After lunch, Milo followed Henry happily upstairs to view the extravagant train layout. It surprised Cryssie that he didn’t insist that she go as well.
‘See you later, Cryssie,’ the child said, as he left the room holding Henry’s hand.
Jed pushed back his chair. ‘Come on—let me show you around,’ he said, ‘while my mother has her usual post-lunch forty winks!’
The gardens were far more extensive than they’d appeared, and soon Jed and Cryssie had lost sight of the house altogether. Presently, they came to a small wooden lodge, built between the trees, and Jed pushed open the door for Cryssie to go inside.
‘I used to have picnics here with my friends—after we’d skinny-dipped in the river,’ he said. He sighed. ‘But those days are past, sadly. No one uses this much any more—though the gardener has left some tools here, I see.’
It was a charming structure, facing downhill towards the river, which was just visible through the trees, and it contained a small, strong wooden table, a couple of deckchairs, and a two-seater swing chair. Jed sat gingerly down on one side, and patted the seat beside him for Cryssie to sit as well. ‘I think it’s still in good enough nick to hold our combined weight,’ he said. ‘Well, my weight,’ he added.
Cryssie sat down as well, and leaned her head back. ‘This is such a beautiful place, Jed,’ she said quietly. ‘You were very lucky to be brought up here.’
‘I was,’ he agreed. ‘Though I don’t think I realised it at the time. I was always allowed to bring my friends here—it was a fun time for me.’
They were so close that Cryssie could feel his strong thigh against hers, the warmth of his flesh mingling with her own. She ran her tongue over her lips, aware that her pulse had begun to race, and to break the spell that he always seemed to cast on her when they were alone she said, ‘Have you decided what you’re going to do about the manager, the chef, and the chef’s wife?’ she asked lightly, and he frowned, his mood changing in a second.
‘I was hoping for some input from you about that,’ he said seriously.
Cryssie was surprised that her opinion meant that much to him, but she said without hesitation, ‘I’d have both Kevin and Max’s wife in, together, and tell them that this affair must stop—now. Or they’ll both be out—with no reference for them to give any future employer. You told me that Kevin adores his four sons, so he has a great deal to lose if his family splits up—and I doubt whether he’d ever get a salary to match the one you’re paying him. The same goes for the wife. She must behave herself or she goes.’
Cryssie sat forward a moment, clasping her hands around her knees.
‘Of course, that strategy may not work if they’re deeply in love—but I very much doubt that is the case. From my impression of Kevin lust, not love, is the operative word, and Max’s wife—obviously a much younger girl—has had her head turned by an older man. She’ll get over it. And with a bit of luck poor Max may never be any the wiser—if it works out.’ She leant back again, looking up at Jed, who hadn’t taken his eyes off her as she’d been speaking. ‘Don’t blame me if you take that course and they end up resigning because they can’t live without each other, though,’ she added. ‘That’s a risk you’ll have to take, and then the scenario for you will be having to find a new manager and waitress.’
She paused, frowning slightly. ‘The most important thing, Jed, is the goodwill and contentment amongst the rest of the staff—and from what I was told that’s in short supply at the moment. This very serious undercurrent can’t be allowed to go on—it’s undermining the running of the hotel, and the people who will soon be affected by this are your visitors. The ones who use their credit cards.’
‘What if the two culprits go to law claiming unfair dismissal?’ Jed asked.
‘They’re not likely to do that, are they?’ Cryssie said. ‘Because then the whole business will become public property. Anyway,’ she added, ‘if they do, you can settle out of court…A few thousand each won’t hurt you, will it?’
Fixing her attention on matters of business had cleared Cryssie’s mind of other things for a moment, and she stretched her arms above her head to run her hands through her long ponytail while she thought over what she’d just been saying. Turning to face him again, she said, ‘But of course that’s only my opinion…’
Instinctively he moved even closer to her. ‘But that is exactly what I asked you for, Cryssie,’ he said slowly. ‘It’s what I’ll be paying you for…it’s what I need!’