Secrets to a Happy Ending

Chapter 9

The following morning, Lydia was woken to a knock at the door. She sat up looking at her phone to check the time the clock read 8.15am. She felt she must not have slept until well past three, whilst waiting to watch the villagers return and each go into their own homes, at the same time watching Gladys walk to the door of the hotel and quietly close it.

She saw her prosthetic propped up in the corner of the room, she snatched it and hid it under the cover. The knock came again lightly followed with a....

"Lydia? Are you awake?"

It was Gladys."

"Come in." Lydia replied.

Gladys opened the door and brought in a tray with a pot of tea, some toast and a selection of local made honey, jams and marmalade.

"I saw you get in late from the restaurant, I thought it would be nice for me to bring you breakfast this morning, I hope you don't mind."

Feeling reassured that her cover was not blown, Lydia breathed a little easier, whilst responding.

"How lovely of you, Gladys, no please this is excellent thank you."

Gladys sat the tray on the bed and headed out towards the door.

"It was very quiet when I got back last night Gladys, I never saw you at reception?"

Gladys turned and smiled.

"I was in the back room, doing the bookkeeping, you have to keep on top of it. I heard you come in, I thought you might be tired and didn't want to disturb you."

Lydia picked up a slice of toast and placed it on her plate while grabbing some strawberry preserve and spread it over the top of it.

"Oh no you would not have disturbed me, it was a wonderful night. Ben is such a gentleman."

"He has an eye for the ladies you know."

"I can imagine he does; I should consider myself quite fortunate."

"Indeed, please excuse me, I have to finish the other breakfast orders."

Lydia smiled while Gladys shut the door. She was unable to tell if Gladys knew she had gone to the town hall that night or if she had no idea. She did not want to pry further in case it gave the game away, besides she did not have enough information to fall back on.

Lydia finished breakfast and got dressed. She decided to wear one of the floral dresses she had brought with her, with a pair of trippy sandals. She wore her hair down, and grabbed a straw hat to protect herself from the sun knowing it would be a hot day.

She went to leave the room, when as she opened the door, a young girl was standing wearing a light blue uniform, she was about the same height as Lydia, she had red hair, tied back in a ponytail, with a trolley full of towels, linen and cleaning products. Lydia thought her face was familiar,

"Oh please forgive me, I didn't mean to alarm you miss. I wondered if you wanted your room cleaning?" She asked.

The girl was young, she was very soft but very well spoken, her accent was British, but Lydia was unsure where to place where she was from. She noticed the name badge pinned on her uniform.

"Please yes, Ariel, is it? I left towels on the bathroom floor for replacing.

"Very good miss, yes that's right my name is Ariel, if you need anything, please don't hesitate to call down."

Lydia headed out of the door and looked back as the cleaner grabbed some towels and cleaning products from the trolley and walked into the room.

Lydia headed downstairs where Gladys was at the reception desk, checking the computer for guests arriving that day. She noticed Lydia approaching and smiled, while she turned the screensaver on at the monitor.

"How was breakfast?"

"Hit the spot, really well, set for the day thanks again. Oh, I wanted to ask you Gladys I forgot, did you hear the fireworks going off last night?"

Gladys thought for a moment and clicked her fingers.

"I did it must have been near 11pm, I did hear one go off."

"Does that happen often, seems strange for a random firework to go off at that hour of the night."

"You know I thought that too, I did phone a friend of mine, who lives down the road there she heard it also."

"So that's not a usual thing here then?"

"Very irregular, I have to say, but you know saying that we have a village festival coming up this weekend with a planned firework display, perhaps it could be to do with that. Did it wake you?"

"Well, I would not say wake really as much as I was just dozing off, but that makes sense."

"I will see to it that word gets round for people to be more considerate, with it being so late at night."

"Don't worry about it, now do you think I am ok to go to the Saw mill? I thought I might go and have a look around."

"Yes, Ronnie is there this morning I believe, it should be ok."

"Perfect thanks Gladys, will be back later."