Christmas at Lobster Bay by Annie Robertson

Author:Annie Robertson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Welbeck Publishing Group Limited

NOVEMBER

Chapter 15

‘Oh-my-god, Emma, it looks ah-may-zing!’ exclaimed Rhona, her mouth wide as she took in the full effect of the merged dining rooms.

‘It’s better than I’d hoped for,’ replied Emma, who couldn’t quite believe the transformation, even though the wall had been down for two weeks. When it had first come down, and had still looked like a building site, she hadn’t quite been able to visualise the full effect, but when the electrics and plastering had been finished late last week, she’d at last been able to see the finished result.

‘I thought it would look like two rooms with a knock-through, but it’s as if it were built this way,’ said Rhona.

Emma looked up to where Rhona was inspecting the opening. The steelwork had been put in right beneath the ceiling height, rather than several feet below, creating a seamless, beautifully bright dining space.

‘I love the symmetry of the windows. It really does feel like it was designed this way originally,’ said Emma.

Rhona strolled admiringly into the other half of the room, pulling her oatmeal cardi tighter around her to stave off the chill that had crept into the air over the past few days. ‘The guests are going to love it.’

‘Talking of which – I’m planning on reopening next Tuesday. Do you feel up to helping with the cleaning before then?’

‘You’re going to have this ready by then?’ asked Rhona, staring at the empty room with its bare plaster walls and rough floorboards.

‘I’ve a week. I can do it if I’ve help getting the rest of the house freshened up,’ she said, neglecting to tell Rhona that she really had no choice. Because of the delay to the dining room, Emma had had to cancel many more bookings and consequently her pot of cash was dwindling rapidly. She needed paying guests if she was to make back any of the loss.

‘Count me in,’ declared Rhona.

‘Are you sure?’ Emma asked, looking at Rhona’s growing bump. At thirty-two weeks pregnant she was beginning to look pretty uncomfortable. ‘I don’t want you to overdo it.’

‘Emma, it’s been almost a month. The doctor says I’m doing fine. A bit of dusting and hoovering isn’t going to kill me.’

‘If you’re sure. But if it gets too much, tell me. I can always bring in a cleaning company.’

‘Don’t you dare!’ said Rhona, as if it were a personal affront. ‘Cleaning companies do the bare minimum and charge the absolute maximum. I’ll pace myself. If I do a room a day, I’ll get through it.’

‘You’re beginning to sound a lot like me!’ laughed Emma.

‘Little by little wins the day.’

‘Let’s hope so. It’s just over four weeks now until Christmas. Getting the work finished is going to be tight.’

‘Has work started upstairs?’ Rhona indicated through to Aidan’s staircase, covered in the same dust sheets that had been spread over Emma’s floors for the best part of six weeks.

‘They made a start on creating the en-suites this morning,’ she said, surprised that Rhona hadn’t noticed the banging and thumping from upstairs, which had started first thing.

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