Page 1 of Nigel

Chapter 1

“Of course,Mrs. Pembroke. I will make sure it never happens again.” Avarolled her eyes and tapped her fingers as she continued to listen tothe woman’s complaints. She paused to listen again, sortingthrough her files at the same time.

"I will deductfive percent off your usual fee and hope that compensates for theindiscretion." She listened again. "I really appreciateyour understanding. Goodbye Mrs. Pembroke." Hanging up, Avaturned her attention to the woman sitting at the edge of the oppositechair, her expression pensive.

"I did nothingwrong."

Ava considered herfor a few seconds. She ran a maid service and it required patienceand sometimes putting her personal prejudices aside to get the jobdone. Miriam Jones was one of her most hardworking employees, and sheknew the type of person Gloria Pembroke was.

The woman was aneccentric and a habitual complainer. She had a huge house withseveral cats and it was not easy to keep it clean.

"I know."She waved a hand, indicating to the woman that she could relax. "Iam not in the habit of taking sides Miriam, but Gloria Pembroke is avalued client and it was her word of mouth that got us several othervalued clients. Because of that, I am prepared to appease her and putup with her foolishness."

Miriam huffed out arelieved breath. "Am I free to tell you what I think?"

"Of course."

"She is lonely."

Ava's dark brown eyestwinkled in amusement. "You are telling me something I alreadyknow."

A smile warmed thewoman's face. "And when I told her that I had to get my workdone instead of engaging her in conversation, things went downhill."

"She was myfirst client when I started the business. I met her when I wascanvassing Clairemount Drive, looking for clients. I knocked on herdoor and she was the one who answered.

She eyed me up anddown with a sneer on those chiseled lips and told me that if I wasthere to preach religion, I could bloody well turn around and walkaway. She was all churched out and was familiar with every religionknown to man."

"What did yousay to that?" Miriam asked, fascinated.

"I told her thatI was a member of a Baptist church and made a vow a long time ago,never to argue politics or religion. Then she asked rudely, what Iwanted."

A smile ghosted herlips. "I told her that I was starting a maid service andsoliciting clients. She looked me up and down again for a minute andgestured for me to come inside. The place was a mess. If you noticed,she tends to be a hoarder."

"Newspaperclippings from the sixties." Miriam grimaced.

"They were allover the living room and the cats! God! I almost changed my mind. ButI was determined to make it work. She ordered me to show her what Iwas made of and I worked my ass off that day. Organizing and pilingthings into trash bags."

"She allowed youto do that?" Miriam asked wide eyed.

"Not at first,"Ava recalled with a grin. "She told me that she did not throwanything away. I told her that in order for her to make room for newstuff, the old stuff had to go.

I discovered a kindof salon that could be used as a storage area and she reluctantlyagreed. She had had maids who quit a few days after they had beenthere. A combination of her sharp tongue and the house itself.

But as much as Ineeded the connection, I was not prepared to take her nonsense andthat impressed her. And I talked to her, actually found time for aconversation, because as you so aptly put it, she is a lonely oldwoman. She lost her husband and only son years ago and she has noother family."

"I suppose Ihave to try and make conversation," Miriam said reluctantly.

"That's not inyour job description and I will talk to her. We are short staffed atthe moment, or I would never have sent you out there alone. The houseis too big for one person to clean."

Miriam folded herhands in her lap and pressed her lips together. "I was resignedto losing my job," she admitted.

Ava's tapered browslifted. "With just one infraction? Am I that hard assed to you?"

"Yes," thewoman said without preamble. "You are more than a little scary."

"It must be mysize and height," Ava said dryly.

"And your sharptongue. I heard you lashing out at Sara the other day and I cringed."

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