Chapter 6
6
‘Oh, this is beautiful!’ Sadie exclaimed as the porter stepped back to allow her to enter her room. The first thing she noticed was the chandelier glistening overhead. The crystal teardrops seemed to dance as they caught and reflected the flames from the fire burning in the grate beneath the ornate marble fireplace. Thick ruby-red velvet drapes framed a huge picture window overlooking the neat hedges and paving of a formal garden. The far side of the room was completely dominated by an enormous four-poster bed stacked with pillows and cushions. It was much higher than her bed at home and she wondered how she was going to climb onto it.
‘May I come in for a moment, ma’am?’
Sadie startled, having forgotten the porter was there. ‘Yes, of course.’
Smiling, he wheeled her suitcase in and over to the chaise longue at the foot of the bed. ‘Shall I place this here so you can unpack?’
‘That would be lovely, thank you.’
He lifted her case up then walked past the bed to open a door. ‘This is your bathroom.’ He left the door open as he moved back to her end of the room and indicated a leather-bound folder on the coffee table. ‘There’s an information guide, which should hopefully answer any questions you have, but if you need anything, just dial zero on the phone and someone on the team will be happy to help you.’
‘Thank you.’ Goodness, she sounded like a stuck record. ‘Sorry, I didn’t catch your name.’
The young man smiled. ‘It’s Justin.’
‘Well, it’s very nice to meet you, Justin, and thank you for making me feel so welcome.’
‘It’s my pleasure. As I said, if you need anything just pick up the phone and don’t forget there’s welcome drinks in the lounge starting in about half an hour.’
She nodded, because honestly how many times could she say thank you in under five minutes? ‘The lounge is just off Reception?’
‘That’s right. Straight down the stairs and it’s on your left. There’s a map in your information pack with a plan of the hotel until you find your way around. If that’s everything for now, I’ll leave you in peace.’ He turned to go.
‘Oh, wait a minute!’ Sadie grabbed her handbag and fumbled for her purse. It’d been so long since she’d been anywhere that required a tip she wasn’t sure where to start. A couple of coins felt a bit measly so she opened the notes flap to find she didn’t have anything smaller than a twenty-pound note. Everything was chip and pin these days, and, although she’d brought extra cash with her because there’d been mention of a Christmas market, she hadn’t had a chance to break anything down into smaller denominations. She shot Justin an embarrassed smile. ‘I don’t suppose you have any change?’
He smiled back. ‘Reception will be happy to sort some out for you, but please don’t worry about individual tips.’
She frowned, not sure if he was just being polite. ‘Well, as long as you’re sure.’
‘I really am.’ He paused at the door with a cheeky grin. ‘On a completely unrelated note, there’s a jar behind the bar for our post-Christmas party fund and any donations to that would be gratefully received.’
Sadie laughed. ‘Noted, thanks again, Justin.’
With time to kill before the welcome drinks, Sadie decided she might as well unpack. Every little thing seemed to have been thought of, from pretty scented bags in the drawers to keep clothes fresh, to the selection of luxury toiletries lined up neatly on the bathroom counter. A basket next to the sink contained cotton wool, a miniature nail-grooming set, even a little sewing kit.
Having finished putting everything away, Sadie cleaned her teeth and brushed her hair, securing the messy strands back out of the way with a butterfly clip. She wished now that she’d taken the time to get her hair done before her trip. Since moving, she hadn’t got around to sorting out a new hairdresser and going back to her old one would’ve meant being both the subject of and subjected to all the local gossip. She’d looked through the window of a few salons in town on her lunchbreak, but by the time she finished work all she wanted to do was get home so it was another thing she’d put off for another day.
Sadie shook her head and pushed the sneaky voice of her inner critic away. Her hair was fine and she was just looking for an excuse not to go downstairs.
Wandering back into the bedroom, Sadie perched on the edge of the chaise longue. What was there to be afraid of? Those girls she’d shared a lift from the station with had been lovely, as had Rhys. The hotel staff were friendly and full of smiles. The next two weeks were the perfect chance to relax and recharge and it would be a waste of her time, never mind the money the kids had spent, if she hid away in her room. She was here to have a good time, not to worry about the past – or the future. Sadie rose. Maybe she could put her new-found skill with personal pep talks to good use and start a new career as a motivational coach. The thought of it was enough to make her laugh out loud and she was still smiling as she walked along the corridor and down the stairs.
Even without Justin’s simple directions, there was no chance of Sadie not finding the lounge. The sound of conversation and laughter reached her before she’d made it to the bottom of the stairs and a pair of smiling women were waiting beside a younger one who was holding a tray full of glasses of champagne. The two women were as different as chalk and cheese. The taller of the pair had silvery hair cut in a flattering crop that highlighted her excellent bone structure. She was wearing the kind of clothes you didn’t find on the high street. A simple skirt, the same shade of dark green as the branches of the Christmas tree, fell in an elegant drape to mid-calf, teamed with a white pleated silk blouse with fitted sleeves. Lifting a glass from the tray, she took a step forwards, her face lit with a welcoming smile. ‘Sadie, isn’t it?’
‘Yes, that’s right.’
‘I’m so sorry I wasn’t here when you arrived but we had a sudden influx of arrivals and it was all hands to the pump.’ She offered the glass. ‘I’m Stevie and this is Rowena.’ She gestured to the woman beside her who was wearing a shimmering kaftan the jewelled colours of peacock feathers. Her wild fall of hair had been dyed a rich shade of purple and her bright blue eyes sparkled with good humour to match her broad smile. ‘And we are so thrilled you’ve decided to celebrate Christmas with us here at Juniper Meadows.’
‘Yes, you are so welcome!’ Rowena held out her hand with a clatter of silver bangles and squeezed Sadie’s fingers. ‘And if you don’t mind me saying—’ Rowena lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper ‘—I admire you enormously for coming on your own.’ She squeezed again and Sadie found herself returning the gesture, welcoming the little show of support. In a normal tone, Rowena continued, ‘I promise we’ve got a lovely group of guests staying with us. A real mix of singles, families and friends. And we’ve got so many activities planned you won’t have to worry about being bored.’
‘The activities are purely voluntary,’ Stevie added, with a wry smile. ‘This is your holiday and you must please yourself.’
‘Well, yes, of course you must,’ Rowena agreed, still holding Sadie’s hand. ‘But I’m sure when we were in correspondence you mentioned an interest in art so I think tomorrow will be right up your street. We’re going to make a centrepiece for the entrance.’ Turning, Rowena gestured with her free hand to the large round table standing empty in the centre of the impressive vaulted room. ‘We’ll be working in the orangery, which is one of my favourite rooms in the entire hall. It’ll be very relaxed.’
Sadie smiled at the other woman’s attempts to reassure her. ‘I have decided I am going to make the most of my visit. It’s my intention to say yes rather than no to most things so I would love to join you tomorrow. I must warn you that what skills with a paintbrush I might once have laid claim to are very rusty.’
‘Oh, I’m so pleased! And don’t worry about anything, it’s designed to be fun for everyone from absolute beginners upwards, and it’s not just painting, there’s going to be a whole range of things to choose from.’ She released Sadie’s hand with one final squeeze. ‘Now, come on, let’s introduce you to a few people and you’ll feel at home in no time.’
The lounge was a great deal grander than the name implied and a million miles away from her little box at home with not much room for more than a sofa and chair, a coffee table and a TV stand. Not forgetting those curtains her mother hated so much. Sadie found herself smiling as she looked around at the Chesterfield-style sofas and wide cushioned armchairs grouped around tables. A few chairs had been set on their own in quiet corners of the room so guests would have a choice about mixing or not. There was one near the fireplace Sadie made a note of as a potential reading spot if the weather let them down one day. A wooden bar ran half the length of the back wall, an impressive array of bottles filling the shelves behind it. Subtle Christmas touches had been added everywhere, from little table pieces of pine cones, holly and dried citrus slices to a garland of greenery and sparkling lights dressing the front of the bar.
‘Sadie!’ She turned to find Charlie, Anna and Jane sitting at a table over by the window. Charlie waved. ‘Come and join us if you like.’
‘Oh, you’ve made some friends already.’ Rowena beamed.
‘We met in the car earlier, when Rhys collected us from the station.’
‘My son.’ Rowena’s smile broadened even more.
‘He mentioned something about running a farm here, so Juniper Meadows really is a family business, then?’
It was Stevie who laughed. ‘We’ve definitely kept it all in the family. Ro’ is my sister-in-law and we run this place together. Her husband, Zap, is our master brewer over at the distillery and my other brother, Ziggy, is in overall charge of the estate. My son and daughter work here too, and their partners are all involved with the estate one way or another.’
‘That must be lovely. I’ve a son and daughter of my own and I never feel like I see enough of them. Not that I’m complaining,’ she added, hurriedly. ‘I’m delighted they’re settled and have their own families. They’re the ones who treated me to this break, actually.’
‘That’s lovely. I hope you won’t miss them too much over Christmas?’ Stevie’s expression was sympathetic.
Sadie smiled. ‘I’m sure I will miss them terribly, but I also know what it’s like to have too much expectation placed on your time. They both wanted a quiet Christmas with their children while they’re still young enough for the magic to really mean something. We’re having a lunch party at my son’s after I get back and, as I’m not the one having to do the hosting, it’ll be a double treat.’
Stevie touched her arm. ‘Well, then, I’m even more delighted that you’ve chosen to celebrate with us. If you’ll excuse me for a moment, I need to go and check everyone’s got a full glass.’
‘Of course. I’m sure you’ve got plenty to be doing as well,’ Sadie said as she turned towards Rowena, but the other woman wasn’t looking, never mind listening. Her attention was fixed on the doorway behind them, her mouth slightly open as she stared as if seeing a ghost. Sadie turned to see what she was looking at. A man was standing on the threshold, a teenage boy and girl at his side. He was tall, that was the first thing Sadie noticed. Handsome too, with his thick dark hair and strong, even features. He reminded her of someone, but she couldn’t think who. Glancing back at Rowena, she noticed a tear glistening on her eyelash. Whoever he was, Sadie was intruding. Murmuring a quick ‘Excuse me,’ she headed over to the table where Charlie and her friends were sitting.