“Don’t you go worrying about a little thing like that,” answered Theresa, and with a wink at Pat she added, “Anybody that finds out about Ann Mary’s cooking will gladly pay double the fee you’re charging, if Pat isn’t going to be too jealous to let anybody else taste that good food.”
“Okay with me,” said Pat good-naturedly. “Providing I get my share.”
Slowly following behind Theresa were two people the Allens had never met. Penny and Phil shook their hands as Theresa introduced them.
“This is Mr. and Mrs. Mal Donahue, Ann Mary’s cousins. Mrs. Donahue was Kathleen Doherty and we always call her Kitty. It’s a cinch your help will all be getting along fine together since we’re all Irish and all related. Seems as though all the Irish are related to each other, doesn’t it?”
This brought forth gales of laughter from Jimmy who had interrupted his work in the garden to greet the new arrivals.
“I hope you like your cabin,” he said to the Donahues. “All of our vegetables are growing right in your back yard, so whenever you get hungry all you have to do is reach out the window and pick some pole beans.”
They smiled at him while Philip said, “We hope you will be happy with us, Mal and Kitty.”
Mal Donahue cleared his throat. “We’d like the job, sir, uh—er,” and he hesitated. “We were—ahem—curious, you see. We heard the house was haunted last winter, and some people say there’s hidden treasure around here. We hope it’s just a plain ordinary house. Kitty and I don’t like surprises.” This speech was made with some effort and once again Jimmy couldn’t control his amusement.
He laughed and slapped Mal on the back. “If there’s any treasure, old man, you and I will find it together.” This seemed to reassure Mal.
When Philip and Penny walked toward the Lodge later, she said, “I think we are lucky, Phil, to get these young folks. I like their looks, don’t you?”