The Maid's Best Kept Secret (The Marchetti Dynasty 1)

Marianne was looking after Daniel now, in between feeds.

Nikos appeared on the terrace and Maggie had to steel herself not to react. But it was even harder today, when he was in faded worn jeans and a white polo shirt which showed off the olive tones of his skin and his musculature.

He barely looked at her, though, and glanced at his watch. ‘Staff are coming to set up soon and the guests will be arriving from five p.m. I’ve arranged for a team to come up from a salon in Cannes. Clothes have been ordered—they should be in your wardrobe.’

‘Yes, they’re there.’

She’d seen the glittering array of dresses. Each one as beautiful and intimidating as the next. Even though she was getting used to the process she still felt like a fish out of water—and even more so now, when she was feeling fatigued and concerned about Daniel.

‘Are you okay?’ Nikos asked.

Maggie looked at him. She felt like asking if he really cared. He’d barely said two words to her since that conversation in his study in London. But now probably wasn’t the time to get into anything.

‘I’m fine, just a bit tired. And Daniel—’

Nikos frowned. ‘Is he okay?’

‘He’s fine—we think he’s starting to teethe.’

‘Is that serious? Does he need a doctor?’

Maggie smiled. ‘No, it’s not serious—it’s perfectly normal. All babies teethe. It just makes them cranky.’

‘Let me know if it’s anything more. Maybe you shouldn’t come this evening—maybe you should stay with Daniel?’

Maggie smarted at the suggestion that she should absent herself. Which was crazy. Obviously Daniel was more important, but—ridiculously—she felt jealous of her own baby, who seemed to be commanding Nikos’s attention with more skill than she did.

Earlier, on the plane, she hadn’t been able to soothe a fractious Daniel. Nikos had put down his papers and held out his arms. ‘Here, let me try.’

Almost immediately the little traitor had stopped crying and promptly fallen asleep in his father’s arms.

It was something that should have sparked joy within Maggie. Alleviating her worst fears. But instead it had made her feel redundant. If Daniel and Nikos bonded, where did that leave her? She hadn’t ever anticipated that scenario.

The suspicion that he was punishing her for intruding—going too far with the birthday celebration—was like acid in her stomach. A man as proud as Nikos wouldn’t thank her after telling her the sorry facts of his lonely childhood.

She forced those thoughts out of her mind. ‘Daniel will be fine. Marianne is with him and I can feed him when I need to.’

‘I’ll leave it up to you—just don’t feel obliged.’

Maggie watched as he walked off. So now it didn’t even matter if his wife was by his side? When it was supposed to be part of the reason for this marriage...? She couldn’t escape the feeling that the ground was shifting underneath her and she had nothing to cling on to.

A few hours later Maggie looked at herself critically in the mirror. Make-up had covered the circles under her eyes, but she knew she still looked a bit washed out.

Her hair was caught back in a low bun and she wore a strapless light blue sheath dress, down to the knee, with matching sandals with kitten heels that were mercifully easy to walk in.

She left a sleeping Daniel with Marianne and went downstairs, nervous of Nikos’s reaction now that he was in this strange aloof mood. He turned as she came down and she saw the flare of something in his eyes before his face became impassive again. She felt a treacherous little flicker of hope.

He hadn’t appreciated having to open up. That was all it was.

‘Is this okay?’

‘It’s fine.’ His voice was gruff.

He wore a steel-grey suit and no tie. Casual, but elegant. And unashamedly masculine.

Staff had been busy in the interim. They’d decorated the space with flowers and she could see a long table outside in the shade, set for dinner.

A new scent infused the air. She wrinkled her nose, ‘Is that—’