Sunshine at Daisy's Guesthouse

by Lottie Phillips

  She placed her hand on the cool leather now and wished more than ever that she could feel Hugh’s warmth, his life.

  Daisy rose from the sofa, put the bowl back as it was, realigned the mat and went to sit at his desk. She’d actually never sat there when he was alive. She knew it was his space and he needed that but now, she would do anything to feel close to him, and so she sat there and wept.

  She hoped their guest, Bob (and Barbara), wouldn’t hear her. He had been invited to a boutique B&B, not a wake.

  That was when she noticed it; she had never seen it before. A box. A steel metal box, the kind you might file important papers in, under the desk. She bent down to retrieve it but it was too heavy to pick up, so instead she crouched on her hands and knees to see if it would open.

  It was locked shut, requiring a small key. Hugh had never mentioned such a box and surely, of all the people in the world, he would have told her its contents. She needed to get inside but, without a key, she would have to smash the lock and that felt like sacrilege.

  She sat up again, her brows furrowed, and felt a twinge of guilt at even contemplating breaking into it. It was Hugh’s box and she was sure that whatever was inside couldn’t have been that important. Maybe it was information for some high profile clients.

  Daisy looked at it one last time and decided to forget she had even come upon it. It was no more her business now than when Hugh was alive.

  She pushed her shoulders back, checked the room had been fully restored to how it had been and looked at the ceiling.

  ‘Sorry, Hugh. They weren’t meant to come in here. It won’t happen again.’ She cocked her head to the side and gave the ceiling a wry smile. ‘Love you.’

  She left quietly, glancing at the leather Chesterfield and whispered, ‘I’ll bring you a coffee later.’

  Shutting the door, she barely noticed James sat on the stairs. He shot to his feet when she came out.

  ‘Shit, Daisy, I wanted to say I’m so sorry. I don’t know what we were thinking.’ He looked shaken. ‘I really am sorry.’

  Daisy’s heart melted, it was hard to resist James’s boyish face. She put her hand on his arm. He looked up quickly at her and they held each other’s gaze for a moment or two before Daisy felt compelled to break the moment.

  ‘Um, look it’s fine. It’s just I need to hold onto something, you know?’

  James nodded, then a heartbeat later said, ‘By the way, we’ve had loads of interest and we have a whole group arriving tomorrow for the weekend.’

  ‘Cripes.’ Daisy pulled a face. ‘This is really happening.’ She studied James, a thought suddenly occurring to her. ‘Aren’t you incredibly bored doing something as tame as a B&B? I mean I know that it’s a million miles away from life in the City.’

  His face twisted with pain. ‘I just need time away from my old life and actually I think this is going to be fun.’

  She smiled. ‘Well, we already have a real-life Texan so what’s not to love?’

  ‘And tomorrow we get a group of ten. Lisa spoke to the woman who’s organising it. She’s from London. Marylebone, to be exact.’

  Lisa bounded down the stairs and hugged them both tight. ‘Eek! I love this. We’re actually doing it guys!’

  Daisy smiled and disentangled herself. ‘Do I think someone’s fallen in love with Bob?’ she whispered.

  James pulled a mock-surprise face at Lisa whose cheeks were now on fire.

  ‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ she said, and then smiled slyly. ‘But he is quite handsome.’

  Daisy laughed and caught James looking at her, a fleeting expression of sadness crossing his face. Or was it sadness? She didn’t know but was grateful that Lisa continued to ramble on.

  ‘Anyway, James has probably told you that tomorrow we have ten arriving for and I quote—’ she put her fingers in the air to demonstrate ‘“—we are so looking forward to our hashtag holibobs, darling!”…’

  ‘Holibobs!’ Daisy snorted. ‘Holibobs!’ She realised she was laughing and how good it felt to laugh. Perhaps Atworth Manor and its guests would be the best medicine, after all.

  Chapter 7

  They worked tirelessly throughout the rest of the afternoon to ensure the final rooms really were finished and Daisy had to hand it to her friends, they had certainly done her and Atworth Manor proud. No one would believe that only a few weeks ago she hadn’t even received the letter from Hugh.

  By six o’clock the rooms were sparkling, beds made, towels in place and keys in locks. It looked and smelt glorious. Bob and Barbara had been intrigued by the bustle of activity and offered their help too. At one point, Daisy had stood back to take the scene in. She saw Tom up a ladder, cracking a joke about queens and light bulbs, his shirt off and his toned body on show. Lisa held the ladder in place, her eyes never leaving Bob who helped James drape the heavy, tartan curtains. Barbara and Ant and Dec were running around the room in frenetic circles. Even with all the hustle and bustle, she had realised how good it felt to be surrounded by friends, old and new.

  At six o’clock, they collapsed onto the floor of the final room and Daisy announced she would make supper for everybody but first it was time for gin and tonics. Bob went to excuse himself but Lisa stopped him.

  ‘No,’ Lisa insisted. ‘You worked as hard as anyone here, you can have supper with us.’ Lisa looked longingly at Daisy.

  ‘Of course! I meant you too, Bob,’ Daisy agreed.

  They gathered themselves up from the carpet and made their way downstairs.

  They congregated in the kitchen: Lisa and Bob were put on gin-and-tonic-making duties and Tom helped Daisy cut up potatoes for the cottage pie.

  ‘Daisy…’ James stood by her side, his voice low. ‘Can we have some time together outside?’

  ‘Of course,’ she agreed, searching his eyes but realised that no doubt he needed a bit of time away from the mad house. She of all people understood that. Once they had put the final touches to the pie, she put it in the Aga, grabbed her drink as well as one for James and made her way out of the kitchen to find him. She knocked quietly on his bedroom door but he wasn’t there. She tried everywhere and was about to give up when she caught sight of a glow of light from the garden. James was sitting beneath the oak tree looking at his phone and, for a moment, her breath caught: it could have been Hugh sitting there. She had to give herself a moment to remind herself of who it actually was.

  She made her way across the dewy grass towards James. The air was crisp and she realised her shirt was flimsy against the early spring frost.

  ‘For you!’ She handed him his drink. ‘Made by Bob’s fair hands.’ She smiled. ‘Think it’s three-quarters gin, one quarter tonic.’

  James laughed and took it gratefully. ‘Thank you. And thanks for coming outside, I just wanted to chat with you. Feels like we don’t have much time to ourselves.’

  ‘No, I’m grateful actually.’ She breathed out deeply. ‘It’s nice to get air and stop.’ She leant into him, their shoulders touching. ‘And to spend time with you.’

  He didn’t speak and even though he was looking directly ahead, she saw the movement of him nodding.

  ‘Hugh used to sit under this tree all the time,’ Daisy said. ‘For a moment… for a moment, I thought you were him.’

  ‘Sorry.’

  ‘Don’t be.’ She hugged herself against the cool breeze. ‘It’s comforting having you here.’

  Again, he nodded.

  ‘You know, I have something for you.’

  She shifted. ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘I mean I was given this—’ he held up an envelope, another envelope ‘—by Hugh. Today’s…’

  ‘Today’s…?’ She furrowed her brow and then it hit her with full force. A sob escaped her lips. ‘Oh my God, it’s our anniversary. I forgot, I fucking forgot.’ She put down her glass and wiped away her angry tears. ‘You see, I knew I would start to forget stuff.’

  James drew her into him. ‘You didn’t forget, it just wasn’t
at the forefront of your mind and that’s okay. That’s more than okay.’

  Daisy felt his body shift next to hers and a fluttery feeling stirred in her stomach.

  She glanced at the envelope through a haze of tears. ‘What is that?’

  He handed it to her and she took it, carefully slicing the top open with her finger. She drew out a card, an anniversary card and laughed because the card was so unlike anything Hugh would ever have bought.

  ‘This cannot be from him.’ She looked at James who gave her a small, knowing smile. Hugh, the man who didn’t believe in cards had for the first time in their entire marriage bought an actual anniversary card from an actual shop. The irony wasn’t lost on Daisy who snorted through her tears.

  ‘He dies and then buys me a card.’

  James laughed, squeezed her shoulders with tenderness.

  Daisy read the card out aloud. ‘Dearest Daisy, I know what you’ve just thought. He’s actually bought a card! Well, I didn’t want to shuffle off this mortal coil and not visit Clintons. That really would have been a crime. Seriously, though, I hope you’re okay. I know James will be looking after you.’ Her voice caught and she stopped, looked briefly at James who didn’t flinch. ‘Keep going, my darling. You’re doing so well. I love what you’re doing with the house. All my eternal love, Hugh.’

  James stretched his legs out in front of him, and drank deeply from his glass.

  ‘It’s like Hugh’s still here, like he’s watching me.’

  James nodded. ‘He wanted you to know he’s still here.’ He took Daisy’s hand and placed it gently across her own heart. ‘He’ll always be here.’

  ‘But how… the house? I mean, I could have said no to the whole bonkers B&B idea and then this card wouldn’t have made any sense.’ She paused. ‘Did he write another one in case I had said no?’

  James smiled and shook his head. ‘That’s the only card he wrote.’ He drank again. ‘He told me he knew you would do it because he knows you’re a fighter and made of stronger stuff than any of us.’

  Daisy’s eyes smarted once more, a lump developing in her throat. ‘You’re like a messenger.’

  He nodded. ‘Yes, just the messenger, always the messenger.’ James stood, almost abruptly. ‘We should go back inside before everyone wonders where we’ve got to.’

  Daisy nodded, unsure of what she had said wrong, and wondered about his sudden change in mood, before she stood herself. They were inches apart now and the air between them was thick with emotion. She kissed him on the cheek then used the back of her hand to softly wipe the same spot. He appeared to soften at her touch and she said, ‘Thank you.’

  He nodded and together they made their way inside. The others were already tucking into the pie and the bottle of botanical gin was almost empty.

  ‘We wondered where you two had got to,’ Tom said. ‘Come and eat.’ He stopped when he noticed Daisy’s blotchy face. ‘Oh God, what’s happened?’

  ‘Nothing,’ she smiled. ‘It’s just I forgot it was our anniversary today. But James had been keeping a card that Hugh wrote…’

  Lisa piped up, ‘Hugh wrote and bought a card! Holy crap.’

  Daisy laughed. ‘Exactly what I said.’

  Bob invited her to sit next to him. ‘Well, your folks here have just been filling me in on Hugh and he sounded like a fine gentleman.’ Bob held up his glass, his cheeks flushed with the warm food and drink. ‘To Hugh!’

  They all held up their glasses and gave three cheers. James sat next to Daisy and took her hand, giving it a small squeeze. She smiled at him. He was a good man. He was a good man, with divine looks, she thought, as the candlelight cast shadows over his chiselled features.

  ‘So, what I’m dying to know,’ Lisa said, ‘sorry, not dying… what I mean is…’

  Daisy laughed. ‘It’s alright, Lisa, stop walking on eggshells!’ She smiled. ‘Come on, spit it out.’

  Lisa blushed. ‘I am interested to know what other surprises James has up his sleeve?’

  Daisy hadn’t thought of that but then she didn’t want to think of that; James was proving to be her connection to Hugh and she wanted that to go on forever. She gave James a smile and he smiled tenderly back at her.

  ‘This is lovely, guys,’ James said, piling the pie onto his fork and taking another mouthful.

  Lisa didn’t even notice he hadn’t answered her question as she was too busy talking to Bob about a local shop where he could buy a Cotswold Tweed jacket for Barbara.

  But Daisy did notice and she watched James as he ate and joked with Tom. How much more had Hugh given him to pass on? She knew one thing: she didn’t want it to end, and James made her feel safe. She realised then, as James looked up and caught her eye, smiling, that he was keeping her going. She felt herself falling in love with him.

  The next morning, after they all made breakfast together, Bob announced he would love to stay a couple more nights if that was possible.

  ‘Oh, I thought your plane was leaving later today?’ Daisy said. ‘But let me just check the book…’ She scrolled down. ‘No, that room is free, well, forever at the moment.’ She smiled. ‘So, yes, please stay.’

  Lisa bounded in from outside. ‘I’m going to show Bob the sights of Cirencester. You heard he’s staying?’

  ‘Yes.’ Daisy arched a brow and smiled knowingly. ‘I heard.’

  ‘Great.’ Lisa ignored her friend, making her way to the door. ‘We won’t be long.’ She paused and turned back. ‘The Holibobs crew will be arriving at lunch.’

  ‘I look forward to it.’ Daisy was genuinely excited to see the B&B filling with guests. She felt more alive than ever.

  James joined Daisy in the hall and watched Lisa and Bob head towards the Jeep Cherokee Bob had rented.

  ‘Love is in the air,’ James sang quietly and Daisy laughed.

  ‘I have not seen Lisa this manic about a man since Reginald the Rapper.’

  ‘Who the hell is Reginald the Rapper?’ James gave a small disbelieving shake to his head.

  ‘You don’t know who Reginald the Rapper is?’ She feigned shock and placed her hands on her cheeks. ‘Reginald the Rapper was the regular entertainment on a Sunday night at the local pub. Lisa was a waitress there for a year or so and she fell hard for the man.’

  ‘What happened?’

  ‘He decided to write and dedicate a song to Lisa.’

  ‘Oh, that’s good, isn’t it?’

  She smiled. ‘A song that he didn’t run past her before he delivered it to his regular audience. It went something like this.’ She rounded her shoulders and adopted what she believed was an urban-rap-like-pose.‘You are my Mona Lisa, I am so pleased to meet ya, you ain’t perfect but that’s what I’ve come to expect, I like the way you move, do you want to spend your life in my groove.’

  James let out a deep growly laugh, tears rolling down his cheeks. ‘I can’t believe it and I can’t believe you memorised it!’ He paused. ‘You are amazing, do you know that, Daisy?’ He hugged her and as he pulled away, she felt the same connection as she had done last night. It was electric, every inch of her skin tingled with anticipation.

  She laughed, breaking the moment, and tried to ignore the butterflies in her stomach. James had this effect on her that she couldn’t even put into words.

  ‘We have spent many a night watching Lisa perform that one so it’s etched on my mind.’ Daisy grew serious. ‘Needless to say, Lisa felt she could do better and dumped Reginald.’

  Just as Daisy was about to perform the second act, a navy Jag drove at speed up the drive, followed by three Range Rovers.

  ‘Oh,’ Daisy said, ‘this must be the Holibobs brigade.’

  James looked quite alarmed and Daisy laughed. ‘Don’t worry, James, I’m sure they don’t bite.’

  A woman in pale pink cut offs and the crispest white shirt on Earth hopped out of the Jag and walked, no bounced, her way towards the front door. Her perfect coiffed blonde, highlighted bob rose and fell with every bounce but there w
as never a hair out of place. Daisy put her hand up to her own hair involuntarily and pressed it down.

  ‘Darling,’ came the voice like a loud tiger purr from the entrance. ‘We are here to have our like, hashtag, holibob!’ She beamed. ‘You must be Daisy. I’m Annabelle.’ The woman poured into the room, her hand extended and shook Daisy’s, then James’s hands vigorously. ‘I’m afraid, darlings, we’re early because Agamemnon’s piccolo lesson was move to the 8 a.m. slot and I told the troops that, well, we may as well sit in on his lesson and head straight off from there.’

  Daisy noted she said ‘there’ like ‘tharrrr’.

  ‘Nice to meet you,’ Daisy eventually said. ‘The rooms are made up so you’re very welcome to settle in now.’

  ‘Oh, you are such a gem. I knew when I spoke to your maid, Lisa, that you were going to be such a gem.’

  ‘Lisa isn’t the maid,’ Daisy corrected. ‘She’s my friend.’

  ‘Oh, we all think our cleaners are our friends!’

  Daisy went to correct her but the remaining Holibobs troops quickly descended on the house. They looked like the Boden catalogue come to life.

  ‘Here come the brood,’ Annabelle said, standing back to make way for the crowd.

  As the remaining guests tumbled through the door, they introduced themselves and Daisy and James shook all their hands in turn.

  ‘Well, I’ve already told you I’m Annabelle.’ She flicked her lifeless bob into action and it quickly took up its original position. ‘But we also have my husband Rupert or Rupy-Poopy… my son, Agamemnon, or Aggers…’ A man in chino shorts and a pale blue sweater stepped forward, shook their hands and stepped back, followed by a boy who was a glowing icon of everything Enid Blyton. The list went on and Daisy and James met daughter Hermione (Hermes); friend Fenston (Fenny); wife Cecilia (Sissy); twin daughters Gwendolyn (Gwennie) and Mauve (Mau-Mau). Finally the friends, ‘boarding school’ rugger lads, arrived in the form of Fitzwilliam (Flighty Fitzy) and Cuthbert (Bertie).