Page 6 of He Falls First

Frye purses his lips.

“Dinner is served at 7, and you are expected to be present and dressed for all meals.”

I can’t help myself. “I’ll try to remember to keep my clothes on.”

“Are you familiar with the phrase ‘dress for dinner’?”

“Yes, I am. I was making a little joke.”

Not even a hint of a smile at that.

This is going to be fun, I think sarcastically.

He leaves, and I hunt for Esme.

After lugging my bags up three flights of stairs due to a broken elevator and exploring all the corridors and accessible rooms for any sight of the reclusive heiress, I decide to get some fresh air. I have three whole months to snoop around the interior castle.

I head to the east end of the grounds, toward the stone footbridge. The fall colors will be gorgeous down there in the late afternoon.

It’s there that I finally encounter the elusive Esme Bryant. She sits with her legs hanging over the edge, watching golden leaves being carried away in the current.

She looks up when she hears my approach.

“Oh,” I gasp, barely able to contain the shock at the haunted expression on such a young face. She seems to be looking straight through me. “Good afternoon! I’m Briar. Can I help you with anything?”

Esme tilts her head, gazing at me in confusion, her legs gently swaying back and forth over the trickling water. “Help me?”

“Can I get you anything?”

Her eyes squint. “My intern?”

“Yes.”

“Is he paying you? Frye?”

“Well, technically you are, I think. But yes, I have a contract.” I tell her the amount.

“Good,” she says thoughtfully. I exhale in relief.

She seems lucid, if a little strange and skittish.

After a moment’s thoughtfulness, she stands up and brushes off the leaves that have stuck to her jeans. She wears a muted plaid blazer, and her long, sandy hair is done up on top of her head in a messy bun, secured with a pretty Neptune shell hairpin. She smiles at me and reaches out for a handshake.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Esme.”

Her appearance, her style, and her smile remind me of someone’s cool older sister. Maybe the cool older sister I’d always wished for.

“It’s an honor to meet you,” I say.

“You might not say that if you survive this job.”

She crosses the footbridge and strides past me. “Anyway, let’s go, Briar.”

Her long stride is going to be tough to keep up with, me being five foot two and her at an astonishing supermodel height.

“Where are we going?”

“For a drive! I need to get away from these four walls for a while. Don’t you?”