Chapter 24
Evie
Evie walked through the reception area and found it buzzing.
“How was your stay?” Donna was charming a couple as they checked out. “If you want to book your stay for next year we have
an early bird offer.”
The woman glanced at her partner. “Tempting.”
“Why don’t I hold the room for you until tomorrow? Give you time to think it over.” Donna focused on the computer for a moment
and then smiled. “All done. If you’re interested, then call us back by the end of tomorrow. Otherwise the booking will automatically
lapse. I hope you have a smooth journey home.”
They walked towards the entrance and Evie exchanged a few words with them and stepped up to the desk.
“Nice work, Donna.”
“I’m getting the hang of it. It’s fun.”
Evie decided to exploit the moment. That was what Abby would do.
“I was thinking,” she said, “we sometimes give welcome baskets when people arrive. Why not offer a Cornish farewell gift?
We could bundle up fudge and clotted cream biscuits, a jar of Chef’s strawberry jam, maybe include a voucher with a discount
for a future stay if they book within a month of leaving.”
“You suggested that a year ago, didn’t you? I remember the meeting.”
“Yes. Gerald didn’t like the idea.”
“That’s right.” Donna nodded. “But you’re in charge now and I think it’s a great idea. We can partner up with some local companies.
And the ones that offer mail order would continue to benefit. We could commission eco-friendly bags—take the taste of Cornwall home with you. That sort of thing. I’ll do some research. It will be fun. I’ll make a list and you can reach out to them.”
“You should do that. You’re great at making connections, and you’ve always been brilliant at choosing the perfect gift.”
Donna seemed to grow in height. “You think so?”
“Yes. It’s your superpower.”
“My superpower.” Donna looked happy. “I’ll start right away.”
“Perfect.”
Evie’s mood lifted. She felt a fizz of optimism. It occurred to her that far from being a disadvantage that she knew the staff
well, it could be an advantage. She knew their strengths and weaknesses. She knew what drove them and inspired them. “Thanks,
Donna.”
“I’m the one who should be thanking you for making the job more exciting.” Donna paused. “He’s a good man, Gerald, but he
wasn’t good at delegating, and he didn’t like to change anything.”
“I suppose most of us are afraid of change to some extent.”
“You’re not.” Donna was about to say something else but then she caught sight of someone over Evie’s shoulder and straightened.
“It’s the boss. How does she look groomed and elegant in this heat? I’m wilting.”
“Good morning, Donna.” Alexandra greeted the receptionist warmly. “Thank you for arranging breakfast. It was excellent.”
“You’re welcome. I’ll pass your compliments to the kitchen team.”
Alexandra turned to Evie. “Shall we talk in your office? Is now a good time?”
“Of course.” As if she was going to say no! Evie found it impossible not to be intimidated by Abby’s mother. Her poise and
composure explained a great deal about the way Abby was.
Still, she’d learned a lot from Abby and she was sure she could learn a great deal from this woman, too.
Braced for a difficult conversation, she closed her office door.
Alexandra sat down at the table in the corner of Evie’s office and gestured for her to join her.
“I’ll come straight to the point. I’ve spoken to Gerald. We had a long talk. Much as he loves this place, he has decided to
enjoy his retirement. He won’t be coming back. Which means I’ll need someone to fill the position of general manager on a
permanent basis.”
Evie’s heart gave a bump.
Here we go, she thought. This was the moment she’d been dreading. The moment the boss was going to tell her she didn’t have enough experience.
“Right.”
“You applied for a new job. In London.”
Taken by surprise, Evie was at a loss for words. She felt the colour rush into her cheeks.
“How did you—” She stumbled over the right response. “I told no one. Not even my father.”
“I’ve been in the business a long time, and I know many people. Someone from the hotel you applied to called me, asking about
you. Before we talk about that, can I ask why you chose to apply? You’ve lived here all your life and worked here for your
whole career.”
How honest should she be?
Deciding she didn’t have anything to lose given that Alexandra already seemed to know most of it, Evie told the truth.
She talked about the difficulties she’d had persuading staff to see her in a more senior role, about the problems she had
instigating any sort of change, about her own challenges in managing people.
“I’m ambitious, and I thought moving away might be the answer. A fresh start.”
Alexandra proved to be a surprisingly good listener. “I can understand that. I did the same thing myself.”
“And it was the right thing to do.”
“Overall, yes, although I wouldn’t romanticise it. Making a big change is never easy. You gain some things, and you lose others.
Only you can weigh up the things that matter most to you. When is your final interview?”
“I withdrew my application.”
“Ah. That I didn’t know.” Alexandra’s expression was neutral. “Can I ask why?”
“It was partly because of Abby.”
“Abby?”
“Yes. I know she hasn’t been here for that long, but in that time I’ve learned a lot by watching her handle people.
She has a way of getting people to do what she wants them to do.
But not in a dictatorial way. She makes people want to do what she’s suggesting.
She makes them feel competent and—special.
Usually they end up thinking it was their idea in
the first place. And she’s direct.” Evie gave a rueful smile. “I’ve always had a problem with being direct, I suppose because
I’ve known many of the staff forever, but I’ve tried following her lead and already things feel a little different.”
“And the other reason?”
“What you just said about weighing up what’s most important to you.” Evie stood up and walked to the window of her office
and gazed out over the fields to the sea. “I love this place, but I was feeling stifled. There is barely a single thing in
my life that the villagers don’t know. And that has occasionally been awkward. Not only at work, but socially. It was frustrating.”
“You thought it would be good to get away.”
“Yes. But I didn’t really think through the reality of it.
What leaving would mean. It’s easy to think you want to leave, easy to see all the positives when it’s just an idea—a theory.
But then I had that invitation for a final interview and suddenly it all felt real.
For the first time I properly imagined not living here anymore.
And I realised how much I love being part of this community.
” Thinking about it now she wondered how she could ever have thought of leaving.
She belonged here, in this beautiful place, with these special people.
Full of emotion, Evie turned to look at her.
“And the hotel is part of that community. And frustrating though people can sometimes be, I realised that I love them. I love living in a place where I know everyone. It gives me a sense of belonging. In a way they’re my family.
They’ve been my family since I was born.
And yes, if I moved to London I’d be able to walk down a street without everyone stopping me to catch up on gossip, but I realised that I don’t want that.
I don’t want anonymity. I like the fact that everyone looks out for each other.
And it’s true that in London no one would notice or care if I arrived home early in the morning wearing the same clothes I went out in the night before, but I decided I didn’t want that either.
I didn’t want to be one of those people whose body was discovered a month after I’d been murdered because no one noticed I hadn’t left my flat.
” She suddenly remembered this was Abby’s mother and her boss she was talking to, but Alexandra’s eyes were alight with humour.
“That would indeed be a sad end.”
Evie returned to the table and sat down, determined to be professional. “I know you’ll be looking for a new general manager
now that Gerald definitely isn’t coming back, but even if it means going back to my old role or even something different,
I still want to stay here, if you’ll have me. I want to be part of what we’re doing here. I really think I can make a difference.
I want to make a difference.”
Alexandra gave a rare smile. “Why would I look for a new general manager when the best person for the job is sitting right
in front of me? If you’re sure it’s what you want, then we’ll make it official. And I’ll match the salary you were being offered
in London.”
Evie knew she should probably play it cool, but she found it impossible.
“Seriously?”
“I never joke about business. Abby will confirm that, I’m sure.
It’s a big job, Evie, and it comes with a great deal of responsibility.
I expect a great deal from you. It’s right that you should be paid accordingly.
I’ve always believed a person should be paid what they’re worth, not what a company can get away with.
” There was a gleam in her eyes. “There is something else I’d like to say.
I’m pleased that you’ve found it useful to watch Abby, but it’s important to understand that we all have different styles, and different gifts.
There are different ways to motivate a team.
You have warmth and empathy and those are important qualities for someone in a leadership position.
Don’t underestimate the importance of that.
I spent some time talking to the staff yesterday and it’s clear they have great respect for you. ”
Evie swallowed. “I’m thirty years of age, and they still make me a chocolate cake with chocolate buttons for my birthday.”
Alexandra smiled. “It always was your favourite. You should have seen the mess you made of eating it when you were two years