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‘Sure,’ I say, and we cross the flag-stoned street, arm-in-arm.
‘Richmond Bridge and the River Thames are just a few minutes’ walk away. I studied the map on the train as I’ve never been here before but had heard it’s a beautiful old town,’ Juliette says.
‘I came to the same conclusion when I researched what part of London to apply for a job in,’ I say.
‘Isn’t it lovely? You’ve really landed on your feet,’ she says.
‘What’s it like in Knightsbridge?’ I ask. ‘You’ve landed on your feet too, by the sounds of it.’
‘Come and visit as soon as you can. The embassy is in a busy part of town, but it’s next to Hyde Park, which is a heavenly green oasis in the middle of the madness. One perk of the job is they allocated me an embassy flat, which is just a short walk from work and the park. It’s a beautiful apartment which would cost an absolute fortune to rent if I wasn’t embassy staff.’
We take a stroll along the riverbank, and I clutch my jacket around me as the evening breeze whips up a chill and the trees shiver and shake. We admire the river, and it feels like old times, walking along the banks of the Seine.
Juliette says she has an early start at the embassy and had better catch her train soon. We hug and kiss and I promise I’ll come and visit her in Knightsbridge just as soon as I have a day off.
I feel validated in choosing to come to London. It was so lovely to see Juliette and, knowing I can visit her anytime, reassures me.
My mind ticks over as I drive back to the house using my phone to make sure I don’t take a wrong turn in the unfamiliar neighbourhood. I tuck the rental car into the little spot at the side of the house that the housekeeper directed me to when I arrived earlier, and I inhale the fresh evening air as I approach the front door.
It’s still quite early, but I don’t want to disturb anyone, so I scramble about for the keys Mrs Johnson gave me. My head’s bent over my handbag and my heart’s beating fast as I search for them amongst the many belongings crammed into the small space. I know they’re in here somewhere, but I’m panicking and can’t find them. I’m nervous about letting myself in for the first time. What if there’s an alarm system, and I set it off on my first night?
Just as my fingers close over the set of keys, which I find in the zipped side pocket, I hear a noise. I raise my head to see Sebastian standing in the doorway. He doesn’t just stand in it—he fills it with his height and presence, and my heartbeat revs as I look up at him. I’m reasonably tall, but he’s much taller.
He looks weary but pleased to see me and flashes me a charming smile. ‘Good dinner?’ he asks, and he stands aside for me to enter as though I belong inside, and I’ve come home.
And this is how I find myself sharing a luxurious house in one of the most exclusive neighbourhoods in London, with the grandson of one of the richest men in the world.
I’m reminded that you never know how life is going to surprise you…
CHAPTER5
Sebastian
My assistant tells me my grandfather wants to see me. He rarely comes into London these days, so I’ll need to carve out time to visit him at Greystone. It’s not a bad thing, and I can see my mother at the same time.
It sounds important and I wonder what he wants to talk to me about. He’s not one for casual messages, and he doesn’t usually summon me like this via my assistant, except for scheduling family events. This is a one-on-one, and I guess he wants to talk about my progress as CEO of the hotel division.
Occasionally, I drive over on the spur of the moment to check in on him and my mother when she’s home. It’s been five years since my father died and she hasn’t truly recovered from losing him. She tends to become melancholy if left on her own a lot. I think that’s why she travels to the US so much. She says New York HQ needs her on site for our mutual charity foundation projects, but my theory is she prefers flitting about, so she doesn’t have to stay at Greystone for long periods and dwell on the fact that her beloved husband isn’t there.
Losing Dad, when he should have still had years ahead of him, was a tragic blow for us all, and it affected each of us in different ways. But eventually we got on with our lives and threw ourselves into our work or studies. That’s the Rochester way.
It hit Damian, my elder brother, the hardest of all my siblings. He and Dad were particularly close because Dad was mentoring him to step into his shoes. When he died suddenly in a car crash, Damian had to assume the role of primary heir much earlier than he anticipated.
He split with his girlfriend around that time too. And we used to be very close but grew apart when he spiralled into a wild playboy lifestyle. It was his way of dealing with his grief; I guess. Since then, he’s pulled himself together and seems to be getting back on track now. But he’s not the Damian he used to be. He’s closed himself off and I find it hard to get through to him these days, although we still go out occasionally with our younger brother, Caspian, another of the ‘ians’, as Damian dubbed us when we were kids.
There was a period where things got so out of control and Damian was splashed over every tabloid, that Grandfather spoke to me about the possibility of replacing him as official heir to the British branch of Rochesters & Co. I’ve always known I’m ‘the spare’ because I’m second-in-line to Damian. I already inherited a considerable fortune through my trust fund, and the chances of me becoming number one in the Rochester empire were always minuscule, so it was shocking, to say the least. My dad was still a relatively young man, in good health, and then Damian was in the wings, so I hadn’t ever considered the reality of stepping into that role.
I didn’t take grandfather seriously. Don’t get me wrong—I’m ambitious—but I have no desire to topple Damian from his position as future head of the family and make an enemy of him. Our parents always taught us that family comes first, and I try to live by that. Besides, I have a great life and don’t crave the glory, or the pressure, of being the top dog.
Grandfather playing us off against each other created tension between us, and I’m doing my best to repair the damage and get us back to where we used to be. Damian is a complete workaholic and as far as I can make out, doesn’t have any relationships or interests beyond work since Dad died and his girlfriend broke his heart. He went into a meltdown, and I worry about him.
Like I said, my dad’s death affected us all differently, and we’re still reeling.
I’ve always been more lighthearted and less intense than Damian, which has helped me through my own dark times. I seek to find the humour in situations whenever possible, which isn’t usually that hard when you look for it.
Soon I saw the humour in me arriving home to find the gorgeous nanny emerging from the pool, wearing only a wet swimming costume. I’d expected a sensible Mrs Doubtfire type and after I recovered from the shock, I had to laugh.
Nathalie has already won Daisy’s heart, and they’ve settled into a routine. I don’t remember seeing Daisy so content, which is a tremendous relief. The nanny has a knack for putting her at ease, and I see why she works with kids, because she’s a natural. When she spoke about her choice of career, it sounded more like a passion than a job she does purely for money, and that eased my lingering fears.
