Chapter 39
English Breakfast tea – perfect for any occasion. The drink that cheers but never inebriates
L ivvy woke early on Christmas Day. Slipping out of bed quietly so as not to disturb a sleeping Mark, she padded downstairs to let Angel out.
Opening the kitchen door the cold, and the pink-streaked dawn sky took her breath away. Angel leaped into the snow and disappeared. The dog emerged shaking her head, gave a joyful bark and bounded around to the beer garden. Livvy watched her, concerned, but the springer played happily.
When it had begun, the unpromising thin flakes of snow hadn’t looked as if it would amount to much, but it had fallen steadily.
Snow coated the car park turning it into a winter wonderland, magically hiding the reminders of their enemy’s work.
Her work van was camouflaged against the wall where the wind had blown a four-foot drift and Mark’s Mercedes was an unidentifiable white blob.
It must have snowed throughout the night, not that she and Mark had noticed.
Livvy hugged herself. It had been perfect.
Mark had been as kind and thoughtful as a lover as he was as a friend.
Only so much sexier. She gulped as a little aftershock of pleasure shot through her.
He’d surprised her. Easy-going Mark had turned out to be quite something in bed.
He had more of the alpha male in him than he thought. She giggled.
Staring at the view beyond the car park, contentment blanketed her.
The sun was low but bright, making the snow gleam and sparkle.
Tendrils of mist floated low over a denim blue sea and a few gulls wheeled, calling and cackling, joyfully riding a thermal.
It was Christmas Day, and the world was at peace.
Despite, or perhaps because of, what had happened, Livvy still loved this view.
She’d had many moments where she’d doubted herself and her sanity in taking on The George.
Staring at this view and its ever-changing beauty, she felt it was a true privilege to live and work here.
She sucked in a great breath of fresh salty air and then coughed a little as its frigidity hit her lungs.
Her feet were solid blocks of ice. Calling Angel in, she retreated to the warm kitchen and clicked on the kettle.
The springer found Mark before Livvy got to him.
‘Ow. Dog. Get off me. I’m not awake!’
Livvy put the tea tray down and hauled Angel off the bed. ‘Sorry. She’s excited by all the snow. It must be three feet out there and deeper where it’s drifted. I’ve brought tea and toast.’
Mark sat up, his hair ruffled and his hazel eyes gleaming. ‘Could you get any more perfect? Come here so I can kiss you.’ Pulling her on top of him, he kissed her hungrily. The tea forgotten, Angel taking advantage, stole a slice of toast off the plate and scampered away.
Later, much later, after showering and making fresh tea and toast, they sat in the kitchen listening to Bay Radio. This morning it was wall to wall traditional carols.
‘“Silent Night”. Your favourite,’ Mark said, grinning lovingly at her.
Livvy kissed him. ‘I love that you remember things like that.’ Then her phone trilled, interrupting them. ‘Excuse me,’ she said, a crease of worry appearing on her forehead. ‘I need to take this.’
‘Everything okay?’
‘Not sure. It’s my mother. Bit odd, it’s usually Dad who rings.
’ She took the phone into the bar. It was cold, they hadn’t yet got around to lighting the wood burner.
Livvy switched on the Christmas tree and the fairy lights around the bar to brighten the place.
From the kitchen she could hear Mark singing along to the carol.
From the accompanying clatters and bangs it sounded as if he was washing up.
‘Mum. Hi.’
‘Olivia, darling. Happy Christmas.’
‘Happy Christmas. Are you both okay?’
‘We’re fine. Having the most marvellous time. In port, so taking advantage of a phone line and wanted to wish you season’s greetings.’
‘That’s lovely. You worried me. I thought something was wrong.’
‘I’m sorry, darling. There’s really absolutely nothing to worry about. We’re both fighting fit and enjoying ourselves. I just wanted to talk to you about something. How’s everything at The George?’
Livvy gave a short laugh. ‘Eventful but I’ll fill you in when we have more time to talk.’
‘Are you all right?’
‘All good here. In fact,’ Livvy paused as she listened to Mark cooing over Angel, ‘everything is perfect. Better than perfect.’
‘How very intriguing. I sincerely hope the better than perfect involves a man called Mark?’
‘I’ll fill you in on that later too but yes.’ Livvy perched on a bar stool, wishing she’d brought her mug of tea through. This was turning out to be an unusually long call from her mother.
‘I’m so pleased. I didn’t spend much time with him, but your father has been singing his praises.
Jolly well done, Olivia. And now, onto the reason I’m calling.
Your father and I were so impressed by what you’re doing with The George.
I know I didn’t say much but it was such a busy time and we had to dash off so early to get to Southampton.
You know how I despise being late for things and one thing that doesn’t wait is a departing cruise ship. Couldn’t afford to miss it, darling.’
Her mother sounded nervous. Weird.
‘Oh I’m prattling on, I knew your father should have made this call but he did so insist I do it.’
Livvy could hear her take a deep breath.
‘We haven’t given you a Christmas present because we were thinking over what the right thing was to do and we’ve decided.’
‘Decided what, Mum?’
‘We’ve decided, if you’d like it of course, to give you The Olde Gates.’
Livvy couldn’t speak. No matter how hard she tried her mother’s last sentence wouldn’t compute and no sound would emerge in response.
‘We thought about selling it, darling, but decided not to. We want it to go to a family member, Olivia, and, after seeing how successful you’re making The George, think you’d be the perfect person to run it.
And don’t worry, we’d be completely hands off.
We realised rather late, or I did I suppose, that you quite rightly wanted to carve your own path in the industry.
We were the same when we started up and I was stupid not to grasp you’d be just like us. ’
Penny paused. Livvy had the feeling it was to get her breath. The words had come out all in a rush.
‘We’re so alike, you and I,’ her mother continued. ‘I think that’s why we clash. Although I think you’re a far better manager than I ever was. Quicker to praise. That doesn’t come easily to me, I’m afraid, my darling. I need to do better at that.’
Livvy still couldn’t utter a word. Was her mother on something? As a volte-face it was nothing less than a Christmas miracle.
‘I promise you The Olde Gates will be yours and yours alone. To sell if that’s what you want.
But I think, having seen The George, that you’d like to do the same but on a bigger scale.
Brian says the only thing he’s asking for is an occasional shift behind the bar in your pub.
He did so love it when we stayed. You don’t have to decide now, of course, but we need to know in the new year.
If you don’t want it, we’ll put it on the open market then.
So, my darling, have a very wonderful Christmas. Are you open today?’
Livvy was stunned. Finally finding her voice, she responded. ‘I had planned to open for lunchtime drinks, but we’ve had heavy snow. Looks like the town is snowed in. Even if they wanted to, I don’t think any customers will get here.’
‘Sounds fun. Sounds very Christmassy. Must go. I’m heading into yoga in a mo. And we’re on the Captain’s table for dinner tonight so I need to get myself all spruced up for that. The officers are all waiting on us as is the tradition on Christmas Day.’
‘Enjoy. Happy Christmas, Mummy.’ The childish endearment slipped out. ‘And, well, thank you. Send my love to Dad.’
‘Will do.’
And then the line went dead.
She was still sitting, open-mouthed, on the bar stool when Mark came through, Angel at his heels. He took one look at Livvy and said, ‘Are you all right, love? It wasn’t bad news, was it?’
She shook her head, staring at him. Blinking rapidly, she tried to make sense of what her mother had just said.
‘Mum and Dad want me to have The Olde Gates,’ she began slowly.
At his blank look she went on. ‘It’s their hotel in the Cotswolds.
The one they’ve kept going having sold the ones in Rome, Venice and Berlin.
’ She paused and said on a long exhale, ‘They want me to take it over.’
Mark pulled up a stool next to her. ‘What will you do?’
‘I have absolutely no idea. They’ve promised to be completely hands off so I could do anything I like with it.’
‘And it’s important that you’re independent of them, isn’t it?’
Livvy nodded, grateful for his understanding.
‘No Jason Lemmon interfering either.’
‘Thank goodness.’ She laughed drily. ‘Even his influence doesn’t extend that far north.
It would be a lot to take on though, Mark.
Eighteen rooms, and a restaurant with a hundred covers.
Not to mention the function suite. I could do weddings.
Fabio would really be in his element. He could re-establish his name. ’
‘Lots to think about.’
‘Lots.’ She frowned. ‘What’s that noise? Sounds like an engine. I didn’t think any traffic could get up or down the hill.’ Angel ran into the kitchen barking furiously. They followed and opened the door.
‘Hi, guys,’ Nats said. ‘I got a ride down on Silent Ernie’s tractor. Happy Christmas!’