Chapter 18
I have employed a new room attendant, Kaitlynn Hamilton. The HR department is to finalise the contract as soon as possible. We will provide Miss Hamilton with a room as compensation for her work.
Excerpt from Henry’s email to Rakesh
Kate
“Do you have any more questions?” Giulia asked as we sat in The Darlington’s housekeeping office. She had just finished giving me an overview of what to expect in my new job.
It was Monday, my first day as a hotel employee.
I’d already been to the HR department, where I’d had to sign an NDA that forbade me from talking to the press about the hotel, the Darlington family, or the rape accusations.
I’d also signed an employment contract that guaranteed me not only a room at the hotel but also a small salary of three hundred pounds a month to cover everything The Darlington didn’t provide.
It wasn’t a lot, but it was enough to get me started.
Perhaps I could find a second job when I got the chance.
But for now, I had a place to live and, thanks to Rakesh’s help, a new bank account.
I might even be able to start saving money.
The thought was wonderful and frightening at the same time.
I’d learned the hard way how deceptive hope could be.
“I don’t think so,” I replied.
Giulia’s warm smile etched dozens of fine lines onto her face.
Her black hair was gathered up in a bun.
Despite the British weather, she was tanned, as if she’d spent the summer in a country much further south.
“OK. But if you think of any questions or have something weighing on your mind, you can come to me,” she reassured, rising from her chair.
“Let’s find Grace. She’s one of our most reliable employees, and she’ll spend a couple of days training you. You’ve already met, right?”
I followed Giulia out of the office. Even behind the scenes, everything at The Darlington was sleek and fancy, with heavy wooden doors and elegantly curved wall lamps. Only here, instead of carpet, there was dark parquet. “Yes, we ran into each other in Henry’s apartment.”
“Have you known Mr. Darlington for long?”
I shook my head as I tried to memorise the route we were taking, confused by the many corridors and hallways. “No, we’ve only just met. But he’s very nice.”
Giulia gave me a knowing look. It was as if she could hear what I was thinking: that Henry was ridiculously hot and that I’d spent far too much time thinking about him over the weekend.
“Mr. Darlington is a good guy, and he’s doing pretty well given the circumstances.
I’ve worked at the hotel for thirty years, and I’ve never experienced anything like the last few months. ”
“Wow, thirty years? That’s a long time.”
Giulia clicked her tongue. “Well, I’m old.”
I held up my hands defensively. “I didn’t mean it like that!”
She gave a cheerful laugh. “I know, but it’s the truth.
I started working for the Darlingtons right after I finished school.
First as a temp, and then I got a permanent contract as a room attendant.
After a while, I oversaw Mr. and Mrs. Darlington’s private apartment, and a few years after that, I was promoted to housekeeping manager.
Since then, I’ve been responsible for all things hygiene and cleanliness here at the hotel. ”
“And do you like the job?”
“Very much so. It’s probably hard for you young people to imagine. You all want to be rich and famous, but this is my dream job. I hope I get to keep doing it for as long as possible. Oh, Grace, here you are! We were just looking for you.”
“Congratulations, you found me,” Grace said with a grin.
Giulia pointed at me. “You already know Kate. She’s working for The Darlington from today. I want you to train her.”
“Sure, no problem. This is going to be fun!”
“You’re not here to have fun, you’re here to work,” Giulia admonished, not sounding at all stern. I decided I liked her. The Darlington may have been grand and intimidating, but both Giulia and Grace seemed down-to-earth and warm, which instantly made me feel at ease.
“Why can’t we do both?” Grace asked.
Giulia rolled her eyes like an exasperated mother. “I’ll let you get to work. Let me know if you need anything. My door is always open.”
I smiled. “Thanks.”
Giulia nodded and turned to leave. Grace and I didn’t speak until she’d disappeared around the corner. “I’m glad you’re working for Darlington now too,” Grace said. “I have to admit, I was hoping you would when you said you were looking for a job.”
“Yes. It was a pretty spontaneous decision.”
“I heard you’re living here at the hotel. Is that right?”
“Yes.”
“With Henry?” Grace asked inquisitively.
I laughed. “No. I have a room on the first floor.”
“Wow. But you’re not paying, right?”
“Oh my god, no. Henry is letting me live there in exchange for me working here.”
Grace gave a dreamy sigh. “I’m envious.”
“I get it. It’s a really nice room.” On Friday night, after Henry had left, I’d taken a bath and gone straight to bed.
Aside from trips to the bathroom, I hadn’t left my mountain of pillows, catching up on months of lost sleep.
When I woke, I watched TV and scoured the hotel for snacks, taking apples, pears, and bananas from the golden bowls on small tables I found in almost every corridor.
“Do you have your uniform yet?” Grace asked.
“No, not yet.”
“Let’s pick that up first, and then we can start.
” She led me to a room that was a combination of a utility room and a laundry.
The washing machines clattered loudly, and the clean smell of fabric softener hung in the air.
“Towels and bed linen, as well as the cloth serviettes and tea towels from the restaurant, are washed externally. A van comes by once a day to pick them up. We take care of the guests’ clothes and our uniforms in-house.
That’s not part of your job, though. We have Patricia and Estrella for that. ”
I made a mental note not to forget their names.
Grace examined me. After a moment, she went to one of the many cupboards and pulled out a dark uniform.
“Small,” she said, handing it to me. “It should fit. When you need a fresh set, you can just take that one to the laundry service and help yourself to a new one. Come on, I’ll show you the changing room. ”
“There’s a changing room?” I asked, surprised.
“Yes. Employees have their own space, with a kitchen and a dining table. There are a few beds too, but you won’t be needing those,” Grace replied, and led me on through the corridors.
“There are three shifts: early, late, and night, so there’s always someone here to take care of the guests.
But only one room attendant is assigned to the night shift, since it’s not very busy.
You’re mainly on call in case there’s a spillage or something like that.
So it’s cool to have a place where you can hang out.
I actually don’t work the night shift anymore, because I take care of the Darlingtons’ private rooms during the day.
We always get our work schedule a month in advance. ”
“I don’t have one yet.”
“You’ll get one.” Grace opened the door to the staff area.
It smelled of coffee and air freshener. There was a large table in the middle of the room next to a kitchen and even a sofa with a TV.
“Over there is the room with the beds, here is the restroom, and this is the changing room with the lockers.”
The changing room was empty, presumably because the staff assigned the early shift had long since started. I took off my leather jacket and put it in a locker. I kept on the top I was wearing underneath, because I didn’t own a bra.
Grace sat down on a bench.
“Where do you live?” I asked, slipping on the uniform shirt. It felt incredibly soft and comfortable. Would anyone notice if I took an extra uniform for myself? I didn’t have many clothes at the moment, and it would come in handy.
“With my parents,” Grace replied. “I’d love to live alone, but London is too expensive, and I’d rather save until I know what I want to do.”
I untied my boots so I could swap my jeans for the trousers. “Do you get on with your parents?”
“Yeah, they’re great. But it’s a bit crammed in the house with the five of us. I have two siblings, Amy and Jason. Amy is my twin sister, and Jason is fifteen.” Grace’s voice had softened. It was clear how much she loved them, even if she craved more space for herself. “Do you have siblings?”
“No.”
“And your parents?” Grace asked.
I pulled on the new trousers and wondered how much of the truth I could tell Grace without breaking my promise to Henry. “My mum died at the end of last year. And I’ve never met my dad.”
Her eyes widened. “So you’re all alone?”
I straightened up and tensed my shoulders. It was reflexive, a gesture intended to make me look more resilient. “I got used to it,” I lied.
In reality, I’d just learned to ignore my feelings.
Randell had left me no other choice. I was still grappling with the fact that my mum was dead when he’d thrown me out, leaving me to suddenly navigate a harsh new reality.
I hadn’t had a second to grieve or come to terms with my loneliness.
I’d found myself in survival mode, where I’d been for the last few months.
I could feel that mode deactivating now, slowly but surely.
Not just because of my new sleeping arrangement, but also because of Henry, and people like Giulia and Grace, who had welcomed me so warmly to The Darlington.