Page 26 of One Last Step

God, I’m just so out of sorts right now.I can’t think straight.

“Miss Wilcox?”I shriek and spin around, and Claudia recoils.“I’m sorry.I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“No,” I say.“It’s all right.I’m… I’m fine.I…”

I can’t think of anything else to say, so I just let my voice trail off.Claudia gives me another amused smile, then asks, “Would you mind joining me for coffee?I prefer to visit cafes with company if possible.”

I blink and stammer, “Y—yes.I would like that.Um, if it’s all right with Dr.Rousseau.”

Claudia looks back through the archway.“I think Dr.Rousseau is preoccupied at the moment.We could get away with a few minutes.”

“Then lead the way,” I reply, hoping I don’t sound too flustered.

Claudia gives me a different smile this time, a dazzling grin that—when worn by my sister—once made every man who saw her desperate for her.I can feel my knees beginning to tremble, and I’m grateful when Claudia doesn’t hesitate and leads me outside.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

“So you are new here in Geneva.”

I flinch, then redden.I’ve been caught staring again.This poor woman is going to think I’m infatuated with her.“Yes.I’ve visited before, but this is my first position in the city.”

The two of us are walking toward the small café where Sophie and I enjoy crepes the other day.I wonder if we’ll see her there with Luc and his father.Probably not.Lukas seems terrified of Claudia.

“You are Sophie’s caretaker?”

“Her governess, yes.”

“Ah.And how do you like it?”

I blink.“The city or Sophie?”

She smiles slightly.“Working for Dr.Rousseau.”

“Oh.It’s… good enough, I guess.”

She meets my eyes.“Challenging?”

“The work is easy enough,” I deflect.“Sophie is a wonderful girl.I’ve grown quite fond of her already.”

We reach the café then, and Claudia pauses her questioning to order us two cappuccinos and two apple strudels.“I know you’ve eaten breakfast already,” she tells me, “so I’ll finish yours if you can’t, but I just can’t resist the strudels here.Have you tried them before?”

“No.I’ve eaten the crepes here, though, and they’re delicious.”

“To die for,” she agrees.

She leans forward over the table, and her smile vanishes.The look that comes to her face now is brusque and businesslike, almost cold.It is nothing like anything I’ve ever seen on Annie’s face, and I am pulled out of the fog in my mind and right back to the reality of the present moment.Which is probably exactly what Claudia intends.

“I’m going to be blunt, Mary.May I call you Mary?”

I nod.“Yes, that’s fine.”

“Thank you.I won’t repeat it here, but I know you overheard a portion of my conversation with Dr.Rousseau.”

I don’t know if it’s wise for me to admit that, but it’s not like I can hide it.“Yes.”

“This missing pocket watch is connected to the issue we were discussing.It’s believed to be one that once belonged to a prominent German intelligence agent who made efforts to pull the Swiss into the Axis fold.”

“I see.But why is—”

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