A Job From Hell (Ancient Legends #1) Read Free Page A

short as me, with wiry grey hair tied at the
back of her nape, blue eyes and a welcoming smile. I liked her instantly. “I
was just taking a minute to admire the view,” I said, pressing a clammy palm
against my racing heart.
    The woman’s eyes creased as her smile
widened. “No worries, dear. Take your time. I remember my first day here. I did
the same thing. Couldn’t resist the view.” She put her large basket on the
kitchen counter and took a seat at the nearby dining table. “I’m telling you,
it’s getting harder by the day to carry those things. You must be Amber. Thank
goodness, Aidan’s employed a housekeeper. I’m Greta.”
    I nodded. “Nice to meet you.”
    Greta jumped to her stubby feet and started
rummaging in her basket. “I’ve brought some eggs and bacon to make you a nice
breakfast. There’s hardly anything to eat in this house. Aidan’s always away,
never eating in. Most of the time, I have to throw away what I cook.” She
opened one of the cupboards and pulled out a large saucepan, then placed it on
the stove and retrieved a bowl to blend the eggs.
    “Do you need help?” I asked, standing.
    “No, you sit, dear. You must be tired from
the long journey.” Greta tossed several stripes of ham into the hot pan and
turned to me. “Where did you say you came from?”
    “London.”
    “Ah.” Greta nodded knowingly. “Such a big
place and so far away. Been there a few times.” She shook her head. “Didn’t
like it one bit.”
    “I can see why.”
    “Aidan said you’d be staying for the
summer?” Greta shot me an inquiring look. When I nodded, she laughed heartily. “I
thought I’d be staying for a few months, but ended taking care of this house
for the past five years now.” She placed a plate in front of me and went about
scrubbing the saucepan.
    “Thank you,” I said, a little shy. The
aroma of eggs and bacon made my stomach rumble. I dug in. The bacon was crisp,
but not dry. The eggs were still moist. My usual McDonald’s breakfast never tasted this good. How the hell was I
going to prepare something this delicious for McAllister? I almost choked on my
food at the thought. Damn! Dallas said McAllister would be easily pleased with
a bit of toast, butter and jam. Trust my brother to mess up my future job
prospects because of a bad reference.
    “How’s the bacon, dear?” Greta inquired
from the kitchen sink.
    I forced my mouth into a smile. “All’s
great, thank you. I just realized I need to give my brother a call.” And kill
him.
    Greta patted the saucepan dry and put it
away. The kitchen looked as sparkly clean as before. I made a mental note to
remember to wash the dishes rather than let them soak in soapy water overnight,
which was my usual procedure.
    “So you have family nearby? How lovely,”
Greta said.
    “Just a brother. Dallas. He moved to
Inverness a few weeks ago.” I finished my breakfast, dropped the plate into the
sink and looked around for washing up liquid.
    “Leave it, dear. We have a dishwasher.”
Greta opened a cupboard door to reveal a large dishwasher smelling of lemons.
    I placed my plate on an empty tray. “If you’ll
excuse me. I should get started on the housework.”
    “Of course. I’d better dash too.” Greta
picked up her basked and made a beeline for the hall. “One last thing. Just a
word of advice, stay away from Aidan’s friends.” The old woman inched closer
whispering, “Most of the time, it’s only him, Aidan’s brother and the blonde
girl. But I’ve seen the others hovering outside the gates, glaring at me when I
pass.” She made a disparaging gesture with her hand. “I keep telling him they’re
strange.”
    I stared at her, utterly terrified. The job
advertisement didn’t mention visitors. For how many people was I supposed to
cook? “How many people are we talking about?”
    “Ah, the housework,” Greta said, ignoring
my question. “You should start with the washing. God knows what Aidan does with
his shirts.