by Katie Ginger
As Nell reached the top of the stairs two familiar voices swarmed around her. Tom and Kieran were chatting happily with some of the guests who were staying at the hotel and got the pleasure of being at the ceremony first. Tom, she imagined, had been the one to put on some choral Christmas music and the world of Swallowtail Bay felt truly magical. Entering the dining room, she saw him, handsome in his suit and tie, a tiny sprig of holly in his buttonhole. Kieran, too, appeared happy and excited but it was the man Nell loved she couldn’t take her eyes off. As her heart soared, she realised he hadn’t taken his eyes off her either and the thrill was almost too much for her senses. The celebrant was admiring the set-up, and as Nell checked the clock, she could see there was only half an hour to the ceremony.
‘You look lovely,’ Tom said, coming over to her. The sound of his voice rumbled around her heart.
‘Thanks, you look very handsome too.’ She was suddenly blushing. ‘Very presentable.’
‘Good,’ he laughed and fiddled with the knot of his tie. ‘The place looks great, doesn’t it? You’ve done brilliantly.’
‘We all have.’ Nell decided she had to act normally, just as she had before she’d known. If she didn’t, they were going to be stuck in this awful bubble that only she seemed to be feeling. ‘So, are you going to tell me why you’ve been avoiding me all week?’
A pained look flew across his face. ‘I’ll tell you later, okay?’
‘Okay,’ she replied hesitantly. At least he was going to tell her soon. She’d always known that if she waited, he’d tell her when he was ready. Now she came to think of it, it was funny how her brain hadn’t gone into overdrive creating scenarios about this secret. Tom clearly had a good effect on her. ‘Should I be worried?’
‘Nah,’ he replied, but she wasn’t sure she believed him. ‘Come on, people are arriving. Let’s seat them and get this show on the road.’
‘I’ve saved us two seats at the front, we’re both on Cat’s side, but it doesn’t really matter, does it?’ The photographer Cat had hired was circling, snapping pictures and Nell couldn’t wait to see how they came out. Everyone was enjoying themselves and perfectly relaxed as they took their seats. Cat had already said she was welcome to steal some for the wedding business.
When she received the nod from the celebrant, Nell went down to collect Cat. With a quick knock on the door to the flat, a flutter of excitement bubbled in her tummy. The week had been manic with all the wedding changes Cat had wanted, and though Nell had been more than happy to do it, she was glad the moment was finally here. She couldn’t wait to see her two friends make this commitment to each other.
‘Come in,’ Cat said.
As Nell opened the door, Brenda left; mother and daughter seemed to have put the last few weeks behind them. ‘Are you ready?’
‘Yep. Let’s get up those stairs. My man is waiting.’ Grabbing her bouquet, Cat paused as she drew level with Nell. ‘Thanks for sticking with me.’
‘What are friends for?’ Nell replied, taking her in a hug. ‘Come on, your public awaits!’ Nell grabbed her own small bouquet of white roses with silver pine cones and quickly followed Cat out of the flat.
Giggling with excitement they made their way through the kitchen to the sweet looks of the staff and Niall. At the door to the ground floor, Nell paused, looking through the glass to make sure everyone was seated. They exited to where Cat’s dad was waiting. Nell stuck her head around the door to the dining room and gave Tom a quick thumbs-up. He turned on the music and as Cat wanted, Nell walked down the aisle first to a choir singing ‘Silent Night’ in Latin.
The choral voices filled the air with a magical Christmas enchantment and Nell smiled at everyone she passed, especially Mr Scrooge who was still asleep on the hearth in his bow tie. As she looked ahead, her eyes fell on Tom and suddenly it seemed it should be her wedding day, walking down the aisle to him, but not in a fairy-tale romance conjured in her mind. This time, it was something solid and real. The flood of emotion reinforced to Nell that he was the only one for her, and she’d been blind to it for so long. She’d wished for a love that was deep and rich, formed from strong bonds, and that was what she had with Tom.
Cat was right, romantic gestures were all well and good but real love was looking after someone through thick and thin, knowing their needs and wants and always being there for them. How had she not looked at him in that way before? If she had, she definitely would have fallen for him sooner. He was the best man in the world as far as she was concerned. Handsome, funny, clever, and when he smiled his kindness spilled out through his gorgeous eyes.
At the end of the aisle, next to Tom and Kieran, she turned, and they all watched as Cat arrived. When Cat appeared on her dad’s arm, tears of joy took Kieran. It was wonderful to see that Cat was finally completely comfortable in herself, happy and ready to commit to the man she loved. When she reached the front, Cat was so full of joy she didn’t just hand over her bouquet, she wrapped Nell in a giant hug, then held Kieran’s hand.
Nell and Tom sat down as the celebrant made an introduction, welcoming everyone. In front of the assembled crowd, Cat and Kieran giggled, shyly glancing at each other like it was the first time they’d met. The log fire crackled and burned in the grate, and the Christmas tree twinkled beside them. Nell glanced at Tom and resisted the urge to take his hand. When his leg rested against hers, she felt a fire burn through her veins. Then Cat and Kieran exchanged vows and the celebrant called the witnesses to come and sign the register. Nell and Tom also had that honour. Whatever had happened with him recently, the look Tom gave reassured her he still felt the same and a world of possibility lay before them. But as she had to switch back into hostess mode as soon as the ceremony was over, she was going to have to wait just a little bit longer before she could tell him.
With the register signed and more Christmas carols ringing out, the guests threw white snowflake confetti over Cat and Kieran as they exited into the dining room. The waiting staff, including Tallulah, were lined up ready to serve glasses of champagne to the guests and Nell took one for her and Tom. Tallulah was still looking incredibly nervous and something about the whole situation didn’t seem right. As Nell thought back over everything that had happened since that evening at the Langdon Mansion Hotel, her mind reached an unhappy conclusion.
Apart from the last one, each bad review had followed a run-in with Tallulah. That couldn’t be a coincidence and given how she’d tried to look at her little reception desk, Nell suddenly filled with anger. How could this young woman do something like that to her? And why? Nell hadn’t blamed her for the incident in the restaurant, but maybe Bryan with a Y had. She wouldn’t have put it past him. Maybe Tallulah had been told off or disciplined and she blamed Nell for it. Nell checked Cat and Kieran were cheerfully chatting with their guests and pulled Tom to one side.
‘What’s going on?’ Tom asked, righting himself as she yanked him sideways.
Nell tried to surreptitiously signal towards Tallulah. ‘The waitress!’ she hissed.
‘What waitress?’
‘The one from the Langdon Mansion Hotel. The one who served us that night. It’s her.’
‘So?’ Poor Tom looked utterly confused. She wasn’t making herself very clear.
‘She served us that night then I got a bad review. Then she came to the St Herbert’s thing and the next day – guess what? I got a bad review. I saw her at the Christmas market, and she blanked me, then the next day – boom! – bad review.’
Tom leaned his head down and whispered into her ear. ‘You think it was her?’
His breath tickled her neck and she shivered, forcing her mind onto the matter at hand. ‘Yes.’
‘Why would she do that?’
‘Maybe we embarrassed her. Maybe she got blamed for it or something. Maybe she’s pissed off at me for making a fuss that night. I don’t know but it can’t just be coincidence, can it?’
Cat’s voice carried over Nell’s right shoulder. ‘What are you
two whispering about?’
In panic, Nell spun to face her, but Cat was oblivious, grinning in bliss. Kieran clamped a hand on Tom’s shoulder. ‘Nothing,’ Nell replied, faking nonchalance. ‘I was just asking Tom to turn the music up a little bit.’
‘I need you two for photos now, so come on.’ Cat grabbed Nell’s hand, pulling her along to the garden. It was a beautifully dry day and heaters had been installed so it could be used as an extra space. Photos were taken of them all in front of the holly bushes, hung with lights, and the huge oak tree in the garden that Nell had surrounded with giant storm lanterns. While Cat and Kieran had photos with their parents, Nell pulled Tom back inside to hide behind the Christmas tree and discuss Tallulah further.
‘What are you going to do?’ asked Tom, trying to look as inconspicuous as possible which given his height, wasn’t that easy.
In her frustration, it was difficult to think. ‘I’m going to bloody well tell her where she can shove her bad reviews.’
‘And when are you going to do that?’
Nell was just about to bluff and bluster some more, but as the bright lights of the Christmas tree reflected in Tom’s eyes, she felt her anger fade away. She could kick herself that she’d never examined his face properly before. Everything about it was perfect. His eyes studied her as if he knew every inch of her personality. No one knew her better than he did, and she didn’t want anyone to. She’d been so blind. And here they were, hiding behind the Christmas tree, her face just centimetres from his. Her breath caught as she studied his mouth. She was so tempted to blurt out that she loved him but hiding behind a Christmas tree while she uncovered a conspiracy against her hotel wasn’t exactly perfect timing.
‘Nell?’ he asked again. ‘What are you going to do?’
In order to stop staring at his face, she fiddled with a bauble, making sure it was facing the right way. ‘As soon as she goes downstairs, I’m going to follow her and talk to her. You have to cover for me with Cat and Kieran. I won’t be long.’
‘Are you sure you want to do this now?’ Tom asked. ‘Why not just let it go and come and enjoy the wedding.’
‘I can’t risk it. What if she messes up the wedding somehow? What if she makes up a bad review for it and I don’t get any wedding bookings? All our hard work would have been for nothing. No. I’m going to kick her out and I’ll serve if I have to. Niall’s got plenty of staff. I’d only have to help out a bit which wouldn’t look weird to Cat anyway.’
Just then, Tallulah went downstairs to top up a plate of mince pies and Nell slipped out from behind the tree before she was caught in the enchantment of Tom’s eyes again and shouted ‘I love you’ right in his face. Down in the kitchen, Nell came to a stop at Tallulah’s side.
‘Tallulah, I know what you’re up to and I think you should go.’
The girl turned, a mince pie crumbling as her grip on it tightened. Nell felt guilt rise up but reminded herself she was doing this to keep her hotel and livelihood, and to ensure her best friend’s wedding was perfect. After everything they’d been through to get here, she wasn’t going to let it go south now.
‘What’s going on?’ asked Niall, coming over. He was red from the heat of the kitchen and the fast pace of the work.
‘Niall, this girl has been putting up fake bad reviews of Holly Lodge ever since she served me at the Langdon Mansion Hotel. She’s trying to ruin my reputation and I bet she’s here today to do the same for my wedding business.’
Tallulah’s hand, still clutching the mince pie, trembled. Nell had imagined a confidence and bravado that she’d have to knock down to get to the truth, but now tears were forming in the poor girl’s eyes. Her face was turning red and splotchy, and with a gasp of air she crumpled down in a heap.
‘Oh my God!’ Nell shouted and immediately helped the girl back up. ‘Niall, can you get some water, please? Here, come with me and sit down.’ Nell, overwhelmed with guilt that she’d been so blunt, worried she’d done it again – made stuff up and not based things in reality. But she was sure this wasn’t a coincidence. She led Tallulah to her flat and forced her to sit on the edge of the bed. ‘Are you okay?’
Tallulah wiped her face.
‘Look, I’m sorry if I was mean. I was just so cross that I thought you were the one behind the bad reviews—’
‘It was me, sort of. I’m so sorry.’ She sobbed. ‘I’m so, so sorry. I didn’t write the reviews – that was all them – but they wanted me to spy on you. I didn’t want to, but they made me.’ She took a huge breath in and then cried out.
‘Who’s they, Tallulah?’ Though Nell’s spine was rigid with indignation, she tried to remain calm.
‘I didn’t want to do it but they told me if I didn’t, I wouldn’t get the extra hours I need and Dad’s just lost his job and Mum doesn’t know how she’s going to afford Christmas and—’
‘Shush now.’ Nell rubbed Tallulah’s back, realising exactly what had happened. The girl kept talking, needing to get it out of her system.
‘As soon as they found out I had a little brother and sister at St Herbert’s they made me come. They wanted me to look at your bookings, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it.’
So that was why she was at her reception desk looking for an earring. Nell felt her anger rising again; this poor girl had been used and abused. ‘Who exactly is they, Tallulah?’ she asked again. ‘Who’s making you do this?’
‘Kevin and Bryan, the managers at the Langdon Mansion Hotel.’
‘Is that Bryan with a Y? The restaurant manager?’ Tallulah nodded. ‘And which one’s Kevin?’
‘He’s the one with the bright white teeth that look like they’re trying to escape every time he opens his mouth. He’s really mean to everyone.’
These horrible men had bullied her because she was young and working hard to help her family. That was absolutely despicable, and Nell put a protective arm around her shoulders.
‘They wanted me to sabotage the wedding – ruin the food, or the music, or something – but I haven’t.’ She looked at Nell with wide eyes. ‘I wouldn’t. If my mum ever found out I’d done something like that, she’d be so ashamed of me.’
‘Oh, sweetheart.’ Nell rubbed small circles on her back, trying to calm her down. ‘Tallulah, I’m so sorry. They’ve put you in such a horrible situation, haven’t they?’
Where tears had washed her make-up off, Tallulah looked so childlike. With a gentle tap, Niall came in with the water. Unsure how much he’d heard, Nell smiled and said, ‘Just a misunderstanding, Niall. I confused Tallulah with someone else and I’ve apologised to her. I feel terrible.’
The young girl stared at Nell. She clearly couldn’t believe that Nell was covering for her. Then she turned to Niall. ‘You’re so kind, Nell, but I have to tell the truth. She wasn’t mistaken, Niall. She was right. My bosses at the Langdon Mansion Hotel conned your partner into hiring me so that I could ruin this wedding and ruin Nell’s reputation.’ She pulled her shoulders back and sat a little straighter, regaining some of that professional expression Nell had been so impressed with. ‘If you want to fire me, that’s okay. I deserve it. And tomorrow I’m going to quit working for the Langdon Mansion. I can’t keep doing it. They’re just horrible to everyone and they sneer at the customers behind their backs. I hate it there.’
Concerned, Niall handed Tallulah the water then spoke to Nell. ‘What do you want me to do, Nell? It’s your wedding, so to speak.’
Poor Tallulah was so mortified and strung out by the whole thing, she’d suffered enough, and Nell could understand what a difficult position she’d been put in. She didn’t need punishing any more than she’d been already. ‘I think we can probably forget about the whole thing, as long you promise not to actually ruin the wedding.’
‘Or my food,’ Niall added firmly, but with a slight teasing edge to his voice. ‘And, listen,’ he added, ‘we’ve got a lot of jobs lined up over the Christmas period. I’m sure I’ve got more than enough hours and you’ve b
een really conscientious so far. I’ve been very impressed.’
Tallulah’s tears began again. ‘I can’t believe you’re all being so nice to me.’
Nell gave her shoulders a squeeze. ‘That’s what Christmas is for, isn’t it? Now, I’ve got a wedding to get back to, and there are guests requiring mini mince pies before you serve this delicious meal.’ Nell returned to the wedding and Tallulah and Niall to work. That was one problem solved, and she’d deal with the Langdon Mansion Hotel later. How? She wasn’t actually sure just yet. She’d talk it through with Tom and they’d come up with something together. Maybe now she could get that blasted video taken down, or at the least those made-up bad reviews.
Chapter 24
In the dining room, Brenda was just calling everyone to order and asking them to take their seats for the meal after being upstanding for the bride and groom. From the conservatory, Cat rolled her eyes at Nell. The mother of the bride couldn’t quite stop herself from taking over a bit, but she had accepted all the changes in good spirits, so they let her carry on. Nell sat down, ready to enjoy the dinner Cat and Kieran had wanted but hadn’t been allowed before. After the giant meltdown, when Kieran had got more involved in the wedding, Cat had asked him about the wedding breakfast, and they’d agreed on Kieran’s favourite of chicken pie and mash. When the plate was put in front of them, Kieran and Cat looked at each other with such bliss that even Nell felt it.
All through dinner, Nell glanced at Tom and every time she did, he was looking back at her. Her spine tingled and she found herself fidgeting with the napkin on her lap. She’d never felt self-conscious around him before, but everything was different now in an exciting and amazing way. Tom shuffled nervously in his seat as the meal went on and Nell knew why.
