All Change at the Beach Hotel by Francesca Capaldi

Author:Francesca Capaldi
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Hera Books
Published: 2023-09-15T00:00:00+00:00

* * *

Although the sun was still shining that afternoon, the air was a little cooler than Lili had anticipated. She wrapped her shawl more tightly around herself as she and Edie walked across the common to the promenade.

The beach was virtually empty, though the prom had a few people walking along its length: couples; women alone; and a few families. A girl ran past pushing a hoop with a stick, as her mother called for her not to go too far. Lili looked out to sea, enjoying the glint of the sun on the water. The rhythmic rumble of the waves washing onto the shore was soothing. She and Edie had talked only of the goings on in the hotel so far and the conversation between Bygrove and the officers.

‘I don’t suppose you know exactly where Charlie and the others are going,’ said Lili.

‘No.’ Edie looked down at the ground. ‘Just France, is what he said.’

‘I’m sorry, we don’t have to talk about it.’

‘No, I need to talk, instead of having it going around and around in my head. I dare say Freddie and Daniel will also write to say they’ve gone, eventually. Hopefully, Freddie has written to Lucia. I will write to her later to make sure she knows. How are you feeling though, Lili? You don’t talk much about… your situation any more.’

‘I’ve started to feel brighter, but then I feel guilty about that. The evenings are getting lighter, which does help though. I’ve never liked winter.’

‘Nor I.’

‘Of course I’d like Norman to come back, but I do need to… move forward. Part of that is thanks to Mrs Bygrove having faith in me doing other jobs. So, even if I never meet anyone else, I have work I’m good at and can maybe do even better at.’

‘What about Corporal Morgan?’

She hadn’t wanted to think about Rhodri again, who was part of why she felt guilty about Norman. ‘Sorry I am, that I was short with him before Christmas. I enjoyed meeting up with him. Not that I was hoping for anything romantic from it, mind.’

Who are you kidding! She felt her face become a little warm. Luckily, Edie was looking ahead towards the small Pepperpot lighthouse at the start of the pier.

‘Why don’t you write to him? It wouldn’t hurt.’

‘I’ve thought about it, but would it be proper? And he could have written to me.’

‘Mm, I suppose he could have.’ There was a pause before Edie said: ‘What do you think might be wrong with Fanny? I’m starting to get concerned about her. I thought before that she’d just put weight on – maybe worrying about this supposed sweetheart – but now I’m not so sure. I wonder if she’s ill. Maybe she has some condition, like consumption. And if that were the case, we could all get it.’

‘No, seen enough people in my village with consumption I have, usually women. She hasn’t been coughing or showing any other signs that I can see. And more likely to lose weight, she would be, than put it on.

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