LITMIR.BIZ

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by model cars and an entire herd of farm animals. Cassie had to step carefully to avoid standing on any of them.

      “Hello, Marc. Shall we go to breakfast? What do you want to wear?”

      “I don’t want to wear anything. I want to play,” Marc retorted.

      “You can carry on playing afterwards, but not now. We’re late, and we must hurry.”

      Marc’s response was to burst into noisy tears.

      “Please don’t cry,” Cassie begged him, aware of the precious minutes ticking away. But his tears escalated, as if he were feeding off her panic. He flatly refused to change out of his pajamas and not even the promise of chocolate could change his mind. Eventually, at her wits’ end, Cassie wedged a pair of slippers on his feet. Taking his hand in hers and placing a soldier in his pajama pocket, she persuaded him to follow her out.

      When she knocked on Antoinette’s door, there was no response. The room was empty and the bed neatly made with a pink nightdress folded on the pillow. Hopefully, Antoinette had made her own way to breakfast.

      Pierre and Margot were already seated in the informal dining room. Pierre was wearing a business suit, and Margot was also smartly dressed, with her makeup perfectly done and her hair curled over her shoulders. She looked up when they walked in, and Cassie felt her face start to blaze. Quickly, she helped Ella into a chair.

      “Sorry we’re a little late,” she apologized, feeling flustered and as if she was already on the back foot. “Antoinette wasn’t in her room. I’m not sure where she is.”

      “She has finished breakfast, and is practicing her piano piece.” Pierre gestured his head in the direction of the music room before pouring more coffee. “Listen. Perhaps you recognize the music—‘The Blue Danube.’”

      Faintly, Cassie heard an accurate rendition of a tune that did indeed sound familiar.

      “She is very talented,” Margot offered, but the sour tone of her comment didn’t match the words. Cassie glanced at her nervously. Was she going to say anything about what had happened last night?

      But, as Margot stared back in cool silence, Cassie suddenly wondered if she’d misremembered some of it. The back of her head was tender and swollen from where she’d slipped, but when she touched the left side of her face, there was no bruise from the stinging slap. Or maybe it had been the right side? It was frightening that she couldn’t remember now. She pressed her fingers into her right cheek, but there was no soreness there, either.

      Cassie told herself firmly to stop worrying about the details. She could not possibly have been thinking clearly after a hard bang on the head and possible concussion. Margot had definitely threatened her, but Cassie’s own imagination could have conjured up the actual blow. After all, she’d been exhausted, disoriented, and had emerged straight from the throes of a nightmare.

      Her thoughts were interrupted by Marc demanding breakfast, and she poured orange juice for the children, serving them food from the breakfast trays. Ella insisted on taking every last piece of ham and cheese, so Cassie made do with a jam croissant and some sliced fruit.

      Margot drained her coffee in silence, staring out the window. Pierre paged through a newspaper while he finished his toast. Were breakfasts always so silent? Cassie wondered. Neither parent showed any desire to engage with her, the children, or each other. Was this because she was in trouble?

      Perhaps she should start the conversation and straighten things out. She needed to apologize formally for her lateness in reaching Ella, but she didn’t think her punishment had been fair.

      Cassie composed her words carefully in her head.

      “I know I was slow to attend to Ella last night. I didn’t hear her crying but next time I’ll leave my bedroom door open. However, I don’t feel that I was fairly treated. I was threatened and abused, and received two consecutive warnings in as many minutes, so could we please discuss some house rules here?”

      No, that wouldn’t do. It was too forward. She didn’t want to appear antagonistic. She needed a softer approach, and one that would not make more of an enemy out of Margot.

      “Isn’t it a lovely morning?”

      Yes, that would definitely be a good start and bring a positive angle to the conversation. And from there, she could lead into what she really wanted to say.

      “I know I was slow to attend to Ella last night. I didn’t hear her crying but next time I’ll leave my bedroom door open. However, I’d like us to discuss some house rules now, in terms of how we treat each other and when warnings should be given, so that I can make sure I do the best job.”

      Cassie cleared her throat, feeling nervous, and put down her fork.

      But as she was about to speak, Pierre folded his newspaper and he and Margot got up.

      “Have a pleasant day, children,” Pierre said, as they left the room.

      Cassie stared after them, confused. She had no idea what to do now. She’d been told the children were to be ready by eight—but ready for what?

      She’d better run after Pierre and check. She headed for the door, but as she reached it, she almost collided with a pleasant-faced woman wearing a staff uniform and carrying a tray of food.

      “Ah—oops. There. Saved.” She righted the tray and slid the slices of ham back into place. “You are the new au pair, yes? I am Marnie, the head housekeeper.”

      “Nice to meet you,” Cassie said, realizing this was the first smiling face she’d seen all day. After introducing herself she said, “I was on my way to ask Pierre what the children need to do today.”

      “Too late. He will have gone already; they were heading straight for the car. Did he leave no instructions?”

      “No. Nothing.”

      Marnie set the tray down and Cassie gave Marc more cheese and helped herself hungrily to toast, ham, and a hardboiled egg. Ella was refusing to eat the pile of food on her plate, pushing it around fretfully with her fork.

      “Perhaps you can ask the children themselves,” Marnie suggested. “Antoinette will know if there is anything arranged. I would advise waiting till she has finished playing the piano, though. She does not like her concentration disturbed.”

      Was it her imagination or did Marnie roll her eyes at those words? Encouraged, Cassie wondered if they might become friends. She needed an ally in this house.

      But there was no time to forge a friendship now. Marnie was clearly in a hurry, collecting empty plates and dirty dishes while she asked Cassie if there were any problems with her room. Cassie quickly explained the issues, and after promising to change the bedcovers and replace the light bulb before lunch, the housekeeper left.

      The sound of the piano had stopped, so Cassie headed to the music room near the hallway.

      Antoinette was putting the music away. She turned and faced Cassie warily when she walked in. She was immaculately dressed in a royal blue frock. Her hair was tied back in a ponytail and her shoes were perfectly shined.

      “You look beautiful, Antoinette, that dress is such a pretty color,” Cassie said, hoping compliments would endear her to the hostile girl. “Is there anything you have planned for today? Any activities or other things arranged?”

      Antoinette paused thoughtfully before shaking her head.

      “Nothing today,” she said decisively.

      “And Marc and Ella, do they need to go anywhere?”

      “No. Tomorrow, Marc has soccer practice.” Antoinette closed the piano lid.

      “Well, is there anything you would like to do now?” Perhaps allowing Antoinette to choose would help them bond.

      “We could go for a walk in the woods. We all enjoy doing that.”

      “Where are the woods?”

      “A mile or two down the road.” The dark-haired girl gestured vaguely. “We can leave immediately. I will

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