The Mysterious Twin

“I’ve been to a few parties,” Ashley said lightly, resenting his suggestive tone. Jill’s personal life was none of Kyle Stone’s business. He was, after all, just an employee of Hugo Vandenburg, as she was. The way he’d deftly turned the conversation back onto her made it difficult to keep the questions going in his direction. She sensed that there was a war of sorts going on between them.

“What about your family?” he prodded.

She stalled, lifting her glass to her lips again, and suddenly realized that her drink was nearly gone. Never in her life had she drunk a cocktail so fast.

“Here, let me fill that up,” Kyle said as he saw her looking at her glass. She was a drinker, all right, he thought as he took the pitcher and filled her glass again. She had downed her drink in record time. His orders were to make sure that her stay as nanny was a successful one, even if he had to pick up the slack with the children. Keeping her on the job was going to be one heck of a challenge if she were a lush. Just his luck that he’d have to put an inebriated Jill Gordon to bed her first night here. Where was Gerta with the food?

As Ashley watched him fill her glass again, she realized that in her nervousness she’d consumed the first drink much too fast. The clear thoughts she needed so desperately in order to get through this dinner without a catastrophe were already becoming fuzzy. Her sister would never forgive her if she fouled up everything the first night here. I have to keep the talk general and away from any personal revelations, she told herself. She already had the feeling that Kyle knew enough about Jill to make any conversation a minefield.

As she let her gaze wander around the room, searching for some neutral topic, she murmured, “Very nice decor.”

“Hugo renovated the whole house last winter,” Kyle said, glancing at his watch.

Ashley pretended interest in the ivory-and-burgundy floral wallpaper and framed prints of southern colonial life hung in an artistic grouping above the mirrored buffet. As her gaze moved to a corner of the room, she suddenly stiffened, blinked and stared. Were her eyes deceiving her?

“What’s the matter?” he asked, seeing her startled expression.

“That freestanding corner cabinet…”

He followed her gaze. “Yes. What’s the matter with it?”

“It looks in perfect condition,” she answered without thinking as her eyes swept over the dark walnut wood. The only time she’d seen one like it was in the textbook she used to teach about life in the colonial period. The cabinet’s fluted pilasters and classical moldings revealed the close relationship between cabinetwork and architecture that was observed in the colonies as early as 1715. There was no doubt in Ashley’s mind that this was a museum piece. She opened her mouth to share this wonderful discovery and then realized from the look on his face that she’d stepped into quicksand. “My aunt had one like that,” she lied.

“Are you interested in antique furniture, Jill?” he asked with a rather mocking smile. “Mr. Vandenburg has a hobby of buying up old estates, you know.”

“No, I didn’t,” she answered truthfully. This was a surprise. From what Jill had said, Ashley hadn’t expected the wealthy man to be a collector.

“You’ll probably find quite a few pieces in the house, as well as old china and porcelain,” he said casually.

“Nice hobby,” she answered in what she hoped was a matter-of-fact tone that would hide her excitement. No telling what treasures the man had picked up if this lovely walnut cupboard was any indication of his tastes, she thought. Her historical studies had created an insatiable passion for beautiful antiques. Maybe she’d have a chance to see some of them before she and Jill switched places. Thinking about her twin brought Ashley up short. She knew it would be out of character for Jill to be interested in “old things.” In fact, she knew what her sister’s response to all of this would be.

“I bet they’re worth a lot of money,” Ashley said.

Kyle smiled. Money. For a few minutes there, her interest in the old cupboard had thrown him an unexpected curve. The pretty lady’s interest in an old cupboard didn’t fit in with the profile that he’d been given. Now, he knew her interest was centered on cold, hard cash.

“I guess there’s a market for that stuff,” he agreed, deciding he’d have to make sure that they kept temptation out of her way. Money was money, and he didn’t want her lifting any gold snuff boxes or rare coins. He knew she was financially stressed, and he’d seen the light of interest in her eyes when he told her about Hugo’s penchant for antiques. Yes, indeed, this gal was going to require a lot more attention than he’d been led to believe. Hugo would have his neck for sure if something happened to even one of his prize acquisitions.

At that moment Gerta came in with the dinner trays. The maid looked harried, and Kyle wondered if her uncle, the cook, had been at her again. Hugo had brought a distant relative of his, Hendrick Heinz, from Germany to cook for him, and Gerta, the cook’s niece, had come along, too. She was a very plain woman in her thirties, and Kyle had decided that she had a personality as colorless as her looks. The only time Gerta showed any animation was when she was fighting with her uncle, and the kitchen rocked as they spewed a volley of German curses at each other. Kyle had learned to give them a wide berth, leaving Mrs. Borsch to deal with the volatile pair. The only saving grace were the wonderful meals that the bombastic Hendrick prepared.

“Thank you, Gerta,” Kyle said, as she began to place covered dishes on the table. Then he smiled at Ashley, “You’re in for a treat. I’ll guarantee that you’ve never tasted better cooking anywhere. The menu is always varied, even when Hugo is gone. I hope you’re not watching that slim figure of yours so much you don’t enjoy good food.”

As his eyes lingered a moment on her tight-fitting dress, Ashley felt a spurt of irritation. Why did she have the feeling he was constantly baiting her?

“Oh, is that a problem for you?” she answered, looking at him with what she hoped was wide-eyed innocence. “Luckily, I’m able to eat whatever I want without worrying. I suppose some people have problems with over-eating.”

As Gerta placed a steaming bowl of lobster bisque in front of her, Ashley smiled at the maid, but she kept her head lowered and avoided any eye contact as she moved around the table.

“Wine?” Kyle offered as he took an iced bottle out of a wine bucket and reached for her goblet.

“No, thank you,” Ashley said quickly. She was still feeling the effects of her first drink, and was determined to keep her mind clear for the match of wits they were playing. “I’d prefer a cup of coffee with dinner,” she said.

“Yes, of course,” Kyle said, surprised. “Coffee for the lady, Gerta.” He saw then that she hadn’t touched her second drink.

Dinner wasn’t going at all the way he had imagined. He’d been prepared for a light flirtation on her part, accompanied by a lot of superficial chitchat. He was getting all kinds of mixed vibes from her. A deep uneasiness began to gnaw at him. What if she wasn’t the fluffy-headed yuppie that he’d been led to believe? That could complicate matters with frightening consequences. Maybe Jill Gordon had a hidden agenda of her own in coming here?

“Delicious soup,” Ashley murmured, and when the main course of medaillons of veal with creamed asparagus and sautéed sugar snap peas was served, she didn’t have to pretend to enjoy the delicious meal.

Her dinner partner had fallen strangely silent, and Ashley began to relax. She didn’t know how she was going to manage it, but she wasn’t going to put herself through this every evening. Using the baby or the children as an excuse, she’d keep her distance from Mr. Stone and make some other arrangement for dinner. Jill could handle the situation any way she wanted, but Ashley wasn’t up to any more games of cat-and-mouse.

When they had finished a mouthwatering cappuccino truffle for dessert, Ashley wiped her mouth with the linen napkin and said, “You were right. The dinner was wonderful. I’d like to thank the cook personally.”

“No,” Kyle said, quickly rising to his feet before she did. “Not a good idea. I mean, Hendrick is rather temperamental. Almost everyone in the house views his kitchen as enemy territory. I give him a wide berth. Just tell Mrs. Borsch and she’ll pass along the compliment.”

Ashley frowned. “It sounds as if you’re not one of his favorite people.”

“Let’s say I’ve lost a few skirmishes.” He came around the table and slipped her chair back. “I’ll see you upstairs.”

As she stood up, his warm breath touched her neck and a teasing scent of a spicy cologne teased her nostrils. His nearness was unsettling, and she wished that he’d forget about being the polite host and let her go back to her room by herself—if she could find it.

As they started down the long main hall past several closed doors, Ashley asked, “Which room is the library? I thought I’d take a quick look around and see what I might use with Pamela and Benny tomorrow. According to the schedule Mrs. Borsch gave me, I have to keep them busy in the library until noon.”

“It’s right off the music room,” he said as he stopped in front of a set of double doors. He opened them, reached inside and flipped on a light to reveal a high ceiling and floor-to-ceiling bookcases lining the walls.

Ashley’s eyes widened as they entered the spacious room. It was filled with myriad books and tastefully furnished with small reading tables, comfortable chairs and brown leather couches. A modern computer stood on a desk in one corner.

“You look surprised,” Kyle said with an edge of amusement at Ashley’s obvious stunned reaction.

“I have to confess that I didn’t expect such a complete library,” she admitted.

Was the room just for show, or did Hugo Vandenburg have as much interest in reading as he did in sports? Somehow Ashley hadn’t pictured the wealthy game owner as an intellectual. Jill had given her the impression that Vandenburg was a hard-nosed businessman who had little interest in anything but a winning team, and a good return on his investment.

Kyle walked over to a library table where some books and boxes were stacked. “Here are some schoolbooks and supplies which Pamela and Benny’s mother left for them. She was concerned that they were missing their usual summer educational program, and she wasn’t happy about them spending the summer here.”

“The children don’t seem very happy about it, either,” Ashley commented, thoughtfully. “I wonder why the decision was made to leave them here?”

Kyle didn’t like the way the conversation was going. This kind of questioning could backfire if he gave the wrong answers. “It was their grandfather’s idea,” he offered with a slight shrug. “I guess he wanted to spend more time with them.”

“But does he? I mean, does he spend more time with them when they’re here?”

“When he can,” Kyle answered vaguely. “I imagine Hugo will want a report from you from time to time about the children’s studies,” he said, deliberately stretching the truth. Hugo had told him not to worry about anything but keeping her and the kids occupied, but Kyle suddenly decided it might be better if she concentrated on their studies rather than asking questions that might prove dangerous to everyone. “Benny and Pamela can probably tell you what subjects their mother wants them to study.”

As she fingered through the schoolbooks, he studied her expression, but he couldn’t tell how she was reacting to the challenge of teaching. He wouldn’t be surprised if neither of the kids opened a book while they were holed up in the library for two hours every day. The schedule was one that the children’s mother had insisted upon. Hugo hadn’t cared one way or the other, but had agreed in order to get his way.

“The music room is there,” he said, pointing to an archway at the far end of the library. “Would you like to see it?”

She nodded. “Yes, please.”

As he turned on the lights, he decided that it was a good bet that Jill Gordon and the kids would spend more time in the music room listening to CDs than in the library, reading.

Once again, Ashley was startled by the elegance of the house and its furnishings. In the music room, mirrored walls and murals provided a plush backdrop for a grand piano, an entertainment center and various musical instruments, complete with stands and music.

When Kyle saw her questioning eyes lingering on the assortment of instruments, he explained, “Hugo likes his guests to have everything they need to perform and entertain,”

“And do you perform and entertain, also?” Ashley asked.

Kyle tensed because he knew that there was more to her question than appeared on the surface. Her swiftness and perception were completely unexpected. Had she intuitively picked up his aversion to being Vandenburg’s puppet? “I’m afraid I’m a little short on the entertainment side,” he said evasively. “How about you? Didn’t Hugo tell me that you played the guitar for his guests when you and your husband visited?”

Jill hadn’t told her that little happening. What else had her sister left out? Ashley pretended she was too interested in the room to answer.

“How about a little after-dinner music?” He picked up one of the guitars and handed it to her.

The way he was looking at her made her wonder if he was testing her or just being spontaneous. In any case, he’d backed her into a corner. Even though both she and Jill had taken guitar lessons, Jill was the one who had played in a band after high-school graduation, while Ashley had barely mastered a few chords.

“Your reputation precedes you,” he warned her with a smile.

She forced a laugh. “I’ll tell you what. Let me do a little practicing, and maybe by next week I’ll show off a little bit.”

“Fair enough,” he said. “I’ll look forward to it.”

I’ll have to warn Jill, she thought as they went back into the library. The list of things she needed to coach her twin about was getting longer and longer.

Kyle watched Ashley’s mouth tighten as she picked up a couple of the textbooks to take with her. She was worried. He could tell. What if she backed out of the nanny job because she couldn’t cut the mustard as a teacher?

He immediately shifted into damage-control mode and said, “I wouldn’t worry too much about any formal lessons. Just keep Benny and Pamela occupied as best you can. It is summer, after all.”

She wanted to remind him about his earlier warnings. And now he was giving her mixed signals about what was expected of her as a nanny? How much weight did he have when it came to Hugo’s decisions? She was confused as to his role in the household, but one thing was sure, she couldn’t afford to risk him knowing that Jill was pulling a fast one on him.

As he shut the library doors, he asked, “Would you like to see the solarium?”

Without waiting for her answer, he took her arm

and guided her through an arched doorway into a dimly lit room filled with beautiful plants, exquisite flowers and tropical greenery. Moonlight and stars shone through a domed glass ceiling, and small lights scattered through the flowers beds twinkled like stars and gave a soft illumination to the room. The air was redolent with heady perfume, and the only sound was a soft musical waterfall flowing over rocks into a small pond that glistened in the moonlight.

The room was designed so perfectly that the lush garden outside blended harmoniously with the plants on the inside. It was difficult to tell where one started and the other began. Ashley’s senses were assaulted by the sensuous beauty around her. She was grateful for Kyle’s silence as she touched the delicate petals of a white orchid, and lifted her eyes to the high canopy of sky and stars overhead. Surrounded by beautiful flowering plants of every kind, she truly felt as if she’d suddenly entered some kind of fairyland.

When she turned to smile at him, she forgot about any pretense. “Thank you for sharing this with me.”

Her reaction was not at all what Kyle had expected. He’d only offered to show her the solarium out of politeness, in order that she would know which rooms she could use and which ones were off-limits.

“It’s so beautiful, it’s almost unreal, isn’t it?”

He searched her face and found only sincerity in her shining eyes. The glow on her face was more seductive than her dangling earrings or the tantalizing rise and fall of her full breasts. A surge of sexual warmth took him off guard. He knew he’d better squelch it—and quickly!

“Is it all right if I come here often?” she asked, hopefully.

“The only one who might object is Joseph. He’s possessive about his plants, inside and out,” he said shortly, angry with her for having gotten to him with her shining eyes and awed expression. “But I’m sure you can win him over. I can’t imagine any man resisting your charms for long.”

He knew his snide remark had hit its target when her eyes lost their shine as she turned away from him. Just as well, he thought. He had to keep his priorities straight. There was too much at stake for him to jeopardize months of careful effort because she knew how to send a man’s hormones into orbit.

She fell silent as they walked down the hall. “I’ll see you to your room,” he said when they reached the main staircase to the floors above.

“There’s no need. I know my way from here. Good night and thanks for showing me around.”

Ashley quickly brushed past him and was halfway up the stairs when she realized that he was mounting the stairs behind her. She swung around to face him, ready to dismiss him with her professional hauteur. “Why are you following me?”

His mouth tightened. “Even though the tantalizing allure of you climbing the stairs in that tight dress is worth viewing, Jill, I assure you that my intention is not to follow you. We just happen to be going in the same direction.”

“But I thought you were staying in the guest house.”

Kyle raised an eyebrow. Someone had been talking to her about him. Probably Lily. Sometimes that gal knew more than was good for her. He wondered what else Jill Gordon had picked up on the household grapevine.

“Yes, I’m in the guest house, but I’ve been looking in on the kids every night. And if they’re not asleep, I talk to them a little while.” He gave her that sardonic smile of his. “I hope that’s all right with their new nanny?”

Ashley didn’t even grace his remark with an answer. She turned on her heel, and climbed the rest of the stairs without looking back. Fuming silently, she went down the hall to the nursery and closed the door behind her with a punctuating bang that startled Lily.

What was worse, it woke up the baby!

Whatever she’d said about enjoying the solarium was obviously not to his liking, but then why show it to her in the first place? She was bewildered by the sudden distance he’d put between them. What had she done wrong?

Chapter Four

Lily went quickly over to the crib, turned Davie on his stomach and began patting his little rear. “There, there, back to sleep, now. Back to sleep,” she soothed until his cries had faded away and he was sound asleep again.

“I’m sorry,” Ashley apologized quietly, embarrassed that her irritation with Kyle had gotten the best of her. “Thanks for getting him back to sleep. I wasn’t thinking when I closed the door so hard.”

Lily looked at her with raised eyebrows. “You in a snit about something? Didn’t you enjoy your dinner?”

“Dinner was fine,” Ashley answered evenly. She didn’t want to discuss the evening’s happenings. Her emotions were in some kind of a tangle, and she needed time to sort everything out.

Lily followed her into the bedroom. “Was Mr. Stone there?” she asked. At Ashley’s nod, she sighed. “Isn’t he something?”

He was “something,” all right, Ashley silently agreed. She’d never had a man create such a yo-yo of emotions within her. Her usual calm, confident interaction with other people had deserted her. The whole evening had been like a jousting contest, and she was worn-out.

“Does he check on Pamela and Benny every night?” Ashley asked, disgusted with herself for bothering to validate his story. What did it matter? She planned to give him a wide berth from now on.

“Well, I usually get the children settled in bed by nine, but I know that they don’t go right to sleep because in the morning there are books and stuff all over their beds. Benny said something about Mr. Stone reading to him.”

So he wasn’t lying. For some reason that surprised Ashley, and she began to feel foolish about accusing him of following her.

Lily sighed. “He’s such a nice man. I just can’t believe all the things they say about him.”

“What things?” Ashley’s interest was immediate. Even though gossiping with this young maid wasn’t the kind of behavior that she admired, she was going to do it just the same.

Lily’s expression suddenly became guarded. “Sometimes my tongue gets the better of me. It’s none of my business what goes on around here. Mr. Stone has always been fair with me, and I’m not a bit afraid of him.”

“Afraid of him? Is there some reason you should be?”

Lily’s eyes rounded “I wouldn’t be asking things like that if I were you, Jill,” she warned. “And, please, don’t be saying I was talking out of turn. If you start asking questions, I’m likely to get my walking papers. Promise?”

“Of course, Lily.” Ashley assured her. No doubt the truth about Kyle would probably surface from other sources if she kept her ears open. Her own intuitive sense of his duplicity seemed to be validated by what Lily was afraid to tell her. Finding out as much as she could about him before Jill took over suddenly took on major importance.

“Thanks for looking after the baby, Lily. Now, I’d better get to bed and get some sleep before Davie wakes up for his night feeding.”

“There are three bottles of formula left,” Lily said. “That should carry him until I can make up some more in the morning.”

“You’re an angel, Lily. I don’t think I could manage without you,” she said with more truth than the maid would ever know.

“Davie’s a dear. It’s a dirty shame the way your husband up and left you penniless with a raft of debts. Some of them are saying that you’ve got money stashed away, but I don’t believe it. Why would you take on a nanny’s job if you didn’t have to?”

Ashley blinked. The gossip mill had done its work on Jill, all right. No telling what stories were going around about Budge and the missing money. As if her sister were talking through her, Ashley said, “I need this job. And I intend to do my best to keep it.”

“Oh, I don’t think you have to worry. I heard Mrs. Borsch say that Mr. Vandenburg had given it to you out of the kindness of his heart, that all he really wanted was a babysitter for the summer…not a real nanny.”

“Really?” Ashley frowned. Something didn’t add up. “Mrs. Borsch made it clear what the daily schedule is to be, and what I am supposed to accomplish during those hours. She certainly didn’t give me the impression that I was to be a glorified babysitter and neither did Kyle Stone.”

Lily shrugged and started toward the door. “I guess you’ll find out soon enough.”

“What time do the children have breakfast?”

“Between eight and eight-thirty, usually on the garden terrace, but I heard Mr. Stone tell Gerta that he would be having breakfast with you in the dining room.” She frowned. “That’s kinda strange. He usually has Gerta bring a tray to the guest house in the mornings.” Then her mouth eased into a smile. “I guess he was just waiting for a pretty lady to join him.” She winked at Ashley and disappeared into the hall.

Glancing at her watch, Ashley saw that it was nine-thirty. She’d promised to call Jill at bedtime every night to let her know that everything was under control. Was everything under control? Ashley asked herself as she closed the hall door and took Jill’s cell phone from her purse.