THE NANNY AND HER BOSS: A BILLIONAIRE AFFAIR

Chapter Four

Loxden City was as far as Victoria went away from San Greta. She wanted to be as far away as possible, as anywhere near San Greta would remind her of the shame Simon Abernathy had rubbed on her. He had kept to his promise of paying her for two months. She got a small apartment in the suburban area of the city and began hunting for jobs immediately.

Getting a job in Loxden was even more difficult than it had been in San Greta. Everywhere she went, they asked for a higher degree or weren't hiring at all.

Victoria was already giving up as she approached a drug store. "I might as well start a thrift clothing business by selling off those nice clothes the Abernathys bought for me" She said to herself as she adjusted her long floral green skirt and knitted blouse.

"Well, here goes nothing," she took deep shaky breaths and then entered the store.

"Sorry pretty lady, we aren't hiring." The stumpy bald man said to her with a kind smile.

"Oh please Sir, I could clean and keep the entire place neat. Please sir,help me with any job at all."

The man had a look of pity on his face and then with a sigh, he said. " Well, we don't have any vacancies here,but I do know of a family downtown who would hire you. They need a nanny." The man had said.

Victoria thanked the man countless times as he wrote down the address of the place. The man wished her luck and sent her on her way.

" Wyndham Estate" she read out loud.

"This had better be good."

Victoria charmed her way into the Wyndham family and was immediately loved by the seventy-three year old matriarch she was to look after. The estate was a really big one with beautiful terrains and gardens. The Wyndham mansion could pass as a chateau or a mini palace.

After the first month of working with the Wyndham's, Victoria was certain that this was a blessing to her. Lydia Wyndham, the matriarch of the house, loved her and was always wanting the lady to be present every single time of the day. The Wyndhams were just two ; Lydia Wyndham and her grandson, Roger Wyndham.

" You sure do look bright this morning ma'am." Victoria poured the old lady a cup of tea. Lydia's hair was wooly white and she was confined to a wheelchair due to a stroke.

"Ah, you flatter me a lot Victoria." The old lady's smile reached her eyes.

"So what would you like to read today?"

"Othello and then maybe I could show you some old photos" The older lady was still beaming with smiles.

A maid brought in a bowl of soup for the old lady. Victoria's stomach churned at the smell of the soup and she felt like throwing up. Her fair skin suddenly turned pale and she looked as white as a ghost.

"What is the matter, Child? You look like a ghost " Lydia noted. The old lady's eyes held sympathy and warmth as she watched Victoria run to the bathroom to puke.

"I think I caught a stomach bug ma'am. I'm not sure how. It may have something to do with the chicken-salad sandwich I had late last night. I wasn't supposed to eat that late, but I felt so hungry that I was going to faint, and I have been paying for it this morning ."

"That's bad Miss Elston, you should take some soup to at least ease it up. I heard soup helps with constipation." The maid brought a plate close to her but Victoria's nose wrinkled at the whiff of it and her skin paled again.

"Yvonne, please excuse us." The old lady dismissed the maid.

"I probably should back away before I give you the bugs too" Victoria moved few steps from her, still clutching the novel she intended to read to the lady in her hand.

Lydia burst into a round of laughter, much to Victoria's confusion.

"You do not have stomach bugs, not unless you call a foetus a bug. You, my dear Victoria, are pregnant."

Victoria thought the lady was making her usual jokes but the lady repeated it. The word pregnant rang in her head. " No, I'm not. I saw my monthly flow the previous month. Although it wasn't as heavy as it normally is, it was present." Victoria tried to argue, hoping her boss was wrong.

"Oh dear dear, you still are a child. You have the symptoms and I can see it. I may be an invalid old lady on a wheelchair,but I am not blind. My daughter ,Renata had also tried to hide when she got pregnant with Roger at eighteen but I found out." Lydia's voice still had that motherly feel to it, but it was sounding more serious.

Victoria's heart began to skip beats and was praying that the lady wouldn't be prompted to ask more questions. She made a mental note to go get tested after putting the lady to sleep.

"Now dear, don't be scared. I won't ask anymore questions." She gave her another of her warm smile.

Victoria read to Lydia for some time and then the woman began to show her old pictures.

"You know, I think my grandson likes you."

"Oh ma'am,you say the funniest things. I am sure he doesn't."

Roger Wyndham was nice to her alright,but she just thought he was basically being a good boss. He would talk with her sometimes and play chess too.

Lydia soon began to feel sleepy and Victoria helped her to the bed and tucked her in. The old lady's words of her being pregnant was still playing in her head that she didn't notice Roger come in.

"Sir, good afternoon sir." She greeted after hearing him clear his throat.

"Good afternoon to you too, Miss Elston"

Roger Wyndham was easy on the eyes. His dark brown hair matched his hazel eyes. He was also a tall man and his body was fit. His smile was quite warm and he had a calm demeanor about him.

"Gran really loves your company and you do a perfect job." His voice was low with a little rasp. Victoria thought him to be handsome but Simon's face kept popping up.

"She is really a good sport."

"You do look sick, Miss Elston."

Victoria's heart pounded in her chest as Roger noticed her paleness.

"I..uh.. have tummy troubles" she clutched her stomach that still made her sick.

"You could run a test. It's the bug season." Roger suggested. Victoria's head began to spin and she felt herself collapsing to the ground. Roger was quick to catch her and insisted that she went to the hospital.

Roger offered to drive her to the nearest hospital. Victoria was hesitant at first but the man was stubborn and kept insisting. The drive to the hospital was rather long and Roger had been talking about his family and their business. Victoria's mind wasn't there as she kept praying within her that she wasn't pregnant.

"Congratulations, Sir your wife is four weeks pregnant." The bald doctor announced after the results of her test came out.

"Uh.. doc.. he's not my..." Victoria tried to correct the misunderstanding but Roger quickly cut in. "Thank you doctor.". He shook the doctor and led Victoria out after listening to all the instructions. Roger was kind enough not to ask Victoria questions and just let her go into her room.

Victoria felt anger and hurt. Not because of the pregnancy, but because of the supposed father of her baby, Simon Abernathy.