Page 17 of Hearts Aweigh
No. That wasn’t the word either.
This woman was … unusual.
The unconcerned lady finally stood and focused on him. She clasped the back of her neck and moaned. “Wow. It’s a long way up to look you in the eye. What brings you here, Mr. Masterson?”
He made no effort to lessen the distance between them. “Our governess is indisposed, and it’s necessary to leave Madeleine here for a few hours while I conduct business.”
“Business?” Her mouth twisted. “Aren’t you on vacation?”
“My purpose on the MSBuckinghamis in no way recreational. Once I accomplish my objective, we’ll take a flight from the nearest port to Louisiana. I won’t leave Madeleine with you for more than today.”
“What a shame.” She knelt and wrapped an arm around his daughter’s shoulders. “We’ve planned all sorts of fun adventures.”
A shadow of curiosity crossed his daughter’s face. “Adventures?”
“Oh, so many. A treasure hunt. A water balloon fight with pirates. And even”—Ms. O’Brien lowered her voice like she was imparting a secret—“a giant feast with fifty different kinds of cupcakes.”
“Cupcakes!” Madeleine squealed.
“No cupcakes.” Spencer shook his head. “I prefer she eat healthy foods.”
Madeleine’s eyes grew round, and she gripped her dress in both hands. Had he frightened her again? Spencer wished he could rip out his tongue.
“I mean”—he bent—“lots ofdelicioushealthy foods that taste better than cupcakes. Yummy, yummy foods.”
His daughter’s brows formed a skeptical arch. “Like what?”
“Like … uh—”
A smothered laugh sounded beside him. Ms. O’Brien patted Madeleine’s back. “Don’t you worry. We’ve got all kinds of good stuff.” She looked the girl over. “Does she have casual wear? I’d hate to ruin her designer duds.”
Spencer hesitated. He had no idea what clothes the governess had packed. Instead of haphazardly grabbing something from the closet, he should have considered the suitability of Madeleine’s dress for a playday. Why couldn’t he do anything right when it came to his daughter?
Ms. O’Brien waved her hand. “Never mind. This beautiful outfit is perfect for today. We’re having a karaoke talent show. But tomorrow is the water fight. If she visits us again, be sure to bring her in jeans or shorts.”
He straightened and nodded once. “Jeans or shorts. Understood.” He kept his gaze trained on the childcare worker. “Is there anything else I should do, Ms. O’Brien?”
“Call me Abby.” She winked at Madeleine. “Both of you.”
Abby wobbled to the left as she got off her knees. Spencer reached out and caught her by the elbow. Her skin felt soft, her bones fragile beneath his fingers.
“Thank you.” She moved away from his grasp, took Madeleine by the hand, and walked toward the double glass doors.
Spencer hurried to stop the energetic redhead. “Isn’t there a sign-in?”
“No, sir.” The smile she gave him was courteous and professional. “The Monarch wristband she’s wearing has a computer chip with her health information, dietary restrictions, and stateroom number. It also allows you to keep track of her whereabouts. If you’ve downloaded the app to your phone, you can see where your daughter is at all times. Rest assured. We’ll take good care of Maddie.”
She led Madeleine through the castle entrance without another glance his way. Spencer stood still for several seconds. A mountain of emails awaited his response. And the sooner he reconciled with Daisy, the better. Yet, his unsettled mind rebelled against the to-do list.
Spencer retrieved his cell phone and speed-dialed the one person in the world he trusted without reservation. The man who’d shown him that God wasn’t a somber character on an engraved altar painting but a loving Father who cared about the minor details of his life.
“Hey, Spence!” The upbeat voice of his pastor and friend answered.
“Hi, Gideon. I dropped Madeleine off at the childcare center like you suggested. She didn’t cry.”
“She knows you’ll come back for her. Was the pretty redhead there?”
Spencer’s brow wrinkled. “I never said she was pretty.”
