Title: WHILE Eloise was in Paris ...
Authors: Kiki & RevSue
Rating: T ... but still, romance!!
Summary: Kiki's idea! Eloise goes to Paris with her mother in March 1956 (arbitrarily three months after Eloise at Christmastime!) ... and Nanny finds herself at loose ends in New York City (for a little while!)
Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters since the Eloise movies and the characters are the property of Disney and Kay Thompson. I make no money from this work of fiction!
Nanny leaned on the windowsill of their suite on the sixteenth floor of the Plaza Hotel, and sighed. After Eloise had gone to be with her mother in Paris, Nanny had delighted in the peace and quiet surrounding her for the first day or two. However, being more accustomed to a whirlwind of activity when Eloise was with her, Nanny found she was actually becoming bored ... and being bored was not allowed, for Lord's sake!
The last few mornings when she had not being awakened by an alarm or Eloise's loud cry, Nanny had lain in bed, warm and relaxed, and suddenly her body had begun to heat up and cravings had rolled over her in waves. At first she had thought with horror that she was suffering hot flashes, after thinking she had been done with that nonsense for years now and she was surely much too old now – much, much, much! Then she had realized that the heat wasn't as simple as menopause. Rather, it was ... well, to be absolutely blunt about it, the biggest part of it was LUST! It was lust which included a very strong desire to be held and a real longing for another body ... a MALE body!
All her life, Nanny had missed the feel and smell, the taste and touch of a man's body. It didn't matter that she was so well known in the Plaza that every single person who worked there would know within an hour if she, by some miracle, ever had a date! Nor did it matter that she had NEVER really had a relationship with a man in all her sixty-eight years. Yes, for the last couple of days, she had been experiencing a very powerful, very directed longing for something more than she had ever had or wanted with a man before. Unfortunately, it seemed that somehow this longing had become fixated on the only single man with whom she was acquainted, namely Sir Wilkes. HE would probably never have noticed her had Eloise not struck up countless conversations with him. But Nanny had noticed him, for sure, sure, sure!
Nanny sighed again. Now, looking out the window and seeing the crowds of tourists streaming in and out of the Plaza, not to mention those hiring the horse-drawn carriages which were lined up along the streets and those people enjoying the spring weather which had finally come to New York City made up Nanny's mind for her. She would 'play tourist' for the next week, and really get to know this city which had been her home on and off for thirty years.
Knowing that Walter was the man to see about getting reservations on various tours, as well as the one probably most knowledgeable as to which tours were best, Nanny headed downstairs, purse in hand. She sincerely hoped the tours would not be too expensive, as Kay had neglected to pay her salary this month.
"Walter, I was wondering if you could get me a ticket to go on one of those city bus tours ..." she asked diffidently, pointing to a colourful poster by the man's desk.
"Sure, Nanny. When do you want to go?"
"Well, I was hoping ... tomorrow," she smiled.
"I'll go check ... just give me a minute, please, Nanny!"
Clutching her purse to her chest, Nanny pursed her lips and whistled softly as she idly read the myriad of advertisements on the walls behind the concierge's counter.
"Nanny?"
The deep voice in her ear made Nanny jump in surprise, a discordant whistle coming from her lips. "Aoww, my LORD! Sir Wilkes!"
"Nanny, I thought you had gone to Paris for a week! Eloise said 'we' when she mentioned leaving a couple of days ago ..." Sir Wilkes took off his hat, a puzzled look on his face. "And when I didn't see a sign of either of you for a couple of days, I just assumed that you had ..."
"No, no, no," Nanny shook her head. "Eloise went to Paris with Kay. I'm really not one for shopping in all those designer stores, for Lord's sake!"
Walter came back just then. "You're in luck, Nanny! There are just two seats left on the tour tomorrow morning. It leaves at seven a.m. sharp from just outside the front doors here. Your lunch and supper are provided as part of your tour ticket."
"Tour?" Sir Wilkes questioned.
Nanny blushed a little and stammered as she said, "Well, being that I'm alone this week ... and I've told Eloise over and over that being bored is not allowed, I thought I would do a little sight-seeing around New York City. So, thanks to Walter, I'm taking that day tour ...." and she pointed to the sign on the wall beside Sir Wilkes.
"By yourself?"
"Well ... yes."
"Walter, you did say there were two seats left, did you not?" queried Sir Wilkes.
"That's right, Sir Wilkes," Walter grinned. "You interested in going on the tour, too?"
"I do believe I am ..." With that, Sir Wilkes pulled out his wallet and, despite Nanny's flabbergasted protests, paid for both tour tickets. "Tosh, tosh, tosh!" he said to Nanny when Walter had gone back with the money to fetch the tickets. "Think of it as a belated Christmas present. The one I never got you."
"But I didn't get YOU a Christmas present either, Sir Wilkes! And you know, know, KNOW that that entire Christmas present fiasco was Eloise's doing!"
"On the contrary, Nanny," Sir Wilkes said softly, "This past Christmas, I received one of the best gifts I have ever had in my life from you."
Nanny stared at him, bewildered. Then her eyes narrowed. "Did Eloise ...?"
"No," he shook his head emphatically. "No, it wasn't Eloise. It was YOU, Nanny."
"When?" she demanded. "When did I give you a gift?"
"Under the tree on Christmas Eve. Upon reflection, I do believe that it came from your heart, and if I was listening to YOUR heart properly, I would have realized it much sooner than I did."
Unable to say a word, her face suffused with colour and she looked away even as the thought went through her mind, Oh my stars, stars, stars, he's actually referring to the KISS I gave him under the tree!
"Please, Nanny," Sir Wilkes wheedled, "allow me to accompany you on the bus tour tomorrow."
"You may certainly accompany me ... the seat was vacant anyway ... but you needn't pay for my ticket, for Lord's sake!" Nanny spoke hesitantly at the start, then her resolve came back, and she was insistent that she pay for her own tour ticket in spite of her hidden delight that Sir Wilkes was wanting to spend time with her on a bus excursion!
"Please, Nanny ..." Sir Wilkes repeated, but was interrupted by Walter's return.
"Here you are, Sir Wilkes! Two tickets. One for you, and one for Nanny. Have a good day, kids!" The concierge winked and grinned. "While Eloise is in Paris ... well, make hay while the sun shines, as they say! And I'll leave you with one final admonishment which will give you plenty of leeway ... don't do anything *I* wouldn't do!" Guffawing at the faintly embarrassed look on Nanny's face, Walter mercifully left them alone.
"Er, Nanny, have you eaten tonight?" Sir Wilkes questioned as Nanny began to turn away without a word.
Nanny, still a little dazed by the speed with which Sir Wilkes had taken over her planned day to play tourist, merely stared at him and shook her head.
"Then would you do me the honour of joining me in the Rose Room?"
"Sir Wilkes!" Nanny gasped again, one more shock giving her the nudge she needed to find her voice. "That's absolutely not neces ...."
"You see," he broke in smoothly, "I haven't eaten all day, and I am not fond of dining in such elegant restaurants alone. It quite takes away my appetite, and I must admit, I am terribly ravenous. Please, Nanny?"
Helplessly Nanny looked at him, then glanced around. No one was in sight. She looked down at herself and sighed. "Sir Wilkes, I'm not dressed properly for the Rose Room!"
"How remarkable! I thought you were MOST properly dressed!"
"Oh, my Lord, not for that fancy place!"
"I see. Then ... shall we eat in the Palm Court?"
"But you wanted to eat in an elegant restaurant, you said!"
"I'd rather eat from a street vendor with yo ... er, in company such as yours than in the most elegant restaurant by myself! Please, Nanny?"
After a moment, she nodded, still looking uncertain. "Very well. I ... I thank you once again."
"I thank YOU for saving me from room service," he said, gallantly offering her his arm. "Shall we?"
O o O o O o
They walked across the lobby, and Nanny was certain she felt all the curious glances trained on her, strangers wondering why such a distinguished gentleman was arm-in-arm with someone the likes of HER! She was convinced it was all a game to him. It had to be. Men like him were not, could not POSSIBLY be, interested in ... women like her.
Henry greeted them with a wide smile at the entrance to the Palm Court. "Nanny! Sir Wilkes! So nice to see you here together again!" Then he winked at Sir Wilkes and said in an undertone, "and I understand you making your move while Eloise is away! Good plan! After all, while the cat's away, the mice will play!"
Nanny overheard Henry's jocular comment and her breath caught. My sainted Aunt Fanny! Both Walter AND Henry must think there is something between ... between Sir Wilkes and me! Oh, my stars, stars, stars!
"Come this way, both of you. I've got just the place – a nice, secluded, romantic table for two ..." Henry said meaningfully.
Her face hot with embarrassment, Nanny followed ... not noticing that Sir Wilkes' face was just as fiery as her own felt. They were both silent as they were seated and the menus placed in their hands, neither one brave enough to look up at the other.
After their orders had been taken, Sir Wilkes cleared his throat and said, rather desperately, "Nanny ... as we are spending the day tomorrow in close proximity, perhaps we should, well, get to know each other a little better? Er, our pasts, I mean ..." He took a gulp of the ice water Henry had left them. "And really ... I can't just keep calling you Nanny!"
Nanny peeked at him, and saw he looked every bit as uncomfortable now as she felt ... and that suddenly gave her a measure of courage. In an effort to make him feel that his invitation for dinner was not wasted, she exerted herself to be more entertaining. If he wanted to know about her past ... well, she had no deep, dark secrets! She grinned suddenly, "I suppose you can't ... as it does sound funny ... but Sir Wilkes, my real name IS Nanny ... well, Elizabeth Anne, but they called me Nan or Nanny. I've never been Elizabeth Anne. That name is rawther classy, I always thought, not me at all, but ... well, anyway, when that was all I could do, look after children, I mean, I AM Nanny!"
"Your ... your name IS Nanny?" Then Sir Wilkes pulled himself together and frowned slightly, "Er, Eloise told me that you had some ridiculous idea in your head that I am above your station or something? I believe those were her exact words."
"Oh, my Lord, she didn't SAY that to you, did she?" Nanny was covered with confusion again.
"Actually, she did, and I was SO hoping she was wrong! She said it when I was asking her advice regarding a Christmas present for you ... and I simply must apologize to you for never actually managing to find something worthy of you ..."
Nanny's eyes were wide with surprise. "W-worthy? Of ME?" she squeaked.
His hand came down over hers which was clenched on the table, and he leaned forward earnestly. "I DID try to find something wonderful, something that you would love, something that would suit you exactly, but I'm afraid my ideas were never quite good enough for someone like y...."
Just then, Henry came back with their meals. Nanny pulled her hand away abruptly, and Sir Wilkes cleared his throat again. They both murmured their thanks, and when Henry left them alone, Nanny picked up her fork, determined to change the subject.
"I suppose it's rawther obvious that I'm from London ... er, whereabouts in England were you born?"
Sir Wilkes smiled unexpectedly. "Actually, I was born in Alberta, in Canada."
"Really? But your accent ..."
"When I was seven, my family returned to England and I was sent to boarding school. I expect that's where my accent comes from. All those years of schooling in England ..."
"I grew up without the benefit of much schooling," Nanny said a trifle wistfully. "which is why I am so adamant that Eloise be educated properly. She has to MAKE something of herself! The child has a big heart, but she doesn't like learning from books, for sure, sure, sure. When she said she hated studying, I told her, 'just think how attractive THAT would be, growing up ignorant!' She should just look at ME ...."
"I think you're very attractive, Nanny," Sir Wilkes said softly, his face a little pink as he looked directly at her. "Then again, I don't think you're at all ignorant, either."
Her mouth dropped open in amazement at his words and significant look, then her face flushed a deep red and she looked away, speechless.
They ate silently for a while, then Nanny ventured to say, "You know the important people in my life ... Eloise and her mother Kay. Do you have any family, Sir Wilkes?"
His face broke into a beaming smile, and he reached into his pocket for his wallet. "I have family indeed ... my adored Kathleen, three boys I love very much, and just last month, the third generation Wilkes was born!"
Sir Wilkes was busy extracting the pictures from his wallet and didn't notice that Nanny's face changed or that she almost choked on her food. He was MARRIED? He had three sons and now a GRANDCHILD? OH MY LORD!
"But ... but where ...?" Nanny swallowed hard and tried to keep her voice from breaking. "Do they live ... here?"
"Oh no! No, they're in England. I spend a total of about eight months of the year in England, you see, so it was easier for me to stay in a hotel here for the times that I am required to be in New York City on business. That is why I have this suite here at the Plaza."
"I ... see ..." Nanny also saw her hopes and dreams of a further relationship with Sir Wilkes disappear. She took the pictures when he thrust them into her hand, and concentrated fiercely on keeping her tears back as she stared at the black and white pictures of a lovely woman surrounded by three men, one of whom looked very like Sir Wilkes himself. Another picture showed Sir Wilkes and his 'adored Kathleen' with their heads very close together as they posed for the picture. And finally, a picture of Sir Wilkes, the son who looked most like him, and a tiny newborn.
"That's my Will – he WAS the baby of the family until this new little Wilkes came along!" Sir Wilkes said proudly. "We're calling him Willie ..."
"You ... you must be very proud of them ..." Nanny murmured, passing the pictures back. She had lost her appetite completely. Again there was a silence which this time Nanny did not try to fill. What could she say ... to a MARRIED man? After pushing the rest of her food listlessly around her plate, she put her fork down.
"Would you care for dessert, Nanny?" Henry asked as he took her plate.
"No, thank you, no, no, no ..." All she wanted to do was escape up to her own suite and hide until her agony of shame and misery was somewhat bearable.
"Sir Wilkes?" Henry asked.
"No, thank you," Sir Wilkes replied. His voice sounded different, and when Nanny raised her eyes to his, she found him studying her perplexedly, as if he couldn't understand who she was or why she was sitting across from him.
Nanny's pain almost overwhelmed her, but she forced it back, furious that she had allowed herself to even BEGIN to think of this man in romantic terms. He had never given her any indication that her attraction was returned, although he had certainly been unfailingly polite with her for the last two years. What must he be thinking of her now? She couldn't bear to stay here any longer. "Sir Wilkes, I cannot apologize enough, but ... but I must go ..." Her voice wobbled and cracked. That was the last straw. Getting to her feet without waiting for his response, she turned and fled.
Hearing him calling her name across the lobby had her hesitating, but when Max chanced to open the elevator just as she arrived by the doors, Nanny slipped in, hoping that Sir Wilkes would stop his pursuit. She absolutely could not face him yet, for Lord's sake! Not until she had come to grips with the knowledge of his marriage.
Most unfortunately, Max heard Sir Wilkes' call to hold the elevator, and with a sense of inevitability, Nanny stiffened and kept her eyes on the floor as Sir Wilkes hurried in breathlessly and took up his usual position in the corner just behind her right shoulder.
"Thank you, Max," Sir Wilkes almost gasped. "I'm getting too old to go chasing about like this! Er, Nanny ...?" and she sensed him touching his hat as he gave a little bow. "Perhaps I might have a word with you in private? Er, when we get to our floor, of course!"
Nanny said nothing, but when they reached the sixteenth floor, Sir Wilkes took a firm hold of her elbow and escorted her off. The moment the elevator doors closed behind them, she shook free of him. "Kindly keep your hands to yourself, Sir Wilkes!" she almost spat at him. "Your wife would not appreciate your actions, for sure, sure, sure!"
Sir Wilkes stepped back in shock. "My ... my wife?"
"Have you forgotten her already? Oh, my Lord, you just SHOWED me her picture ... and called her your 'adored Kathleen' ... and now you've forgotten her? How very convenient!" Nanny tossed her head and headed for her room.
Before she got to the door, his hand again grasped her elbow and swung her back to face him. "Nanny, wait. Let me explain ..."
"Explain? Explain? Explain what, for Lord's sake? That you ...?" she paused. She couldn't accuse him of leading her on falsely ... he had never said or done much of anything to make her think he thought of her as anyone but the neighbour down the hall when he happened to see her! "That you ...?" Her voice trailed off as Sir Wilkes interrupted her.
"That I have a twin sister who has three sons I love as dearly as if they were my own?" Sir Wilkes spoke hastily. "A twin sister ... Kathleen?"
Nanny gasped. "A ... a SISTER?" She searched his eyes, looking for a sign that he was telling the truth.
Sir Wilkes, some bewilderment still evident in his expression, nodded vigorously. "Kathleen is my sister. Did you not see the resemblance in the picture? And ... and if you will come to my room, I can show you a picture of Kathleen and David the day they married, and more pictures proving that *I* am not married to her ... or indeed to ANYONE! Please, Nanny, please come and let me show you ..."
Her joy was almost as overwhelming as her pain had been. Now, however, she was worried that she had shown her innermost feelings too much. She managed a crooked smile. "That sounds rawther like 'come and see my etchings'..."
"Those, too!" he nodded, relaxing suddenly.
Sir Wilkes ushered her down the hallway and she waited while he opened the door and motioned her to go in first. Straight across from the doorway was an open cupboard with shelves holding a profusion of pictures. Sure enough, there was a wedding picture with a younger Sir Wilkes and a younger Kathleen, and the man Kathleen had married. There were many others of the family, and Nanny looked at them all silently, very aware of the man standing just behind her.
Then she turned to Sir Wilkes. "Oh, Sir Wilkes, once again I cannot apologize enough ..."
"Tell me, Nanny, do you really think I would have ..." He flushed a little, then finished quickly, "pursued you had I been married? Do I appear to be that sort of man?"
"Aoww, no, no, no! You have behaved like a perfect gentleman! That's why I was so ..." Nanny broke off, flushing herself. Had he really said he had ... pursued her? "I was ... surprised, that's all," she stammered.
"Ah."
"Well, I should go ..."
"Yes, perhaps you should, but ... but I wish you wouldn't. Not quite yet. We really do need to discuss tomorrow ..."
"Do we?" Nanny began to back away.
"What time are we to be waiting in the lobby?"
"I ... er ... I don't remember," she mumbled. "And you have the tickets."
"Right! I do!" He blushed and again fumbled in his pocket for his wallet. "Let me see ... seven o'clock!"
"Oh my stars, stars, stars! We'll have to be getting up before breakfast tomorrow, for sure, sure, sure!"
"Would you care to breakfast with me ...?"
"Thank you, Sir Wilkes, but you have done more than enough for me today ..." Nanny was firm. There was no way on earth she was going to face him early in the morning before she had a few cups of hot coffee, for Lord's sake! ESPECIALLY when she would be spending the entire day in his company on a BUS!
"No, thank YOU, ... Elizabeth Anne." He stepped a little closer and, almost before she was aware of his intentions, his lips were on hers in a fleeting kiss. Then, his face red, he hurried over to the door and held it open for her. "I'll see you in the morning ..."
Not daring to look at him again, Nanny inched past him, her lips still burning with his touch. When she was in her own suite once more, she held her hands to her mouth as she leaned back against the closed door. "Oh, my Lord ...!" she whispered to herself. "Oh my LORD!"
Trembling, she struggled to collect her scattered thoughts. First he had called her by name, then he had ... had KISSED her! What WAS it about Sir Wilkes that turned her from someone who had always rushed headlong after what she wanted, even when it was a mistake, into someone who felt shy, uncertain, and rawther lost?
O o O o O o To be continued.....
