Based on the movies Eloise at the Plaza and Eloise at Christmastime. The characters do not belong to me but to Kay Thompson and Walt Disney. I make no money off of them just a great deal of fun.
Nanny's Valentine.
Bill and Rachel's wedding was in one week and Eloise was beside herself in happiness. She couldn't believe that she had thought that getting married on Christmas Eve was romantic because getting married on St. Valentine's Day was so much more romantic. What could be better than that? It was the only thing she talked about, much to Nanny's amusement and even had staged a practice ceremony with Skipperdee as the ring bearer and Weenie as the groom.
Rachel had been most kind in allowing the little girl to "help" with the plans as much as possible, an act that warmed Nanny's heart and made her think even more highly of the girl than she already had. Knowing from experience that a revved up Eloise can be quite a handful she couldn't help but think that Rachel would make a very good mother one day.
Eloise of course had been asked to be in the wedding and her dress was already hanging in Nanny's closet, a pretty pink and white dress with puffed sleeves and a satin sash. The little girl had tried it on several times already, asking if she could wear her hair up and would she be carrying flowers. Nanny assured her that both things would be happening.
The impending wedding did make Nanny think occasionally of what her life might have been like if she had married and settled down with a nice lad from her village instead of choosing the path she had. But she was very content with her life and even more so now that Sir Wilkes was becoming an even more important part of it everyday.
Still shy to show their affection in public, in private it was becoming an entirely different matter. Kisses and caresses became longer each time, was she feeling things she had been sure she was to old to experience-- finding out she was more than a little wrong.
Yes, things were going quite well and everyone was happy and content with their lot. Eloise had hoped that her mother might fly in for the Valentine's holiday and had been sorely disappointed that Louise had called saying she would be going to Paris, but the wedding had helped soften that blow.
Three days before the wedding, everyone was trying to make sure the last minute things were getting done, the staff in a whirlwind of activity. The lobby was always decorated for the holiday but it was even more so with the upcoming nuptials. Nanny again was amazed at Rachel's calmness in dealing with Eloise who let it be known in no uncertain terms that things had, had, HAD to be done this way and no other. Especially if it were the way Prunella didn't want.
Speaking of Prunella, she had summoned Nanny just that morning down to her office to suggest (demand was more like it) that perhaps Eloise could be kept in her room while people were busy working.
Nanny had shaken her head and said that she wasn't going to be the one to stifle Eloise's creativity and that unless she was hurting some one or Rachel and Bill didn't want her around she was going to keep out of it.
"I love a forceful woman." she heard Sir Wilkes say low in her ear she stood waiting for the elevator door to open.
"Sir Wilkes!" she nearly jumped out of her skin, surprised by not displeased at his presence. They had gone further last night than they ever had before and she was dreadfully hoping he wasn't going to say he was sorry or anything. Being with him was nice and right and it made her feel like a desirable woman.
They road up to the first floor, decorum itself, Max being his usually unchatty self. Sir Wilkes tipped his hat to the attendant, leading Nanny out by her hand, walking slowly to her door. "Allow me." he took her key from her hand and helped her inside. The minute the door was shut, she was in his arms, his mouth on hers, bodies so close.
"Oh Nanny." he whispered in that same low voice, "It's getting harder to live without you. I fear I'm rather selfish and want you all to myself."
"All to yourself. " She touched his face, feeling his mustache against her skin. "But what about Eloise."
"I would never ask you to leave Eloise. I believe the two of you are a package deal indeed."
"I know I'm a little slow about things." Nanny's eyes looked into his earnestly. "And it's much, much, much to hard to think when you are touching me like this, but did you just ask me to marry you?"
"That is exactly what I'm doing fair lady." and he caressed her cheek before slowly getting down on one knee. "Nanny, would you please." But he never got to finish his sentence because at that moment Eloise came (burst, would be a better word) the door, fear written over his face.
"Oh my Lord, Nanny. "She ran up to her caregiver, throwing her arms round her legs. "Oh my goodness, oh my goodness!"
"What is it Pet?" Nanny struggled to get down on the child's level. "Tell Nanny what the matter is."
Sir Wilkes had managed to get up and made his way over to the couch. Nanny threw him a look asking him to understand and her nodded that he did.
"Bill and Rachel are going to move after they get married." the girl was near panic. "They aren't going to live at the Plaza!"
"Well of course they aren't Pet." the woman soothed her red face with a cool hand. "They are going to move into an apartment."
'What's an apartment?" Eloise's lip was trembling. "And why don't they want to live at the Plaza. Anyone who is anyone would want to live at the Plaza."
"An apartment is like a hotel in a way, only you don't have maid service or room service." was the best way she could describe it. "And you have your own outside door, usually."
"I don't understand why anyone would want to do that." Eloise persisted. "I want them to live here."
"Oh but Eloise they want to have their own place, to be alone."
"Do you think we can go visit them?" she looked a little more hopeful.
"I'm sure we can." Nanny assured her. "I know they will show you where they live."
"I don't know if I like that idea." the girl was persistent. "I'll have to think it over."
She went into her room, Nanny going to sit over beside Sir Wilkes, who was sitting their calmly holding his hat in his hands.
"I'm sorry," she muttered."I'm afraid you were in the middle of something important."
'I was." he threw the hat down on the floor, reaching for her hands. "Nanny, nothing would pleasure me more than to have you as my wife. And I promise we can keep living in the Plaza."
"Why wouldn't WE keep living in the Plaza?" Eloise had snuck up on them and they hadn't even noticed. "Are we going to leave?" her panic returning.
"Oh no, Eloise." Sir Wilkes shook his head. "We are all going to stay here. But how would you like it if Nanny and I were to get married and perhaps we all move into on suite?"
"Oh my Lord." Eloise and Nanny said at the same time. She had never thought of that. Marriage would make everything different. Was she able to handle different? She had lived at the Plaza with Eloise for so long, in this suite, doing pretty much as she pleased. Could she marry and be a good wife after all this time?
"Are you going to marry Sir Wilkes?" Eloise looked at her.
"Well, " Nanny lowered her head. "I think maybe I need to think about it."
"Well of course you need to think about it." Sir Wilkes got up, suddenly feeling foolish. He knew he shouldn't but he couldn't help it. "You know where to reach me, when you need me."
Nanny nodded, her heart sinking as she watched him walk out of the door. Eloise was her life, but didn't she deserve to have a bit of a life of her own? She couldn't believe that a man like Sir Wilkes would want to marry her—her, a common nanny, with no impressive lineage or inheritance. And he wanted to love her because he loved her. And she loved him. Was she selfish to not be thinking about how Eloise might feel? Or did she let her world revolve around the girl and not enough around herself?
For two days, Nanny tried to ignore what had happened and get on with life as it has always been. Eloise assured her that she liked Sir Wilkes but she wasn't sure about them getting married. Falling in love was tres magnifique, but actually getting married? And perhaps the girl was right.
Sir Wilkes came out of his room little, but was cordial when he passed Nanny in the hall. She hated to see the sad look in his eyes as she went by him. What should she do? What should she do? Oh, what should she do?
The morning of the wedding, Eloise got up early to go down to the Versailles room to "help" Prunella with the last minute details, telling Nanny after that she could be found in Rachel's room. Nanny drank two cups of rawther hot and strong coffee, eating her oatmeal slowly, still not convinced that ignoring Sir Wilke's proposal was the best thing for her or Eloise.
Suddenly without even really realizing what she was doing, she reached for her dressing gown and made her way down to Sir Wilkes's suit. Knocking on the door, a little more loudly than necessary, she almost fell into the room when he opened the door.
"I do want to marry you," she blurted out. "I won't leave Eloise but I do want to marry you and I'm sure we can work something out about living arrangements. I love you and I want to be your wife." There she had said it.
For his answer, he took her face between his hands, kissing her for all he was worth. Desire spread through her as his hands moved down her body, holding her close, touching her through the flimsy material of her nightgown. She could barely breathe at the feel of his warm hands everywhere, the tingle of excitement that made her body turn to mush.
"I can't scoop you up and carry you to my bed." he told her, surprised how much he needed and wanted to be with this woman he loved. "But if you would oblige me."
She laughed and nodded, the two of them making their way to his room. They didn't take time for much formality, consummating their desire on top of his duvet, their sweaty bodies spent as they lay cuddled together.
The phone rang, waking them up, Nanny glancing at the clock, "It was almost noon!
"The wedding is in an hour!" she gasped, getting out of bed, looking around for her night things.
"We will make it." Sir Wilkes chuckled. "Eloise will see to that."
"Yes she will." she shook her head in amusement. "And you are right, we will make it."
And they both knew she didn't mean to just Rachel and Bill's wedding. It was a much deeper than that.