03

The next morning, I was a nervous wreck. A Rolls Royce came to pick me up—an odd sight to see in a neighborhood like mine. A few hours later, I was on a yacht headed up the river back to the castle they called a house.

Once inside, Mildred was the first to greet me. « Ms. Nielson. Welcome ! » She hugged me. The surprisingly warm gesture didn’t feel out of place. « Come. He’s waiting for you. »

My mood dropped when I realized who she meant. She led me down the hall by the arm to the familiar room. Inside, there he was.

He paced as he spoke on the phone in what sounded like Mandarin, wearing a crisp white shirt tucked into a well-fitting pair of slacks. He never seemed to wear a tie—such a European thing to do—but this time, he had his sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His casual look, I presumed. He gestured for us to wait a moment. It annoyed me, but Mildred did so with a smile.

« Xièxiè, » he thanked whoever he spoke to and ended the call. « Ms. Nielson, » he greeted me while still peering down at his phone. « A pleasure to see you again. »

« Likewise, » I lied.

« I’ll leave you to it. » With a bow of her head, Mildred left the room, leaving me in awkward silence with the widower and the sound of him texting.

« I have reviewed your CV and ran a background check to verify your education and employment. You can never be too careful when strangers appear in your home uninvited. » He never looked up from his phone as he spoke, and barely paused from his typing. « All references said you were well-qualified and I would be stupid not to take you on. »

There was a compliment in there somewhere, I was sure. « I’m happy to hear that. »

He finished his text, the swooshing sound signaling its departure. « I’d like to start you on a two-month trial basis. My eldest, Matthew, is of greatest concern at the moment. His marks are dismal and he is at risk of being held back. If you could aid in raising them before the term’s end, we can discuss keeping you on. »

« That seems fair. »

« As for compensation, » he began. « The damage to the greenhouse was less extensive than expected, however, damages were still upwards of nine thousand. » I swallowed loudly. « Mildred and the other full-time staff live on the premises—an offer I will extend to you as well, if you accept the position. Unpaid. » He stared at me while my mind processed his proposal. No rent, but also no pay ? A pinging sound called his attention to his phone once more. « Do you find those terms acceptable, Ms. Nielson ? »

« Yes, indentured servitude sounds quite convenient, » I said under my breath.

« What was that ? »

« Yes, » I covered. « I accept. »

« Brilliant, » he said flatly. « Are you ready to meet the children ? »

My mood lifted. « Yes. I am. »

He gestured toward the door.

We left the room. Mildred followed after us with another staff member—the company easing my nerves considerably. Five or so people were buzzing around the foyer, cleaning, rearranging, or carrying something. The smell of wood polish filled the room with a warm, cozy scent. There seemed to be more people in the house to take care of it than who actually lived in it.

He led us up the grand staircase and down another considerable hall. As we walked, my attention was trained on the massive chandelier. My house growing up must have cost less than that thing did.

He paused in front of a pair of doors and pushed them open. We entered a large room full of toys. Two small children played on the floor. The girl looked up and smiled a wide grin. « Daddy ! » she yelled and ran over to Mr. Montgomery.

He leaned down and picked her up, swinging her into his arms. Then, I saw him do something I hadn’t seen him do before : smile.

The little boy ran over and hugged his father’s legs. Mr. Montgomery ruffled his hair with a hand. « Children, » he said, sitting his daughter back onto her feet. « This is your new tutor, Ms. Aubrey Nielson. » He gestured to me. « Ms. Nielson, this is Tabitha and Sebastian. »

Very un-American names, it seemed, but the girl didn’t seem to have an accent. I leaned over to look them in the eye. « It’s so very nice to meet you both, » I said with a smile. Tabitha smiled back, swaying back and forth as the velvet plumes of her princess dress danced around her. Sebastian grinned but remained in a safe position hidden behind his father’s leg. They weren’t quite the same size, but I knew they had to be twins. « How old are you two ? »

« Six, » Mr. Montgomery answered. The children were so precious and well-mannered. If they curtsied at me, I wouldn’t be surprised. Both had the same dark, hazel eyes of their father. Their tawny hair and kiss of freckles against their noses and cheeks made them look even more perfect. « Where is your brother ? »

Tabitha shrugged in response.

« We will have to go find him then. »

« It was nice to meet you, Ms. Aubrey, » Tabitha said. Her little voice melted my heart.

« I’ll see you soon, » I said to her with a wave. « Goodbye, Sebastian. » When I waved to him, he turned around with a blush. I nearly squealed with how cute he was.

After tearing myself away from them, we set off down another hall. It took a while for us to reach the next room, and by that point, I felt horribly lost. « I must warn you, Matthew is more of a handful, » Mr. Montgomery said. « He is fifteen and experiencing a bit of teenage angst. »

« I remember those years fondly, » I told him. He gave me a look that made it clear he was not a fan of my sarcasm. Noted.

We walked into a different type of game room. A billiards table stood near the door, and further in, a sprawling sectional sofa sat in front of a TV the size of a small vehicle. A music video with scantily clad women in inappropriate positions played quietly. A boy sat with expensive over-the-ear headphones, playing a handheld video game.

« Matthew, » Mr. Montgomery said to the boy and was promptly ignored. « Matthew, » he repeated louder. He walked over and stripped the boy of his headphones. Blaringly loud hip hop spilled out of them.

« What the fuck ? » Matthew yelled in response.

« Mind your language. We have a guest, » Augustine reprimanded him. That’s it ? I would have been six feet under with no teeth had I said anything close to that word in front of my mother, let alone a guest.

The boy turned to look at me. His face was a softer, more youthful version of his father’s. They shared the same dark hair and eyes, though he had fairer skin and a kiss of freckles like his siblings. He, too, had no accent. The family must have moved here before the children were born or soon after Matthew was. « Who are you ? » he asked with petulance.

« This is your new tutor, Ms. Nielson, » Mr. Montgomery said. I held my hand out to him, but he didn’t take it. He turned back around and resumed his game. « Say hello, Matthew. »

« No. »

Mr. Montgomery looked frustrated. « Last I remember, you had lost privilege of this, » he pulled the game from his son’s grasp.

Matthew turned and snatched it back. « Well, when no one is here to enforce the rules, I do whatever the hell I want. »

Mr. Montgomery looked perturbed, but he must have been used to his son’s attitude at this point. « Your lessons begin tomorrow evening. »

« Cool, » he said sarcastically, rapidly tapping the buttons of his game.

« It would be lovely if you’d greet your new teacher. »

« When are you leaving again ? » Matthew asked his father.

Mr. Montgomery glared at the back of his son’s head then cracked an insincere smile. « Tomorrow. »

« Good. See ya. » He put his headphones back on.

Mr. Montgomery closed his eyes with a sigh and then turned back to me. « I take it you’ll have no issue working with this kind of behavior ? »

I knew he meant the behavior of his son, but it seemed his behavior was just as in need of correcting as anyone else’s. Fucked up only began to explain this family’s dynamic. It made me much more excited to delve in. « No issues at all. »

« Good. »

. . .