CHAPTER NINE

 

ROUTINE, thought Changmin. That's the panacea I need. Establish a pattern to my days, and stick to it.

She'd made a good start. She'd stayed in her room until she heard the Range Rover depart, and then she'd transferred her things up to the nursery suite and installed herself in the room Cindy had used.

And I'll let Carrie know that from now on I'll be taking all my meals with Sohee, she told herself resolutely.

Her own sanctuary ready, she started on the nursery itself, tidying Sohee's toys into neat rows and sorting out the games and books, stacking them on the shelves provided. In a large wall cupboard she discovered some books with a rather older appeal, many of them with Yunho's name inside, and a pile of jigsaw puzzles. Maybe Sohee could tackle one of the simpler ones, with her help.

'My word, you have been busy.' Carrie appeared with an armful of clean linen. 'But I don't approve of you going without breakfast,' she added sternly. 'Even if you did go to bed with a headache last night.' She peered at Changmin. 'You still look a bit pale.'

'I'm fine,' Changmin assured her. 'I'll have some toast when I come down for coffee.' 'Everything's ready for you, but you'll have to see to it yourself,' Carrie told her. 'I'm off to Midburton. The Town Stores has just had all its Christmas dried fruit delivered, and I'm planning on making the cake and puddings this weekend.'

'Can I help?'

'You can have a stir—and a wish,' Carrie told her comfortably, and bustled off.

A wish, thought Changmin as she made Sohee's bed. Now that could be dangerous.

Before going on her way downstairs, she stripped off the bed she'd been using and carried the sheets to the laundry room.

Back in the kitchen, she decided against making toast, opting instead for some of Carrie's home-made oatmeal biscuits.

She was sitting at the table, sipping her coffee and glancing at the daily paper, when the door opened and Hazel Sinclair came in, her arms full of bronze chrysanthemums.

She stopped dead when she saw Changmin.

'You.'

It was difficult to discern whether the word held more shock than annoyance, but on balance, Changmin thought, annoyance won.

She said politely, 'Good morning, Miss Sinclair. May I offer you some coffee?' 'No, you mayn't. What are you doing here, may I ask?'

'I suppose,' Changmin returned composedly, 'that I could ask you the same.'

'I should have thought it was perfectly obvious. It occurred to me the other night how bare the place looks. Carrie's housekeeping verges on the basic. It lacks those—gracious touches.'

'It'd be provided by those chrysanthemums, I suppose?'

'As a matter of fact, yes,' Miss Sinclair snapped. 'Why are you here?'
 'I'm acting as Sohee's nanny, until Yunhk can find a replacement.'

'A nanny? You?' The other woman's voice was derisive. 'That's the last thing I'd have imagined.'

'Well, I didn't have you down as a flower arranger, so we can both be wrong,' Changmin said, smiling sunnily.

'Are you trying to be insolent?' There were bright spots of colour burning in Miss Sinclair's cheeks.

I'd say I'd succeeded, thought Changmin.

Aloud, she said neutrally, 'I'm sorry you should think that,' and went back to her paper.

'Well, don't just sit there,' Hazel Sinclair's voice hectored her. 'Find me some vases.' 'I'd be happy to help,' Changmin replied quietly. 'But I don't know where they are. I'm still not totally familiar with the house.'

'I should think not.' Miss Sinclair snorted. 'Yunho must be out of his mind, taking in some complete stranger off the streets.'

'No,'Changmin said gently, her blood slowly coming to the boil, 'I was a waitress. At the Clover Tea Rooms, remember?'

'Well, you're still totally unsuitable. I shall have a serious talk with Yunho this evening. That child needs a firm hand—proper discipline. Not some untrained nobody.'

'I totally agree with you,' Changmin said silkily. 'But Yunho, bless him, seems to think I'm perfect.' She drank the remains of her coffee and stood up. 'Now I'll leave you to your chrysanthemums. Such difficult flowers, I always think,' she added casually. 'But I'm sure you'll bring them to order.'

And she walked out, leaving the other woman staring after her, open-mouthed.

So Hazel Sinclair had the run of the house, she thought unhappily, her bravado deserting her as she went back upstairs. Well, Yunho had dropped a broad enough hint last night about his hopes for the future. And Miss Sinclair's confident behaviour provided total confirmation.

She was shaken by the dislike she felt for the other woman. And it wasn't simply because Yunho had chosen her to share his life.

She's an arrogant, uncaring , Changmin thought stormily, and I'd think so whatever circumstances we had met under. Love must really be blind if he can't see it—or if he thinks she'll make a good stepmother for Sohee.

She bit her lip. She could see immense problems already looming up on the horizon.

But at least she wouldn't be here when they came crashing down.

Although that wasn't the most comforting thought she'd ever had either, she decided morosely.

She stayed upstairs, assuaging the violence of her feelings by scrubbing out the bathroom.

And it was here that Carrie found her on her return.

'My goodness.' She peered around over her glasses. 'You're not employed as a cleaner, you know. I told you that.'

'I needed it.' Changmin gave her a rueful grin. 'Very cathartic—scrubbing.'
 'Hmm.' Carrie pursed her lips and gave Changmin a shrewd look. 'I saw we'd had a visitor. Never liked chrysanths, myself. Remind me of funerals.' She gave a small, fierce sigh. 'Anyway, lunch is ready. Bacon and egg pie and a winter salad. Come down when you're ready.'

The rest of the day passed peacefully enough. Changmin drove into Westcombe before picking Sohee up from school, and bought herself a new radio to replace the one destroyed in the fire.

She also called in at the tea rooms, to be pounced on by Kyuhyun.

'How's the dishy boss?' She winked at Changmin. 'He had Mrs P eating out of his hands yesterday. Paying you holiday money wasn't her idea. Mind you,' she added, out of the corner of , 'I think she'd pay double the amount to get you back. That Debbie's been up to all her old tricks already.'

'Good to know nothing's changed,' Changmin returned drily, aware of a slight give-away flush at the mention of Yunho.

As she waited at the school gates she was aware of a few measuring glances from the BMW brigade, but a couple of the other nannies smiled and said, 'Hi.'

And Sohee, she noticed, frowning, still emerged on her own. But her rather solemn expression vanished when she saw Changmin.

She came scampering to the car. 'Are you better? Daddy said you had a headache this morning.'

'Oh, that's all gone.' Smiling, Changmin ruffled her hair.

It's the heartache, she thought with a pang, that's the real trouble.

The evening followed the routine of the previous one, except that Changmin had supper with Sohee, as planned.

'Mr Yunho's dining with friends,' Carrie informed them both.

And I don't have to guess which friends, Changmin decided with an inward sight.

Tonight there was hotpot with red cabbage, and apple crumble to follow.

'I shall be seriously overweight if this goes on,' Changmin said, only half joking.

'You could do with more weight,' Carrie advised her crisply. 'Might get rid of that hunted look you've got.'

Once Sohee was asleep, Changmin found herself at something of a loose end. Carrie was busy in the kitchen, weighing out the fruit for her Christmas baking and soaking it in alcohol, and she had made it clear she preferred to manage on her own.

Changmin wandered into the nursery, took down one of the more complicated jigsaws and emptied the pieces onto the big, battered table. She switched on her new radio, found a channel that was playing music—light and undemanding—and settled down to work.

It was years since she'd done a jigsaw, and she'd forgotten how calming and absorbing they could be.

She'd completed the frame, and done half the sky, when Yunho's voice said grimly behind her, 'So here you are.'

'Well, yes.' She absorbed his frown as he walked round the table and stood opposite her. 'Is there a problem?'
 'Hazel tells me you were rude to her this morning.'

'She, of course, was all sweetness and charm.' Changmin carefully added a leafy twig to a tree.

His mouth tightened. 'That is hardly the point. She was a guest in this house...'

'And I'm the hired help,' Changmin supplied as he hesitated. 'In future I'll tug my forelock.'

'Oh, for God's sake,' he said impatiently. 'That's not what I meant at all.' 'Then what do you mean?'

He sighed irritably. 'That things are difficult enough, without you creating extra complications.'

Changmin bit her lip. 'I'm sorry if my misdeeds spoiled your evening.' 'They didn't,' he said curtly.

'But from now on I'll try to be civil.' She added levelly, 'I hope Miss Sinclair will do the same.'

'I'll talk to her—see if I can ease the situation.' He paused. 'Why don't you come downstairs where it's comfortable?'

'Because I'm fine where I am, thanks.' She placed another piece in her puzzle.

'Changmin.' There was an almost pleading note in his voice. 'I made a solemn promise. You don't have to build a blockade.'

'This is my place,' she said. 'The place I'm making for myself while I'm here. My personal space.' She paused. 'And please start advertising for my replacement soon. I want to be gone by early January.'

'Don't worry,' he tossed back at her. 'I'm in just as much of a hurry as you are.' Pressure from Hazel Sinclair, no doubt, she thought bitterly, wishing he would go and

leave her to her thoughts, however unsatisfactory they might be.

Instead, he picked up the lid of the puzzle box and examined it.

'I remember this one. My godmother gave it to me as a birthday present.' He gave a reminiscent grin. 'I'd been to stay with her in the school holidays and broken a window. I think she wanted to wean me off football and on to some quieter pursuit.'

'I didn't realise it was yours.' Changmin bit her lip. 'I hope you don't mind—it was just there, in the cupboard.'

'Of course not,' he said. 'But be warned.' He pointed to the sky and the feathery branches of the trees. 'The easy part is over. From now on it gets harder all the time.'

Tell me about it, she thought as he left the room. She could hear him descending the stairs, and realised that she wanted very badly to cry.

'Oh, to hell with it,' she said raggedly, and swept the uncompleted puzzle back into the box. 'Who needs any more complications?'

* * *

It was strange, she thought, how quickly everything seemed to fall into place. How life assumed a stable daily pattern, which was, at least, bearable.

While Sohee was at school she had a considerable amount of time to herself, and, with the luxury of a car, she set out to explore the district.

The weather had turned cold and crisp, with sunshine most days, and she could smell
 woodsmoke in the air as she drove. The end of the year, she thought, and, for her, the finale of a whole phase of her life. And who knew what could be round the corner? She had to keep looking forward, because anything else was too painful.

She saw very little of Yunho, and it was better that way. He left for his offices in Midburton first thing in the morning, and often rely briefly in the evening to dine, and then go out again. Certainly he'd accepted her absence from his dinner table without comment. Perhaps he was even relieved that she'd taken the initiative.

And certainly he and Hazel Sinclair seemed almost inseparable, although the other woman hadn't made any more lightning descents on the house when he'd been away.

But she could bide her time, Changmin acknowledged wretchedly. Before too long she'd be living there, mistress of all she surveyed. Free to make any changes she wished, too.

Carrie was discreet, but Changmin could tell she was worried about the future. And there was little doubt that Sohee would be shuffled off to boarding school.

Preparations for Christmas had moved into gear. Sohee was diligently practising her rendition of 'Away in a Manger'. She'd added the words now, and the sound of her high, sweet little voice brought a lump to Changmin's throat.

The cake and puddings were finished, and stored away, and Both Sohee and Changmin had stirred the mixtures and dutifully made their wishes.

'I wished for Mummy to come for Christmas,' Sohee confided solemnly. 'But I don't expect my wish will come true.'

And nor, thought Changmin, will mine.

One afternoon, when Changmin collected Sohee from school, it was a tearstained, woebegone figure who climbed into the car.

'Darling, what's the matter?' Changmin asked in consternation.

'Our class is doing a nativity play for the last day of term,' Sohee sobbed. 'Mrs Franks chose people for all the parts this afternoon and I 'ditioned for the Mary. I had to sing "Away in a Manger", and Mrs Franks said I'd cheated because I knew it too well. So now I haven't got a part at all—and I'm the only one,' she added on a little wail.

'Sit there,' Changmin ordered grimly. 'I'm going to see about this.'

Mrs Franks's smile was acid when she saw Changmin. 'Can I help you with something?' 'Yes,' Changmin said steadily. 'I'd like to know why Jung Sohee, my charge, has been excluded from the class nativity play.'

'It was a disciplinary measure,' Mrs Franks said coldly. 'The audition carol for the leading part had been deliberately kept secret to give every child an equal opportunity, and yet Sohee managed a polished performance. It was clear to me that she'd found out somehow, and practised to give herself an unfair advantage. Now she has to learn that underhand methods will get her nowhere.'

'Sohee has learned "Away in a Manger",' Changmin agreed, levelly. 'But at her piano lessons as a Christmas surprise for her father. The fact it was an audition piece too is a complete coincidence.'

'Well, I only have your word for that.' Mrs Franks pursed her lips. 'But it makes no difference. Sohee has had an ego problem ever since she came to the school. We hear far
 too much about her mother's Hollywood career,' she added with distaste. 'Perhaps this will teach her not to put herself forward quite so much.'

'And that,' Changmin said shakily, 'is one of the cruellest and most heartless statements I've ever heard. Goodbye.'

Not surprisingly, Sohee didn't want to go to her music lesson that evening, but begged to go home.

When Changmin stopped off at Mrs Blake's house to explain, she found the other woman more than understanding.

'Poor little soul,' she said indignantly. 'But I'm not surprised. I've never cared for that school.' She wrinkled her nose. 'It's very much geared to one social set, and they seem more interested in who does what at the Pony Club than academic achievement.' She hesitated. 'And Sohee may have an extra black mark against her for being Goo Ara's daughter.'

'You mean you think she does have an ego problem?' Changmin asked, troubled.

'No, on the contrary.' Celia Blake shook her head. 'But a few years ago Miss Goo used to throw some pretty wild parties when she was down here. Parties to which male guests did not bring their wives,' she added darkly. 'A lot of local husbands blotted their copybooks in a big way, and that hasn't been forgiven, or forgotten. I suspect Sohee's problem may not be with her classmates but their mothers.'

'Oh, how ridiculous,' Changmin said indignantly. 'None of that can possibly be Sohee's fault.'

'No, but I suspect she's a victim of prejudice just the same.' Celia sighed. 'It's a pity Mr Jung didn't opt for the village school at Fitton Magna. I go there to take singing, and though it's only small it has excellent standards, and a really happy atmosphere. And none of the social pressures of Westcombe Park,' she added drily.

'I'll talk to him about it this evening,' Changmin said with resolution.

Back at the house, she handed Sohee over to Carrie, who led her away, clucking, for a hot drink and biscuits. Then, drawing a deep breath, she went to find Yunho.

He was standing beside the desk in his study, reading through some faxes. His briefcase was standing open on the desk beside him and he looked preoccupied, and a little remote. Changmin hesitated for a moment, then tapped lightly on the open door.

When he saw who it was, he seemed to stiffen momentarily. His smile was brief, and forced.

'Is something the matter?'

'Yes, I'm afraid so.' Changmin gave him a brief resume of the day's events at Westcombe Park School. 'Sohee's naturally very upset, and I think she has cause.'

'Yes,' he said heavily. 'And you saw this coming, didn't you?' He gave her a wintry smile. 'Unfortunately, there's nothing I can do immediately. I have to go away tonight, and I could be gone for anything up to a week. I was just about to find her to say goodbye.'Changmin bit her lip. 'That will be another blow,' she told him quietly. 'She hardly sees you nowadays.'

'Has she complained?' he asked sharply.

'Not in so many words.' Changmin lifted her chin. 'But then she wouldn't.' She paused.
 'You couldn't delay your trip just for one day?'

He shook his head. 'It's out of the question. A company I helped a while back is the subject of a hostile takeover, and I'm trying to create a rescue package for them.'

'And your young daughter?' Her voice was husky. 'What about a rescue package for her?'

The grey eyes met hers with ice in their depths.

'That,' said Yunho, 'is what I pay you for.'

'And that,' Changmim said shakily, 'is a bloody awful thing for a father to say.' There was a pregnant silence, then Yunho lifted his hands in surrender.

'All right,' he said wearily. 'I can't do anything about this trip, but I swear when I get back—''Don't mention quality time,' she interrupted. 'Or I might hit you.'

She couldn't believe what she'd just said, and, to judge by his face, neither could he. But the bleakness faded from his face, to be replaced by reluctant amusement. 'You might try,' he told her drily. 'And I was going to say that I shall devote myself to her interests,. including sorting out this school business. Is that acceptable?'

'I'm—sorry,' Changmin stammered. 'It's just that she loves you so much—and you're missing out too.'

'It's good of you to think of me,' he said mockingly. 'Given the violence of your feelings.'

He looked at his watch. 'Hell, I've got to go. Is Sohee watching television?' He barely waited for her answering nod before striding out of the room and across the hall.

Changmin lingered, not wishing to intrude, wanting them to have at least this brief time together.

Then there was a strident peal of the doorbell, and Hazel Sinclair swept in, bringing a wave of cold air mixed with Poison.

'Where's Yunho?' she demanded imperiously. 'He hasn't left yet?'

'Not yet. But he's just saying goodbye to Sohee. He may not want to be disturbed.' Hazel gave Changmin the kind of look most people reserve for woodlice.

'Don't be absurd,' she said crushingly. 'Are they upstairs?' 'No, they're in the small sitting room,' Changmin admitted.

'More television, I suppose?' Hazel sniffed. 'I'd have thought you could have thought up something more intellectually stimulating for the child. Especially in view of the salary you're being paid,' she added sharply. 'But you girls are all the same—creating a generation of couch potatoes, just so that you can have an easy life.'

And she walked off, leaving Changmin to follow, smarting.

'Yunho, darling.' Changmin heard the honeyed greeting followed by a crisper, 'Good evening, Sohee.'

'Hazel.' Yunho's tone was surprised, and held a faint reserve. 'I wasn't expecting you.' He was sitting beside the fire, with a watery-eyed Sohee on his knee. He put the little girl down gently, and stood up.

'I know, my sweet, but I had to catch you before you went away.' She paused dramatically. 'I've got the most wonderful news. You remember the Claytons, of course— Howard and Linnet? Well, they've taken a house just outside Innsbruck for the whole of
 Christmas and the New Year.'

'Good for them.' Yunho frowned. 'But I don't see why you had to dash round here to tell me that.'

Hazel sighed elaborately. 'That's only the beginning. They've invited me out there for the whole of the holiday.' She gave an excited little laugh. 'Christmas in Innsbruck, darling. Wonderful food, marvellous skiing. Won't it be heavenly?'

'Paradise on earth,' he agreed courteously. 'I hope the snow stays deep and crisp and even for you.'

'Not just for me, darling.' She pouted playfully. 'For us. They want me to bring my— partner.'

There was an astonished silence, broken by a sudden tearful roar from Sohee.

'No,' she screamed, her face contorted. 'You're not taking my daddy away for Christmas. I won't let you. You're an old witch and I hate you.'

'That's enough.' Changmin and Yunho spoke in unison as Hazel turned crimson.

'Well,' Hazel said with a metallic laugh. 'One can see who's become completely out of hand.' She looked inimically at Changmin. 'And the reason.'

Sohee wilted instantly. She took her father's hand. 'Daddy, you won't go—will you?' she pleaded woefully. 'You won't leave me?'

Yunho crouched down beside her. 'It could be fun,' he said gently. 'You've never learned to ski.'

'Yunho,' Hazel intercepted, 'I'm afraid that's out of the question. It's a grown-up party. Howard and Linnet have no children. They couldn't cope—wouldn't want to...' Her voice tailed away.

He got to his feet. 'Then I wouldn't want to either,' he said calmly.

'You mean you're turning down the invitation? Oh, I don't believe it.' For a moment Hazel sounded hysterical, then she visibly pulled herself together, even managing a smile. 'Clearly we can't talk about it now. You have to go. But think it over carefully while you're away, and we'll discuss it when you return.'

There was a pause, then Yunho said, 'Very well.' He turned to Changmin. 'Take Sohee downstairs, will you? It must be her suppertime.'

'Supper,' Hazel echoed. 'If I'd dared speak to an adult like that at her age, I'd have been sent to bed without any supper.'

Changmin saw Sohee shrink. She said quietly, 'You chose rather a bad moment. Miss Sinclair. But Sohee's sorry now, and would like to tell you so.'

There was a silence, then Sohee, eyes downcast, muttered an apology.

Yunho dropped a swift kiss on her hair. 'That's better,' he told her. 'Now, be good for Changmin, and I'll be back before you know it.'

'But I want to wave goodbye,' Sohee objected.

Changmin hastily intervened. 'You can wave from the nursery window.' She hustled the little girl, still protesting, from the room.

'Why do I have to go upstairs?' she demanded.

'Because Daddy wants to say goodbye to Miss Sinclair now, and we'd be in the way,' said Changmin, feeling only the truth would serve.
 'I wish Miss Sinclair would go away,' Sohee said morosely.

So do I, thought Changmin. But I have an awful feeling that she's here to stay.

Together they watched from the window as Yunho emerged onto the floodlit drive. Hazel was with him, her arm tucked through his, leaning intimately against him. Her face was turned up towards him and she was smiling, talking eagerly, their recent difference apparently forgotten.

At the side of the Range Rover, they paused. Changmin saw Yunho bend towards her, and Hazel wind her arms round his neck, drawing him down to her for a passionate kiss.

Changmin turned away, not wanting to see any more.

After a Moment Sohee joined her, solemn-faced. 'Changmin—would you mind if I don't have any supper? I don't feel very hungry.' Her lip quivered. 'I don't want Daddy to go away with her.'

Changmin gave her a quick hug. 'He won't go. He said so. Everything will be fine, you'll see.'

And she wished, with a heavy heart, that she could believe it.