Tears smarted her eyes and she lay there for a moment, while snickers sounded softly across the room. Sniffing loudly, she eased herself to a sitting position, and began taking stock of her body for any other injuries. Luckily, her elbow had taken the brunt of her fall.
The pain eased, but she continued to sit there, her arms wrapped around her knees. When the children began whispering, her lips curved, though she kept her face hidden from their view.
Tripping her hadn’t been a good choice, and from the thin wire she spied, secured on both sides of the door, she now knew it was intentional. But she sure wasn’t going to start off their relationship by yelling at them. For whatever reason, they’d felt the need to play a trick on her, and she wasn’t going to respond in the way they’d most likely be anticipating.
A few minutes went by, and there was more whispering. It wouldn’t be long now. And then, just as she expected, she heard the soft patter of footsteps as the children moved from their hiding spot to see what she was doing, and why she hadn’t said a word.
She held herself as still as she could as they approached. Their steps paused, and she guessed they were trying to decide what to do.
“Hey.” The boy prodded her shoulder with a finger. “What’s wrong with you?”
“Are you alive?” the girl asked.
The boy snorted in that superior way only a seven-year-old could. “Of course she’s alive. She isn’t laying on the floor with her mouth open, is she?”
The girl’s voice lowered, “Your mouth hangs open when you die?”
Aria couldn’t take it. A chuckle escaped her and both the children froze. When she peeked up at the two wide-eyed faces, she laughed again. “I got you!”
The boy harrumphed. “You did not. We knew you were alive.”
“Because I wasn’t laying on the floor with my mouth open?”
The girl nodded seriously. “That’s how you know.”
Aria stifled another bout of laughter, and instead, nodded in agreement. “I’ll have to remember that. I’m Miss McKinnon, but you can call me Aria if you’d like.”
The girl smiled sweetly “Aria—”
“Father wouldn’t want us to be so informal.”
“Is that so?” She studied the boy’s serious brown eyes, thinking how very much he looked like his father. “Are you always so formal and polite?”
“Yes. It is expected.”
“Oh. Well, I certainly don’t expect that.” She sighed dramatically as she sat and dusted off her skirt. “I can’t seem to remain formal. It’s a failing of mine.”
The girl’s mouth formed an O. “Really?”
“Really, really.”
“Me neither!” She placed her hands on Aria’s knees as she leaned in. “Father says I need to learn ‘decorum.’ ” Her clear blue eyes narrowed on the word. “What does ‘decorum’ mean?”
“It means to have dignified behavior.”
“What’s ‘dignified’ mean?”
“Well…” She looked around the room, as if it would give her the right words. “I guess it means that you should be polite and be on your best behavior.”
The girl leaned closer. “Do you have decorum, Aria?”
“Miss McKinnon, Phoebe!” the boy corrected.
Aria didn’t give the boy her attention, instead, she remained focused on the little girl. “Is your name Phoebe? What a lovely name. It reminds me of a beautiful princess from olden times. You would’ve had your own castle and a pet dragon the color of the darkest rubies. You would’ve climbed on his back when the stars sparkled like diamonds at night and rode through the skies until morning.”
The boy puffed out air. “Dragons aren’t real.”
Aria finally turned her attention back to him and met his cynical look, which shouldn’t belong on any child. “Are you certain?”
“Yes.”
“How do you know?”
“Because they’re just pretend.”
“Who told you that?”
The boy looked away. “My father.”
Her heart broke a little. She understood Mr. Grant’s desire for his children to behave, but there was no reason to force them to grow up too soon. Adulthood came all too soon as it was.
“Well, my father told me that anything is possible, and that if we believe in something strongly enough, it will become true.”
He put his hands on his hips. “You think dragons are real?”
“I know they’re real. If they weren’t, why would so many people talk about them? I think they live in caves deep in the earth and sleep for hundreds of years at a time, only coming out for food and gold, before going back to sleep for centuries.”
Phoebe gasped in delight. “What else? Tell me more.”
“Well, their caves are filled with all sorts of treasures. Gold, jewels, crystals... anything that sparkles. They gather as much as they can, hoarding it in huge mountains of wealth. They burrow deep in the coins, allowing the metal to heat and keep them warm.”
When a disbelieving sound came from the boy, she arched a brow at him. “Well, if you think I’m wrong, where do you think dragons live?”
Phoebe shook her head and took Aria’s hand. “Oh, Thomas doesn’t know where they are.”
Aria squeezed the girls hand and smiled, but she didn’t respond. Instead she prodded the boy. “Thomas?”
The boy was quiet for so long, she was about to give up and move on, but he surprised her when he said, “I think they live in mountains high on top of the clouds. People can’t see them, and don’t know where they are, because the clouds always move.”
Aria nodded thoughtfully. “That does make sense; dragons are very smart creatures. They’d definitely know where to make their homes so no humans could find them.”
Thomas nodded, and she took a moment to look at each of the children. “So who’s idea was it to string the wire across the door?”
Neither spoke.
“No confessions? All right. We’ll let it slide because we didn’t know each other, but let’s not do that again please.”
Thomas’ head jerked up. “You mean, you won’t tell Father?”
She pretended to mull it over. “I don’t see why we need to. I’m sure you didn’t mean to physically harm me. And I can understand how hard it must be to have a new nanny. So I think we should keep this just between us.”
“Really?” Phoebe’s eyes couldn’t possibly get any bigger.
“Really.” Aria wrapped her arm around the girl and squeezed. “Now, I heard there’s a schedule...”
Both kids released a groan, but Thomas pointed to a piece of paper on the table. “Over there.”
Aria untangled herself from the floor and retrieved the paper. The two kids followed her, but they didn’t speak. It was like they were preparing for unpleasantness already, and as she scanned through the schedule, she could see why.
Did Mr. Grant really expect his children to behave this way? Lessons immediately after breakfast. Lunch from twelve to twelve-thirty. Journal writing and self-reflection time from twelve-thirty to one-thirty. More lessons from one-thirty to four, followed by goal setting. And finally, they were to have dinner, before even more reading.
When were the children supposed to play and explore the world around them? When were they supposed to have fun? Surely Mr. Grant couldn’t mean to deny them the chance to just be children? Could he?
She lowered the paper. “Is your schedule like this every day?”
“Every day but the weekends.”
“What are your weekends like?”
When the kids frowned, she waved away the question. “It’s all right.” She laid the paper face-down on the table. “What do you say we skip the plan today and just play and get to know each other instead?”
“Play?” Phoebe’s eyes lit up. “Really? Can we go outside?”
“I don’t see why not.” She tucked the girl’s hand in hers and walked toward the door. Realizing Thomas hadn’t followed them, she glanced ba
ck over her shoulder at the mini version of Mr. Grant. “You coming, Thomas?”
He looked undecided for a moment, but then a smile slowly brightened his face. “Can I bring my ball?”
Chapter 3
Cam’s steps ate up the boardwalk as he walked down the street toward his home, which didn’t have much land, but was close to the bank — his work — and that’s all he cared about. His assistant, Mr. Jacobson, occasionally had to jog to keep up with him. “Send a note to Mr. Smythe at National Union, informing him I need his answer by the end of the week about the property. After that, I’m pulling the offer.”
“Yes, sir.” Mr. Jacobson jotted the note down as they continued walking.
“Also, cancel the ad for a nanny. The position has been filled.”
“Shall I have it put on hold for two weeks, just in case…” His words trailed off when Cam abruptly stopped walking.
Cam didn’t need to hear from anyone else how difficult it had been to find a suitable nanny, and then keep them from quitting within the first week. Cam knew his children were a handful. But heavens above! Couldn’t just one of the several women he’d hired handle them?
He didn’t have time for this. There was always someone demanding his attention, a deal that needed his focus. He couldn’t worry about whether Thomas put a lizard in the nanny’s hat, or if Phoebe constantly snuck jam cookies out of the kitchen and stained her dresses.
He’d never failed at anything in his life until he’d tried to be a husband and father. He wasn’t equipped for the job, as Penelope had told him on almost a daily basis, and he didn’t need the constant reminder from everyone else too. The fact that the bank needed his time and focus was best for everyone.
He started walking again. “If we need to advertise again, I’ll send a new set of requirements.”
“Yes, sir.”
Good. That’s all Cam wanted to hear. He wanted his words to be obeyed without question. He wanted to know that once he said something, it would be taken care of. It was so much simpler that way. “Oh, and I need you to send a message to… to…”
He paused his steps just outside the gate when his son tore around the side of the house, kicking a ball and yelling as Phoebe and Aria McKinnon followed him.
“You’ll never catch me!” Thomas crowed. “I’m the fastest pirate of them all!”
Pirate? What in the world…
Aria pointed a branch at his son after corning him against the gate. “Hold it right there, you mangy three-legged toad!” Phoebe and Thomas both guffawed. “I am the infamous Black-eyed Jane, the most feared female pirate in the whole world. And now, you’re my prisoner!”
Apparently, Thomas didn’t want to accept that. He charged Aria, knocking her to the ground.
She groaned, and Cam worried she might be hurt. When his son charged a second time, Cam yelled, “What is the meaning of this!”
The three of them jumped.
He pushed through the gate, and his eyes took in Aria’s trim calves and ankles as she sprawled on the ground. She flushed the color of her hair and yanked down her skirt, covering her shapely legs.
His children wouldn’t look at him, let alone speak, and he wondered how their relationship with him had ended up here. He didn’t want them to fear him, he just wanted them to behave.
Aria looked between the kids and him, her lips firming, before she stood. “Hello, Mr. Grant. I hope you’ve had a pleasant morning. Is there something we can do for you?”
Her icy formal attitude, after seeing her frolicking with the children, got under his skin. “I’d like to know why my children are running about like hooligans and not inside, seeing to the tasks I laid out for them.”
“We were taking a break.”
Her gaze didn’t break from his, and he couldn’t say exactly why, but he knew she was lying.
“Children need fresh air and to stretch their legs on occasion. It will help them focus.”
Cam turned toward his assistant. “Mr. Jacobson, please return to the bank. I’ll be there shortly to finish going over your tasks.” When the man left, Cam then looked at his children. “Thomas and Phoebe, go to the nursery and start on your lessons.”
Phoebe wrapped her arms around Aria’s legs, the skirt bunching in her small grasp. “Oh please don’t make Aria leave, Father.”
“Miss McKinnon,” he reminded his daughter gently. “Now, head inside.”
Both the kids lowered their heads and mumbled in unison, “Yes, Father,” before walking back into the house.
Now it was just him and Aria McKinnon, but she didn’t look contrite about not following his schedule. In fact, she looked rather annoyed, if the adorable notch between her brows told him anything. He’d been hesitant to hire her because of her looks. She would marry, but even more than that, he’d wanted to stay away from her because he desired her. Any many would. She wasn’t the dull, quiet type with washed-out coloring. Aria McKinnon was radiant, a poppy among daisies. And the more annoyed she got, the prettier she became.
“Miss McKinnon, perhaps I wasn’t clear yesterday. My children need to be held to a strict schedule of lessons and times of pondering so they learn to control their impulsive behaviors and take their places in this world.”
She opened her mouth to argue, but he stilled her with a raised finger before continuing, “My children will follow the schedule I provide. That isn’t up to you. Do I make myself clear?”
She took a deep breath before answering. “Yes. I understand you perfectly.”
“Good—”
“But you’re wrong,” she added under her breath.
“I beg your pardon?” Had she really just contradicted him? He was too stunned to feel anything else.
He was sure she’d back down and bite her tongue, but she bravely raised her chin, her emerald eyes flashing, and replied in an unwavering voice, “I said you were wrong. Children shouldn’t be cooped up in doors all day, doing endless boring tasks. They’re children, not employees, not servants. They need fresh air, they need to explore and play and experience the world around them.”
Her impassioned speech brought a fierce color to her cheeks that Cam desperately wanted to reach out and stroke, but he curled his fingers into fists to keep from doing such a ridiculous thing. “I appreciate your thoughts on the matter, but I’m their father and I love them. I only want what’s best for them, and it’s clear they need more structure. If you’re to be their nanny, I need to know you’ll do as I ask.”
She mashed her lips together, and he could only imagine what she was holding back. Part of him even wanted to know what it was. Instead, she nodded her head. “From now on, I will follow your schedule.”
He nodded in return, never doubting that she’d agree in the end. That’s how things always worked for him. People followed his orders, they didn’t question. Aria was new, so he’d allow some time for her to adjust, but if one of his employees didn’t do as they were told, they were let go. End of story. “I had no doubt you would agree.”
When her eyes lit up, he held back a smile. She really was beautiful when riled. Even if he couldn’t do anything about it, a man could still appreciate it.
The next day, Aria strode into the nursery and her heart broke at the sight of the two kids sitting dejectedly at their work table. “Why the long faces?” she asked, even though she already knew the reason. “You wouldn’t want them to stay that way, would you?”
Neither smiled when they looked up at her.
She nodded wisely and knelt between them. “Then again, it could be a way of scaring off unwanted dogs or cats. Perhaps even a skunk or two. It could come in real handy.”
When Phoebe’s mouth twitched, Aria pounced and tickled the girl. “I saw it, I saw it! It won’t be stuck forever!” She switched and tickled Thomas when he grinned at her antics.
Heaving a breath, she folded her legs under her skirt and sat on the floor. “Listen, children. I know what your father said yesterday made you sad, but it doesn’t
need to.”
“We disappointed him again,” Thomas said, trying to act like it didn’t matter to him, but he was still such a little boy and his lip trembled.
“No. He was upset with me because I didn’t follow the schedule. It’s very important to your father, and we want to make him happy, right?”
They finally nodded, but they both were so glum that her heart ached. “But,” she said, drawing out the word, “just because we follow your father’s schedule, doesn’t mean we still can’t have fun.”
Thomas pursed his lips, clearly not believing her. “How would we do that?”
“Well, why don’t we sneak a few of Mrs. Farnsworth’s jam cookies and take them with us outside while we do our lessons?”
“But Father said—”
“That you needed to follow the schedule and do your lessons. The paper doesn’t say anything about not eating or being outside while doing them. Your father wants you to learn and grow, but he also wants you to be happy.” At least, she assumed he did. He did say he loved them. And parents should always want their children to be happy.
Both their faces lit up, and she stood and took their hands in hers. “Come on. I think we’re going to have a wonderful day.”
When Cam arrived home that night, he hung up his hat and sighed in relief. It had been an especially trying day. He’d had to turn away two people asking for loans, a scuffle had broken out in the bank’s lobby over some perceived slight, and he still hadn’t received a wire from Mr. Smythe about the land Cam was looking to acquire. How long did it take someone to make up their mind, anyway? It should’ve been an easy sale. He’d offered well above market, and besides that, he knew Mr. Smythe had only purchased the property as an investment, and had no intention of heading west and settling the land.
Laughter trickled from the dining room and he checked his watch. They hadn’t started the meal without him, had they?
More laughter flowed down the hall, and the sound eased some of the tension in his shoulders. His children were happy. They might not always behave as he would like them to, but he wanted them to have a good life. He wanted the best for them. It was the only reason he pushed them so hard.
A Mail-Order Dream (Miners to Millionaires Book 4) Page 2
