The Clerembeax Palace Hotel and Spa – The Christmas Party

 

The beautiful Downshire village of Clerembeax St Giles was situated to the west of Abbeyvale located between Grace Hill and Bushy Down and on the outskirts was the Clerembeax Palace Hotel and Spa.

It was once the home the Clerembeax’s, who arrived in Downshire following the Norman conquests and stayed for a thousand years before the name died out following the death of the reclusive Marcus Clerembeax at the age of 96.

The current owner was Yvonne Labuschagne, who decided to open it as a Hotel and Spa.

The Spa was a good attraction, but it was crucial for them to maintain a high occupancy rate, however things were tough in the Hotel trade with the success of Travelodge, Premier Inn and Holiday Inn Express and so places like the Palace needed to offer something extra to attract the guests, apart from the Spa. 

So, they put on novelty weekends, such as “Murder Mysteries” and in addition, they had a sizable Ballroom which was used for special occasions, high days and holidays, which boosted occupancy and Spa numbers at the same time, Christmas being a prime example, when there was great demand and grand Christmas function took place.

 

One of the guests at such an event was forty-seven years old Eric Price, who was widowed three years earlier, and immediately after his wife’s death he seemed to suddenly appear on the radar of the local spinster’s, widows and divorcees in and around his own age.

In fact, it all started at his wife’s funeral where he was buttonholed by two well-presented mourners who made it perfectly clear he could avail himself of them if he chose to do so, which he did not.

But three years after his dear wife was laid to rest, and only after repeatedly rebuffing the endless advances of even the most attractive of the local pursuing vultures, did he finally decide, out of desperation and loneliness to dip his toe in the water and began to entertain the possibility that he might once again share his life with another soul.

His friends suggested he start internet dating but that was a step to far in his opinion, he wasn’t going to try something if his heart wasn’t in in it.

His friends continued trying to persuade him to try it nonetheless but then one day he met Charlotte Euringer at a mutual friend’s garden party.

 

Now they were attending a party of a different kind and his hand was shaking as he was stood at the bathroom sink to shave and looked at his reflection.

“Who am I trying to kid?” he asked himself “I don’t stand a chance with her”

 

Despite his misgivings he shaved and showered and made the best of what he had, and dried, perfumed and powdered himself before he changed into his dinner suit, complete with cummerbund and bow tie, he was feeling rather nervous as he stood before his reflection and tied his tie for the fourth time and wished he worn a clip on.

“She’s not going to look twice at you anyway” He said to himself “She’s way out of your league for God’s sake”.

 

At the precise moment that Eric was questioning the wisdom of pursuing such a beautiful woman, 45-year-old Charlotte Euringer was stood in front of her mirror looking at her reflection.

She was immaculately dressed in a full length green halter necked designer evening dress and she sighed when she slipped on a lavish faux fur shrug and left the room and knocked on the door across the hall where her best friend Daphne and her husband Geoff were staying.

“Wow” he said, as he opened the door “you look stunning”

“Bless you darling” she responded “but I’m scared to death”

“You shouldn’t be” he reassured her “Eric will trip over his tongue when he sees you”

“I wish I shared your faith” Charlotte said

“Come on gorgeous, come and talk to Daphne”

He stepped aside and let her walk past as he closed the door and she went straight to where Daphne was sitting at the dresser and she turned to look at Charlotte

“You look gorgeous”

“Do you think so?” she asked before adding, with panic in her voice

“What if he doesn’t like me?”

“But he does like you, you know he likes you, and he’s going to love you even more tonight when he sees you” Daphne said to her softly in response to her crisis of confidence

“I hope so” she replied forlornly

Geoff poured them all a glass of Champagne and Daphne massaged her ego while her husband plied her with drink, and half an hour later they left the room and headed towards the lift.

 

When Eric emerged from the lift, the reception was jammed with an array of stunningly turned out men and women, but he couldn’t see Charlotte anywhere.

However, while he stood on the periphery of the throng Geoff, Daphne and Charlotte arrived behind him and Charlottes heart skipped a beat when she first caught sight of his dapper upright figure.

“Hello Eric” She said warmly and the moment they made eye contact   all their previous doubts melted away.