 |
| Welcome to my Blog! Wander through worlds real and fictional, meet interesting people, visit exciting places and find good books to enjoy along the way! |
 |
| About the Book |
 |
| read an excerpt |
Extract: Celebrations at the Beach Hotel by Francesca Burgess
Lorcan
Foley and Jasper Jupp return from the war to the Beach Hotel, where they are
both porters. Scullery maid, Annie Twine, sitting in the staff dining room, is
thrilled to see Lorcan and suspects her sister, Alice, feels the same way about
Jasper…
They’d all just finished helping themselves when the door opened. Helen Bygrove entered. Her cheerful face gave Annie hope of some good news. But it was better than good, for behind her came Lorcan and Jasper. They were both in open army overcoats that revealed they were still in uniform, each carrying a large rucksack on their shoulders. Annie’s immediate reaction was to smile broadly, but she quickly reined it in. If only she could have run to Lorcan and hugged him, like she’d seen other women do when their men returned. She’d played the scenario over in her mind many times. But he wasn’t ‘her’ man and was never likely to be, not when he was attracted to beautiful, interesting women like Hetty.
She looked at her sister, surprised to find her staring at the table rather than at the newcomers, not taking any notice of Jasper, as she’d expected.
There was a chorus of ‘Welcome back’, causing both men to
grin widely.
‘Have you had your lunch yet, lads?’ said Will, stepping
over the bench to shake their hands.
‘Not yet,’ said Lorcan. ‘Came straight from the train
station, so we did.’
‘That’s right,’ said Jasper, his soft, middle-class accent unchanged. ‘I am rather famished. We haven’t had anything since very early this morning. And we had a devil of a night sleeping over in the waiting room at Dover.’
‘Then come and sit down. There’s plenty left, so come and
help yourselves.’
After people had moved around to give them space on the bench seat, the pair of them ended up sitting opposite her and Alice. Annie came out in a warm sweat and hoped she hadn’t gone red.
When the newcomers had got settled and served, Lorcan said, ‘So, I hear that Hetty got engaged to Victor Perryman.’
Nobody spoke for a few moments, then Edie said, ‘Yes,
that’s right. And they are, um, getting married this coming Saturday. The
reception is going to be at the hotel.’
Lorcan looked down and pressed his lips together. Annie’s
heartfelt sadness for him clashed with her relief that he was free, confusing
her even more. And his reaction suggested, as she’d feared, that he hadn’t got
over Hetty.
‘So, she’s not working here anymore?’
‘It was her last day over a week ago now,’ said Edie. ‘I
believe you’re down to be working a shift during the wedding, but it can be
rearranged, if you would prefer.’
Lorcan shook his head vigorously but continued to look down. ‘No, what’s the point? What’s done is done. Anyway, I’ve had a while to get used to it.’ He did now look up and smile. ‘It’s just grand to be back.’
He seemed cheerful now, though Annie suspected he was putting it on to hide his feelings. It was the kind of thing she would do.
‘When are you two starting work?’ Jack asked.
‘I’m starting tomorrow,’ said Lorcan. ‘I never thought I’d
look forward to a shift so much. But it’ll be warm, safe and hopefully
friendly, and what more could a man want?’
‘I’m starting the day after next,’ said Jasper. ‘I’m going
to visit my parents in Middleton tomorrow. Thought it only right, given I
haven’t seen them in seven months… How has everyone here been?’
People started relating the recent goings on in the hotel,
nobody alluding to the floods and outbreak of Spanish influenza that had
occurred only a few months back.
Eventually, Lorcan looked at the sisters. ‘You two are very quiet, so you are. What have you been up to?’
‘Nothing much,’ said Annie, wishing she had a more exciting
life to interest him with. ‘We’re stillroom maids, as we were when you left.
Not like a lot of people who’ve shifted jobs.’ She hoped that didn’t sound
resentful, as she didn’t feel that way at all.
‘On that note, I hear that Gertie has become a portress in
our absence,’ said Jasper, looking over at her. ‘And I see you still have the
uniform on. Are you going back to being a chambermaid once all the porters have
returned?’
‘Not all the porters are coming back. Alan Drew and James
Wood aren’t,’ Gertie reminded him.
‘Well, no, of course.’ He looked uncomfortable. ‘Sorry, I
meant, of course, the ones who are returning.’
‘Anyway, I’m remaining a portress, in fact, head portress.
Mrs Bygrove has told me.’
‘But what about Charlie? He took over from Alan when he
enlisted early on, so won’t he get that position back? It’s not on if he
doesn’t.’
‘Why is that?’ said Alice, replying to Jasper. ‘Some women
have the vote now, and they’ve been doing a lot of the jobs during the war,
even the men’s jobs, so why shouldn’t they be head porter, or
head waiter, or anything they like? Lili is head waitress and she’s staying
in that position too.’ She puckered her lips and glared at him for a couple of
seconds, before lifting her sandwich to start eating again.
Jasper stared wide-eyed at her, with his mouth slightly
open. ‘I’m sorry,’ he mumbled. ‘I didn’t mean to offend anyone.’
People started talking in small groups, with Lorcan and
Jasper speaking to those either side of them.
It wasn’t long before Gertie stood up. ‘Anyway, I’ve
finished, and I’ll be off now.’
‘That was rather quick, Miss Green,’ said Mrs Leggett.
‘You’ll get indigestion.’
‘I’ll ’ave to risk it, Mrs L. I’ve got a football practice
with me team and I don’t wanna be late.’
Alice looked over at Jasper once more. ‘I suppose you don’t
think women should play football neither.’
‘No, I’ve nothing against it,’ he replied. ‘It’s a good
idea. And at least the men left behind in the war were still able to watch some
matches.’
‘Not just the men.’
‘See ya later,’ said Gertie, leaving hastily, as if she
didn’t want to get involved in an argument.
scroll down to leave a comment
thank you!
*
| The story of the events that led to The Battle of Hastings in 1066 Harold the King (UK edition) I Am The Chosen King (US edition) AND 1066 Turned Upside Down an anthology of 'What If'' 1066 tales  |
 |
| e-book only Free on Amazon |
(subscription reminder available)
PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW
FOR YOUR FAVOURITE AUTHORS ON AMAZON!
 |
A 4 or 5 star rating and a brief
"I thoroughly enjoyed this book!" will make such a difference!
THANK YOU!
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thank you for leaving a comment - it should appear soon. If you are having problems, contact me on author AT helenhollick DOT net and I will post your comment for you. That said ...SPAMMERS or rudeness will be composted or turned into toads.
Helen