A Little Something Extra

“Is he gone?” Mairi came up behind her and peered into the foyer.

“Yeah.” Donna looked in the direction Duncan had disappeared.

“Did you get the job?” Agnes said over Mairi’s shoulder.

She forced a smile. “You’re looking at Kintyre Mansion’s new housekeeper.”

“Housekeeper?”

Donna tried hard to look like she was happy about her new job, when mainly what she felt was terror at biting off more than she could chew. But still…Duncan Stewart needed somebody. She took a deep breath and forced a smile. “Apparently it’s a live-in position. There’s a flat on the third floor.”

“Cool,” Mairi said. “A live-in housekeeper makes more money, right?”

“Dingbat.” Agnes smacked her youngest sister on the back of her head. “You only ever think about the money.”

“We’re poor, Aggie. What else are we supposed to think about?”

“Well, you could try thinking about the fact Donna will be living here all alone with a strange man. One who has a reputation for being bad-tempered.”

“Oh, that.” Mairi’s eyes widened, and she brushed her mane of wild, red curls from her face. “Maybe we should stay here with you for a few days, just to make sure he isn’t an axe murderer or something.”

“Good idea.” Donna didn’t like the look of the huge, empty house, and the thought of staying there alone with the grieving widower didn’t appeal to her at all.

“Did you even want this job?” Agnes said.

“I’m sure it’s a great job.” Donna sidestepped the question but fooled nobody.

“Oh, Donna,” Agnes sighed. “You did it again, didn’t you? You saw a lost cause and you couldn’t say no.”

“He needs someone to look out for him,” Donna protested. “How was I supposed to say no to that? He’s just lost his wife.”

“And gained a housekeeper who doesn’t know anything about the job,” Agnes added. “One who’s too soft-hearted and easy to walk over.”

“I resent that.” Donna glared at her.

Agnes lifted her hand and ticked off on her fingers. “You’re a member of the Bacon of the Month Club, even though you’re vegetarian, because the guy was worried that he’d lose his job if he didn’t sign people up. You once spent a weekend at a Jehovah’s Witness retreat because you felt sorry for them not being able to talk people into going along. You—”

“Enough.” Donna held up her hand to stop the long, embarrassing list. “I need a job. Duncan needs a housekeeper.”

“Or a keeper generally,” Mairi said helpfully.

Donna frowned at her. “This is decent money. And a good job in an economy where there aren’t many. It also means I can move out of Isobel’s house, so she’ll have more space for her and the kids. He even said there was a car I could use. I don’t see a downside.” What she really meant was that she didn’t want to see the downside.

“The big, angry, grief-stricken guy who keeps firing people might be the downside,” Agnes said. “He’s hell to work for. He’s got a temper, and he isn’t afraid to use it.”

“I can cope with shouting.” Donna didn’t need to remind them that their dad had been an expert in that area. “He just looked so sad, what was I supposed to do? Say no? He really needs a housekeeper.”

“Because he fired the last one,” Agnes guessed, making Donna wince.

“I don’t know why you’re giving her a hard time about this,” Mairi said. “If she can’t say no to bacon, she didn’t have a hope in hell of turning down a sad sack like Duncan Stewart. On the plus side, if the job’s horrible, she probably won’t be in it long. He’ll most likely fire her before the week’s out. Now, can we go see the housekeeper’s accommodation? And a wee tour of the rest of the house would be nice too. I’ve always wanted to check this place out. Although, it’s creepier than it looks from the outside.” She turned to her sisters. “Are we sure his wife died? I mean, she isn’t locked in the attic, right?”

“Mairi!” Donna poked her sister in the ribs.

Mairi held up her hands. “Just asking.”

And together the three sisters headed up the wide, curved stairway to Donna’s new accommodation.

Megan and Dimitri on the Job