Shanie glared at Liv. Licked her icing-sugar-coated lips and eventually managed to force out a mumble that might have been, ‘Thank you.’
‘Our pleasure,’ said Liv as the door closed in her face. She turned to face Effie. ‘What can I help you with?’
Effie felt a rush of something, possibly admiration. She wasn’t sure what it was but she’d never met anyone like Liv before. Nothing and nobody seemed to faze Liv and here she was sticking up for her when they’d barely known each other for twenty-four hours.
‘Thank you,’ said Effie.
‘No worries. Miserable cow wants to learn some manners.’
16
Effie was pleased with the results of the dining room and had an urge to make the rest of Lochy House Hotel feel more welcoming now they had some guests. Effie went looking for Liv and found her trying to get an old lamp to work. ‘Hiya, what ya doing?’
‘Well, I got changed.’ She indicated that she wasn’t wearing Effie’s dress anymore. ‘And now I’m trying to fix this but I’m probably wasting my time.’ Liv flicked the switch on and off but nothing happened.
‘Want to help me with something?’
‘Sure. What is it?’
‘Now the guests have gone to their rooms I want to decorate the library.’ Liv looked interested. Effie went on. ‘I’m thinking bringing nature inside, embracing the natural beauty of the woodland and calmness of spirit.’
Liv looked less keen. ‘You want to go out in a weather-warning-level snow blizzard to get bits of twigs?’
‘It’s a bit calmer out there now.’
‘Is it melting?’ asked Liv.
‘No, the temperature is dropping so it’s turning to ice.’
‘We won’t be getting out of here anytime soon then.’ Liv seemed to say it more to herself than Effie. She let out a sigh. ‘Go on then. What’s the worst that could happen?’
‘My…’ Effie counted them off on her fingers. ‘Great-great-great-great-great-great-great-Aunt Tilda was lost in a snowstorm and they didn’t find her body for three weeks. They thought she’d run off with a highwayman so nobody went looking for her.’
‘Ri-ight,’ said Liv slowly. ‘Not really selling it to me there, Effie.’
‘You won’t die. On my dad’s side there was a relative who lived for three months in a shepherd’s hut with only foraged food and water. So we’ll be fine.’
‘You have lots of weird stories, Effie.’
‘I know – aren’t they great? I love things like that. You must tell me all your family tales,’ she said as they left the room.
‘Apart from the time my nan got locked in Woolworths and ate her own weight in Pick-A-Mix I’m not sure I have anything remotely similar,’ said Liv.
They went downstairs to put on coats and wellies. Effie went in search of the tools she’d need to forage the decorations. Liv was pulling on her borrowed wellies when Effie tapped her on the shoulder, having found what she needed.
‘Bloody hell,’ said Liv lurching out of the way.
‘What?’ Effie looked at the bag she was holding.
‘No, other hand,’ said Liv slowly pointing with wide eyes.
Effie waved the axe she was holding. ‘You’re quite safe. I’ve used one of these loads of times. You can carry the bag. Come on.’ It took Liv a moment to do up her coat. The whole time she seemed very interested in the axe because she didn’t take her eyes off it. Effie was aware that she led a more rural lifestyle than most and it was likely Liv hadn’t ever seen a real axe before.
They ventured outside. It had stopped snowing but it was dark and the temperature had dropped. There was a bit of a drift in the courtyard so they had to lift up their knees to get through it.
‘This had better be worth it,’ mumbled Liv. She stopped. ‘Tell me you can hear music,’ she said twisting around.
‘Yes, it’s Ginger,’ said Effie.
