Billionaire Flawed 1(215)

When he returned, he suggested they go into the drawing room. Larger than the dining room, it had two comfortable sofas arranged at right angles to the fireplace and a large easy chair between them. It was a cool April evening, and Mrs. Patterson had laid the fire but not lit it. Andrew put a match to it and leaned with one arm on the mantelpiece until the flames took hold and the wood began to crackle. Mrs. Patterson arrived with some tea and Andrew poured.

Tell me about yourself, he said as he sat down opposite her.

I'm afraid there isn't much to tell.

When he looked at her, he saw a beautiful young woman who seemed painfully shy and quiet. Well where did you live with your parents before you went to be with your aunt?

We lived in a manor house in a small village called Tunberry, in West Sussex.

And what did your father do?

He was an architect.

And where did you go to school.

In Tunberry.

Her short answers were beginning to annoy him. How could he have a conversation with her like this?

You are very to the point,”

Mr. Andrew, please forgive me but even though I say it myself, I am a very shy, private person. I am not used to conversing.

Yes, I can see. Losing your parents won't have helped I suppose. Ready to be ravished Andrew told himself. She's so shy it will be easy. He imagined how it would be with Julia. How she would look, naked. She was beautiful, and he could see she had a lovely figure, he cast his eyes over her breasts and down over her long legs which he could see outlined inside her dress. He would enjoy the seduction of this tiny flower, he was sure.

Yes, it was horrible, Julia said, referring to the death of her parents.

Quite so, he nodded and sipped his tea. My parents are barking mad. He paused and stared into the fire. My mother is Dutch and as arrogant as they come and my father only has eyes for his two dogs. I'm sure he loves them more than he loves my mother.

I like dogs too, she offered.

Yes, very faithful creatures. Unlike humans. The only faithful person I have ever known was my wife, my late wife, Georgina.

Do you miss her terribly? Julia asked.

Andrew was surprised Julia had asked a question.Yes, I miss her terribly. In the beginning, I thought about ending my life. I wanted to be where she was. I couldn't bear to be here without her. But for the beautiful children she gave me, I may well have joined her.

Julia put her hand to her mouth. She too had had such thoughts. She'd wondered why she was alive when it was so painful to be so. But over time, it had become a little easier. Yes, I understand.

Tomorrow, I will show you where you will teach the children and go through the do's and don'ts with you. They are good children, but lacking in discipline. Again he stared at the fire. I see their mother in them every day, and I can't bear to be cross with them.

I understand, Julia uttered.

Then in the afternoon, you will meet Miss Sharpe. She's a lady from the same area as you. She and I have struck up a friendship, and I would like her to meet the children.

She won't be good enough for you, though. You are a beautiful man, and despite your failings and womanizing, I can see you are a lost soul. You're a ship floundering close to the rocks searching for a way out. That will be nice.





I want you to listen to me, Andrew told the children. They were sitting together, behind a mahogany table in what used to be a conservatory, at the back of the house which Andrew had turned it into a makeshift classroom. Built of glass it was west facing and got the afternoon sunshine, which made it light and pleasant to work in. You must be good for Miss Julia. She has very kindly agreed to educate you. Education is very important, and I want you to pay careful attention to what she tells you.

They nodded, and Andrew gestured to Julia to take over. When he'd left the room, the children began to throw pencils at each other. Sarah began to cry when a pencil John had thrown at her with particular malice, hit her just below the eye.

Stop, Julia shouted. She banged her hand on the table and stared at them. You will stop this ridiculous behavior now and sit quietly until I speak to you. The children jumped and sat bolt upright. They had never been spoken to in such a strict tone. After an hour, Julia had the children eating out of her hand. They listened to her and did as she asked. She set Agnes some mathematical problems to solve, John, some letters of the alphabet to learn and Sarah was asked to draw a picture of granddad's dogs.

Andrew had asked Julia to teach the children in the morning and take them for a walk in the afternoon. It would relieve Mrs. Patterson, he'd said. So after lunch, they put on their coats and set off over the lawn and into a field which the children told her led to a river. Benji bounded along next to them.

When they returned, Julia saw a large coach with four splendid Frisian horses standing in front of the Lodge. The driver and his assistant were standing next to the horses drinking a cup of tea. Julia nodded to the two men. Miss Sharpe was obviously not lacking in funds by the look of her transport, Julia noted.