“Hmm. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander. Ah, and there she is…” Nile’s head lifted to the set of white marble stairs with gold railings that ran down the center of the room.
A long and lean woman of about sixty or so slowly took the steps. Her hands were hanging delicately at her sides as she floated down the stairs. She wore a form-fitting navy pencil skirt that fell to her knees with an overlay of delicate matching navy lace. Her top had three-quarter sleeves with the same lace detailing. A swath of satin fabric ran straight across the top of her neck, accentuating her face. Her hair was a mixture of golden blonde and natural gray. She wore classic black eyeliner, mascara, rosy cheeks, and perfectly applied red lipstick. Her eyes were a steely gray that assessed our group in a nanosecond.
“To what do I owe this pleasure?” she spoke, her tone that of British royalty. At least that’s what it sounded like to me, based on what I’d seen on the TV back home when everyone was watching Downton Abbey.
She approached and air-kissed Nile’s cheek, then smiled briefly while looking into his eyes before repeating the process with Noah. Except with him she held his cheeks and flicked at the long layers of his hair. “You need a haircut. I’ll have it seen to.”
Noah just grinned and smiled wide as she dropped her hands and then placed them in front of her.
“Governess.” Nile bowed slightly. “We have come home to introduce you to our intended bride, Ms. Ruby Dawson.”
The woman’s brows furrowed for a moment before her gaze centered on Noah and then took me in from head to toe.
“Ruby Dawson, this is Eudora Bancroft,” he shared.
“It’s nice to meet you,” I said.
“Nile, you jest,” Ms. Bancroft stated flatly with zero humor in her tone.
“He’s telling the truth.” Noah grinned, then reached out and took my free hand in his.
Her gaze flicked to me then down to where Nile was covering my hand with his. Since entering, I’d had a death grip on his elbow and hadn’t felt confident enough to let go. Her crude gaze missed nothing as she noted how Noah had taken my other hand.
“You mean for me to believe that this…”—she pointed up and down my body—“is your intended? Whose?”
She scowled as she took in the hot pink stilettos that I’d paired with my favorite jeans, a white real silk blouse, and a black leather blazer. All items that Madam Alana’s team had added to my wardrobe to make me look expensive. I thought I looked smokin’ hot. Standing here, in front of the classiest broad ever, I knew she found me lacking.
“Both of ours actually,” Noah chuckled.
“She looks like a streetwalker you might have picked up on Hessle Road in Hull.” She shivered. “You mean for me to believe that one of you is to give her the Pennington name?” Her hand rose to her chest as if she might faint on the spot. If she’d had pearls, she’d be clutching them for sure.
“Watch your tongue. She is to become a Pennington. We’ve chosen her for reasons that do not need to be explained. Ruby is to be treated with respect at all times. What we require of you, Ms. Bancroft, is to train her. To teach her the ways of our world and make her the most impeccable Pennington bride,” Nile added. “I have no doubt in your abilities. We will also put you in charge of the wedding planning. One of us will wed Ms. Dawson in twenty-eight days.”
“Twenty-eight…” She gasped. “It’s untoward. Positively rubbish to give a woman less than a month to plan a wedding. A Pennington wedding, no less.”
Nile grinned. “And yet, we have every faith in your ability to make such a thing not only a possibility, but a guarantee. Now, if you will excuse me, I’m going to show Ms. Dawson to her room. I expect you’ve had it prepared in advance as I requested.”
“Of course. It offends you’d even give it a second thought. I take care of my boys and this estate.” She lifted her chin haughtily.
“And you do so well, Governess.” Noah went over to her and took her into his arms for a hug. She embraced him fully for a moment before she patted him on his chest and stepped away as if she was a bit uncomfortable with the public display of affection.
“I’m not sure I understand fully what the two of you have gotten yourselves into this time, but I’m glad you are home. I suggest all of you rest. We’ll be discussing this wedding business in further detail over dinner. Eight o’clock sharp. And, Ms. Dawson, please do dress appropriately for dinner,” she warned, her gaze running up and down my body with clear distaste.
I nodded, not knowing what else to do. I wanted to tell her that these clothes were worth more than anything I’d ever owned in my life, but for some reason I knew she wouldn’t care in the slightest. This place, the limo, the private jet…the Penningtons were far richer than I even could have imagined. More reason for me to ensure I did whatever was necessary to win over the grumpy old lady who seemed to have a motherly level of clout over both men.
“Um, she’s…nice?” I tried as Nile led me up the grand staircase and turned to the left to another staircase that led down a long hall filled with doors.
He chuckled softly. “Nice is not what you’d call a woman like Eudora Bancroft. Poised would be a more fitting term.”
“She was definitely that,” I mumbled, the exhaustion of travel seeping into my bones making me feel extremely drowsy.
Nile came to a stop in front of a door where I found that my bags had already been brought up. I hadn’t even seen the staff come up the stairs.
Freaky.
“I’m going to leave you to rest. If you want something to eat, just pick up the phone. The household staff will handle any request you might have.” He pointed across the room. “Toilet is there, wardrobe there.”
I nodded, kicking off my shoes and yanking off my jacket.
“I’ll bid you farewell for now. We’ll talk more at dinner. And don’t worry about Ms. Bancroft. She’ll warm up over time.” He smiled softly, his gaze going to my lips as though he would kiss me again. I held my breath in the hopes that he might, surprised at how much I would enjoy the simple reassurance .
Instead, he bowed slightly, closed the door, and left.
Needing sleep more than I needed anything, I finished stripping off my clothes until I was naked and then slipped into the huge bed. The voluminous, satin-like fabric slipped along my bare skin like a soothing balm.
That woman is never going to like me, I thought as the lack of sleep tugged at my senses. I’m going to have to figure out something to get on her good side or all of this will go to hell in a handbasket. I rubbed at my face, yawned deeply and closed my eyes, and promptly passed out.
Episode 32
Love at First Sight