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“What I have to offer? As in a top class degree from a prestigious nannying institute?”

“As in...” There was the sound of her taking a deep breath. “As in someone with what may be considered slightly old-fashioned ideas about childcare.”

“Old-fashioned.”

It really shouldn't be news to her. She was old-fashioned. Always had been. She only wore jeans when hiking, and then only when they were pressed. She never set foot outside without her hair pinned back. The world had an order and she reveled in keeping that order.

Everything in its place. Do a job properly or not at all. To every thing a season. A far as she was concerned things should be a certain way.

Unfortunately, the world seemed to be changing the way things should be. Which didn't exactly seem fair.

“I see,” she said.

“I'll call you if anything comes up,” Maisie said.

But don't hold your breath, Florence added for her. “Thank you.”

She closed the call and looked down at her phone. There was an expense she could save on, for one. For fifteen bucks a month she could definitely do without a cell phone plan. She'd cancel it first thing in the morning.

And then she'd look through her bank statements to find out what else could be canceled. Not that her outgoings were extravagant. Most of her earnings so far had gone to paying off her student debt, a debt that was still lurking over her head like a dark black cloud.

She lay back on the bed and let herself close her eyes.

Things were supposed to be different.

She was supposed to be in demand, giving her life to raise other people's children properly, a job that she loved doing, if only someone would let her do it.

It was a sacrifice. They'd told her that on her very first day at the institute. Real nannies, dedicated, professional nannies, rarely had children of their own. They rarely married, in fact. They devoted themselves to others.

It hadn't been as big a sacrifice for her as others might have found it. Twenty eight and a virgin. Not something that particularly bothered her.

She had more important things to worry about.

Like how she was going to afford to eat, for example.

One minute. That was precisely how long she allowed herself to feel sorry for herself. Then she opened her eyes, sat up and firmed her shoulders. Tonight she would sleep, and tomorrow she would start looking for a job. Even it was fast-food, something to tide her over until another contract came in.

If another contract came in.

Her stomach rumbled and she thought about the meal she should be eating with Adeline Angleton. Perched at a walnut dining table, correcting the child's table manners as they both ate what the private chef had prepared for them.

She had just about enough change to get a Twinkie from the vending machine in the hall.

Her stomach growled again and she started looking for nickles and dimes.

Chapter Three

Hadley puffed a curl of blonde hair out of her eyes and flexed her body into the next pose. Sweat was soaking through her sports bra. It occurred to her that even if she came every single day, she still only had fifteen more yoga classes to take.

Her gym membership would run out at the end of the month. And with it, so would her opportunity to meditate, to focus and clear her mind.

Which wasn't exactly useful just at the moment.

“Focus, please,” Doctor Patil said in her smooth voice.

Hadley looked up, fully expecting the teacher to be looking at her. But the Doctor, as everyone called her, was looking at a woman with long, red hair that Hadley vaguely recognized from around the gym.

She moved on to the next pose.