Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters since the Eloise movies and the characters are the property of Disney and Kay Thompson. I make no money from this work of fiction!

With the sweet taste of Nanny's lips still on his, Wilkes made his way down the corridor to his own suite that Christmas Day, humming "Love Came Down at Christmas" under his breath. Kay and Eloise had invited him as well as Mrs. Thornton to share Christmas dinner with them and he had been delighted to accept. Not having managed to think of a Christmas gift for Nanny let alone Eloise or the oft-absent Kay, Wilkes had spent Christmas morning phoning various flower shops, finally finding one that was open and that would deliver that day. He had arranged to have Kay receive a large potted poinsettia, Eloise a pink-flowered plant, and a potted red rose bush already in bloom for Nanny, having had a whispered conversation Christmas Eve with the child about Nanny's favourite flower.

"Nanny says ROSES are preferable," Eloise had told him importantly, suppressing the fact that Nanny had said that about flowers for courtship.

Nanny had indeed seemed delighted with her gift when he had arrived for dinner, thanking him as she kissed his cheek for the second time in less than twenty-four hours. His heart had thumped alarmingly at the soft touch of her mouth on his skin, which was strange since both Eloise and her mother had also kissed his cheek in thanks for the floral gifts and yet his body had not reacted as wildly as it had at Nanny's greeting.

Then, after Mrs. Thornton had gone home, Kay had taken a sleepy Eloise into her bedroom to put her to bed. Wilkes had said he should go, too, so Nanny had walked with him to the door. Both had hesitated, then had kissed quickly, if a little awkwardly. Unable to meet her eyes after the kiss and fighting the desire to drag her fully into his arms and RAVISH her, Wilkes had murmured goodbye and had left, his steps dragging but steady.

He never knew what possessed him, but the moment he let himself into his own dark suite, he suddenly decided to make Nanny something he hadn't thought of for years... a Welsh love spoon. Wilkes' beloved mother had been Welsh and it was through her family that the shy young lad he had been had grown interested in the ancient and traditional art of conveying his true feelings through carving various symbols into the shape of a love spoon. The young Wilkes had become quite expert at carving, and had spent hours researching the custom and the rich symbolism which stretched back into the mists of time. After his mother's death, Wilkes had drifted away from his Welsh roots, and had all but forgotten the past-time that had once occupied all his spare moments. Now he remembered his mother's brother telling him that a carved spoon was an invitation from the gentleman to the woman to begin courting. When a woman received a love spoon, she knew that the gentleman was interested in her. If she accepted the gift of the carved spoon, she demonstrated her own interest in him, and the relationship would commence.

Wilkes' resolve grew as he rummaged amongst his papers to find the information on love spoons he knew had to be somewhere, and over the next few days he began to gather the materials and tools necessary for his gift of love. If he gave Nanny a carved love spoon and she accepted it, that surely meant a relationship was bound to result, and he hoped that relationship would translate into marriage. After knowing her for a year and a half, Wilkes was suddenly aware that she was the elusive soulmate for whom he had been seeking for well over half a century.

He debated the merits of doing something simple as opposed to something elaborate, looking at many different designs and symbols and beginning to draw some in pencil. Would he have a single heart on the love spoon to symbolize 'May I court you?', or two hearts to symbolize 'Our love will be like two lives lived as one'? Would he carve two commas into the handle to let her know that he thought they were two souls who should be together? Would he carve the intricate ball-in-cage to indicate that he was captivated by her and that her love would be held safe with him? Would he make the bowl of the spoon heart-shaped to show that he was offering her a bountiful life full of love or diamond-shaped for wealth as well as good luck? Would he carve a bell on it for marriage, keys or a keyhole as a promise to provide a secure home for her and to look after her, a wheel as a promise to work for her, a diamond shape as a symbol of the stars always guiding them towards each other? Or would he stay safe and carve a horseshoe for luck for her, or leaves and flowers to indicate what he knew was her love of nature or love birds to represent his desire to go away with her? Would he carve a chain on it to show the linking of their lives and a wish to be together forever? A vine twist to indicate that he hoped their love would grow, that the two would become as one and when together their entwined lives would be obvious to all? It was rather a lot to think about!

When he wasn't distracted by his project, which he hoped to finish by Valentine's Day, Wilkes spent more time with Nanny and, perforce, Eloise. The more contact the two older people had, the easier they became with each other, finding that the conversation didn't lag nearly as much as it had before Christmas. In the beginning, they both found it hard to make long, direct eye contact, but when Eloise was present, Wilkes spoke more and Nanny found herself to be much more comfortable around him. She didn't worry quite so much about her speech, was no longer guarding every word that passed her lips, and she teased him as she would an old friend... or a brother, he thought once in some despair. She was, however, calling him Wilkes or Willy most of the time, to his delight. When she DID slip occasionally and call him 'Sir' Wilkes, he would scold her and call her 'Miss' Nanny in retaliation. She would laugh uproariously and his love for her continued to grow.

Not only was their speech becoming more and more familiar, but so too was their physical relationship. The light kiss on the lips on Christmas night had, over time, deepened and lengthened until often, once Eloise was in bed and asleep, they would cling to each other and kiss until their passion threatened to overwhelm them. Then Wilkes regretfully would tear himself out of her arms and hurry back to his own place before he completely destroyed her reputation.

The night before Valentine's Day, Wilkes had to work very late, trying to sort out a problem his nephew was having with their company. He had finished the love spoon and was most anxious to see Nanny's reaction to it. He wanted to meet her in the Rose Room for tea at three in the afternoon, and had hopes that, should she accept the love spoon and its implicit message, she and Eloise would join him for a celebratory supper that very night. However, much to his dismay, he had neglected to invite Nanny to tea the day before as planned, finding her kisses much too intoxicating and rendering him incapable of coherent thought. Now, knowing it was quite late and almost not expecting an answer, he tapped gently on her door.

"Wilkes!" she cried softly when she answered the door a moment later, surprised to see him at that hour.

"I DO apologize for the lateness of the hour, Nanny," he said, his face growing red when he realized she was obviously ready for bed. "I didn't think... I thought you might still be up..."

Gripping her dressing gown at her chin, Nanny tried to smile. "Aoww, it's all right, Willy, I was just reading..."

"I should have asked you earlier, but you WILL meet for in the Rose Room for tea tomorrow at three, will you not?" He eyed her hopefully, then his body tightened as he realized how little she wore and how very attractive she looked. A roaring filled his ears and he lost whatever logical thought might have been in his brain.

Nanny's breath grew shallow, and blood throbbed in her temples and beat hard and fast at the base of her throat when she met his hot gaze, brimming with unconcealed desire. She found she couldn't look away or say a word as she nodded silently. With a faint groan, Wilkes drew near and sought her lips in a wild, plundering kiss that demanded everything she had to give, and more.

Drowning in a dark lake of need, she yielded to his embrace, returning his kisses with an urgency she would never have thought she could feel. But somehow with this man anything seemed possible, pleasure appeared to have limitless boundaries. In those moments, her senses narrowed down to only the two of them and her focus was locked on the wet warmth of his mouth, the gliding bliss of his touch over her rawther abundant curves clad only in flimsy silk night attire, the heady richness of his clean, male scent turning her drunk and drowsy.

Nanny clenched her fists into the fabric of his coat, her breath panting in ragged gasps from her lips as she gave him a caress that was as bold as it was blatant. Greedy in a way that once would have shocked her, she gave free rein to her passion. Flames of desire ignited inside them both, spreading with the force of a wildfire.

Nanny was vaguely aware that matters were moving much too far, much too fast, way beyond her ability to control, but she was too lost in the sensations he was evoking to stop him. She trembled as one of Wilkes' hands stroked her back and over her botto, caressing her through her nightclothes. Still caught in the glory of his kisses, she was startled to hear a soft, mewling cry escape her lips, a plea for him to continue his actions and fulfill the desires he was arousing in her. Instantly she was overcome with shame and humiliation. Oh my LORD, what was she doing? What was she letting HIM do? She must be MAD! For his part, a mortified Wilkes released her with all the control he could muster, stepping back slightly and breathing heavily. Nanny tried to subdue her own panting, not aware that her hands were still curled around his lapels.

"You ... you are becoming harder and harder to resist..." Wilkes finally managed to say. "I... I must apologize for my... impetuousness."

"I... I seem to have lost my restraint, too, for Lord's sake..." Nanny almost gasped. Indeed, he had begun to invade her dreams nightly, leaving her skin damp, her body awash with desire as she tossed against her bedsheets, although that feeling was NOTHING to how she was feeling now, for Lord's sake! Every nerve ending was burning and she couldn't stop trembling.

"I should go..."

"I suppose you should..." but her eyes were indicating the opposite, and she still hadn't released his jacket.

"I WILL see you... tomorrow... alone... for tea... tomorrow... Nanny..."

"Aoww, for sure, sure, sure..." Finally Nanny realized she was still gripping his coat, and with a gasp she released him. "Sir Wilkes, I must, must, must apologize..."

"Tomorrow, Miss Nanny..." and he smiled at her, taking her hand and bringing it to his lips where he lightly kissed each finger, turned it over and pressed a kiss in the palm of her hand, then curled her fingers over it. "Good night."

Nanny's mouth was open and a dazed look filled her lovely blue eyes. Wilkes smiled again and forced himself to turn and walk away. Surely she was as much in love with him as he was with her! SURELY she would accept his Valentine gift of the Welsh lovespoon and would agree to marry him as soon as possible!

Once in his own suite, Wilkes picked up the finished lovespoon and carefully laid it in the box he had readied with a piece of blue velvet to bring out the shine of the wood.

O o O o O o

At last it was Valentine's Day, and Wilkes was sitting across from Nanny in the Rose Room and watching her expression as she carefully opened the box he had handed her. Lifting the top layer of velvet, Nanny's eyes widened as she saw the simple, lovely spoon.

"It's a..." Wilkes began, but Nanny interrupted him.

"A Welsh lovespoon! Aoww my Lord, Willy, I can't believe... you carved this yourself, didn't you?" Carefully she picked up the delicate bit of wood and tried to examine it. First she held it close, then at arms' length, then, with an annoyed click of her tongue, she had to resort to rummaging in her purse on the floor for her glasses. Slipping them on, she finally could study the spoon from every angle. "Aoww, Willy, it is absolutely divine! So BEAUTIFUL!" Her eyes inexplicably filled with tears as she cradled the lovespoon in her hands.

"YOU are beautiful, Nanny," Wilkes said boldly.

Nanny looked up in surprise, and at the smoldering desire in his brown eyes, she flushed, feeling a shiver run over her body and pool in her centre. He wanted her. He thought she was beautiful, and he wanted HER! Nanny swallowed and looked back at the spoon. Softly she touched each symbol as she spoke. "You carved two balls in a cage... showing that my love would be safe with you and yours with me ... that we are captivated with each other. And each cage only has one ball... if the balls represent children, I suppose it would be Eloise..."

"Yes... And?" Wilkes' voice was strained. Did she really like it? It seemed almost unbelievable that she actually understood what he had meant to say, and more!

"Links of a chain ... our lives are similarly linked, and you wish that we be together forever." Nanny continued hesitantly. "The... the twisted stem between the balls in cages means that our lives are permanently entwined together, and our love will continue to grow."

Tension was evident in Wilkes' clenched hands as he waited for her to finish.

Tracing the heart-shaped bowl, Nanny concluded faintly, "With the single heart, you are saying that your heart is mine... and our life together will be full of love..." After a moment, she looked up at him again, her eyes soft, her lips trembling as she tried to smile. "Aoww, Willy... I..."

"Will you accept me? As a suitor?" he broke in anxiously.

"I... I... oh, my stars, stars, stars, I don't know what to SAY!" she almost wailed.

"I love you, Nanny," he said seriously. "I want to marry you. Soon. Do you... do you think you could come to love me enough to say yes?"

Now Nanny's smile was crooked, and she admitted, "I don't think I could ever love you..."

Wilkes felt his heart drop into his shoes and the blood drain from his face. He interrupted her with a hoarse, "But, Nanny!"

Then she continued "...any more than I already do. Yes, Willy love, I will marry you."

For a moment Wilkes just stared at her, unable to believe her words. Then he stammered, "You... you will? Really?"

"I love you, too." she replied simply. "I have admired you for a long, long, long time, and the more I got to know you, the more I realized that my admiration was growing into love."

Wilkes stood up abruptly, and caught her hand in his, drawing her to her feet. "We need to go somewhere private to continue this, er, discussion!"

Nanny quickly gathered her purse, lovespoon and the box it had come in, and followed him out the door, her hand still firmly clasped in his and her heart thumping wildly in anticipation.

O o O o O o

Wilkes hurried her down the hall to his suite the moment Max slid open the elevator door. Nanny had fumbled to put her treasured gift inside her purse while they were ascending. Once inside Wilkes' suite, with the door locked behind them, Nanny fell into his arms, dropping her purse at their feet. He pressed her against the door. "You really love me? As much as I love you?"

"I do, do, DO!" she vowed, her eyes never leaving his.

Then his mouth claimed hers, kissing her with his passion and adoration so evident that her senses grew giddy with pleasure and her spirits soared. Nanny trembled and moaned, winding her arms around his neck and parting her lips as she poured all her love, all her life, into their embrace, knowing that she never wanted to be apart from him again. Intoxicated by the pleasure, their embrace deepened, their senses afire in a way that made them both shake. With passion driving her hard, Nanny clung to Wilkes; the scent, taste and feel of him so erotic that he swept everything from her mind but raw, primal need.

He groaned deep in his throat, his hands sliding down her back to hold her body tightly against his, then growled against her eager lips, "I wanted to wait..."

"Oh, KNICKERS, Willy, kiss me more before Eloise comes looking for me!"

Accordingly, he ravished her mouth, his kisses deep and openmouthed, making her mind spin and her body clamour. Never in her life had she felt a sensation that even came close to the wet warmth of his mouth. Tiny jolts of pleasure exploded inside her, stealing her breath as she cried out against the sensation, each nerve ending sparking with delight. Wilkes took her with him into a world where nothing existed but the stunning pleasure of his possession. Her need was great, her delight was profound, and suddenly an explosion of joy set her whole body awash in unimaginable ecstasy. She cried out into his mouth, convulsing in his arms and, quivering and spent, they slumped together against the door. At length, he claimed her mouth once more, their kiss slow and sweet and drowsy.

"Perhaps we should go sit down," he murmured, hoping she would forgive him for his horrible lack of manners. How COULD he have kissed her so roughly... against a door? Whatever had possessed him?

She nodded, but neither of them moved. At last she spoke. "Do you think we'll survive marriage, love? Just getting engaged seems to have absolutely done us in, for Lord's sake!"

"We'll buy your ring tomorrow," Wilkes promised.

"Aoww, you gave me the love spoon as a betrothal gift! There's no rush for a ring..."

"Yes, there is. I want to marry you as soon as possible!"

They smiled at each other, then, hearing running footsteps down the hall outside, their eyes dropped. The buzzer sounded at the door, loud and long.

Nanny's eyes widened, and she mouthed, "Eloise is here!"

Opening the door and making sure Nanny was hidden behind it, Wilkes said, "Ah! Eloise!"

"Hallo, Sir Wilkes! Have you seen Nanny? Maman just got home! We were hoping you would come for supper tonight... but we can't find Nanny to see if that's all right with her! Can you come anyway?"

"I, er, yes, Eloise, I would be delighted to come for supper. Actually, I have something I would like to ask you."

"Me? Or Maman and me?"

"Well, both, I suppose, but... well, you..."

"What?"

"Tonight." Wilkes smiled, very conscious of Nanny's nervousness at being discovered. "What time shall I come by?"

"Anytime. Now, if you want. I'm going to run downstairs and see if I can see Nanny in the lobby. Ta ta, Sir Wilkes!"

"Ta ta." Wilkes watched as the little girl disappeared into the stairwell. "It's safe now, Nanny."

"I'd better get back. I hadn't realized Kay would be here so early..." Nanny fussed.

"I'll be over in a few minutes. Nanny?" Wilkes caught her hand as she was going out the door.

"Yes?" she half-turned to him.

"I love you." and his lips covered hers for another heart-stopping moment. When he released her, she stood still for a moment, dazed. "Oh my," Wilkes said, his eyes on her mouth. "I do believe I should shave my moustache, Nanny, if we're going to keep kissing! Your poor skin!"

Nanny's hand flew to her lips and she winced as she touched the tender, abraded skin. "Oh my Lord, Willie, don't you DARE shave it off! I'll get used to it ... because I'm not going to allow you to stop kissing me now! I just hope it's not too, too, too obvious!"

O o O o O o

That night after supper, Wilkes carefully patted his lips dry with his napkin then smiled at Kay. "I thank you for the invitation, Kay."

"It's quite all right, Sir Wilkes. Eloise was most insistent that today, of all days, you had to come here."

"That's absolutely right, Sir Wilkes!" Eloise nodded emphatically. "Because you're wooing Nanny now, aren't you?"

Nanny smiled into her napkin, her face flushing. Wilkes cleared his throat, then said, "Eloise, Kay, I... I wish to, well, to ask for your blessing and your acquiescence regarding my suit...."

Kay's eyes widened, and a smile spread over her face. Eloise's face was screwed up in puzzlement, however. "My WHAT to do with your suit?" Her eyes went over the navy suit he was wearing. "What's wrong with your suit?"

"No, I mean ... well, yes, I am, er, wooing Nanny. As a matter of fact, I wish to marry her... that is, we wish to marry each other..." Wilkes wiped his forehead and pressed on. "I was hoping to get your approval!"

"You want to get MARRIED?" Eloise cried. "Really?" Her face was wreathed with smiles. "Oh, Nanny!" The little girl jumped up from her chair and hugged Nanny tightly, then threw her arms around Sir Wilkes' neck, too. "I think it's absolutely DIVINE that you decided this on Valentine's Day!" Then she pulled back and looked at Nanny and then Sir Wilkes. "Did you really wait for me, Eloise, to say yes before she puts on the ring you bought her? Where is it? I want to see it!"

"Eloise!" Kay protested, but Nanny had already begun to speak.

"Actually, Eloise, I don't have a ring yet," Nanny said.

"You don't?" Eloise sounded disappointed. "So you're not really engaged."

"Yes, we are. Sir Wilkes gave me a love spoon this afternoon."

"A what?" Eloise asked, and Kay looked her own questions.

Nanny brought out the wooden spoon that Wilkes had laboured over so painstakingly. She explained the significance of the various parts to both Eloise and Kay, who exclaimed over the beauty. Then Eloise stared up at Wilkes, a puzzled frown still visible on her face.

"But Sir Wilkes, how can a SPOON tell people that you want to be married? It's not the same as a ring, is it?"

"Well, not exactly, but... well, we are going to look for a ring tomorr..."

"Wait a minute!" Eloise interrupted him again. "Did you say the ball in each of these little cages on the spoon stands for ME, Eloise? I'm locked in both of your hearts? How absolutely divine! J'adore this way of saying you want to be married! Sir Wilkes, will you carve a love spoon for me, Eloise?"

"Well, I suppose I could..." Wilkes said slowly.

"With Weenie and Skipperdee on it! Because I love them!"

"Eloise..." Nanny said warningly.

"It's all right, Nanny," Wilkes said, patting her hand, then squeezing it. "I don't mind. As long as Eloise doesn't mind waiting until I have the time. This spoon DID take me over a month to do, and, well, if Nanny and I are to be married as soon as possible, I will have a few other things to think about. You understand..."

"All right, Sir Wilkes, I'll wait! So, you can probably get married on Saturday, that's just three days away, and I know the Rose Room isn't booked that night, and that awful Prunella is gone for a whole week! Then you can move in here on Sunday...."

Wilkes and Nanny looked at each other blankly while Kay tried to explain that that might not be what Nanny and Wilkes had in mind for where they would live after their marriage.

"Why not?" asked Eloise, mystified. "They love me. So Sir Wilkes has to come to US!"

"Well, I HAD thought Nanny could move in with ME..." Wilkes said wistfully, his hand tightening on Nanny's.

"Oh my Lord, then what would *I* do? I can't move my bedroom to YOUR place!" Eloise shook her head. "I think you'll just have to move in here. You can sleep on the couch. It's really quite comfortable, I think. Or you can put your bed in here someplace if you have to. Maybe over under the window? MY room is too, too, too full, but..."

"Eloise," Kay said quietly, shaking her head slightly at Nanny and Wilkes who had identical panicked looks on their faces, "I think that for the first month or so, Nanny and Sir Wilkes will probably want to be alone. That's part of what a marriage is, you know. And it's best they stay by themselves in Sir Wilkes' suite. I don't have to go away for a while... and perhaps when I do, you can come with me. That should be fun, shouldn't it? And maybe Sir Wilkes and Nanny would come with us sometimes... to Paris... and Rome..."

"That sounds absolutely divine, Maman!" Eloise cried, ecstatically. "Doesn't it, Nanny?"

"Aoww, for sure, sure, sure, pet, it does indeed. Divine, divine, divine." Nanny agreed thankfully, her hand clutching Wilkes' tightly.

"And then I'll get MY Welsh love spoon from Sir Wilkes!" Eloise said smugly. "And no one else will have one just like it."

"It'll be unique, just like you, pet," Nanny said, smiling.

THE END