The Kiss Read Online Free PDF

middle of nowhere wasn’t exactly her idea of
fun but it occurred to her, as she grabbed an apple, that in these surroundings
it wouldn’t be so bad after all.
    * * * *
    “Everyone understands their assignments?” Grace asked.
    Heads bobbed around the room.
    “Good because I don’t have time to molly coddle anyone. The staff
schedule is in the staff room and you should all be able to follow it, if you can’t
you shouldn’t be here.”
    Another row of nods followed and Grace smiled, in what Eva now
took, to be her usual grim fashion. Eva guessed she must have left London not long after her to reach the Estate in time to brief everyone, it didn’t show on
her though. She looked immaculate and Eva suspected she was the sort of woman
that always did. 
    Looking around at her fellow staff members Eva was struck again
how young they all were. Grace had clearly meant what she said about fitness.
Eva couldn’t see a single person who looked bigger than size ten. It also
occurred to her that everyone was quite good looking, maybe it was down to her
enforced celibacy over the last few months but the men all looked pretty fit,
the women all lovely. Eva wondered if their appearance actually had been a part
of the interview. If so she had to say she was surprised to have passed.
    “Dinner will be a help yourself affair in the staff kitchen, feel
free to make your way there now, rest afterwards and work will start tomorrow,”
Grace added.
    More nods, some good natured chatter and the group began to head
off to the kitchen; despite her desire to get to know everyone, and her
rumbling stomach, Eva realized dinner would have to wait.
    “Erm, Grace, can I have a word?” she began, stopping her before
she reached the door.
    Grace turned, looked Eva up and down in a way that made her want
to brush her hair, and nodded. “Certainly, Eva.”
    “I think there’s been a mistake,” Eva said.
    Grace’s eyebrows shot so far up they nearly reached her hairline.
“A mistake? Are you suggesting you were mistaken in coming here?”
    Her voice was deadly and Eva remembered what she’d said about
losing people in the first few days and not being happy about it.
    Quick to reassure her Eva replied. “No nothing like that, of
course not! I’m very pleased to be here, it’s just that I think you’ve given me
the wrong room.”
    The eyebrows relaxed a little. “Is there something wrong with
your room, Eva?”
    “No, how could there be, it’s lovely, but I think Finn must have
put me in a guest bedroom by mistake.” 
    “You’re in the white room, off the landing on the first floor, by
the bust of Aphrodite?” Grace asked.
    Eva nodded and Grace’s eyebrows went back to their normal
position.
    “I chose which rooms you’re given and that is your room,
all our staff are given rooms on the first floor.”
    Eva bit her lip not wanting to argue but still unsure. “I thought
we’d be in the servant’s quarters, or the attic.”
    Grace laughed slightly. She looked very different when she
smiled, younger somehow. “Eva, the Estate has well over a hundred rooms, there
are twelve staff not including myself, Finn, our cooks or the domestics, and
we’re expecting only twelve guests, plenty of room for everyone. Besides our
guests like the staff to be intermixed with them, it just makes sense.”
    “I thought we were the domestics?” Eva asked in confusion.
    “You’re here to waitress, serve drinks, do a bit of light
cleaning and such,” Grace replied. “I certainly don’t expect you to scrub
toilets or showers. Haven’t you checked the staff schedule?”
    “You only just mentioned it.”
    “Well make sure you do, all your duties will be on there.”
    Not wanting to argue but feeling a little bewildered Eva couldn’t
help but speak. “But you said we were to do a bit of everything.”
    Grace sighed. “I say that to put people off, Eva. The harder the
interview the easier they fall. It’s always best to make the job sound