In the foyer, we ran into Mrs. and Mr. Crocombe, an older, elegantly dressed couple who had been regular guests at The Darlington for years and frequently attended our events. They eyed us suspiciously. Our casual clothing was technically not allowed at the hotel. I said hello, but they didn’t greet us back. Then again, I wasn’t sure if they even recognised me in my hoodie.
A few guests had settled comfortably into the lobby armchairs and were listening to Theodore play piano. A waiter, Terry, was doing the rounds and serving drinks. Through the open glass door of the hotel restaurant, Darlington Dining, I could hear the voices and laughter of the diners. Breakfast and lunch were served only to the guests staying at the hotel, but in the evening, the restaurant was open to the public.
I led Kate to reception. Naomi was working tonight.
“Good evening, Henry,” she greeted me with a beam that grew even brighter when she saw Kate at my side. Her warmth didn’t surprise me. Naomi was one of the most kindhearted people I knew, and she’d only grown more so over the years, especially after the birth of her daughter. “You must be Kate. I’m Naomi, Rakesh’s wife.”
“They met each other here at the hotel,” I added.
Kate shook Naomi’s hand. “That’s lovely. I met Rakesh earlier today.”
“I know. He told me about you at lunch.”
“How long have you been married?”
“For three years, but we’ve known each other for ten,” Naomi replied, pushing a strand of light-brown hair behind her ear. “We married here at the hotel, up on the roof.”
Kate smiled. “Wow, that sounds amazing.”
“And where did the two of you meet?” Naomi asked and looked from Kate to me and back again with bright eyes. I was certain she hadn’t learned about us from Rakesh alone—she must have also read the numerous articles now circulating on the internet.
“In St. James’s Park,” I replied.
“Bouldering,” Kate said at the same time. There was a silence, and then Kate laughed nervously. “We met each other bouldering, but we didn’t really start talking until we ran into each other again in the park.”
Fuck.
Naomi narrowed her eyes. “You met at the bouldering gym?”
“Yes,” Kate said, just as I said, “No.”
Kate stiffened beside me, and Naomi began to look sceptical. Shit. We should have agreed on a story. Anyone who knew me at all knew that when I went bouldering, I rented out the entire gym for myself, so there was no way I could have met someone there. But Kate couldn’t have known. “Kate used to clean there sometimes,” I lied.
Naomi frowned. “Rakesh said you don’t have any housekeeping experience.”
“Not in the hotel business,” Kate answered a little too swiftly, shifting nervously from one foot to the other like she was itchingto leave. “A bouldering gym and a luxury hotel are pretty different, aren’t they?”
Naomi looked at us silently and then hummed in agreement, but it was clear she wasn’t entirely convinced by our far-fetched lie. I changed the topic before she had the chance to ask more questions. “I wanted to show Kate the ballroom. Can I have the key?”
“Maybe, if you say please.”
I gave her my brightest smile. “Please.”
“See, that wasn’t so hard.” Naomi retrieved a key attached to a large fob from a drawer. “Can you bring it back later?”
“Of course. Can you turn on the light for us,please?”
Naomi nodded, and Kate and I turned to leave. We walked in silence to stairs that led to a wide double door. I felt Naomi’s wary eyes on my back. She’d probably tell Rakesh about our conversation as soon as Kate and I were out of earshot and eyesight.
“Sorry,” Kate whispered to me as I unlocked the door. She leaned towards me so that no one else would hear, and I felt her warm breath on my skin as she spoke. “I didn’t know that the bouldering thing was a bad answer. I already told Grace last week when she found me in your apartment, and I didn’t want to change my original story.”
“It’s OK,” I answered, just as quietly. “You couldn’t know that I rent out the whole bouldering gym once a week. Grace wouldn’t know either, so it’s all good. We just have to be a bit more careful.”
Kate looked worried. “What if Grace talks to Naomi?”
“Then that’s just how it is,” I said with a reassuring smile. The world wouldn’t end if someone found out the truth, but the small lie would make our lives a little easier. Kate wouldn’t have to answer any questions about her past, and I wouldn’t have to face my mother’s outrage. She’d been upset enough when she’d seen the photosof me and Kate; she would probably have a heart attack if she found out that Kate had been homeless for the past few months.
I unlocked the door and pushed it open a crack with my shoulder so we could slip in. The light was already on, and I heard Kate gasp as she took in the ballroom. Even I still found it awe-inspiring. Marble columns soared up to meet the ten-metre-high ceiling, beneath which hung a vast Renaissance painting we’d had restored five years ago to make its colours gleam with renewed brilliance. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, and there was a large stage at the front of the hall with heavy curtains on either side. The tables and chairs, usually decked out for festive occasions, had been pushed to the side and draped in white linen cloths so they wouldn’t gather dust.
