Sarah’s eyes glistened with tears. It had been a shock to find out she was an auntie. Then again, how would she know if Louisa hadn’t been in touch to tell her? She stared at the sleeping child, seeing a mass of blonde curls and long eyelashes. Pain shot through her as she remembered what she’d lost.
‘She’s beautiful,’ she whispered, wanting to reach out and touch her.
‘She’s a handful. Runs me ragged, hence the need for help.’
Sarah stayed poker-faced. ‘What do you mean?’
‘Richard is insisting I get a nanny. I’m barely mobile some days and he wants Daisy to have a normal life.’
Sarah didn’t want to give too much away but she had to say something to be polite. ‘What’s wrong with you?’ she asked.
‘The doctors haven’t said yet, but it’s looking like ME.’
‘Oh!’ She paused. ‘Is that hereditary?’
‘I’m not sure. I’ll check for you.’ Louisa nudged her playfully. ‘Look at you. You’re gorgeous and so full of life. You don’t need to worry.’
Sarah smiled. ‘So you can’t take Daisy out at all?’
‘It’s too tiring. And I get these debilitating headaches that knock me out of life for days at a time. It’s heartbreaking to see Daisy indoors so much.’
‘Have you had many people apply?’
‘Richard said there are a few, but he hasn’t started interviewing yet.’ Louisa backed out of the room. ‘Let’s go and have some tea while she’s asleep. She’ll be out of that bed as soon as her eyes open.’
As they went downstairs again, Sarah took everything in. She had never been in such a large house. It was beautifully decorated, tasteful, rich. How had Louisa come to be living here? It made going back to Derby even more horrid to think about. Perhaps there was something she could do about that if she played her cards right.
‘It’s good to see you again, after so long,’ Louisa said, giving her an impromptu hug. ‘It was mainly my fault for being so stubborn. And then I was so busy helpingRichard out and then having Daisy. On top of that, I had postnatal depression.’
‘It’s okay,’ Sarah replied, although it was far from it. It was all feasible, she supposed, but was more likely an excuse. Louisa probably hadn’t wanted to see her. Which begged the question, because Louisa obviously didn’t know anything about it: why was Richard offering Sarah the nanny job?
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
Sarah wasn’t quite prepared for the rush of hormones that flooded her body when she set eyes on Richard again. She’d known he was good-looking in a mature kind of way, but he seemed to have aged even better. He carried no excess weight on his medium frame, and he was tanned and wearing denim shorts to above the knee. His work boots and a white T-shirt gave him the air of a little boy, but his features were all about the older man.
To an outsider, Sarah was a more vibrant version of her sister. Her blonde hair was dyed to make it brighter, her hair styled in a long-layered bob with a blunt fringe. She was the same height and build as Louisa, but she didn’t walk as if she had the weight of the world on her shoulders.
She saw Richard’s eyes light up, then flicker from top to toe and back again until they landed on her own.Feeling herself blushing under his stare, she looked away for a moment.
‘Richard, Sarah’s here,’ Louisa stated the obvious. ‘Come and join us for a drink.’
‘Nothing for me,’ Richard said, not taking his eyes from Sarah’s. ‘I’m just finishing off a canvas but thought I’d come and say hello.’
‘Hi,’ Sarah said. ‘I bet you don’t remember me.’
‘How could I forget someone as beautiful as her sister?’
‘Stop it, you,’ Louisa tittered.
Sarah baulked. What was wrong with her? She was acting like a lovestruck puppy.
Richard ignored Louisa and sat across from Sarah. ‘How’re things with you?’ he asked.
‘Good, thanks.’
Richard smiled at her. ‘Well, treat this house as your home while you’re here. Louisa will cook something nice for this evening. What would you like?’
‘I’m not fussy.’
