A Winter Affair

Read A Winter Affair for Free Online Page A

Book: Read A Winter Affair for Free Online
Authors: Minna Howard
you?’
    â€˜No, who is she?’ Eloise asked.
    â€˜She cleans. She comes every day, but perhaps you missed her today. Lawrence nicked her from someone else who treated her badly, wouldn’t even let her have a glass of water without asking.’ He exclaimed, ‘Some people.’
    â€˜I look forward to meeting her, I’ll try not to make too much mess.’ She was relieved that she didn’t have to do the clearing up as well. She was exhausted and she was only halfway through cooking the dinner. She cleared a place on the cube to set out the bits she needed for the starter, wishing that battered old table that had so much more space was still there in the middle of the room.
    With its new role she accepted that the layout of the chalet was different to the time she was last here. These rich guests were far too important to eat in the kitchen, as she had done in the past, but at least it meant she could stay out of the way in here. Bert came bustling in, sniffing hopefully round the floor, when he didn’t find anything, he gave a long sniff of disapproval and left the room.
    Half an hour later she heard the guests arrive, clumping into the hall in their boots, having had to walk through the snow from the car before changing into their shoes for inside.
    Saskia crept into the kitchen. ‘Wow look at you, Kiss the Cook,’ she giggled, ‘is that an invitation to Lawrence?’
    â€˜No, of course not,’ Eloise said hurriedly; she hadn’t thought of that. ‘The twins gave it to me for my birthday, and it’s the best one I have, my others are faded or stained. I pushed it in at the last minute without thinking. No one’s going to see me anyway.’
    â€˜They might come in to congratulate you, well not Aurelia, she can’t bear anyone to upstage her.’ Saskia rolled her eyes.
    â€˜Aurelia?’ Eloise’s heart did an annoying little dip, remembering Lawrence’s conversation with her on the phone making her think she was waiting for her to fail so she could rush to the rescue. ‘The ready-made food person?’
    â€˜Yes, Quinn thinks it‘s disgusting; he believes food should be freshly cooked not frozen or cooled and put in some tarted-up box for someone to shove in their own oven.’
    â€˜I suppose,’ Eloise said mournfully, dreading what he’d think of her cooking.
    â€˜Better go and join them, we’ll catch up later; so glad you’re here. Ohooo, baby meringues.’ She stretched out her hand towards them.
    â€˜Oh, please don’t. Theo has eaten some already and there won’t be enough,’ she begged her.
    â€˜OK,’ Saskia smiled as she left the room. ‘If there are any leftovers… which I doubt, maybe I can take them home in a doggy bag.’
    Eloise laughed, ‘I’ll see to it, if Theo hasn’t got there first.’
    A little later, Theo, who’d been pouring out the drinks, came into the kitchen, announcing the guests were about to eat.
    â€˜Most of your canapés went,’ he said, ‘now I’ll take in the starters.’ He watched her putting the finishing touches to them. Individual tomato sorbets scattered with avocado and chives. ‘Too pretty to eat, but they’re not much more than a mouthful,’ he said, picking up the tray.
    â€˜They are only the starters,’ she wailed but he’d gone, leaving her feeling anxious that they’d complain the portions were too small.
    The evening passed in a whirl, Eloise was so tired she felt like a robot. Each time Theo came back with the finished plates he told her their verdict.
    â€˜They liked the sorbets but Aurelia thought they were too cold,’ he announced. ‘Lawrence said the lamb was not very well carved.’
    â€˜I thought it easier to carve it in the kitchen,’ Eloise said, wondering how many more criticisms there’d be.
    At last the dinner was finished and when

Similar Books

Babel-17

Samuel R. Delany

Indiscretion

Charles Dubow

Audrey’s Door

Sarah Langan

Death of an Old Goat

Robert Barnard

A Brief History of Male Nudes in America

Dianne Nelson, Dianne Nelson Oberhansly

Peace on Earth

Stanislaw Lem