Secrets at Meadowbrook Manor

by Faith Bleasdale

  ‘Um, maybe it is more serious than I first thought. Right, are they still here?’ Gemma asked decisively.

  ‘Yes, Pippa is serving tea and cake in the kitchen.’ Harriet rolled her eyes.

  Gemma went with her.

  ‘He was very nice,’ Pippa said later after the health and safety guy had left, assured that they weren’t open to the public.

  It had actually turned out quite well, bizarrely, as Gemma explained their plans, gave him a very rough idea of timescale and got some tips from him. Pippa, of course, had utterly charmed him, and he was pretty much putty in her hands by the time Gemma even met him.

  ‘Pippa, first the rumours and now this. I think we need to find out who seems to have it in for us,’ Gemma said.

  ‘Oh, I don’t think it’s anyone, I think it’s just a village misunderstanding. Someone could have reported us before your presentation, and now everyone’s happy, on board with things, I’m sure that’ll be the end of it.’ She smiled.

  Typical Pippa. Gemma wished she had some of her optimism, but maybe not all of it – Gemma thought the perfect balance was somewhere between Harriet and Pippa. Gemma was virtually their middle ground. Yet again, she was feeling herself being pulled into Meadowbrook a bit too much. But she couldn’t stop herself.

  ‘Anyway, I should get ready, Edward is going to be here any minute.’

  ‘Oh, you’re going out?’

  ‘Early supper. He’s taking me for dinner on Saturday night too. Honestly, I think we’re stepping up our relationship quite a lot now.’

  ‘Oh, are you meeting his parents?’ Gemma asked.

  ‘No.’ Pippa looked confused. ‘Remember, they live overseas; we might not be quite at the holiday point just yet.’ She grinned.

  Perhaps Edward was going to surprise Pippa, she thought, as her friend skipped off to get ready.

  Gemma was sat at the kitchen table looking at the picture John the vicar gave her when Edward walked in.

  ‘Pippa said to come and keep you company while she finishes getting ready,’ he said.

  ‘Oh, hi,’ she said, quickly hiding the picture.

  ‘What have you got there, a love letter?’ Edward joked.

  ‘Something like that. How are you?’

  ‘Good, nice to see you, Gemma. I trust everything’s going well with the hotel?’ He sat down opposite her and smiled warmly.

  Gemma could almost see what Pippa saw in him, although he definitely wasn’t her type.

  ‘Yes, although there’s a long way to go. But you know all about that. Please tell me it gets easier.’ She laughed.

  ‘I’m afraid it really doesn’t. But you know, it’s the best business in the world, and I think Pippa and her siblings really seem to have a good grip on it, and you. From what I hear you’re doing an amazing job and, Gemma, don’t be surprised if you get headhunted.’ He smiled again.

  ‘Please tell me you’re not offering me a job.’ Gemma was only half-joking.

  ‘Of course not.’ He laughed. ‘My lovely Pippa would kill me. I wouldn’t do anything to risk losing her.’

  A phone buzzed, and Edward pulled it out of his jacket pocket.

  ‘Sorry, I’ve got to take this.’ He answered the phone as he walked out of the room.

  Gemma couldn’t help but move to the door to try to listen.

  ‘Mum,’ he said, his voice barely above a whisper. ‘I’m just out at a meeting. I’ll be back later …’

  Gemma couldn’t hear anything else as he must have moved away. What the hell was going on with him? But she couldn’t worry about him and Pippa; she had a hotel to focus on.

  She needed to think, so she went to see the cats. She nearly turned and went out again, as she opened the door to see Connor attending to one of them.

  ‘Hi, Gemma.’

  ‘Hey, are you all right?’ She had to go in, although she’d been hoping for some peace and quiet.

  ‘Yup, pretty good. Don’t tell anyone, especially Harry, but I’m taking her away as a surprise this weekend, so I’m feeling a bit pleased with myself.’

  ‘Well Harriet will be happy; although I’m not sure she seems as if she likes surprises.’

  ‘Oh, she’ll love it. You know she badgers me to go away all the time, so I told her that I’m on call this weekend, so not to make plans, but really I’ve got it all in place to whisk her off.’

  ‘She’s a lucky girl.’

  ‘No, I’m lucky. Anyway, sorry, whenever I see you I always talk about myself. I don’t know why – I never thought I was self-obsessed.’

  ‘You’re not, but I guess when I’m here you talk to me, when I’m not you talk to the animals!’

  ‘Yes, you’re right, I tell the animals everything. Anyway, how are things with you?’

  ‘Well I have to admit, and I didn’t want to tell any of the family, but I’m a bit worried about this attempt at hotel sabotage. Someone reported us for running a commercial kitchen when we’re not.’

  ‘What does Harry think?’

  ‘I’m not sure. Pip thinks it might be someone from the village, before the meeting, you know.’

  ‘That makes sense. But how about you?’

  ‘I don’t know. Connor, I was near Edward’s hotel earlier, in a teashop, and Edward’s mum came in.’

  ‘And?’ Connor looked amused.

  ‘Well I mentioned his parents to Pippa, but she thinks they’re overseas. Edward was here and his phone rang. Although he left the room, I heard him tell his mum he’d see her later but after his date with Pippa, it sounded like. As I said, I couldn’t hear the rest of the conversation, but I’ve got a bad feeling. For Pippa.’

  ‘What do you think it is?’

  ‘I don’t know, but it makes no sense that if he’s serious about her, which, by the way, she thinks he is, he wouldn’t tell her his parents were visiting. I’m worried he’s messing Pippa around.’

  ‘God, don’t tell Harry, she’ll never agree to come away with me. But if you’ve got a bad feeling, then you should do something about it.’

  ‘Like what?’ Gemma asked, confused.

  ‘OK, I might regret asking this, but I always ask myself, when something seems wrong, what would Harriet do?’

  ‘Oh crap,’ Gemma said.

  ‘Exactly. Right, better go.’ Connor patted her on the shoulder and he left her.

  As she watched him depart, she thought she would seek Albert’s advice in the hope that he gave her a more straightforward answer. But he just nestled into her and purred.

  Gemma was in her pyjamas reading, when there was a knock on her bedroom door. She glanced at her phone – it was just before nine. Pippa opened the door before Gemma could speak.

  ‘You’re back early,’ Gemma said.

  ‘Ah, well it was an early dinner. Edward had hotel business. Poor thing is so busy, and I guess that will be us soon. He was saying this evening how hard it’ll be for me to run a hotel and have a relationship, which to be fair I am getting a sense of.’

  ‘But the hotel comes first, right?’ Gemma asked, narrowing her eyes. What was this guy playing at?

  ‘Course.’ Pippa chewed her lip uncertainly. ‘And I’ve got the family to help out, but you know, I will have to make sure I can have a relationship too. I think Edward might be the one, you know.’

  ‘But you’ve only known him for a short time.’ Gemma had a sinking feeling.

  ‘Oh, you sound like Harry. But, Gemma—’ she stood up and twirled around the room, laughing ‘—when you know, you know. And after Mark I’d never go out with a man who was that arrogant again. Edward is almost the opposite.’

  Gemma knew what she had to do. She had to find out all she could about this guy and make sure that his intentions towards Pippa were honourable. And who better to ask than his mother?

  Chapter 23

  ‘Right, well you’ll do,’ Gemma said to her reflection.

  When she was offered the job at Meadowbrook she worried about setting up a hotel, about whether she wa
s capable of doing the job, but she had no idea it would entail looking after cats, dealing with morris-dancing vicars, going to church, learning how to drink, public speaking, and now going on a fake date. None of this was in the job description.

  After Pippa left her she had been stewing about the Edward situation, and it was threatening to distract her from the hotel. This was why she wanted to keep her professional life separate from her personal, but she had failed miserably. So she thought about what Harriet would do. The plan she came up with surprised even herself.

  ‘Hang on,’ Freddie had said. ‘You are suggesting we go to The Darnley when Pippa is out with Edward on Saturday to act as spies?’

  ‘I wouldn’t put it quite like that but, Freddie. We need to suss things out. If his parents are here, then there’s probably a reason why he hasn’t told Pippa, and I just want to make sure there’s nothing dodgy about him. I even thought we could talk to his mother if we can.’

  ‘I’m sure there is,’ Freddie said. ‘Anyone whose surname is almost the same as a swearword—’

  ‘Freddie!’ Gemma grinned.

  Freddie really did bring out the lighter side of her, when she wasn’t falling over, of course. Their relationship, so to speak, was more complicated than it was with the other Singers. At times they seemed to get on – when she was quizzing him for his licensing exam, which he was taking seriously, or talking about the bar, he impressed her – but then there were other times when he still teased her and she felt like an awkward schoolgirl around him.

  ‘OK, so we are going to go for dinner, pretending to be a couple, and seeing what we can find out?’

  ‘I didn’t want to worry everyone, and I certainly didn’t want to bring it up with Pippa, but, Freddie, will you help me?’

  ‘God knows this is crazy – even Harriet would hire someone to do this for her. Actually, she’d probably hire you, so OK, let’s do it, but I’m pretty sure you’ll find it’s all something and nothing. But if the food and wine isn’t good then you’ll be in trouble,’ he finished.

  So here she was, about to go on a fake date with Freddie to check out Edward, on behalf of Pippa, who would kill her if she even had any idea. She hadn’t told anyone but Freddie; Harriet needed her weekend away and Gus would fret. She looked in the mirror and had to admit that she looked nothing like her old self. The dress she’d chosen was more fitted than she was used to but it seemed to suit her; she had a slim figure, she just wasn’t used to showing it off.

  ‘You know this isn’t a real date, don’t you?’ Gemma mumbled to herself as she sprayed a cloud of perfume over her, its overpowering scent causing her to choke.

  ‘Oh, you look nice,’ he said, not disguising the surprise in his voice, as she found him mixing cocktails.

  Gemma just stared at him, suddenly unable to speak. Freddie was wearing a jacket, shirt and a pair of jeans, and he did look good. But then he always did. Gemma felt her nerves building up. She wasn’t sure she would feel this terrified even if it were a real date; actually, she’d probably have fainted by now.

  ‘Aren’t you driving?’ Gemma asked, trying to distract herself from said nerves as Freddie drained his glass.

  ‘No, I called a cab; I think I might need to drink to get through this,’ he replied dryly.

  Gemma bit back a retort. He was basically saying he had to be drunk to spend time with her! Although, of course, Freddie did seem to use most occasions as an excuse to drink.

  ‘Here, hand me one of those cocktails,’ Gemma demanded, and Freddie seemed both surprised and impressed as she downed it almost in one.

  ‘So, Gemma, what is our plan tonight?’

  ‘I don’t know exactly.’ She actually had no idea. ‘But we need to see the place in action, maybe try to talk to members of staff, find out if his mum is there …’

  ‘Right, so that’s nice and vague. Sorry, Gem, but I’m not sure this is going to bear any fruit. Hopefully the food will be good though.’

  Their cab ride consisted of Freddie sat in the front, chatting to Malcolm, their driver, who was from the village and in the morris-dancing group, while Gemma sat in the back, fretting. It was awful, she thought – they were on a fake date, sure, but just as she thought Freddie and she might get on, he made her feel as if he resented spending time with her. He was the most confusing, infuriating man she had ever met, but tonight wasn’t about that – she had to try to focus on digging out the truth about Edward. But since Harriet had accused her of having a crush on her brother, Gemma’s feelings had been even more confusing. And Gemma didn’t like having feelings.

  They pulled up in front of the hotel, and Freddie opened the door for her. She heard him arrange for Malcolm to collect them.

  ‘My lady,’ he said with a smile, offering her his arm.

  Nice Freddie was back. She stumbled in surprise.

  ‘Gemma, try not to fall over until after dinner.’ He laughed as he took her arm and led her inside.

  ‘Table in the name of Rivers,’ Freddie said to the woman who greeted them at the entrance to the restaurant. He had made the booking online and said they best use a pretend name. Where he got Rivers from, she had no idea. ‘Busy tonight?’

  ‘It’s a bit quiet, but then it’s the time of year,’ the woman said. ‘I’m Davina Farquhar, owner of this hotel.’

  Gemma was taken aback. This wasn’t Edward’s mum, not the woman she’d seen the other day. Was she Edward’s sister?

  ‘Oh.’ Gemma smiled. ‘Are you Edward’s sister?’

  Freddie looked at her with something akin to pride.

  ‘No.’ Her brows wrinkled in confusion. ‘I’m his wife.’

  Gemma almost felt her knees buckle as Freddie quickly steered her in the direction of the restaurant.

  The restaurant was only half-full and when they were handed menus, Gemma could see why. It was fine dining at its worst, and the prices made her eyes water. Full of weird ingredients, things she had barely heard of, and for a village in the heart of Somerset, she was sure it was a bit too much. Even in London, they’d struggle with this.

  ‘So, married.’

  ‘It seems so.’ Gemma tried to relax. Without even trying, their work was done, but she wasn’t feeling victorious; Pippa would be devastated.

  ‘Bloody hell, who would eat eels wrapped in prosciutto with a fig dressing?’ Freddie changed the subject. ‘And are eels local?’

  ‘No idea, my knowledge of fish stuff isn’t great. Shouldn’t we talk about Pippa?’

  ‘No, not here. Let’s try to have a nice dinner and we’ll chat about it on our way home. OK?’ he said reasonably.

  Gemma nodded. Walls might have ears or something – he was right. And it made sense why Edward didn’t tell Pippa his parents were here.

  ‘So I guess we’re both going for the steak?’ Gemma said.

  It was the only safe thing on the menu, and as she had been mainly vegetarian since arriving at Meadowbrook, she was ashamed to admit she was salivating.

  ‘Absolutely. Don’t tell Pippa or Connor, or they’ll make you hang out with the cows so that you feel guilty. And the cows don’t take kindly to most people.’ Freddie laughed, and Gemma giggled, although then she immediately felt guilty. ‘They chased me once, well that was back when Elton was alive, but I survived to tell the tale, just.’

  ‘Really?’

  Gemma was at a loss for words; she wished she could think of something witty to say. Actually, just something to say, full stop. And she wished she could stop thinking about poor Pippa.

  Halfway through the starters – which was something that claimed to be foraged from a nearby forest – a man appeared, and Gemma choked on the green thing she was trying to chew. She blinked in case her eyes were deceiving her. Unbelievably, he looked pretty much like John’s drawing, apart from his head, which was not quite as triangular. The evening was getting even more bizarre. She gestured to Freddie, who turned round.

  ‘Freddie, I think it’s him, the man from John’s drawing,�
� she hissed, her eyes as wide as dinner plates.

  ‘Bloody hell.’

  They both took a large swig of wine and studied the man again. No, there was no mistaking the bald head, the round face, the oversized nose, the glasses and the odd tufts of hair around the ears. She took back everything she said about John’s detective skills.

  He was going from table to table, speaking to the diners, and as there weren’t that many, it wasn’t long before he was upon them.

  ‘Charles Hudson,’ he said. ‘As in Rock.’

  ‘What?’ Gemma asked, trying not to stare.

  ‘Rock Hudson.’

  ‘Are you related?’ Freddie sounded more astonished than Gemma was feeling.

  ‘Oh no.’ He laughed. ‘I just … Well anyway, I’m the deputy to the manager here at The Darnley, and I’d like to welcome you here this evening.’ He extended his hand to Freddie, who shook it.

  ‘How nice, please sit down and join us for a glass of wine.’ Freddie gestured as he summoned a surly waitress and asked her for an extra glass.

  ‘Well that is kind.’

  Charles seemed keen enough to sit down and have a drink, and Gemma hid her surprise; she would never expect staff to drink when they were working, but then she remembered Freddie would be running the bar, so that policy was pointless. If the Meadowbrook bar ever made a profit, it would be a miracle.

  ‘So how are you finding your Darnley experience?’ he asked.

  ‘Oh, actually, we’re not staying here,’ Gemma stammered.

  She felt out of her depth now. She could barely string a sentence together.

  ‘More’s the pity,’ Freddie boomed. ‘But actually we’re fairly local, and we heard about this, um, this amazingly cosmopolitan food, so we just had to check it out.’ He waved his arm expansively around the dining room.

  Gemma hid her mouth behind the napkin; Freddie had suddenly become rather dramatic.

  ‘We do pride ourselves on our fine-dining experience, and we offer five-star luxury in all areas. To be honest, we are the best hotel in the Mendips, and that is not something to take lightly.’ He puffed out his chest.

  ‘Well we certainly don’t have anything like this in Parker’s Hollow where we live,’ Freddie continued as if he were on stage, re-creating Shakespeare.