Robbie’s brow furrowed. ‘It was “Scotland the Brave”.’
Liv snapped her fingers. ‘Shucks, that was going to be my second guess. Come properly inside and let’s hear it again,’ she said, immediately ramming her fingers in her ears. Robbie seemed confused by the gesture but he puffed up his cheeks and with a waggle of his arm he started playing again. Liv reversed into the hallway. From a glance over her shoulder she could see Effie and the others coming from the kitchen.
Doors began opening above her.
A dishevelled and confused-looking Kacey tiptoed out of her room with her hands over her ears, looking concerned. ‘Is that the fire alarm?’
Shanie came marching out of her bedroom. ‘What the actual f—’
‘Okay, you can stop now, Robbie. Thank you.’ Liv looked up to the top of the stairs. ‘Breakfast is being served shortly in the dining room.’ She turned around to face Fraser, Effie and Dolly. She waved an arm towards the angry-looking guests. ‘Job done.’
Effie started an enthusiastic round of applause. Nobody joined in but Robbie did look chuffed at the gesture as he pulled his shoulders back a little and almost dropped the bagpipes, making them let out a sad, elongated final note. Liv walked proudly back to the kitchen.
Breakfast service was quite straightforward and bar the grumbles about being woken by bagpipes, the guests seemed okay. Even Shanie seemed mollified when Effie explained that the royal family were woken daily by a piper when they stayed at Balmoral. Robbie came in as they were clearing away. Liv had an armful of plates.
‘I’m afraid I’ve just received a call. The snowplough has broken down so we’re looking at a further day’s delay.’ There were huffs and protests from everyone, including Liv who almost dropped the plates. This was not the news she wanted to hear. ‘But the good news is that I have logged you all on the waiting list for your vehicles to be recovered.’
‘Waiting list?’ queried Liv.
‘Yes, there’s not many companies with the right equipment out this way and they’re all incredibly busy. Lots of abandoned cars on the A roads.’
Once the tables were cleared Liv was having a consolation cup of tea in the kitchen with Robbie, who was munching on a morning roll that Effie had made him. ‘Thanks for getting us on the list. When do you think we’ll get out of here?’
Robbie wobbled his head. ‘Late tomorrow, best case. If not the following morning.’
It was hard not to feel a bit down about it. She was missing home. Maybe if she’d been stranded somewhere in the middle of summer it might have been different, but it was the run-up to Christmas and she was virtually confined to an old crumbling hotel with complaining guests and the man who’d ghosted her. It was very different to what she’d hoped she’d be doing. She’d been looking forward to a break from work. She’d planned a trip to a Christmas market in Chester and some evening shopping with her sister. Plus she had lots of plans for wrapping presents in front of cheesy festive films with a large glass of knock-off Baileys from one of the cheap supermarkets, because who could really tell once it was poured over ice cubes?
The kitchen door swung open and Effie bounded in. ‘Are you coming with me and Fraser to get this tree then?’
‘I don’t think it’ll take three of us to choose a Christmas tree,’ said Liv.
‘No but it will to chop it down and drag it back,’ said Effie cheerfully. ‘You’re welcome to join us too, Robbie.’
‘I’m on call,’ he said importantly. ‘But thanks for the offer.’
‘No worries,’ said Effie before disappearing.
The thought of venturing out in the cold yet again sent a seismic shiver through Liv. She wasn’t sure she’d fully defrosted from yesterday’s expedition. Liv dragged herself to her feet.
‘Have fun,’ said Robbie in a far too jolly tone.
‘Have the emergency services on standby,’ said Liv and she left a worried-looking Robbie sipping his tea.
*
Liv went to use the telephone on reception. Now she officially had her memory back she could at least openly call home.
‘Hello?’
Liv had not been expecting her sister’s voice. ‘Hey, Charlotte, how are you?’
‘What the hell are you playing at? I need my car back. And Mum is worried sick.’
‘I miss you too. There’s been like a gazillion feet of snow in the last couple of days, the roads are impassable and the snowplough is broken so I’m stuck here.’
‘Is it awful?’ came her mum’s voice. ‘Make yourself useful. Don’t be the first one to be eaten.’
Liv rolled her eyes even though she was on the phone. ‘I’m not in a film, Mum. Nobody needs to eat anyone. Actually the food is excellent. I just can’t leave for a bit longer.’
