Roberta fetched the coffee that was left over from breakfast and poured her out a cup, realising as she did so that there was none left for herself.
She looked at the empty coffee pot a little ruefully and the woman said,
“He wouldn’t have left that if he could have helped it. He’s that mean!”
“Are you speaking about the Minister?”
“I am! And I’m not afraid to say so. Things were very different when your aunt was alive, I can tell you that.”
“That is what I want to hear about,” Roberta said, “but first will you tell me your name?”
“Mrs. Srubotski,” the woman replied, but most people can’t pronounce it, so they calls me ‘Mrs. Ski’.”
Roberta laughed.
“It is a rather difficult name.”
“It’s Polish,” Mrs. Ski explained briefly. “My father and mother came here in the Gold Rush. But I do
