Being so short staffed is really hard on all involved, and I could see that the poor Theresa, who had to do all the rooms, and see to the laundry, and help out in the bar, was getting more and more prickly, and the rooms looked shabbier and shabbier. I was so busy myself, doing absolutely everything on my own, that I just had no time to pull the rooms together most of the time, and every morning during breakfast I had to cope with people complaining that the rooms, although clean enough was really unneat! So whenever I had a wee minute, and a wee bit of energy left, I tried to neaten up the rooms. By just neatening the duvets, and puff up the pillows, and arrange them neatly, the rooms looked more cared for.
Then we got a woman called Caren! Now Caren had worked for the Boys for a little while, but because of her dirty mouth, and slovenly dressing, they had soon got rid of her. As she was the only one in the village left without a job, Tony took her on, and by the pleased smile on his face, I could see that he was well pleased with his new employee! I think they were much of the same standing in society, and it wasn't long before Theresa was going around with a face like a thundercloud, as her authority was sorely taxed, this new woman soon starting to get Tony under her thumb, and trying to give instructions to Theresa.
It was quite entertaining, as both of them started running to Tony with tales about the other one, and to be sure, it was not tales of affection or admiration!
I had always stated that Theresa, although not very neat, worked really hard, and I knew that sometimes she sat out at the back having a cigarette, which I thought she well deserved! But when Caren found her sitting enjoying her cigarette in the sun, she went to Tony, and told him that Theresa was skyving, that means loafing, and Tony and Theresa had one humongous fight, during which she threatened to walk out! I thought it highly necessary for me to intervene, and because I knew how hard Theresa worked, and told Tony to remember that.  Caren got all uptight, and said she would get to me later, as I was interfering in what did not concern me at all.
So I gracefully retreated, hoping that Tony had enough sense to try and calm Theresa down, as, if she took off, we would be in deep trouble. All was well when I came back after my break, well, not fixed, but at least the two women were not fighting anymore, but just walked around throwing dirty looks in each other's way.
Theresa was not letting go so easily, and walked around spitting out words of condemnation, telling all that would listen about this fat slob of a Caren, with her flabby tummy hanging almost to the floor, and her backside as big as a bus, but I was not to be drawn into the fight, so I just laughed softly at her anger!