To Face The Past Page 3

  As soon as the dessert, a choice between strawberry cheesecake and a selection of ice-creams, was cleared away and coffee was being served, William Dagnall rose to his feet. After an opening preamble about being pleased to see everyone, he launched straight into phase one of his plans for setting the hotel back on its feet.

  “The first thing is, we have to work as a team,” he said forcefully. “Every single member of the team is important, whether senior management or part-time employee engaged in menial work.”

  He looked around at everyone, his glance seeming to bore into each pair of eyes that faced him. “Some of you, no doubt, are upset at my seating plan for tonight’s meal. I did it deliberately. Maybe you are sitting next to someone who has worked here for over a year but you have never engaged him or her in conversation before. Well, now’s your chance! By the end of tomorrow, I want every one of you to know everyone else by name and their job description! About a third of you are new to the hotel. It will be a little more difficult for you … but I expect the same standard from you as from the others. Tomorrow, we will be doing some ‘team building’ exercises and you will be placed randomly into ‘work-support’ groups. I will see you all in the main conference room at nine o’clock prompt. That is all for now. The bar will remain closed after dinner is over. I don’t want any thick heads tomorrow … and that includes the bar staff. Enjoy the rest of this evening!” With a curt nod, he sat down again.

  A period of intense silence followed, until, little by little, people recovered their wits and began to express their reactions quietly to each other. Eva noticed a flush of annoyance on Phil Crawleigh’s face. He made a move as though to push back his chair and rise to his feet but a glance at the top table made him sink back again.

  Burt Rawlins grinned openly. “That’ll shake a few!”

  Mrs. Oliver quietly tut-tutted at Eva’s side and a quick glance showed two pink circles glowing on her cheeks. “Well, really!” was all she said.

  Eva stole a glance at Matt, wondering what his reaction would be. Her eyes met his, which threw her for a moment but she held his gaze. His expression was bland to the extreme and she had the sudden realisation that Mr. Dagnall’s words came as no surprise to him.

  Why was that, if his position was identical to hers?

  As the meal ended, Eva realised that a small band had taken their position in the small alcove off the main dining area. Some younger members of staff were clearing away most the tables and a dance floor was being prepared. The music was lively and it wasn’t long before a number of would-be dancers had taken to the floor.

  Eva found herself claimed by Burt before the first tune was over and, for a man of his size, he was quite light on his feet. As soon as he had relinquished his hold on her, someone else claimed her hand. Gratifying though it was to be dancing every dance, she found it difficult to focus her mind. Matt was always somewhere just within her range of vision and, try as she might not to glance his way, her eyes inevitably strayed in his direction.

  He seemed relaxed and looked as though he was thoroughly enjoying making the most of his regained bachelorhood, she couldn’t help reflecting as he claimed the hand of one pretty female after the other. Still, that was none of her business, she sharply reprimanded herself. He could do whatever he pleased … and the best of luck to him!

  A ‘Paul Jones’ was announced partway through a quickstep. Eva would have left the floor but William Dagnall was her present partner.

  “A good way to circulate, don’t you think?” he smiled. “It will give all those shy porters and gardeners a chance to dance with you, Eva. Left to themselves, they wouldn’t dare ask a lovely young woman like you.”

  Eva grimaced. It wasn’t the porters and gardeners she was worried about.

  Three changes of partners later, her fears were justified. Matt seemed to appear from nowhere. He took hold of her hand and swirled her into his arms as the band began to play a waltz.

  “Just like old times,” he murmured into her hair as they executed a fine turn. “Though you are a little tense, Eva. Out of practice, are you?”

  Eva didn’t respond. Her tension wasn’t from lack of dance practice but his nearness! And he probably knew it! His touch and scent revived all her old memories of him. Why did he have to re-enter her life like this? She had thought she had got over their separation and divorce but her mind and body still yearned for him. She didn’t know how she was going to cope with working with him day by day. Maybe she should give back word and leave? No-one could force her to stay.

  “Don’t run away, Eva.”

  “Pardon?” His voice had startled her.

  “Don’t run away.”

  Had her thoughts been visible on her face? It rankled that Matt could still read her thoughts. She thrust back her shoulders and glared at him. “I don’t know what you mean! I got this job on my own merit and I intend to stay!”

  “Good.”

  She was relieved when the time came to change partners again and eventually the evening ended. The lighting in the corridors was already dimmed and she hurried to her apartment without saying goodnight to anyone. She just wanted to be alone to give herself the opportunity to sort out her tumultuous thoughts. Matt Talbot was part of her past … and that was where she wanted him to stay.

  Chapter Three

  Raised voices greeted Eva on her arrival in Reception the following morning. She had risen early, intending to go for a stroll along the cliff tops since the rain of the previous day had ceased for the time being.

  One of the receptionists, Leanne Hart, was standing, hands on hips, scornfully addressing an apologetic and almost tearful Carys.

  “Well, you had no right to stay overnight! You’re only a ‘daily’ and that doesn’t include breakfast! You’ll have to pay for it out of your wages! And get that heap of junk moved from outside the main entrance, will you!”

  “Yes, miss.”

  Carys almost curtsied as she tearfully turned away to scurry out of the front entrance.

  Eva put out a hand to stop her. “Just a minute, Carys.” She turned to Leanne. “What is the matter, Leanne? Is there a problem here?”

  Leanne flung back her hair. “Nothing I can’t deal with! It’s already sorted … or will be as soon as that girl removes her wreck of a bicycle from littering the forecourt!”

  Eva turned to face the tearful girl. “I’m sorry, Carys. That’s my fault! I meant to have one of the lads move it last night but I’m afraid I forgot all about it, what with the Welcome Reception and afterwards. No, leave it, Carys!” as Carys made another move towards the door. “As I said, one of the lads will do it. Now, what’s this about staying overnight? I’m glad that you did. It certainly wasn’t fit weather for a girl to be going home on her own late at night! Did you manage to let your mother know?”

  “Yes, miss. I phoned her, see, once Tricia had said I could share with her. We meant no harm, miss … and I don’t expect any breakfast. A cup of tea will do.”

  “Of course you must have breakfast. I’m sure there is plenty of food in the staff dining room … and don’t worry about paying for it. When you are here late on hotel business, which you were last night, the hotel will arrange either transport home or accommodation. Run along, now and I’ll sort things out here.”

  Carys scuttled away and Eva turned to face a scowling Leanne. “Now, Leanne, do you have a problem with that?”

  “Well, it’s not fair, is it! We’ve been told to tighten up on things like that! Some folk take advantage, see. Mr. Crawleigh will be annoyed if he finds out. And anyway, we never let dailies stay over, especially sharing someone’s room. Nor do we pay for taxies. Cost a fortune, it would!”

  “Then I think that is something to address at our first management meeting, Leanne. There is no way a young girl like Carys, or anyone, for that matter, should have been faced with having to walk home last night!”

  “She’ll have been made aware of her need to provide her own transport at her interview,
” Leanne grumbled defiantly. “Shouldn’t have taken the job if she couldn’t manage it!”

  “Late nights are an exception to general working hours. Now, since you know the outside staff better than I do yet, will you arrange for one of the young men to take Carys’s bicycle around to the rear entrance and we’ll get someone to take a look at it for her?” She smiled brightly, ignoring Leanne’s sullen expression. “Thanks, Leanne. I’ll leave it with you.”

  A glance at her watch showed her that she still had time for a short stroll along the cliffs, so she continued on her way. The sea breeze was refreshing. It blew her hair back off her face and she breathed it in deeply, lifting her face to feel its touch. She could hear the waves pounding against the rocks below and sauntered over to where a wooden rail protected the edge of the cliff top. She leaned her hands upon it, straining to peer over the cliff edge, watching the white spray as it rose into the air after crashing into the base of the cliff. The sea didn’t look as forbidding as it had the previous day and it had lost some of its greyness. The tang of the sea air was refreshing and she breathed it in deeply. She wondered if there was a way down to the beach ... or was the tide always in at this spot?

  As if in answer to her thoughts, the sound of rattling stones took her attention to her left, where she could now see the top of a narrow path winding up the cliff from the rocks below. Had some brave soul been for an early morning dip? Her smile of greeting froze on her face as Matt’s tousled head appeared. He was dressed in a tracksuit, with trainers on his feet. His face glowed from his exertions.

  “Good morning, Eva!” he greeted her. “Still the early bird, I see!”

  “And you!” she countered, trying to keep her composure. She had to get used to speaking to Matt in an as natural a way as possible. “Is there a beach down there?” She took the opportunity to peer over the edge again, thankful to evade the taunting warmth in his eyes. Why couldn’t he be cold and distant like any normal divorced husband? It would be far easier to handle!

  “Yes. It’s only a narrow strip at the moment but wide enough for my morning jog. There’ll be more beach when the tide goes out. You must come down with me one day.” He glanced at her feet. “But wear stronger shoes than those. There are a number of rocks and they are quite slippery.”

  “As bossy as ever, I see!” she said lightly.

  “Only when I need to be!”

  He moved to her side and leaned over the rail with her. “I really am sorry about our paths colliding like this. I don’t want to make things difficult for you. I would bow out gracefully but I don’t want to let Will down. Do you think we can maintain a professional working relationship for a few months?”

  Eva stared out to sea for a few moments before turning to face him. His expression brought a catch to her breath. How could he look so caring after what they had gone through? She steeled herself to answer coolly. “I don’t see why not. It is a lovely place and I don’t want to give up before I have even started. After all, whatever was between us is firmly in the past, isn’t it?” She tossed back her hair. “We have to move on. I can do it, if you can!”

  “Good!”

  Matt beamed his devastating smile at her. It was his smile that had knocked her off her feet their first time around … and was in danger of doing so again if she wasn’t careful. She was startled when Matt took hold of her wrist, his touch electrifying her skin.

  “Time for breakfast,” he smiled, glancing at her watch, seemingly unaware of the effect of his touch. “Still wearing it, I see!”

  It had been his gift to her on their first wedding anniversary. It had never occurred to her not to wear it.

  “Yes. It keeps good time,” she excused herself tightly.

  They turned back towards the hotel. Eva found his close presence disturbing. Working alongside him wouldn’t be as easy as she had made out … but she was determined not to be forced away. Matt’s job was only temporary, he had said. She intended to weather it out.

  Once inside the hotel, they parted company - Matt to go up to his room to change his clothes and Eva to the staff dining room, where the appetising aroma of a traditional cooked breakfast tempted Eva to have more than the bowl of fruit and a hot croissant that was her usual choice of breakfast fare. Her tray laden, she looked around the crowded dining room for an empty seat and spotted one over by the window. A porter and two waitresses occupied the other three seats, conversing animatedly as they ate their toast..

  “Mind if I join you?” she asked with a smile.

  “It’s a free country,” the porter, whom she remembered was called Sean, agreed casually. “We’ve nearly finished anyway.”

  The conversation between the threesome ceased, making Eva fear she had intruded.

  “Is it always this crowded?” she asked, as much for just something to say than to know the answer.

  “No. It’s because we are all in today. Normally we work shifts,” one of the waitresses replied. Her name badge declared her name was Cheryl.

  “Of course.” She should have realised that.

  “And management usually eat in the main dining room,” Donna, the other waitress, supplied.

  “Oh.” No-one had told her that. She smiled ruefully. “Oh, well, not to worry. At least I now know you get good food in here.”

  “It’s not bad. It varies, depending which chef is on duty,” Donna shrugged.

  “And all the Top Brass are here today,” Sean pointed out sagely. “Chef will have been told to impress.”

  Hmm. Maybe that was something that needed to be questioned later? Inferior food for the lower ranks wasn’t on, in Eva’s opinion. She had worked in a number of hotels ... all different— but, on the whole, good food all round improved morale, whilst discrimination caused unnecessary resentment. She preferred to let her staff know they were valued employees.

  Satisfied that her minor slip-up had been of benefit, Eva enjoyed her breakfast. A glance at her watch showed her she just had time to finish her coffee and then make her way to the main conference room. She was eager to begin.

  The morning was filled with a series of initiation rites, all intending to break down barriers between the various ranks and to give plenty of opportunities for everyone to get to know everyone else.

  “To be able to work together, we need to play together!” Will stated at the outset. “We are a team … not rivalling groups. If we know each other’s strengths and weaknesses, we will be able to pull together. I want this hotel to be renowned for its caring staff and its efficiency of work. I will not be content with second best! If anyone is unhappy with that, say so now!”

  No-one did … though a few uneasy glances passed back and forth.

  By lunchtime Eva felt that she more or less knew what everyone’s position was, if not their actual name and, after lunch, they were taken on a tour of the hotel, where each head of department explained the general day-to-day running. After a tea break, they broke up into departmental groups for more detailed instructions. Matt, Eva and Phil, as general managers, met briefly together with Will before being invited to mingle with the other groups.

  Phil was the only one to voice dissent. “Since I have been here for three years and know everyone’s routine, I think time spent in the office would be of more value,” he objected stiffly. “We have a number of guests arriving tomorrow and I need to make sure all preparations are in order.”

  “There are only eleven arrivals due,” Will stated calmly. “I want you to demonstrate your availability to the staff, so we’ll start as we mean to go on.”

  Eva liked his openness and hoped it would continue in his absences. Her first hotel had been small and everyone had known each other well, whereas her last place had been larger with a more remote atmosphere. She found Will’s approach both appealing and challenging.

  Among the outside staff, she found Huw Morgan, their general handyman and he willingly offered to take a look at Carys’s bicycle for her and do whatever was necessary to get it roadworthy aga
in, so that was that problem off her mind.

  They were left to choose their own places for the evening meal. Eva smiled to herself as most people reverted to sitting with others of their own status level. Mrs. Oliver was speaking earnestly to Averil Foster. The two main chefs were also deep in conversation. Habits were hard to change! She glanced around. The only ones to mix freely were the younger waiters, waitresses, chambermaids and porters. Though she also noticed that Leanne was opposite Matt, and Tricia was engaged in lively conversation with Will. Two different personalities, both with an eye on promotion, she guessed.

  Matt glanced up and smiled across at her. Eva wished he hadn’t caught her looking at him. She swiftly moved her glance elsewhere. She didn’t want him thinking she was interested in renewing their relationship. She wasn’t ... though her natural honesty made her pause a while. No, the hurts had gone too deep. She had felt betrayed, cast aside as if of little importance. She didn’t even want to think about what had happened, let alone look for ways to rebuild the broken relationship.

  And, obviously, neither did Matt. If he had cared, he wouldn’t have let three years go by without finding a way to reconcile their differences. He hadn’t even tried to contact her once; not even a letter or a phone call. Even a text would have meant something.

  That was unfair of her, though. She had switched off her phone during the dark days of despair and then had changed her number. In fact, it was her mother who had bought her the latest smart-phone and her new contract.

  “Just to give your new start a boost,” she had told her. “It’s no good looking back, hankering after what might have been. Make a new beginning and go on from there.”

  And so she had ... hesitantly at first—but regaining her confidence as time passed by. All she had to do was get through these next few months working in tandem with Matt, staying cool and detached with her emotions intact. Then he would move on—and she would have the rest of her life in which to develop her career and build a new future ... a future without Matt Talbot! That was what she wanted ... and that was what she would achieve!