by Anna Jane
The following morning Elle was still stewing over her newly acquired neighbour. The more she thought about it, the more she grew annoyed with the fact that he had invaded her territory and also felt he could grab her and kiss her whenever he felt like it. Well, maybe he needed a bit of a lesson when it came to how he could treat her. She was not going to just put up with his games.
Elle decided she would try and ignore him for a bit. Give him a bit of the silent treatment. She would pretend he wasn't there and get on with the rebuild of Sanctuary. Elle busied herself in the front garden, finishing off the flower beds she had been working on. At 8am Mark emerged in his suit and headed down the garden path. 'Good morning Elle!' he called out cheerfully. Elle looked his way and gave him her most glowering stare. He stopped and planted his hands on his hips. 'Still mad eh? Are you seriously not going to talk to me?' Elle ignored him and carried on planting the Cosmos plants she had bought. Mark walked down to the end of his path and over to where Elle was kneeling. 'You can't ignore me forever you know. Sooner or later you're going to have to talk to me. Like it or not, there's something between us neither one of us can ignore. We will talk Elle but I will give you some space until you're ready.
With that, Mark walked off down the path and climbed into his car. He rumbled down the gravel path and then shot off down the road.
Elle released the breath she had been holding. Damn, insufferable man! But what made her more furious was that he was right. There was something between them, she realised that. Try as she might to ignore it though, it was always there. She felt it every time they were in the same room. Some kind of electricity, a magnetic force drawing her to him. She wanted to stay cross with him. For her grandmother's sake. A little voice told her that maybe she should hear him out though. Oh well, he was gone for the day now so she could get on with her plans. She finished planting the final Cosmos and went back inside.
Chapter 8
Elle went to her handbag and searched for the A4 envelope which contained the deeds to 'The Sanctuary' and the keys. She fished out the keys and decided to face her past.
Elle had been almost putting this moment off. She was a little nervous about seeing the inside of The Sanctuary again. She knew it would bring back so many memories and make her think of her beloved Grandmother. She had been just about holding herself together but to be back inside the grand hotel, the place where Elle had first lived with her Grandmother was going to effect her.
Elle was also feeling a little overwhelmed at the project that was ahead of her. In theory it was great, he would restore The Sanctuary back to its former glory. But in practice, how did she actually do that? She had no experience with that kind of thing, had no idea about how to do the work involved. But this was a new chapter of her life she reminded herself. Time for new experiences, learning how to do new things. A little more confident, Elle headed out the front door. Elle wandered over slowly, drinking in the view of the house. It really was magnificent she thought, its large stone structure decorative and attractive. And the backdrop. Well, just stunning. The hotel nestled on the gentle rise of the hill, if you walked another 100 metres down the hill, you were led to a cliff which overlooked the sea. The sea curved around to form a bay, a beautiful, picturesque inlet.
Elle breathed in the fresh sea air. The wind lifted her hair and he shook it away from her face. She really was lucky she thought. Who else could claim this beautiful place as their inheritance?
Elle reached the large, ornate door of The Sanctuary. It was almost twice her height and flanked by two white pillars either side, reminiscent of Ancient Rome. The door was painted a deep maroon red. The paint was peeling and looked in urgent need of a new coat. Elle pushed the large key and heard the tell tale click that told her it had unlocked. Elle pushed the door forward and both doors swung aside.
Elle's breath caught as the magnificent reception area stood before her. She was suddenly thrown back to when she was a child and the first time she had ever stood in this place. Her grandmother had led her in the front door and she had stood, still as a statue, taking in the her new surroundings. From the door, a huge, high ceiling room stood before her, marble floors with more stone pillars standing proudly at the sides. A large desk stood a little way ahead with the reception facilities for guests to check in. behind the desk was the most beautiful staircase Elle had ever seen. The base began at both sides and wound its way up to meet at the middle so a little balcony. The stairs were wide and lined with red carpet. The hand rail were a beautiful wooden design with carvings swirled into the ends. The balcony overlooked reception and the marble expanse that created the front of the hotel. From the balcony the stairs converged on a landing which then led upwards to the first floor. Elle remembered dressing up as a child in her grandmother's gowns, traipsing down those steps pretending she was a princess or a queen or sometimes a fairy godmother. She had had a wild imagination and loved making up stories with herself as the main character.
Elle brought herself back to reality and walked over to the front desk. Nothing stood there now apart from the oak carved wooden desk. It was still beautiful and wouldn't require much to restore it to its former use. Elle pulled the pad and pen from her pocket and made a few notes as to what she would need along the way. She wrote, computer, front desk. This would remind her what she would need to buy.
Elle slowly walked up the stairs on one side, paused at the balcony and looked out at the front of the building. She wrote down painter, electrician. She would employ painters to re-coat the walls and building, it was far too huge a job to conceive of herself. It was a dingy colour too, the lack of light causing shadows. She would need an electrician to check the electrics were safe and secure and to connect it all again. She doubted the electrics had been used for some time.
Elle turned and walked up the next set up steps to the second landing. She then headed left where the rooms began. She opened the door to the first and saw a traditional room with only a double bed base in it. The walls needed a paint and it needed some furniture. The en-suite bathroom still looked as she remembered. It would not need much to restore, its beauty lay in its traditional, old fashioned design. She wrote down, paint rooms, furniture, showers installed? And plumber. She would require a plumber to get the water running again, something she noted was not happening as she turned the tap on and nothing happened. The plumber could also install showers into the various bathrooms, a luxury guests would like she thought. Baths were not always everyone's cup of tea these days, despite how much Elle enjoyed a long, luxurious slumber in a bath. No, there were days when only a shower would do.
Elle walked from room to room. She found it was the same things that would need doing. The rooms needed painting, the painters she employed could do that. They needed some additional furniture, Elle could do that online and get some items delivered. They also needed a little bit of decoration, some paintings, some flowers, some little touches to add a little something extra to them. Maybe the paintings could come from local painters she thought, scenes from around North Wales as the scenery was so beautiful.
The bathrooms would need work doing so she would need to employ several plumbers to get started on upgrading them a little. And the electrician she reminded herself. She had a few phone calls to make.
Elle decided to head on upstairs to the private quarters her grandmother had held at the top of the house. The second floor had originally been the attic. When her grandmother had first run The Sanctuary she had lived and worked in the building. The two houses next door had not existed, they had been built once The Sanctuary had become successful and had yielded a good return.
Her grandmother had turned the attic space into a living room, bedroom and adjoining bathroom. When Elle had arrived, her grandmother had redesigned again so that Elle had a little room, just off the living room. It had been small but cosy and they had lived together very happily. This was their little sanctuary, away from the hustle and bustle of the hotel. Elle had spent hours of happiness
up in her little hideaway. She had imagined herself as Rapunzel, up in her tower and had often put her braided her hair out of the window and hoped for a handsome prince to climb up it and save her.
Elle walked to the end of the corridor then walked through the door which led to their secret staircase. When the hotel had been open, this door had been locked so that guests could not access their little area of the house. Elle found the door open and then climbed the stairs to the top. She opened the door and walked through to their living space. It was empty now, no personal possessions lay there, they had all been moved to the new house when it had been built.
Memories swamped Elle's mind. Her grandmother pottering around the kitchen singing along to her favourite tapes, sitting on her grandmother's bed and talking about her dreams, her friends, asking advice. They had developed such as close bond living here. Their close quarters had fostered it. Elle's need to be loved and protected had been fulfilled by the warmth her grandmother showed her. She was everything to her. When she had first arrived she had been broken, scared, the loss of her parents too much to bear on her small shoulders. Elle's grandmother had welcomed her into her home and even her bed at first, cuddling her until she slept, holding her while she cried. They had shared their grief together, Elle for her parents, her grandmother crying for the daughter she had lost.
They had quickly grown close. They shared a bond through blood and grief. They also shared a friendship. Elle could talk to her grandmother about anything, could share anything with her. When she was scared or hurt, worried or upset, it was her grandmother she would turn to.
Elle looked around once more. This would make a good office for her. She could add a desk and a few other items, maybe add a skylight and it would be a wonderful get away for her. She could use it to do the day to day running of the hotel while the people she would employ took control of the guests. Elle didn't imagine herself at the front of house. No, she wanted to run and manage The Sanctuary but have others working for her, like in the days her grandmother ran the hotel. She wanted to enjoy it from the perspective of a manager, not dealing with the ins and outs of the hotel.
So she wrote on her list, employees-front of house, manager, deputy, waiters/waitresses, cleaners, gardeners and chamber maids.
Elle finished her list and headed back for the stairs. She would head back to the house and start making phone calls to book in the work that needed to be done. Soon, The Sanctuary would be looking as good as new and ready to take its first guests in years. Elle was sure her grandmother would be looking down on her and smiling.
Elle stepped onto the first stair and just as she let her weight onto it she heard a creaking noise which had her looking down just in time to see her foot crushing through the wood. Surprise made Elle jerk and she lost her footing. Unable to stop herself from falling Elle fell against the side of the wall but her stuck foot tugged against her and suddenly she found herself heading head first down the stairs. The stuck foot had released itself under her tugging and Elle toppled and crumpled in a heaped mess over and over and down the stairs. She landed in a mess of limbs at the bottom, a resounding crack echoed through the empty hall as she struck the ground. Elle was stunned and stay where she laid for a moment, pain coursing through her body. As she came too and took stock of what had just happened, she focused in on the incredible pain. She shifted onto one side, as she did so a white light of agony coursed through her body. She screamed loud and high as the pain intensified. She looked down and saw that her arm was looking all wrong. It was misshapen, hanging almost. She cried out again, the pain worse since seeing what she had done. It must be broken she thought wildly. She suddenly felt very scared and frightened. She didn't know what to do, how to help her self. There was no-one around to help her. Elle cried and this did nothing but add to the pain.
Elle sobs were interrupted by someone shouting. 'Elle! Elle! Where are you? Elle!'
It was Mark! Oh thank god it was Mark!
'Mark! Help me! Mark!'
Elle shouted with all her might. She continued to shout his name through her sobs. He came crashing through the door, eyes wild with worry. He took it all in quickly. He looked at her lying on on one side, arm nestled gently against her, her tear streaked face, her scared eyes wide.
'Elle! What's happened?'
'I fell down the stairs Mark. I think I've broken my arm. It hurts Mark, it hurts so bad. You've got to help me.'
Mark needed to hear no more. He moved to crouch alongside her and scooped her into her arms gently. He eased them through the door and down the corridor. He carried her down the steps and out of the front door.
'The key?' Mark enquired.
'In my back pocket,' Elle told him.
Mark shifted her weight in his arms but managed to retrieve the key and lock up The Sanctuary before they left. They got in his car and Mark drove Elle to the closest hospital.
As they drove they spoke. 'I guess this means you're going to have to talk to me again, huh?' Mark said.
'I guess so,' Elle murmured.
'I didn't like it when you ignored me this morning. You've been on my mind all day.' Mark confessed.
Elle was surprised. 'Really?'
'Yes, believe it or not Elle, I like you and never wished to upset you or your grandmother. I want to tell you the full story. That is, if you'll listen.'
Elle was curious if nothing else. She knew little about her grandmother's dealings with Mark except for the few things she had mentioned on the phone. Maybe she should hear him out. He seemed so sincere.
'I'll hear you out Mark. I think I owe you that after you helping me like this.'
Elle breathed deeply, trying to quell the pain. It had become an awful throbbing ache and was hugely swollen. Mark glanced across at her and saw her trying to control the pain coursing through her. She was being very brave. Mark had broken his arm as a boy and remembered the awful pain, the terrifying trip to the hospital, the pain as the doctor reset his arm and put it in a cast.
'Don't worry Elle, we're almost there now. They will give you something for the pain when we get there.'
'That would be good. Thank you for helping me Mark.'
'Its my pleasure,' he smiled and glanced sideways at her, briefly taking his eyes off the road. Their eyes met and his smiled into hers. He looked back at the road and continued. Elle felt the spark of electricity between them and marvelled that it was always there, an undeniable chemistry.
Mark parked in the hospital car park and they rode the lifts to the emergency department. They were given a form to fill out and then had to wait to be seen. Elle waited what seemed an indeterminably long time but eventually she was seen, x-rayed and put into plaster.
As the nurse finished dressing the plaster and arranging her sling she asked, 'I presume you have someone at home tonight with you? You're boyfriend maybe?' she said nodding her head towards Mark.
'He's not my,' Elle began but as immediately interrupted by Mark.
'Yes I am. I will be there for Elle tonight. I can make sure she's okay.'
'Well, just so long as you're not alone tonight. You've had a nasty break and a bump down the stairs. You will need someone to keep an eye on you.' The nurse was determined in her tone. Elle decided to concede.
'Okay, of course. My boyfriend will look after me tonight. Thank you for all that you've done.'
The nurse left and Elle looked over to see Mark grinning at her. 'Not a word,' she warned as he continued looking pleased with himself.
So much for staying away from Mark!
Chapter 9
Mark drove them home. It was dusky. Time had disappeared today. The trip to the hospital had taken up most of the afternoon. Elle yawned, covering her mouth with her good hand. She suddenly felt bone-tired. Mark glanced at her and frowned.
As they pulled up, Elle got herself out and headed towards her house.
'Thanks for helping me today Mark. I really appreciate it,' Elle smiled.
'Where do you think you're
going?' Mark asked.
'I'm going inside. What are you talking about?'
'Elle. This is not where we say goodbye. I'm staying with you this evening whether you like it or not.' Mark's face was set, fierce determination arched across his brows.
'Mark, you are not staying with me this evening. There's no way.' Elle could not have him in her house at night. No way.
'Elle, you have two choices. You either let me come in and make sure you're okay tonight or I drive you back to the hospital now and you can stay there tonight.'
One look at Mark's face told her he was deadly serious. Elle felt too tired to keep fighting and the last thing she wanted was to be anywhere but at home right now.
'Looks like you're joining me then.' Elle turned and walked down her path, admitting defeat. He could come in but he was staying on the sofa.
Elle slumped on the sofa, weary. Mark wondered in looking around curiously but not saying anything. He looked at Elle sat on the sofa and saw how exhausted she was. He was damn well going to look after her tonight whether she liked it or not. He walked into the kitchen and started rifling through the fridge. He came across the ingredients to making an omelette. Mark then diced and chopped onions and mushrooms, grated some cheese and threw it all into a saucepan. He tore up some ham and added that too. While it cooked he sliced some bread and buttered it, placing the heaped slices on a plate. He then got out cutlery and made some drinks for them both.
Elle watched in amazed wonder as Mark easily navigated around her kitchen. He worked quickly but methodically as he cooked for her. He cooked with care and attention to detail. She had no doubt that the meal would be delicious and well presented. He seemed to be a man of many skills.