Clara smoothed down the front of her dark blue service apron.
She had worked for the Vance family for only three short weeks.
The massive estate was located just outside of Austin, Texas.
It was a quiet morning inside the grand sunlit estate.
Arthur Vance had left early for an important morning business meeting.
His young son Leo was resting in the second-floor nursery.
Clara carried a tray of fresh tea toward the main dining area.
She heard a sudden high cry coming from the upper hallway.
The sound was sharp and filled with pure distress.
Clara stopped dead in her tracks near the sweeping marble staircase.
She set the heavy silver tray down on a nearby side table.
The crying grew louder and more frantic with every passing second.
She ran up the wide stairs two steps at a time.
The door to the master nursery was standing slightly open.
Clara peeked through the narrow opening and froze in horror.
The high-priced nanny, Victoria, was standing directly beside the baby crib.
Victoria held a heavy electric iron directly over the small blanket.
Her face was twisted into a cold and harsh expression.
Little baby Leo was squirming under the terrifying shadow.
Clara felt her blood run ice cold in her veins.
She did not pause to think about her job or her salary.
She burst into the sunlit room without any hesitation.
Clara: Stop right there!
Victoria jumped in surprise and spun around quickly.
Victoria: How dare you burst in here like that!
Clara: Step away from that crib right now!
Victoria: Keep your hands to yourself, little girl.
Clara lunged forward and grabbed Victoria by the arm.
She pulled the harsh woman completely away from the wooden crib.
The hot iron clattered harmlessly onto the hard floor mats.
Clara pushed Victoria back toward the far bedroom wall.
She immediately gathered the small baby tightly into her arms.
Leo buried his tear-stained face into Clara's soft shoulder.
Clara: You will never lay a hand on him again!
Victoria: You are just a hired maid around here!
Victoria: Nobody is going to believe your stupid word against mine!
Heavy footsteps echoed down the polished tile hallway outside.