Margaret gazed around her new apartment. It was spacious, and well decorated and furnished. Far more then she had expected, and it was hers for the next five years, without having to pay a shiny penny. She'd made an agreement with the man standing before her, and when she considered the other sins she'd fallen into, time and time again, her questionable business practices were low on the list of crimes against her soul.
"I've added you to my milkman's delivery list. Milk's good for growing children."
He added to the list of helpful information about the neighborhood, and small niceties he had done for her. Giving her a smile, before letting his attention rest on Teddy and Emily as they played with the dollhouse, one of many presents of toys that had been set up in the living room upon their arrival, many more in each of their separate bedrooms. Margaret smiled, following his gaze, before murmuring in response, her accent coloring her words.
"Thank you, Mr. Rothstein. This was all.. too much. " She gazed around the apartment that had been lavishly furnished. The items chosen were elegant, and clearly of high quality. The sort of things she could never have afforded on her own. She couldn't help feeling like she was once indebted to a man. Would that never end?
He chuckled a little, and shook his head, moving to guide her into the dining room, leaving the children to their toys.
" You may call me Arthur, Margaret. Surely we're intimate enough for that?"
She blushed fiercely, quickly lowering her eyes, but not before letting them rest on the hand that still encircled her forearm. He followed her gaze and stepped back, raising both hands in an act of surrender.
"Perhaps I was wrong, Miss Rohan? Or is it Mrs. Thompson? You have a habit of changing names. I'm afraid it leaves me at a disadvantage."
His lopsided grin was met with a flash of fury. He was teasing her. Her blush deepened and she murmured. "You should send me the bill for the furniture. I'll be happy to begin payments."
He shook his head, waving the idea away. "That will not be necessary, Margaret." He moved easily to her new cupboards, finding the correct one with his first attempt, and taking down two champagne flutes. Murmuring as he set them down, reaching above the sink into the depths of a deep cupboard for a bottle of champagne. She raised a brow as she noted there were many more bottles behind those. Not the easiest commodity to come by, champagne, but Rothstein had the proper connections.
"I know it's still the afternoon, but the children are occupied, and we have much to celebrate."
She jumped a little as he popped the cork on the bottle, and expertly guided the bubbly liquid into the dainty fluted cups, and handed her one. Taking the other and raising it.
"What shall we toast too, then, Arnold?" She questioned, tilting her hand, holding the glass. Surprised by the quickened beat of her heart. There was something similar to her former love, Nucky. Perhaps it was the power, the knowledge that the world moved when he wanted it too, or the danger that being in close proximity to such a man brought.
He smiled, pausing. Taking a moment to gaze at her, before responding simply. "To new friendships. And to you, Margaret. Your children, and your new home. " She smiled, adding lightly. "And to you, Arnold." Clinking her glass with his, the familiarity of his name on her tongue a little strange to hear ears, as she took a tentative sip of the champagne. Blinking at the way the bubbles tingled up the roof of her mouth and to her nose. Wrinkling it in response.
He smiled, sipping his champagne and watching her, as he leaned casually against the counter in her new kitchen, the newest of appliances surrounding him. After a few moments, of silence between them. Only the faint fighting of the children over why the Doll family wouldn't want to allow the Pirates entry into the living room for tea. His grin widened as he listened to them fight, before moving toward the dining room table, gesturing for her to take a seat.
She did so, watching him. Waiting for the other shoe to fall. Surely nothing was as simple as a key in the door, and a glass of champagne and farewell. He sat in the chair just to her left, setting his glass down, and taking a moment before going right to the meat of it.
" I dismissed my secretary. It turns out she had been helping herself to a salary above and beyond the one we agreed upon. " He smiled wryly. "I am in need of a new secretary to replace her, one I feel I can trust. One who has much to gain by my generous wages. You have five years here, but don't you want to save for a house for you and the children when all of this is said and done? "
She considered the offer, frowning a little before beginning with "The children-"
He interrupted, his hand moving tracing over the top of his champagne flute idly.
"Are going to attend the finest schools of your Faith. I took the liberty of enrolling Emily in the Convent of the Sacred Heart School. They have other students with her affliction. I know she is doing very well, and thriving, but this will allow her continue seeing a Doctor that is on staff, and begin her education in an environment where she will have other girls with the same struggles to look too."
And she blinked away the familiar prickle of tears that threatened her eyes. Managing faintly. "Mr. Rothstein, you shouldn't have gone to the trouble. This is not necessary."
"I beg to disagree, Mrs. Rohan. As I was saying, I have toured both schools myself and feel as confident as I can in a school ran by Catholics. " His lips twisted in amusement, as his eyes danced, giving her a moment to raze him for it, but she let him continue. " I have enrolled Theodore at the Holy Name School.
Her head spun. He had gone to a great deal of trouble for her and after a moment she nodded, murmuring her thanks for the kindnesses he had shown her. Sipping her wine, lost in thought for a moment before putting to words her curiosity.
"Arnold, what would have happened if I had said no?"
He considered her question, finishing his champagne, and rising to set the empty glass in the sink. "You wouldn't have said no, Margaret. Your main concern is always that of your children, and threw great effort, and no small amount of discomfort on my part, I have ensured them an education. You would have enjoyed the way the Nuns relaxed when I informed them that I was enrolling good Catholic children." He chuckled a little darkly, before moving to grab his hat from the umbrella stand near the door where he had perched it.
"You have a busy afternoon, Margaret. I've selected a few domestics for you to interview. They should begin arriving any time. You will want to choose two, so that there is no worry about the children arriving at their schools on time. You will not always be able to see them off, with your new career. " He smiled, giving a tilt of his hat, as she rose to see him out the door.
"I'll have my man pick you up for work on Monday morning. You should find something appropriate to wear in the closet. Should you need anything else, there is a telephone. You have my number. I will not be home tonight, the wife and I have plans. " He smirked a little as he opened the door.
"We all have our obligations. Enjoy your new home, Margaret." And he made his way out onto the second floor landing of the apartment building before hurrying his way down the hall, and the steps that led to his waiting car.
She closed and locked the door behind him, and hurried to the window in the living room that faced the main street. Watching him disappear into the back of the car, and standing at the window long after he was out of sight. Teddy's voice interrupted her thoughts.
"I like Uncle Arnold!"
Emily seconded the sentiment. "He gives good presents, Mama! I like my dolls."
She nodded a little, and moved to sit between them on the floor, gazing at the dollhouse, and the furnishings that looked similar to those that filled the apartment. She took a closer look at the dolls, and froze. The two smaller dolls, a boy and a girl bore striking resemblances to her children, and she would have thought nothing of it, if she didn't notice that the Mother doll looked strikingly like herself, even wearing a similar evening dress as she had worn to one of Nucky's celebrations. Her attention turned to the Father doll, around his throat a bow-tie, and a well tailored light suit that she was certain she had seen before. The knock on the door, interrupted her thought process, and she rose to great the first of many applicants, all vying for the job of cleaning her new toilet, cooking her meals and seeing her children off to school.
She steadied herself, rising to open the door. She smiled, as she let the dark haired Italian immigrant into her new home, closing the door behind her, and vaguely wondering how she always seemed to find herself in the eye of the storm, safe from it's dangers, waiting, to see what damage it would cause, or if maybe, this time, she would be spared.