The Hawkshead Hostage Read Online Free Page B

she knew she could have gone higher. After all, they charged their guests a hundred and fifty a night. Anyone staying a whole week was already more than paying for the flowers. ‘Now, let’s give you a guided tour.’
    Again, he trotted ahead of her, skirting around the side of the main building and in through the front entrance. They paused on the spot where Simmy had already mentally planned her welcoming exhibit, and then progressed to the lounge where a scattering of guests were on sofas drinking tea. Simmy recognisedonly one of them – the tall man with the straw hat and a rather appealing beard. ‘Afternoon, Mr Ferguson,’ Dan addressed him with a smile. ‘Had a good day?’
    The man nodded coolly and turned a page of his newspaper. Dan showed no sign of offence, but returned to his quiet discussion with Simmy. Again a subtle scent was decided upon, with colours in a very discreet and muted palette. The dining room was inspected, and a position next to the sideboard selected as the best place for flowers. These could be more dramatically cheerful, encouraging diners to take a risk with their fish.
    The solar was a fabulous upstairs space, full of light and height. ‘Tall spiky things,’ said Simmy. ‘Fanned out in the shape of a rising sun. Oranges and yellows.’ She was transported by the opportunity the job was creating for her. ‘Which I’d vary, of course. It would never be the same two weeks running. But still along that sort of line.’
    ‘Excellent,’ said Dan Yates. ‘That’s all good, then. Can you start this week?’
    ‘Friday?’
    He pouted teasingly. ‘Is tomorrow too soon, then?’
    ‘Well, yes, it is, really. I need to order everything, and …’ she stopped, fully aware that if she put the order in that evening the flowers would arrive next morning, with nothing to stop her from coming back and arranging them in the middle of the day. Was it not a deplorable laziness that made her pause? ‘I suppose it would be possible. Will you supply the pots, or should I?’
    ‘We’ve got a whole lot in a pantry at the back. I’ll show you.’
    ‘Good.’
    ‘The thing is, we’ve got people coming on Wednesday, who we’d rather like to impress. Americans. A little bird has whispered that they might be rather useful to us, with reviews and all that. Even if you just did the foyer and the solar, that would be a big help. Then come back on Friday for the full monty.’
    They were descending the stairs, emerging into the corridor that Simmy had found nearly an hour earlier. Standing there, waiting for the stairs to be clear, was the couple who had reacted badly to the sounds of the hunt for Gentian. It occurred to Simmy that they might occupy a ground-floor room, perhaps accessed through one of the doors at the end of the corridor? She gave herself a mental shake. Too much contact with Ben Harkness, she chided. Always trying to read clues and make deductions, was Ben. She had hoped the habit wasn’t catching, but apparently it was. There was no imaginable relevance to the location of guest rooms.
    ‘Hello there,’ said Dan heartily. ‘Mr and Mrs Lillywhite,’ he introduced them to Simmy. ‘This lady is going to be supplying us with flowers,’ he explained.
    The woman smiled tightly, and the man merely inclined his head. ‘The lost child is restored then,’ he said. ‘No more panic.’
    ‘There was never any panic, sir,’ said Dan. ‘But her mother was understandably alarmed. I’m sorry if you found it disturbing.’
    ‘It was right outside our window,’ the man went on, the rumble of discontent hard to ignore.
    ‘My apologies,’ repeated Dan. ‘I can assure you it won’t happen again. As a gesture, permit me to offer youa complimentary aperitif before dinner. I’ll give Charles a note now, to be sure it won’t be overlooked.’
    Simmy thought that Mr Lillywhite might also benefit from a moustache. He could have bristled it and harumphed at being wrong-footed so effortlessly.