Page 116 of Savage Redemption

EPILOGUE

Vienna, six weeks later

Rosie

“Möchtestdu Toast mit deinen Eiern, Kleines?”

Adan passes me a milky coffee. “When do you have to leave?”

“About ten minutes,” I reply. “Rehearsals start at eight, sharp. Do you think we should…?”

“Cleveres Mädchen. Sie verwenden Ihren ganz eigenen Löffel.” There’s the sound of clapping from the next room where Greta, our new nanny, is giving Erin her breakfast. Eggs and toast by the sound of it, and apparently Erin’s table manners are improving.

“No, they’re doing fine,” Adan assures me. “Let Greta get on with it.”

“She does seem very good,” I concede. “And Erin adores her already.”

“That was the plan.” He grins at me. “Quite a find.”

She certainly was, and it’s all down to Adan and Eva.

When we first arrived in Vienna, we moved into a traditional townhouse in the Baden district south of the city centre. We’ve rented it for the year with an option to extend if we stay longer.It involves a bit of a commute for me, but the property is perfect for us. Five bedrooms, spacious reception rooms, three acres of grounds, and a park with a playground right on the doorstep. There’s self-contained accommodation for Greta, a guest room for my parents when they come to visit, and a room we’re soundproofing for me to practise in. We have a playroom downstairs, and Erin loves that.

Our accommodation sorted, I was fretting because with all the pressure of rehearsals, I couldn’t find a spare moment to even read application forms, let alone sit down and interview potential nannies. Adan took the whole lot from me and told me to leave it to him. He drafted in Eva to help, and between them they sifted the dozens of hopefuls into those who met our basic requirements in terms of qualifications, experience, and references. They ended up with eight candidates, and Adan invited them all to come and meet with him and Eva. And Erin. She was present in the room when the candidates arrived and either sat on her father’s lap or played on the floor while the interviews progressed.

It was an approach that puzzled me. “Won’t it put them off?” I asked. “Maybe we could find someone to watch her.”

“If Erin being there puts them off, they’re no good to us,” he insisted. “You go and do your thing, leave this with me and Eva.”

I was just leaving for the theatre when the first one arrived to be greeted by Adan and invited to take a seat in the dining room. “We’ll be with you in a few minutes,” he said. “Meanwhile, this is for you, a list of the questions we’ll be asking you.”

The woman looked as bemused as I felt.

“Why did you do that?” I hissed as I made for the door. “Won’t she just…?”

“Just what? She only has ten minutes. Not enough time to go on the internet or phone her mother. But now she knows what’s coming, there are no surprises, nothing intended to catchher out. She can relax and let us see her at her best. Or worst, however it turns out. At least we get to see the authentic person and we can decide based on that.” He dropped a kiss on my mouth and shoved my violin case into my hand. “Go and shine,cara.”

Two days and eight interviews later, he passed me a sheet of paper over dinner. “My preferred candidate,” he announces. “Eva agrees.”

I scan it eagerly. “Greta Fischer?” I peer up at him. “I remember this one. Not the best candidate…?”

“On paper, perhaps. But she has all the necessary qualifications and the rest.”

The rest?“Why did you choose her?”

“She has warmth. Real warmth. And she’s kind. Erin took to her immediately.”

“What do you mean?”

“Some of the candidates totally ignored her. Those we discarded immediately. It wouldn’t have mattered what they said to us after that.”

“Well, yes, but…”

“All the candidates could do the job. We were looking for the one who would do it well, the one Erin wanted to be with. That was Greta, by a mile. She actually got down on the rug and chatted to her before the interview started. They hit it off, and we both liked her, too.”

That was good enough for me. Greta joined our household less than a week ago, and Erin is blooming in her care. Although Adan is usually at home as well while I’m out at rehearsals, Greta has taken charge of the childcare, and he’s turning his attention to making money.

Lots of money.

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