Chapter 12
12
It was a relief to get inside. Liv took off the borrowed coat and marvelled at how much snow was on it, which was now sliding onto the entrance hall floor. Aaron helped Kacey off with her puffer jacket.
‘Aww this is dead nice,’ said Kacey taking it all in.
Shanie pouted as she scanned her surroundings with a critical eye. ‘It’s old,’ she said.
Fraser shook his head, dropped Shanie’s bag in the puddle Liv had created and began pulling off his wellies.
‘It dates from the seventeenth century with some Victorian additions,’ said Liv, quite proud that she’d remembered what Fraser had told her.
‘Like I said, old ,’ said Shanie.
The door opened and an icy draught blew in Effie and Robbie.
‘Where’s the body?’ asked Effie in not very hushed tones, making Aaron and Kacey both stop what they were doing to listen.
Liv saw Fraser’s shoulders start to shake. ‘What now?’ And there was she thinking she’d only have to face humiliation once.
Robbie shut the door. ‘Effie thought she could see someone wearing a baseball cap in the passenger seat of that other car.’
Liv bit her lip. Despite the cold her neck prickled with the scrutiny of a dozen eyes. This was awkward. ‘Nope, we checked and there was definitely no one there. It was just a top and a baseball cap.’
Robbie appeared puzzled. ‘Are you sure? You did take a bang to the head.’
‘There was nobody in there, Robbie. I saw for myself,’ said Fraser. ‘The car has a puncture, so the driver has abandoned it.’ He glanced awkwardly at Liv.
Liv held up a hand. ‘I’m the driver.’
Robbie still didn’t look like he was buying it but was distracted by Effie’s sudden gasp. ‘What?’ he asked, visibly checking her over.
‘Do you think Janet has taken them?’ asked Effie with wide eyes. ‘She could have, you know.’ Effie made hand gestures nobody understood.
‘Who’s Janet?’ asked Kacey.
Effie opened her mouth, but Liv was already escorting people into the hallway.
‘Hello and welcome to the Lochy House Hotel,’ said Dolly from behind the reception desk. ‘If you’d all like to sign in.’
Fraser came striding after them. ‘They can’t stay here.’
‘Sorry, mate,’ said Robbie. ‘There’s nowhere else. It’s a matter of public safety.’
Fraser shook his head and Liv decided distraction was probably the best approach to avoid any conflict. ‘Bring your bags and everything through, and we’ll get a fire lit in the library.’ Everyone filed into the library, heads twisting in all directions as they checked the room out.
‘Is that a video player?’ asked Aaron.
‘This place is out of the Dark Ages,’ muttered Shanie.
‘At least there’s a telly,’ said Kacey switching it on. The TV blared out a hissing noise accompanied by a black and white screen that looked like it was also snowing a blizzard in the TV.
‘Aerial blew down in a storm last Christmas,’ said Fraser.
‘Would anyone like tea or coffee?’ asked Liv trying to distract them.
‘I’ll have a soya cappuccino no foam,’ said Shanie.
‘Um, I think it’s instant,’ said Liv.
Shanie’s lip curled.
Fraser butted in. ‘Actually we have an espresso machine so we can stretch to a cappuccino but there’s no soya milk. However, there is some straight from the cow if you’d prefer.’
‘Eww how unhygienic,’ said Shanie.
‘Take it or leave it,’ he said.
‘Fine. I’ll have mineral water. Sparkling. Chilled. Ice made from mineral water not tap.’ Shanie flicked her hair over her shoulder and narrowly missed swiping Fraser in the face. He did not look impressed. While everyone else muttered about the choices, Dolly moved her scooter between them to get to her grandson.
‘Fraser, this is an opportunity,’ whispered Dolly. Despite his eye-roll she continued. ‘Think about it. You could be the hero here. That’s good publicity.’ Dolly tilted her head. Fraser’s jaw was tense. ‘Your decision.’
Fraser clapped his hands together. ‘Right, can I have your attention?’ When everyone finally stopped grumbling and turned to face him he lifted his chin. ‘This hotel is not open.’
‘What?’ Shanie turned to Robbie. ‘Why on earth did you send us here then?’ There were noises of agreement from the others.
‘There’s been a weather warning,’ said Robbie. ‘They don’t issue these for fun. It means there’s a very real risk to life.’
‘Surely we can get a cab?’
‘You’ll not get one locally because Wylie Harris ran the nearest taxi firm and he retired this summer gone, and as the road is blocked they’ll not be able to get here from Fort William,’ said Dolly calmly. ‘Your choices are stay here or risk your life in a raging blizzard. It’s up to you.’
‘I’d rather take my chances out there than stay in this dump,’ said Shanie.
‘Qui-et!’ said Fraser. ‘I get that this is nobody’s first choice. You are also not my—’ Dolly cleared her throat behind him, making him take a pause. ‘You are also not alone in being in a difficult situation. The hotel has been closed to the public for some three years now. However, as a gesture of community and Scottish hospitality, we’re happy for you to stay here, but you need to understand that you are staying as our house guests and that everyone will have to muck in. Okay?’
‘Sounds like fun,’ said Kacey. ‘Blitz spirit and all that.’
‘The blitz spirit sounds so lovely,’ said Effie. ‘Strangers all coming together, united in their efforts and making friends for life.’ She looked hopefully at Shanie, who actively avoided eye contact.
‘I’m calling my agent,’ said Shanie. ‘It’s like being held hostage but without hope of someone paying the ransom.’
‘I don’t want to be awkward or anything,’ said Aaron looking incredibly awkward. ‘But we just eloped because we couldn’t afford a big wedding.’ He wobbled his head. ‘Or any size wedding actually. So I’m just wondering if you’re going to charge us for staying here?’
‘He had better not be,’ said Shanie. ‘It’s a prize dump.’
Fraser sighed. ‘Drinks you can have on the house but we’ll need to work something out for everything else.’
This set off the disgruntled chatter again, making Fraser throw up his arms and storm off towards the kitchen.
This was a moment where Liv could take the easy option and slink out but the new Liv didn’t dodge things, and whilst this wasn’t her argument she did feel for the situation Fraser and his family had been forced into.
‘Seriously, how ungrateful are you lot?’ asked Liv.
Dolly looked impressed whereas the stranded folk didn’t seem that pleased to have their behaviour called out.
‘If it’s a hotel, and we’re expected to pay then I don’t think it’s unreasonable to expect half-decent facilities and a little customer service,’ said Shanie, folding her arms.
‘If the hotel is not flaming well open and hasn’t been for years, then it’s not a hotel. It’s just that Fraser has more bedrooms than most people, it’s blowing a freaking blizzard out there so he’s been asked by the police to take you in so that you don’t end up frozen in ice like this century’s ?tzi the ice mummy.’ She pointed at Robbie who stood up a little straighter. ‘All Fraser is saying is that you staying here is going to cost him money, so it’s not unreasonable to expect you to pay him something so he’s not out of pocket.’
‘My grandson is a trained chef,’ put in Dolly. ‘He’s well-regarded locally. I guarantee the food will be amazing.’
‘I have allergies,’ said Kacey looking apologetic.
‘If I was cooking for this many people it’d be beans on toast all round,’ said Liv. She was met with stony faces. ‘Are we all agreed that staying here for free is not an option?’
‘Fine,’ said Shanie. She was the last person Liv had expected to agree first.
‘Great, thanks, Shanie.’ Liv eyed the other sheepish-looking faces.
‘But I’m not paying until we leave so I can assess how much I should pay. I’m not an idiot,’ she added.
‘Fine,’ said Liv. She’d done her best.
‘What’s the Wi-Fi code?’ asked Shanie.
‘You’ve got to be joking. All one word,’ said Liv before leaving the room. She wondered how long it would take them to work that out.
Effie and Liv got everyone settled in the library with drinks. Even Shanie seemed mollified by her soda water despite the ice cubes being made from tap water. They were all playing the ‘find the phone signal game’ which would keep them amused for a short time at least. Liv and Effie joined Dolly who was sitting by reception with a selection of room keys in front of her.
‘What’s the plan?’ asked Liv.
‘Assuming we don’t want to share—’ began Dolly.
‘Ooh I’ll share with Daphne!’ said Effie.
‘But you wanted the Janet the Ghost room. I definitely won’t sleep a wink in there,’ said Liv. ‘And my name’s Liv.’
‘Sorry, but now I know you as Daphne it’s hard to change. I guess I can share your room, Da-liv.’ She grinned at her.
‘Let’s see if we can work something out so that nobody has to share,’ said Liv looking hopefully at Dolly. ‘I’m settled in my room now I’ve managed to jam the window shut.’
‘Where do you want to sleep, Granny?’ asked Effie.
‘There’s no downstairs bedrooms and no lift,’ said Liv, thinking out loud.
‘There’s a reclining chair in the snug. I’ll be fine in there. I’ve slept on worse,’ said Dolly. Dolly pushed the keys for the already occupied rooms to one side. ‘Here you go,’ she said handing over the remaining six keys. ‘You’d best go and make three of these habitable.’
‘What a stroke of luck, our boiler breaking,’ said Effie.
‘Is it?’
‘Ye-ah. Because now we get to work together and stay here together.’ Effie seemed so pleased at the prospect.
‘I guess,’ said Liv, sounding a little more sceptical. She would have far rather have been on her way home. ‘Is Robbie staying too?’ She looked about but there was no sign of him.
‘He’s probably gone to rescue some other poor souls,’ said Effie wistfully. ‘Putting himself in danger as he battles against the storm to seek out the lost.’
Dolly tutted. ‘His mam rang to say she’d made a casserole and not to get snowed in here so he headed home on foot.’
‘See, brave explorer,’ said Effie.
‘It’s only a couple of miles to Invergarry,’ said Dolly with a tut.
‘Still, in this weather,’ said Liv, hoping Robbie was all right.
‘It’s barely a flindrikin now,’ said Dolly turning her scooter around.
‘A what?’ asked Liv as Dolly headed off.
‘We Scots have four hundred and twenty-one words for snow. Someone counted,’ said Effie.
‘And I will probably experience them all before I get out of here.’
‘I could teach you what they all mean,’ said Effie clapping her hands together.
‘Come on, let’s sort the rooms out first,’ said Liv and Effie followed her upstairs.
The first room they came to was the one with the leaky ceiling and a selection of buckets on the floor and an increasingly wet patch where they had overflowed. ‘Let’s call this one a backup,’ said Liv matching the room key to the room. The next two were full of stuff and one had a broken bed but Liv figured they could move all the boxes into the room with the broken bed, which would make for one decent room. Then there was the first of two rooms with deer heads. Not her cup of tea but otherwise fine. They checked out dead Bambi room one and that seemed all in order and just needed a clean and bedding. They walked into the second one and there was a large mounted stag’s head right above the bed.
‘This is a pretty room,’ said Effie.
‘If you don’t mind being watched by him.’ She pointed at the largest head. ‘And his deerest friends while you sleep, then this is quite nice,’ said Liv.
‘It’s not real,’ said Effie, pointing at the head.
Liv moved a little closer. ‘It looks real to me.’
Effie stared at the deer. ‘It’s definitely dead.’
‘I figured that was the case.’ Liv went to explore. ‘Maybe we could give this room to Aaron and Kacey, sell it as the horny room.’ Effie was giving her a puzzled look. ‘Because of the horns,’ she explained miming them coming out of her own head.
‘But they’re not horns; they’re antlers.’
‘I know but there’s nothing funny about antlers.’ Liv mulled over the options she had with the antler and horn puns. ‘The feeling horny room or they’ve got the horn?’ She opened a built-in wardrobe and got the shock of her life. Like something from a Scooby-Doo cartoon, bats took flight straight towards her.
‘Argh!’
‘Don’t scare them!’ snapped Effie.
‘Scare them ? What about me?’ asked Liv who was now crouching on the floor checking none were caught in her hair as the bats flapped above her.
The bedroom door flew open and in marched Fraser. ‘Heavens!’ He came in and shut the door behind him just in time as one of the bats was swooping in that direction.
‘She did it,’ said Effie, pointing an accusatory finger in Liv’s direction. ‘She woke them up.’
‘Not on purpose. Who keeps bats in a wardrobe?’
‘I didn’t know they were in the wardrobe,’ said Fraser. ‘This room is out of bounds.’
‘Yeah because everyone would be queuing up to sleep in here,’ said Liv starting to crawl towards the door.
‘It’s out of bounds because they’re a protected species,’ said Fraser. ‘Looks like they’re in the loft,’ he added pointing to a small hole in the ceiling.
‘I like them,’ said Effie, putting out her arms like a scarecrow.
‘Then you can have this room,’ said Liv, overjoyed to make it to the door. They waited for the bats to settle before dashing out, dragging a reluctant Effie with them.