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Page 27
"Linda doesn't have any parents," Mrs. Bates said, giving the impression that she had conducted a long interview and knew all about her new employee. "And she has been traveling on the Continent for some time."
Once again Linda was impressed by Mrs. Bates's acumen. She looked like a fluffy little old lady, but her wits were keen. "For three years," Linda supplemented, "and I can make myself understood in French, German, and Spanish, although I do not speak the languages very well."
Mrs. Bates nodded in a satisfied way, as if she had heard all this before. It now seemed possible that Linda would not be asked to provide too many particulars about her past. Although Peter Tattersall obviously did not like her or like what his aunt had done, Linda was grateful to him. It would be impossible for Mrs. Bates to back out now. Linda knew she had the job.
"I'll have a drink," Peter said abruptly. He rose to his feet as suddenly as he had dropped to the sofa. Linda reached instinctively to steady the tea table, and Mrs. Bates turned to her with a smile.
"The only thing left, then, is to settle when you can come to me, Linda."
Why, the sly old thing, Linda thought with amusement. There are a couple of other things to settlelike how much you're going to pay and whether or not I still want the job. The latter was unfair, Linda decided on second thought. She had tacitly accepted the position when she

 
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