Chapter 4

It was night and the entire ship was quiet. Well, it could not be called silence because a loud snoring was coming from the men's room. Luckily it was only heard when you walked around the hallways. Robin didn't hear it in her room. So she could spend all night reading, which wasn't something new for her.

Night was the best time for reading. The others were asleep so no one could interrupt her. That's why she usually tried to leave reading time for night. Especially for this book so she could enjoy it more.

"And you are the main character?" Zoro smirked.

That phrase haunted Robin. She didn't know why she mentioned the book to Zoro. The reason could be that Zoro noticed that it was a novel and not at all Robin's taste. Maybe she wanted to justify why she was reading something unusual for her.

But it didn't matter any more.

He isn't normal, is he?

I had somehow survived the morning, even when Hans brought the flowers. He acted politely, quickly put the flowers in the vase and left without saying a word. He left the impression that he was a very quiet and peaceful man, but it also created a mystical aura around him. That made me curious.

I liked to analyze people. It was very helpful to me. Often, I took a look at my father's business partners. According to body language I was able to say with certainty whether they were or weren't lying. That's why my father brings them here. He's very impressed that I know how to read body language.

However, I couldn't say anything about Hans. He seemed totally different from the others. But I had time to learn more about him. Today there was another thing that was more important.

Today a music teacher will be visiting us.

Jack had whined that he's always bored in the house. He wanted a house full of song and dance. Dad tried to fulfill his wish somehow and hired a music teacher. He hoped that Jack would learn to play the piano. He would not get bored, would get his music and maybe it would make Jack a little more of an adult.

But I could already predict that this plan would not succeed.

Me, Jack and Natalia were sitting in the living room and waiting for the music teacher. I thought it would be an older man who would also be very strict. He had to teach Jack and the kid needed a strict teacher. Natalia was waiting for a young man and Jack did not know what to expect. He just hoped that it would be fun.

When we saw the guy who came in, I knew that Jack would be the happiest of all of us. The man was not young. Instead he was about middle-aged. His hair was black and how is it called? A bush on his head? Anyway, his hair was black and curly.

He came into the room, laughing and singing and Jack was immediately impressed with him.

"Haha-haha, you are the young people who I am supposed to teach? Nice to meet you." He went to Jack and bent down, "Nice to meet you." He did the same in front of Natalia. "Nice to meet you." And in front of me. "My name is Alexander. How about a song?"

Before one of us could react, Alexander went to the piano and started playing. Polka? I was not sure… It was something weird.

Jack was impressed. He laughed and jumped almost to the piano, listening to how Alexander began to sing. Natalia was not at all impressed. Neither was I. I knew that this would be a disaster.

I stood up and excused myself. I was not used to this noise. When I left the living room, I headed to my room. I took a book from the table and sat on the window board. At the beginning I could read, but then I looked out the window and saw that he was outside.

I watched for a long time how and what he did. I was very much surprised by his appearance. I had seen gardeners before and they weren't so good looking. Typically, they were older men not young and well-trained men like him.

I needed to ask him why he was doing such work. I wanted to understand it.

For a while I managed to read again, until I remembered that I had a date for tonight. I sighed. William was very annoying yesterday. Luckily I knew how to behave with him but still I didn't like it.

Against my will, I stood up and began get dressed up. I had to admit that, for the second time this week, to dress up was pretty nice. I really felt that I was alive again.

When I went down, Natalia and Jack were still sitting in the living room. Jack was so impressed with Alexander that he invited him to dinner. I didn't have anything against it. I even hoped that more people would be at the table and therefore I could spend less time with William.

I went into the kitchen, where William was already waiting.

"Miss Jenna." He kissed my hand. "I hope you are feeling good today and I can charm you with my culinary arts."

"I am fine." Unfortunately, I added in thoughts.

William smiled and began preparing dinner. While watching his movements I knew immediately that he knew what he was doing. It seemed almost as if he were a pro.

"Tell me, who taught you this?"

"My old man." He replied, and laughed, "I am sorry about my expression."

After that I hadn't a chance to say anything. William spoke about his life. I got to know that his family had a restaurant. His father was the chef and his mother did the paper work. He often helped in the kitchen. By his speech and behavior I realized that he was not at all as bad as it seemed at the first meeting but he was still too flirty.

While listening to the story, time passed quickly. Soon, we headed to the dining hall. The table was covered for six, which surprised me. I knew that my father was on a business trip and would not be dining with us. Who was the sixth place for?

Then I heard from Jack that he had seen the gardener and forced him to stay. I did not know what to expect. Although I wanted to know more about him, would it be strange when I had a date with another man?

There was a strange atmosphere at the table. Jack spoke the entire time. He was talking mostly with Alexander and William. I imagined that was weird for Hans. Natalia looked at him, but didn't talk with him.

Suddenly I felt that he could not suffer it anymore. When William went into the kitchen in order to prepare dessert, I decided to leave the table. It seemed that I was not the only one who had that idea. When I got up, Hans also stood up. He said he must leave, it was late already.

We left the dining hall in silence. I felt that I had to apologize.

"Forgive me that Jack forced you to join us."

"It's nothing."

I raised one eyebrow. His tone of voice was very bland. Maybe he was not embarrassed to be at the table. The fact that I had wrongly assessed him again bothered me very much.

"I have nothing against getting free meals."

"It wasn't weird for you?"

"Since you are rich and I'm not? It doesn't bother me. Does it bother you?"

His outspokenness was rude but it was new for him and I liked it. Only Tim had talked that way to me.

"Of course not. Don't misunderstand. Your work is very necessary."

I wanted to ask why he was doing it, but he interrupted me.

"Excuse me, woman. I have to go now." He turned around and left.

I looked after him. He really called me woman just now?

Robin had walked, with the book of course, to the kitchen. She wanted to make coffee. It was still the same quiet as before, until she heard someone open the kitchen door. She was not scared because she knew who had the night shift.

"Woman, make me cup also."

Robin smirked. She thought about how Jenna was so shocked when Hans called her "woman". Robin was very accustomed when Zoro said it to her. She could not even blame him. For a long time, she had called him "Swordman".

"Sure."

Zoro sat at the table and yawned. He waited until Robin was done with the coffee. Then, of course, he noticed the book.

"You're still reading this?"

"This bothers you?"

"No. I just thought that you would soon lose interest, but you do what you want."

Zoro stood up, took his cup and left the kitchen. Zoro's rudeness wasn't something new so it didn't bother Robin.

Robin really tried to find similarities between her and Jenna but it was not so easy. Maybe Jenna reminded her more of her younger life.