Free The Ice Seduction (Ice Romance) by SK Quinn Page B

but then she turns and looks back over her shoulder. ‘Have you seen Patrick today?’
    ‘Yes,’ I tell her. ‘I n the woods earlier.’
    Oh shit. I want to clamp a hand over my face.
    Well done Sera! You and your big mouth …
    Margaret stops walking. ‘You were in the woods? With Bertie?’
    ‘I … um … no, it was just me.’
    Margaret’s eyes bore into me. ‘ You were alone? In the woods? With Patrick?’
    ‘Y -es.’
    She looks me up and down again, taking in my jeans and home-printed sweatshirt. I guess next to her designer suit, I don’t look up to much.
    She presses her lips tight together . ‘I plan to marry Patrick Mansfield this year. So consider him spoken for.’
    ‘That’s what I heard,’ I say. ‘Not tha t it matters to me, anyway.’
    ‘Good.’ She marches away, pushing Bertie along with her.
    ‘Wait!’ I call out. ‘Where will you be?’
    ‘I told you. You won’t be needed any more this evening. Take a break.’
    ‘But what about Bertie’s bedtime? Who’ll put him to bed?’
    ‘He doesn’t need someone to put him into bed. He’s five years old, he’s perfectly capable of undressing and sorting himself out. I just send him to his bedroom when he’s done.’
    My mouth opens and closes. Did she really just say that?
    ‘With no one to say night night to him?’ I ask.
    ‘He doesn’t need a nanny to say night night to him,’ says Margaret. ‘His mother’s not here. While she’s away, staff should know their place. The boy will go to bed by himself. That’s what he’s used to. Don’t try to mess up his routine. Or I’ll be having words with my mother, and you’ll soon find yourself out of a job.’
    With that, she marches Bertie away.
    I take a seat, quietly fuming, trying to work out how I’m going to find Bertie’s bedroom.
    There’s no way I’m letting Bertie go to bed with no one to say night night to him. He’s a little boy, for crying out loud. He needs to know he’s loved before he falls asleep at night.
    I hear a crash in the kitchen, and Vicky say ing, ‘oh bothering heck.’
    I get to my feet , picking up plates and bowls.
    ‘Vicky?’ I near the serving hatch, and see her sweating over a huge sink of washing up. ‘Are you okay?’
    She turns to me and smiles. ‘Fine, doll. Just dropped a pan.’
    ‘Any chance you could help me? I need to find out where Bertie’s bedroom is.’
    ‘Haven’t you been there already? I thought all that little lad did was play computer games?’
    ‘I was there this morning, but I’m shit with directions.’
    ‘Of course I’ll help you. Is it okay if I get this place cleaned up first, though? Then I’ll take you up there.’
    ‘Sure! Do you need a hand with this washing up?’
    ‘I’d love that. Wors t part of the job.’
    ‘Here.’ I push open the serving door wi th my hip and drop plates and bowls into the sink. ‘I’ll do it. You go put your feet up. You’ve worked hard enough doing all our meals.’
    ‘Wouldn’t hear of it, ’ says Vicky. ‘We’ll do the washing up together, and that’s that.’
     

29
    After Vicky and I finish the washing up, she leads me through the castle towards Bertie’s room.
    ‘I have a good way of remembering how to get around this place,’ she tells me, as we walk down dark corridors. ‘You see the tapestries? They all match the wings of the castle, east and west. The battle ones are all in the East Wing and the church ones are in the West Wing.’
    She leads me up a flight of stairs. ‘I’m guessing you’re in the East Wing, right?’
    I think about that. ‘Yes. I think Mrs Calder said it was the East Tower …’
    ‘She shouldn’t put the nannies up there – it’s freezing. No wonder so many girls leave.’
    ‘Do you think that’s why so many nannies have left early?’ I ask.
    ‘No,’ says Vicky. ‘I think they leave because of Bertie. He’s a hard child to handle. I’ve seen some scenes in the great hall, believe me. He can really blow. I mean,