William seemed oblivious to the subtext of the conversation and was already leading her into what was obviously the classroom. Immediately, Naisha’s training in education came to the fore, as she looked around the space where she and Willa were to spend most of their time working.
There were a couple of desks, several laden shelves, a computer workstation, audio-visual equipment, and what looked like a decent science lab, with microscopes, lab equipment, a small fridge and clearly labeled chemicals on shelves. Standing in the corner, grinning at them, was a replica of a human skeleton.
Willa walked up to it and grasped both hands, throwing them over her shoulders and giving it a hug as it hugged her back.“Salut, Monsieur Pierrot, ça va?”
William gave her a sardonic look. “She once had a tutor called Monsieur Pierrot. Tall, gangly guy. Willa thought he looked like her skeleton, so the name stuck.”
“What did Monsieur Pierrot think about that?”
He shrugged. “As you can see, he no longer works for us.”
She stifled a laugh. Even Willa looked amused.
William said, “I have already forwarded you her schedule and syllabus. We will meet in the morning before classes start and go over them. Does that suit you?”
“Yes, Boss.”
“Stop that.” He was walking again, heading deeper into the wing. “My rooms are at the far end.”
Naisha looked at him in surprise. “You don’t sleep in the room next to your daughter’s?”
William looked nonplussed. “No. This bedroom is closer to the one her mother occupied.”
He didn’t share a bedroom with his wife?
“I suppose it never occurred to me to move her closer after Sophia was gone.”
Naisha thought with brief pain of what it must be like to be eleven and sleeping a hundred meters away from your only living parent.
“Her mother slept in the room immediately next to hers,” he said almost defensively.
Willa had an idea. “Oh, Naisha! Please take the room next to mine! We can be neighbors.”
Naisha hesitated. She wasn’t sure if she would be comfortable sleeping in that woman’s room. She might not be deep into mysticism or any of that claptrap, but surely it would be swirling with bad vibes and negative energy.
William seemed to understand her discomfiture, because he led them back the way it came. “There is one room opposite Willa’s which has been empty a long time. I apologize, but it’s a bit smaller than the other two options I had prepared for you. The only other bedroom apart from this one is the Countess’ suite, which is connected to my room.”
She definitely didn’t want to be in the Countess suite. She wondered again why Sofia hadn’t at least slept in the bedroom connecting to William’s if it was available.
He opened the door, and Naisha could immediately tell that the “small” room was almost as large as her apartment back home. Oddly enough, it was painted a pale, buttery yellow, with pastel curtains decorated with bunnies and rainbows? In the corner, there was a large, ornate crib, covered down with a transparent dust cover, and next to it, a rocking chair.
She looked around, puzzled. This was a child’s room—no, a nursery. What the hell?
She threw a glance at William, who was stony-faced, revealing nothing.
Willa was nowhere near as reticent. “This room was supposed to be for the baby,” she said softly.
“Baby?”
“My little brother, Christien.”
Naisha felt a cold uneasiness seep into her belly. Did William have a son? And what happened to him?
“The child does not reside with us,” he said shortly, as if wanting to set her mind at ease that the baby wasn’t dead, but refusing to say any more.
“But grandmaman and I get to see him twice a month, on a Saturday. He comes here, to the château, and I get to play with him!” The ghost of Willa’s smile was back, chasing away the shadows that had appeared over her head the moment she arrived at home.
Naisha forced herself to smile. “That sounds awesome, honey.” But that didn’t stop her from shooting William a look that was both hostile and enquiring. Did this man really turn his back on his own flesh and blood?