Read Online Be My Baby by Susan Andersen - Free Book Online Page A

the door for the elderly maid and they both withdrew, Juliet’s assistant pulling the door softly closed behind them.
    “Come, dear, have a seat. Lily brought us a nice mint iced tea. Do you take sugar?” Celeste quirked a white eyebrow, the silver tongs suspended daintily over the Sevres bowl of sugar cubes.
    “No, thank you.” Juliet took a seat, wondering how on earth her business meeting had transformed into a tea party. It suddenly felt as if her beautiful hotel had metamorphosed back into a private home and she was trespassing.
    “Watercress sandwich or cucumber?” Celeste extended a plate.
    “Watercress, please.” Juliet selected one of the quarter-sized tidbits and placed it on the fragile china plate Celeste passed her, which she then set aside. “Now. About the schedule, Celeste—”
    “Cookie?” A new plate was offered.
    “Thank you, no. Ab—”
    “Tell me about your family, dear.”
    Juliet swallowed a sigh. “My father is a Lowell of the Boston Lowells. My mother was an Astor. I was raised by my maternal grandmother, Rose Elizabeth Astor.” Juliet took a small sip of her iced tea.
    “And a true lady she must be, dear. It’s apparent in your exquisite manners.”
    “Thank you, that’s very gracious. Now, about—”
    “My Edward, of course, is a Haynes, and I am the last of the Butlers. This mansion was in the Butler family for nearly two hundred years, dear. As I’m from the distaff side, I’m ineligible to inherit, but as you know, Edward and I were charged with its maintenance until your corporation made the offer to buy it from the estate.”
    Actually the Butler Trust people had offered the estate to Crown Hotels, but Juliet didn’t correct her. “And you maintained it beautifully,” she complimented her and then said firmly, “Now, about the calendar of events you’ve arranged. I’d like to discuss it so I’ll know how my own schedule needs to be arranged before the Grand Opening.” She rose to her feet and walked over to the desk. Pressing down the intercom button, she said,“Roxanne, come in, please, and bring the appointment book.”
    As she regained her seat on the settee, her assistant walked through the doorway. Juliet looked up with a smile. “Pull up a chair. Celeste, you’ve met my assistant Roxanne, I believe? You and she will be working together quite closely to keep the agendas coordinated.”
    “I understood I’d be working with you.”
    “And so you shall be, but naturally I’m going to be in and out of the office. Roxanne is here all the time.”
    “But she’s only—”
    “My right hand.”
    “Yes, of course,” Celeste said primly, but Juliet wasn’t fooled. Celeste’s impeccable manners masked a rigid sense of societal position. The society in which Juliet moved was loaded with such women. They placed more importance upon one’s antecedents than on the accomplishments that made a person who she was today, and each and every like-minded matron who’d ever had reason to come into contact with Roxanne had regarded her as nothing more than a lowly secretary.
    Juliet turned to her assistant. “Sandwich, Roxanne? Celeste, is there another plate?”
    “No, I’m afraid Lily only supplied the two.”
    “Ah, well, I’m sure you’ll inform her that from now on we’ll be requiring three. In the meantime, Roxanne can have mine.” Juliet plucked up her tiny, crustless sandwich and held it between two fingers, her pinky crooked. She passed the translucent china plate to Roxanne, popped the watercress tidbit in her mouth, and then reached for the platter of sandwiches and presented it to her assistant. “Try one of each. Cookie?”
    “Why, thank you very much.” Roxanne smiled demurely. “Don’t mind if I do.”
    Juliet passed that plate also. “Now, then, let’s get down to business. Celeste, did you bring the list of functions you’ve arranged for me to attend?”
    Usually Juliet derived extreme pleasure from the sense of accomplishment her