Secrets at Meadowbrook Manor

by Faith Bleasdale

  ‘Of course we’ll walk, then,’ Connor said. He held out his arms for both Pippa and Gemma to take.

  ‘Harry, make a salad and dig out some garlic bread too,’ Pippa instructed as they drove off.

  ‘What do you think that was all about?’ Pippa mused as they started walking back.

  ‘No idea – it was as if they were angry with us, but why?’ Connor said. ‘And for them not to say, but to keep insisting they were full when they clearly weren’t … that was just weird.’

  ‘Maybe I’m being naive here, but couldn’t they just have been full, I mean with bookings for later?’ Gemma said.

  ‘Have you ever seen the pub full on a Sunday? Yes, quiz night is standing-room only, and sometimes Friday and Saturday, but Sunday is always quiet. And we go there every Sunday night, don’t forget.’

  ‘Look, let’s get to the house, see what the others think and then come up with a way of finding out what the problem is,’ Gemma suggested as they all picked up the pace. It was certainly a puzzle.

  ‘Hang on a minute, why me?’ Gemma asked after dinner had been eaten and the plates cleared away.

  ‘You’re sort of impartial. Well, you’re not, but you don’t know them as well as the rest of us,’ Freddie pointed out. ‘If they didn’t want to tell us the reason that they’re clearly trying to bar us from our local pub, a pub we support very well, by the way, then maybe they’ll tell you.’

  ‘And I do agree with Fred. Gemma, you are the most level-headed. Well, after Connor,’ Harriet added.

  ‘Am I not level-headed?’ Gus asked.

  ‘Not at the moment, not when you are all upset about Fleur,’ Amanda pointed out. ‘And I’d do it, but they know Connor and I are totally entrenched in this family, so you’re probably the best bet.’

  ‘Here, I’ve dialled the number.’ Harriet passed the phone to Gemma when it was already ringing.

  ‘But—’ Gemma began to object but then Issy answered.

  ‘Parker’s Arms, good evening.’

  ‘Oh hi, Issy, it’s Gemma Matthews, you know, the Singers’ hotel consultant?’

  ‘Gemma,’ Issy said. Her voice immediately turned cold.

  Gemma got up from the table, as she could feel eyes all boring into her and she felt uncomfortable enough already. She sneaked off into the utility room so she could talk, although she could sense they were trying to listen in.

  ‘Issy, we got the feeling tonight, or the Singers did, that they weren’t welcome at the pub, and well we, I mean I, was wondering what was wrong.’ There was a pause. ‘Have they done something to upset you? Because if they have, I really would like to know.’

  ‘Look, we’ve always had a great relationship with the Singers, but to hear that they are opening a bar at Meadowbrook and that they didn’t even have the guts to tell us themselves but let us hear about it from someone else. And if you think that the whole village won’t be objecting to the licence application then you’ve got another thing coming,’ Issy stormed, warming up.

  ‘Issy, who told you this?’ Gemma remained calm but her heart sank into her feet.

  ‘It was Heather, who works in the village shop, she heard it from Stacey, who is on the PTA at the local school, and her husband is one of the governors – he’s something to do with luxury bathrooms, I believe.’

  Gemma tried to follow, but she was already lost.

  ‘And I guess they must have heard it from …?’

  ‘No idea, but that’s not the point, the point is the whole village is talking about it – how you are going to put in a bar and restaurant, which you plan to attract all our customers to? We even heard you’re planning on undercutting us with price and that you don’t care about the fact that we’ll probably go bust because you’ve taken all our customers.’ Her voice was quite shrill.

  ‘Issy, we haven’t spoken to the village about the hotel, beyond the initial conversation, because most details haven’t been pinned down. What I can tell you is that one, it has a bar, but it will be open for residents only, as will the restaurant. We aren’t opening to the public at all, and the main reason for this is that there’s absolutely no way the Singers would contemplate trying to take your customers. If anything we’re hoping to encourage our guests to visit your pub, because it’s the heart of the village and we’d definitely recommend it to them.’

  ‘What? What are you saying?’ she asked, her voice emotional.

  ‘Only people staying at the hotel will be able to use the bar, and of course we may host some private events, but honestly, it’s not going to be anything like your pub. There won’t be any non-residents drinking here, and we are definitely, categorically, not after your customers. We would never do that to you, I mean the Singers wouldn’t.’

  ‘Well that’s not what we’ve heard.’

  ‘Clearly, but listen, I think you’ve been given the wrong information. If only you’d said something when we were there, we could have cleared this up then.’ Gemma tried not to sound irritated, but she hated gossip and it seemed villages like this ran on gossip. ‘I’m guessing that someone, somewhere has got the wrong end of the stick.’

  ‘Right, well I’ll need more than your word. I’ll need assurances, Gemma. Perhaps this is just gossip, but if you are sure you’re not going to try to ruin us then you won’t mind putting it in writing.’ She was still a little frosty.

  ‘And you’ll get them. Issy, please don’t think for one minute the Singers would dream of doing anything to harm your business. And if you want it in writing, then that won’t be a problem.’

  ‘I didn’t want to think they would do anything to hurt us, nor did Steve.’ She sounded a little contrite, finally. ‘But you see when we were told, well we couldn’t ignore it. And I’m sorry that we didn’t let you have dinner tonight, or speak to you about it, but well, as you can imagine, we were very upset. We were told you were going behind our backs, so we thought we’d teach you a lesson about that – you know, by pretending the pub was full.’

  ‘Of course, I totally understand.’ She didn’t, she thought it was ridiculous for them not to have confronted them all, but then villages could be strange things, she was learning. ‘Look, I promise I will sort out the gossip, not sure how, but please bear with us, and if anything else comes up, just come to us directly and we’ll sort it all out.’

  Gemma felt quite pleased with herself for clearing that up. When she explained it they were all a little open-mouthed.

  ‘But we haven’t said anything like that to anyone,’ Harriet said.

  ‘Someone must just be spreading rumours,’ Amanda said.

  ‘Well whatever’s been said, it’s become a victim of Chinese whispers, and we need to put a stop to it right now,’ Harriet slammed. ‘By the way, good job, Gemma.’

  ‘I agree,’ Freddie added. ‘We purposefully said we wouldn’t do anything to harm the village. They need to know that.’

  ‘Not least because otherwise we’ll get all manner of objections to the licence and the permits we need,’ Gemma pointed out. ‘And thank you, Harriet.’ She was still a little startled at the compliment.

  ‘So what do we do?’ Gus asked.

  ‘Gemma?’ Harriet said.

  ‘What?’ Gemma’s eyes darted around the table.

  ‘You’re in charge here, well sort of, so I propose you call a village meeting, where you do a presentation to everyone and reassure them about the hotel.’ Harriet smiled. ‘The whole of Parker’s Hollow, we need to get them onside.’

  ‘Oh that’s a good idea, I’ll help of course,’ Pippa added.

  Gemma felt herself turn ashen. Speak in front of the village? She wasn’t capable of that …

  ‘And we’ll get Gwen to bake – they always love her cakes,’ Pippa continued.

  ‘Well don’t you think it would be better coming from one of you?’ Gemma asked. ‘After all, you are part of the community here, so perhaps one of you should give the presentation.’ The idea was fuelling her dread.

  ‘Yes,
but you are our hotel consultant and so they should hear it from you. My suggestion is that you do the presentation to the village and we’ll all be there to support you.’

  ‘Also, don’t forget we’ve seen your CV,’ Pippa added. ‘You’ve got loads more experience at giving presentations than we have. Well, apart from Harriet, but hers were all numbers – no, you are definitely the woman for this job.’

  Everyone else raised their hands as if they were taking a vote.

  ‘Well—’ Gemma could think of a million reasons why this wasn’t a good idea. None of them she could voice, however.

  ‘That’s decided then,’ Freddie said, moving on to discussing what they were going to have for dessert.

  Chapter 20

  ‘So, John, I thought that I’d ask you for your support,’ Gemma began, chewing her lip anxiously.

  She had been well and truly thrown into organising the village meeting. Pippa was smitten with Edward and was spending more time with him, Freddie was busy studying for his licensee exam; although they were a long way off from him having to take it. Gus was supportive and said he would ensure the gardening club were all on side but that, between the gardens, painting – he was holding an exhibition to raise money for the sanctuary – and having to try to keep Fleur away from drugs, he really had no time. Harriet said she was up to her eyes as she had survived year end, accounts wise, but she had to come up with business plans, budgets and projections for the coming year. And of course Connor was genuinely busy looking after the animals.

  Her best support had come from Gwen, who advised Gemma to speak to John, the vicar, told her to invite all of Parker’s Hollow to the village hall, and offered to bake loads of cakes for the meeting to soften everyone up. But Gemma still had not only to organise the meeting, but also to host it, speak at it and face the hostile villagers, who she could only hope didn’t turn up baying for her blood. Freddie had painted a picture of them brandishing pitchforks when upset; she could only hope that he was joking.

  ‘Do you want me to get my morris-dancing troupe there?’ John asked.

  ‘Um, well actually I want the whole village there,’ Gemma replied.

  ‘No, I mean we could come and do a dance for you. I mean we wouldn’t do it for just anyone, but now you’ve explained the problem I think it would be great for morale to have a jolly dance from us.’

  ‘Right.’ Gemma didn’t know how to react; really? Morris dancers at a meeting about the hotel? It made no sense, but then much of Parker’s Hollow seemed make little sense. It was definitely a unique village. And John was looking at her so hopefully. ‘That’s really kind of you. I am sure it will put the whole village in a very good mood.’

  ‘Exactly. And I shall make an announcement at our next church service.’

  ‘Thanks, John, you’re a star. I don’t know where all these rumours have come from. They really are untrue, you do know that?’

  ‘Of course, don’t worry, I know the Singers and I trust them. And we will get through this, but also, I will personally try to find out who started these awful rumours. My men have experience in security.’

  ‘Really?’ Gemma was yet again confused.

  ‘We saved the animal sanctuary from attack last year, so this should be easy for experienced men like us.’ John puffed his chest out proudly.

  ‘Well if you could find out if someone did start them deliberately, I would be so grateful,’ Gemma said unsurely.

  ‘Let’s arrange the meeting for a week’s time. Friday is always a good day, in the evening after work, of course. Hilary can book the hall out for you, and we’ll both spread the word. Then we’ll get our investigations started ASAP.’ He saluted.

  Gemma didn’t like to think about John and his troupe being all Parker’s Hollow had to offer in terms of security, but still, she was over the moon that she had him on board. Edie and the gardening club were engaged, and Steve and Issy from the pub were also now onside, after a lot of grovelling and a promise that they would put anything in writing. Vicky, who helped with housekeeping, was also spreading the word, and she would get everyone on the Meadowbrook events committee to do the same. Although she didn’t hold out much hope for Samuel, she felt as if the situation were coming under control.

  If only she could say the same for her nerves at the idea of having to speak publicly.

  Freddie was in the garden as she made her way back.

  ‘Everything OK?’ he asked. He gave her shoulder a squeeze, which was both unexpected and more welcome than she would ever have imagined.

  ‘I think so. John’s on board, although he’s insisting on dancing at the meeting.’

  ‘That man will dance at every given opportunity. Honestly, he really is the most committed morris dancer I’ve ever met,’ Freddie said.

  ‘Have you met many?’ Gemma raised an eyebrow.

  ‘Well no, not really, but out of the whole group of them, he’s the most fanatical. I think he likes the outfit. Oh God, imagine if he wears it in bed with Hilary—’

  ‘Stop right there!’ Gemma held her hand up. ‘Far too scary to think about, although now I can’t think about anything else!’

  ‘Sorry, come and have a coffee with me, and we can chat through what you are going to say at the meeting, if you like.’

  Gemma was surprised. He was being genuinely kind, and serious, which wasn’t quite like Freddie.

  ‘Oh! I would love that, I’m so worried about it,’ she said as he led her inside; although of course she stumbled on the doorstep, but thankfully Freddie didn’t seem to notice.

  She and Freddie were making a list of points to make and he was proving helpful. Once again, Freddie surprised her by how seriously he was taking it. He was making intelligent, well-thought-out suggestions, and Gemma wrote them down and tried not to let the shock show on her face.

  Harriet burst into the study. Freddie jumped as the door banged open and Gemma, who’d been very aware of his close proximity to her, felt her cheeks burn.

  ‘What are you two up to?’ Harriet demanded. She looked angry, which made Gemma feel as if she’d done something wrong. Which was ridiculous, of course.

  ‘We were going through points for the meeting,’ Freddie said. ‘Why the tantrum?’

  Gemma had noticed that Freddie was the only one who would confront Harriet in this way, Pippa and Gus were far gentler, but then that applied in most areas of life.

  ‘Connor, of course. We’ve had such a lot going on at the animal sanctuary, and although we’ve had a good month for re-homes, we’re always getting more. I’m overseeing the building of two more shelters in the field, and expanding the pig pen because Connor has agreed to take two more, who have outgrown their current homes—’

  ‘What’s this got to do with anything?’ Freddie interrupted.

  ‘My point is that we’ve been so busy and I know with the hotel it’s only going to get busier, so I asked Connor if we could book a weekend away. I really fancy a change of scene and it would do us both good to spend two or three days somewhere lovely, just the two of us – goodness knows our relationship could do with it – but he’s said it’s out of the question.’ She finally took a breath.

  ‘Why, why is it out of the question?’ Freddie asked.

  ‘Because of the damn sanctuary and the practice. He said that we are needed here, but to be honest, once the animals are settled in, surely we can leave it for a few days?’

  ‘Perhaps if you organise a rota for care when you’re away then he won’t have that argument,’ Gemma suggested.

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘Well, pick the date, make sure there is a vet to cover at the practice, then between the rest of us draw up a rota to make sure that someone or two of us is on hand for the sanctuary at all times. Gerry and Gwen are in the cottage, and he’s pretty good with anything practical.’

  ‘That’s not bad. And although Jenni doesn’t normally work weekends, I can pay her to stay at mine and dog-sit Hilda, so she’ll be right on hand, a
nd of course Amy is pretty good. Gemma, you might be a genius, yet again.’

  Gemma flushed; it was pathetic the way she lapped up any compliment.

  ‘She isn’t just a pretty face, you know,’ Freddie said, and Gemma nearly fell off her chair.

  ‘Right, I am going to google a really nice hotel in London,’ Harriet said, beaming. ‘Oh! And I can tell Connor it’s research. I wish I’d spoken to you before trying to get him to agree this morning and causing a huge row. Oh well, I guess I’ll have to grovel to him once again.’ With that, she skipped off.

  ‘No one in my family, I mean no one, has a functional relationship.’

  ‘Gus seems to,’ Gemma pointed out.

  ‘Yes, but only because Amanda is a saint. She is so good for him. She calms him down and stops him from being a complete misery. OK, no one apart from Gus in this family has a functional relationship.’

  ‘But Harriet and Connor will be all right?’ Gemma was more concerned than she thought she would be.

  ‘Oh yes, those two are mad but they’re made for each other.’ Freddie lapsed into silence and as a wistful look appeared in his eyes, Gemma wondered if he was thinking the same as her. How nice it would be to be made for someone and have them made for you.

  Chapter 21

  ‘Are you all right? You look very pale,’ Pippa said.

  Gemma felt bile rising up. She gave a small nod – it was all she could do. She had been trying and failing to keep her nerves under control all day. She had almost drunk a whole bottle of Rescue Remedy, and she’d even tried to meditate, but that hadn’t worked out.

  Gemma and Pippa got to the village hall early to set up. Freddie said he would join them as soon as he could, as did Harriet, Gus, Connor and Amanda. Gwen was due any minute to lay out the cakes, which Gemma hoped would serve as enough of a bribe. If the smells coming from the Meadowbrook kitchen were anything to go by, then it should work.

  They started putting out chairs. Gemma’s hands shook slightly as she and Pippa lined them up.

  ‘How many people do you think will come?’ Gemma asked, hoping her voice wasn’t shaking as much as she thought it probably was.