Page 6 of Magnus
Sapphie’s thought process was being made all the more difficult by her trying to inwardly process the impact of the man who had introduced himself as Magnus Wynter.
Her first thought when he’d stepped down from the SUV was that he was BIG.
Everywhere.
He had to be at least four or five inches over six feet tall. His legs were long, and although his suit was expertly tailored—no doubt in an effort to mask how muscular his shoulders, arms, and chest were—it hadn’t quite succeeded in doing that as those muscles bulged against the expensive material. His hair was so dark, it was almost black, and it matched the color of the thick beard covering the lower half of his face. His eyes, a deep emerald green beneath dark eyebrows, were sharp with intelligence.
Her second thought, after taking in his imposing appearance in that single glance, had beenrun.
Unfortunately, he’d moved too fast, especially for such a large man, for her to be able to get very far. Now that she’d heard the reason he was here, she was glad she hadn’t.
“It says in Angel’s notes that she isn’t supposed to be taken anywhere out of the building.” Allison made her displeasure known as she glared at her employee.
“We were only gone for half an hour?—”
“No exceptions.” The usually mild-mannered Allison looked angrier than Sapphie had ever seen her.
“I thought?—”
“No, youdidn’tthink. Or, at least, only as far as believing you knew what was best, as you always do,” Allison continued coldly. “But you’ve gone too far this time.”
“You’re going to believe the word of a stranger over someone you’ve worked with for months?” Francesca accused.
“Months when I have regretted ever employing you, but until today was unable to find a valid reason to dismiss you. But you’ve now admitted taking Angel to the park, despite having been given explicit instructions by her mother, and me, not to do so. That’s a serious violation of our trust.” Allison’s mouth tightened. “Collect your things and leave.”
Brown eyes widened indignantly. “You can’t just fire me?—”
“She can, and she should,” Magnus Wynter put in. “It’s also a decision I don’t believe you should try to challenge legally, when it involves gross negligence on your part, which might have caused harm to a child in your care. In fact, her sensitive position in charge of a children’s nursery means Miss Fairbody has a mandatory duty to terminate your employment, effective immediately.”
Francesca gave him a sneering glance before turning back to Allison. “You would take the side of some sleazy man who was obviously at the park earlier for nefarious reasons?—”
“I take exception to being called sleazy twice in as many minutes,” Magnus Wynter snapped. “Even more so when accompanied by your implication regarding my reason for being in the park earlier,” he added in a chilling voice, his eyes equally as cold. “I’d already walked my cousin’s dog—the reason I was at the park,” he added, his glittering gaze narrowed on Francesca. “I was sitting at a picnic table checking my emails when the child you were in charge of keeping safe came over to sit opposite me and began talking to me.”
That sounded very much like something Sapphie’s trusting and friendly daughter would do!
Except Angelshouldn’t have been at the parkwhere anyone, not just this man, could have seen her. The fact Angel had then been allowed to wander off and start a conversation with a complete stranger wasn’t just unacceptable, it was dangerous too.
Magnus Wynter was obviously offended by being called sleazy by two different women. Sapphie had no idea why Francesca had called him that, but she had only used that word because the man was justtooimposing. The dark beard covering his jaw gave him a menacing appearance, but sleazy was way off as a way of describing him.
Sapphie leveled a glare at Francesca. “Is it true that you physically hurt my daughter?”
The woman’s cheeks flushed. “She’d been very naughty by wandering off that way. I simply grasped her arm to emphasize that?—”
“You grabbed Angel so tightly, her skin showed white round the edges of your bony fingers,” Magnus Wynter accused. “It’s the reason I’m here,” he explained to Sapphie and Allison. “You both needed to know that this woman isn’t fit to be in charge of children.”
“Obviously not,” Allison agreed with him before turning back to Francesca. “I’ll have security escort you to your locker to collect your things and then out of the building.”
“I know the way,” the other woman snapped.
Allison nodded. “Then I suggest you take it, and as quickly as possible. But you will be escorted there, and then from the building and the grounds,” she stated firmly. “I will contact our lawyers to have an immediate court order put in place to prevent you from ever coming back onto or into these premises again.”
Francesca gave a scornful snort. “As if I’d ever want to.”
“I suggest you don’t attempt to procure employment with another nursery either, because I will not, in good conscience, be able to give you a reference if you do,” Allison warned. “You can also expect to hear from the police if Ms. Jones decides she would like to press charges for your physical assault on Angel.”
If Sapphie pressed charges against this horrible woman, then she knew she would be required to appear in court. Something she couldn’t do.
Which wasn’t to say she was any less furious at learning of Francesca’s behavior toward Angel. “What was Mr. Wynter referring to when he said Angel told him you’re mean to her?”
