Page 26 of His Wedding Day Revenge

‘Oh, do not be concerned,’ she said, seeing the direction of Jane’s gaze. ‘The balcony is childproof.’ She nodded to the row of doors. ‘Not that that is an issue at his age,’ she added with a smile. ‘There is a small kitchen.’ She pushed open a door and Jane had the impression of white and glossy. ‘The other doors are the bedroom and nursery, which interconnect, and the bathroom is shared. I hope this is suitable? There is also one off the playroom, should you wish to use it, but possibly he is not that age yet.’

Jane watched as she opened a door to reveal a bright yellow-painted room that looked like any child’s idea of paradise. There was a series of cartoon characters painted on one wall, shelves containing neat stacks of boxes and books on another. The low table with chairs in the middle of the room was empty, but she could picture it littered with toys from the boxes distributed around the room. She imagined a child sitting on the wooden rocking horse.

A child with Draco’s dark hair and eyes.

She turned away, a lump in her throat, and began to jiggle Mattie up and down in her arms.

‘You’re right. I don’t think this one will be making use of those facilities...’ She heard the door close and was glad.

‘Shall I get someone to unpack for you?’ The other woman nodded to the luggage stacked in the corner, which Jane had not previously noticed.

Draco’s airy confidence that her car would be dealt with seemed justified as her luggage had arrived before she had. She picked up the folded buggy and, with a practised flick of her wrist, unfolded it one-handed before placing Mattie in.

‘No, that’s fine,’ she said, clipping the safety harness. ‘I’ll unpack myself.’ There was not much to unpack. Mattie’s things took up most of her luggage allowance. ‘This is absolutely...well...’ she swept a hand in an expressive gesture around the room ‘...perfect, but I think,’ she began hesitantly, ‘that there might be some mistake?’ she suggested, feeling the need to double-check. ‘I am here for the conference. I’m not a house guest. I am meant to be in the—’ She began to feel in her pockets for the course details.

‘Mr Andreas did not consider the accommodation there suitable for an infant.’ The woman glanced fondly at Mattie, who was stuffing one chubby fist in his mouth, a very serious expression on his face. ‘My nephew is his age. He is a very pretty baby too. Oh, the fridge is filled with the formula you requested and some basics for yourself.’

Jane had considered that a nice thoughtful touch when she had filled in the online form. It had saved her a lot of luggage space.

‘Thank you,’ she said, absolutely overwhelmed by the kindness being shown. ‘I feel I’m getting preferential treatment,’ she admitted guiltily.

‘Not at all. I understand the evening meetings might go on late and it was decided that these apartments will be more suitable, much quieter, less disruption.’

Jane acknowledged a sense of relief. People said nice things about babies, but when it came to a good night’s sleep they were less tolerant, and who could blame them? She had pictured sitting down to breakfast with a lot of unfriendly stares directed her way from heavy-eyed sleep-deprived people.

Here Mattie was not likely to bother anyone but her and she had adapted quite well to disturbed sleep patterns. As for the evening meetings, she doubted she would make many.

‘It’s...’ She paused, torn. On the one hand she felt guilty because this did not align with her egalitarian principles, but on the other she was so happy that everything was geared to her and Mattie to a degree she could never have dreamt of. ‘Sorry, I’m repeating myself, but this really is perfect.’

Perfect, but an enigma, a perfect nursery, what did she know? This was not her world. Maybe that was how billionaires did it, put in a nursery in case a guest had a baby. Maybe it really was as simple as asking a chef to offer a vegan option.

Or maybe it was something even simpler—this suite of rooms was historically a nursery and no one had thought to change the function when the place was restored, they’d just updated the decor and the facilities? Was it possible that Draco and his brother had occupied the rooms?

An image of a youthful Draco flashed before her eyes, along with the possibly false idea she had that his childhood had not been that happy and it was more than a broken-family scenario. She was overthinking this—just thinking about Draco was overthinking!

When she had agreed to this, she had told herself that, beyond some rousing introductory speech, she would not have to see Draco.

Did you really think that or were you hoping...? She would not even allow the question to form.

The scenario she had imagined involved her seated at the back of a room clapping politely along with the others.

The older woman beamed and, seeming to understand Jane’s unposed question, but not that she was fighting the pain of loss with every fibre of her being, added in a confidential undertone, ‘I was not here at the time, but I believe this was the old nursery and intended to be so again when...’ A self-conscious look spread across Livia’s smooth face as she paused, straightened the snowy collar of her white shirt and added, with the forced professional air of someone who realised she had said too much, ‘The staff still speak of it. It was a sad time here.’

Jane froze...sad time. Could the woman be referring to the aftermath of her runaway bride act? She felt a slither of unease. Obviously she knew she had made the right decision, but she had been so busy dealing with her own emotions in the aftermath that she hadn’t thought about the possibility of a knock-on effect for people she had never met.

She knew that Draco had been angry...but she also knew that his heart had not been affected. How could it have been? She had never had his heart. His ego was another matter.

‘I am sure there will be babies here one day.’ The comment was delivered with an accompanying confidential smile. ‘And in the meantime it has come in useful for you.’

There will be babies!

Just not mine.

‘It’s really lovely. I’m grateful. I’ll have an explore, before I bathe Mattie.’ She smiled, hoping the other woman recognised the not so subtle code for ‘I want to be alone’.

She really did! The entire day had been exhausting and then the cherry on top, just when she ought to have been recovering after the drive from hell, she had walked straight into Draco, or driven into, and a little too literally for her liking.

He didn’t seem to have registered that she could have killed him... Even thinking about that moment made her stomach quiver violently.

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