Page 9 of An Ill Wind in Seabury
‘Well, most people who want somewhere to stay at the last minute are usually pretty grateful if we manage to find them a room.’
‘And she wasn’t?’
‘Are you kidding me?’ he chuckled, clearly starting to see the funny side of the situation. ‘She demanded our biggest room. She wanted a sea view but nothing directly over the kitchen because she “didn’t want to put up with the smell of burning fat all night.” Asifthat happens in any of our rooms!’
‘Wow. She sounds… demanding,’ said George.
‘That’s one way of putting it!’ said Lionel. ‘Anyway, I told her she was lucky because I had just the thing, and she turned around and told me that she’d be the judge of that! When you came in, she’d just stropped off because there wasn’t anyone “suitable” to carry her bag to her room.’
‘What, that tiny pink thing she was pulling?’ said George.
‘Yes, that! I offered to take it up for her, but she told me she didn’t have the time to wait for some doddery old idiot to do it.’
George realised that he was standing there with his mouth hanging open and quickly shut it. ‘Wow, erm… well… at this rate, it sounds like the entire town will breathe a sigh of relief when she clears off!’
‘Hmm,’ said Lionel, tilting his head. ‘If anyone needs a little bit of Seabury magic in their life, it’s someone like her.’
‘Maybe she’ll chill out a bit when she’s had the chance to explore?’ said George, though he had a feeling it might be asking too much. People like that usually held onto their misery like a shield.
‘I don’t think so,’ sighed Lionel. ‘Not the way she’s going. I’m afraid she’s upsetting too many people for her stay in town to be much fun.’
‘I’m sure Charlie will let her off the hook the minute she shifts her tank out of his way,’ said George. ‘You know that he’s practically incapable of holding a grudge!’
‘Oh, it’s not just Charlie and Jess she’s upset so far,’ said Lionel. ‘From what I gathered when she was checking in, she visited The Sardine before coming here. Sounds like she’s managed to put Kate’s nose well and truly out of joint, too.’
‘How on earth…?’ George shook his head. ‘I didn’t know it was actually possible to make Kate angry, unless you happen to be her ex-husband!’
‘Well, looks like this one’s managed it,’ said Lionel. ‘From all the muttering she was doing under her breath while I was checking her in, it sounded like it had something to do with pumpkins.’
‘Pumpkins?’ George raised an eyebrow.
Lionel shrugged. ‘Don’t ask me!’
‘Well, I’ve got a bundle of mail to take over to The Sardine,’ said George. ‘I’ll check Kate’s okay and find out what happened while I’m at it. Want me to report back?’
Lionel nodded. ‘That’d be good. Forewarned is forearmed! I could do with knowing what we’re going to be dealing with while she’s staying here.’
‘What’s this woman called, anyway?’ said George curiously. ‘Maybe she’s here visiting family or something.’
‘Claudia… something or other,’ said Lionel, wiggling the mouse of the hotel’s ancient computer in an attempt to wake it up.
‘I knew a Claudia once,’ said George with a soft smile. ‘She was… wonderful.’
Lionel shot him a sharp look, and George grinned sheepishly.
‘The one that got away?’ said Lionel, lifting one seriously bushy eyebrow.
‘Something like that,’ said George, as a little pang hit him in the chest. It was the same pang he got every time he thought about Claudia.
George had only been in love once in his life, and it had been with her. They’d both been very young—mere babies of eighteen and nineteen—and everyone had insisted that it would never last and that what he was feeling wasn’t real. They’d been right about the first bit, of course—ithadn’tlasted. But it had definitely been real.
HisClaudia had been a free spirit—something that was even more pronounced because it was set against the backdrop of a mother who had conservative ideals as well as ambitious plans for both her daughters.
After a perfect year together, his beautiful, wild girl had danced off into the sunset. She’d claimed she still loved him but had to be free to explore what else was out there. George wasn’t in the least bit ambitious—even back then. He’d valuedthe small things, but Claudia had craved adventure and drama. He didn’t blame her then, and he still didn’t blame her now… but sometimes he wondered what life would have been like if they’d found a way to make it work.
‘Well, I guess it’s not likely to be the same Claudia,’ chuckled Lionel, still fiddling with the computer. ‘I can’t imagineanyonedescribing our newly arrived battle-axe as “wonderful.” Ah ha, here we are. Claudia Weatherly-Harcus.’
‘Definitelynotmy Claudia then,’ said George with a little sigh. ‘And I don’t know any Weatherlies or Harcuses around here. Do you?’
