‘But how on earth are you managing without the staff?’
‘It’s only been a couple of days, so we’ve coped. I’ve been serving dinner.’
‘And you can’t take anyone new on?’
‘Not officially, no. But while I may not be allowed to hire anybody, Geoff can’t stop me inviting my daughter to stay! I asked Andrew before he left, in front of Geoff, and Andrew was positively encouraging.’
‘Mum, I know I’m good – no point in being modest – but I’m not sure I could replace a whole team of people who’ve worked in the hotel for years!’
Meg had always been able to make her mother laugh even with the most feeble joke, and her mother obliged. Then she suddenly slowed down the car. ‘Look, there’s our permanent resident, Ambrosine. I’ll see if she’d like a lift to the hotel.’ She pulled up alongside an elderly lady in a hat that she had probably made herself and clothes that were either also home-made or came from a previous century. She was striding along with a basket on her arm. ‘Ambrosine? Do you want a lift?’
‘Oh, Louise, it’s you! How kind. I’ve been to visit my friend the colonel. You could take my basket with pleasure, but I prefer to carry on walking.’
Louise opened her door and put the wicker basket on the back seat. ‘This is my daughter, Meg. She’s going to be staying with me for a little while.’
‘How nice!’ said Ambrosine, peering into the Mini. ‘I look forward to meeting you properly later. But now I must get on and I expect you must too.’
‘She is a true eccentric,’ said Louise once they were driving again. ‘She’s over seventy but fit as a flea. Walks for miles every day. She’ll outlive us all. That’s what Andrew says.’
‘So, she actually lives in the hotel all year round?’ asked Meg.
‘Yes. She has a couple of rooms in the old nurseries. She doesn’t pay to live here. It’s an arrangement made by Andrew’s father, I think. The colonel is her gentleman friend who lives nearby and who is possibly even more elderly. Talking of elderly people, have you got any news of Clover? I miss that little dog.’
‘Sad to say, I don’t think she misses you. She loves living with Lizzie in the country, being doted on, and being taken for lots of walks in the woods.’
‘I’d love another dog, I must confess. I’ll ask Andrew about it when he gets back.’
‘He may not like dogs,’ Meg suggested.
‘Of course he likes dogs! Would I like him if he didn’t? His old dog died and he hasn’t got round to getting another one.’
Meg was sorry she probably wouldn’t meet Andrew. If her mother was keen on a man, and all the signs were there that she was, she needed to give him a thorough inspection.
‘Look!’ Louise slowed and then stopped the car and indicated a vista visible through a farm gate. ‘There’s the hotel, Nightingale Woods. Isn’t it beautiful?’
It was. A perfect specimen of a Georgian house sat in extensive gardens. Everything was symmetrical, three rows of windows with dormers in the roof. There were chimney stacks at both ends. Behind the building was woodland and in front a valley with a river at the bottom. It had a magical quality, and could have been in a painting by an old master, it was so pleasing to the eye.
‘It’s gorgeous. I can see why you fell in love with it.’
‘I know. Even in a very small black and white photograph it looked heavenly. I can’t believe I’m lucky enough to work there. I was so happy before Geoff started throwing his weight around, sacking people and being so unpleasant.’
‘That is such a shame. It’s a really beautiful building in a heavenly spot.’
‘I know. But, sadly, we’re not nearly as busy as we ought to be.’
‘Why on earth not? Surely people must absolutely love staying there.’
‘They do, if they come, but there’s another, newer hotel not far away that has more to offer – at least on paper.’
‘What sort of things? What could this gem be lacking?’
Louise laughed at Meg’s indignation. ‘We don’t have enough bathrooms, for one thing, and the other hotel has a swimming pool. I think it may even be heated. Younger people definitely want those things.’
‘I suppose so,’ said Meg, wondering if perhaps there could be changes made so this hotel, in this little patch of heaven, could attract younger visitors too.
‘Come and see Nightingale Woods close up,’ said Louise. ‘I want to make Ambrosine’s sandwiches while Geoff is on his break. Her colonel doesn’t always feed her and I think she should keep her strength up with all the walking she does.’ She started the car.
Meg couldn’t help feeling excited as they drove to the beautiful house on the hill, but at the same time she wondered what on earth she was getting into.
