Honestly, had they met under different circumstances Lettie would probably still remember the man. Even sitting down, he was still at least a head taller than her and his pale blue eye still carried that warmth. It was a little funny to see a man that large sit in a chair that small. Once again Lettie felt herself smiling because of the man. She felt herself relaxing as she sat down in front of the man and a well-dressed, younger woman.
"Hello Mrs. Lincoln, my name is Lisa McElroy, I am the owner of Angel's Sanctuary. My company works as a middleman between governesses, nannies, and other care providers and families. We work to match families with the best possible care providers for their families. After going through your profile and looking into your background it was decided that you would be a perfect match for the Volkov family. We just have a few questions. This" She gestured to the man "Is Mr. Artyom Volkov, the brother of the three children whom you would be taking care of. He would also be your main point of contact and a de facto "boss" even though you would still be getting paid and insured through my company. Any questions so far?"
Lettie was still shell shocked to be meeting the boss and finally putting a name to the face of the man. It took her several seconds to finally shake her head.
"No ma'am, not yet. I'm sure I'll have some by the end."
"Mrs. McElroy smiled, placid and a little stiff.
"Of course. Let's discuss what this job will entail and its benefits. This is a mix of a tutor position and a nanny position. You will be living on the estate with the family and providing the necessary supplemental lessons for the children. While also being a companion and someone who encourages them to play and be active. The estate is within the city, so you won't be traveling too far. You will also be given three meals a day and -"
"You would also have free reign of the fridges should you want snacks." A deep and soft voice cut in. Lettie finally looked away from Mrs. McElroys' and faced the man, Mr. Volkov.
He smiled reassuringly at her and continued " We have two fridges, a walk-in freezer and a cellar. You may use them as you see fit. I would prefer you eat meals with the rest of us but that's up to you. I have a chef for cooking, maids for cleaning and butlers for the rest. Landscapers and gardener come in bi-weekly and we do in house doctor visits monthly. Your main focus should be helping educate my siblings, playing with them and teaching them to be proper adults when I can't."
Lettie was both relieved to find that she would not be doing too much grunt work and also concerned about the responsibility of educating children. She barely knew how to be a role model for her own siblings nonetheless someone else's. But she did have confidence in her abilities to be a tutor, she'd graduated in the top ten in her class and had gotten a number of scholarships. They had paid for her first year of college. She was also confident in her ability to keep up with children and keep them engaged and active. She had volunteered at zoos, dog day camps, and veterinary clinics. No one child had more energy or was as dangerous as a dog or chimpanzee. She was sure she could put those skills to use to feed her siblings and put a roof over their heads. Speaking of that...
"I do have a question Mr. Volkov."
"Please call me Artyom, Mr. Volkov is too formal for someone who will be living with me and helping care for my family.
"Of course, Artyom then," his eyes burned bright at her reply and the smile he had been wearing verged on a smirk. Lettie swore she saw a brief flash of sharper than average canines. " I have two siblings, Romeo and Noel, would they be allowed to visit me while I'm living there?" Lettie was hoping that if she could get them to visit, she could somehow convince him to let them live there at least part of the time. It was a shot in the dark and a bit sneaky, but it was the only option she had.
"Why not just have them stay with you at the estate? I have more than enough room and I would feel like a monster if I separated a family over something as petty as space."
Letties' eyes, which had been looking down at the ground, shot up in surprise.
"Really!?"This time he was smirking, all sharp canines and gleaming white teeth. His eyes danced with a pleased mirth and his voice came out in a soft rumble.
"Yes, really. You seem like a good person, polite and kind. I'm sure your siblings will be just as likeable."
She flushed and hummed happily but quietly at the praise.
"Thank you for the kind words Artyom. And for taking in my brothers when you don't have to. I promise they won't cause any trouble. Romeo takes his role as older sibling very seriously and Noel is a sweetheart. Neither of them are troublemakers. They can even share a room if need be."
"Like I said, my estate is large, and I can spare the extra rooms. There is no need for them to share if they don't want to."
Lettie nodded her head and was about to say thank you again when a Mrs. McElroy cleared her throat.
"Ehem, I'm happy this issue has been settled but we do need to go over you hours and pay."
Her voice would have been neutral and pleasant sounding if there wasn't a sharp edge to it near the end.
"Of course, Mrs. McElroy. I apologize for the interruption. I was just too excited about the future and finally meeting the person you chose as the best option. Impeccable taste, as to be expected from your company."
Mrs. McElroy preened a little at the praise and continued on in a seemingly better mood.
"Your hours will have to work around your school schedule. From what I understand you go to school Monday and Wednesdays?"
"Yes ma'am."
"Then you will be working 8am to 6pm Tuesdays, Thursday, Fridays and Saturdays. You will have Monday, Wednesdays, and Sundays off. Do you have an issue with this schedule?"
Lettie was a little worried about how little time she would have to do schoolwork, but she also knew that they were being more than kind to her by giving her all of Monday and Wednesday off, along with Sunday. She really couldn't ask for more and still call herself a nanny.
"No, that schedule works well for me."
"Lovely. Now, your pay will be three thousand a month. That's one thousand five hundred every two weeks. Any concerns about that?"
Lettie tried to hide the surprise on her face. That was way more than she thought she would be getting as someone will so little experience in the field. She was more than pleased with the number.
"That's perfect ma'am!"
"Good. Now do you have any questions, Mrs. Lincoln?"
She thought carefully but only two questions came to mind.
"Just two ma'am. When will I be starting and how long will I have this position?"
Artyom looked pleased at the question and even Mrs. Mcelory hummed approvingly.
"It's good to know you're thinking of your future with this family. You will start two weeks from now. You can have one week to prepare yourself and your sibling and one week to move and get used to the estate. You will have the position for as long as Mr. Volkov thinks you're a good fit or until all three children turn eighteen. Meaning the most time it will be is about eight years." Mrs. McElroy must have seen the surprise on Letties' face as she did the math and stated " The youngest child is twelve. Don't worry, you'll be sent a dossier with some basic information about the children over email in the next week as well".
"Thank you ma'am."
"Don't thank me, it's my job. Now, were those your only questions?"
"Yes ma'am"
"Well then," She stood up and leaned forward to shake Letties' hand "it will be a pleasure working with you Mrs. Lincoln".
"The pleasure's all mine." She said, taking the hand and smiling.
Artyom stood and shook her hands as well. His hand was so large a single one likely almost wrap around both of her own. It was warm and calloused.
"It was a pleasure to meet you Mrs. Lincoln. I'm happy to be working with you in the future, KI know my siblings will be in good hands."
"I hope to live up to your expectations Mr... Artyom. I'll see you in two weeks."
He nodded and smiled, for split second his hand gripped hers a little tighter before letting go.
"Two weeks then."