Faith Bleasdale - The Ticket to Happiness

One of the ideas Gemma had introduced was that as it was a small hotel, they get each guest to fill out a questionnaire before arrival. It not only asked for food preferences, but also a bit about themselves, so they could get to know each person before their stay. It worked well. It not only personalised the experience, but it also acted as forewarning. If someone didn’t like fish, they’d know not to serve it. If they preferred a certain type of alcohol, they’d make sure they had plenty in. If they wanted entertainment, they’d organise that, too. It was a very individualised stay, which is what Meadowbrook was all about.

‘The accounts. I can’t get them to add up. And keep your voice down – Toby’s asleep by the Aga,’ Harriet said eventually.

Pippa looked over to where her nephew was snuffling away in his pram.

‘Right,’ Pippa said and flicked the kettle on. ‘But it’s so early.’

‘Yes, Pip, I’m aware of that,’ Harriet snapped. ‘Sorry, sorry, but Toby was up half the night, and Connor and I took turns, but Connor needs to go to the surgery today and I thought if I brought Toby up here then at least he might get a few hours of decent sleep. But these numbers just don’t make sense.’

‘Fair enough, but what about you, you look exhausted?’

Pippa made tea but then thought that perhaps Harriet needed coffee. She went to turn on the coffee machine and when the machine had warmed up, she made her sister a double shot Americano and handed it over.

‘You’re a star. And yes, I’m fine. And anyway, after I’ve done these accounts and then some admin at the sanctuary, I’ve agreed to let Gwen sit at mine with Toby for a couple of hours so I get to have a nap. Satisfied?’ Harriet snapped again. Then she grinned. ‘Sorry. How’s Hector? I meant to come up and see him yesterday, but somehow this one kept us hostage in our own home. How can something so small wreak so much havoc?’

‘He’s a baby and he doesn’t know what he’s supposed to do yet,’ Pippa said.

Harriet had bags under her eyes and although Pippa didn’t want to point this out, Harry looked exhausted. No wonder the numbers weren’t adding up. She leant over Harriet’s shoulder and looked at the spreadsheet in front of her. Pippa’s strength wasn’t in maths, that was for sure, but she could see the mistake clearly.

‘Harry, I think those expenses are in the wrong column,’ she said softly.

Harriet narrowed her eyes at her sister then squinted at the screen.

‘’Course, I knew that. Right, great, it’s all fine now, then.’

‘Anyway, we’ve got the accountant guests arriving later and I’m just waiting for Vicky to come up so we can go through the menus.’

Pippa knew when to change the subject. Vicky was Gwen’s second-in-command, but she’d been trained up to run the hotel kitchen, although she still deferred to Gwen. Gwen was almost as much of a control freak as Harriet when it came to the Meadowbrook kitchen.

‘Ha, I should have asked them to do our accounts. Only joking. Gosh, this coffee is good, Pip. Right, I’m going to finish up here, then I’ll take Toby down to the sanctuary with me. Leave you to get ready, and don’t worry, I won’t be popping up with the baby while we’ve got guests.’

‘You know, I could babysit for a bit this morning?’ Pippa offered.

‘No, it’s fine. He’ll need feeding soon; I’d better take him with me. But I’ll call you later.’

Pippa decided arguing was futile as she took her tea into her apartment.

She’d just blow-dried her hair, when a message pinged on her iPad. The hotel had been set up so that guests could send instant messages from the mini iPad each room was presented with when they checked in. Another of Gemma’s ideas. And it made Pippa’s life easier, especially when the hotel was full. If they wanted anything – room service, fresh towels – they could send a message. Mixing modern technology with a Georgian manor house, they liked that at Meadowbrook, the old with the new.

She read the message:

Join me for breakfast?

Of course it was from Hector. Who else?

Meet me in the kitchen, she replied.

No guest ever ate in the kitchen. They had a formal dining room or they could eat in their rooms, but Hector was different. And Vicky would probably be there by now, so she could whip up something for them.

‘Hector,’ Pippa said as he walked into the kitchen a few minutes after her.

‘Pippa, morning!’ He grinned his boyish grin.

Whenever he did book signings, it was always full of women who wanted to get close to him. He said he felt a bit like a sex object, as he was sure half of them didn’t even read the books they brandished for him to sign. It made Pippa laugh. After all, he’d become famous for wearing swimming shorts and little else, and chatting up women, so he had little grounds for complaint.

‘Hi, Hector,’ Vicky said, turning a nice shade of red.

All the Meadowbrook staff, both male and female, had crushes on Hector. When he’d stayed here to write his first book, they’d all fallen in love or lust with him.

‘Vicky, you look lovely as always. Can I have my usual?’ Hector asked charmingly.

‘Yes, full English and cappuccino coming up. Pippa?’

‘I’ll just grab some yoghurt and fruit. Tomorrow, we need the dining room set up for six, unless you want to join the accountants for breakfast, Hector?’ Pippa asked.

‘No, I really don’t want to do that. Can I have breakfast in here?’ he asked.

‘I’m not sure that’s a good idea when we have other guests,’ Pippa said.

‘Of course,’ Vicky said at the same time. ‘It’ll be fine. I’ll take care of you myself.’

Pippa rolled her eyes.

‘Great. You know, sitting at this wonderful kitchen table eating breakfast in here inspires my writing,’ Hector declared. ‘As does your very wonderful cooking, Vicky.’

‘Oh, that’s so lovely to hear,’ Vicky said, flushed with pleasure.

No wonder everyone fell at his feet. Apart from herself, of course.

Freddie was doing a stocktake in the bar and Gemma was helping him when Pippa returned from checking the rooms.

‘God, the village can drink,’ Freddie observed as he started to type into his iPad what he needed to order after the party had depleted a fair bit of stock.

‘They learnt from the best,’ Gemma teased, giving him an affectionate squeeze.

‘Gem, do you fancy coming for a walk down to the sanctuary with me? I never see you these days,’ Pippa complained.

She was so happy her best friend and her brother were together, but she missed the times when she and Gemma were setting up the hotel together, both living at Meadowbrook. They’d have late-night chats and early morning chats … She was lonely, Pippa knew. Not anything bad, but she did miss the companionship of having her friend around. They got on so well and Pippa was still getting used to spending more time on her own. Even when the hotel was full, Pippa would be working and then she’d go to her apartment alone to sleep. There was definitely a feeling of isolation at times, but she knew she was probably being self-indulgent. She wanted the hotel and she’d got it. She should be counting her blessings, not worrying about what she didn’t have.

‘I see you nearly every day,’ Gemma pointed out. ‘But sure, I’ll come with you; we might get to see Drake.’

‘He’s very sweet,’ Pippa said of the new arrival, the calf that Fleur had named. ‘But of course Madonna won’t let you go near him.’

‘Nor will David. They’re a tight little family,’ Freddie said. ‘I thought parenthood might soften them, but it’s actually made them more aggressive. A bit like Harry, actually …’