Both girls look stricken, their eyes even glassing over with unshed tears, and what the hell is going on here? They just met this woman. She could be a raving lunatic. She could have broken that bust on purpose with the sole intent of meeting my children or me. This could all be a setup between her and her father.
“But, she’s pretty and smart and our friend. She’s English.”
“No, Sabrina, she speaks and teaches English, but she’s not English.”
“Then what is she?”
“An English speaker. Obviously.”
I shake my head, cutting this off before it gets out of hand. “It doesn’t matter where she’s from. She’s not staying here.”
“But she told us if we closed our eyes and pictured Mama, she’d always be there with us.” Phaedra straightens, placing her hand on my chest as she stares up at me with those wide eyes of hers. “Her mama is dead too and she knows what we’re going through. Please, Papa. We want to keep her. She’s the first nanny that we like. All the others have been dreadful and mean. Nothing like Mama. Our beautiful friend is kind like Mama was.”
Nice one. Well played. My little girls are painfully skilled at twisting that particular knife in deep and hitting every artery they can manage.
I unfasten the top button of my shirt, suddenly feeling as though I’m being strangled.
“Girls, she’s not your nanny.” I lower my voice, making sure my words are slow and even, but firm. “You need to stop thinking of this stranger like that. She’s likely a tourist, here for a visit before returning to her home.”
“No. She lives in Messalina,” Sabrina promises me. “Can’t we ask her to stay?”
“Oh, Sabrina.” I kiss her forehead and then Phaedra’s, praying this is nothing more than a glancing blow that won’t turn into a hurricane of emotions. “I’m sorry, darlings. I don’t see how that’s going to be possible.”
With a knock, the door opens and Emily returns. We had been finalizing the details for the prime minister’s visit when we were interrupted by the news of the man breaking in. The palace had gone into lockdown, but evidently lockdown in my mind is something very different from what had actually happened.
“Sir, if I may have a word in private?” Emily asks. “I have two attendants waiting outside to escort the girls back upstairs.”
Oh fuck. This isn’t going to be good. I can tell by her expression.
“Girls, run along. But under no circumstances are you to come out of your room until we know for sure it’s safe and someone comes to get you. Promise me.”
“We promise, Papa,” they say in unison and jump off me to run for the door like their asses were just set on fire.
I sigh, leaning back in my chair, my hands resting beside me. I’m in no mood for this. For any of this. Certainly not for dealing with a woman my children seem to want to keep as if she’s a golden retriever. She’s not that special. I don’t even have to see her to know that. No woman is.
“Tell me how this happened. Tell me how my daughters escaped their room. Tell me how two fucking strangers got into my palace. And tell me why we do not already have the police here?!” My voice climbs with each word, my hands fisted on my desk, ready to tear these strangers apart.
Emily steps forward, her hands falling to the top of my desk, her lip caught between her teeth. “You’re going to think I’m crazy.”
“No more than I typically do,” I reply dryly, though my words cling to the back of my throat.
She ignores that. “You asked for different. This woman is different.”
I groan, scrubbing my hands up my face. Fuck. “Not you too. This is ridiculous.” I shake my head back and forth, confusion swirling through me. “The girls were just begging for this woman to be their new nanny.” My hands fly through the air. “Who the hell is she and what magical fucking spell is she putting everyone under? She doesn’t belong in my palace. As far as I’m concerned, she’s dangerous. Not to mention, she broke a priceless piece of art.”
“Bellamy Wright. American. Currently lives in Messalina, so not a tourist. An English teacher and definitely not dangerous.”
I laugh mirthlessly, cutting her off. “An English teacher is not a nanny.” My words drip with sarcasm. Am I the only person in this palace thinking rationally? “You have no clue if she’s dangerous. Her father certainly seems to be.”
“Sir, allow me to finish, please. Her father has dementia and was confused. He thought the palace was some school back in America. Anyway, Miss Wright attended university here, though she was unable to finish because she’s been caring for her father.”
“Not well,” I interrupt sharply.
Again, she ignores me. “She is smart. She is educated. She is not from Messalina or even Europe but speaks French and currently lives here. She seems sweet and kind and patient and the girls liked her instantly.”
“So. Fucking. What? You cannot be saying this, Emily. The girls are desperate to connect with someone and this is the first one to pop up.”
“Iliked her instantly as well, and you know I do not suffer fools. Her father is ill, Sebastian. That’s why she came. I think you should meet her. As you said, she broke a priceless piece of art, and her father broke into the palace. There might be something to barter with.”
