The Ticket to Happiness

Chapter Three

Pippa called it the Meadowbrook magic as she happily floated around the group of partygoers. The celebration was going exactly to plan. The family were having fun, as was most of Parker’s Hollow – their village, their community. There were a lot of people who were important to Meadowbrook, and there were also many who Meadowbrook was important to, so they all deserved to be part of this: of Meadowbrook’s success. Their father had always taught them the value of community and he’d involved as many of the local people as possible in Meadowbrook life. Pippa and the rest of the Singers had carried this on and it was heartwarming for her to see everyone here tonight, people who loved Meadowbrook, people whom she loved.

She took some time out to watch and listen to them all as if she were invisible. Gus was dancing with his wife, Amanda. This was almost their anniversary party, too, in a way – albeit a bit early ahead of their real anniversary on Valentine’s Day. Pippa felt warm to see bliss written across both of their faces. They made a great couple – Gus a little serious and a worrier, and Amanda who loved the outdoors and embraced life in a way that was helping Gus to do the same.

Freddie was ordering the bar staff around and trying to ply Gemma with alcohol so he could also ply himself with it, without getting into trouble. Gemma’s cheeks were flushed and she was giggling with happiness and alcohol. Pippa knew her friend well and Freddie’s plan seemed to be working.

Fleur was trying to sneak drinks off the tables that were dotted around and she was followed by Hayley, her stepsister. They were being so obvious but luckily, Amanda and Gus hadn’t yet noticed. Gwen, Connor’s mother, was laughing at something Gerry was saying. Gwen had met Gerry at Meadowbrook and although they both claimed their relationship was really more of a deep friendship, they all noticed how much time Gerry spent with Gwen these days; in fact, he practically lived with her. Pippa impulsively landed a kiss on Gwen’s cheek. She was like a second mum to them all and she felt so much love towards her in that moment.

The music that Freddie had selected was loud and vibrant but didn’t seem to be a deterrent to the older members of the community, from what she could see. Many of the gardening club ladies, ladies who were retired and who loved gardening so came to Meadowbrook regularly, were dancing with the enthusiastic morris dancers. Even the volunteers and workers from the sanctuary who didn’t often let their hair down were giving it a good go. Pippa let John, the vicar, who was also the leader of the morris dancers, spin her around the makeshift dance floor a couple of times before giggling and going to find another drink.

After checking all the guests were having fun, Pippa went over to Harriet and Connor, who were both pale-faced, talking to John – his wife, Hilary, by his side. John and Hilary were pillars of the Meadowbrook community. Not only was he the vicar and head of the morris-dancing troop, but he and his wife were also the people who knew everything that was going on in Parker’s Hollow, the village. They also looked scarily alike, both tall, slender or bony, as Harriet said, with glasses that dominated both of their faces. Freddie still found this hard to accept – to him, they looked more like brother and sister than husband and wife.

‘You really shouldn’t leave it too long to get the lad christened,’ Pippa heard John say as she approached.

‘Pip,’ Harry said, grabbing her.

Harriet was holding a baby monitor, so she could hear if Toby so much as murmured in the room he was sleeping in upstairs.

‘Yes?’ Pippa smiled.

John, the vicar, was grinning enthusiastically.

‘John thinks we need to organise a christening for Toby.’

‘You should. We’ve got the family christening robe and the way he eats he won’t fit in it if you don’t hurry up,’ Pippa laughed, thinking that a christening would be another wonderful Meadowbrook event. She might even get to organise it.

‘Thanks for the support,’ Harriet hissed in her ear. ‘OK, that’s great, John, but Connor and I still need to find godparents and then we need to organise a party, I guess,’ she said carefully.

‘I’ll do the catering,’ Gwen cut in, as it turned out she’d been listening. ‘And I insist on making a very special cake. I’ll go and get some brandy from Freddie now while I think of it.’

‘Mum, are you all right?’ Connor’s brows etched in concern.

‘Oh, yes, just had one too many sherries,’ Gwen replied, swaying slightly.

‘Now, if I might interfere, I’d be very happy to put my hat into the ring for a godfather role,’ Gerry offered.

Harriet looked so startled she was unable to speak.

‘Gwen’s Granny and I’m her partner, so it’d be nice for me to have an official title, too,’ he said. ‘I’m also willing to dress up as any character he might like for any of his birthdays.’

That was Gerry’s pitch. No one knew what to say. Gerry did like to dress up, though, at any excuse, which no one liked to think too much about; although it did come in handy for the Meadowbrook events.

‘Oh, and I should be godmother,’ Edie – one of the gardening club members and a pillar of the Meadowbrook community – said, appearing suddenly as if from nowhere.

Edie was eccentric to say the least. She’d just turned seventy-something but pretended she was sixty. No one dared argue with her.

Pip stifled a giggle. Harriet’s face had turned grey and even Connor looked concerned.

‘Great, well, you have two godparents right here. You only need one more man if tradition serves or, as I’m a very progressive vicar, you can have more if you like,’ John offered magnanimously. ‘I know some people these days like to have quite a few.’

‘We’ll definitely need more,’ Connor said, sounding a little shell-shocked.

‘Let’s think about it and we’ll call you soon to lock down a date.’

It wasn’t often that Harriet gave in but, Pippa realised, they’d caught her on the rare occasion she’d had a drink since Toby’s birth. She’d have agreed to anything, Pippa thought as Harriet downed the wine left in her glass.

‘And after the service we’ll be happy to do a special morris dance for Toby,’ John finished.

‘Oh, how lovely. A christening and morris dancing. Of course, I’ll make the quiches,’ Hilary offered. ‘I should go and find Gwen so we can discuss the menu.’

As Pippa watched Connor shrug helplessly and Harriet’s eyes fill with panic, she wondered if she should intervene.

‘I think I heard Toby crying,’ Harriet said. ‘John, it all sounds lovely, thank you.’ And grabbing Pippa’s hand, she thrust the baby monitor into Connor’s hands then pulled her sister with her before she was coerced into anything else.

‘For God’s sake, we’ll need to get Toby other godparents – you know, those who might even outlive his parents,’ Harriet whispered when they were in her old bedroom.

Toby was in a Moses basket sleeping soundly, silent but for the occasional snuffling noise.

‘Think of the pictures!’ Pippa laughed. ‘Oh, but Gerry’s so sweet, though, and so’s Edie. It’ll mean so much to them, too. They love little Toby.’

‘I know that,’ Harriet hissed, ‘but I’m not sure it’s the best thing for Toby. I mean, aren’t the parents meant to choose godparents, not the other way round?’

‘I wonder what Edie’ll wear?’ Pippa felt uncontrollable laughter bubbling up. They loved Edie and she certainly lent colour to Meadowbrook.

‘I dread to think, Edie in her finest. I adore her but tonight she was definitely channelling Madonna circa 1988.’

‘But she was delighted with her ra-ra skirt; she got it when Gemma took her to the charity shops in Bath.’

‘At least Toby’ll be oblivious to it all, so that’s one good thing—’

The door burst open and Connor ran in, brandishing the other baby monitor.

‘Oh no!’ Harriet cringed.

‘What did they hear?’ Pippa said, her heart falling.

‘Thankfully, as soon as I heard Harriet blaspheme, I ran out of the room. I think John heard you take the Lord’s name in vain, but I definitely saved you from the worst.’

‘Oh, Con, how can I ever thank you?’ Harriet giggled, throwing her arms around him.

‘You could always ask Edie if you could borrow her ra-ra skirt,’ he winked.

Chapter Four

Pippa was woken by a quiet knock on her bedroom door. She slowly sat up, acknowledging that hungover, sleepy feeling as her memory seeped back. She was in her childhood bedroom, not her normal room. Of course, the bedroom now belonged to the hotel now. It had a four-poster bed and was one of the more romantic rooms, she often felt.

‘Come in.’ She stretched her arms above her head.

Harriet walked in clutching Toby and a baby’s bottle.

‘What time is it?’ Pippa asked.

‘Half six, but your nephew needs feeding and Connor’s snoring, which makes me want to stab him. How can he sleep through a baby crying? It’s ridiculous!’ Harriet hiccupped. ‘Pip, I think I might still be drunk and I’m not sure I should be allowed to be in charge of my baby. Gwen offered to have him sleep at hers but I’ve never spent a night away from him and …’

‘Hand him over.’

Pippa took Toby, cradled him in her arms and planted a kiss on his head. She loved babies. She loved this baby. When Harriet was first pregnant, Pippa didn’t like to admit it but she was jealous, or maybe that was envious, because she was so happy for Harriet and Connor at the same time. When she was married to Mark, she’d been so desperate for a child and now she was single, it wasn’t looking likely to happen anytime soon. She loved being an aunt, although she needed to persuade Harriet to let her spend more time with Toby. It would do them both good.

She took the bottle and looked into Toby’s eyes as he began to suck contentedly, his eyes flickering as he drank. Harriet collapsed in a heap next to them on the bed.

‘Why don’t you go back to bed and leave Toby with me for a couple of hours? I’m only going to be pottering this morning. The clearing up can wait and I’ve got help coming in later anyway.’

‘I couldn’t—’ Harriet started.

‘Don’t be silly, Harry, you’re in no fit state and if you have a few more hours’ sleep you’ll feel much better; you might even be sober. He’s safe with me and I’m not leaving the house, so if I need you, I promise I’ll come and get you straight away.’ Pippa tried to sound stern.

‘I love you, Pip. Hey, why don’t you join Edie as Toby’s other godmother?’

‘You asked me a hundred times last night and I’m his aunt. If anything happens to you and Connor I fully expect to get him anyway. But if you really want me to be—’

‘I do. Then if anything happens to Connor and me you’ll have a better case to argue with Edie. Godmother and aunt, she won’t stand a chance. You’ll trump her!’

‘I know nothing’ll happen to you, by the way, Harry, but you know, those alpacas are a bit evil. Not to mention the no-longer-gay bull.’

Pippa was referring to some of the animals at the sanctuary that were part of Meadowbrook. The two alpacas, Samantha and Sebastian, had perfected being rude to everyone they encountered.

‘Now I’m never going to sleep again. Except I will right now, actually. I’ll put the nappy bag outside your door and if you need me, then you know where I am. If he sounds upset or anything, please let me know.’

‘We’ll be fine, Harry. Now go.’

As Harriet staggered off, Pippa giggled – Harry was definitely still drunk.

Pippa finished feeding Toby, burped him and then laid him across her as they relaxed in bed. She fancied a coffee but then she wanted to keep cuddling her nephew for a bit longer. He really was the most divine child and he had the Singer look about him with her father’s nose, or the beginning of it. He was beginning to look like a perfect mix of both of his parents, actually.

Pippa’s phone rang, interrupting her doting, and she looked at the screen. It was Hector. Why was he calling so early?

‘Hector, it’s practically the middle of the night,’ she said, snatching the phone.

Hector Barber was a long-time friend of Meadowbrook, having been introduced by Freddie as a ‘celebrity’ at their summer fête. In truth he was a reality TV star, having appeared on a show called Singles Holiday, though he’d been kicked off for having sex with most of the women on there. From there, he’d gone on to feature on most ‘celebrity’ reality TV shows going and was a huge national heartthrob. But he’d become firm friends with the Singers and over time, he’d become like part of the extended family. Just before they opened the hotel, he’d announced he was writing a novel and after they’d all managed to get past the shock, he’d been the hotel’s first official guest, moving into the hotel to write his first book.

And despite all the cynics, Hector’s book had been a huge bestseller and all of a sudden, he was being taken seriously both as a person and a writer. He’d dedicated his first book to the Singers and Meadowbrook.

‘I know,’ he’d said in response, ‘but I’m at the airport in New York and I couldn’t remember the time difference. Oh, and Happy New Year. I’m so sorry I missed the party, but having to promote my book here meant I really couldn’t get away.’

Hector had spent Christmas in America because of an extensive book tour.

‘I know, you told us and it’s fine. We missed you but there’ll always be another party.’

Pippa thought about how much everyone loved Hector, especially the gardening club ladies. She surprised herself by thinking that even she missed him.

‘Right, well, that’s why I’m calling. I’m getting on a flight in a minute and I’m on deadline, so I wondered if I could book into the hotel.’

‘Hector, you have a perfectly good flat in London and although of course we’d love to see you …’

Pippa wasn’t sure if Hector was lonely. Now he had his success and was in demand, he seemed to want to be around them more than ever. Freddie said it was because he was in love with Pippa, but she brushed that off. He flirted with her terribly, but then he could flirt with a candlestick, he was that kind of guy. Lovely, fun, clever, not to mention gorgeous, but too young and too frivolous for Pippa. He was only twenty-nine and although he claimed his playboy days were behind him, she wasn’t convinced.

‘But you know I write best at Meadowbrook. I need to get my next book finished. There’s so much pressure on me, Pippa, and I was thinking three months would do it.’

‘You want to stay here for three months? You do know we’ve put our prices up?’ Pippa teased as Toby wriggled contently in her arms.

When Hector stayed he’d had opening prices, plus a huge discount. Actually, they didn’t want to charge him at all, but he’d insisted. The thing was that the publicity that Hector brought the hotel had been amazing. Not least because of the groups of women booked in hoping to meet him. They should have been paying him, in fact.

‘Pip, I’m going to talk to Harriet about the rate, because she’ll charge me properly.’

‘You’re family and you can stay with us anytime, but I still don’t see why you’d want to be holed up here for three months.’

‘And you call yourself a businesswoman? What would Harriet say if I told her you were turning down paying customers?’

‘She’d kill me.’

‘I’ll call you when I’m in London to let you know when to expect me. Oh, bugger, last call for my flight.’ He hung up.

‘Hector’s coming, Toby. You’ll like him. He’s fun.’

Hector hadn’t met Toby yet. He’d been so busy with his book tours that he hadn’t managed to come over since his birth. Pippa had to decide where he’d stay. Probably in one of the attic rooms; for some reason, Hector loved being at the top of the house. She had a few bookings coming up, but they had plenty of space for the quiet season. Meadowbrook only had ten bedrooms, all doubles, and she always knew who was staying. One magazine had said Meadowbrook was the very definition of a boutique hotel. And that was exactly their intention when they’d opened it. Pippa loved that it was small and it ensured they knew what their guests liked and didn’t like. They made sure they had food that suited their preferences. Catering to their individual needs, as a small, luxury hotel they were more than able to do so. It meant that guests felt they were having an experience suited to them, rather than just a generic five-star hotel stay.

Pippa was actually pleased that Hector was coming. It would be nice to have him around. She grinned – Harriet would be really pleased. One three-month booking to take them through the slow season wouldn’t hurt at all, even if they did heavily discount. Although they weren’t empty, they weren’t full either for the next few months. They had some short mid-week corporate bookings coming up, a couple of groups embarking on Gus’s painting workshop and some more on Gwen’s baking course, which had proved so popular. And because of the baking show on TV – Hector had even taken part in the celebrity version of that – people clamoured. Baking was the new knitting, apparently. Pippa knew they might have some last-minute bookings, too, but she’d been prepared for it being quieter after Christmas, probably until Easter at least.

Soon after the hotel opened, they realised that the Meadowbrook hotel kitchen wasn’t going to be able to accommodate the baking experiences that they were getting requests for. Especially as it was needed to cater for the guests at the same time. However, next to Freddie’s house, one of the barns they’d converted, was another barn that they’d been able to turn into a kitchen – a little like the actual Great British Bake Off layout; although not a tent, of course. There were a number of ovens and fridges, and Gwen ran her baking courses there. They were so well-known that she’d had to rope others in to help her now she was working less, or at least trying to. Hilary, John, the vicar’s wife, helped out regularly, as she was a keen baker, too.

The good news was that the hotel wasn’t running at a huge loss. To Harriet’s dismay, it hadn’t made a profit yet, either, but then as Gemma pointed out, hotels never made money in the first year, which had almost satisfied her. The fact that the hotel was doing OK was enough. For now.

Pippa sat at her desk in the office going through the bookings. Everyone had left, the housekeeping staff were turning the rooms around and Pippa was nursing her persistent hangover with a much-needed cup of tea while making notes to ensure that during the coming week she was on top of things.

Growing up, with her three siblings and their father, not to mention Gwen and Connor, who were there most of the time, Meadowbrook had felt alive. But when one by one her siblings left – first to boarding school, then university, before going off to jobs in various places – it was just Pippa, the baby of the family, her father and Gwen. They’d filled the house with people: her father’s friends, the village community and Pippa’s school friends, who’d practically lived there when they were teenagers. When Pippa left Meadowbrook to marry Mark, she’d felt a stab of guilt – no, more than a stab of guilt – about leaving the house with just her father and Gwen. But she’d visited often and her dad never complained about being lonely. He kept busy and that was when he’d started the animal sanctuary.

Pippa felt tears surface. She still missed him and she wished he was with them; although she felt his presence in the house every day and that was why she’d always take care of Meadowbrook. It was the one place she could feel her father and she never wanted to lose that feeling.

Pippa wiped the tears off her face furiously as there was a knock on the office door. Gus appeared with a big smile. Mainly calm – apart from when it came to his teenage daughter – and level-headed, he was the most sensible of the siblings. He was also creative; although he’d been an insurance salesman before he managed to find his true passion: painting and gardening.

‘Why the tears, Pip?’ he asked, chewing his bottom lip anxiously.

‘I was thinking of Daddy. I’m not sure how I got there but with the party, it was emotional. You know, we’ve kept this place open for almost a year and it’s all going well, but I miss him. I wish I knew what he thought of it.’

‘I know.’ Gus came over to where Pippa was sat and bent down to hug her. ‘He’d be so proud of you, you know. All of us, but especially you.’

‘Thanks, Gus. Oh! by the way, Hector’s coming to stay. He needs to finish his new book.’

‘It’ll be nice to have him back. Anyway,’ he hopped awkwardly from foot to foot, ‘I need to get the details for my painting workshop. And Amanda said to complain about the lack of gardening interest.’ His lips curled in a slight smile.

‘Gus, it’s winter. Who wants to garden in the winter?’

‘Amanda!’ they both said and laughed.

Gus’s wife, Amanda, lived for her gardens. She was even out there in the snow, protecting her plants. But although the gardening courses were popular – funnily enough, especially with the younger generation – they weren’t in demand in the winter, when bookings had all but dried up.

‘I’ll sign Hector up,’ Pippa joked. ‘That’ll keep her happy.’

‘She’s got enough to do, really,’ Gus groaned. ‘Not only with existing clients, but she’s also taken on a new client. A rich family have bought a crumbling old manor house near Bath and they’ve got acres of grounds that need restoring. The house, too. Amanda hasn’t met them yet, but I think they might be Russian billionaires from the sound of it. Probably Mafia or something like that.’

‘Tell her to be careful, then. Although it sounds like a great project.’

‘She says it’s all grand statues and water features at the moment. But I’m worried she’s overstretching herself.’

‘Let Amanda do what she wants to do, Gus. Don’t clip her wings.’

Gus’s first marriage broke down because his then wife ran off with one of his friends, but afterwards she’d said that Gus had suffocated her by trying to please her all the time. Gus could be a bit like that. Unfortunately, he was the sensitive member of the family and their hard-to-please father didn’t really do sensitive. So Gus had spent most of his childhood trying to please their father, something their father recognised later in life and apologised for, but Gus was still battling with insecurity as a result. Amanda made him happier than he’d ever been, but old habits died hard.

‘I know, she’s happy, we’re happy, and I need to remember that. You know what a nightmare I can be!’

‘Exactly. Right, here’s your next two painting workshops.’

‘Any sign of Freddie?’ Gus asked.

‘No. Gemma dragged him home a couple of hours ago but that hangover isn’t going anywhere soon.’

‘Typical Fred.’

Pippa laughed. The Singers had settled into themselves and for four siblings who were so close, they were all so utterly disparate. Harriet the boss, Gus the sensitive one, Freddie the fun one and her … Pippa was still trying to find herself. She was on her own now for the first time, she was working for the first time and she was getting to know herself for the first time, but she still had a lot to learn. She might be in her thirties, but she felt as if she was only just now discovering who she really was.

Chapter Five

Pippa was absorbed in reading the latest edition of Hotels, a trade magazine, in the office, when she heard the front door bang open and raised voices. The noise startled her and she jumped. Glancing at her watch, she saw it was later than she thought. She must have been miles away.