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 and when Yvonne Labuschagne inherited it
from her cousin, the last remaining Clerembeax, she undertook the task of
modernizing the Palace and opening a Hotel and Spa.
Staffing
was crucial, and Yvonne used her contacts in the Spa world to find the right
specialist people in her field of expertise’s and employed Hannah Morgan to
fill the remainder of the roles, on the understanding that she employ from the
village populous where possible, whether they be part time or permanent, but
there were exceptions to that rule, such as sommelier Pete Abery.
He
moved to Clerembeax for a change of pace having spent 10 years at the
Abbottsford Regents Hotel and quickly adapted to life in the peaceful rural
community, and within a couple of months he met and fell in love with local
girl Leeanne Walker.
Leeanne
was a student at Abbottsford University and they met when she was home for the
Easter Holiday and went out a couple of times before she returned.
But
when the academic year was over, and she was back home their relationship began
in earnest, and throughout the long hot summer they were inseparable, and they
even had a week away in Sharpington together.
But
come September Leeanne was returning to
the University in time for her final year although her first lecture was
still two weeks away.
So,
they were all going out for a meal on one of her last evenings at home to the
restaurant at the Palace, but Pete was meeting first at the Walkers before they
left for the restaurant.
The
Walkers were nice hard-working people and had no great wealth but considered
themselves rich beyond measure because of what they did have, their children.
Pete
was also hard working, but as he didn’t have a family to support he was
comfortably off, so the meal was to be his treat, but he didn’t wish to step on
their toes and steal their limelight or rub their noses in it so when he spoke
to Adrian he span him a line about getting a special rate by using his staff
discount.
Pete
suspected Adrian wanted to believe him more than actually believing, but he
repeatedly insisted on paying something towards it and Pete repeatedly declined
his offer and, in the end, they compromised.
Adrian
would let Pete pay for the meal if he and his wife Carole could take Leeanne
back to University at the weekend and they shook on the deal.
Pete
knew that Leeanne wouldn’t mind as they had already discussed the possibility.
Her
parents struggled at times to reconcile themselves with the changing nature of
their relationship, Adrian in particular was feeling more than a little
redundant, it was undoubtedly the pattern for the future, but it was hard for a
father to take in, and Leeanne and Pete had no intention of exacerbating the
situation.
The
evening of the meal he drove to the Walkers and parked outside after arriving
at the allotted time and was met by Adrian at the front door.
It
was fortuitous for him to get him on his own and allowed them to have a brief,
yet important, conversation before joining the others.
Carole
was in the lounge and kissed his cheek and hugged him tightly.
“Thank
you, Pete,” she said, and was filling up, Pete wasn’t sure what exactly she was
thanking him for, was it for the meal or letting them take Leeanne to Uni or
just for making their daughter happy.
It
could have been any or all of the above, but it certainly could not have been
for what he and Adrian had just been discussing.
He
patted her on the back and she released her grip and turned away to wipe her
eyes, and a few minutes later Leeanne came into the lounge, looking as lovely
as ever.
“Hello
darling” she said as she walked over and kissed him
“I
didn’t know you were here, I didn’t hear the doorbell”
A
short period of small talk followed and then Leeanne looked at her watch and
said
“I
think we should make a move”
“Yes”
Pete agreed “But before we go I want to ask you something”
“Can’t
it wait until dinner? I’m starved, I’ve been looking forward to my venison all
day”
“You’re
going to have meat?” Pete asked
“Of
course,” she replied with a confused look on her face
“Don’t
you know that its World Meat Free Day today?” he asked “I assumed we’d all have the
vegetarian option”
“No
chance” she retorted “no meat, no meal”
“You
could just give it a try” he teased
“I
have tried it, I had a mushroom stroganoff once” she retorted indignantly
“Just
the one time?” he said
“Yes,
but that’s because I don’t like change” she replied
“You
don’t like change?”
“No,
I don’t”
“Then
we might have a problem” Pete said and glanced over to her parents on the sofa,
Adrian was smiling broadly, and Carole looked bemused.
“What
do you mean?” she asked in alarm
“Well
I was going to suggest that you change your last name” he said and fished out a
ring box from his pocket.
“Leeanne
Walker, will you please marry me”
“What?”
she exclaimed
“Will
you marry me?” he repeated, “After you’ve finished University of course, and
you have your degree”
She
just stood and stared at him for a full minute and he was beginning to worry
that he had been premature and then all of a sudden, she screamed and threw her
arms around his neck.
“Is
that a yes?”
“Yes”
she replied
Adrian
and Carole were hugging as they watched their daughter’s joy unfold, no doubt
remembering long passed moments from her childhood, then Leeanne rushed over
and hugged and kissed her parents, then she looked over her shoulder and said
“I’m
still having then venison”
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