Taking Him, page 4
‘Well, what would you like? We have a chef here who can cook a range of things; why don’t we go look?’
‘Where’s Corrie?’ he asked, pressing his button as he held the controller closer to the TV. Victoria wondered if that made it work better.
‘Still sleeping,’ she answered. She watched the TV set as his character fired a gun at some sort of creature that was trying to get him. As the thing exploded in a shower of blood and guts that spattered the TV from the inside, Victoria decided enough was enough. These games were not for six-year-olds.
She’d have the hotel put an age block on the consoles.
‘That’s enough of that.’ She reached out and took the controller from his small hands.
‘Hey!’ he protested and tried to snatch it back, but she was too quick. ‘I was playing that!’ He scrambled off the bed and tried to make it to the armoire, but Victoria already had the controller in the fake drawer and was locking it with the key before he reached her. He scowled up at her and suddenly she was sixteen all over again, and having to deal with a pouting Alexi.
‘Not anymore.’ She said the words firmly, but not unkindly. ‘Cormac said after schoolwork, and while you might be finishing school for summer next week, there are plenty more lessons for you to learn.’
‘Like what?’ His voice filled with open hostility.
‘Well, about my family for a start. You do know who my family is, right?’
‘Yeah, King Richard and Queen Katrine are your grandparents.’
‘That’s right, and my aunts and uncles are dukes and princesses and there are rules that go with meeting them and talking to them, and so many other things.’
James’ frown turned less scowl and more into one of consideration.
‘Why?’ he asked.
‘Let’s talk about it over breakfast. I’m dying for a cup of tea.’ She made it sound so melodramatic, but she really needed to distract the boy from his video games.
‘I don’t like tea,’ he told her, turning his nose up at her comment.
‘If you’ve only ever tasted your brother’s brews, I completely understand why you don’t.’ He snorted at that, his shoulders jumping as he huffed. ‘Tea should not be made from a bag.’
‘Then what do you use?’
‘Tea should be brewed from leaves, in a teapot, never just in a cup—’ She paused as she recalled Cormac handing her the overly large mug. ‘And definitely never a mug.’
His little face lit up, his mouth making an oh shape before he said, ‘Brewed? Like Professor Snape brews the potions in Harry Potter? Isn’t your name Snape?’
‘Um, yes.’ She didn’t want to confess she’d never read the popular books nor seen the films, although she remembered Marcus talking of them—he’d been a big fan.
‘Can you show me how to brew tea?’
‘Um.’ She was completely lost of words. She certainly hadn’t expected eager anticipation from him over a cup of tea, but a small curl of warmth filled her soul. Her own mother had taught her about tea at James’ age and while James might not be her child, she was going to be the best thing he had to a mother figure.
‘Sure, why not!’ she said, holding out her hand to him. He beamed brightly at the outstretched limb and grabbed at it as he followed along beside her.
‘And afterwards, could we go swimming again?’
‘Okay,’ Victoria agreed, in a bit of a daze at how quickly the boy ran from hot to cold and back again, as James began to tell her all about his swimming lessons at school.
‘Okay, so tell me everything we need.’ Victoria asked as she gave her napkin a little flick to open it and rested it gently over her lap. ‘Point to it as you say it so I can see you know which items you’re talking about and not just reeling off names.’
James took a deep breath before he took his hands out of his lap where they’d sat fisted up while he watched Merryweather lay out the table.
‘Teapot, canister to store the tea leaves, sugar bowl, milk pot-’
‘Milk pot?’
James’ head snapped to look up at her as she looked down at him with a raised questioning brow. His surprised face turned into one of consternation as he tried to recall what names she’d given to everything as it had been put out.
‘Cream jug.’ He nodded his head firmly as he touched it with the tip of his finger.
‘Excellent. Okay, continue.’
‘Tea strainer and its caddy, cup and saucer, and teaspoon.’ He held the silver caddy spoon aloft as it were a trophy. The morning sun that bathed the terrace where they sat, caught it, and made it sparkle. She didn’t have the heart to correct him just yet on that one.
‘Fantastic!’ she gave him a smile and an encouraging nod of the head. ‘Okay, so now I’m going to show you how to brew the tea. First,’ she said, reaching for the already warmed teapot and bringing it to them so he’d be able to see everything she was doing from where he knelt on the chair. They’d have to look at getting some sort of booster seat for him for going forward.
‘You have to make sure you have a warm teapot—Merryweather already warmed this for us—and you need water.’ The butler appeared at her side with a kettle wrapped in a towel. ‘It should be fresh off the boil. Merryweather is going to add this for us, so we don’t burn ourselves.’
James leaned away from the action, sliding his arms along the table as he went. Victoria was glad the staff hadn’t added a tablecloth.
‘Okay,’ she said as the butler stepped back and left them to their lesson. ‘Now we add the tea leaves.’ James gripped the caddy spoon harder as Victoria opened the tea canister and held it out to him. ‘We need one spoonful for each of us.’ He carefully scooped out two spoons and dropped them into the steaming water. ‘And an extra one for the pot.’
He glanced up at her, making sure he heard her right, before scooping out another. He made this one larger than the last and Victoria was curious about his thinking but kept her questions to herself so she didn’t put him off. It would be a little stronger than she’d thought they would make for his first time, but he’d soon learn to adjust to taste this way.
‘Now’—she put the lid on the pot—‘we leave it for a few minutes.’
‘How many?’ James asked looking up at her, his neck right back as she put the pot further onto the table so he couldn’t accidentally touch it.
‘About five, but if you want a weaker tea, you could leave it for three or four.’ He frowned at that and Victoria had a feeling he liked very precise answers. ‘Tea is something that will become very personal to you,’ she said as she nodded to Merryweather to begin serving breakfast. The two footmen stepped forward and removed the large silver cloches from the platters on the adjoining table that would serve as their buffet spread.
James practically vibrated in his chair as he saw the dishes of sausages, bacon, and eggs on one side of the table, while pancakes, waffles and pastries decorated the other. A vast array of syrups and fruit made a centrepiece in between the options. Victoria had a feeling their tea brewing would quickly be forgotten by her young apprentice.
James’ eyes lit up as Merryweather began to help him make his plate, asking the young master what he wanted to eat. Victoria didn’t believe for one second that Cormac had ever let his brother go hungry, although he’d probably allowed himself to miss a few meals more than he should have in order for James to have a full stomach. She wondered if his tiny frame was from a lack of good food over anything else. Cormac was far taller than the average Avalonian man who generally stood just below six foot, and he was broad so surely James should be similar in nature?
She pondered the thought as she made a few selections from the buffet herself, making sure there was a good helping of everything.
‘Could you take this to Mr Blake, please?’ she asked one of the waiting footmen. She intended for Cormac to enjoy a good breakfast in bed, but her good intentions were laid to waste when a sleepy Cormac stepped out onto the patio dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, yawning and scratching his head through his fluffed-up hair.
‘Good morning,’ she said as she waved away the footman and set the plate in the third place. She rose as Cormac joined them at the table and she pressed a kiss to his cheek.
‘Mornin’’ he replied with a bashful grin as he scooted the chair closer. His eyes surreptitiously glanced towards the waiting staff, and Victoria felt his immediate discomfort. He’d have to overcome that soon, but she’d make an allowance for now.
‘That will be all, thank you,’ she said to Merryweather, who merely dipped his head in a bow. The other staff quickly disappeared and the butler finished tending to his young charge before also leaving them be.
‘Are there always so many people about? Man, this looks good!’ He didn’t give Victoria a chance to answer before he grabbed his knife and fork and began hacking into his food. ‘I’m starving!’
‘Are you going to inhale it or eat it?’ she asked, staring at him in horror as he shoved his overloaded fork into his mouth and swallowed almost immediately. The second forkful he had halfway to his mouth in anticipation, paused as he turned to her and then to his brother who stared at him with his mouth agape.
‘Guess now wouldn’t be a bad time for one of those lessons?’ he said quietly as he slowly lowered his fork.
Victoria shook her head. ‘Lesson one, actually chew your food. That way, you won’t die before your time. Otherwise, this is a buffet breakfast. Quite simple, very casual,’ she said as she reached for the teapot. ‘You serve yourself, and you have very few utensils, but there are staff nearby should you need them.’
Cormac nodded along with each thing she said.
‘Tea?’
‘Wait!’ James shouted, before tucking his chin to his chest. ‘Sorry, I mean,’ he said with a much more respectable tone of voice. ‘I thought I was brewing.’
Victoria beamed at him. ‘Of course.’ She put the pot back down on the corner of the table between them. ‘What we need is your cup and the tea strainer.’
James grabbed his little cup with both hands, clearly frightened of dropping it, and put it carefully down in front of the pot, then took the strainer from its caddy.
‘Looks like a mini-sieve,’ he commented as he held it up towards one of his eyes and peered through it.
‘Because it is,’ Victoria told him as she plucked it from his fingers before it landed on the floor. She placed it across his cup. ‘It goes across like this and it’s going to stop you from having any leaves floating in your cup if they happen to drop through the spout. Now I’ll pour,’ she told him as she lifted the hot pot again. ‘Watch how I do it.’
She moved the pot in small circles first, allowing the tea within to swirl, then she slowly began to pour the tea into the cup before she raised it a little higher and tipped it so the brew flowed faster, before dropping it down again.
‘Does that help?’ he asked, moving his hand up and down as she had done with the teapot.
‘I don’t know,’ she shrugged, and then grinned at him. ‘But it’s fun.’
James smiled back at her over the top of his tea. ‘Can I add the milk?’ His voice was just a whisper, as if he was sharing the secrets of a special potion.
‘This is a very special secret,’ she said, dropping her own voice to match his. ‘But milk can either make tea or ruin it. Strong teas do well with milk, but lighter teas or green teas don’t.’
‘Don’t you add the milk first?’ Cormac’s voice interrupted their little lesson, and Victoria stared at him aghast at the suggestion.
‘I beg your pardon?’ she asked, sitting up straight in her chair, praying she hadn’t just heard what she thought she had.
‘Milk, it goes in first.’ He repeated as he bit into a piece of toast.
Victoria closed her eyes and counted to three before opening them again.
‘What?’ Cormac huffed through his mouthful of toast. ‘It makes the tea creamier.’
‘You, Cormac Dean Blake, are a heathen. Milk goes in after the tea is poured.’
‘Yeah, Corrie,’ James jumped in to defend her. Cormac’s eyes shifted between the two of them before shaking his head with a smile.
‘Whatever. You’re both nuts.’
‘I’ve never been so insulted, James,’ she said, turning back to her protégé. ‘I don’t know how you’ve put up with him.’
‘Me neither,’ James agreed solemnly, shaking his own head slowly as he looked at his brother with something akin to pity. Victoria had to bite her lip to stop from laughing, but it was only short-lived as a toast crust flew across her vision and bonked James right on the forehead.
‘Hey!’ James protested as Victoria’s head whipped around to stare at Cormac in horror.
‘Oh, lighten up, you two,’ Cormac said, returning to his food.
Victoria helped James to add his milk and watched him take a sip. His eyes grew wide with surprise and pleasure, and he made an mmm sound before carefully putting the cup back on its saucer and tucking into his breakfast plate. Merryweather had piled it high with a bit of everything on offer, and the young boy was eager to sample the lot by the looks of things.
The trio settled into breakfast well, Victoria advising of their itinerary for the day; she had some appointments to attend, to firmly fix plans for the wedding, while Cormac and James were going off to buy clothes.
‘They’ll expect you there at two o’clock,’ she advised Cormac. ‘Oh, and this is for you.’ She pulled the bag from under the chair that had arrived as she’d settled James down for breakfast.
Cormac peeked into the bag in curiosity before groaning.
‘What’s wrong? I assure you it’s the best one out there.’
‘I figured,’ Cormac said as he pulled the box out of the bag that showed a sleek smartphone, made exclusively for the Royal Family with all the latest security protocols. ‘I just—Why do I need this?’
‘Because we have a lot to do, so we need to keep in touch. Also, I’ll be putting your number down for things to do with James—like school applications,’ she whispered the last part. She wasn’t sure that James was aware he wouldn’t be returning to his old school after next week. ‘Also, for days like today—when he misses school and you need to call them to explain.’
The way Cormac’s face turned bright red, the tips of his ears turning an endearing shade of pink, she knew she was right; he hadn’t even thought about James being absent from school this morning. She made a note to get James’ attendance records and see if that was a regular thing or not.
‘Look I underst—’
A quiet cough from the living room doors caught her attention.
‘Yes, Merryweather?’
‘My lady, Mr Carter, the hotel manager, has called to say your sisters are downstairs and are making a fuss at the front desk. He wants to know if you’d like them to be sent up or if you’d like him to deal with the situation?’
Victoria frowned. Why were her sisters here? How did her sisters know where she was?
She dabbed her mouth with her napkin before putting it over her plate and standing up.
‘Please have them sent up.’ The butler nodded before turning and doing as she bid.
‘Why are you sisters here?’ Cormac asked, pushing his own plate away.
‘I don’t know,’ she confessed as she grabbed the back of the chair for support. ‘But I have a sinking feeling something has gone wrong.’
And, boy, had something gone wrong.
Victoria anxiously glanced towards Cormac as she heard her sisters spilling out of the lift, while waiting for them in the living room. They’d banished James off to his room, but Victoria kept glancing towards the stairs just in case—at least she hadn’t yet put the game blocks on the consoles. She smoothed down the front of her top as if she could smooth away the nerves that danced inside her, as she turned to face her sisters when they marched into the room, voices raised.
‘What the hell is going on?’
‘Who on God’s green earth is Cormac Blake?’
‘More importantly, is he hot? Oh!’ Alexi stopped in her tracks as Cormac stood up to greet them. ‘He is.’ Alexi’s striking blue eyes roved freely over Cormac’s body in his tight white t-shirt and thigh-hugging jeans. Victoria felt the urge to go and stand between them, to block her sister’s hungry gaze from gobbling up the man she was to marry.
‘My, my, Victoria,’ Alexi purred as she moved towards Cormac slowly, like a tiger stalking its prey. A salacious smile curved her perfectly painted red lips. ‘You have picked a handsome prince to save you.’
Victoria rolled her eyes at her sister’s antics, but still stepped up beside Cormac.
‘Lovely for you to all drop by,’ she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. ‘Why don’t we take a seat and I’ll have tea brought in.’
‘I haven’t time for tea,’ Hattie said, glaring at Cormac from the corner of her eye as she faced her sister. ‘I just want to know—’
‘Maybe we could talk alone?’ Pippa interjected, glowering at her younger sister to shut up, before her eyes darted towards Cormac.
‘Anything you say to me, you can say in front of Cormac,’ Victoria said with a sniff as she took a seat on the end of the couch, right next to the chair Cormac had been sitting in while they’d waited for the trio. Her sisters took their seats and Cormac slowly sat back in his chair. ‘Especially as we both want to know how the hell you know about him.’
‘How we know?’ Hattie repeated in disbelief. ‘How we know? How about, why did we find out you’re getting married through your bloody official announcement?’
‘What?’ Victoria spluttered.
‘Beg your pardon?’ Cormac asked at the same time.
‘God, Victoria,’ Alexi pipped up as she began to fan herself. ‘That voice of his.’
‘He is a person, Alexi’ Victoria ground out through clenched teeth. ‘And is sat right here and can hear you!’
‘Lady Henrietta,’ Cormac said carefully. His eyes fixed on Hattie and didn’t appear to be giving Alexi the slightest bit of attention. Victoria wanted to smile widely, but kept her face stoic as she turned her attention back to Hattie, who was carefully assessing Cormac.
