Chapter 1
Zoey
Just a small town girl off on a grand adventure!
…Well, as grand as my current financial circumstances will allow.
More of a working holiday, really.
Okay, I’ll be doing my job as a maid, just in a different location.
But itisChristmas so it’s going tofeellike a holiday!
Even though I’m only going three towns over and I’m not exactly traveling in style in my beat up old hatchback that starts to cough and splutter if it idles at lights for too long.
Would I rather spend Christmas with a husband and kids, stay up late wrapping all the presents and then cook a big family meal on Christmas day?
Absolutely!
But this isn’t some crazy hallmark romantic Christmas movie. This is real life. And in real life, us real folk have to work to pay the bills. Even when I was little, my mama often workedChristmas at the hospital. When we had the farm, we all still had to feed the animals on Christmas morning.
And since I don’t have the husband, or the kids, or the presents, or the knowledge on how one would cook a big, fancy Christmas dinner, well, it’s no problem to work over the holiday.
Three towns over is like a holiday escape, and it is about as far as my car will get me. The scenery is the same, but I might meet new and interesting people, so I will my little hatchback to keep going. And with the money I earn she might get a service in the new year!
Through big stone pillars, onto a gravel drive that winds along with big tall pines on either side, glimpses of green pastures, the afternoon sun coming in flashes through the trees. And then it opens up to reveal a looming stone mansion. Big windows, up five stone steps to a massive porch with a wooden railing, massive twin doors. With the cold December sky, it all looks cold and daunting.
But inside, there is a fire going in the large fireplace. Comfortable looking lounges, armchairs, bookcases, an open plan kitchen with wooden countertops and a long wooden dining table. It looks like it could be quite homey and at least it is warm by the fire.
The house keeper, a Mrs. Foot, is a small, nervous looking woman. She shows me to my room off the kitchen. A room bigger than my apartment, with a luxurious looking bed, large wooden bedside tables and wardrobe, an armchair, its own ensuite bathroom and a window view out to green pastures and the mountains in the background.
“I hope this will be okay for you?”
I nod, amazed that any one bedroom could be this beautiful and that I’m the lucky duck who gets paid to stay here for a week.
“The house is empty except for the Master. Beaumont. He keeps to himself so best not to disturb him.”
I follow Mrs. Foot back out through the main living space as she points out a linen cupboard and the laundry room where the cleaning supplies are kept.
“I hate to leave him, but my daughter has invited me to Christmas with her and I long to see my grandchildren.” She stands there wringing her hands and looking worried.
“I’m sure everything will be fine. I’m used to cleaning different rooms at the motel so I'll take good care of the house while you go have a nice visit with your grandkids.”
Mrs. Foot nods and turns and opens double doors as we step into a massive library the size of a town hall or a church and just as beautiful.
“This is the library. If you light the fire in here it’s the warmest room in the house.”
I spin around, taking it all in. My parents didn’t have much money but they did like to buy us books and so I grew up with a love of reading. Much better than a toy, books can take you off to a whole other world. Here the bookshelves go so high up the wall that there are ladders needed to reach them. A spiral staircase in the corner leads to a whole other floor, there are more comfortable lounges, a fireplace, a massive desk and a leather chair.
The maid part of my brian wonders if I have to dust in here but the child, book loving, part of me can’t wait to spend my evenings curled up in one of these big armchairs, reading any one of these thousands of books.
“It’s too cold to show you the stables, but you can see them out the window here. You won’t need to worry about the animals, Mr. Beaumont will look after those.”
At the door, Mrs. Foot gives me one last worried, nervous look. “I’m sure you will be okay here. Just stay out of Mr. Beaumont’s way. He can be a bit…. Short tempered.”
I try to imagine this old, bad tempered billionaire, probably hunched over some papers, locked away in his study on the upper floor. Maybe in a dark attic, shaggy grey hair, wearing a moth eaten cardigan and slippers.
I’m not worried, I had my fair share of rude guests at the hotel and I don’t mind standing up for myself. I’m a professional and I’ve got a job to do. But first things first, since my love of animals outweighs my love of books, I throw on a jacket and set off to explore the stables.
