Page 27 of Dr. CEO (The Doctors)

“He told me I’m likely to be kept on if I’m prepared to do some training on the new air-conditioning system,” Rio says, so enthusiastic, you’d think he’d won the lottery.

“The way I see it,” Rio continues, “with the earl, you never knew whether you were going to get paid at the end of the week. He was either going to cark it or run out of money.” There’s a collective intake of breath at the mention of the earl’s death. “The place is a shit show. My missus went in the house a few months ago to give him a pie she’d baked and said the place was empty inside. Like he’d moved out already. I reckon he sold all the furniture trying to keep this place running. This way, at least we all know we’re going to get paid at the end of the month. This guy Vincent’s a millionaire by all accounts.”

“I heard he was America’s first trillionaire,” Mindy shouted out.

“There’s no such thing,” Rio says, and everyone starts talking over each other.

I try to get control of the meeting again, but no one is listening to me clinking on the wineglass.

“Hey, everyone, let’s calm down,” I shout. “This meeting is important. People are going to lose their jobs and the roofs over their heads.”

“I can’t bloody wait,” Chris, my neighbor, says. “Hopefully any new place will have central heating that bloody works.”

“And will allow pets,” Sacha says. “It makes no sense that I have ivy growing through my kitchen window, but they won’t let me have a sausage dog.”

“It’s the poo, Sacha,” I say. “The earl never wanted it in his gardens.”

“Well, the earl is gone now,” Rio says.

Tears gather at the back of my throat. How can they be so flippant? And they all seem focused on their own needs rather than the bigger picture. Crompton represents hundreds of years of history. It needs to be saved.

“Kate, why don’t you tell us what your idea is if Vincent doesn’t get planning,” Basil asks.

“Thanks, I’m glad you asked. Well, like you said, Mindy, Vincent’s very, very rich. He has family . . .” Where did he say his aunt and uncle were from? “Locally. I think we convince him to renovate the property and keep it as a country retreat for himself.”

“But he bought it as a business,” someone says, though I can’t make out who it was. “He’s not going to keep it. Especially if he thinks the entire village is against him.”

“We’re not against him,” I say. “We’re against Crompton being ruined. About it being turned into a hotel.”

“Better than a safari park,” Amarjit says.

“Or a museum. The place needs life,” Basil says.

I’m starting to think I’m the only person opposed to Vincent’s plans.

“Let’s have a show of hands. Who here is in favor of Vincent Cove’s hotel plans?”

Hands shoot up everywhere. My heart thuds through my chest with such vigor I think my t-shirt must be moving.

“Remember, if you have your hand up right now, it means you’re in favor of everyone in staff accommodation being evicted—”

“And rehoused,” shouts a voice.

“And people losing their jobs,” I say.

“And being retrained to do other jobs,” Rio says.

Hands remain in the air. It’s clear most people are in favor of what Vincent is trying to do. But I want to know who is on my team. “Hands up if you’re against Vincent trying to destroy Crompton.” I raise my hand and see Sandra raise her hand. I glance around and it’s clear we’re the only two people who aren’t taken in by Vincent’s charms. “Come on, people, did he bribe you all or something?”

“We’re just being realistic, sweetie,” Mindy says. “There’s no alternative. Better to go along with things and make the best of it.”

My heart falls in my chest and clangs against my rib cage on the way down. This is it? Everyone is just giving up? The last twenty years of stability will be gone in the blink of an eye?

“Make the best of it?” Rio says. “This is an opportunity. We’re all being given a fresh lease on life alongside Crompton House.”

My gaze settles on the floor. I just can’t bear to hear this.

“You’ll probably end up the manager,” Rio says. “You’re a bright woman, Kate. Could have gone to university.”

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