Page 18 of My Gentleman Spy
“May I attend to thesenorita, Senor? Yourprometidamay wish to finish dressing,” shesaid.
“Prometida?” Hattiewhispered.
Will turned and gave her warmsmile.
“It's Spanish for fiancée, which considering your current predicament is probably the best thing you can pretend to be until we arrive back in England,” hereplied.
* * *
Will waited patiently downstairsin the main dining room of the hotel. The rooms of the Seawinds Hotel were too small to be able to partake of breakfastprivately.
Prometida.
The word had slipped quickly off his tongue when Hattie's maid entered theroom.
“Yes of course, myprometidawould like to finish dressing. She had a terrible nightmare, but is recovered enough now. Aren't you my sweet?” hesaid.
When he placed a chaste kiss on Hattie’s cheek the maid giggled and blushed. The stunned look on Hattie's face had made his bold move worthit.
She had shared something of her real self this morning. He had no doubt that whoever and wherever her parents were, they were in great distress over their missing daughter. There was a deal of truth in herlie.
Her maid had in her mistake, handed him the perfect solution to their masquerade. By claiming her as his fiancée Will could pull her into his version of the story. If a false story was to be created around them, he would be the one framing thepicture.
“Mr.Saunders?”
He looked up and saw a vision of loveliness which filled his heart with joy. While Hattie’s day gown was a simple pale cream, the jacket she wore over it was a magnificent deep crimson. She wore a matching crimson ribbon in herhair.
His heart lifted when he saw a smile come to her lips. The tears were gone and he saw hope shine in herface.
Rising quickly from the table, Will took hold of Hattie's hand and placed a kiss on it. As she tried to pull away, he gently rebukedher.
“It would not do to show any form of displeasure with me in public. Don’t think for a moment that the whole staff of the hotel are not currently discussing us and the little scene in your room earlier. I expect your maid could not get down those stairs fast enough to run and tell anyone who wished to listen that the English lady and gentleman must have had a disagreement, and that you had beencrying.”
The small 'o' which appeared on Hattie's lips and the relaxation of her hand was encouraging. He leaned in close and murmured in herear.
“And do not call me Mr. Saunders, we are supposed to be engaged. I am William. Will to all my friends and family. If you continue to address me in such a formal fashion, you will give the gameaway.”
Hattie nodded herhead.
“Will,” shereplied.
Over a breakfast of coffee and sweet buns, he did his best to form a more familiar bond with her. He chuckled at her puzzled face when she saw the paucity of theirbreakfast.
“They adhere to the Spanish way of things here for a lot of their customs. A small breakfast, followed by something a little more substantial later in the morning. The main meal of the day is partaken after midday,” heexplained.
“That's odd,” shereplied.
“Not really. People rise early here, get some work done and then after the midday meal they go and have a long sleep to avoid the afternoon heat. Notice how tired you were yesterday by the time you went to bed? The heat of the Spanish sun saps all the energy out of you,” hesaid.
As he sat and watched her, Will was once again reminded of his late wife. Hattie and Yvette shared some very similar mannerisms. The first time Hattie screwed up her face at the bitter coffee, Will came close to tears. Yvette had always liked to take the first sip of her morning coffee before declaring it undrinkable and heaping sugar into thecup.
He slid the small pot of sugar across the table, and with a flourish removed thelid.
“A large spoonful always takes the bitterness away,” he said. He hastily coughed, clearing the lump which had formed in histhroat.
Hattie took several more bites of her sweet breakfast roll before sitting back in her chair. The coffee she leftuntouched.
“So, what now? Do I just keep to my room until the boat back to England sails?” sheasked.
