Page 45 of In A Faraway Land

Alina kept looking back, but she crouched with the other children and paid attention to the woman at the front.

A librarian read a book to the assembled kids, asking them questions about it as she read. Someof the older kids shouted out answers. Alina seemed to follow along, looking at the woman and the other kids and clapping along when the other kids did.

After the program, they left Alina at the daycare and went to work.

As they walked through the dark and clanging lobby of the Monaco Casino, Dieter asked Flicka, “What did you think about the library program?”

She paused, thinking, and said,“It was a nice room, and it’s a nice idea, to gather children together to read a book to them. When these children are ejected from their nurseries, separated from their staff of nannies, and sent to boarding school for kindergarten, they will be ready for the transition more than a child who stays in their nursery with only occasional trips to the zoo or something.”

Dieter stopped her with ahand on her arm. “You didn’t go to library programs or anything like that?”

“Oh, no. I had nannies to take care of me. My mother was around much more for me than she was for Wulfram and Constantin, until she got sick, of course. She read a book to me every day for at least a few minutes.”

“So you never saw other children?”

She smiled at him, uncomprehending. “I saw Wulfie when he was home fromschool.”

“But he wasn’t a little girl.”

She laughed. “He’ll be glad to know the distinction is obvious.”

“But you should have played with other little girls.”

Flicka shrugged. “I figured out how to do that when I was shipped off to Le Rosey.”

“No wonder you ended up in Wulfram’s dormitory room every night.”

“It was fine. I was fine.” She smiled up at him because no one needed to feel sorryfor the poor little princess.

Dieter ran his fingers down her arm. “I’m glad Wulfram was there for you. You deserved better.”

She took a step backward. “I have to get to work. I’m supposed to be on the floor in five minutes. See you after work.”

Gamblers thronged the casino, as always, rattling dice, clicking chips, and pulling the levers of flashing, blaring slot machines.

Flicka wove betweenthe rows, taking orders and delivering drinks, and trying not to think about how her life would have been different if she had grown up with a father like Dieter, who took his daughter to swimming lessons and library programs, read books to her in bed every night, and tucked her under the covers.

Her nannies had done all that, and that was practically as good, right?