Shallowfield sat on the southern edge of
the Finchbottom Vale and was bordered on the other side by the Dancingdean
forest and the town’s fortunes had always relied largely upon forestry and
agriculture for its survival.
In the post war years with rationing and a
shortage of work a lot of people moved away from the area and it only just
survived and the community around Teardrop Lake fared even worse.
Only a few of the houses around the Lake
were thriving, a lot of the houses had been rented out and those that hadn’t
were in a poor state of repair, some too such an extent they were little more
than ruins.
But by the 70s however things were
beginning to change, thanks mainly to tourism as a result of an increase in
leisure time.
This trend was reflected by the fact that
the previously derelict Shallowfield Lodge, which had been inherited by a young
couple from Lincolnshire, Rob and Sheryl Brown, was being turned into a Hotel.
From then on Shallowfield went from
strength to strength which was echoed by the fortunes of the Claremont Hotel.
It was once the home of a wealthy Downshire
family but like so many similar great houses in the county it fell into disuse
as the fortunes of the owners suffered after the Great War.
It had had many reincarnations since then,
particularly in the years between the wars and had been used for many things
over the post war years but it wasn’t until the 60s that it became The Claremont Hotel.
However things had got tough in the Hotel
trade with the success of Travelodge, Premier Inn and Holiday Inn Express and so places like
the Claremont needed to offer something extra to attract the guests.
In the early summer a new manager was
appointed, Matthew Millward, and he was an instant hit with the locals
because
he was young, tall, dark and handsome, physically fit, well-toned and had a
reputation as a fair minded guy, which had very much preceded him.
He was 28 years old and his father owned the Millward Manor chain of
hotels and he was grooming him to one day take over the reins of his worldwide
hotel empire, the problem was that Matt had no head for business and he felt
that he was more of an artistic soul.
Which could possibly have been ignored but for the fact that he had
broken off his engagement with the granddaughter of his father’s oldest friend.
However that in itself wasn’t what had him exiled, it was Elaine’s
attempted suicide, not that his action had caused her mental meltdown, it was
rather more her mental instability being the deciding factor that forced him to
end the engagement.
So it was decided to send Matt to the Claremont Hotel where he could do
no real harm until the dust settled.
When he first found out he was being sent
to Shallowfield, Matt was very unhappy, he was a city boy, born and bred, and
he viewed being sent to the country as purgatory, but no one was more surprised
than he was when he found that he actually loved it, it was a beautiful place,
it was quiet and the air was clean and he felt immediately at home.
When he first found out he was being sent
to Shallowfield Matt was very unhappy, he was a city boy, born and bred, and he
viewed being sent to the country as purgatory, but no one was more surprised
than he was when he found that he actually loved it, it was a beautiful place,
it was quiet and the air was clean and he felt immediately at home.
After the broken engagement and the
resulting fall out Matthew Millward decided that he would not under any
circumstances get himself romantically entangled while he was on punishment
duty.
But there is a very apt saying which goes “never on your
own doorstep” which he had clearly never heard because on his first day he fell
head over heels for the Hospitality Manager, Sarah Poole, although in his
defence the feeling was mutual.
Although apart from two very passionate
kisses, the first initiated by her and the second by him, and the fact they
were hopelessly in love with each other nothing else happened.
She was five foot eight with short red
hair, in a pixie cut, mesmerizing green eyes and a cute figure with curves in
all the right places and long slender legs.
Sarah was 26 years old and wasn’t looking
for a relationship either because she was married, albeit to an alcoholic who
hadn’t had shown her any marital attention for two years but she was still
married to him nonetheless.
Sarah had worked at the hotel for since she
left school, five years in housekeeping,
five more in hospitality, and for two of those as Manager and she loved her
job.
Despite the fact that Matthew was sent to the
Claremont as a punishment and possessed no head for business he surprised his
father as well as himself by doing a very acceptable job of managing the hotel
and had grown the corporate side of the business and it was becoming a very popular
venue for functions.
This was as a result in no small measure to his decision to promote the
former Hospitality Manager Sarah Poole.
This was after Martin Tyrer tendered his resignation, he had been a
loyal employee of the Millward Manor group for ten years and had been the
Assistant Manager at the Claremont for 5 of those and when the Manager’s
vacancy came up he believed he was a shoe in for the job.
So when Matthew Millward was parachuted in over his head it was just too
much for him to take.
It left Matthew in a very difficult position as he needed someone who
knew the place inside out and Sarah Poole was the only person that really
fitted the bill so he offered her the job.
“If you’re only promoting me because we’ve kissed a couple of times then
I don’t want it” she said
“I want you because you know the hotel and the staff and you’ll be a
first rate assistant manager” he said “so are you going to take it?”
“Yes” she said
“Good” Matthew said
On her way out of his office she paused by the door and said
“There is one condition though”
“What’s that?” he asked
“That kissing isn’t absolutely off the menu” Sarah said
flirtatiously
“No problem” Matthew agreed
On her first day as assistant manager Sarah
Poole had substituted her uniform of dark blue skirt and jacket and was wearing
a turquoise green suit, a crisp white blouse and black opaque tights, but the
most noticeable thing she was wearing was an accessory, namely a smile.
She was very proud to have been promoted
and the majority of the staff were pleased for her, although one or two put it
down to her being rewarded for services rendered.
Matthew was feeling rather pleased with
himself for persuading her although it was for purely selfish reasons.
Having Sarah as assistant manager, who was
not only hard working and diligent but could also handle the guests very well,
meant he could comfortably leave her in charge while he was doing what he did
best, letting other people get on with it.
He certainly had no intention of marring
Sarah’s first day in the job he wanted her to enjoy her moment.
So it was late in the day before they had a
moment together which was in his office
“Damn” she
exclaimed
“What’s up?” he
asked
“I’ve ruined my tights, and they were new
on today” she replied
“Well you do realise that as assistant
manager you get a clothing allowance” he said
“Really” Sarah Poole said “Sweet”
And that was the full extent of their
conversation and there was no congratulatory kiss, even though they both wanted
one.
They did have another conversation the next
morning which came after Matt had overheard two of the kitchen staff discussing
what he and Sarah were probably getting up to so when they met in his office he said
“I don’t think, however much we might enjoy it, that we should indulge
ourselves, in regard to kissing”
“I agree” she said
“Good”
But truthfully not having a snog was the last thing either of them
wanted to do.
Matthews father was particularly pleased with him, there had been no
reported mishaps and he had turned around the fortunes of the hotel, and so he
invited him up to Abbottsford for the weekend for a celebratory meal but as he
was conscious that his success was due more to Sarah Poole’s efforts than his
own he dragged her along as well.
They spent a fairly uneventful day together and the meal went without a
hitch however the pledge they made when she first began as his assistant, which
was made in the cold light of day and complete sobriety, seemed but a distant
memory and they both hoped, unlikely to hold.
The likelihood of the pledge being broken was made all the more likely
because by midnight Sarah was well and truly oiled with the best part of a
bottle of wine and there was a glint in her eye and a fire in her loins which
was reaching boiling point.
So as they stood by the lift Sarah and Matthew looked at each other
lasciviously.
“I think I should escort you to your room Ms Poole” he suggested
gallantly
“I would be very grateful if you would Mr Millward” Sarah echoed
“How grateful exactly?” he asked
“You’ll find out as soon as we get upstairs” Sarah slurred and pressed
floor 9, then Matthew pressed 3, which was the floor they actually wanted.
The doors closed just in time to prevent a rather oily looking man in an
expensive suit from joining them, and the moment the doors closed Sarah pinned
him in the corner and thrust her tongue in his mouth.
Then with a “ping” the door opened again to reveal an elderly couple, so
Sarah resumed her position beside him and wiped her mouth on her sleeve.
The couple entered the lift and stood in front of them as the doors
closed again and she held his hand as the lift slowly ascended continuing its
journey, first to the 9th floor then back down to 3, by which time she had her
head on his shoulder.
When they had exited the lift they walked very slowly to her room and
his mind was in turmoil because he desperately wanted her, she was all he
thought of, but he didn’t want a drunken shag, so once they reached her room
she looked up at him and said
“You’re not coming in are you?”
“No honey” he confessed
“Why?” she said “I thought you wanted me as much as I want you”
“I do want you” he replied “I want you very much, which is why I can’t
come in”
“Trust me to fall for a gentleman” she said and smiled
“I’m sorry” he said
“But you do want me?” she asked “Just to be clear”
Matt did want her but he knew he couldn’t really have her while she was
still married, and he knew that as much as she wanted him in that moment she
would regret it in the morning.
“Yes I do” Matt said “I think of nothing else, you are the first thing I
think of in the morning and the last one I think of at night”
“Ok I believe you” she said and she loved him all the more for his
chivalry then she added “But at the very least I should get a kiss”
“My pleasure” he replied and kissed her
