by Stone, Anna
Freeing Her
Anna Stone
© 2019 Anna Stone
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be replicated, reproduced, or redistributed in any form without the prior written consent of the publisher.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Cover by Kasmit Covers
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Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Epilogue
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About the Author
Chapter One
F aith slipped the dress over her head and examined herself in her bedroom mirror. The shapeless shift dress was a dull shade of blue and went down past her knees. She frowned. She looked reliable. Responsible. That was what she was going for. But she didn’t look like herself.
She pulled off the dress and tossed it onto her bed, then began flipping through her closet again. Surely she had something less frumpy that still looked professional. She needed to make a good first impression.
Faith glanced at the alarm clock on her nightstand. She only had five minutes until she had to leave for her job interview. She had a good feeling about this job. She’d been searching for a stable nanny position for months now. Over the past year, she’d had jobs on and off, but none of them had lasted. She’d had to deal with entitled brats, parents who treated her like a servant, or worse, parents who expected her to single-handedly raise their children.
However, this job sounded promising. A family she’d worked for in the past had recommended her to a friend of theirs, a divorcee named Eve. Faith didn’t know much about her, other than the fact that she had twins, a boy and a girl. The address she’d been given was in an upper-class suburb so the family had to be outrageously rich. In Faith’s experience that usually meant spoiled kids and detached parents, but Faith was staying positive.
She pulled a blouse from her closet and held it up before her. It was white with a contrasting black collar. She slipped it on, along with a black A-line skirt, and inspected herself in the mirror again.
It was an improvement on the dress, although it was a little drab for Faith’s tastes. For most of her life, she’d been forced to dress conservatively. Now that she was free to experiment, her tastes were on the wilder side. From her clothes to her hair, her appearance was ever-changing. Over the years, she’d dyed her hair every color imaginable, from black to bright pink.
But for now she’d gone back to a natural-looking light brown. The kind of people wealthy enough to hire someone to take care of their kids full-time didn’t want pink-haired nannies. They wanted only the most respectable, dependable people to watch over their little angels.
Her cell phone buzzed. She dug it out from under the pile of clothes on her bed. It was a message from her friend Lindsey.
Good luck with the interview! Let me know how it goes.
Faith shot Lindsey a reply and picked up her purse, tucking her phone away in it. It was time to get going. She paused by her dresser, then grabbed her favorite lipstick and swiped it across her lips, turning them a warm shade of red.
She smiled into the mirror. That’s better.
Faith rang Eve’s doorbell. She’d never been to this part of the city before. All the houses were multistory mansions, with photo-perfect gardens and expensive cars parked in the driveways. But the house she stood before, a three-story mansion at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac, was the grandest of them all.
The front door opened. A tall, blonde woman stood in the doorway, her deep hazel eyes hidden behind a pair of stylish tortoiseshell rimmed glasses. She looked to be in her early thirties.
The woman gave her a tight smile. “You must be Faith.”
“Yes,” Faith said. “Hi.”
“Eve.” The woman stepped to the side and gestured into the house. “Why don’t you come in?”
Faith followed Eve inside, Eve’s heels clicking on the marble floor with each step. Faith examined her as they walked. She was beautiful in an understated way. Despite her slender, willowy frame, her confident manner made it clear that she was anything but delicate. She wore a light-gray, structured knee-length dress that subtly enhanced her shape. Her hair was curly, but not like Faith’s, which hung in loose, wild waves, no matter what she did with it. Eve’s curls were neatly arranged in a short bob style that reminded Faith of a vintage pin-up model. Although the look could have used some color, Eve exuded a sense of style, which was something Faith had always found attractive in a person.
Not that Faith was thinking about her potential boss that way.
Faith peered around her as they walked down the hall. There were an endless number of rooms, all lavishly decorated. It wasn’t surprising. Only the wealthiest of families could afford full-time nannies. But this house was like nothing Faith had ever seen. With its pristine white walls, marble floors, and elaborate decor, it was a palace in the middle of suburbia.
However, there was something off about it. Something missing. Faith realized what it was when Eve directed her into a lounge room. The house was too quiet. Too neat and organized. There were no signs that children lived here at all.
Eve gestured toward an armchair. “Take a seat.”
Faith sat down. Eve sat in the couch across from her, folding her hands on her lap in a ladylike manner. She looked Faith up and down, appraising her. Her eyes narrowed at Faith’s bright red lipstick.
Faith shifted in her seat.
“So, Faith,” Eve said. “Tell me about yourself.”
“Well, I’ve been babysitting my whole life,” Faith began. “I had a huge family, and I used to take care of my younger brothers and sisters and all my cousins growing up. Then I did some babysitting in college, and when I graduated I started nannying full-time.”
It wasn’t what she’d planned to do after college. She’d attended art school, mostly because she’d had no idea what she wanted to do with her life, and when she’d finished she’d struggled to find a job. So, when one of the families she babysat for had offered her a nanny position, she’d snapped it up. She enjoyed it, after all. And she was good at it. “I’ve worked for a few families long-term. The Yangs were the last.”
“They spoke highly of you. So did your references. And your qualifications all checked out. I also took the liberty of doing a thorough background check. It came up clean.”
That was a relief. Faith was always worried that anyone who dug around in her background would find out about the brief period she went ‘missing’ eight years ago, but it hadn’t come up yet. Perhaps it was because she’d been a minor at the time.
“I’m going to be frank,” Eve said. “I’m in desperate need of a nan
ny. I returned to work recently for the first time since the twins were born. I was in marketing before I had the children so I decided to start my own small firm. But it’s becoming impossible to keep up with work while looking after the twins’ needs. For now, I share custody with their father, but most of the real work falls on me.”
Eve crossed her stockinged legs and smoothed down her skirt. “I’m looking for someone to help out with the more practical parts of taking care of the twins. Taking them to lessons, chores, and so on. We have housekeepers for general household tasks, and I won’t expect you to do anything that will get in the way of your duties with the children. But I may need you to do the odd personal errand for me. You’ll be well compensated, of course.”
“That’s fine with me.” The last family Faith had worked for briefly had had her scrubbing toilets, so this would be an improvement .
“Can you drive?” Eve asked.
“Yes.”
“I’ll supply you with a car to travel to and from work, and to drive the kids around. We used to use a car service, but I decided to cut down on some of our unnecessary expenses. Live more modestly.”
Faith glanced around. This was living modestly? What had Eve been living like before?
“I’ll need you to stay overnight on occasion,” Eve said. “I’ll have one of the spare rooms set aside for your use. And you’re not to bring anyone else around the kids. Friends. Partners.”
“I would never do anything like that.”
“You’d be surprised how many babysitters I’ve had that think it’s appropriate.”
Faith studied Eve. For the past few minutes, she’d felt an air of discomfort coming from the other woman. Faith had just thought it was because Eve was uptight. But perhaps Eve was simply feeling uneasy about the idea of leaving her children in a stranger’s hands.
“I’m no babysitter,” Faith said. “I’m a professional. I might seem young, but I’m fully qualified, and I’ve been looking after children my entire life. I assure you, your kids will be in capable hands with me.”
“And I expect nothing less.” Almost imperceptibly, Eve seemed to relax. “Now, your hours will be erratic for now. Since my ex-husband and I don’t have a custody agreement yet, the days I have the twins vary, but I’ll make sure you get plenty of time off. Speaking of the twins, why don’t I call them down so you can meet them? They’re upstairs.”
“Sure,” Faith said .
Eve went out into the hall. “Leah? Ethan? Come down here, please.”
Faith waited in silence. She heard the patter of feet coming down the stairs.
“No running, you two,” Eve said.
The footsteps slowed. Moments later, Eve walked back into the room accompanied by two small children: a girl and a boy. They had their mother’s blonde hair, carefully combed and styled, and the same hazel eyes, not to mention the same serious expressions. They were dressed as though they’d walked right out of an upmarket children’s clothing catalog.
“Leah, Ethan, this is Faith.” Eve sat them down on the couch and perched on the arm of it next to them. “Why don’t you introduce yourselves?”
The children did as they were told. They were polite and well-spoken. Faith questioned them about school and their interests. They were both involved in half a dozen extracurricular activities.
“As you can see, Leah and Ethan have plenty on their plates,” Eve said. “They’re in first grade now, and they’re getting extra tutoring. They both take Spanish and French lessons, as well as music classes. Piano for Ethan and violin for Leah. Leah does ballet, and Ethan plays baseball and soccer. That’s on top of all their scheduled play dates and other social activities.”
Scheduled play dates? Spanish and French? It was a lot for a pair of seven-year-olds. Faith had worked for parents like Eve before, who filled every moment of their children’s days with activities and micromanaged their lives, but this seemed excessive .
“Now, house rules,” Eve continued. “We keep screen time to a minimum unless necessary for schoolwork. There are no TVs in the house. And no junk food. Preparing breakfast and snacks will be your responsibility.”
As Eve continued, Faith tried her best to keep her mind from wandering. Eve had a long list of rules. Faith glanced at the twins, sitting quietly beside Eve. They were extremely well-mannered for their age. Probably because of their mother.
Eve rested her hand on Leah’s shoulder. “That’s about everything. I have high expectations of anyone who works for me, but I’m offering a generous salary, plus benefits. Health insurance, dental, paid leave.”
“Sounds great,” Faith said.
“Then you can start tomorrow.”
Faith blinked. That was it? “Sure.” Everything about the job sounded perfect. The only thing she was uncertain of was how well she’d get along with Eve.
“The job is yours,” Eve said. “All that’s left to discuss is your salary.”
“Right.” Faith had been so thrown by the job offer that she hadn’t thought about negotiating pay first.
But when Eve gave her a figure, it was far higher than anything Faith would have asked for. Eve wasn’t kidding about offering a generous salary. Unease stirred within her.
Just how much did Eve expect from Faith in return?
After a brief discussion about Faith’s duties, Eve sent Leah and Ethan back upstairs. “I have to get the twins to school. That will be your job from now on. I need you here at seven in the morning tomorrow to wake them up and get them ready. ”
Faith nodded. “I’ll be here.”
Eve ushered her to the door and said a polite farewell. Faith walked down the path cutting across the manicured lawn and onto the sidewalk. As soon as she was out of sight of the house, she skipped a couple of steps and pulled out her phone to call Lindsey.
Her friend answered after a couple of rings. “How did the interview go?”
Faith grinned. “I got the job.”
“That’s great! Let’s hope it’s better than the last one.”
“I already know it’s going to be. I have a good feeling about this.”
But as she walked down the sidewalk, Faith remembered Eve’s disapproving eyes on her red lips. The proper, buttoned-up woman was her complete opposite.
But Faith would make it work.
Chapter Two
F aith shepherded the twins downstairs for breakfast. Both were dressed immaculately in tiny blazers and ties, the uniform of their exclusive private school. Faith had ironed them to Eve’s specifications the evening before.
She’d been working for Eve for three days now. Her suspicions about her new boss had quickly been confirmed. She wasn’t one of those rich parents who let ‘the help’ raise their kids. With Eve, Faith had the opposite problem. She could barely do anything without Eve looming over her, giving her instructions. Combined with the long workdays, the job was taxing. However, the twins were going to their father’s in a few days, giving Faith three days off in a row. She was already looking forward to it.
She and the twins entered the dining room. Eve sat at the head of the table reading a newspaper, a cup of coffee in her hand. She was dressed for work in a pantsuit and cream-colored blouse.
“Good morning, sweethearts.” Eve beckoned the twins over and planted a kiss on each of their foreheads. She looked at Leah and plucked the brightly colored butterfly barrette out of her hair, scowling. “You’re not wearing that to school.”
“Faith said I could wear it,” Leah whined.
“Faith doesn’t know the school’s dress code.” Eve looked pointedly at Faith. “I’ll send you a copy. And no more pigtails. It looks childish.”
“Okay,” Faith replied. It wasn’t like Leah was a child or anything.
Leah sat down at the table and pouted. “Everyone else wears stuff like this.”
“That doesn’t matter,” Eve said. “Rules are rules.”
Faith served the twins their breakfast, a perfectly balanced meal she’d prepared as
per Eve’s instructions, then sat down and drank her coffee while the family ate breakfast. They chatted animatedly as they did. Even Eve seemed to perk up. Despite her strictness, she wasn’t an uncaring parent. And despite the kids being absurdly well behaved, they seemed happy and healthy.
It made Faith miss her own family. She wondered what they were all up to. It had been a while since she’d heard from her sister. She was getting worried.
When the twins finished their breakfast, Eve sent them upstairs to brush their teeth. Faith began clearing the dishes from the table.
“Make sure you get the kids to school on time,” Eve said. “When they were with Harrison last week, they were late two days in a row.”
“I will.” School didn’t start for another forty-five minutes. They had plenty of time .
“And don’t forget, they have Spanish lessons this afternoon.”
“Okay.” Faith had already memorized their schedules, which Eve had given her on day one. But she still insisted on laying everything out every single morning. She managed Faith just as much as she managed her kids.
It was frustrating, but Faith tried not to hold it against Eve. Eve was working full-time and almost single-handedly raising two kids. Faith didn’t know what the situation was with her ex-husband, but it didn’t sound like he was much help in that department.
“Now, I need you to run some errands for me,” Eve said.
As Eve continued to list off instructions, she took off her glasses and wiped down the lenses. With her glasses off, Faith could see all the colors in Eve’s eyes, a mesmerizing swirl of greens and browns.
What lay behind those eyes of hers? Eve’s face was the kind that gave nothing away. Faith found it equal parts frustrating and intriguing. She was like a puzzle to be solved. Was there more to Eve than the proper, boring facade she presented?
Eve replaced her glasses on her nose, breaking the spell. She stood up. “I need to get to work. Call me if you need anything. And make sure everything I asked of you gets done.”
