She stood in front of the Kingsley Mansion gates and waved halfheartedly to the red Lamborghini driving away, down her paved driveway. Relief coursed through her the farther Charles went. If all he wanted to do was guilt her for desiring independence, he could keep driving and never stop. She adjusted her grip on her school books.

A deep but cheerful male voice spoke."That boyfriend of yours needing to go play video games?"

A smile tugged at her lips, and she turned, rolling her eyes at the security guard behind. "You know he does more than play games, Edward. He designs them."

Edward leaned against the entrance gates with his long arms dangling between the metal bars. A playful grin was slathered across his face, and his brown eyes danced with mirth. She grinned and motioned toward the gate. "Are you going to open this for your master, or does she have to stand here all day?"

Edward harrumphed, but all the same, untangled his arms from the bars and moseyed to the gate's latch. "Master, my foot. You know I have complete authority to throw you over my shoulder if I need to."

"Yeah, you just try it!" Leah scowled at him but secretly enjoyed the playful banter. Edward had worked as the main security guard on the Kingsley grounds for the past four years, and despite her father's constant instruction to not befriend the staff, Leah felt she'd found the brother she never had in the twenty-five-year-old man. She loved his teasing nature and jovial attitude.

Chuckling, Edward swung the heavy gate open. He bowed, dramatically. "My Lady, please enter."

"Thank you." Leah smiled and pranced through. "You are too kind."

All mirth died when the gate clanged shut. An overwhelming sense of entrapment pressed in on her. She stared at the towering mansion before her. With sparkling windows and a bubbling fountain decorating a circle drive, the Kingsley Mansion was not small. Why then, did it depress her?

Edward's thoughtful voice broke her reverie. "Do you like him?"

Startled, she looked up at the guard. "Who? Charles?"

When Edward nodded, she met his gaze, squarely. "Of course, I like him. But not in that way."

"You know he likes you, right? In that way."

She considered lying. To speak it would make it a definite truth. Instead, she sighed, frustrated, and said,"Yes, I do know. I don't want to talk about this right now."

"Oh. Touchy subject?"

"Kind of. Anyway, I had better get inside. Homework."

"Sounds good. I don't want a dumb master."

She shot Edward one last pretend scowl, then walked up the drive. She rounded the water fountain, jogged up the porch steps, and dashed through two matching double doors. An open foyer and a winding staircase greeted her hurried entrance. There was nothing living to welcome her though, and the depression that had found her in Charles's car pressed upon her again with greater intensity. Desperate to escape it, she hurried up the staircase's marble steps and went down the hall to her room—the one place that did feel like home.

As soon as she entered it, tension drained from her stiff shoulders. With its pale yellow walls, large open space made comfy with rugs and a plush chair and pillows, and two large, double-paned windows, the room possessed a care-free but homey air. A few small plants brought extra life to the room.

She tossed her school books onto the end of her bed, then threw herself across the top of her pink, floral comforter. Weariness tugged at her, yet she struggled against the desire to sleep, pondering instead the events that had unfolded.

It had been a rough day. Or maybe it hadn't been so rough, but rather all the sore issues in her life had slapped her in the face in the space of eight hours. Alyssa, Charles's feelings, her lack of independence because of a clingy father.

She rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling. Just one more month until graduation. That thought tipped her pursed lips up, and after a few minutes, she pushed herself into sitting position. Only one month. Then, no more homework and no more Alyssa. The depression cloud began to disintegrate.

Leah pulled her Math book from the stack and dug a pencil from her pencil case, but before the sharpened lead tip touched the page, a soft rap sounded on her door. The golden knob twisted, the door cracked open, and a young woman poked her head through the small opening.

Leah grinned at her personal maid. "Come in, Fiona."

The moment Fiona stepped over the threshold, the warmth of her presence doused Leah's room in an extra layer of hominess, and her smile, gentle and soft, soothed Leah's lonely heart.

"I thought you might be home," the maid said. With silky black hair resting near her shoulders, rich brown eyes, and gentle energy, Leah thought—as she often did—how pretty her maid and personal companion truly was. Even the unattractive maid's outfit did little to dampen Fiona's beauty. In her hands, Fiona carried a small vase filled with yellow flowers.

Leah's mood brightened even more. "Daffodils!" she gushed, and after bounding from her bed, went to smell the yellow blossoms. "They finally bloomed." She beamed at the maid.

Fiona laughed. "They did! I thought you would be excited since they're your favorite flower. Would you like them placed on the window's sill?"

Leah smelled the flowers' sweet fragrance again. "Please. Thank you for picking them for me."

"Of course. It's my pleasure."

Leah's heart warmed as she watched Fiona place the vase on the window's ledge. Her father had hired Fiona two years prior, introducing her to Leah as her personal maid and companion. At first, Leah hadn't enjoyed the idea of a hired friend, but despite her reservations at the time, Leah had soon developed an attachment to the older girl. And by all appearances, her maid felt the same toward her. Leah believed that she and Fiona, though different as night and day, had grown much closer than basic friendship. Indeed, they were kindred spirits, soul sisters.

"How was school?" Fiona still fused with the flowers.

"Alyssa was a pain, but it was nice to get away from Tonya."

"I really think you should tell Mr. Kingsley about that girl," Fiona said, turning with a concerned frown. "Your father donates so much to that school, one word from him and your troubles would be over."

"I can't run to Daddy with all my problems. Besides, how will I ever prove I'm capable and trustworthy if I can't even handle a pathetic bully like Alyssa?"

The concern didn't leave Fiona's expression. "Well, you won't have to deal with Tonya anymore."

Leah hoped on the edge of her bed and kicked her feet. "Why's that? I thought that grump doesn't leave for two days still?"

"She wasn't supposed to, but your father came home early today." Fiona shifted her fusing to the curtains, ensuring every fold of the white fabrics lay perfect. Though she didn't turn to face her, Leah caught the accusation in the use of the word, 'father'.

Leah grinned in a sheepish manner. "Oops. I thought I would beat him home."

"Hm, yes. I know you did, but you didn't. When he found her lounging at the pool with you not present, he was beyond displeased. I've been given strict orders to watch over you until your father's new employee shows up."

Leah's legs paused their kicking, then fell limp against the silk of the bed comforter. "Another nanny already?"

Fiona delayed an answer by straightening Leah's already straightened dresser, but the reflection of her face in the dresser's mirror spoke volumes. Biting of the lower lip, a small dimple flashing on one cheek from the smile she struggled to withhold... All the classic signs of a secret. Leah slanted her eyes. "And why do you have that look?"

"What look?" The maid lifted her gaze and stared at Leah through the mirror, now wearing a perfect mask of innocence.

"You know what I'm talking about, Fiona. Spill it!"

Fiona giggled. " I might know something..."

Leah donned her best pout. "Please, tell me. Pretty please?"

"I don't know... You aren't supposed to know about it until—."

"With a cherry on top?" Leah tried her 'puppy' eyes next.

"Do you promise to be good for the next two days?"

Leah grinned and slashed her hand across her chest in a big 'X'. "Promise. Cross my heart and hope to cry!"

"Deal, but you can't let Mr. Kingsley know that you know," Fiona said, then whirled from the dresser and went to Leah, joined her on the bed. She lowered her voice and said, "I believe that your nanny days are over."

Leah blinked. "What do you mean?"

"Your dad didn't hire another nanny, but a -"

"Wait." Leah raised a hand, blocking Fiona's next words. Her heart pounded with such force, her chest hurt. "So... you're saying I'm nanny-free? That Daddy... he's chosen to trust me now?"

"Well, that's not quite what I meant. He truly hasn't hired a nanny for you, which is great progress in my opinion."

"It is! Very much so! Why are you still reserved about it?" Leah leaped from the bed and hopped in place, an excited grin threatening to split her lips.

"Because he hired a butler."

Leah's hippity-hops ended abruptly. "A what?"

"A butler... sort of." Fiona offered a tense laugh, but Leah wasn't finding it all that humorous. She stumbled back to the bed and eased onto the mattress again. "Butler? Like the kind that polishes silverware and makes tea? What do I need a butler for?"

"Well, that's just it. I don't quite understand it either, but by the sounds of things, this butler's main priority -job, if you will- will be to tend to your needs."

"Needs?"

"Protection, transportation, and..." The maid hesitated.

"Basically, he's been hired to keep an overall eye on me," Leah said, flatly. "Bodyguard times ten."

"Well, it might not be as bad as all that." But the guilt in Fiona's eyes said she thought it might truly be as bad as all that.

Leah groaned and fell back on the bed once again. Her mind grappled with the news, attempted to grasp it, but no matter how much she tried to understand her father's reasoning, she couldn't. "A nanny was bad enough, but now Daddy's hired some cranky, old man to watch out for me? I can't believe this!" She slapped both hands over her eyes in an effort to suppress the headache that was suddenly forming.

"It might not be that bad," Fiona soothed.

"It will be way worse. I just know it!"

"Stop it! You don't know anything for certain. Let's wait and see what happens before we make a judgment, okay?"

But Leah's only response to Fiona's gentle prodding was a second groan.

It would be worse. She'd bet her seventeen, almost eighteen years of life on it.