Page 32 of Coming Home to Maple Tree Lodge

‘It clears the mind,’ Hannah told her. ‘And it’s probably better for me than baking all the time.’

‘Are you kidding?’ said Beth, giving her a nudge with her elbow. ‘I’ve tasted your chocolate cake and it’s amazing.’

As usual, Hannah shrugged off the compliment and led them over a narrow wooden bridge.

They carried on around the lake and Lily found there was a beautiful view whichever way she looked. Out across the lake, the bullrushes nodded gently in the soft breeze with the call of the moorhens as they bobbed about on the water. In the forestthat hugged the path all the way around, squirrels leapt from tree to tree, gathering up the acorns that were scattered across the leaf-strewn floor. Underneath the horse chestnut trees, glossy conkers lay amongst the amber leaves that had already fallen from its branches.

They crossed another wooden bridge on the opposite side of the lake as they headed towards the boathouse. It was another building made up of layers of logs but this time it was set over the water on large timber stilts. Underneath the floor of the boathouse, Lily could see a rowing boat tied up in one of the three docks underneath.

‘I can show you my boating skills, if you like,’ said Hannah, with a laugh.

‘I’m staying with my feet firmly on terra firma, thank you very much,’ Ella told her with a shudder.

‘I spent those three weeks in the Antarctic studying the southern skies,’ said Beth. ‘I’m pretty good in a canoe. You know, with someone else helping.’

‘Don’t look at me!’ said Lily, laughing.

They were all giggling and linking arms as they walked back towards the hotel. It had been an absolute tonic to see her friends again, thought Lily. How much stronger she felt for being together with them once more.

She just wished that she could share the secret plans she had for the hotel with them all. But perhaps it was better this way for the time being, she told herself.

16

The following afternoon, Ben was trying and failing to talk to one of his best friends on the phone.

‘What?’ he heard Jake shout for the second time in less than a minute. ‘I can’t hear you!’

Ben wasn’t surprised. He could barely hear himself talk above the hammering and endless noise from the renovations all around him. At least the new oak skirting boards were looking good, he thought, as he looked around the entrance hall.

They would be painted white once they were finished, sticking with the pale scheme of the bedrooms. He was pleased that Lily had agreed with his ideas to copy a more corporate hotel theme. He had yet to see the results but was looking forward to the first viewing.

He couldn’t continue his conversation outside as there was no phone signal out of the hotel. So in the end, he shouted to Jake that he would call him later and hung up. Almost immediately, his mobile rang once more.

Figuring it was Jake trying with another number, Ben picked up. But it wasn’t his friend this time.

‘Mr Jackson?’ said the man on the end of the line. ‘I’m Hans Haubermann. I’m so sorry it’s taken so long for me to get back to you but we’ve had a cancellation so I would be happy to discuss your ideas for the hotel redesign at some point in the near future, if you would still like to use my services.’

Ben was nonplussed. ‘I don’t understand,’ he replied, thinking that he had misheard. ‘Your designer is already here and working on the project.’

Now it was Mr Haubermann’s turn to sound shocked. ‘Our designer? Who exactly is there, might I ask?’

‘Lily Wilson,’ he replied. They didn’t seem a particularly efficient company if they couldn’t even keep tabs on their own staff, he surmised, less than impressed.

‘There must be some mistake. Miss Wilson was fired from this company two weeks ago.’

Ben was shocked. ‘Fired?’ he repeated.

Mr Haubermann confirmed the details and Ben hung up, feeling puzzled and extremely concerned.

He rushed up the stairs two at a time, determined to get to the bottom of the problem. He strode down the hallway towards Bedroom No. 2 and hesitated, seeing the ‘Fresh Paint’ sign on the door. In the end, he decided one splodge of paint wasn’t going to stop him getting to the bottom of the matter. So he turned the handle and went inside.

Lily wasn’t in the room but that didn’t stop him staring around in shock. What had happened to the white design that they had discussed? Three of the walls were now painted a delicate but quite strong shade of green. The wall behind the bed had had its plasterboard removed and the thick logs were exposed from floor to ceiling. On the floor was a soft pale pink rug, which matched a cushion on the bed as well as a blanket that hung over a leather chair that he didn’t recall seeing before.

However, it was the use of the colour that was a shock. Where he had been expecting white and cool, it was completely different. The colours were warm but vibrant and the use of wood helped as well. He had to admit that it felt modern, warm and comfortable. And deep down, he liked it.

But that wasn’t the point, he reminded himself. That wasn’t what she had been hired to do!

Incensed, he spun around on his heel and stalked out of the bedroom, determined to get to the bottom of the issue.