Page 43 of The Cowboy Takes a Nanny
Ella felt suddenly clammy. “You know about that?”
Alicia Wallace kept her eyes firmly on Ella. “We know a great deal more than you’d imagine.” She took a genteel sip of her coffee. “But first let me reintroduce myself to you.”
Chapter Eleven
Shaken by their visitor’s hints that they knew everything about her situation with Benny, Ella had trouble processing the woman’s words, and it took two nudges from Leo and an apparent repetition by Alicia Wallace for her to gather herself.
“Re … reintroduce?”
The older woman smiled. “I wouldn’t expect you to remember, you were quite young. I am your mother’s cousin, quite removed biologically—third cousin—but as girls we were rather close. Like sisters. Until we had a falling out.” Her voice dropped. “And then of course, there was the terrible accident.”
It took everything ounce of self-control Ella possessed to remain focused but to retain her wits enough to follow the conversation. “Yet you didn’t think to make contact with me—us—until now?”
She sighed. “It was difficult, which is probably not an excuse. My husband was very unwell …”
“Alicia’s life has not been easy, Ella.” Her father placed a hand on Alicia’s knee as he’d defended her, which answered at least one of Ella’s questions. Alicia and her father were together. More importantly, he was happy—judging by how much more relaxed he looked—and that made her happy, because despite all his marriages and amours she hadn’t really seen him happy for years.
Alicia folded her hand over his. “Nicholas has been very open with me about the—the other women—and the effect that may have had on you, and I agree those were not his finest years.” Suddenly wistful, she added, “Perhaps if he and I had reconnected sooner … I wasn’t able to have children; I would have loved a daughter …”
Ella swallowed the lump that had threatened to choke her, almost hearing the shattering of her defenses as they crumbled around her—and as though he knew, Leo’s arm slid around her, offering his strength, his comfort.
It was the final glance at her father that brought her completely undone. His eyes … Actually, seeing his face, hearing his voice after years of separation … She’d missed him. He’d not been the most attentive father, but he’d always been kind, loved her. Despite his faults, she knew that.
As if sensing the change in Ella, Nicholas rose and moved tentatively toward her, his eyes never leaving hers, his arms outstretched.
So much rolled through her head in the moment, but the overwhelmingly loudest one was that she wanted that hug. Longed to be gathered into him once more and just for the teeniest minute, be his little princess.
Rising she went to him, let herself be wrapped in a lifetime of memories. It was her father who broke away first, holding her at arm’s length. “Darling, we’d like you to come home—back to Thornvane—we can care for you and Benjamin. You have no need to work. Benjamin would be able to attend the right schools and—”
Ella shot from him embrace as though propelled backward, Hi words hit her like a punch to her solar plexus and felt so real it almost doubled her over. “Leave—”
Her eyes went straight to Leo, but his face told her nothing. His expression set, he simply stared at her, his eyes flat, waiting for her response.
But what response would she give? Could she give? Return to the home she’d known? To the only place she’d felt any connection to her mother? To the life she knew well? In a weird way it made sense. Yet, to do so would mean having to walk away from Leo and Mia? Leave what had been, without doubt, the happiest time of her life? Take Benny away? From Mia? From Leo?
Her heart fluttered, banged, and stalled in turn. Obviously it was as confused as her head. She didn’t want to leave, but what would become of her if she stayed? And worse, what if Leo finally did find true love? Where would that leave her and Benny?
One thing she knew to be true. She could not, and would not, stand by and see another woman in Leo’s life. It would destroy her, it would—it would … All the despicable, painful, destructive things it would do suddenly all blurred and faded …
It would do them all, because she loved him.
Ella Staunton Hawes loved Leo Halligan.
Oh my giddy aunt …
She loved him? Yes, she loved him. Passionately. Every bit of him. His smile, his laugh, his humor, his wit, his honor, his loyalty, his ethics, his trust … And his shoulders, Oh, how she loved those shoulders. His thighs. His face, and the way his eyes twinkled. And the damned hat.
“Gabriella?” Her father’s voice reached her as though it were projected down a long tunnel, barely penetrating.
At the same time, she vaguely thought she heard a phone ping a message. Heard Alicia say, “The lawyer has arrived.”
Heard her father add, “Darling, I know we’ve taken liberties—”
“Pardon?”
“Gabriella, sweetheart,” Alicia began, “as soon as we learned the truth we put things in motion. Yes, we may have overstepped, but now you will be out from beneath the pain and fear you must have been living with these past two years. You should never have been placed in this situation.”
“S-situation?” Her eyes flew to Leo as Alicia’s earlier words crashed through the fog, obliterating it, blowing it away like a bitter north wind. We know a great deal more than you’d imagine … Surely, they didn’t know? How? And if they did? Not now, not now. Not now!
