Free The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella

sheets. I sink comfortably back into my pillowsuntil
     another thought strikes me. Who are the Geigers?
    I screw up my face, trying to remember. I feel as though Im both hungover and still drunk.
     Snatches of yesterday are vivid in my mind, amid a dense fog. Im not sure whats real and
     whats a dream. I came on the train... yes... I had a headache... Paddington Station...
     walking out of the office...
    Oh, God. Oh, please, no.
    With a sickening whoosh the whole nightmare comes rushing back. The memo. Third Union
     Bank. Fifty million pounds. Asking Guy if I had a job left...
    His silence...
    My career is wrecked. My life as I knew it is over.
    At last I push back the covers and get out of bed, feeling weak and spacey. This time
     yesterday I was in my kitchen, getting ready for work, blissfully unaware of what was
     about to happen. In another worldin a parallel universe to this oneI would be waking up
     today a partner of Carter Spink. Id be surrounded by messages of congratulation.
    I squeeze my eyes tight, trying to escape the sickening if-only thoughts. If Id seen the
     memo earlierif I had a tidier deskifArnold hadnt given me that loan agreement
    But theres no point. I walk to the window and take deep gulps of fresh air. What happened
     happened. All I can do is deal with it. Until this moment in time my whole life has been
     mapped out to the hour. Through exams, through holiday internships, the rungs of the
     career ladder... I thought I knew exactly where I was headed. And now I find myself in a
     strange room in the middle of the countryside, my career in ruins.
    Plus... theres something else. Somethings nagging at me. A final piece of the jigsaw still
     missing in my dazed brain. Itll come to me in a minute.
    I lean against the windowsill and watch a man on the distant horizon walking his dog.
     Maybe things are salvageable. Maybe its not all as bad as I thought. Guy didnt actually say Id lost my job. I have to call himand find out just how bad it is. I take a deep breath
     and run my hands through my tangled hair. God, I flipped out yesterday. When I consider
     the way I acted, running out of the office, jumping on a train... I was really on another
     planet. If it werent for the Geigers being so understanding
    My train of thought halts abruptly.
    The Geigers.
    Something about the Geigers. Something Im not remembering... something thats ringing
     slight alarm bells...
    I turn round and focus on a blue dress hanging on the wardrobe door. Some kind of uniform,
     with piping. Why would there be a
    The alarm bells are getting louder. Theyre starting to clang wildly. Its coming back to me
     like some kind of terrible, drunken dream.
    Did I take a job as a housekeeper?
    For a few instants I cannot move. Oh, God. What have I done? What have I done ?
    My heart starts to thump as I take in my situation properly for the first time. I am
     staying in a strange couples house under completely false pretenses. Ive slept in their
     bed. Im wearing one of Trishs old T-shirts. They even gave me a toothbrush, after I
     invented a suitcase-stolen-on-the-train story. The last thing I remember is hearing Trish
     gloating on the phone. Shes English! she was saying. Yes, speaks English perfectly! Super girl. Cordon Bleu trained!
    Ill have to tell them it was all lies.
    Theres a rapping at my bedroom door and I jump in fright.
    Samantha? Trishs voice comes through the door. May I come in?
    Oh! Urn...yes!
    The door opens and Trish appears, wearing pale pink exercise clothes with a diamante logo.
    Ive made you a cup of tea, she says, handing me the mug with a formal smile. Mr. Geiger
     and I would like you to feel very welcome in our house.
    Oh! I swallow nervously. Thanks. Mrs. Geiger, theres something I need to tell you. Im not
     a housekeeper. Somehow the words dont make it out of my mouth.
    Trishs eyes have narrowed as though shes already regretting her kind gesture. Dont think
     youll be getting this every