Foxden Hotel (The Dudley Sisters Saga Book 5) by Madalyn Morgan (ebook reader ink txt) 📕

CHAPTER ELEVEN

‘Is Claire and Mitch’s marriage in trouble?’ Frank asked.

‘Yes. I think it is.’

‘Anything we can do to help?’

‘No, unfortunately. Mitch has to face the fact that he isn’t well and see a doctor.’

‘It’s that serious, is it?’ Frank said, shock resonating in his voice.

‘From what I can gather he’s behaving like Dad when he came home from the war in 1918. Mam said he used to have black moods. And when Margot and I were little, if we dared to talk when he was in one of those moods, he would get really angry. Luckily, our doctor was ex-military and had seen cases like Dad’s when he was on active service. He helped Dad to understand what was happening, and how to cope with it.’

‘And what was it?’

‘Shellshock. Claire said Mitch has been getting progressively worse since they left France and came back to live in England.’

‘But that’s four years ago.’

‘That’s right.’ Bess and Frank’s conversation was interrupted by the clanging of pans and calls for this plate, or that dish. ‘I’ll tell you more later,’ Bess said, ‘once we’ve got this show on the road.’ Leaving Frank in the corridor, Bess pretended to drag herself to the kitchen door.

‘There’s half an hour before dinner. I’ll be in the office.’

Once in the kitchen, Bess slipped effortlessly into professional hotelier mode. ‘Everything all right, Chef?’ Alfredo was as temperamental as ever and rattled off the usual list of unimportant complaints under his breath without lifting his head. ‘That’s good,’ Bess said, ignoring what she was unable to hear. ‘I’ll be back by the time you start serving dinner. If you want me before then, I’ll be in the office.’

‘Tea,’ Frank said, pouring Bess a cup as soon as she entered the office. Bess walked round the desk and sat down. ‘Now tell me what’s going on with Claire and Mitch.’

As she sipped her drink Bess relayed the conversation she’d had earlier with her sister, concluding with, ‘I feel I should go down to Oxford, but we’re fully booked next week.’

‘Normally I’d say go, darling, but if he has got shellshock - and by what you’ve told me he has - it’s a doctor he needs. Poor chap. Taken by the Gestapo, eh? He should talk to a psychiatrist and get it off his chest.’

‘If he doesn’t talk to someone, it’ll eat him up inside.’

They drank their tea in silence. Thinking the same as each other, which they so often did, they found no need to speak. ‘Aimee enjoyed her party, didn’t she?’ Bess said at last. ‘She was so happy.’

‘She was showing off,’ Frank said.

‘Of course she was. She was the centre of attention. I don’t think she’s had a very good time of it lately. What with her father being moody and changeable, and over-protective, she’s probably confused. I think she’s lonely, Frank.’ Bess leaned back in her chair and thought how lovely it was that Aimee had other children to play with today - and what a nice child Maeve’s niece was.

‘Thinking about the children?’ Frank asked.

‘Yes, actually, I was. I was thinking how lovely it was that Aimee had a friend like Nancy to play with this visit.’

‘Who’d have thought Maeve had a niece? A turn-up for the books, don’t you think?’

‘Yes. I’m surprised she hadn’t mentioned Nancy before. Then again, why should she?’

‘No reason at all, except that she’s almost like family.’

Bess wasn’t thinking about Maeve, her thoughts were about Nancy. ‘She’s a beautiful little girl, and so well mannered.’

‘She’ll be a good influence on our Aimee,’ Frank said.

Bess felt a tingle at the back of her nose, swallowed to stop herself from crying, and tried to ignore the maternal feelings that reminded her that she didn’t have children. ‘I didn’t have time to ask Margot how she was feeling,’ she said, changing the subject. She swivelled round and looked at the wall clock. ‘There isn’t time now. I’ll telephone in the morning.’ She hauled herself to her feet. ‘I’m nipping up to comb my hair and refresh my make-up. When I come down I’ll do the kitchen and the restaurant if you do the money for the bank tomorrow.’ Frank saluted her and Bess threw a teaspoon at him, before running out of the office.

‘Watch it, or I’ll do you for assault,’ Frank joked. Bess didn’t look back. She didn’t want her husband to see her tears.

The following morning, Bess met Maeve running up the staff stairs while she was making her way down them. ‘Mrs Donnelly, thank goodness!’ she said, ‘I tried phoning you, but your line is engaged.’

‘Frank’s trying to get hold of my mother. What’s the matter?’

‘Mrs Burrell,’ she said, catching her breath. ‘She’s gone into labour. Mr Burrell has just telephoned. He said she was in a lot of pain, so he called for an ambulance and they’ve taken her to the Walsgrave Hospital in Coventry.’

‘But she isn’t due until the end of September, that’s three weeks away.’ Bess turned to go back to Frank, thought better of it and quickly turned round again. ‘We’d better get over there. Would you go up and tell Frank, while I let the kitchen know I won’t be working at breakfast or lunch? And, Maeve, tell him to bring the baby clothes down when he comes. We’ll need to take them with us,’ Bess said, reaching the bottom of the stairs.

The breakfast staff knew Margot and showed genuine delight that the baby was on its way. Bess checked the lunch menu. It was in order. Chef said that he and the head waitress would make sure the guests had everything they needed, and that Bess was to give Mrs Burrell everyone’s best wishes.

Maeve was back