“If you don’t mind.” Meredith winked. “Perhaps Kalina would like to join you.”
Of course, Kat’s response was a hostile glare, but at least her back was toward the Nemitzes.
“Yes, Kalina,” her mother urged. “You go with Princess Katerina. Help her fetch tea.”
“Yes, Mother.” Kalina stood, sighing in clear reluctance.
After the girls left, Meredith endured the Nemitzes’ curiosity about what royal children did on summer holiday, why they weren’t in their homeland, and where their father was. Without giving out any real information, Meredith fielded their questions. Finally excusing herself, she turned her attention to Mishka, who had just spotted some ducks he wanted to point out.
After what seemed more than enough time, and hoping Kat hadn’t shoved her cheeky classmate overboard, Meredith spied the two girls returning with drinks. To her relief, judging by their surprisingly pleasant countenances, the girls had begun to mend their broken bridge. Unless this was an act to appease and impress Kalina’s parents, although Meredith could hardly imagine Kat being amiable to that. But after the two girls gave Meredith and Mishka their drinks, they carried their sodas up to the boat’s bow, apparently still interested in conversing. Slightly stunned by this new development, Meredith decided that Princess Katerina might actually be a contestant for the Miss Congeniality award after all. One could hope.
15
Meredith and the children had dinner at a small café in town on their way home. Both children, though tired, seemed happy about their outing. And Kat was extraordinarily pleased with her new friendship with Kalina. As it turned out, Kalina had thought Kat was a snob before their encounter on the river boat, but during the course of the afternoon, the girls had discovered they had much in common—from sports to music taste and disliking some of the truly snobby girls at their school. They had traded cell phone numbers, and by the time Meredith turned up the drive at the villa, had exchanged at least a dozen or more text messages.
“Papa!” Mishka exclaimed as Meredith parked in front of the house.
“What?” Meredith looked all around.
“Over there by the carriage house,” Kat said. “I see him too.”
As they got out of the car, Meredith felt an unexpected rush of nerves. She hadn’t expected to see their father this soon. Hadn’t Mrs. Warner said he wouldn’t be back for a while longer? But instead of showing her uneasiness, she fixed a smile on herface and followed the children, who were squealing with delight and running toward their father. Kat got there first, throwing her arms around Spencer. Meredith, not far behind Mishka, was about to greet him too, but couldn’t even get a word out of her mouth before Spencer began scolding her.
“You took the children on the river today?” he demanded. “For the whole day?”
“Mrs. Warner—she said it was okay,” she stammered.
“Mrs. Warner isnotin charge.”
“Well, you have not been around to instruct me as to what—”
“Papa,” Kat interrupted her. “We had a lovely time on the Danube. Don’t be vexed at Meredith.”
“Miss Cardwell,” he corrected her.
“I’ve told them to call me Meredith, or Meri,” she countered.
“Please, Papa, don’t be vexed at Meri,” Mishka echoed, grabbing hold of Meredith’s hand. “Welikeher.”
Spencer appeared tongue tied but smiled stiffly. “My apologies, Miss Cardwell. I was worried about the children’s welfare. I didn’t mean to insinuate you did any intentional wrong. But security is very important to me.”
“I didn’t realize…” She bit her lip.
“No, I don’t suppose you would.” His tone softened slightly. “I think of the villa as being rather secure. You’ve probably noticed the system we have here.”
“Not really.” She glanced around.
“See the cams on the house.” He pointed to a black object that she assumed was a security camera.
“Oh, of course.” She was grateful for the dusky light that wouldn’t show her reddened cheeks. Partly from embarrassment and partly from her frustration at being treated like a child.
“When you are here with the children,” he continued, “I am reassured of their safety. But if you leave the villa…well, that’s another matter.” He pursed his lips. “And something we canaddress later.” He knelt down, extending his arms to Mishka. “Because right now, I need a big hug from Mishka Bear.”
“Please, excuse me,” she said quietly. As he chatted with his children, she made a hasty exit to the house and upstairs to her suite. Fortunately, it was nearly bedtime. She hoped she wouldn’t be forced to encounter Master Spencer, as Mrs. Warner called him, until tomorrow. And then, even if he presented her walking papers, she wouldn’t complain. Oh, she’d be sad to leave the children, but she had enough money for airfare home and, according to Carrie’s text message that had just come through on her cell phone, the rushed passport had arrived at the US Consulate this afternoon. Maybe her stint as the royal nanny had really come to an end. So be it.
Yet, she knew she wasn’t ready to leave. As she paced back and forth in her suite, she wondered how difficult it would be to tell the children goodbye. Kat might be glad to see her go, but Mishka would be sad. Somehow, she needed to do whatever she could to make her inevitable departure easier on him.
Although she was tempted to get ready for bed and allow Spencer to see to his own children’s bedtime, she knew that as the nanny, it was still her responsibility. Not eager for another scolding, she listened until she heard the children’s footsteps and voices before sticking her head out. Mishka spotted her and rushed over.
