Hotel By The Loch

by Iris Danbury

  ‘A man named Ian Coleford. He stays at the hotel quite often. I think he lives in Fort William.’

  Laurie and Ian Coleford were engaged in animated conversation, then Laurie laughed, gave her companion a provocative glance before sauntering off towards the lochside.

  lam Coleford! Could he be the go-between, the carrier of information? Fenella remembered how he had asked her when he was leaving after the Spanish fiesta what the next novelty would be and when.

  Alex seemed unaware of Fenella’s absent-mindedness as he walked with her away from the flower show and all its crowds and noise. She was trying to decide on the best course of action. Should she warn Cameron at the earliest moment and let him take up the matter, or was it best for her to find out more details?

  Cameron was nowhere to be seen, but most probably was at the hotel. No doubt Ian Coleford was staying overnight so there would be time to confront him tomorrow.

  There was dancing tonight after nine o’clock in the pavilion adjoining the hotel, but first the flower exhibits would be auctioned off and the villagers would carry home as best they could their enormous begonias in pots, exotic agapanthus, the huge bouquets of dahlias, early chrysanthemums.

  ‘I shall have to look in at the hotel,’ Fenella reminded Alex when they reached the pavilion. ‘I must first check with Jill, one of my colleagues, that all is in order.’

  ‘Nothing to do,’ reported Jill, when Fenella arrived. ‘I’ll be on call for a while.’

  ‘I’ll relieve you at ten o’clock,’ Fenella promised. ‘Is that all right with you? Then you can dance with my partner, Alex McNicol.’

  Jill’s eyes sparkled mischievously. ‘Careful! I might filch him from you and then where would you be?’

  Fenella merely laughed. Jill could not know that the one place where Fenella longed to be was in Cameron’s arms, but that was only a distant paradise dream.

  Before she returned to the pavilion and Alex, Fenella slipped in to see her father.

  ‘I can hear sounds of gaiety afar off,’ he said. ‘No mistake, Cameron’s woken up Trachan village and half the county besides. What on earth did we do before he came, I wonder?’

  Fenella kissed her father. ‘We sat about and enjoyed the quiet peace.’

  ‘So quiet that the young ones couldn’t take it. Why, even Cameron’s grandfather emigrated from these parts to Canada.’

  ‘I know. Now he’s talking about buying land and running a cattle farm. He says it would make the Gairmorlie more independent of dairy and meat supplies if he had his own herd.’

  When Fenella returned to the pavilion, Alex was in conversation with two of his neighbours, farmers like himself. One of the men had a son reputed to be very keen on Laurie, but Fenella sincerely hoped that Laurie would not allow herself to be used as a marriage pawn in bringing about a land merger.

  Miriam was dancing in the pavilion with a man whom Fenella did not know, but later she seemed to have left the dance floor.

  Punctually at ten o’clock Fenella left Alex, telling him that she must take over floor-service duty from Jill.

  ‘What a damned nuisance you girls are!’ he exclaimed. ‘Next time I’ll tangle up with a girl who has a nine-to-five job. I shall know where I am.’

  Fenella slapped him lightly on the arm and hurried away. Perhaps it was a good sign that already Alex was talking about his ‘next girl’.

  On her floor she noticed that a corridor lamp had failed and went into the service still-room to make a note that a new lamp was probably needed. As she came out voices reached her, one unmistakably Miriam’s. Fenella could not dodge back into the still-room, but neither could she avoid seeing that Miriam’s companion was the middle-aged man she had been dancing with.

  ‘Hallo, Fenella!’ greeted Miriam, a cool smile playing round her mouth. ‘I thought you were dancing.’

  ‘I’ve changed duties with Jill,’ replied Fenella.

  The man had turned away and his face was in shadow as he and Miriam moved towards the lift.

  Fenella supposed that Miriam had taken her partner to her sitting room for a quiet chat. She might even have looked in on Jamie who slept in a small bedroom adjoining Miriam’s.

  When she next saw him Jamie displayed to Fenella the stamp album he had won in a lucky dip at the flower show.

  ‘Mr. Cam-Ram says he’ll get me a whole set of Canadian stamps as soon as he can,’ said Jamie.

  ‘Fine. I’ll see what I can do for you when we have letters from abroad. I’ll save all the stamps for you.’

  A day or two later Fenella received a reply from Edinburgh asking her to call as soon as possible, bringing designs with her. They were specially interested in knitwear.

  She sat motionless for a while, the letter in her hand. She was so undecided as to whether she wanted a career in designing. To leave the Gairmorlie would leave behind petty pinpricks, Miriam’s displeasure and her tendency to demote Fenella on every possible occasion. She would also be leaving Cameron, the man for whom her heart longed. He had spoiled her now for other men, not only Alex, for she preferred Cameron’s glowering glances and harsh words to other men’s smiles and flattery.

  She wrote to the knitwear firm that she would prepare some special designs and visit them in about a week or ten days.

  She was off duty during the afternoon and went out into the hotel grounds, gradually now assuming a more mature appearance. Old Angus approached her, his face beaming.

  ‘I’ve something to show ye, Miss Fenella,’ he told her.

  She accompanied him to the kitchen garden at the back of the hotel where he pointed out his new acquisition, a brand-new, modern greenhouse.

  ‘Ah, now I’ll be able to plant more seedlings and grow salad stuff all the winter.’

  ‘How did you get this?’ she queried.

  ‘Mr. Ramsay said that he thought I could be doing with such a thing.’

  ‘A handsome and useful present, Angus. And when it rains you’ll be able to sit inside and smoke your pipe and actually watch things grow.’

  As she re-entered the hotel Fenella was conscious of a warm glow of appreciation towards Cameron for his thoughtfulness, even though a greenhouse was a tangible asset to the hotel as well as an aid to Angus.

  Laurie slipped out of the reception desk and ran towards Fenella.

  ‘Fen dear, could I have a word with you? Let’s go somewhere quiet.’

  ‘My bedroom?’ queried Fenella. ‘Or, better still, my father’s sitting room. He’s out fishing down by the loch.’

  ‘What’s the trouble?’ she asked Laurie, when they were in the room.

  ‘I’ve realized that we’re not going to have the Antiques Fair here,’ began Laurie, ‘and it may be my fault.’

  ‘How?’ asked Fenella.

  Laurie sighed. ‘I didn’t think it was careless talk, but I—er—I told Ian that we were going to have one here.’

  ‘Ian Coleford?’

  Laurie nodded. ‘He seemed interested in all the various innovations going on here. I didn’t think there was any harm, but—’

  ‘But now you’ve realized that he may have passed that information on to someone else and now another hotel will have the Fair instead of us.’

  ‘I’m sure Ian isn’t like that, but I wonder if he just passed it on unwittingly, just for the sake of advertising us.’ Laurie’s face was pink with embarrassment and contrition.

  ‘Has Cameron spoken to you about the cancellation?’

  ‘No, but I think he gathers that there’s been a blabber somewhere.’

  Fenella remained silent.

  ‘What shall I do, Fenella?’ asked Laurie miserably. ‘I don’t want Cameron to think I’m a stupid nitwit who can’t keep the right kind of business secrets.’

  ‘Is this Ian Coleford in the hotel business?’ Fenella queried.

  ‘Oh, no. He works in the municipal offices in Fort William.’

  ‘But he might have friends in hotel management.’ Fenella remained thoughtful for a
few moments. ‘Don’t do anything yet, Laurie. The Fair is off, but do be careful about saying anything of the Gairmorlie’s future plans until Cameron gives you permission. You haven’t told Miriam about this, have you?’

  ‘No. She isn’t really the kind of person you can confide in, is she?’ Laurie wrinkled her nose. ‘I used to think she was so attractive and gentle, but she’s changed.’

  Fenella laughed. ‘I expect we’ve all changed. Hotel life is hard on us.’

  ‘Perhaps that’s why Miriam is so hard,’ pursued Laurie. ‘If she pulls off her scheming with Alex, I’ll have to put up with it, but I shan’t exactly welcome her.’

  Fenella was astounded that even now Laurie did not realize where Miriam’s real intentions lay.

  ‘You think she’s still angling for Alex?’

  ‘Naturally. Oh, Fenella, I wish you’d save him from her clutches. Alex is getting desperate.’

  Fenella thought, But not for me. Miriam was being exceedingly successful in throwing up this smoke-screen.

  ‘Well, I can’t do anything, I’m afraid,’ she said at last. ‘I’m trying for a job with a fashion house in Edinburgh. But don’t tell anyone that,’ she added hastily. ‘They haven’t given me the post yet.’

  Laurie batted her eyelashes. ‘My lips are sealed,’ she said. ‘But I wish there was something I could do to stop Miriam. She plays with Alex as though it’s a game, just to make him keener, I suppose. And he, poor sweet, doesn’t know whether he’s coming or going.’

  ‘You don’t think that she’s changed her mind and now pushed her claws into Cameron?’ suggested Fenella casually.

  Laurie’s blue eyes widened. ‘Oh, no. That’s just part of the game. Trying to play off Cameron against Alex.’

  Fenella gave an inward sigh. What was the use? Any further probing would be too cruel to Laurie, yet Fenella could not resist one last question. ‘And what game are you playing? And with whom?’

  Laurie laughed with a delighted chuckle. ‘I’ve been warned not to talk. Why should I tell you my secrets? But thanks, Fenella, for the advice.’ As she reached the door, she turned back to say, ‘And don’t be in too much of a hurry to whizz off to Edinburgh. You never know what Trachan might offer.’

  Fenella smiled when Laurie had gone. Trachan could hardly offer a fashion-house whose products were exported all over the world as superb examples of Scottish industry.

  Fenella returned to her duties after tea and was surprised when Jill, her colleague, said, ‘Mr. Ramsay would like to see you in his office.’

  ‘Thank you.’ Fenella hoped that he hadn’t found out about Laurie’s loose chatter.

  Miriam was also present in Cameron’s office and Fenella shivered slightly with foreboding.

  ‘Fenella, I’ll come straight to the point. You remember that I spoke about leakages of information? The Continental week-ends, the Antiques Fair?’

  ‘Yes, of course,’ agreed Fenella.

  ‘Have you formed any opinion how they could have happened?’

  ‘No.’

  Cameron consulted a slip of paper in front of him. ‘A certain Mr. Coleford has stayed here on various dates. You know him?’

  ‘Oh, yes.’

  ‘Is he a friend of yours?’ continued Cameron.

  By now Fenella was resenting this catechism, particularly in the presence of Miriam. ‘Not a friend, exactly. Just a frequent visitor to the hotel.’

  ‘Oh, come, Fenella! A little more than that, surely.’ Miriam spoke for the first time. ‘I’ve seen you with him quite a number of times. He was here for the Spanish fiesta and I heard him asking you when the next excitement was to be.’

  ‘My answer was that I didn’t know,’ replied Fenella calmly.

  Miriam smiled. ‘He gave you a very handsome tip for not knowing.’

  Cameron’s head jerked up and Fenella met his glance.

  ‘Is this true?’

  Fenella’s face was fiery. ‘It’s true that he gave me a pound note and I didn’t know what to do with it.’

  ‘But, Fenella, you know my views on tipping.’ Cameron’s voice had become harder.

  ‘Of course, but—’

  ‘It’s surely rather strange that Mr. Coleford is here so frequently and comes to all the novelties,’ commented Miriam.

  ‘Other people come here regularly, too,’ protested Fenella.

  ‘But on the night of the Flower Show, the Saturday, he was also with you on your floor, although his room was on a different one. You know how stringent are the rules about the staff chattering to men on the bedroom floors.’

  Fenella’s colour left her cheeks. How dared Miriam stand there making these vile accusations when she herself had been seen by Fenella in the company of a man whom apparently she had entertained in her own sitting room?

  Yet counter-accusations would do her no good, Fenella was sure. ‘Mr. Coleford was not with me at any time during the Flower Show. He was with Laurie.’

  But that, too, was the wrong thing to say, for Cameron glanced squarely at Fenella who blushed. She ought not to have involved Laurie, for now it might all come out that Laurie had talked to Ian Coleford, even though innocently.

  ‘It seems that we must make discreet enquiries about Mr. Coleford,’ said Cameron slowly, ‘but I don’t want either of you to approach him direct.’

  ‘That is perfectly understood,’ replied Miriam smoothly.

  ‘Cameron—’ began Fenella, ‘or perhaps it might be better to address you as Mr. Ramsay, I shall hand in my resignation now. I shall be glad to leave the hotel as soon as it is convenient for you.’ She had recovered some of her poise and her voice was firm and controlled, even icy.

  Miriam’s dark eyes glittered and the smile on her face was triumphant. ‘But why the hurry? Where will you go?’

  ‘I haven’t suggested that I’m in a hurry,’ Fenella snapped. ‘In your eyes that might prove me guilty of a dozen crimes. But I have a job waiting for me and where I go is now my business. May I leave now, Mr. Ramsay, or have you any further questions?’

  Cameron shook his head. His face was downcast over the papers on his desk.

  Fenella gave him a last glance and felt contemptuous that he had allowed himself to be so spineless that he accepted Miriam’s word without question. After she was outside the room it occurred to her that he might be inordinately jealous of Ian Coleford over Laurie.

  Oh, why couldn’t he be man enough to decide whether he wanted Miriam or Laurie?

  Most evenings Fenella and her father enjoyed a pot of coffee together in his rooms and chatted over the day’s events, but tonight she had no heart for cosy chatter. Equally she did not want to reveal to him the unhappy state of affairs that existed between her, Cameron and Miriam.

  As soon as she had finished her duty, giving a last check to the service room on her floor, seeing that the chambermaids had prepared their trays of early morning tea, that the list of room breakfasts was in place, the rooms that would be vacated tomorrow and would need fresh linen, Fenella initialled the lists, for she had a day off tomorrow and Jill would take over.

  Fenella walked along the corridor and almost immediately Miriam appeared from the foot of the staircase near the service lift.

  Fenella would have passed without speaking, but Miriam almost barred her way and said, ‘How foolish of you to run away! Resigning so hastily only worsens your position.’ ‘Miriam, you’ve done your best to drive me away from here right from the time I came home when my father was ill. Now that you’ve succeeded in getting rid of me, don’t try to play the hypocrite.’

  ‘Really, Fenella, you use the strangest words. I’ve never had anything but the kindest feelings for you, because I know what a difficult position it’s been for you here.’

  ‘It won’t be difficult much longer,’ retorted Fenella. ‘In a way you’re my superior in the house and I’m sorry if I sound rude or insolent, but it isn’t much good reporting me now. For one moment perhaps we can go back to our old relationship when y
ou worked for my father. Then I regarded you as my friend. But now you’ve become a wrecker. You like destroying friendships between people.’

  ‘What have I destroyed?’ demanded Miriam in a furious, low tone.

  ‘Alex, for one. You played hard to get, when I wasn’t here, and now you’ve no use for him. You’ve deceived Laurie.’

  ‘And what have I wrecked for you?’ Miriam asked.

  When Fenella did not immediately answer, Miriam continued, ‘I’ve probably saved you from a loveless marriage. I personally think you’re a fool not to marry Alex, but if you don’t love him, that’s your affair, but don’t blame me for spoiling the relationship between you two.’ After a moment’s pause, she went on, ‘You’re not suggesting that I’ve ruined matters between you and Cameron, are you? I can’t ruin what was never there.’

  Fenella felt defeated by the other woman’s merciless logic. She could not find words to make any adequate answer and she ran downstairs and out of the hotel staff entrance.

  She crossed the road towards the loch shore. The long northern twilight had not yet given place to night and in the west a pink sunset glow remained, with grey and mauve streaks of cloud. Pines on the far side silhouetted against the light were reflected faithfully in the still blue-black water. She had purposely walked in the opposite direction from the marquee and outdoor cafe, away from people.

  Miriam was entirely right. There had never been anything to ruin between Cameron and Fenella. All the craving for his company, his tenderness, his love, had been on her side. She had started the acquaintanceship by disliking him and made no bones about it. Cameron could scarcely be blamed if he chose to look elsewhere for something warmer than active dislike.

  Fenella sat down on the rough, dry grass. How had she come to be so caught up in a net of her own making?

  When she returned to the hotel the time was much later than she had imagined and the night porter had to let her in.

  ‘Got your late pass, miss?’ he asked jocularly, well knowing that she was a privileged Sutherland.

  ‘I’ll find it for you in the morning,’ she replied in the same vein.

  She found sleep impossible and rose very early, showered and dressed and went out in her small car, driving at a moderate pace to allow the changing scene and contours of her own district to give her the peace of mind that had deserted her.