The four visited in the garden for the rest of the afternoon. Felicity called for food to be brought out, but no one was really hungry after all the revelations. When Felicity's story finally began to sink in, Nanny was cautiously pleased. It appeared that she would no longer be alone in the world, now that miraculously and so very unexpectedly she had been gifted with a loving husband AND a potential long-lost sister! They walked around to look at Felicity's roses, and Felicity promised to give a delighted Nanny some cuttings in the fall. The longer she spent with Felicity and Peter, the more Nanny let her guard down and amazingly soon, to Wilkes' great relief, she was once again the boisterous, lively Nanny with whom Wilkes had fallen so deeply in love.
Peter told some amusing stories about the time four years previously when Nigel had brought home an American actress as his fiancée and how her former suitor, also an actor, had followed, and the chaos ensuing thereafter. He added that when it was learned that the actress' sister happened to be Felicity's favourite long-time lady's-maid, it was even more amusing to watch Moxie try to act like a lady.
Felicity laughed. "Moxie has been with me for twenty-one years. I could not believe it possible that, after all those years, she looked upon me as a drivelling idiot! You know, Peter, Moxie's a terribly bad liar. So it wasn't too long before I had the truth. Moxie knows me intimately."
Leaning closer and paying no attention to Nanny and Wilkes who were watching, fascinated by the relationship between the young man and the older woman, Peter said huskily, "As intimately as *I* do, darling?"
Felicity blushed vividly and looked away, suddenly silent. Nanny and Wilkes looked at each other, then back at the other two. Was it what it appeared? Could there be something between Peter and Felicity, despite the age difference and the familial relationship by marriage notwithstanding?
Then Nigel and Caroline were coming out into the garden, and were introduced to Nanny and Wilkes – this time Nanny was introduced as Felicity's long-lost sister. The young couple stared blankly at Nanny, then at Felicity, and Nigel said rudely, "Have you lost your mind, Mother?"
"Well, of course I haven't! Don't be a perfect ass!" Felicity almost growled.
"You've changed, Mother! What else can I think? You were never like this when Father was alive! It's all Peter's fault!"
"MY fault?" Peter looked astounded and hurt. He really was the master of expressive faces, Nanny thought irrelevantly, shrinking back a little. "My dear, deluded cousin..."
"Don't call me cousin! I don't want anything to do with you! Every time I see you, we end up rowing... well, I want to put an end to family rows, and the only way to do THAT is to forbid Mother from having anything more to do with you!" Nigel was almost frothing at the mouth, he was so enraged. "I've a good mind to throw you off the estate!"
"And leave you to run it yourself?" Peter's lip curled derisively.
Nigel frowned mightily, opened his mouth, then closed it soundlessly. Clearly he was not willing to do that! Wilkes and Nanny managed to back away soundlessly, noting that Caroline was looking on rawther unhappily, putting a hand on Nigel's arm in a useless effort to calm him down. However, Felicity said calmly that she and Peter were going out for dinner with Nanny and Wilkes, since Nigel and Caroline were having company.
Nigel said to his mother, "You are welcome to go out with Lady Anne, although it is highly improbably that she is your sister! You can even go with Sir Wilkes. However, I forbid you to go out in public with this emotionally unstable... fleet-chaser!"
Felicity and Peter both laughed at that order, ignored Nigel, linked arms and walked out, followed by a meek Nanny and a somewhat perturbed Wilkes.
Peter said airily to Felicity, "All's well that ends well."
With a deep sigh, Felicity agreed. "I think so. I hope so! Thank you, Peter."
The four walked around to the front and just as they got there, Frank met them at the door with Wilkes' car. "It's back, Sir Wilkes... the mechanic just dropped it off at the gate. He said no need to worry about payment, since he recognized the car as one of Lord Sandford's... he's going to send the bill there."
"Thank you," Wilkes said, smiling at the thought of Cecil's reaction upon receipt of the bill.
"You aren't going to try to go on to London tonight, are you? It's so late," Peter said. "Why don't you just stay here?"
"I suppose we could," Wilkes said, "since there is no telephone at the castle, and I'm not sure I want to go to Cecil's tonight."
"No telephone? Then you simply must stay here!" Felicity agreed promptly. "I won't hear 'no' for an answer! London is a ghastly drive in the middle of the day, let alone in the evening! Before we go for dinner, I'll just inform Crestwell that a guest suite must be prepared!"
"Thank you so much," Wilkes and Nanny said together.
Nanny then added, "Since our car and our suitcases are ''ere now, per'aps we should change for dinner?"
"Excellent idea!" Wilkes nodded, thinking he would have his new bride alone for a few moments at least.
"Wilkes, no need for you to change... you've only got a couple of oil spots from the car on your suit! Crestwell has some stuff to put on the cloth that will get the oil out, so I'll take you into the kitchen to get you fixed up," Peter said, not realizing he was dashing Wilkes' hopes of being able to kiss Nanny 'properly' and 'thoroughly' on their wedding day! Wilkes had had hopes of being in London, or at the very least a hotel by this time so that he and Nanny could commence on their honeymoon. However, he could not possibly reveal that their marriage had only been that day, not when they had been staying at his castle for the two previous nights!
With nothing to do but agree, Wilkes followed Peter. Nanny and Felicity went upstairs to change, Felicity having sent a young lad up first to the guest suite with the two suitcases and Nanny's toiletry case. Alone in the guest suite, Nanny dithered between the lilac outfit and the new red silk dress, then finally put on the red silk, deeming it a little more classy. Besides, she DID want to show off another new outfit to Willy, and perhaps could consider it her 'going away' outfit! She carefully folded away the yellow lace dress she planned to remember fondly as her wedding dress.
When Wilkes saw Nanny, his expression and his heated stare assured he that he very much approved of her dress. Then Frank agreed to drive Wilkes' car with the two couples to the fancy restaurant in the nearest town, and they had a delicious meal and became greater friends with all their sharing and conversing. Peter even went so far as to explain Nigel's comment about him being a 'fleet-chaser'. Peter confided to the other two, "I put on a good show for most people... that I am not interested in women."
"Oh?" Wilkes asked.
Peter put his hand over Felicity's for an instant before she pulled it away regretfully, looking around with wide eyes at the others in the restaurant. Gazing at Nanny and Wilkes, for the first time completely seriously, Peter said. "In truth, there is only one woman who will ever interest me."
Wilkes nodded absently, busily pondering the possibilities for disaster in such a relationship. Then Nanny spoke up. "I do wish you both all the best... in everything... and that you will be as 'appy as Wilkes and I are! What's important is that you follow your 'earts and per'aps listen to what's in other people's 'earts after that. If you're not 'urting anyone and makes you feel good, I rawther think there's nothing wrong with doing what you want with your own lives!"
Then they were back at Marshwood and Wilkes gritted his teeth and rang his nephew on the telephone to say that they were at Marshwood, the car had broken down but now was fixed, and that he and Nanny were heading back to London in the morning.
"Nanny's your doxy?" Cecil asked snidely.
"No," Wilkes said coldly, very thankful that Nanny could not hear this. "Nanny is my wife, and I'll thank you to remember that!" Ignoring Cecil's sputters of outrage and questioning, Wilkes continued, "We need Jimmy here first thing in the morning so he can drive us to the city and bring the car back here."
Cecil grumpily said he would have Jimmy taken over to Marshwood, and asked again about Nanny and when the wedding had taken place.
Again Wilkes ignored him. "Could you possibly have Jimmy bring Lois?" Wilkes asked. "Nanny wishes to have a few words with her."
"Lois? Who on earth is Lois?" Cecil asked, puzzled.
Wilkes sighed heavily. Cecil paid very little attention to his employees, and had a hard time keeping any around for that very reason. Wait until he heard that Jimmy and Lois were going to work for Wilkes once he and Nanny moved back permanently to England! Wilkes' lips quirked, but he said nothing to that effect to his nephew. "Just tell Jimmy that Lois is also requested. He'll understand. Good-bye, Cecil!"
After exchanging their goodnights, Felicity then had Crestwell show Nanny and Wilkes When an increasingly preoccupied Nanny and Wilkes finally found themselves alone in their suite, they stared at each other for a moment, then Nanny ardently launched herself at her husband of mere hours, threw her arms around him and kissed him passionately.
Wilkes chuckled after returning her kiss with fire of his own. "Perhaps we should be careful!" he said softly. "Somehow I had never pictured my wedding night in one of Marshwood's guest rooms! Perhaps we should have gone back to the castle tonight!"
"Aoww, Wilkes!" Nanny chuckled. "I 'ope we are much better than that... much, much, much! My sister wanted us to stay, and it was so sweet of 'er, I thought!" She thought for a moment, then rawther hesitantly said, "Willy, I do 'ope all will be well with Felicity and Peter. They truly do not act like aunt and nephew!"
"Nor do they act like a middle-aged widow and a young, er, 'fleet-chaser'! I thought Peter's act is truly inspired! Felicity's son has no idea what is really going on!"
"True, true, true! I 'ardly think most people DO know what is really going on when it comes to their relationship. Well, I'll be back shortly, Wilkes, I 'ave to, you know..." Nanny went through her suitcase, drew out the black negligee and hurried into the adjoining bathroom with her toiletries case.
When she came out, rawther shyly, Wilkes stared at her, his eyes showing exactly how much he desired her as he stood before her, drinking in her curvaceous figure dressed in the filmy black negligee.
Nanny blushed, and said, "You 'ave a lot of clothing on still, Sir Wilkes!"
"Undress me, Lady Anne?" Wilkes asked, desire warring with lust in his gaze.
Fingers trembling slightly, Nanny reached for the buttons on his shirt. Never before had she undressed a man! She parted his shirt to reveal his chest lightly dusted with graying hair. "You're... magnificent," she murmured between kisses, hoping he wouldn't be disappointed when her clothing was fully removed. She had decidedly more curves than muscles at this stage of her life! Although to be sure, this shocking negligee showed almost everything anyway! Dizzy with a sense of power, she next tugged on Wilkes' belt. "I want you out of your trousers."
A deep chuckle shook his chest, but his laughter dissolved into a groan. Gritting his teeth and fighting for control, he closed his eyes and held himself rigid as she slid both trousers and briefs down his legs. He was very much afraid that everything would be over much too quickly and Nanny would not have the wedding night she deserved. His fingers caressed her shoulders and he drew her close again to kiss her deeply.
Nanny almost sobbed with the exquisite sensations pouring over her, partially wanting to pull away in order to catch her breath and almost wholly terrified that he would stop before she managed to assuage the heightened need humming through her body. She bit her lip, but her own moan slipped out when he nuzzled her neck and shoulder.
Her legs weakened, and heat pooled between them. "Willy!"
"Oh, Nan, my sweet, sweet Nanny..." he murmured hoarsely.
"Aoww, Willy..." she panted. "We must... lie down... aoww, my Lord, this feels so... good, good, good...!"
They edged over to the bed as they kissed passionately and Wilkes managed to tug her negligee over her head before they sank down on the bed, the tension between them growing. The heat simmering between them flared and tendrils of fire radiated through her body, culminating in exquisite heat in her belly and lower still.
"Aoww, my Lord, Wilkes!" she cried out softly, tossing her head frantically against the pillow and clenching her fingers possessively on his shoulder. "PLEASE, Willy!"
Pleasure washed over Nanny like a rolling wave of warm water as she moved beneath him mindlessly, stroking his shoulders and back. Loneliness fled, fears disappeared and the sorrows in her life vanished because Wilkes was filling her with his own surging life. Then they were both falling into a sea of sensations such as they had never before experienced in their entire lives. Their breath in ragged gasps, they clutched each other closely before Wilkes said hoarsely, "I hope this doesn't kill me. If I live another fifty years with you, Nanny, it won't be enough! I love you so much... more than life itself!"
Nanny felt as if she had melted into the bed, her body spent and throbbing with the aftermath of their lovemaking. She couldn't think enough to even reply.
"Nanny? Are you... are you all right?"
She couldn't control the smile that wearily lifted her lips. "My stars, stars, stars, Willy... that was incredible... I waited almost seventy years to feel like this, and never dreamt it would be this, this, this wonderful. Thank you, love." Wanting to talk about it, perhaps even experience again, Nanny was too, too, too overcome... and she slipped into sleep.
Wilkes tucked her close to him and his own eyes closed. His love was right where she would be for the rest of their lives... beneath, above... but most importantly, beside him!
O o O o O o
The next morning, after some rawther heated 'cuddling' and marvelling at the fact that, rather than being completely exhausted by hours of lovemaking, their energy level felt boundless, Wilkes mentioned that perhaps they should go down to see if Jimmy and Lois had arrived. "The sooner we get to London, the sooner we can know whether or not Kay and Eloise have arrived in England."
Nanny kissed him one more time, then disentangled herself, saying, "Well, let's move, move, move!" She threw off the covers and began singing her usual morning duties song in a slightly wavery voice as she got to her feet:
"London from bottom to top is up!
The keeper in the shop is up!
And even Mrs. Mop is up!
Oh what a love-a-ly mawning!
In Trafalgar Square the bobby's up..."
Wilkes lay in bed watching her, his eyes glowing. Suddenly she choked, faltered, then stopped singing, and her face crumpled. "Aoww, Willy, I do, do, DO 'ope Eloise is all right!"
"Nan!" Quickly Wilkes scrambled up, went to her and drew her into his arms. "Nanny, love, she must be, or Kay wouldn't have taken her to Spain..." He could feel Nanny's body shaking as she tried to suppress the tormenting anxiety that had never quite left her despite all the deep happiness of the last couple of days. "Love, please, don't worry, I'm sure they'll be in London when we get there... Please, Nan, keep calm... don't cry..."
"Aoww, Willy..." Nanny sniffed mightily, then hugged him tightly and her mouth met his in a long kiss. His hands began to meander from her back down her hips and he began nudging her back toward the bed before she suddenly came to her senses. "Aoww, my Lord, Wilkes! We must get dressed... we must get to London soon, soon, soon!"
With a huge sigh and a couple of kisses, Wilkes agreed reluctantly. He then convinced Nanny to wear her new red dress for added courage, saying he absolutely loved seeing her in red. After a moment, he mused, "And in lilac... and light blue... and yellow... and in nothing at all..."
"SIR WILKES!" Nanny swung around, her hands still trying to put up her fly-away hair, and she frowned at him.
He grinned back. "Lady Anne, I do believe I absolutely love you!"
They dressed, taking somewhat longer than usual being that they continued their caresses and kisses, then, looking at Nanny's suitcase when she was packing it, Wilkes said, "Perhaps we could stop at the dress shop soon and get a few more outfits for your trousseau? You could always get a new evening gown for the party we'll put on at the Plaza when we get back there..." He looked admiringly at Nanny in her red dress and added, "and that shop has clothing that makes you look even lovelier than usual, Nanny!"
Nanny had been about to demur, but at the look in his eyes, she smiled shyly. "I'd like that, for sure, sure, sure! And per'aps another negligee?"
Wilkes looked very interested. "In red? Although, I must admit," and his face reddened slightly, "most of the time I believe I'll prefer you OUT of the negligee!"
Flushing herself, Nanny nevertheless smiled widely. "Aoww, Willy...!"
When Nanny was introduced to Lois, who had arrived with Jimmy just moments before Nanny and Wilkes came downstairs, the two women were friends and allies at first glance. Wilkes smiled in satisfaction to see them chatting together, and he and Jimmy exchanged nods... the new household which had been created by this marriage was bound to be far happier than was the estate of Sandford. Jimmy was also very pleased to hear that Nanny and Wilkes were married, although he was a little annoyed that Wilkes hadn't waited until he and Lois could have attended the wedding.
"We didn't really have a wedding celebration, you understand," Wilkes said to him in an undertone. "We were just married in a very private ceremony and the date will be kept quiet. Actually, the vicar and the archbishop have agreed to backdate the marriage certificate and records for us, so officially we were married three days ago, on our way here from London. At any rate, we'll celebrate our wedding back in New York next week... assuming Nanny's employer doesn't throw a monkey wrench into the plans!"
"Nanny's employer?" Jimmy raised his eyebrows.
"The woman Nanny was waiting for in London. We still are not sure she and her daughter have arrived in the country. Kay sent a telegram to Nanny in New York saying that it was urgent for Nanny to come to London, then decided to 'hop' over to Spain first, leaving Nanny at loose ends in the city."
"Sounds like a piece of work." Jimmy shook his head wonderingly. "However she came to England, though, I'd say Nanny is the best thing that has happened to you in years."
"You have that right, my friend. You certainly have that right!" Wilkes agreed.
"We've been invited to eat in the kitchen, so let us know when you're ready to go!" Jimmy said next. "Come, Lois, the grand knight and his lady need their breakfast, so let's go get ours!"
As Jimmy and his wife disappeared down the hallway, a laughing Felicity and Peter came in from the garden. Felicity beamed at Nanny. "I was so happy when I first woke up this morning and remembered that now I have a sister!"
"Dear girl, allow me to remind you that it was not your first thought this morning!" Peter murmured.
Nanny flushed at the hidden meaning in his words, and Felicity bit her lip and frowned at him. "Peter, please!" she hissed.
"Yes, darling, I must say that sentiment is a tad closer..." Peter was irrepressible.
"Oh, you're simply impossible sometimes!" Felicity snapped.
Wilkes cleared his throat, and at that moment heavy footsteps were heard on the stairs. They all swung around to look up and Nigel, feeling the brunt of their combined stares, stopped mid-step and frowned. "What ARE you doing here so early?" he grumbled, looking directly at Peter.
"Just hanging around... as usual. Hasn't anyone told you that curiosity killed the cat?" Peter shrugged.
"Some day, Peter, you may find your own tongue will be the death of you!" Nigel snapped, and turned to stomp back up the stairs.
After a breakfast which an annoyed Nigel, Lord Marshwood, boycotted since Peter had put in an early appearance, Felicity urged Wilkes and Nanny to stop in on their way back to their castle, after they returned from the United States. They agreed to consider it, but Nanny was not eager to repeat a meeting with the young Earl.
Nanny hugged Felicity tightly, ignoring the boorish young man. "Aoww, I do 'ope you are my sister, Felicity!" she whispered.
"We're just going to say we are!" Felicity reminded her, returning her hug. "And don't worry about what Nigel says or thinks... he reminds me so much of his father, my late husband, at moments like these! I get so angry sometimes, I truly do think I'll explode!"
"Per'aps you could come to visit us at the castle instead of us coming 'ere for a while? Until 'e calms down a bit?" Nanny suggested.
"Perhaps. Peter, we've been invited to visit Wilkes' castle when they return!" Felicity turned to Peter with a bright smile.
"Splendid idea, darling!" Peter returned.
Nanny, looking from one to the other, saw the obvious love between them and realized they were already so comfortable with herself and Wilkes that they hadn't bothered to cover up or hide the unorthodox emotion. She sighed inwardly, realizing for the first time that wealth and privilege really did not smooth all pathways in life.
"Er, you might have to wait until we get a few more rooms opened up," Wilkes said. "Unless you have a pressing desire to camp outside."
"That would be different, wouldn't it?" chuckled Felicity.
"I do believe we will be waiting," Peter said quickly.
Finally all the goodbyes were said and the estate car was heading to London, Nanny and Wilkes settled in the back and Jimmy at the wheel with Lois beside him. Wilkes soon realized that Nanny's thoughts had flown ahead to what she might find in London, as his new bride was biting her lip, twisting her hands in her lap, and leaning forward as if unconsciously urging the car to move faster. He put his hand over Nanny's, and she jumped, then apologized.
"I'm just... so, so, so nervous, love," she said, a weak smile on her face when she looked at him. "What will Kay say when she 'ears that I am married? What if... well, I'm just nervous, for Lord's sake!"
"I know... and you've no reason to be nervous. You look beautiful, you are the daughter of an Earl, the wife of a rather unprepossessing knight..."
"WILKES!" Nanny was horrified by his last words. "You are neither drab nor dreary, love... and you are the kindest, sweetest man in the world!"
"Kind and sweet. Well, that's nice. I must admit, though, that I've always wanted to be tall, dark and handsome... suave... sophisticated... well, at times I suppose I can be sophisticated, but not the others!" Wilkes said wryly. Then he tightened his grasp on her hands. "But now I'm the happiest man in the world because you love me as much as I love you!"
"Aoww, Willy... and I always will love you, too!" Nanny kissed him deeply, forgetful of the two in the front seat. Wilkes exerted himself to give her something to think of other than Kay and Eloise... and managed very successfully indeed!
After long moments of silence except for the heavy breathing from the rear, Jimmy looked over at Lois and winked. "Reminds me of our honeymoon. Almost makes you wish for a sound-proofed back seat, don't it, Lois, m'dear?"
Lois grinned back at him, and patted his arm. "Either that or to be alone in the backseat ourselves!"
O o O o O o To be continued