana blinked. “Yes, of course, they are, but—”
“Thank you for dropping by,” Donovan said. “And for the housewarming gift. I’m sure that Clyde will find a special place in the house for the orchid.”
He was slowly but subtly moving Dana toward the door. The woman clearly didn’t want to leave but was helpless to stop Donovan, especially when he was smiling at her as if she fascinated him.
Anna wondered if Dana did fascinate him? Did he really believe the story about the plumbing? Maybe he would be upset with her when he discovered that she had fabricated it. Perhaps her attempts to shield him had been overreaching her authority. After all, she really was just the hired help. Dana, annoying though she was, came from old money. Her ancestors had been leaders of industry. She was of Donovan’s world.
As Donovan escorted Dana to the door, said his goodbyes and let her out of the house, panic began to seep through Anna. Living here for two years really had addled her brain and made her start acting like the lady of the manor when she was only here because she had begged Donovan for work.
She heard his footsteps as he turned and started heading her way, and a thousand inadequate excuses began to flit through her head.
I shouldn’t have done that. I’m just the housekeeper. Turning away his neighbors wasn’t what he meant when he said he wanted to be alone. He meant you, you idiot. He didn’t want to be bothered by people like you.
“Interesting list you have there,” she heard him say just as she felt his warm breath over her shoulder. He had stepped onto the carpeting and come up behind her while she was berating herself.
Anna tried to take a deep breath and failed as she turned to face her employer and found herself inches away and staring up into his fierce eyes.
“Now tell me, Anna, just how many of my neighbors have you turned away from my door these past few days?”
CHAPTER FOUR
DONOVAN knew what the face of guilt looked like, and Anna had guilt written in those expressive gray eyes of hers. To her credit, she didn’t try to look away, but worry lines creased her brow, marring her pretty, pale skin.
“A few,” she admitted. “Not many, but then…even one would be too many. I’ve overstepped my boundaries, haven’t I?”
Her voice was stricken, penitent. She was reminding him of their employer/employee standing when only a few moments ago he had been worrying about her reaction to his pregnant visitor. Was that the way a man viewed his hired help?
No, but still…he didn’t want her to feel guilty. Guilt meant pain.
“Overstepped your boundaries? That depends,” he said carefully. “Why did you turn them away?”
“You said you wanted to be alone.”
“I did say that, didn’t I?”
She blinked and stood up straighter. “You don’t have to let me off the hook. I made a mistake, a ridiculous one.
I should have known that when you said you wanted to be alone, you weren’t referring to your neighbors but merely to those of us who share living space with you.”
He did his best not to think of the fact that he and Anna lived in the same house. It wouldn’t be right to allow his mind to wander down the wrong roads, wondering where she slept, what she wore, what she did with her free time. Those things were private. She might work for him but…
“Those who work for me are no less deserving of respect than anyone else,” he said.
The guilt left her face. She tilted her head, a concerned look in her eyes. “Yes, but you can’t think of us in the same way as your neighbors. There has to be some distance.”
The faintest of smiles lifted his lips. “Giving me lessons in how to be a boss, Anna?”
Her eyes opened wide. “No, of course not. But your neighbors do occupy a different sphere than your employees. I should have asked you before assuming you meant everyone when you said you wanted to be alone.”
He shook his head. “I did mean everyone. I needed some time to get settled in.”
“But now you’re settled.”
“Yes, I’m settled.” At least he was as settled as he was going to get.
“So I’ll stop screening your visitors.”
A vision of Dana with her expectant, predatory look and her pregnant belly came to him. He wasn’t ready for that, and he never would be. But he wouldn’t hide behind Anna.
“I’ll have to meet everyone eventually. Perhaps…”
She waited.
“Perhaps you could help me sort through all those invitations. I started, but I’d appreciate your expertise.”
“You’d trust me to give you advice on which parties to go to and which ones to turn down?”
He gave her a long look. “I trust you more than I trust myself. You know much more about the locals than I do, so let’s at least give it a try. If there was an invitation from Dana and I asked for your thoughts…?”
She tilted her chin up. “I would a
dvise you to stay home and read a book.”
“Because?”
Anna hesitated, not sure how much she should say.
“There must be a reason,” Donovan prompted.
“She wants a husband. I don’t think you’re looking for a wife yet.”
“Very tactful,” he said.
She didn’t deny that she had hedged, avoiding the real issue. But the truth, the real issue, was an elephant in a closet. And it was Donovan’s elephant. She wouldn’t intrude by bringing up the topic of his son.
Anna waited.
Donovan’s expression was grim. “Thank you, but if you’re going to help me, we need to be honest.” It was something he’d found to be true as a physician, and though his doctoring days were over, the basic tenet still held.
“I don’t want a child ever again,” he said. “You don’t have to shy away from the topic. I don’t.” He simply shied away from memories of Ben as much as he could.
“All right. No pregnant women or ones with children. Women on the prowl?”
He shrugged. “I’m not looking for a wife, but I know how to keep my distance without offending.” Donovan realized that he was standing very close to Anna. Not exactly keeping his distance. But he wouldn’t be so obvious as to step away now. At least that was his reasoning for why he remained right where he was. It had nothing to do with the way her fresh womanly scent made him want to step closer still.
“No family gatherings,” he added, to hide his sudden physical awareness of her. “Does that help?”
“I think so. You’re looking for adults-only events. There will be plenty of those. How many do you want to accept?”
None, he wanted to say. He was content just to be standing here talking to Anna with her forthright manner and no hidden agendas. When he didn’t answer, she glanced up directly into his eyes, and he could tell that she was trying to read him.
Donovan stepped away. He didn’t want anyone reading his mind, and if she knew what he’d been thinking…well, the point was moot. He would monitor his thoughts more carefully from now on.
A man like him? A woman like Anna?
Improbable. Disastrous. Impossible.
“I’ll accept as many invitations as I can,” he said suddenly.
The more he was away from home in the next two weeks, the better off both he and Anna would be.
Anna sat at the long oak table with the golden bowl in front of her and Donovan at her side. She picked up the first invitation. Cream vellum slid through her fingers, rich and crisp to the touch. The invitations to this event probably cost more than she spent in a month on all her living expenses.
Ah, well, she couldn’t eat vellum. A smile lifted Anna’s lips.
“What?” Donovan’s low voice slid in, that voice that reminded her of forbidden subjects. And why not? Donovan might not be looking for a bride but that didn’t mean he wasn’t looking for a woman.
Anna frowned. Well, he would most likely find plenty of them at one of the events represented by the cards in the bowl. “I was just admiring the…tastefulness of this invitation,” she said lamely.
Donovan raised one brow. “Looks pretty much like all the other ones to me.”
“That’s because you’re a man,” Anna said, even though he had merely spoken the truth. She certainly didn’t intend to tell him that she’d been thinking about what he might be planning to do with the local women.
A twinge of something that felt a bit like regret slipped through her.
Not acceptable. What he did with the local socialites was his business, not hers. He was her boss. That was all. He had asked her to do a task.
She read the invitation. It was from Kendra Williams, who was rich, beautiful and available.
Anna stared at the card.
“What do you think?” Donovan asked. “Yes or no?”
Clenching the invitation just a bit too tightly, Anna took a deep breath and placed it on the table. “Yes,” she said and let out her breath.
“You seemed uncertain.”
“No, I’m not. This is exactly what you wanted.”
Before he could ask her any more questions, she moved quickly to the task before her, sorting the invitations efficiently into two piles. She wondered what Donovan’s neighbors would think if they knew that a mere housekeeper was passing judgment on their social affairs.
Her hand shook slightly.
“Anna?”
She turned to him. He was scowling. “This was probably a mistake. I’m sure this isn’t in your job description. You don’t have to do this if you’d rather not.”
She’d rather not. It had been easy when she was turning everyone away. That hadn’t been judgmental. This was, and it was uncomfortable. These people might someday be potential employers. Moreover, she knew who many of them were, but she didn’t really know them. They traveled in different circles than she did. Who was she to warn Donovan away from their parties?
Anna turned to tell him that he was right, this task wasn’t for her. And then she remembered how he’d looked when he mentioned his son. His life had, no doubt, been a horror these past eighteen months.
It was important that he reenter the world, but she didn’t want him to be exposed to needlessly difficult or painful situations.
“I’ll just look over these one last time.” She reached for the yes pile and started to pick up the top one. “Just to be sure these are the ones best suited to your purpose.”
Donovan looked slightly amused. “What do you perceive as my purpose?”
Anna froze in midreach. “I’m…not sure. I guess I was assuming that you wanted to ease back into the social world, to take your place again.”
Donovan stared at her hand, which was still suspended. He reached out and touched her, lowering her hand to rest on the table. His fingers brushed her skin as he took the card from her.
She jerked, and her body bumped up against his. When she looked up, Donovan was closer as he stared at her intently.
“Taking my place in the world? No, I’m afraid it’s nothing so lofty.”
His sudden scowl caught Anna by surprise and she breathed in. The scent of his aftershave filled her senses.
“A man has to fill his days. I’m looking for mindless entertainment. That’s all.” He said the words as though they were a warning, then nodded toward the pile of yeses. “I assume these fit that description?”
Anna could barely think with Donovan this close. She could almost feel the echo of his words through her body. Mindless entertainment? She felt particularly mindless at the moment. If she leaned closer to him…
She took a deep breath as she realized that her thoughts were headed down a path that could only bring heartache. And worse than that, disaster. A woman in her position couldn’t afford to get a reputation as someone who entertained romantic or sensual thoughts about her employer. If she did that, she’d be…unemployable.
Her dreams would be dashed forever. Panic rushed through her. What was she doing? What was she thinking?
She jerked, her chair squeaking against the oak floor.
Immediately Donovan moved away. “I’m sorry,” he said, tilting his head. “I didn’t mean to crowd you. I’m afraid my social skills are somewhat out of commission. That’s not a good reason for startling you.”
She shook her head. “You didn’t. I’m fine. Really. Yes, these will do.”
Getting up quickly, she moved away from the table to the sideboard.
So, Donovan was in search of mindless pleasure. She understood the why. It was a mask for his pain, a way to fill the hole that had been left by the loss of his child.
The practice of masking pain behind meaningless activity was something Anna understood. She’d learned how to do that a long time ago. She’d also learned how to fantasize, she reminded herself. About this house. And now, it seemed, about Donovan.
Anna felt sick at the thought.
“Anna, are you sure you’re all right?”
“Yes.
Of course.”
“You’ve rearranged the candlesticks three times.”
Anna glanced down and saw that he was right. She was fidgeting. Because she was afraid he might have noticed her reaction to him earlier.
“That’s better,” she said, stepping away from the candles. Her voice sounded calm enough. She even managed a shaky smile, but inside she was appalled that he’d noticed her distress. She prayed he was unaware of where her thoughts had been heading earlier.
Those kinds of thoughts had to stop right now. Letting Donovan know that she was attracted to him in even the smallest way would be a mistake. For both of them.
He would hate himself…and he would let her go.
And she? Well, it would be the worst kind of disaster for her. Fantasizing about a man from a different social class? Very unwise. Daydreaming about a man who couldn’t bear to look at a child when she hoped for one every day? A one-way trip to heartache. She almost moaned at the thought.
“Anna.”
“Yes?”
Taking an energizing breath and digging for courage and control, she smiled again as she looked up at Donovan. He had risen to his feet.
“I’m sorry I made you uncomfortable,” he said again, his voice even and careful. “I touched you and I can see that I’ve upset you. That was unforgivable. You’re in my employ. I want you to feel safe. You need to know that I would never intentionally do anything that might hurt you.”
Anna shook her head. “I never thought that.” And she realized that she hadn’t. It was her own reaction that had alarmed her. “You didn’t even want me to stay. Why would you think that I would be afraid of you? I’m the one who pushed the issue of my staying. I’m just—I’m leaving because…well, I suppose because we’re done here. I have work to do.”
Pasting on one more brilliant smile, she waited. Thank goodness the man would soon be entering the social whirl. No doubt once Donovan took his place alongside the elite of the area, her thoughts would settle down.
I’ll lose my exclusive right to him, she thought. I’ll learn to do this job the right way. I will not fantasize about what touching Donovan would be like.
The Maid and the Millionaire Page 3