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Hadley considered her answer. As far as she could see Maeve's guess wasn't a particularly bad one. “Um, she seems... strict?”

Maeve wailed. “You can't leave my angels to that anti-Mary Poppins!”

Hadley bit her lip. She glanced around the edge of the door and saw Florence straightening Charlie's shirt. Then she remembered the tears on Emily's face, her natural reaction had been to hug the child. But Florence? Her reaction had been to bark orders.

Maybe Maeve was on to something. Maybe these children needed her. Okay, she needed the job, she really needed it. She had quite literally no way of getting out of town without any cash at all. But the kids...

Henry's sulky face and stomping feet were clearly a sign that all was not well with him. Emily's tears and Charlie's sweet protective hand on his sister's arm were concerning. These kids needed love, Hadley could see that.

For the first time she considered the fact that Maeve was walking away from her kids. As much as she liked the woman, as much as they might have in common, she was a mother leaving her three kids alone for two months.

She shouldn't judge but it was kind of hard not to.

“Hadley, my dear, please, don't let this witch corrupt my children,” Maeve said. “You have to stay. You have to!”

Hadley blew out a long breath. Everything was saying that she should stay, so why was she suddenly so reluctant? She remembered Florence's sharp blue eyes and much against her better judgment she nodded to herself.

She needed the job. She needed to prove herself to her father. But perhaps more importantly, she had the idea that these kids needed her.

“Fine,” she said. “I'll stay.”

She had no idea how she was going to square this with Florence, or what Florence was going to say, but she did know that she'd committed and for once in her life she was determined to stay committed.

“Wonderful,” Maeve said. “Perfect. I'm so glad, my dear. Kiss everyone for me and I must run. Kiss kiss.”

Hadley ended the call and closed her eyes. What had she gotten herself involved in?

Chapter Seven

Florence stood over Emily as she attempted to fold a t-shirt. “Now fold the arms in and fold it in half,” she instructed.

“Like this,” said Charlie, attempting to take the shirt from his sister.

“No, Charles. We let Emily do things herself. She's a very capable girl,” said Florence.

Charlie stuck out his bottom lip and stepped back. His concern for his sister might be sweet, but Florence had a feeling that Emily depended a little too much on her brother. The child had to learn to do things for herself.

“Where's my fucking tablet?”

Florence stiffened a little at the word but turned slowly and showed no other reaction. “I'm sorry Henry, did you have a question?”

Henry stood in the doorway of the twins' room, face like thunder. “I said, where's my fucking tablet?”

“The use of foul language is indicative of a small vocabulary,” said Florence calmly.

“What?”

“She means don't say the f-word,” Charlie piped up.

Florence controlled a sigh. These kids weren't exactly paragons of virtue. Emily was immature for her age and apt to burst into tears as soon as she got frustrated. Charlie was far too mature for his age and too smart for his own good. And Henry... Henry was angry, she could see it bubbling inside him.

They presented a challenge, certainly, but one she could rise to. She suspected the divorce of their parents had been difficult and was the source of most of their problems. But she would snap them out of their funk with plenty of exercise and education to stimulate their minds.

“My. Fucking. Tablet.” Henry's eyes were burning.

“I am happy to answer your question as soon as you can ask it politely,” Florence said primly.

Henry's nostrils flared. “You're not the boss of me!”