Page 17 of Revelations of A Secret Princess

Because he hadn’t realised Connie would be ripped away.

That familiar pang filled Jake’s chest as he thought of his older sister, moving across the world to be with the man she loved. After her early years of struggle it had been a relief to see her settled with a nice bloke.

Jake turned, ready for his own bed, and his gaze caught a figure sitting in the corner. A figure he hadn’t noticed because it was as still as the massive, carved wardrobe behind it.

The hairs at his nape sprang to attention. His scalp prickled and even the hairs on his arms lifted.

Caro Rivage could have been a statue. Her absolute stillness was uncanny. As was the way her gaze fixed so intently on Ariane.

It wasn’t surprising to see a nanny in a child’s room but surely not like this? Suspicion stirred.

‘What are you doing here?’

She jumped, her hand flying to her chest as if to hold in her heart. Her face swung wide-eyed towards him.

Instantly his urgent protectiveness of Ariane faded.

He’d never seen someone look so vulnerable. Her dark eyes were...haunted. Her mouth gaped and her chest heaved as if she’d had the shock of her life.

This wasn’t the expression of someone up to no good, but of someone utterly defenceless. Jake saw a terrible starkness in her face. Then her expression smoothed. She rose and crossed the room.

Did he imagine a pulsing charge of energy as she stopped before him? He frowned, thrown by the flight of fancy. Nevertheless, once more his senses stirred into overdrive in her presence. It was unlooked for and disturbing.

‘I was checking Ariane.’

Jake darted a glance at his niece, still sleeping, then jerked his head towards the door. When they were in the hall he scrutinised the woman before him. The light was better here but it was impossible to interpret her expression. She looked self-contained, as if presenting an unreadable front came naturally.

Again his sixth sense twitched a warning.

‘A glance would have told you she was settled. You looked as if you’d been there for some time. Why?’

Something stirred, a fleeting expression, and Jake realised how pale she was, how tightly she held her mouth. His gaze lowered, past a fast-flickering pulse at her throat to the enveloping jacket and skirt. She hadn’t even been to bed?

She swallowed and something jerked in his belly as he watched her slender throat work, feeling the tension vibrate off her in waves.

Now, instead of suspicion, Jake felt concern. He was familiar with pain and he recognised its shadow in this woman’s unnaturally still features.

‘What is it, Caro? What’s wrong?’

‘Nothing’s wrong.’ Her lips curved in an unconvincing smile. ‘I wanted to check Ariane before I went to bed. She’s going through a difficult time and something she said made me think she was prone to nightmares.’ She spread her hands in a wide, helpless gesture that told him more about her state of mind than her face did. ‘Truly, I just wanted to make sure she was safe.’

Her words rang convincingly and for once instinct told him it was true. Shewashere out of concern for Ariane.

True but not simple. That awful vulnerability he’d glimpsed in her momentarily unguarded face, that wealth of emotion had bordered on anguish. It couldn’t be about Ariane, whom she’d only known a few hours. So it had to be about another child. A child she’d cared for and lost? Cot death? Illness? Accident? The possibilities were endless.

Pity rose, a rush of sympathy that made him want to comfort her. He moved closer then stopped himself.

‘Get some sleep. My room’s next to Ariane’s so I’ll hear if she wakes.’ Maybe if he gave her this job she’d sleep near Ariane too, but he hadn’t yet made that decision.

She nodded. ‘Goodnight, Mr Maynard.’

‘Goodnight, Ms Rivage.’

When she’d disappeared from view he exhaled slowly, thrown by what had happened. He’d wanted to haul Caro Rivage into his arms and hold her close. To ease the grim shadows that rode her.

His nostrils flared and he stepped back into Ariane’s doorway, glancing at the curled-up child.

Tonight had revealed several things.

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