The Nephew's Wife Read online

  Rand chuckled. “Investigate the prospects? You have a way of putting things, Celeste.”

  “You know what I mean.” She shook her finger at him. “I’m talking about dating and not these silly, gold-digging types you’ve hired to keep Dolly company.”

  “I’ll think about it, Celeste.” He swallowed the rest of his coffee and stood. “I better check on Aunt Dolly before Miss Todd gets here. Grace spoke highly of her. At least she’s shown patience and loyalty, two important qualifications I’m looking for.”

  Celeste took Rand’s cup to the kitchen with her while he jogged up the stairs. Dolly Powers’ suite was at the end of the hallway. Rand tapped on the door and walked in as he did every morning.

  “Good morning, beautiful!”

  Dolly glanced up from her bed where she sat propped against two layers of frilly- covered pillows. Annoyance stretched the wrinkles on her face.

  “Celeste says you’re interviewing someone today!” She pressed her lips into a pout. “I told you, I don’t need a com-pan-ion!” She exaggerated the word for emphasis. “I don’t need some silly girl, sashaying all around me in order to get your attention. I can do things for myself.”

  “I know you’re getting better and stronger, Aunt Dolly.” Rand stepped over and sat on the edge of her bed. “I just want you to have someone to keep you company during the day, that’s all. I don’t want you left alone.”

  “What if I prefer being alone?”

  “Then you tell the lady that, and she can leave you alone for a while.” He patted her hand. “Look, this isn’t meant to take away your freedom or independence. I know you’re working to get your old life back. I’m not stopping you. But, while you’re recuperating, I would feel better if you had some company during the day.”

  “I don’t like the women you choose,” she snapped. “None of them have worked out. They hovered over me like I was about to die. I can’t stand that. And they looked bored all the time until you walked in the room.”

  “I’m sorry, Aunt Dolly,” he said. “I’m going to make sure the next one has your absolute seal of approval before I hire her.” He glanced at his watch. “Time to get going. My first appointment will be interesting. She’s Ellen Todd, the woman who—”

  “You don’t have to tell me about her,” Dolly cut in. “I’ve read about her. Sounds like a sad-sack to me. I don’t want anybody sad and grieving around me. I do enough of that myself.”

  “Okay, Aunt Dolly, but let’s give her a try, shall we?” He leaned over and kissed her forehead. “Now, finish your breakfast.”

  “I don’t want anymore. I’m not hungry.”

  Rand frowned. “You haven’t been eating well lately. Should I call your doctor?”

  “You do and I’ll disinherit you!” Dolly quipped. “Can’t an old woman decide when she wants to eat or not? Skedaddle to your appointment.”

  “Things will get better, Aunt Dolly. You’ll be back to your old happy self soon.”

  “Umph! The only thing that will make me happy is to see you married with some children running around here.”

  Rand rolled his eyes. Not a day went by he didn’t hear the lecture about settling down and having a family.

  “You work too much, just like your uncle and your father. They both died early so what good did it do them?” Dolly added when she saw his bored expression.

  “It provided a good life for their families.”

  “What families? It’s just us two now, Randolph.” Her eyes watered. “I want more for you, dear. I don’t want to leave this earth knowing you’re all alone. I’ll die with a broken heart.”

  “Don’t talk that way, Aunt Dolly.”

  “Then find a good, Christian woman and marry her before you’re too old and ugly for anyone to want you.”

  Rand chuckled as he stood. “I promise you, I’ll think about it.”

  Dolly’s eyes twinkled with hope.

  “I said I’ll think about it,” Rand stressed when he saw his aunt’s face light up.

  Back downstairs, Rand checked his time. He had fifteen minutes, enough time to speak a prayer for the interview. Somewhere out there was a companion for his aunt. He visualized someone quiet and refined, but fun and good-natured. Someone with patience and a good heart, who would help his aunt adjust to her new limitations. It seemed so simple, but so far, he’d not been successful. Maybe today, he thought.

  He’d just finished his prayer when the doorbell rang. He heard Celeste’s pumps tapping against the marble floor in the entrance hall as she headed to the front door. Rand’s nerves unraveled. His palms dampened, and his pulse spiked.

  What? He was boggled and confused by the onslaught of jitters. Surely it wasn’t because of Ellen Todd. He didn’t know her, and what he remembered of her hadn’t impressed him to the point of this.

  “Miss Todd is here, sir.” Celeste stood at the office door.

  “Please, show her in,” Rand said, collecting himself.

  Ellen stepped from behind Celeste and thanked the housekeeper then entered Rand’s office. Celeste closed the door behind her.

  “Good morning, Miss Todd, I’m Rand Powers.” Rand walked around his desk. He stood at least eight inches taller than the demure woman.

  “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Powers.” Ellen stretched out her hand.

  Rand shook it gently. It felt so fragile inside his, he was afraid he’d crush it.

  “Please, have a seat.” He gestured to the two chairs in front of his desk.

  Ellen eased down on the plush cushion of one and put her knees together then wiggled her skirt over them. “Here’s my resume.” She handed Rand a folder.

  Rand half way studied it. The other half of his attention was on Ellen. She was nothing like the other ladies he’d interview. There wasn’t a single thing glamorous or phony about her. It was hard for him to concentrate on the information she’d given him. His glance kept sliding over to her. Thankfully, she was too busy studying the room to notice. Sadness ringed her dark eyes. This must be tough for her, he thought. There was a quiet, gentleness about her, and he wondered if she’d be able to work with his feisty aunt.

  Her face was pretty with delicate features. Nothing stood out, though. She wore no makeup, and her brown hair, held back by a headband, hung in neat waves to her lower back. Her bland- colored skirt and blouse washed away her olive-toned skin, and her flat shoes were worn and out-of-date. His heart went out to her. The last nine years, most of her twenties, had been spent holding vigil beside the broken man she’d loved.

  “Tell me about yourself.” Rand abruptly closed the folder and laid it on his desk.

  Ellen jumped. She’d been admiring the architect in the spacious room and the view of Tampa Bay from the window.

  “Uh—I—everything is in my resume.” Ellen straightened her posture. She hated talking about herself.

  “I want to hear it from you.”

  “Where would you like me to begin?”

  “Wherever you’d like, whatever’s comfortable for you.” Rand swiveled in his chair with his elbows resting on the arms and his hands entwined.

  Ellen glanced around as if her words were written on the walls of his office. Not wanting to waste time, she provided information meant to enhance her qualifications.

  “Well, my father died when I was ten. My mother and I moved in with my grandmother. When I was fifteen, my mother got cancer. I helped take care of her then when my grandmother became ill, I helped her, too.” Ellen fidgeted with the tips of her fingers. She shook her head. “You must be the only one who hasn’t heard of me. My life story has been well documented in magazines and newspapers.”

  “I’ve heard of you, Miss Todd.” Rand found her bashfulness appealing. “I just don’t believe everything I read in the press. Sometimes, simple things can be exaggerated. I much prefer to hear your version.”

  Ellen didn’t know whether to be relieved or not. Her version included a secret she didn’t want to tell. She’d have to skip o
ver it.

  Rand lifted a brow at her hesitation. “What about your education?” He prodded.

  “I dropped out of high school to help my grandmother. After her death, I went to night school, got my GED then took some secretarial courses.”

  “Did you have a career plan?”

  “I wanted to go to college and become a librarian,” Ellen answered with a ho-hum. “That was years ago. Before my mother became ill.”

  “You can still do that.”

  “One day maybe.” Ellen turned sullen. Her dreams seemed so frivolous. Paul had had bigger dreams. She had selfishly dashed them. Living hers out didn’t seem fair.

  “So, you’ve pretty much taken care of people most of your life. God must have felt you were better suited in the health profession.”

  “I suppose.”

  Her bland tone baffled Rand. According to her resume, Ellen was a Christian.

  “You don’t sound too convinced. God does have a way of moving us in the direction He wants us to go. Do you not believe that?”

  “My faith is a bit shaky right now, Mr. Powers,” Ellen replied honestly. When he wrinkled his forehead at her, she added. “I’m still a believer, don’t get me wrong. I just feel detached right now.”

  “That’s understandable, considering what you’ve been through. I’ll keep you in my prayers. I have found my faith in God and my relationship with Jesus Christ to be essential whenever I face problems.”

  Ellen listened quietly. The man’s spiritualism was comforting. Paul had never spoken about God. He’d tell her he believed, but he never wanted to discuss issues of faith. His disinterest had made her question their relationship. What kind of marriage would they have had if she could not talk about her faith in God?

  “Well, it’s time for the second half of the interview. The important half.” Rand stood. “I’ll introduce you to my Aunt Dolly.”

  Ellen rose and smoothed the wrinkles from her skirt. She frowned at the worn material. If she got the job, she’d buy herself a new wardrobe. All her clothes were frayed and faded. When she looked up, she caught Rand Powers staring. He’d probably never seen anyone so pathetic, Ellen thought.

  Rand described his aunt as they made their way up the curving, marble staircase and down the right wing of the mansion. Ellen barely listened. She felt dwarfed and lacking surrounded by such elegance and wealth. Her thoughts flew to Paul. This was the lifestyle he had desired. His family had money, but not like this. Paul’s goal to have it all had brought out the worst in him. He’d become greedy, selfish, and downright unlikeable. People became objects to use to get what he wanted.

  Ellen glanced up at the handsome, well-dressed man, walking beside her. His face and mannerisms pointed to a contented, balanced person, sure of himself, and considerate of others. Ellen knew little about the Powers’ family or their wealth, but she could tell Rand Powers was not a man who stepped on others to get to the top.

  “So, Miss Todd, do you think you can manage my aunt?” Rand’s question yanked Ellen out of her wayward musings.

  “Uh—certainly,” Ellen answered, confidently, even though nothing he’d said had registered with her. She needed a job and a place to hide until media interest in her died down. This was the perfect place.

  They stopped at the end of the hallway in front of thick double doors.

  “Aunt Dolly, I have someone I’d like you to meet.” Rand tapped on her door.

  “Come in if you must!” Dolly blurted. Her cranky tone made Ellen wish she’d listened to the nephew. Combative personalities weren’t her specialty. Vivian Kendall crossed her mind.

  Rand swung the door open then stood back so a timid Ellen could walk in first.

  “Aunt Dolly this is Ellen Todd.”

  Ellen stood quietly in the middle of the room with her arms at her sides and her hands linked in front of her.

  “Hello, Mrs. Powers.” Ellen conjured up a firm, but kitten-soft voice. “It’s nice to meet you.”

  “Umph! How do you know? You don’t know me. I’m not the friendly type. I don’t care for warm and fuzzy moments.”

  Ellen saw through the woman’s belligerent façade and smiled. The tiny woman was a lambkin at heart, grandmotherly in a prissy, proud sort of way. “I’ll remember that if I get the position.”

  “I don’t need a blasted companion!”

  “Then maybe we can just be friends.” Ellen shrugged.

  Dolly eyed Ellen with bafflement. “I don’t need friends. I have plenty.”

  “You’re very blessed then.” Ellen’s eyes blinked with sadness. She couldn’t say the same. Developing close friendships hadn’t come easy for Ellen.

  “I want to talk to Ellen alone, Randolph.”

  “Be gentle with her, Aunt Dolly.” Rand joked. He turned to Ellen. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

  Dolly ordered Ellen to sit after Rand left. Instead of pulling a chair up, Ellen perched on the edge of the bed, startling Dolly.

  “You don’t look like the other girls Rand hired,” Dolly grumbled. “You look sad and tired.”

  “I’m sure I do,” Ellen replied, unbothered by the woman’s blunt assessment. “Truth is, I am sad and tired.”

  Ellen’s honesty and humility warmed Dolly. They were two things missing from her other three companions and the latest applicants.

  Dolly studied Ellen carefully. “You look like you need someone to take care of you.”

  Ellen chuckled. “I may look that way, but I can assure you, Mrs. Powers, I’m very capable. I’ve been taking care of myself since I was eighteen and others before that.”

  Dolly’s façade crumbled. She gave Ellen a robust smile that stretched into her hairline.

  “Call me Dolly. I’ll call you Ellen.” Dolly put both hands to her cheeks and worked her jaw around. “I haven’t moved these muscles in months.”

  “I know what you mean.” Ellen dropped her gaze and sighed.

  “I’ve read about you, Ellen. You’ve had a terrible experience.”

  Ellen visualized Paul, curled in a fetal position, hooked up to monitors that never quit beeping. Her eyes watered, and a knot formed in her throat. She teetered on the brink of a breakdown as the last nine years suddenly ganged up on her.

  Dolly held out her arms. “Come here, dear.” Ellen fell into the woman’s embrace and wept. Her tears softened the pain but not the guilt.

  “There, there now.” Dolly soothed Ellen. “Crying is good. It’s healing.”

  Ellen straightened after the sobs died down. Dolly grabbed the box of tissues on her bedside table and handed it to Ellen. Ellen plucked out a handful and blew her nose.

  “I’m sorry, Dolly,” she said, sniffling. “I’m supposed to be comforting you, not the other way around.”

  “Seems you need more comforting than I do.” Dolly observed, patiently. “I think you’ve come to the right place. I believe God sent you here.”

  “I’m not sure your nephew will agree.”

  “Oh, I think Randolph will be thrilled I’m so cooperative. He hasn’t seen this side of me since the stroke.”

  Ellen blinked back tears. “Does this mean I have the position, that you want me to work for you?”

  “We’ll work for each other, how’s that?” Dolly suggested with bubbly authority.

  Chapter 3

  “I don’t know what you said or did to impress my aunt, but I’m very grateful for it. Her mood hasn’t been this positive in several months.” Rand beamed at Ellen as they sat in his office. “I usually wait for the results of the background check before hiring, but you’re the first applicant to win over my aunt. If you want, we can get started right away.”

  “That suits me, Mr. Powers.”

  Rand sat behind his desk, determined not to ask Ellen why her eyes were all puffy and damp like she’d had a good cry.

  “I broke down upstairs as you can see.” Ellen knew he was curious about her weepy appearance. “Your aunt was very understanding and consoling, but I promise n
ot to be so emotional around her.”

  “I’m sure she won’t mind,” Rand said, thoughtfully. “Besides, having someone to care about might get Aunt Dolly’s mind off her illness so don’t worry about it, Miss Todd.”

  “Please call me Ellen.”

  “I’ll call you Princess Ellen if you’d like for winning my aunt over,” Rand teased with a lopsided grin.

  “Ellen will do.” Ellen blushed.

  “Call me Rand. We’re pretty informal around here most of the time. Of course, Celeste and Edward aren’t. They’re old school. Edward is Celeste’s husband. He’s our handyman and sometime driver.”

  Ellen filed the information away in her head for later.

  Rand explained details of the contract, the background check, the three-month trial period, and the salary package which blew Ellen away. It was exactly what Ida had mentioned the day before. After Ellen signed the legal documents Rand had drawn up, he handed her a check. Ellen gawked at the amount.

  “That’s your advancement for the first two weeks,” Rand said. “You’ll probably need a few things when you move in. Now, let me show you around.”

  Ellen slid the check inside her purse then followed Rand to the foyer. During the hour-long tour of the palatial estate, Rand discussed her duties. Ellen made mental notes until he told her she’d be given a printed job description. From there, she relaxed and found herself enjoying Rand’s company. He was humorous, charming, and surprisingly down-to-earth. His generosity astounded her when he invited her to use the property’s facilities. Her life there would seem more like a vacation at a five-star resort than work, but she didn’t tell Rand that.

  “Any questions, Ellen?” He asked at the end of the tour. They were in the sun room that ran the entire length of the house and faced a terraced patio, leading down to an Olympic-sized swimming pool. Beyond were the meticulous grounds and glorious bay.

  Ellen pulled her gaze from the magnificent view. “May I use your driver once more to return to my apartment and pack my things? I’d like to move in this afternoon.” It would make her landlord happy.