Chapter 29
Champagne – a sparkling wine for celebrations and to cheer the spirit
I t was just as well The George closed on a Monday. Livvy spent most of the day organising a respray for the van and talking to the police. In the end, after she’d added the other incidents onto the online form, two uniformed officers came round, took photographs and noted her concerns.
When they’d gone she followed the aroma of roasting meat and found her father in a hot and steamy kitchen.
He was wearing a Santa hat and an apron emblazoned with Ho Ho Ho!
and was basting an enormous turkey. The work surfaces were crammed with saucepans of vegetables, potatoes and sauces. Carols blasted out from Bay Radio.
‘Oh,’ she said surprised. ‘Are we still having Christmas lunch?’ Going over to the radio, she turned the volume down on ‘The Holly and the Ivy’.
‘Thought we’d battle on. Simona’s coming round, don’t forget.’
‘We have these things called phones, Dad. I’m sure she would have understood if we’d rung to cancel.
’ Livvy knew she was coming over shrewish and ungrateful but last night’s incident had unsettled her.
Night-time teenage pranks were one thing but painting the word bitch on her work van, on the vehicle she depended upon to do her job, felt intensely spiteful.
Brian returned the turkey to the oven, washed his hands and came over.
‘Your mother and I want to have this as our Christmas day with you, darling girl, because we won’t see you on the actual day.
We haven’t seen you for months, you’ve holed yourself up in this money pit and we want to have a nice family meal together.
Besides, some good food and drink might cheer you up after what happened last night.
’ Unexpectedly, he hugged her. ‘Can’t get over my big grown-up girl owning her very own business. ’
Livvy relaxed into the hug. Her father hardly ever showed her any physical affection; they simply weren’t that sort of family.
When she’d been young her parents had always been too busy running the hotels to have much time for her.
To her chagrin, she began to cry. She’d tried to be independent and resilient for so long, the hug had crumpled through her defences.
‘Hey, hey, what’s all this?’ Releasing her, he thumbed the tears away. ‘Don’t let it get to you. I could tell you some tales of what disgruntled staff did to us. Hands in the till, giving free drinks to their buddies, all sorts of rubbish. You learn to develop a thick skin. It’s not personal.’
Fishing out a tissue from her pocket, she croaked, ‘Trouble is, it feels personal. The word bitch feels very personal. And there’s been other stuff.
Nothing major. Kids in the car park at night,’ she nodded to the kitchen door, ‘rattling that. It’s as if someone has something against me.
And it can’t be a member of staff, I’ve got a great team who I trust.’
‘Even Eli?’
Livvy’s brow wrinkled as she dismissed the idea. ‘Eli’s a good kid.’
‘With some interesting relatives.’
‘And a loving family. I don’t think it was Gerry’s lot who did that. I saw them off the premises and they all ambled down to the bus stop. They were drunk but not belligerent and unless they doubled back carrying a can of white paint, I’m pretty sure it wasn’t them.’
‘Then who do you think it might be?’
‘That’s just it, Dad. I don’t know. The town has welcomed me with open arms. Even the other pub owners. I’m not a direct threat to anyone. If anything, it’s me who can’t compete with The Old Harbour’s setting or the established trade in The Ship. There’s room enough for all of us.’
‘I can see it’s unnerved you.’ He turned his attention to the stuffing. ‘Spiced chestnut and apple,’ he declared. ‘My favourite.’
Livvy managed a watery smile as she watched him work.
She hoped Fabio wouldn’t mind his kitchen being used.
‘It’s made me nervous, I’ll admit. It’s a big building to be in on your own.
That’s why I adopted Angel. Doubt she’d be any good as a guard dog but she’s company.
And it’s good knowing Simona is right next door.
When I first bought the pub she was away. ’
‘And it looks as if Mark is a good friend? Your mother approves.’
Livvy refused to be drawn. ‘He is. And Lucie, Daisy and Rick. Karl, Pete and Austin too.’
‘Ah yes. I met Austin last night. Quite the character. His wife is rather alarming.’
‘I gather she is.’ It was possibly not the moment to reveal what Aggie was really like.
‘I’m so proud of you, you know, Liv.’ Brian’s voice broke.
He turned to her, wiping his hands on a tea towel.
‘Your mother and I still don’t understand why you didn’t want to stay in the family business but we’re proud of you.
Of what you’re trying to do here. I could see from last night how much it means to you. ’
‘I wanted something of my own, Dad. Something I’d built up myself.’ Tears were flowing again.
He nodded curtly. ‘Understood. I can see why you’d want to set this place up. Penny’s proud of you too, you know, but your mother doesn’t show her feelings. Sometimes the more she feels, the less she shows. You’re very like her in that.’
‘Am I?’ Livvy was surprised. She didn’t think she and her mother were at all similar.
‘She frets, darling. She was very fond of Gavin. She worries, Liv, that you’re doing this all on your own. When we started out it was difficult but we had each other to see us through the tricky bits. You haven’t got anyone.’
Livvy blew her nose and gave a wan smile.
‘Well, the plan wasn’t for me to do this alone but in the end I didn’t have much choice.
’ Straightening her shoulders, she forced a grin.
‘And I’ll be fine.’ Sucking in a frustrated breath she hated to admit it, but she needed his advice.
‘Speaking of which, I’m concerned that, even though we’ve been really busy, I’m not making as much profit as expected. ’
Brian gave her an appraising look. ‘Pilfering?’
‘Hope not but it might explain the discrepancy. An objective eye on things might be helpful. Can you give me the number for the stock taker you used?’
‘Bernie? Of course. He’ll be absolutely straight with you. Busy chap though.’
‘If he can squeeze me in, I’d be grateful.’
Brian gave his daughter another quick hug. ‘You know, if you want anything, any advice, help, contacts, you only have to ask.’ He backed off at her look. ‘I know, I know,’ he said, putting up his hands in mock surrender. ‘You want to be Miss Independent.’
‘I’m trying to be, although Bernie’s number would be a help. And, ignore the weepy moment. I’m knackered, Dad, and stressed after this morning’s encounter with two of Dorset’s finest police.’ She pinned on a smile. ‘I’m determined to make this place a success.’
‘Righty-o then. Jolly good.’ Her father’s tone was gruff, but tears sparkled in his eyes.
‘So, seeing as I’ve got to get lunch on for three o’clock, and I appear to be completely without any sous chefs, I’ll have to rope you in to peel the carrots.
’ He threw over another Ho Ho Ho! apron. ‘Get prepping, Olivia!’
‘Christmas’ lunch was splendid. And her father was right, it did take Livvy’s mind off things.
If she was expecting a bitch-fest between her mother and Simona, she was disappointed; the women got on like a house on fire.
Simona waxed lyrical about one of the Smith-Lygott hotels she’d stayed at, and they swapped hair tips and dress shopping stories until Livvy gave up listening out of sheer boredom and concentrated on drinking champagne.
They ate late but, by that time had drunk so much bubbly and were in such good spirits, nothing mattered.
Crackers pulled, they wore the paper hats and giggled over the dreadful jokes.
Livvy got them to pose for a group selfie which she pinged over to Yolanda, captioning it: Early Xmas with the Folks.
Actually good fun! Love to Cosmo and the Bumps x.
Penny loved her glass light catcher and the earrings, and Brian flushed pink at the cummerbund and said it would be perfect for formal nights on the cruise. To her embarrassment Simona had bought her a present.
‘Oh, Simona, I haven’t got you anything.’
‘Well, darling, it’s not actually Christmas yet, so I’ll forgive you.
And I’ll let you into a secret, kitten, I didn’t actually buy it as your present.
’ She gave her trademark silvery giggle.
‘It’s a dress I bought some time ago, hung in the wardrobe and forgot all about.
With your gorgeous colouring I thought it would be perfect. ’
Livvy shook it out of its tissue paper and gasped. ‘Oh, Simona, it’s beautiful.’ She stood up and held it against her.
‘Oh, very nice, darling.’ Even her mother approved.
She ran into the kitchen corridor where there was a long mirror at the bottom of the stairs.
Holding it against her she gasped. It would have been mid-calf length on Simona but, as she was much taller, it skimmed her knees.
Spaghetti straps, low-cut over the breasts and dipping to nothingness at the back, it was dark olive in colour and made of some glittery fabric.
Livvy knew it would cling like a second skin.
‘It’s so gorgeous,’ she murmured to Angel who had followed.
‘Although there’s not an awful lot to it!
’ The springer gave a sharp bark of agreement.
Livvy’s phone vibrated in the back pocket of her jeans so, flicking the dress over her shoulder, she slid it out. It was a text from Mark:
So sorry. Couldn’t get over today. Christmas shopping with Nats. Nightmare! Hope you’re ok? Take care xxx
She hoped she’d have an opportunity to wear the dress for him. Holding the dress to her again, she waltzed solo back into the restaurant to the soundtrack of Bing Crosby crooning ‘White Christmas’ and thanked Simona profusely.
‘Thought you could wear it on Christmas Eve, sweetie. I assume we’re having a party?’
‘We are now, if it means an excuse to wear this wonderful dress!’
‘What a shame we won’t be there.’ Penny pouted.
Livvy suspected too much champagne. Her mother adjusted her paper hat which sat drunkenly.
‘We’ll be halfway across the Atlantic by then.
’ And then she launched into another conversation with Simona, this time about cruise wear and the captain’s table.
Brian winked at his daughter and poured them all another glass of fizz.