said.
“It’s basically several small courses that
give you a sample of some of the most popular items on the restaurant’s menu. We’re hoping you’ll want to come back to
dine here again and again while you’re staying with us,” Mai told them.
“If the rest of the food is as good as the
starters, we’ll definitely be back,” Doona told her.
“Mai, where have you gone?” a loud voice shouted
from the kitchen doorway.
“Oh, please excuse me,” the girl said, blushing. “Duty calls.”
“I wonder who that is,” Bessie murmured as
they watched Mai join the man in the doorway. He looked to be somewhere in his
fifties, with short grey hair. He
was fit and trim and wearing an immaculate suit that Bessie was certain had
been very expensive.
“That’s Lawrence Jenkins,” a voice from
Bessie’s left said.
The two women looked at the man who had
joined them. He was tall, with
brown hair and eyes. To Bessie he
looked no more than forty and his smile lit up his entire face.
“Should I recognise the name?” Bessie asked.
The man laughed lightly. “Oh, goodness no,” he exclaimed. “He’s a business colleague of some sort
to our illustrious leader, Charles Adams. I’m not sure exactly what his connection with Lakeview is, but he seems
to be quite happy to give orders to the staff.”
“I didn’t know Charles’s surname was Adams,”
Bessie said, trying to process too much information too quickly.
“I kept my maiden name,” Doona said
quietly. “Anyway, I don’t believe
we’ve met,” she said to the man who was listening intently to their
conversation.
“I’m Harold Butler,” the man said, bowing
deeply. “I’m, well, I’m the
assistant general manager or something like that. Titles don’t really interest me. Let’s just say that if you need anything
while you’re here, I’m happy to help, shall we?”
“That’s very kind of you,” Bessie said.
“Keeping guests happy is the best part of my
job,” he replied. “Really, if I can
help, just ring me.”
He handed them each a business card. “My mobile number is on the card,” he
said. “You can reach me any time.”
Before the women could reply, he was looking
past them. “Must dash,” he said
apologetically. “But do ring me if
you need anything.”
He was swallowed up by the
growing crowd before Bessie and Doona could reply.
“He seemed very nice,” Bessie remarked.
“Don’t be fooled by appearances,” a voice
hissed from behind her.
Bessie spun around, beginning to feel
disoriented by all the people who kept interupting their conversations.
Again, it was Mai Stratton who was smiling
at her. “Harold is very nice,” she
said. “But he’s not a fan of
Charles Adams. Just be careful what
you say around him.”
“Why doesn’t he like Charles?” Bessie had to
ask.
“Harold was our general manager until about three
or four months ago,” Mai said, keeping her voice low. She glanced around before she
continued. “Charles just turned up
one day with orders from central office to take over. No one seems to know why.”
“Poor Harold,” Bessie said. “Was he a good general manager?”
Mai shrugged. “He was doing okay,” she said. “But he’s really too nice to do the
job. He wants everyone to like him,
but a lot of the staff took advantage of that. Charles is better at keeping everyone in
line.”
A sudden buzzing noise startled Bessie. “What was that?”
“Time for dinner,” Mai said loudly and
brightly. “Come on.”
Bessie looked at the tables as she followed
Mai. They were all set with linen
tablecloths covered with what looked like expensive flatware and glasses. Crystal
chandeliers sparkled above them.
“You two are over here,” Mai told them, showing
them to a small table for two in a quiet corner. “Enjoy your meal.”
Doona picked up the small card that was
leaning against her
“It’s basically several small courses that
give you a sample of some of the most popular items on the restaurant’s menu. We’re hoping you’ll want to come back to
dine here again and again while you’re staying with us,” Mai told them.
“If the rest of the food is as good as the
starters, we’ll definitely be back,” Doona told her.
“Mai, where have you gone?” a loud voice shouted
from the kitchen doorway.
“Oh, please excuse me,” the girl said, blushing. “Duty calls.”
“I wonder who that is,” Bessie murmured as
they watched Mai join the man in the doorway. He looked to be somewhere in his
fifties, with short grey hair. He
was fit and trim and wearing an immaculate suit that Bessie was certain had
been very expensive.
“That’s Lawrence Jenkins,” a voice from
Bessie’s left said.
The two women looked at the man who had
joined them. He was tall, with
brown hair and eyes. To Bessie he
looked no more than forty and his smile lit up his entire face.
“Should I recognise the name?” Bessie asked.
The man laughed lightly. “Oh, goodness no,” he exclaimed. “He’s a business colleague of some sort
to our illustrious leader, Charles Adams. I’m not sure exactly what his connection with Lakeview is, but he seems
to be quite happy to give orders to the staff.”
“I didn’t know Charles’s surname was Adams,”
Bessie said, trying to process too much information too quickly.
“I kept my maiden name,” Doona said
quietly. “Anyway, I don’t believe
we’ve met,” she said to the man who was listening intently to their
conversation.
“I’m Harold Butler,” the man said, bowing
deeply. “I’m, well, I’m the
assistant general manager or something like that. Titles don’t really interest me. Let’s just say that if you need anything
while you’re here, I’m happy to help, shall we?”
“That’s very kind of you,” Bessie said.
“Keeping guests happy is the best part of my
job,” he replied. “Really, if I can
help, just ring me.”
He handed them each a business card. “My mobile number is on the card,” he
said. “You can reach me any time.”
Before the women could reply, he was looking
past them. “Must dash,” he said
apologetically. “But do ring me if
you need anything.”
He was swallowed up by the
growing crowd before Bessie and Doona could reply.
“He seemed very nice,” Bessie remarked.
“Don’t be fooled by appearances,” a voice
hissed from behind her.
Bessie spun around, beginning to feel
disoriented by all the people who kept interupting their conversations.
Again, it was Mai Stratton who was smiling
at her. “Harold is very nice,” she
said. “But he’s not a fan of
Charles Adams. Just be careful what
you say around him.”
“Why doesn’t he like Charles?” Bessie had to
ask.
“Harold was our general manager until about three
or four months ago,” Mai said, keeping her voice low. She glanced around before she
continued. “Charles just turned up
one day with orders from central office to take over. No one seems to know why.”
“Poor Harold,” Bessie said. “Was he a good general manager?”
Mai shrugged. “He was doing okay,” she said. “But he’s really too nice to do the
job. He wants everyone to like him,
but a lot of the staff took advantage of that. Charles is better at keeping everyone in
line.”
A sudden buzzing noise startled Bessie. “What was that?”
“Time for dinner,” Mai said loudly and
brightly. “Come on.”
Bessie looked at the tables as she followed
Mai. They were all set with linen
tablecloths covered with what looked like expensive flatware and glasses. Crystal
chandeliers sparkled above them.
“You two are over here,” Mai told them, showing
them to a small table for two in a quiet corner. “Enjoy your meal.”
Doona picked up the small card that was
leaning against her
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