by Anna Hartman
“So are you happy with what we’ve done?”
“Very happy, now show me the kitchen”
The kitchen was a proper cooks kitchen with a lot of workspace and a six ring stove.
It was beautiful and homely.
On the island there was two champagne flutes and an envelope addressed to Lady Langley leaning on them.
Sylvia opened it and and the card inside said.
Dear Lady Langley,
welcome to your new home. I hope you will be very happy here. I have left something to fill these glasses and toast the house with in the fridge. I hope you’ll show me around the house once you have settled in, I’d love to see what you’ve done with it.
Kind Regards,
Brockley Graham
“Oh that’s very thoughtful of him” she said as she walked to the fridge and pulled the door open. There as a bottle of 1985 vintage Ruinart.
“Well I definitely think we should toast this wonderful house. Chris, would you care to join me for a glass of champagne?”
“I’m sure the bottle was meant for you and Rosalind”
“Well, most definitely for me and I can’t think of anybody I’d rather drink this with than the man who gave me this fairytale cottage with all mod cons”
“Well, if you insist” He took the bottle from her and popped the cork.
“Cheers, I hope you will be happy here”
“Something tells me I will”
The following week Lady Langley moved into the cottage. Sylvia realised she had kept way too many things from Langley house. There wasn’t much room in the cottage and the imposing antique furniture didn’t go with the simplicity of the house, so she offered the stuff she didn’t have any room for to Brockley and he suggested she’d put it up for auction. Rosalind was mainly staying in London with Abigail now, as she was working in an art gallery whilst waiting to join the BG hotels team to work on Langley house. She did occasionally participate in planning meetings and was briefed on all the plans weekly. So her room in the cottage was merely a bed, a desk and a wardrobe, she had left it to her mother to decorate and choose the furniture.
By Christmas the cottage was complete, and Sylvia was in her element cooking, baking and decorating for the festive season. Even with all the staff at Langley house she has always wanted to be very hands on when it came to Christmas, her favourite time of the year. There were candles everywhere, a beautiful handmade wreath on the door, fairy lights in the garden and for Christmas Eve she had invited many old friends and some new ones like Chris and Brockley for drinks. To her surprise everybody she had invited turned up. Some just to show support but many probably satisfy the curiousness on Lady Langley was coping with the big change in her life. None of them expected to see her absolutely thriving.
CHAPTER 6
The works on the main house started straight after new year.
Rosalind had been vaguely involved in the plans, mainly as an advisory and giving the design team tours of the house, showing them the secret passageways and other quirky details that only somebody who have lived there all of her life would know about. Now that the works had started, she got more involved, and to her surprise Rosalind really enjoyed working with the design team and architects. They listened to her and respected her views, even if they didn’t always agree or think that Rosalind’s ideas would work they took the time to explain why.
Rosalind spent many happy hours by the big kitchen table poring over the plans with Sally the design assistant, and then walked around the building site wearing a hard hat. Brockley Graham visited the site every two weeks and had a meeting with the site manager and the design team, in the beginning Rosalind always made herself scarce, to avoid bumping into him. But as her involvement in the project grew, Charlie the magnificently talented design manager insisted that Rosalind joined the meetings and presented some of her ideas in front of Brockley. Although she still didn’t like him, at least she had a little more respect for him realising how much effort he was putting in this project and that he wasn’t counting pennies, but spending what it took to retain the character of the house.
Charlie told Brockley that Rosalind Langley was going to present an idea at the meeting. Brockley wasn’t looking forward to having put Rosalind Langley down in front of everybody, although the feedback about her had been hugely positive, he still thought the team were just trying to humour her. But according to Charlie, whom he thoroughly trusted and respected, Rosalind was keen to learn, had good ideas and a great eye for style, he still assumed Charlie was just being kind to the poor little rich girl who had pretty much lost the life she’d known.
They started the meeting like they always did, by everybody giving an update on the status and how their work was progressing. And then it was time to share plans for the coming weeks and finally some new ideas, so Charlie invited Rosalind to present her idea about using the four turrets to create special split level tower suits, they would be smaller than the grand suites planned for the second floor but they would offer fantastic views and a special experience. She believed that with slightly less expensive as the real suites they would become very popular especially with aht honeymooners and other couple on romantic mini breaks. The décor would be different in each, they would be the red tower, white tower, green tower and blue tower, Red would be decadent and sexy, white romantic but elegant, green fresh and contemporary and quite masculine and blue calm and quiet, the one overlooking the lake.
She also suggested the renovation of the old beach huts by the lake to create a mini beach resort. The lake had lovely clear water and was perfect for swimming, boating and all sorts of summer fun.
Brockley was surprised, he really hadn’t expected her to come up with anything half decent but her ideas were actually very good and easily doable without huge investment of time nor money.
“Great, Rosalind why don’t you and Sally work on the design drafts for our next meeting and get a budget together. Charlie will obviously oversee everything and then we’ll see if we can go ahead with this. Good work everybody thank you, Rosalind could you stay behind for a few minutes please”
Everybody left the room and Rosalind stayed on the edge of her seat feeling nervous and out of place. Despite his good reaction at the meeting, maybe she had overstep her mark and annoyed him.
“Rosalind, I hear a lot of good things about you. Apparently you work hard, learn quickly and have a natural talent for this. I just wanted to say thank you for being so gracious about all of it, it must be hard seeing your childhood home being made into a hotel”
“Thank you Mr Graham, I have actually really enjoyed the process and to be honest, as much as I love this house it was in need of a lot of TLC, otherwise it would have just deteriorated beyond repair. I can see you and your team respect the history of the estate. That makes me happy and I think my father would approve too.”
“Good, I’m glad to hear your are pleased. How is your mother settling in to the cottage?”
“A lot better than anybody expected, she is actually thriving. I haven’t seen her this happy and lively for a long time, maybe never.”
“Do you think she’d be ok if I paid her a visit?”
“Sure, let me ring her ahead”
Lady Langley was more than happy to have Mr Graham visit her, she was so proud of her new home and wanted to show it to everybody. For the first time in her life she’d had full reign of her home, she had decided every single detail form the handles of the kitchen cupboards to the bathroom tiles. As before she had been restricted by the immensity of the stately homes she’d lived in with the opportunity to only decorate her own private rooms.
She brushed her hair, applied some lipstick and took off the housecoat she wore over her clothes when she was alone. Underneath she wore simple designer jeans and cashmere jumper. Brockley’s car pulled outside.
She greeted him warmly.
“Thank you so much for my house Mr Graham”
“You are very welcome, I
hear you are enjoying living here?”
“Absolutely, I love it, I never thought I’d get used to living in a small cottage after spending my life in 30+ rooms but it has been fantastic, I feel free and liberated. And the first time ever, like I’m in control. Come on in and I’ll show you what I’ve done”
Brockley followed her through the small porch to the light and airy lounge. It was clear that lady Langley had excellent taste but also that she really didn’t belong in a dusty old manor surrounded by antiques. She had only taken her personal possessions from the house and a few pieces of artwork she and her late husband had chosen together. The house was simple, fresh and elegant and she seemed 20 years younger in it.
“Wow, I love it! I don’t think my design team could have created such a homely but elegant space, no matter how hard they’d tried. If you ever want a job, please contact me before you speak to anybody else”
Lady Langley laughed.
“I’ll keep that in mind. But actually your design team were very good in helping me to pull my ideas together. Would you like some tea? I’ve got some freshly baked scones”
He waited in the lounge while she went to the kitchen to make the tea. He spent time browsing her bookshelves and some of the family photos dotted around the rooms.
He couldn’t believe the she had baked the scones herself.
“So you don’t have a chef or a housekeeper at least?”
“No, I thought I’d need staff but actually I have a lady from the village cleaning for me twice a week but apart from that I do most of it myself, it’s fun and for once I feel like I have a purpose. Had I realised how much more fun life like this is than being the lady of the manor I would have talked my husband into this years ago. But Mr Graham I’m pleased you came by as I actually wanted to talk to you about something. Could I ask your advice about business”
“Of course, would you like me to recommend a financial advisor for you to help you invest the money?”
“No thanks, at least not right now. Instead I would like to know how to start a business. I would like to start selling Lady Langley’s biscuits. Elegantly packaged luxury biscuits and then maybe grow into home ware and even coffee shops later”
“Wow, well having tasted the scones I believe you definitely know what you are doing and I can promise you that once you get going, the Langley manor hotel will be your first customer”
They chatted for a good hour, Brockley giving her some advice and promised to put her in touch with his business manager to help her get started.
He just couldn’t figure out how such a charming and warm woman had such a pit bull as a daughter.
After Rosalind saw Brockley’s car leave she returned to her mother’s cottage. For some reason she kept calling it her mother’s cottage and not her home, although it was lovely and her mother had turned it into an elegant home and she seemed to thrive in there, like she had suddenly been relieved from hundreds of years of obligations. She had decorated it for Christmas, invited all her friends over for afternoon teas and even started to make business plans herself. But still Rosalind felt a bit restless and homeless. The bedroom she was sleeping in was quite bare and she felt like a visitor in this house.
She walked in her clothes and hair dusty, exhausted and hungry.
“Darling, I’ll have some tea ready for you in a moment, go and have a shower you look hideous” Her mother said, not unkindly but quite honestly.
Rosalind walked upstairs and after having showered and washed her hair she came back downstairs dressed in grey yoga pants and a hoodie.
“Brockley Graham came to see me today. Such a charming man”
“Yes I know that he came to see you I called to pre warn you after all. But I don’t find him particularly charming”
Lady Langley smiled knowingly. She knew her daughter’s taste in men and Brockley Graham was perfect.
“I’m sure you’ll come around. I talked potential business with him and he was ever so helpful”
Rosalind rolled her eyes and tucked into her soup, she was starving.
CHAPTER 7
By the time Langley house started to be ready Brockley brought in his events and marketing team, there was going to be a grand opening on New Year's Eve. The room prices started at £350 including a gala dinner or local people could just buy tables for the gala itself for £2000. There was going to be a seven course dinner, a tour of the house, dancing to a big band until the early hours and fireworks over the lake at midnight.
The hotel was already fully booked before it was even ready. And there was a waiting list for the rooms, this really would be the event of the year.
Rosalind decided this was the perfect time to test how true to his word Brockley was.
“So that suite that will always be for my family to use, which one is it on New Year’s eve?” She asked with a raised eyebrow.
Brockley didn’t even bat an eyelid and responded.
“I suggest you take the Blue Tower suite, it has the best views of the fireworks but it is far enough from the ballroom so you won’t get disturbed if you want to retire early”
“Oh, well sounds great. I was thinking of something bigger though but I suppose that will do for now.” In fact she had planned to stay at the cottage with her mother and had fully expected to catch Brockley off guard and was annoyed that she failed to do so.
Brockley was annoyed too, that silly little girl. Like he didn’t know the game she was playing. He had planned to stay at the tower suite himself with his date, but he could sleep on the sofa in the office if he had to, he’d just order a car and send his date home after the party, he’d just tell her he would be on duty all night and hence not very good company.
The great gala night arrived, Rosalind who had originally planned to stay at the cottage with her mother couldn’t go back on her scheming so she stayed in the suite, her mother refused to join her as she invited friends over to the cottage for drinks before the party.
Rosalind was part of the team planning the decorations for the night and on the day of the party had to supervise the tables being set, as each table had a different centrepiece and they needed to be in a carefully planned order. So by the time she finished she only had about 45 minutes to get ready.
Rosalind climbed up the stairs to her suite and found a bottle of champagne in a cooler waiting for her with compliments from Brockley. Rosalind popped the cork and poured herself a glass. She had to admit that whatever else she thought of Brockley Graham, he had great manners and seemed to be as good as his word.
She had a speedy shower put on the fluffy dressing gown and then sat down to apply her make up. Normally she would go for the classic look she wanted to look particularly sexy and sophisticated with a hint of red carpet glamour thrown in tonight. Smokey eyes and pale lips and careful contouring to create a sculpted look. She unzipped the garment bag hanging from the wardrobe door and pulled her shimmering silver dress out of it. Again it was one of her own designs but this time having been sewn by a seamstress. The dress was inspired by the golden age of Hollywood, a slinky silver gown that hugged her body like a second skin, low cut on the back with the bias cut skirt swishing around her legs as she moved. It was something Ginger Rogers would have felt at home in. Glamorous, elegant and very very sexy. She had her hair falling in loose curls down her shoulders and as she had her last sip of champagne she had to admit she felt pretty good.
Rosalind was excited and happy with what they have done with the manor, not to mention proud of her own contribution to it.
At five minutes to eight she walked down the sweeping staircase to meet her mother and her friends. She couldn’t help but remember the last time she had walked down these stairs in an evening dress just a mere 18 months previously. How different things had been back then.
By the reception she saw Brockley posing for pictures with his date, a busty and glamorous soup start. Rosalind tried to ignore the feeling but felt a pang of jealousy, how she wished she’d been his d
ate tonight, but she had to admit that he probably had never even noticed her as anything else than a member of the family who owned this magnificent house and even if he had, she’d treated him so badly she’d put him off.
She joined her mother’s table and the night was a whirlwind of champagne, dancing, people congratulating her for the successful project. She enjoyed the 7 course dinner and danced all night, but at midnight she found herself alone on the upstairs balcony.
She heard the door open behind her and then a familiar voice
“Mind if I join you” Brockley said
Rosalind could feel his voice trickle down her spine making her knees go weak and melting her core. She was happy that it was so dark he couldn’t see the her cheeks flushing.
“No, go ahead, I thought the view would be best up here and I really wanted to take a moment just to reflect on the past 18 months”
“Likewise” Brockley smiled and continued softly “You did good Rosalind, your father would be so proud of you and I must say, that if you don’t want to pursue your fashion dream there is a job for you at BG hotels. We were all so impressed with your knowledge, sense of style and ability to see the big picture. This hotel would be beautiful even if you had not been involved but it wouldn’t be as special as it is now”
Rosalind blushed even more.
“Thank you Brockley, that means a lot. And maybe I’ll take you up on your offer.”
Just then the fireworks started and they both watched quietly as the beautiful display lit up the grounds and reflected on the lake. It was magnificent.
Rosalind shivered, she had planned to pick up a shawl from her suite but never quite made it, and the December night was quite bitter. She wrapped her arms around herself.
Without saying anything Brockley took off his dinner jacket and placed it on her shoulders, leaving his arm linger around her shoulder for a lot longer than necessary, and she didn’t shake it off but pressed her body closer to his for warmth.