Page 4 of One Last Step

She smiles.“Thank you.The grandfathers are my favorite.Sophie likes the old cabinet clocks in the first room.When the hour chimes, you’ll have to see them.Some of the automata are truly impressive.”

She leads me through a back door to a short hallway with stairs and elevators on either side.“The first two floors are the museum.I didn’t show you the gift shop or the public restrooms.That’s the rest of the first floor.The second floor contains the electronic clock exhibit.The company ceased operations during the First World War, prior to the invention of the quartz clock.However, we also have an exhibit containing examples of timekeeping devices from the ancient world through to a modern radio-controlled watch that receives its signal from state-of-the-art ytterbium clocks.I can show you those if you’d like.”

“Perhaps another time,” I reply.“I should get some rest.”

“Yes, of course!”she replies.“I’m sorry for keeping you up.I just can’tresistshowing off the golden age of my ancestors’ craft.”She smiles wistfully as she leads me back toward the foyer for my suitcase.“It’s strange.I curate a museum dedicated to the measurement of time, but I wish sometimes that time would stop so we could have our pretty things forever.”

I smile.“I know exactly what you mean.”

She sighs.“Well, we can’t stop time no matter how much we wish.But we can measure it and understand it.That’s a fair accomplishment.”

I retrieve my suitcase, and we return to the elevators."The third and fourth floors are the house.The kitchen, living room, school room, and dining room are all on the third floor, with the bedrooms on the floor above.The top floor is a full-length attic.We use that for museum storage.There are a few spare rooms on the third floor that we use for personal storage.Not that you'll ever have a reason to venture up there."

She laughs, and I smile with a touch of embarrassment.I have a history, I’m afraid, of snooping through my employers’ attics.

Well, I’ve only done that because I’ve found scandals and mysteries with my other employers.As long as I don’t stumble on any scandals here, I’m sure I’ll have no reason to snoop.And I can’t imagine that Annie frequented a clock museum.I never knew her to care much at all about the past, let alone the past as it relates to timekeeping.

As the elevator rises, I ask, “If you don’t mind the question, why have you chosen to homeschool Sophie?”

Elena tenses a little.I nearly apologize for prying, but she says, “My work here keeps me too busy to take her to and from school, and I would rather she not take the bus herself.Besides, ever since her father—my son—died, I am alone here.I enjoy having her company.”She smiles at me.“And you come highly recommended.I am quite sure you will do a fine job with her education.”

“I will certainly do my best, ma’am.”

The elevator door opens to reveal a ghostly pale figure with light blonde hair and dark blue eyes.I gasp and flinch, and the figure blinks and takes a confused step backwards.Heat climbs my cheeks as I realize the figure is only the young Sophie Rousseau.

Elenatsks.“Sophie, what are you doing out of bed?It’s nearly midnight.”

“I’m sorry, Grandma,” Sophie replies.“I was nervous.I heard voices downstairs.”

Her accent is slightly thicker than Elena’s.I find it absolutely charming.

“You heard me talking with your new governess,” Elena says.

She bends over to kiss Sophie’s forehead, and I am struck for the first time at the age difference between the two of them.Elena is an elegant-looking woman, beautiful even, but she is fifty-eight years old, and she looks it.Sophie is a child of ten.It’s not impossible, of course, that Elena could have had a child at forty-eight, but it certainly isn’t common.

Really, Mary?That’s what you’re choosing to snoop about?

I shake the thought off and smile at my young charge.“Good evening, Sophie.I’m sorry for scaring you.”

Her brow furrows.“You didn’t scare me.I scaredyou.”

I laugh.“So you did.Well, I accept your apology.”

I bow deeply and when I straighten, she is smiling shyly.She looks far younger to me than ten for some reason.Perhaps it’s her petite stature or the cherubic cheeks, or perhaps it’s only because I’ve worked with older children at my previous two posts.

I extend my hand.“My name is Mary.What’s yours?”

She giggles.“It’s Sophie.You’ve already said it.”

“Have I?Well, Imustbe tired.”

“We all are,” Elena says.“I suggest we all turn in for a good night’s sleep, and we can spend more time getting to know one another in the morning.What do you think, Sophie?”

Sophie nods and rubs her eyes.Her mouth opens in a yawn, and she says, “Good night, Mary.It was lovely meeting you.”

“And you as well, Sophie.I look forward to many adventures together.”

She gives me another beautiful smile before taking her grandmother’s hand and leading her away.Elena laughs and calls over her shoulder, “Your room is the second on the right, Mary.I’m afraid I can’t escort you.I’ve been kidnapped by a ghost.”

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