In a strange turn of events, I committed a felony. No telephones were in working condition and I had few other options. I stole a car parked at the shipyard and am driving toward Wallace.
—The diary of Megan Jean
Mia had slept surprisingly well. She did not miss her cramped cabin at Affinity. She appreciated the absence of Carter and Andrew. Mia went to her closet. She chose a pair of purple shorts and a white long-sleeved T-shirt. The material was soft on her skin. She pulled her long blond extensions up in a ponytail and went into the hall.
Flo had not given her directions on the day’s events before she went to sleep. Then Mia remembered Albin’s advice. She was not a prisoner here but a guest. So she decided to take a walk down to the dining room. She didn’t notice another soul in the giant house as she walked through the halls. When she entered the room, Albin and Flo were eating. They stood when she entered.
“Good morning, Mia,” Flo said. “How did you sleep?”
“Well,” Mia said. “Thank you.”
“I would have sent someone, but I thought you might need some extra rest. I am pleased you felt comfortable enough to come down here. We were just discussing today’s activities. Please, have a seat.”
Mia took one of the open chairs. Flo passed her an egg dish and Mia scooped some onto her plate. She took a bite and was not surprised that it was just as delicious as the dinner from the night before.
“Your friends are arriving today,” Flo said. “They will be staying in the employee houses though.”
“You must act like you don’t know who they are,” Albin said.
“Why?” Mia asked.
“Because they have been hired as extra protection for Madame Martineau’s overseas trip, and you are her equal.”
“That doesn’t mean you have to ignore them,” Flo said. “But you shouldn’t treat them like you have survived a great deal together.”
After having spent the last few weeks in such close quarters with Andrew and Carter, Mia was fine with having some space, but being near Andrew would be difficult. Mia was having a hard time not grabbing on to him every second she could.
“We leave in six days,” Flo said. “That means there is little time to teach you how to behave.”
“What do you mean?”
“The people here think you’re an American guiding me,” Flo said. “But once we arrive in America the people there will think you are a Frenchwoman accompanying me on my trip.”
“They’ll know I’m not as soon as I open my mouth,” Mia said. “Your accents are so different from mine.”
“You will learn how to imitate ours,” Flo said.
“What else will I have to learn?”
“How to stay under the radar,” Albin said.
Flo gave Albin a dirty look.
“Along with my bodyguards American agents will also accompany us,” Flo said. “We don’t want any of these men to think you stand out from the rest of my group. So you will learn how to behave as one of us.”
“How is your behavior different from mine?”
“We see ourselves as equals to men,” Flo said. “I am certain you do as well, but you must not show the slightest bit of fear. They will prey on it. There are also a few customs; we greet everyone with light kisses, and I know that is not the American way. It will be more in the way you carry yourself. Mia, you are a strong woman, and that must be reflected on the outside as well as in.”
Mia nodded her head, but in reality she wasn’t feeling very strong lately. She felt more like a puppet and less like a contributing member of a team.
“Once you’re done eating, take a walk with me,” Flo said. “I want to hear everything about your journey this far, and maybe I can answer some questions you have.”
That was all the incentive Mia needed to eat quickly. This woman radiated power and Mia wanted to know how she’d gotten that way.