Chapter 17
Lager – matured in cold storage, distinguished by the use of bottom-fermenting yeast. Simple and unsubtle flavour.
W ith Brittany shaping up, and Stewie working with Fabio in the kitchen, a little of the pressure lifted from Livvy.
She didn’t feel she had to be on the premises at all times.
Karl quickly proved himself to be utterly reliable and trustworthy and she was happy to leave him in charge as bar manager so she could take the occasional night off.
Fabio declared Stewie a triumph in the kitchen, and they were already planning new menus for the run-up to Christmas.
It was only Eli over whom she had doubts.
There was nothing concrete; it was just something about him.
Taking Karl into her confidence, she got his assurance he’d keep a close eye on the boy.
The one advantage of employing Eli was he attracted his enormous extended family along on Sunday evenings.
Assorted uncles and cousins boosted wet sales considerably on an evening when it was generally quiet and there was no food on offer.
Most of the family, like Dave Wiscombe and Eli’s older sister Lucie, and cousin Daisy she welcomed, but there were a few members who could get a little unruly.
On the first Sunday in December Livvy returned from the local DIY store with a van load of Christmas decorations.
She’d also invested in strings of outside lights although was still working out exactly how she was going to put them up.
Karl met her in the car park and helped carry the boxes through into the kitchen.
Fabio put his hands on his hips. ‘And where do you plan to put this lot, bambina? ’ He reached into the nearest box. Pulling out a garland of tinsel, he grimaced. ‘Horrid stuff.’
‘At least it’s fairly tasteful,’ Livvy rebutted. ‘I’ve gone all white and silver. Nothing garish.’ After the incident with Jonquil and the chimney, she’d wanted to do the utmost to banish anything dark and gloomy. She was determined to fill the pub with white light and Christmas cheer.
‘Nothing wrong with tinsel,’ Karl added loyally. ‘Me and the missus likes a bit of it up at Christmas. Although we usually go for red and green.’ He picked up an enormous sparkly silver tinsel star. ‘And this is the badger, all righty.’
‘Quite,’ Fabio said, glacially. ‘If you don’t mind, I’ll be off. Stewie will clear up after the Sunday lunch service. There’s only one couple left eating. And then I suppose you’ll be invaded by the Eli hordes again.’
‘At least they drink,’ Livvy said cheerfully. Sometimes Fabio’s snobbishness got a bit much. ‘Otherwise there wouldn’t be much point opening on a Sunday evening. They’re the only customers we get in then and I’m very grateful.’
‘Whatevs.’ He shrugged himself into his jacket, winding his long scarf around his neck. ‘Toodle-pips. See you on Tuesday.’
‘Bye, Fab,’ Livvy said. Karl winked at her as if to say, ‘Take no notice.’
Stewie came in, carrying an armful of empty plates. ‘Diners said to pass on their compliments to the chef.’ He looked around. ‘Oh he’s gone.’ Putting the plates next to the sink, he said, ‘Ooh ace, Christmas decs. Want a hand putting them up?’
Livvy beamed in gratitude. She was becoming very fond of him. He was a hard worker and willing to turn his hand to anything. ‘Oh, Stewie, that would be great but I think you’ve got your hands full in here.’
Stewie shrugged. ‘Won’t take long.’
‘I’d really appreciate your help in that case, but I don’t want to keep you.’
‘Where’s the tree coming from?’ Karl asked.
‘It’s being delivered,’ Livvy checked her watch, ‘ooh, in about an hour. I ordered it from Va Va Bloom.’
‘Luvverly,’ Karl said, rubbing his hands together. ‘Can’t beat the smell of a real tree. I’ll give you a hand bringing it in.’
For a moment Livvy was overwhelmed. She’d taken a chance employing Karl and Stewie and both men, in their different ways, were proving invaluable.
Karl, glad to be in employment at the end of his working life, was old-fashioned and courteous and couldn’t do enough for her.
Stewie, nineteen and just as enthusiastic, made no effort to hide his gratitude at being able to learn from a master chef.
She knew she’d lose Stewie to his own kitchen at some point but that was the nature of employment in this business.
Stupid tears prickled. She was making friends in Lullbury Bay and no longer felt quite so alone.
‘Thanks, guys,’ she managed, through a lump in her throat.
She wagged a finger at them. ‘Don’t forget to eat.
’ It was one thing she stipulated. It was important to look after her staff well; training opportunities must be available, and they must eat.
‘Don’t you worry,’ Karl said with glee. ‘I’ll make time for Fab’s roasties. Don’t know what he does to roast potatoes, but I’ve never tasted anything like those bad boys.’
‘He uses goose fat and couscous,’ Stewie replied. ‘Makes them extra crunchy.’
‘Does he now? Well I never.’
‘Put any spare bowls of roasties on the bar, please, Stewie,’ Livvy instructed.
‘People seem to like them as bar snacks on Sunday evening. But make sure you eat too.’ She picked up a box of outside lights, staring at it, hoping it would inspire her with an idea of how to put them up.
The George was a tall building. Did she have a ladder long enough?
Did she even have a ladder? All sorts of random stuff was secreted in the outbuildings.
She hadn’t had time to sort through any of it yet.
‘Mind you, some of Eli’s lot would eat anything that’s free,’ Karl observed. ‘They’re wasted on them. They just want their lager. And their tequila shots.’
‘They’d be wasted anyway,’ Livvy replied.
‘Delicious though they are, we can’t eat them all.
I’ll have a word with Fab about quantities.
He’s over catering. Now, chaps, any ideas how I’m going to put these up?
’ Livvy brandished the box of lights. ‘I’m really not sure I’ve a ladder long enough to get these up where I want them. ’
‘You don’t want a ladder, my lovely.’ Karl’s eyes gleamed. ‘Our Ernie will have just the thing. Leave it with me.’
Evening service resumed and, with Eli manning the bar, Livvy was free to decorate the tree.
Stewie insisted he stay on to help. They were interrupted by a loud rumbling outside.
The pub’s walls shook, lights flashed in through the windows and a deafening horn sounded.
Startled, Livvy peered out through the window, relieved to have an excuse to go outside to investigate.
Tree dressing had been accompanied by raucous carol singing from various members of Eli’s family.
They’d gone through most of the Come and Praise bangers.
Earlier, Livvy had watched in concern as there seemed some kind of argument between Eli and an older relative, possibly his Uncle Gerry.
Eli had appeared to calm things, and all was cheerful enough now, well-oiled by several rounds of her finest lager.
The quality of singing had deteriorated in direct correlation to the amount of alcohol consumed, however, and she was glad of the break.
Going outside, with Stewie at her heels, it was to find Karl standing in the evening gloom with another man. Behind them was a monstrously large green and yellow tractor. It loomed, slightly threateningly, in the seaside drizzle.
‘This is my little brother Ernie,’ Karl said. ‘He drives the fastest John Deere in the west.’ The man nodded and grinned. Wearing navy overalls, he had a battered tweed cap pulled down over his face and was chewing a match.
Livvy looked at them blankly.
‘Maybe you need to be a certain age to get the joke,’ he added, ‘you’re too young. Ernie said you can borrow the tractor to put the lights up.’
‘I can? How?’
‘You get in the cherry picker here and he’ll hoist you up.’ He turned and cheerfully slapped it with his palm.
Livvy’s mouth dropped open. She looked at the tractor and then up at the roof of The George towering above her. Then she eyed the cherry picker. It was no more than a large bucket attached to the front. ‘Get in there?’ she squeaked. ‘It doesn’t look as if it’ll hold me. I’m not doing that.’
‘Go on, Liv. I’ll get in with you.’ Stewie was obviously up for the adventure. ‘I’ll hang on to you while you fix the lights. It’ll be a right laugh.’
‘You’ll be fine,’ Karl reassured her. ‘Ernie’s won all sorts of ploughing competitions. He’s a dab hand at the wheel of his tractor.’
‘He may well have won ploughing competitions,’ Livvy protested, glancing at the man doubtfully, who still hadn’t said a word. ‘But hoisting me up in his cherry picker thingy is a different matter.’
‘Don’t you like heights, my lovely?’
‘It’s not that, Karl. I’m just not convinced it’s safe.’
Karl shook the cherry picker making it rattle. ‘It’s okay, Ernie’s got it on lock. Haven’t you, Ern?’
The silent Ernie nodded enthusiastically. His only comment was the match lifting skywards.
Karl jiggled the bucket again to underline his point. ‘See, it’s not going nowhere. Won’t swing around. Safe as houses. Reckon it’ll be a whole load easier than perching on the top of a ladder.’
He had a point. Livvy wished she’d thought through the Christmas lights plan beforehand.
What was the alternative though? A dark, undecorated pub?
It hardly gave off seasonal vibes and she wanted her first Christmas to be perfect.
Thinking of all the other decorations already up in Lullbury she said, ‘Well, if you’re sure.
’ She gazed up in trepidation at the soaring walls of the pub and at the steep incline of the roof.
She blew out a defeated breath. ‘I can’t see how else I’m going to do it. ’
‘Sweet,’ Stewie cried. ‘I’ll go and get the boxes of lights. After all, it’s not Christmas without lights.’