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“I forgot about your fiancée. ” Liam poured himself a cup of tea, adding sugar and a lemon. “Have her taken to The Hall, or the dowager’s house. Your mother would be thrilled to meet—”
“Meet my mother? You can’t be serious. ”
“Do you want to be President again or not?”
Sebastian clenched his jaw. “My mother has been emailing Daisy, which made my fiancée uncomfortable. ” That was putting it mildly. She’d seemed genuinely upset and had handled his asinine response with her usual finesse and sweetness, until he’d refused to hold her hand. Something so simple, yet he’d been so furious he didn’t trust himself to touch her again.
“Shall I have her email monitored?”
It was on the tip of his tongue to say yes, but he couldn’t. He wouldn’t violate Daisy privacy or ignore her wishes. “No need. She sent the woman to spam. ” A smile kicked up the corners of his mouth. “Imagine, Lady Francesca, eldest daughter of the Duke of Everham, denied entry into an inbox. ”
“Then it’s settled. ” Liam grinned, his dark eyes crinkling at the corners. “When do I get to meet this Daisy of yours?”
Daisy of yours? Sebastian picked up his cup of tea again. He liked the sound of it. His Daisy. “Shall we get everyone together at G. R. ’s to celebrate my engagement and successful negations?”
“Positive visualization—I like it. ” Liam finished his tea and set it down on the tray. He straightened his tie. “Let me pop down to my office, get the paperwork we need on my end, and meet you in conference room three in about fifteen minutes. ”
Sebastian moved to his desk, clicked on Outlook, and began to read his emails. “See you then. ” Liam exited the room, the door closing with a soft click.
Ten minutes had passed before he remembered he needed to inform Daisy of his plans. God, she was going to be furious with him, possibly hurt. Although she was already mad enough at him not to even care if she didn’t see him for a couple of days.
Still…
Change of plans. You’ll need to find something to do today, tonight, and most of tomorrow. Dinner with my friends has been moved to Wednesday night at seven thirty. I have business meetings that cannot be missed. Shall I arrange a tour for you?-S
There. He’d informed her of his plans and now she could make her own, with any help from him she needed.
Chapter Seventeen
Daisy stared at Sebastian’s latest text. Was he serious? He was going to leave her alone for the next two days? To do what? Oh yeah, take a tour he would arrange for her.
Bless his heart.
No thank you. Have fun at your playdate. Tell the other dictators I said hi and you suck. ~D
Crap. Not he sucked, which he did, but the other guys. Not you suck, btw. They suck. ~D
>:-S
Whether or not he meant to be funny, she wasn’t sure.
The maid showed her to one of the six guestrooms in the five-story mansion. Another servant, dressed in a dark suit, brought up her suitcases and set them on a low dresser.
“Shall I unpack for you, ma’am?” the maid asked with a smile.
Daisy returned her smile. “No, thank you. But could you tell me what’s the best way to tour London?”
“Sorry, but I wouldn’t know, ma’am. ”
“Thanks anyway,” Daisy said as the maid left the room.
Sighing, Daisy padded to one of several windows overlooking a green square with several huge trees, heavy with green leaves. Men, women, and families walked around. A few gathered in small clusters in the shade of the trees.
Maybe she could join them.
The nap she thought she had to have was replaced by the thrill of being in a foreign land, doing foreign things, and loving every minute of it.
“Conquer the bucket list,” she sang.
After taking care of her most pressing needs, she grabbed her coat and purse, and headed downstairs. Just as she opened the front door, the bodyguard she’d met in Holland Springs intercepted her.
“Where are you going?” he asked, his accent thick. Russian, she’d bet.
She smiled. “To the park across the street, and then who knows?”
“I have to know. ” Leather creaked as he crossed his arms.
Her smile faded. “I can’t just explore and see where the day takes me?”
“No. ”
“Oh. ” She tried again. “But—”
“Mr. Romanov would fire me, if I let you go…exploring. ”
Well, she didn’t want to get the man fired and she understood that here things would be different. Like Sebastian had been. But understanding and actually experiencing were two very different things. “Okay. Well, I guess I’ll figure out my itinerary and give it to you. ” So much for spontaneity.
He nodded once. “And clear it with Mr. Romanov. ”
Clear it? Like she had to have his approval? She opened her mouth to argue again.
“Mr. Romanov values your safety above his own. He left me here with you, instead of Boris. ”
“You’re better than Boris?”
“Da. I trained Boris. ”
Though she knew she shouldn’t be swayed by that, she felt the tiniest bit of anger and resentment slip away. “Then shouldn’t he be just as good as you?”
His jaw worked. “I’m still the teacher and he’s still the student. ”
Well, she couldn’t argue with that logic. “It would have been nice to have been told all this ahead of time. ”
“Da. Make your plans, Countess. ”
“I’m not a countess. ” She never would be.
“You will be. ” His mouth twitched. A smile maybe? “I’ll take you where you want to go. Mr. Romanov left a credit card for you to use. ”
“Okay. ” Her heart felt heavy as she jogged back up the stairs and walked inside her room. Pulling out her phone, one that Sebastian had equipped with a new sim card, she began searching for and saving all the places she wanted to see.
Ten minutes later, she’d made her list and texted it to Sebastian, since she didn’t have his email address.
Have fun –S
I will. Your bodyguard’s a riot. ~D
I don’t pay Ivan to be funny. I pay him to keep you safe –S
You paid me to be your fiancée, which meant spending time with you, not your bodyguard. ~D
And why are we still ending our texts with our initials? I know it’s you. You know it’s me. ~ D
>:-S
Setting her purse on the dresser, she removed her wallet and stuck it, along with her phone, into her coat pocket. Determined to make the most of her trip, she marched to the door, down the hallway and the stairs, calling out Ivan’s name when she reached the bottom floor.
The enormous bodyguard appeared, sunglasses on, weapon concealed, and leather coat creaking. “Where to first, Countess?”
“The Tower,” she said as he opened her door. “I want to see if they have any vacancies. ”
***
It was nearly midnight when Sebastian arrived home. He trudged up the stairs, rubbing the back of his neck. For the time being, everything was going according to plan. Liang Technology wanted to do business with Romanov Industries. The details merely had to be worked out. But the devil usually cropped up in those, so he had to be wary and hire his own translators to make sure the agreement would be profitable for both companies.
He blinked, his jaw cracking on a yawn. He needed to sleep and check on Daisy. The report from Ivan said they’d visited the Palace today and the Tower. Though he hadn’t needed one from his bodyguard.
Oh no.
Daisy had texted him at every opportunity, usually with a picture attached. His favorite was of The Tower, her standing beside it and holding a sign that read, Vacancy. Earls Only.
God love her.
A grin kicked up the corners of his mouth as he made his way down the ha
ll to his room. Perhaps he could find a way to have breakfast with her in the morning.
The soft glow of light from one of his guestroom caught his attention and he strode to the door. Knocking softly, it swung open.
“Daisy?” he called out, then stepped inside and found her asleep in bed, arms and legs sprawled. Black lashes fanned her cheeks and all her gorgeous hair confined in a fat braid, bright colors weaving in and out.
An odd pang hit him. He’d missed her, he realized. He’d truly missed spending the day with her. Tomorrow evening he would make it up to her, and then spend the rest of her stay making it up to her.
Only he had to get through these negotiations first. He rubbed the back of his neck. There was always something interfering with his best-laid plans. He flicked his gaze to her sleeping form, highlighted by moonlight. Or by someone.
Leaning down, he pulled the covers up to her shoulders, turned off the bedside lamp, and tucked an errant curl behind her ear. “Good night,” he whispered.
Daisy made a small noise, her eyes blinking sleepily. “Sebastian?”
Now was his chance. He could apologize properly. “I’m sorry for being such an arse to you. You didn’t deserve it and I hope you’ll find a way to forgive me,” he murmured.
“Hmpf. You only want my cupcakes. Off with your head,” she said with a frown on her full lips.
He bit the inside of his cheek to stop himself from laughing. “I’ll try again later, my queen of hearts. ”
She turned over with a huff, presenting him with the back of her head. Though he wanted to kiss her, he refrained. Instead he stood and shoved his hands in his pockets. With a great sigh, he left her room.
***
“You’re who again?” Daisy asked, unable not to stare at the woman she’d been summoned to meet in the first floor reception room.
Sweeping off her hat, the tall woman with hair the color of coffee beans smiled. “I’m Kate von Lichtenstein, a close friend of the Romanovs, and I’ve come to take you shopping. ”
Dear God, she’d been right. Every woman in England had been named Kate.
“Sebastian sent you to help me pick out a new wardrobe?” Daisy asked. Was she supposed to start dressing like this chick? Not that she would mind, really. Kate’s dress was gorgeous and…Daisy peered more closely at her. Kate looked really familiar.
Unfortunately, Daisy’s mind blanked when she tried to place her face. Mostly because she’d just woken up thirty minutes ago, after a restless night of sleep, and hadn’t eaten breakfast yet. She hadn’t seen Sebastian this morning either. Guess he wasn’t ready to apologize to her again when she wasn’t half-asleep, or explain himself.
Earlier, Ivan had informed her that Mr. Romanov had come home at midnight, then left again at five. His normal hours. There was nothing normal about working a body to death. And for the first time since they’d arrived, a big part of her had felt sorry for him. Romanov Industries was all he had left of his family.
“Not precisely. ” Kate’s gaze skittered and her smile fell away.
Now this was interesting. “Would Sebastian be happy if I went with you?”
Kate’s shoulders dropped a little. “Not precisely. ”
Even more interesting. Maybe Kate could give her some tips about what to wear to dinner tonight. And right now, the last thing she wanted to do was to make Sebastian happy. Although she wasn’t setting out to make him unhappy. Heck, she wasn’t even that mad at him anymore. He’d apologized and this was his life. She was only his fake fiancée.
“Perhaps this wasn’t such a great idea, after all,” Kate said.
Grabbing Kate’s hand, she gave it a little squeeze. “We’re totally going shopping. Right after I eat breakfast. ”
Daisy and Kate made their way down High Street, window shopping, until Kate found the perfect shop and pulled Daisy inside.
“Champagne, please,” Kate called out to the sales clerk, and then she turned to Daisy “Let me see your ring. ”
“It’s a pink and chocolate diamond,” Daisy said, not really knowing how much she should share about her engagement, as she held it out for Kate’s inspection. “Sebastian said he thought I’d like it, because the diamonds around the middle looked like bits of frosting. ”
Kate’s assessing gaze found hers. “Did he now?”
“Yes. ”
“Lovely. ”
Daisy let her hand fall. She adjusted one of her chopsticks and looked around the shop. She blinked, twice. “Kate,” she loudly whispered. “Where are the price tags?”
“The future Countess of Spenserfield has no need to concern herself with price tags,” Kate informed her. She passed her a glass of champagne and held up her glass. “Cheers. ”
Belatedly remembering the black American Express card Sebastian had left for her, Daisy smashed her lips together. Yep, she was fitting right in.
Awesome.
Lifting her glass to Kate, she copied her, and then drank the entire thing.
“Would you like another?” Kate asked, jade-colored eyes wide.
Daisy hiccupped. “No. ”
“Why do you call him Sebastian instead of his nickname?”
“You get right to the point, don’t you?” Daisy smiled. “Sebastian must love having you for a friend. ”
Kate seemed to flinch when Daisy had said love, but she wasn’t really sure. “Bastian loves many things, but none of them include me. ” She grabbed a dress off the rack and held it up to Daisy. “This would be perfect for your first dinner out together. ”
“You think I should wear this tonight?” Daisy wasn’t sure. The dress was a little old fashioned, the pattern heavy and not at all her style. The most it had going for it was that it looked elegant, but she didn’t want to embarrass Sebastian or herself.