Page 27 of The Sisters of Sea View
Sarah had some idea what it felt like to be transplanted, but she murmured only a slight sympathetic reply. It must have been sufficient, for Mrs. Elton kept talking.
“My brother and sister will be enchanted with this place. They have promised to visit us. They will have their barouche-landau, of course, which holds four perfectly; and therefore, we should be able to explore the sights extremely well.”
She stepped to the large window overlooking the sea. “What an ideal situation. And the view! So much more commodious than staying in a public hotel. I shall write to all my friends back home and tell them they simply must come to Sidmouth and, when they do, they must stay at Sea View.”
Hopeful excitement filled Sarah. This was just what they needed. Surely soon now, they would be busy indeed, and their income might meet or even surpass expenses.
After registering the couple, Sarah asked Emily to retrieve the key to the Willow room.
Emily’s pretty face furrowed. “Which is that again?”
Sarah selected the key herself and escorted the couple upstairs. Emily followed behind, carrying the woman’s bandboxes, although she might have left the baggage for Lowen to handle. She was probably as curious about the Eltons as Sarah was.
Sarah led them to a room at the southwest corner, which had a view of the sea from a modest-sized south window and a view of Peak Hill from the two west-facing windows.
“Lovely...” Mrs. Elton breathed, surveying the space, but there was a question in her voice. She walked to the south window.
“You know, we had hoped for an unimpeded view of the sea.”
“Oh. Well, you can see the sea from this window. And from these two, you have a fine view of Peak Hill and Mr. Lousada’s grand Peak House.”
“Yes, yes. Very pleasant.”
She did not sound convinced. Lingering in the doorway, Emily rolled her eyes.
“I like it, my dear,” her husband said helpfully.
She ignored him.
“I am afraid our other sea-view rooms are occupied at present,” Sarah said. “If one becomes available, I could let you know, if you would like.”
“Please do.”
Sarah nodded and swallowed an awkward lump. She did not like talking about money. “I should mention that those rooms are a bit more expensive. It is standard practice, I understand.”
Mrs. Elton turned a knowing smile her way. “But for us, surely, my dear Miss Summers, you might make an exception? After all, one expects a house called Sea View to offer excellent views from every room.”
Noticing Emily frown, then open her mouth to speak, Sarah hurried to reply in a friendly manner, “Well, thankfully, all of ourguests can enjoy unimpeded views from the drawing room and veranda.”
Emily crossed her arms and added tartly, “No extra charge.”
———
While Sarah was all patient forbearance, for Emily, a quarter of an hour quite convinced her that Mrs. Elton was a vain woman, extremely well satisfied with her own importance and overly familiar in her manners.
Emily decided she needed to cleanse the woman from her mind with a walk in the fresh air. Grabbing a cape from its peg, she let herself out the veranda door and hurried down the lawn before Sarah might call her back to some odious chore. Reaching the esplanade, she tilted her face up to the sunshine and breathed deeply of the damp sea spray, letting the clean air wash over her.Ahh. Much better.
“Afternoon, miss.”
She looked over and spied Tom Cordey sitting on a stool outside their cottage near the end of Heffer’s Row. Her mood improved all the more.
She walked closer and saw that he was carving something in his strong, skilled hands. “Good day, Tom. What are you making?”
“Just a little somethin’ for Bibi. It’s her birthday next week.”
“That’s kind of you. May I see?”
He opened his hand. In his palm lay a little wooden dog, quite similar to Chips.
