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When she got back to the Sovereign Islands about three hours later, she was greeted with open arms, metaphorically, by her employer and his housekeeper.
Nicky did more. He threw his arms around her neck and greeted her like a long-lost friend. Even Nemo looked joyful.
‘OK! OK,’ she laughed as she fended the puppy off. ‘And I did bring some goodies back. We’ve got a new jigsaw puzzle, some Play-Doh and a book about boats. What shall we do first? Oh, and I got a plastic bone for Nemo. It squeaks when it’s chewed.’
‘Was he difficult?’ Alex asked as she and Max sat down to a late lunch a little later. Nicky was asleep again.
He reached for a roll and crumbled it. Mrs Mills had provided a chicken casserole and rice. ‘Not difficult—lost. And sad.’ He picked up his butter knife, but stared at the curls of butter in their fluted silver dish moodily. ‘I was obviously no substitute.’ He dipped his knife in the butter.
‘He’s sick,’ Alex said practically. ‘And Rome wasn’t built in a day.’
He raised his eyebrows. ‘Another gem of wisdom? You’re full of them.’
‘I know,’ she agreed cheerfully.
He frowned at her. ‘But in your case it happened in a matter of moments, the way he took to you.’
‘I would say—’ Alex sipped her water from a cut-glass tumbler, then picked up her knife and fork again ‘—he’s not much used to men if he’s lived with his mother and his grandmother. And I do have experience with kids of that age. Don’t worry, it will happen, it just takes time,’ she assured him.
His frown deepened. ‘You’re also—like a new person, Miss Hill, if I may say so. Why’s that?’
Alex considered, then told him part of the truth. ‘I took myself to task this morning. Look forward, not backward, seek new challenges and goals and—lo and behold!—what should fall into my lap shortly afterwards but your offer. So I’m feeling really positive, you could say.’
She’d changed her Argyle sweater for a cotton-knit top and hadn’t noticed the streak of Play-Doh on her sleeve. Her hair was in bunche
s and she wore her glasses. She looked young but very alive and vital. It was hard to compare her with the girl of the night before who couldn’t breathe.
‘Have I said something wrong?’ Alex enquired a little nervously as she put her knife and fork together and pushed away her plate.
His attention came back to her as if from a distance. ‘No. Why?’
‘You were looking at me as if—as if—I don’t know, but it was a little worrying,’ she confessed.
He finished his meal and reached for the coffee pot. ‘Uh—no, nothing momentous.’ He grimaced. ‘But you and Nicky won’t be seeing much of me for the next few days. In fact, probably not at all. I’ve taken more time off than I should have anyway.’
‘That’s fine with me,’ she replied serenely, and didn’t know that Max Goodwin was struck by a replica of the feeling that had struck her last evening—when she’d requested him not to tell her she was quite safe with him with quite such conviction … Did she have to be quite so comfortable about his absence, in other words?
‘Well, in that case,’ he said—rather tersely, it struck Alex, ‘I might get going now.’
Alex blinked. ‘Isn’t the golf still on?’ She looked at her watch.
‘I can get there in time to present the trophy. Would you excuse me, Alex?’ he asked with rather elaborate courtesy and stood up.
‘Of course, but—are you annoyed?’ she queried.
His eyes were particularly dense and blue; his expression was particularly hard to read as he looked down at her. ‘Why would I be annoyed? We have everything under control, don’t we?’
‘Yes. I don’t know. I just got that impression.’ She shrugged. ‘I—’
But Mrs Mills intervened. ‘Excuse me, Mr Goodwin, but Nicky’s awake and asking for Alex.’
Alex jumped up. ‘I’ll come.’ She turned back to Max. ‘I’ll look after him, don’t worry,’ she said reassuringly.
His expression softened a fraction. ‘Thank you.’
But Alex was still concerned as she climbed the stairs to Nicky’s bedroom. What had been going through his mind? What subtle interplay had she missed?
Then she stopped outside Nicky’s door and took a deep breath. Her employer’s personal feelings were no concern of hers.
