Buch lesen: «The Mysterious Twin»

Chapter One

The ferry trip across the Sound was a short one, but long enough for Ashley’s stomach to tighten with nervousness. She was supposed to call the Vandenburg house when she arrived on the ferry, and someone would come and lead the way through the marshlands and tropical woods to the estate on the Atlantic side of Roble Island.

The ferry berthed at its pier, near a main thoroughfare bordering the west side of the island. A colorful little village hugged the waterfront, tempting tourists and residents with inviting shops, restaurants, parks and several inns and motels.

She parked beside a public telephone that stood in a parking lot across from the nautically styled Seaside Inn. She dialed the number Jill had written on a slip of paper, and worried her lower lip waiting for someone to answer the insistent ring.

What if nobody was home?

A woman with a trace of an accent finally answered, “Vandenburg residence. Who is calling, please?”

“This is…Mrs. Budge Gordon.” Even as she said the name for the first time, it sounded false in Ashley’s ears. “I was told to call when I arrived. Someone is supposed to guide me to the house.” Then she added, “I’m the new nanny.”

“I’ll tell Mr. Stone. Where are you?”

Ashley glanced quickly around. “I’m at the Seaside Inn,” she said, and before she could ask how long it might be before her escort arrived, the woman hung up.

Great, thought Ashley. She had no idea how far away the Vandenburg house was from the wharf. Ten minutes? A half hour or more? Jill had said that the estate was on the Atlantic side of the island at its southern tip.

Davie was sleeping peacefully in his car seat, and Ashley hesitated to move him. I should have told them I’d be waiting in the car, she lamented. Whoever was coming for her would probably go inside the inn looking for her. Sitting in the front seat, she could watch everyone who went in and out of the white clapboard building, but the problem was that she didn’t know what Mr. Stone or anyone else the woman might send looked like.

After waiting twenty minutes, she decided that she’d better unload the baby and make herself visible. Not a good start, she thought, as her natural penchant for having things well-ordered put her off balance.

She was busy unhooking the carrier from the back seat when a red Jaguar pulled into the parking lot and parked a few stalls away. She didn’t see the dark-haired slender man who got out of the car and walked toward her.

There she is, Kyle Stone thought as he took in the white Mercedes and the neat backside of the woman as she leaned over to bring a baby out of the back seat of the car and put him in a small hand carrier. Of course, she’d be driving a fancy car like that. Even though he’d never met Jill and Budge Gordon, he knew their reputation as leaders in the fast crowd of nationally known sport figures. Kyle hadn’t been surprised that Budge had decided to shaft everyone and take off with illegal betting money. Keeping up their high-flying lifestyle must have been a constant financial drain.

Jill Gordon as a nanny? The idea made him hide a chuckle as he sauntered over to her car. He’d had his doubts about her ever showing up. But here she was, dressed as if she was ready for a beach party.

“Hello. You must be Mrs. Gordon,” he said politely as she turned around, clumsily grasping the handle of the carrier with both hands.

Her eyes widened with surprise and obvious relief. “Are you—?”

“Kyle Stone,” he answered, smiling as he quickly made a mental assessment of her. Her makeup was artfully applied to enhance her delicate features and deep liquid-blue eyes. Full lips were carefully traced with a pink, kissable lipstick, and shoulder-length, wavy, honey-blond hair framed her face. Tight jeans cupped her thighs and legs in a provocative fashion. At the moment tiny lines of a frown marred her forehead, and the skimpy summer blouse she wore didn’t hide the rise and fall of her fast breathing.

“Did you have trouble finding the ferry to the island?” he asked politely. Nervousness stood out all over her.

“No, not at all.” Her smile was quick and superficial. “Thank you for coming so quickly. I would like to get the baby settled at the house as soon as possible.”

“Of course. It’s only about a fifteen-minute drive across the island.”

She wished now that she hadn’t taken the baby out of his car seat. Maybe the movement of the car would lull him back to sleep. It wasn’t time for another bottle, and it would be just her luck to have Davie shrieking his head off when they arrived at the house.

“I think you’ll find everything you need in the nursery,” Kyle said. “Mr. Vandenburg gave orders that it was to be completely equipped. What’s the baby’s name?” he asked politely.

“Davie.”

“He’s a fine fellow. So bright. Look at the way he’s looking around.”

Instead of smiling or responding to the compliment as he had expected a new mother would, she gave her attention to returning the baby to his car seat.

When she had trouble locking the baby in, he said, “Here, let me.”

Without any argument, she stepped back and let him do it. “I don’t know why I have trouble getting that fastened,” she said nervously.

Motherhood wasn’t sitting well with her. Her uneasy, inept handling of the baby made him suspect that she’d turn over the baby’s care to hired help the first chance she got. Any maternal instinct she had didn’t show, he thought. It was a good thing that Lily McKee had been hired to help out with the kids. Jill Gordon must have been in desperate financial straits to accept Hugo’s offer. Kyle certainly didn’t put much faith in Mrs. Budge Gordon’s ability to be any kind of a nanny.

“There you are, fellow,” he said to the wide-eyed baby. Davie had golden hair fuzz and the same deep blue eyes as his mother. He wondered how any father could run off and leave his son the way Budge had.

“I guess you don’t remember how to get to the house from your other visits?” Kyle said when the baby was in place and the back door closed. “Mr. Vandenburg sent his car for you on those occasions, didn’t he?”

She nodded without looking at him.

“Well, just follow me. There are lots of small roads that snake through the thick stands of moss-covered oak and cypress trees. If you take the wrong one, you can wander around in a confusing maze. The Vandenburg acreage is one of the largest estates, and it’s easy to get disoriented. Just stay close behind me.”

Kyle walked back to his car, but before he started up the engine, he picked up his cell phone and dialed a number.

When he got his connection, he briskly told the party on the other end, “The pigeon is in the coop. I’ll keep you posted.”

THERE WAS SOMETHING ABOUT Kyle’s practiced manner that put Ashley on edge. Even though he’d indicated that he hadn’t met Jill, he had given her the impression that he’d been around when her twin and Budge had visited Hugo Vandenburg. She didn’t like the clear assessing sharpness in his eyes, and his smile had held a subtle mocking criticism when she’d been so clumsy handling the baby carrier. She wondered what his position was at the Vandenburg estate, and hoped to heaven that she wouldn’t have much contact with him.

Ashley was grateful for the red Jaguar moving ahead of her on a narrow road snaking through heavy stands of ancient live oaks hung with gray moss. Like a dark surrealistic painting, a tracery of sunlight filtered through thick branches of pine, cedar, and magnolia trees. Heavy undergrowth of myrtle bushes and palmettos masked hidden marshes and, except for the wild flight of birds disturbed by the cars’ engines, Ashley couldn’t see any sign of man or beast. Being used to the wide-open spaces of Colorado, she felt a tightening of claustrophobia as she drove through the dark tunnel of trees and vegetation.

Davie was growing fussy in his car seat. She knew he would be howling at the top of his lungs in a few minutes if she didn’t tend to him. That’s all I need, she thought as her hands tightened on the steering wheel.

When the landscape changed from heavy forest to low marshes bordering white beaches, she let out a grateful breath. Almost immediately, tall palmetto palms marked the entrance to a beautifully landscaped estate, and an iron gate swung open easily at Stone’s light touch on his horn.

At the end of a short driveway, a southern mansion appeared almost magically in an emerald setting of trees, vines and brilliant tropical flowers. Ashley felt as if she’d just turned the pages of a fantasy book, and she had a feeling that if she just closed her eyes, the whole scene would disappear. Only the insistent, escalating cries of the baby assured her that this was no dream.

More like a nightmare, she thought as she parked behind Stone’s car in front of the house and hurried to get the baby out of the back seat. She somehow managed to get him settled in the hand carrier before Kyle Stone could offer his help.

“Let me carry him,” he said.

“Thanks, but I can handle him.”

“Don’t be silly,” he chided and quickly took the carrier from her.

She wanted to protest his high-handed way of taking over because for some perverse reason she didn’t want to be indebted to this self-assured, attractive man. She hated to admit that without his help, she didn’t know how she would have managed her purse, diaper bag and the carrier. She had a feeling that he was deftly managing her in some fashion. Used to holding her own with the president of her college and prestigious faculty members, she chafed at being treated like an inept employee.

“I’ll have Joseph bring in your luggage and the rest of the things,” he assured her as she sent a questioning look at the packed car.

She managed a thank-you smile. Luckily, Davie had ceased his wailing long enough to blink his round blue eyes in the sudden sunlight, and Ashley took advantage of the moment to glance at the southern mansion.

This was a summer home? Tall white pillars graced a long veranda spanning the front of the house. Large mullioned windows dotted the first and second floors, and a pair of embossed front doors identified the entrance. Even as Ashley wondered how she would find her way around such a place, the doors flew open and two children burst out on the veranda. Stopping at the top of the stairs, they stared down at her with unsmiling, belligerent frowns.

The oldest was a ten-year-old girl, Jill had told Ashley. She had a lean girlish build and was a head taller than her sturdy eight-year-old brother. Both had dark hair, strong features and an air of superiority about them. They were staring at her with the guarded animosity of the enemy. Her teaching experience had been limited to college students who were dedicated to passing her classes. She knew nothing about appeasing youngsters who looked as if they had taken an instant dislike to her. Ashley felt her stomach take a sickening dip down into her toes.

Kyle quickly waved for the children to come down the steps. “Pamela. Benny. Meet Mrs. Gordon. This pretty lady’s here to see that you have a good time this summer.” He lowered the carrier so they could see the baby. “And this is Davie. I bet he’s got a smile for you when he knows you better.”

“Hello,” Ashley said, making certain that she smiled directly at each one of them. “I’m glad to meet you.” She knew Jill would have said something like, “Hi, guys, how goes it?”

Kyle tried to break the stiff moment by ruffling Benny’s dark hair, winking at Pamela. “These kids are the greatest. Benny has a fantastic model airplane collection that he’d love to show you, and Pamela’s going to be an Olympic swimmer, aren’t you, hon? I bet Mrs. Gordon likes to swim, don’t you?”

Fortunately, Ashley didn’t have to lie to get in good with the little girl. Both she and Jill had been on the swim team in high school.

“I love to swim,” she said quickly. “And I bet Pamela could teach me some strokes.” Then she smiled at Benny. “And I would like very much to see your airplane collection.”

As they walked up the steps into the house, Kyle kept up a running monologue, praising the kids and giving Pamela and Benny the impression that their new nanny was in awe of all their accomplishments.

They entered a spacious foyer decorated in white-and-black marble, and Ashley scarcely had time to view numerous doors opening off of a wide hall before Kyle whisked them up a beautiful staircase to the second floor. A spacious sitting room furnished with lounge chairs and a large television was in an open area at the top of the stairs. Ashley could tell from the childish clutter that the two children spent a lot of time there. No doubt the downstairs living rooms were off-limits.

Benny rushed over to a table, picked up a video game and held it out to Ashley. “Let’s play. It’s a neat airplane war game. You can have the Tomcats.” Then he added with all the dictatorship of an eight-year-old, “Pammy won’t play so you have to.”

“She’s not playing that stupid game,” flared his sister. “Mother said she was supposed to keep me company in this horrid place.” Her blue eyes held the hint of tears. “Grandfather had no right to make us come here.”

“You’re a baby…baby…baby.”

“I am not.” Pamela clenched her fists.

Ashley knew that if she wanted to get off on a good footing, it was important not to slight either Benny or Pamela, but at the moment she had no choice. Davie might be the smallest of the three, but his loud protests could no longer be ignored. She felt as if she were being pulled in all directions at once, and she sensed that Kyle was waiting to see what she was going to do.

“We’ll play later, Benny,” she promised, and caught Pamela’s eyes with a reassuring smile. “I have to tend to the baby now, but there’ll be time later to do the things you want.”

Neither of them responded to her promises. Both of the children were staring at her with their original belligerent frowns, and she knew that she had lost the first round by default.

“The nursery is this way,” Kyle said, leading the way down the hall. Pamela and Benny didn’t follow but remained in the sitting room. “I hope you’ll be very comfortable here,” he said as they reached the nursery, with a connecting bedroom and bath. “We want to make certain that you have a very pleasant and entertaining summer.”

Something in his tone didn’t quite match the look he was giving her. She’d seen the way he’d managed the children, and she wondered if somehow he was manipulating her in the same fashion. Right then and there, she decided that she’d warn Jill about him. Ashley’s intuitive sense had always stood her in good stead when dealing with people, and something about Kyle Stone did not ring true. There was a secret remoteness about him that wasn’t hidden by his pleasant smile or his accommodating manner.

He set the carrier down in the nursery. “I think your little fellow’s tired of traveling. I’ll send Mrs. Borsch, the housekeeper, up to see if there’s anything you need. She told me that she thought the nursery was pretty complete, but I’m sure you’ll want everything to your own liking.”

To my own liking?

“I’m sure everything will be fine,” Ashley said, seeing diapers, a bottle warmer and other baby paraphernalia ready and waiting. Thank heavens, someone had anticipated the demands of caring for a baby twenty-four hours a day. If she could just get through the next few hours, things would surely smooth out.

Kyle had seen her eyes narrow as he spoke, and he knew she’d picked up the edge of sarcasm in his tone. Even though her reputation as the rather spoiled wife of a notable sports figure had preceded her, he’d have to be more careful. He didn’t want to antagonize her. If Jill Gordon got her back up, she could cause a lot of trouble for everyone.

“Well, then, I guess I’ll leave you. Mrs. Borsch will answer any questions you have about settling in. I’ll take Pamela and Benny downstairs and keep them busy in the library until dinnertime. I’ll see you then.”

As he paused in the doorway and looked back at her, he was struck by the awkward way she was handling the crying baby. Instead of putting the infant over her shoulder and patting his bottom to soothe him, she held him so that he was lying on his back, kicking his feet and waving his arms.

He sighed inwardly. Some nanny. It’s a good thing Pamela and Benny are old enough to manage most things themselves.

As he herded Benny and Pamela downstairs, his thoughts centered on what he was going to tell Hugo when his boss called him that night.

Nobody played Hugo Vandenburg for a fool and got away with it. All that illegal betting money was supposed to come home to him. All along, he’d used Budge to cover his behind-the-scenes involvement in the scam, but the basketball star had double-crossed him. Not only had Budge gotten away with Hugo’s money, but he had the information that could put the wealthy team owner behind bars. The missing Budge was a loaded cannon that could go off at any minute. Hugo needed to get to him before the law did, and the whole story came out.

Thanks to a letter that Budge had written to Jill before he disappeared, Hugo was using Jill as bait to get Hugo. In the letter, Budge had declared his love for his wife and promised not to leave the country without her. Budge had given the letter to one of his player friends to deliver to Jill, but the friend had betrayed him and given the letter to Hugo instead.

Hugo had offered the deserted Jill Gordon a nanny’s job in order to have her under surveillance. He’d put Kyle in charge of keeping close tabs on her. Kyle’s orders were to carefully monitor any contact that Budge might make with his wife so that any plans the couple made to leave the country together could be foiled.

But relating to Jill Gordon was going to be a harder job than Kyle had thought. She was less than competent caring for her own baby and having her handling two more children was likely to result in a fiasco. Unfortunately, there was too much at stake to let her sink or swim on her own. Hugo had really hoodwinked her into thinking that he considered her another one of Budge’s victims and wanted to make it up to her out of the goodness of his heart.