Part 2
"NNAAAAAAAAANNNNYYY!"
Reacting instinctively to the cry and not even trying to open her eyes, Nanny fumbled around for the sheet and dragged it up to cover herself. Then Eloise landed on her bed with a bounce, making the sheet tighten around her body. "NANNY! We're HOME! WAKE UP!"
Trying to sit up but restrained by the sheet which was already baring her legs, Nanny stared wildly first at the little girl then around. SIR WILKES! Where ...? The only sign that he had been there was the indentation in the pillow next to hers. Bunching the pillows together, Nanny fell back on them and laughed weakly, adjusting the sheet to keep herself somewhat decently covered before giving Eloise a fierce hug. "Hallo, pet! You're early, aren't you? Or am I late?"
"We're early, Nanny," Eloise's mother appeared in the doorway, as elegant and beautiful as ever. She sounded faintly apologetic. "I know we weren't supposed to arrive until nearly noon, but we had a chance at an earlier flight ... and took it since I have to leave again this evening. We weren't sure you'd be here, either, since you weren't yesterday."
Flustered, Nanny stammered something about Mr. Salamone offering her another room, leaving the windows open and not hearing the telephone ringing. Her voice trailed off when she saw Eloise eying her bare shoulders and arms, then the little girl's gaze sliding down to see her bare feet sticking out from the sheet.
"Oh, my LORD, Nanny, aren't you wearing anything?" Eloise cried.
Nanny pulled the sheet around her even more, tucking her feet in, and reddened. "I was in a hurry to get to bed last night, so I didn't bother with my nightgown ..."
"Looks like you should have worn it, cause your bed is absolutely a mess!" announced Eloise, grinning. "You were probably cold without it, too, since the covers all slid off onto the floor. I hate it when they do that. And you MUST have been in a hurry, because your clothes are all over the floor! You don't like ME to do that! How come YOU get to leave your room in an absolute mess?"
"Eloise, you are being rude, rude, rude!" Nanny scolded her, then she hugged her. "But I'm so glad to see you, love."
"You're looking MUCH better, Nanny," Eloise's mother said. "Obviously your holiday away helped. Where did you go again with your friend?"
"His name is Sir Wilkes," Eloise said importantly. "And Nanny thinks he's absolutely divine, divine, divine!"
Nanny, her face scarlet, clutched the sheets close again and mumbled, "We went to Genovia."
"Nanny! You got a new ring!" Eloise cried, grabbing Nanny's left hand. "It's an absolutely beautiful one! Did someone give it to you? Did ...?"
"Sir Wilkes gave it to me, pet." Feeling at a distinct disadvantage, lying flat on her back with the sheet tucked around her to cover her nakedness, Nanny nonetheless couldn't keep the love and pride out of her voice. "Just yesterday."
"I absolutely LOVE it!" raved Eloise, holding Nanny's hand at different angles to see the ring sparkle.
Nanny glanced over at Eloise's mother, who was standing still with an astounded expression on her face. Realizing that Nanny was looking at her, the younger woman raised her eyebrows, then grinned broadly and said, "I gather congratulations and best wishes are in order?"
"Congratulations and best wishes for what?" Eloise asked, looking from one to the other. "Congratulations and best wishes for WHAT?" she repeated, when they didn't answer immediately.
Nanny nodded shyly and Eloise's mother clapped her hands. "A wedding! I love weddings! We MUST order champagne for breakfast this morning!"
Eloise slid off the bed and stamped her foot. "CONGRATULATIONS AND BEST WISHES AND WEDDINGS AND CHAMPAGNE ... WHAT ARE YOU TWO TALKING ABOUT!"
Chuckling, Nanny put out her hand and took Eloise's. "I'm going to marry Sir Wilkes, love. This is an engagement ring."
For a moment, Eloise was still, various expressions crossing her face. Then she flung herself on Nanny again and hugged her tightly, "No, no, no, don't go, you can't leave me, Nanny! I love you best next to Maman! No, you can't go and marry him!"
"Oh, love," Nanny stroked her hair and kissed her forehead. "I'm not going to be far away from you ... we'll still be living here at the Plaza, for sure, sure, sure. You'll be able to visit a lot, just think how much fun that will be ... AND," she had a sudden inspiration, "you know how much you love, love, love weddings! Well, now you have one to help plan that you will be taking part in! We need a flower girl, and you're just, just, just the girl for the job!"
"I can be IN it?" Eloise asked, her eyes wide. "And PLAN it?" Now her eyes began to sparkle. "Oh, I absolutely love you, Nanny! Maman, can I order breakfast?" Her mood swings were well known to both Nanny and her mother. They smiled indulgently at her.
"We should let Nanny get up, we've kept her trapped in her bed long enough. You go phone, Eloise," and Eloise skipped out, her mother following.
The moment they were gone, Nanny jumped out of bed and dressed quickly, blessing her recent weight loss for the lack of needing a corset. She stepped out into the living room in time to hear Eloise finishing her room service call with her usual, "Top floor! Charge it, please! Thank you very much!"
Just then there was a knock at the door. Puzzled, Eloise looked down at the telephone in her hand, then up at Nanny. The knock came again.
"The door?" Nanny prompted.
"I just phoned! Bill CAN'T be here yet!" Eloise dropped the telephone and danced over to fling open the door. There stood Sir Wilkes in his bathrobe and slippers, holding a tray which he almost dropped when he saw the child. The smile on his face disappeared, and a look of surprised horror came into his eyes. Eloise's mother came into the living room, took in the sight and, her lips twitching, hurried back into her own bedroom. Nanny could have died of embarrassment.
"You're not dressed, Sir Wilkes! You almost caught Nanny without HER clothes on, either!" Eloise said.
"I, er, didn't realize you would be home so soon," he said awkwardly to the little girl. "Bill brought Nanny's coffee to, er, my suite this morning ... I thought I should bring it over for her."
"There's a teapot and cup on the tray, too," Eloise said, peering at what was in his hands which were now beginning to tremble slightly. "Careful, don't drop it. Better bring it to the table. Is the tea for you?"
"Well, er, yes, I ... that is, if you or, er, your mother ..."
"Maman! We have company for breakfast!" Eloise yelled as she tugged Sir Wilkes over to the table by the window.
He and Nanny exchanged agonized glances, but could do nothing. Eloise's mother, her face suspiciously red and her lips still quivering, re-appeared momentarily, graciously greeting Sir Wilkes as if she hadn't noticed he had come calling wearing only slippers and a bathrobe. Then she murmured her excuses and said she would be out in a few minutes.
"Sir Wilkes, I hear you're going to be marrying us," Eloise said, climbing up on a chair so she could look Sir Wilkes in the eye.
"Er, us?" The poor man looked bewildered.
"Nanny said I could plan the wedding and be in it. So that means it's us."
Sir Wilkes looked quickly at Nanny who shrugged and made a face as if to say, 'humour her'.
Eloise, having missed the byplay, was still chattering. "That means you've been wooing Nanny. Have you given her flowers yet? She said you HAVE to start wooing by giving roses. Have you given her roses?"
"Er ... no," Sir Wilkes said helplessly, looking to Nanny then returning his attention to Eloise. "Not ... not since she was in the hospital."
"Those were from you?" Nanny asked, startled herself. She hadn't realized ... she had the vague recollection of seeing him sitting by her bed with a huge bouquet of roses, but she had thought it had been a dream ...
"Those don't count, those were for being sick," Eloise declared. "You have to give her WOOING roses! RED roses! You can get them for her today. Red roses are the best, aren't they, Nanny? For wooing roses?"
"Well," Sir Wilkes suddenly perked up and smiled at Nanny before saying to Eloise, "Nanny gave ME a rose a couple of days ago. I could show you, if you like ..."
"Yes! You gave him a rose, Nanny? So you were wooing him first, before he wooed you? What's wooing exactly? Just giving roses?" Eloise turned to Nanny who was frowning slightly, trying to figure out what rose Sir Wilkes was talking about.
Sir Wilkes edged towards the door. "I'll just, er, run back and, er, get the rose ... the tea will stay warm ..."
As he reached for the doorknob, the doorbell rang. "THAT'S BILL!" shrieked Eloise and bolted for the door, flinging it open. "BILL! BILL! Guess what! Sir Wilkes is marrying Nanny and me!"
Bill smiled at the little girl. "That's great news, isn't it?" He looked up at Sir Wilkes and said, "I heard when I got back down from being at your place that Eloise and her mother were back. I hope I didn't ..."
"Er, no, it's all right. I just brought Nanny's coffee over here for her," Sir Wilkes said hurriedly.
"I woke Nanny up when we got home," Eloise said. "And do you know, she wasn't ..."
"Eloise," Nanny broke in desperately, "I think your mother would like her breakfast while it's hot, hot, hot! Let William bring it in, pet." Somehow she had a feeling Eloise had been about to blurt out that she hadn't been wearing her nightgown, and then she would be even more, more, MORE embarrassed than she was already! Her eyes met Sir Wilkes' apologetically and he nodded briefly to indicate he understood completely.
Sir Wilkes thankfully made his escape as Bill rolled the cart in and began to unload it onto the table, listening to Eloise's excited chatter about the upcoming wedding. He poured Nanny some coffee and handed it to her with a smile, and she gratefully drank it, hoping to gain enough energy to deal with Eloise. In just a few short days, she had forgotten how exhausting the child could be!
Sir Wilkes was back before Bill had finished putting the breakfast on the table. He had dressed hurriedly, and now looked quite respectable again. Nanny let him in when he tapped on the door and kissed his cheek softly. "Thank you for com, com, coming back," she whispered.
He put his arm around her and squeezed gently, murmuring, "I can't stay away from you, it seems, no matter what ..." then took her hand and they walked over to the table together. Eloise's mother had reappeared and was sitting down with Eloise. She nodded at Bill who held up the champagne bottle and grinned at Nanny and Sir Wilkes.
"Champagne to toast the happy couple!" he said, pouring some into three crystal flutes. Seeing Eloise's pout, he produced a bottle of carbonated water with a flourish and poured it into a fourth glass. He passed them around.
"You, too, William, you need some champagne, for sure, sure, sure," prompted Nanny, but he laughed and shook his head.
"I'm working!" He poured himself some of the water, then held up his glass. "To Nanny and Sir Wilkes!" he said.
"Here, here!" shrilled Eloise.
Nanny's eyes met Sir Wilkes' and they exchanged unspoken messages of love before sipping the champagne. At the taste on her tongue, Nanny tried to hold back her shudder. She was not fond of champagne at the best of times, let alone first thing in the morning! Sir Wilkes, noticing, picked up the pitcher of orange juice that Bill had brought up. "Here, Nanny, try it mixed with this. I find it is immensely more delicious in the morning this way."
She allowed him to fill her flute with the orange juice, then took another tentative sip. Her approving smile made him chuckle.
Eloise's mother spoke up, "I do believe that that is the proper way to have a champagne breakfast, isn't that so, Sir Wilkes?"
"Yes, yes, quite so." He added some juice to his own, then to the younger woman's when she held out her glass.
"I think I should have some orange juice in mine, too," Eloise said, importantly.
"Indeed you should, pet," Nanny agreed. "Indeed you should."
When Bill had gone and Eloise had been sat down at her oatmeal which she was only playing with, she suddenly looked up at Sir Wilkes. "Did you bring your rose? Can I see it?"
He put down his champagne flute and reached into his pocket for an envelope. Nanny's eyes widened when she saw the Genovian crest on the envelope. THAT was the rose she had supposedly given him? He had KEPT it? Opening it, Sir Wilkes held it out for the little girl to see the delicate mauve coloured rosebud he had begun to press.
"I've never seen one quite that colour," Eloise's mother was hanging over the envelope with her daughter. "It's beautiful! Wherever did you find it, Nanny?"
"They grow on bushes all over Genovia," Nanny said.
"Yes, they're named for Clarisse," Sir Wilkes said.
"Clarisse ... your friend? The one you went to see in Genovia?" Eloise's mother asked.
"That's right. These are Queen Clarisse roses. Probably they have been made the national flower now ..." Sir Wilkes nodded, looking at the rose with a thoughtful look on his face. Nanny eyed him, and wondered if he was thinking about the Queen.
"Your friend is QUEEN CLARISSE OF GENOVIA?" Eloise's mother cried incredulously. "QUEEN Clarisse?"
"Yes," Sir Wilkes looked bewildered at the question. "Yes, she is Queen Clarisse ..."
"You went to see a QUEEN, Nanny?" Eloise cried out, when she finally understood what was being said. "You stayed with a QUEEN in her palace? Why didn't you tell me before that you were going to see a Queen?"
"I ... I didn't know, pet. Not until after we got there." Nanny murmured, remembering the embarrassment she had felt not being aware of that information. Thank goodness only Charlotte had learned of her ignorance, and she had not told anyone, as far as Nanny knew.
"You didn't KNOW?" Sir Wilkes looked at her, amazed.
Nanny lifted her chin. "I had not been informed of that fact before our arrival. Charlotte kindly told me the first night."
"I'm sorry, Nanny! I simply never thought! I, well, I forget she is the Queen. I still think of her as little Clarisse who climbed trees with me when we were children. I should have ..." Sir Wilkes began apologetically.
"You played with a QUEEN and didn't tell us?" Eloise cried again. "I want to hear all about her!"
"Er, Clarisse WASN'T a queen back then," Sir Wilkes blushed. "She became Queen of Genovia when she married King Rupert."
"A QUEEN! I would absolutely LOVE to be a queen! Did you like her, too, Nanny? What does she look like? Do you have any pictures of her? I bet she dresses in Dior all the time, and had lots and lots of absolutely divine jewels! What's her crown like? Does she wear it all the time? Does she even wear it to BED? Nanny, do you think Queen Clarisse would make ME a princess if I ask nicely?"
Nanny, who had been smiling at Eloise's excitement and not really listening, jumped when she heard the last question addressed to her. "I don't think so, pet. I believe there is already a princess ..."
"That would be the American girl in San Francisco, wouldn't it?" Eloise's mother asked. "I remember hearing that. Princess ... Amelia? She's Queen Clarisse's grand-daughter, I believe."
"Right!" Sir Wilkes said, glad at last to be able to insert a comment in the flow of rhetoric.
"A real princess living in THIS country?" Eloise started to jump up and down in her excitement. "Can I meet her? Please, please, can I meet her AND the Queen? We can invite them for tea, can't we, Maman? Then we can see what they look like and what their crowns look like, and, oh, Maman, do you think they would want to see Skipperdee and Weenie? Please, please, let's invite them here!"
Nanny and Eloise's mother both started shaking their heads. Poor Sir Wilkes just looked overwhelmed. "Aoww, I'm afraid not, pet. It's just not done!" Nanny said.
"Have you got any pictures of her? If I could see some pictures, I'm sure I would get to know her," Eloise said, looking from Nanny to Sir Wilkes.
"Yes, I ... I do have some pictures, actually," Sir Wilkes said, wiping his forehead with his handkerchief. He had never spent so much time with Eloise before, and was rather out of his depth with the little girl's insatiable curiosity.
"Can you bring them for me to see later?" Eloise demanded.
"Why, I believe that can be arranged," Sir Wilkes nodded.
"Sir Wilkes," Eloise's mother said, "I was just thinking that, since you and Nanny were visiting in Genovia and that is obviously where you ... fell in love ... perhaps you should telephone the Queen and tell her that you two are now engaged. Or did you say anything to her while you were there?"
"No, no, we, er, didn't say anything there," Sir Wilkes blushed. "I suppose, well, it IS a good idea, don't you think, Nanny?"
"Yes, I ... I guess it is," Nanny agreed. "I should like Joseph and Charlotte to know as well ..."
"Joseph?" Eloise's mother raised her eyebrows.
"Charlotte?" asked Eloise.
"Joseph and Charlotte work for Clarisse," Sir Wilkes explained. "And it seems that Joseph and Nanny knew each other before." His eyes met hers again.
"That was a long, long, long time ago," Nanny smiled reassuringly. Before anyone could ask any more questions, she said, "Could we really telephone them?"
"Certainly! We can use my telephone ..." Sir Wilkes began. Suddenly he was excited at the thought of phoning. Not only would they be able to pass on their news to their friends in Genovia, but he and Nanny could be alone for a short time ...
"Nonsense!" Eloise's mother said. "I insist that you use our telephone."
"Quite right," Sir Wilkes murmured, a little downcast.
"But will you please go get the pictures of Queen Clarisse first so I can look at them?" asked Eloise. "Please, please, please?"
Sir Wilkes bowed politely, making her smile widely. "I shall do that immediately."
It did not take him long to slip down to his own suite, then return with a photo album. Eloise and her mother sat on the couch and he put the album in their eager hands. Nanny perched on the arm, interested to see some of the pictures, and Sir Wilkes stood behind looking over their shoulders. He rested one hand on the back of the sofa, and gingerly put his other hand on Nanny's back. She tensed at the touch, then relaxed, shooting him a loving glance and enjoying the intimacy even as she turned her attention to the pictures he had brought over.
It was very interesting for Nanny to see pictures of a young Clarisse, not least because she was truly astonished at how alike they had been years ago. After Clarisse had married, there were not as many pictures to which Nanny could relate, as the slender elegance of the Queen bore no resemblance to Nanny as far as SHE could see. Eloise and her mother were exclaiming over the Queen's impeccable wardrobe, and names of all the great designers of haute couture were flying back and forth between the two.
"That's Givenchy, isn't it, Maman?"
"Look, an Armani! I saw her at that Opera! I had forgotten until now ... That was the first time I ever saw Queen Clarisse! Of course, I never have been introduced, but ... well, she looks very familiar. I probably have seen her at a number of occasions, and just never realized who she was."
"Is that a Chanel suit, Maman?"
"There's a Vera Wang ... I do believe I was at that wedding, too. That was in Chile, if I remember correctly."
"She wore Dior for that ball, Maman, look! And it's PINK! She looks absolutely divine!"
Feeling as though the conversation about designer clothing had moved far beyond the realm of her experience, Nanny murmured that she should, should, should unpack Eloise's bag, and she disappeared. Sir Wilkes endured a few more minutes, but when Eloise and her mother began demanding of him aid in settling a dispute between them about a certain outfit, he put up his hands helplessly and backed away, shaking his head. "I think I, er, I'll perhaps help Nanny, or, well, maybe we should telephone Clarisse now ..."
"Oh yes, DO!" Eloise clamoured. "NNNAAANNNYYYY! Sir Wilkes wants to phone the QUEEN! I can't WAIT to hear what she thinks ... and if she's going to come for the wedding!"
Sir Wilkes looked stunned, as did Nanny who appeared in Eloise's bedroom doorway. "Come for the wedding?" Sir Wilkes said, feebly. "Well ... well, I was hoping maybe we could get married, er ..."
"Yes, when HAD you planned your wedding to be?" Eloise's mother asked curiously.
"Well, I wanted ... tomorrow," Sir Wilkes flushed as he looked at Nanny.
"TOMORROW? TOMORROW?" Eloise shrieked. "I can't POSSIBLY be ready by tomorrow! No, you CAN'T! I need more time!"
"Eloise ..." her mother began.
Nanny hurried forward, "It's all right, love, I didn't think tomorrow would suit, myself. I was thinking maybe at the end of the month ..."
"That's only TWO WEEKS! Nanny, you HAVE to wait! There is so much PLANNING to do! The wedding has to be ABSOLUTELY PERFECT! I think we should have it in ... five or six months! The end of August. Or September. I might be ready by then. We have to get just the right dress for us, Nanny, and you know that takes time. And if it's later, then maybe the Queen will be able to come and then I'll be able to meet her! Oh, please say you'll wait and invite the Queen!"
Nanny and Sir Wilkes looked helplessly at one another. She thought he deserved a big wedding, a society wedding, something suitable for his class. She supposed she could put up with that, since it would be expected for someone in his position. He thought she deserved the wedding of her dreams, as she had had so little in her life, he thought. He supposed he could wait a few months and put up with all the fuss and folderol for her.
"I suppose we could ..." they said together.
"Phone her now!" Eloise demanded. "Phone Queen Clarisse!"
O o O o O o
"Your Majesty?" Charlotte appeared at the door of the dining room where Clarisse was finishing her solitary meal. "You have a telephone call. Sir Wilkes. Do you wish to speak with him now or shall I ...?"
"Oh!" Clarisse rose immediately. "I'll talk with him. He probably wants to report how their trip home was. I'll take it in the library."
"Yes, Ma'am," Charlotte nodded.
Half an hour later, Charlotte was summoned to the library. She arrived to find Joe coming down the corridor from the other direction. "You were called, too?" he grinned.
"Yes, but she didn't say why ..."
They smiled briefly at the footmen outside the door, then knocked softly and entered when Clarisse called out to them. She was beaming, still holding the telephone. "Splendid news!" she said to them both. "Nanny and Wilkes are engaged to be married! Joseph, Nanny wants to talk to you and to you, Charlotte. Yes, Wilkes, they're here now. Yes, yes, I'm SO happy for you both! Yes, I'm SURE we will be able to come for your wedding, especially as you have given us so much notice. Actually, September would be even better. I understand the fall colours in your part of the world are glorious. Here's Joseph," and she passed the telephone to a stunned Joe.
Clarisse drew a rather startled Charlotte over to the alcove of the library to give Joseph a bit of privacy. Charlotte stared at the Queen, a smile beginning to spread over her face. "Nanny and Sir Wilkes are really getting married, your Majesty?"
"Yes. Isn't it wonderful? I had thought, and even hoped, that this would happen, but I certainly never expected it quite so soon!"
"Well, I DID see them ki ..." Charlotte stopped abruptly, then looked as if she were desperately trying to think of something else to say to cover her blunder.
Clarisse pounced on the information her aide was so reluctant to give. "You saw them kissing? REALLY? When? Oh, is THAT what all that furor was with the ladies' maids?"
"Well, not exactly ... not the first time ..."
"It happened more than once?"
"I only saw ..." Charlotte stopped again, flushing miserably.
"Charlotte, I KNOW you don't like to gossip, and I really appreciate your sensitivity with these issues, but Wilkes is one of my oldest, dearest friends! Don't you understand? I NEED to know this! PLEASE!" begged Clarisse, not realizing how young and ... and ordinary she sounded, Charlotte thought dazedly. Not at all as a Queen SHOULD sound! "Charlotte, does it have anything to do with the fact that you gave them adjoining rooms?"
"That was not my fault, your Majesty!" Charlotte protested. "I didn't know ..."
"No, and I told you it would be fine ... and what I had HOPED would happen once I met Nanny seems to have happened! Please, Charlotte, tell me ... Charlotte, I ORDER you to tell me!"
Charlotte gulped, not seeing the smile lurking in the corners of the Queen's mouth, nor hearing the humour in her voice. Dare she disobey a direct order from the Queen? She sighed. "The last morning they were here, when the B's ..."
"The bees? There were BEES in the palace?" Clarisse interrupted, puzzled.
Charlotte chuckled despite her discomfort. "No. That's what Nanny named her lady's maids. Brigitte and Brigitta. Anyway, they knocked on her door. I'm not sure about the order of things, but somehow Nanny started across the room to open it, but wasn't quite awake and I understand that she stubbed her toe on a chair. Sir Wilkes heard the commotion and thought she was sick, so opened the connecting door and she apparently fell against him. That's when the B's opened the door and saw them. They thought they had interrupted another romantic tryst ..."
"Another?" Clarisse again interrupted, listening avidly.
Waving her hand, Charlotte dismissed that. "At any rate, they shut the door and were going to leave when I came up. They were trying to tell me what they had seen, and I thought maybe Nanny was sick again, so I knocked and opened the door ... and they, Nanny and Sir Wilkes, were ... kissing."
"I KNEW it had to be something like that!" Clarisse said, triumphantly. "Go on."
"There's not much more to say, your Majesty." Charlotte said apologetically, looking down. "When Sir Wilkes left, Nanny said it had all been a misunderstanding ... she, well, she admitted that she loved Sir Wilkes, but she was afraid he didn't love her, she thought he loved ..." her voice trailed off.
"Who? Who did she think he loved?" Clarisse demanded. Then, a moment later, she said, "Me. She thought he loved ME!"
Glad that the Queen had come to that conclusion on her own, Charlotte continued, "Nanny was afraid that he was only interested in her because of her resemblance to you."
"That's ridiculous! Why, the way he looked at her ..."
Smiling, Charlotte said, "That's what I told her, your Majesty."
Clarisse smiled back at her. "What I told Nanny was that she would have to ask Wilkes to marry her because he would probably never get up the courage."
After a moment, the two said in unison, "I wonder if she did?" They laughed.
Then Joseph called Charlotte to the phone. She went over to him, and he handed her the telephone before joining Clarisse in the alcove.
"Well?" Clarisse asked, looking at him intently, trying to gauge his reaction to the news that his old friend was marrying her old friend.
"You're not STILL thinking I am in love with Nan, are you? After the other night?" Joseph's voice was husky and very seductive, trailing a finger down her cheek and throat, and sliding under her jacket and over the curves there.
Clarisse didn't look away, although the colour rose in her face. "I hoped not." She leaned into his hand, her nipple hardening and jutting into his palm, then licked her lips.
Joseph looked over his shoulder. Charlotte was turned away, talking. He turned back to Clarisse and swiftly drew her close, kissing her deeply before releasing her. "I am happy for Nan ... and glad she has someone to love her. But I love you, Clarisse. Only you. Only and forever, you."
"I love you, too, Joseph," she murmured, and raised her trembling fingers to touch his lips. "So very, very much!"
He kissed her fingers lingeringly, then sighed and stepped back, preparing to leave.
"Joseph?" Clarisse stopped him.
"Hmm?"
"Did Nanny tell you about the rose Wilkes kept?"
"Hmmm," Joseph nodded, half-smiling.
"I thought that was SO sweet and romantic!"
"Sweet?" Joseph looked a bit disgusted, and growled, "I wouldn't use the word SWEET."
"It IS sweet!" she insisted. "She gave him the rosebud for his lapel, the ones we got in Mertz, and instead of throwing it out, he kept it and is pressing it! I think that's REALLY sweet, and I don't understand why you don't!"
Joseph hesitated an instant, then pulled out his wallet, and extracted a thick envelope from it. "See?" he said, opening the wallet and showing her the rosebud she had given him that same day in Mertz. "I kept mine too, and SWEET is not the right word to describe it!"
Clarisse's eyes widened as she looked at the rosebud in the envelope, then up at Joseph. Then her expression softened, and her lips curved up. "It IS sweet," she insisted. "Very sweet and romantic!" She looked around him, saw that Charlotte was still turned away, and threw her arms around his neck, bringing his lips back to hers for another passionate kiss. "Thank you," she said quietly as she drew away. "Thank you for caring ..."
"In the shadows for now, Clarisse, but I will care for you, protect you, and love you always and forever," he vowed again.
O o O o O o To Be Continued