In Good Company (23 page)

“What if your nerve doesn’t want to be rediscovered?”

A snort was her only response.

He tried again. “There’s no need to be scared. I assure you I won’t let you fall. I was considered a very good tree climber in my youth, so you’re in good hands with me.”

“When was the last time you climbed a tree?”

“I will admit it’s been some time, but it’s liking riding one of those bicycles everyone seems so keen about these days. They say once you learn to ride, you never forget—and the same goes with climbing trees. If you’ve neglected to notice, I made it all the way up here to you without a single mishap.”

“You used a ladder for most of your climb. That’s cheating.”

“While I would love to delve into the reasons behind your
difficult attitude at the moment, in case you’re confused about what I’m doing up here, I’m trying to help you.”

“Fine, help me then. Go find Caroline and help her entertain all of those people, and when I’m sure no one is lingering around . . . watching me . . . I’ll come down.”

“No one is watching you. They’ve all retreated to the back terrace.”

“I bet some of them are peeking around the corner of the house, just hoping I’ll . . .” Millie suddenly stopped speaking when the branch she was sitting on gave an ominous creak.

“Stop moving,” he said as calmly as he could, even though his heart had begun beating furiously.

“I wasn’t moving,” she whispered.

Shifting a little on his branch, he looked down and discovered Davis standing on the top rung of the ladder, looking up at him.

“I thought you might need some help, sir,” Davis said before he craned his neck and shifted to the right. “How are you doing up there, Miss Millie?”

“She’s fine, but I might have a bit of a difficult time getting her down if you’re using the ladder,” Everett pointed out.

“Right you are, sir,” Davis said. “I’ll just wait for you on the ground.”

“He’s a very nice man,” Millie said after Davis disappeared, her words having the strange effect of causing Everett’s teeth to clink together.

“Yes, yes, he’s delightful, and certainly seems . . . Well, no need to get into that right now. We need to get you out of the tree. Can you move to another branch? The one right beneath you looks a little sturdier.”

Leaves rustled as she shifted around, but then she stilled again. “I can’t do it.”

“Of course you can. You’re the lady who got Thaddeus out
of frocks and into pants with remarkable ease. You can do anything.”

Unfortunately, Millie didn’t seem to want to discuss what she could or couldn’t do at the moment. The branch gave another creak, she let out what almost sounded like a whimper, and then, to his surprise, she completely changed the subject. “Do you know that Davis is an extremely competent tailor? He helped sew all the garments the children and I are currently wearing.”

The unpleasant something or other once again unfurled in Everett’s stomach. “He helped sew the children’s outfits?”

“He did, along with quite a few other members of your staff, as well as your mother. That’s how we were able to finish so quickly. Just so you know, I told Davis I’d introduce him to Harriet once she gets back from England. She could use such a talented man when she gets around to opening her dress shop, so I might have lost you a good footman.”

Everett didn’t know if he should laugh or pull all of his hair out in frustration. Here they were, high up in a tree, and Millie had apparently decided to act as if they were sitting down to tea, discussing matters of a rather mundane nature.

“Fascinating as it is to learn Davis likes to sew,” he settled on saying, “we really do need to get you down from there, so . . . I’m going to try and get closer to you.”

Everett stepped on a branch to the right that, thankfully, held his weight, swung around the trunk, and found another branch that brought him right up next to Millie. When he got a good look at her, though, he found himself in the unusual position of having completely lost the ability to speak.

Millie’s curly hair was tied back with a ribbon, making her appear remarkably young, while also lending her a rather flirty attitude. His gaze traveled from her hair to her face, and he felt
his breath catch in his throat when he took note of the paleness of her skin, the panic in her eyes, and the slight trembling of her lips. A scratch marred her cheek, and as his gaze drifted down her person to make certain she wasn’t injured anywhere else, he blinked and blinked again.

“Are you wearing . . . pants?”

“Well, yes,” she said, right before she sent him the smallest of grins.

The grin hit him like a fist to the stomach, and right there and then, in the midst of the tree, he finally realized what it was about his life that had changed.

He, Everett Mulberry, one of society’s highest members, was attracted to Miss Millie Longfellow, the . . . nanny.

It was completely unacceptable, ridiculous even, and almost seemed like a story Jane Austen would have penned. In fact . . . him being attracted to Millie was remarkably similar to the
Pride and Prejudice
story he hadn’t picked up for a day or two. And he realized now that he certainly wasn’t going to finish because . . . if Mr. Darcy did indeed end up with Miss Elizabeth, well, it was a silly fairy tale, plain and simple.

He didn’t believe in fairy tales, even if Oliver seemed to have experienced one, but . . . no—he would not allow himself to think in that direction. The question that remained now, though, was how was he going to overcome this attraction—if that’s what he was actually feeling—for Millie?

She was unlike any lady he’d ever known—caring, funny, and more intelligent than she gave herself credit for—but . . . she was not his equal in any way, shape, or form. He had to remember that, had to remember that he had a standing within society he’d carefully cultivated over the years. He also had a certain standing within the business community, a community that would not look kindly on him if he allowed himself to
pursue this attraction he held for Millie. Besides all that . . . there was Caroline to consider.

Resignation settled deep within him as he realized exactly what he needed to do. He was going to have to distance himself from this woman he found far too enticing, spend even more time with Caroline, since she was the woman he’d committed himself to, and . . . he’d have to find a new nanny sometime in the foreseeable future.

“What is the matter with you?” Millie demanded, pulling him back to the situation at hand.

“I’m thinking about how to get you out of here” was the only response Everett was comfortable giving. Reaching out, he took hold of her arm. “Are you ready?”

“Do I have another choice?”

He refused to grin, reminding himself that he needed to maintain a careful distance with her from this point forward. “I’m afraid not.”

“Oh, very well, but I’m going to need a moment.” With that, Millie closed her eyes, kept them closed for a good long moment, whispered an “Amen,” then opened her eyes.

“Were you just . . . praying?” Everett asked.

“I always pray before I proceed with life-threatening situations.”

“Does it help?”

“I’m still alive, aren’t I?”

Resisting the impulse to grin yet again, Everett settled for a nod.

“You’ll catch me if I start to fall?” she asked.

After reassuring her that he would, indeed, catch her, they finally began to make their way incredibly slowly down the tree. By the time they reached the ground, Millie was shaking like mad, but instead of pulling her close and offering her
comfort, Everett allowed the children to do that, unable to help but smile just a little when they couldn’t seem to hug Millie hard enough. Lifting her head, she caught his eye. “Thank you,” she whispered.

“You
should
be thanking him, Miss Longfellow,” Caroline said as she marched back to join them, having obviously abandoned their guests on the back terrace. “I have no idea what you were thinking, climbing up a tree, for goodness’ sake, but . . . Are you wearing pants?”

Before Millie could respond, Rose stepped forward. “Miss Millie thought if all of us wore pants, Thaddeus would feel better about wearing them again, so you shouldn’t scold her.”

Caroline’s face darkened even as she shook a finger in Rose’s direction. “Pants are never acceptable for ladies or young girls to wear, Rosetta, and I must tell you that you and your sister have succeeded in embarrassing me quite dreadfully since you allowed our guests to see you in such a disgraceful state.” She shook her finger again. “Why, your lack of proper attire is
the
topic of conversation right now on the back terrace.”

Rose’s little lips began to quiver, her eyes filled with tears, and then she began to cry in earnest, but before anyone could offer her a smidgen of comfort, the air split with a hair-raising shriek.

To Everett’s very great concern, the peacocks that had been gathered off to the side of the tree turned their heads in unison and set their beady eyes on Caroline. As if choreographed, they spread their tail feathers right before they charged—directly in Caroline’s direction.

11

A
week and a half after the disastrous peacock debacle, Millie sat in the shade of a large tree, but not the one she’d been unfortunate enough to get stuck in. Peering closely at the rather worn copy of
Romeo and Juliet
she was attempting to read, she reached for her dictionary when she ran into yet another word she’d never seen before. As she switched one book for the other, she caught a glimpse of someone walking toward her across the back lawn of Seaview.

“Millie. There you are.”

Abandoning her books, Millie scrambled to her feet and dashed forward, stopping right in front of none other than Lucetta.

“What a marvelous surprise, Lucetta, but . . . what are you doing here? I thought your new play opened this week.”

Pulling Millie into an enthusiastic hug, Lucetta gave her a good squeeze before she stepped back. “The play
did
open this week. However, because of a pesky little problem with the new electric lights that were installed to replace the old, smoking electric lights, there’s been a slight setback.”

“What happened?”

Lucetta shook her head rather sadly. “It turns out the new and improved lights weren’t exactly improved, since they burst into flames. The theater caught on fire during our first performance.”

“The theater burned down?”

“Well, no, but there was enough damage to require extensive repairs, so the theater will be closed for a good month, perhaps two, leaving me free to travel to Newport.”

“But . . . what will you do for funds?”

Lucetta gave Millie’s arm a pat. “No need to worry about that. I have funds set aside for emergencies, along with a bit of money I make through invest . . . Well, no need to get into that boring business. But my savings aside, I’m pleased to report that since management wanted to ascertain I wouldn’t move on to another theater, they’re paying me my full wage until the repairs have been completed.”

“That’s generous of them.”

“I’m not sure it
was
exactly generosity that had them offering to continue paying me. From the whispers I’ve overheard, Mr. Grimstone, the author who penned the play, would only allow his masterpiece to be produced if
I
was given the lead role. That means management can’t afford to lose me.”

“Who exactly is this Mr. Grimstone?” Millie asked.

“No one seems to know. He’s very reclusive, which has rumors swirling around the country. He writes brilliantly, in a dark and brooding style, but with just enough witty dialogue to capture and hold everyone’s attention. This is actually his first play, but his books sell out almost as soon as they hit the shops.” She smiled. “Management is convinced we have
the
hit of the theater season this year.”

Millie smiled. “Well, I am sorry your theater caught fire, but
not sorry that you and I are now going to be able to see each other often this summer.”

Lucetta took hold of Millie’s arm and strolled over to where Millie had set up her reading spot under the tree. “We will see each other often, but enough about me. What has been going on with you, and . . . where are the children?”

Striving for an air of nonchalance, Millie shrugged. “They’ll be back soon. They’re off exploring along the cliff walk with Everett—something they’ve taken to doing every day now for the past week and a half.”

“Why aren’t you with them?”

“Oh, ah, Everett believes I need some time to myself.”

“That’s very . . . considerate of him.”

Millie’s shoulders drooped, and to her absolute horror, she felt tears sting her eyes. Blinking rapidly, she tried to hold them at bay but realized she’d failed miserably when tears started dripping down her cheeks.

“Good heavens—what’s wrong?” Lucetta demanded.

Dashing the tears away with her hand, Millie blew out a shaky breath. “That’s just it. I have no idea.”

Lucetta practically shoved Millie down on the blanket before she took up a spot right beside her. “Tell me exactly what Everett’s done.”