The Prince's Nanny Read Online Free Page B

sign he was ready to get married again, although marrying Aurora Bellesandro had nothing to do with love or passion.  It was strictly a marriage of convenience.  He’d get a hostess, the girls would get a mother, and Aurora would get a title, for what it was worth.  He put no stock in titles, refusing to use his, but others found they were useful if not in the business world then on the social scene.
    He’d learned a valuable lesson with his first marriage when passion had led to his deception and her disaster and left him with two motherless girls he had no idea how to cope with.  This time there would be no romantic expectations.  With Aurora he knew exactly what he was getting and so did she.
    “It’s time to go,” the prince said as the girls finished their gelato.  “I’ve invited the directors from the bank to dinner tonight.”
    “Can we come too?” Gianna asked.
    “If you promise to behave, and you are accompanied by your new nanny.”  He glanced at Sabrina.
    “Of course,” Sabrina said, who was watching with fascination the interchange between father and daughters.  Either the girls were talented actresses or their reputation had been vastly exaggerated by both nannies and the prince.  Though the last thing she wanted was to do was attend a dinner for bankers just when jet lag was setting in and she could hardly keep her eyes open, it was a small price to pay for the chance to see what sort of social activities went on at the villa.  Exhausted as she was, the thought of a summer at the most romantic setting in the world – the prince’s villa on the shores of Lake Como made her spirits rise.
    “Let’s walk home to the villa,” Caterina said and Gianna agreed.  Sabrina could imagine that’s the way it usually was.  Caterina was the leader, Gianna the follower, just like her own sisters.  Mindy had the ideas, Jessica followed her orders.  “We told Marco not to wait.  That we would walk home with you,’ she said to her father tucking her hand into his.
    The prince looked surprised and almost suspicious at this touch of affection.  What was he used to?  What was the real relationship between the girls and their father?
    “I’d love to take a walk,” Sabrina said.  If this was a test of her endurance she ought to pass.  After the long plane ride she was longing to stretch her legs and get away from the too-close contact with the prince.
    “Very well,” the prince agreed and engaged someone to transport her suitcase.
    From what he’d said, and from what other nannies had said about his being cold and distant and reclusive, she didn’t expect to see this much of him, and she definitely didn’t expect him to throw dinner parties, or walk with her and his daughters even for a few minutes.  But maybe as he said, things were changing for him as well as the girls.
    Instead of rushing home to do whatever he had to do, the prince accompanied them on their walk past chic boutiques and crowded cafes.  Frankly she’d rather not see any more of him than necessary.  He made her nervous with his penetrating gaze and disturbing cool demeanor.  She didn’t know what to make of him or how to reconcile the reports she’d received with the man walking at her side, his twin daughters laughing and chattering.  It was almost as if she’d been dropped into a fully functioning happy family of three.  What had happened in the interim between the last nanny and Sabrina?  Whatever it was, she was pleasantly surprised by her welcome.  Time would tell if it was genuine or not.
    Sure, there was a missing mother, but the girls had never known her, so perhaps never missed her.  And if they needed discipline, well who didn’t?  Maybe they’d all decided to be on their best behavior today.  If so, Sabrina took it as a compliment and decided to enjoy this family outing for what it was.
    The one man Sabrina had secretly loved and admired was the father of the little girl she’d been nanny