more helpful to Maria than he had been with her. Afterwards, she wandered around outside for a while, taking some photos on her phone to show everyone back home. So much had changed in such a short time and the place was really starting to look good. She even managed to snap an unsuspecting Alain as he chainsawed some branches into logs. Putting her phone away, she headed over to him and waited until he saw her and silenced the chainsaw.
‘I’ll be off in about ten minutes,’ Belinda said. ‘I’ll leave my keys in the office desk drawer. Hopefully I’ll see you at the end of the month.’
‘Okay. ’Ave a safe journey. See you when you get back,’ and Alain opened up the chainsaw again, making further conversation impossible.
Once BB was settled in his travelling cushion in the back of the car, Belinda started the engine and drove away. Driving slowly down the potholed lane, she remembered that first day when she’d driven equally slowly in the opposite direction, not wanting to be there, her mind full of unhappy memories. This time, though, it was a feeling of not wanting to leave that kept her speed down in an effort not to reach the end and turn onto the road and make for the ferry at Roscoff. She was surprised to realise that she’d made a number of happy memories during the last few weeks. New memories that were slowly replacing old sad ones.
19
The first morning back in her flat at the top of the Riverside hotel, Belinda struggled to remember where she was when the alarm went off and woke her. She lay there for a few minutes listening to the early-morning sounds of people and traffic down on the quayside. Sounds that felt alien to her after the silence of the Brittany countryside for the past few weeks.
After showering, Belinda moved across to the wardrobe. Jeans and a sweatshirt, her normal workday attire for the campsite, wouldn’t do here. Businesslike and professional was the look she needed. Reluctantly, she pulled out one of her navy work suits that she teamed with a white shirt. She caught her light brown hair up in a neat ballerina-type bun at the back of her head, instead of simply brushing it and leaving it loose. There, back in proper work mode, so why didn’t she feel excited at the prospect of spending her days once again working in a job that had always given her a sense of purpose, of being needed? Smothering a sigh, Belinda picked up her work bag and laptop.
‘Come on then, BB, back in the old routine.’ The little dog gave a quick bark and followed her out of the door.
Downstairs in the hotel’s dining room, she helped herself to a mug of coffee from the machine on the buffet table and stood looking around, making sure everything was up to standard before heading for reception.
Donna, the senior receptionist, was on duty and welcomed Belinda back with a smile. ‘Nigel will be pleased to see you.’
‘I’m heading over to Torquay this morning to see him and Molly,’ Belinda said. ‘Everything ticking along here? Anything I need to know about?’
Donna shook her head. ‘All good. We’re full for the Easter weekend. Housekeeper is on top of everything for that.’ She hesitated. ‘There is one thing, but that’s up to Nigel to tell you.’
Belinda raised her eyebrows and looked at her, but Donna shook her head.
‘Sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything.’
‘Okay. I’ll see you later,’ Belinda said, feeling unsettled and wondering what Nigel needed to tell her.
‘Give my love to Molly,’ Donna said.
‘Will do.’
Half an hour later and Belinda was driving along the Torquay ring road approaching the turning to take for the coastal road where the hotel was situated. Traffic was heavy and Belinda found herself thinking wistfully of the quieter Brittany roads. Once in the hotel grounds, she quickly parked and, taking the pot of tulips she’d bought at the garden centre en route, made her way through the hotel to Nigel and Molly’s cottage hidden away in the grounds. The door was on the latch and she pushed it open.
‘Nigel, it’s me Belinda,’ she called.
‘Come through – we’re in the conservatory,’ he answered.
An efficient looking nurse was writing something on her tablet as she stood alongside Molly lying on a daybed.
‘Sorry to interrupt. Shall I go and have a look around the hotel and come back in fifteen minutes?’ Belinda asked, hoping she didn’t sound as shocked