Page 10 of Rescuing Rosie
Chapter Five
Inside the entrance, a large board on a stand welcomed guests to the Grasmere Heights Wellness Weekend:
Your Wellness Journey Starts Here!
With your host, Madison Tyler.
A photo showed the star sitting cross-legged on a yoga mat, wearing a royal blue bra top and leggings, biting into an apple.
The hotel foyer was furnished with dark-red Chesterfield sofas, vintage wing chairs, and low polished tables on which sat small antique lamps and pretty floral arrangements. Gilt-framed oil paintings of the Lake District hung on the walls, and there was a wide, beautifully carved dark-wood staircase, carpeted in the same deep blue as the reception area.
‘This is charming,’ said Rosie, looking around her.Though I thought I was here for a wellness retreat, not an Agatha Christie weekend.
‘There’s a separate lounge too, with a log fire and a library,’ said Ashley. ‘Also complimentary tea and biscuits.’
‘Holy heck, who in fact needs yoga and a massage?’ said Rosie.
Ashley chuckled and pointed to a pair of double doors on the left of the entrance hall. ‘The health spa’s through there. Most of the guests are having treatments this afternoon. Whatever you want, while you’re here, it’s on us – massage, facial, sand bath–’
‘Sandbath?’
‘It’s new. I’ll explain later.’
Rosie’s mind boggled at the thought of where the grains of sand might lodge.
‘But you’re staying on after the weekend, right?’ said Ashley. ‘You’ll probably benefit more from the relaxation treatments when everyone’s gone.’
‘Thanks, Ashley. It sounds like heaven.’
‘Ms Appleby’s room key, please, Grace,’ he said to the harried-looking receptionist. ‘And an update?’
Grace tapped her computer keyboard with long, navy blue nails that matched her tailored jacket. ‘They all went back down to the lake when the rain stopped. Thank god,’ she added under her breath, handing Rosie a key on a chunky wooden fob. ‘The photographer took a couple of portable lights, so hopefully it’ll look less like a wet weekend in Workington.’
‘I hope Madison got to wear a coat this time,’ said Ashley.
‘I should probably let Jono and the Vybe PR person know I’m here,’ said Rosie. ‘Could you tell me how to find them?’
‘Of course,’ said Ashley. ‘I’ll have your bag taken up – you’re in Tennyson, on the first floor,’
Rosie grinned. ‘And who’s in Wordsworth?’
‘That’d be Madison.’
He led her through a dining room already laid for dinner, and over to its huge picture windows. The hotel was on a rise overlooking the lake, with sweeping views of the surroundinghills – probably – but the cloudhadlifted a little, and they could now see more of the lower slopes.
‘Exit via the bar,’ said Ashley, ‘then follow the path down the hill. Be careful, though, it’ll be slippery after all this rain.’ His eyes went to her black Doc Martens. ‘Did you bring walking boots?’
Rosie shook her head. ‘I don’t own a pair.’
‘Not to worry – those should be okay for a short walk, if you don’t mind getting them muddy?’
‘It’s fine – I have a second pair,’ she said. ‘Right, I’ll make my way down. And thanks for picking me up, Ashley, and for my informative introduction to the Lakes.’
‘Anything you need, Rosie.’ He clicked his heels together. ‘The bar’s that way,’ he said, pointing to a doorway. ‘I’ll ask Gaz to get you a Xanadu later – it’s the house cocktail. Something tells me you’ll be needing it.’
The old grandfather clock in the bar informed her it was just gone two. Next to the door leading onto a terrace was an umbrella stand, and Rosie fished one out, just in case. It was a lovely thing – scarlet, with a black handle in the shape of a cat’s head, with painted-on green eyes and white whiskers.
As Rosie stepped outside, she regretted not fetching an extra layer from her suitcase. But it was too much bother to locate her room and find a jumper now. She’d have to hope the walk would warm her up.
