Page 36 of Kept 4

“Excuse me, Lady Montague,” the new butler interrupts my reverie, “the restaurant staff are ready for your inspection.”

I groan as I rise, pressing one hand into the painful spot at the small of my back, and giving a quick wave with the other to Nicholas, indicating where I am going, as I head inside to inspect the tables and staff. The restaurant will be full again tonight, and I like to make sure, now that I am temporarily not cooking the mains; that everything is as I expect.

“You have done an excellent job, as usual, Monsieur Contell,” I smile at our chef, enticed to stay for another three-month stint at Ereston, as he has been each year, but hopefully for longer this time.

Nodding to him to carry on, I make my way to the study, following the sound of laughter.

“Margarita,” I shake my finger at her in mock annoyance, “you should be outside watching little Connie try out your inappropriate gift, not inside playing with these kittens again – and when are you going to get that cat fixed?”

“I’m not. And if you’d just let me take Connie to Paris for Fashion Week, we wouldn’t be having this discussion,” Margarita laughs.

“You can rot your own child’s brain with your freakish shoe and clothes fetish,” I roll my eyes.

“Kittens don’t wear clothes,” she laughs.

I can see she is going to go on, but she is stalled by a shout and giggles as Constance comes running inside, Nicholas strolling nonchalantly behind her, smiling indulgently as she throws herself at Margarita.

“Thank you for my pony, Aunty Margy.”

“You’re welcome, monster,” she laughs.

I glance up and smile at Nicholas as our daughter ping-pongs back to wrap herself around his legs because, of course, she is all human.

“Constance, off to play with Nanny now,” he says gently, kissing her forehead before she scampers away, and holding out his hand to me. “Josephine, don’t you think it’s time you had a rest?”

I meet his twinkling eyes and smile, taking his hand, as he leads me to our bedroom where I know, despite my current state, he plans to rock my world in a way no man has ever done before.

As I take the steps, his thumb rubbing across my hand and sending the usual thrills of anticipation through my body, I shake my head, amazed that I am with this gorgeous man, in this beautiful manor, all because I found a journal and, I smirk, kept it.