Page 18 of A French Country Escape
‘I’ve got a small cage at home that I’ll put in the car for them tomorrow,’ Ingrid said as she drove back up the farm lane. ‘We got it for vet visits for the cats we no longer have, but it’s big enough for the pups for such a short distance.’ Ingrid laughed. ‘You are going to have your hands full with those two.’
‘I know, but aren’t they adorable? Freddie and I will manage between us.’
‘Do you need anything from the village shop as we go through?’ Ingrid asked. ‘I need to pick something up for supper.’
‘I’ll come in with you and check out their pet supplies,’ Sasha said.
Once Ingrid had parked outside the village shop, they both went in and Sasha made a beeline for the pet corner, which was surprisingly well stocked. She picked up a bag of the dog food Bruno had said he was using, a couple of plastic feeding bowls, water bowls, collars and leads. The pet beds were all cat-size, so not big enough for two puppies to share, but she had plenty of blankets and towels at home to make them comfy. With no one else in the shop, they paid for their purchases and were soon turning onto the château driveway.
Ingrid had parked the Land Rover in its usual place when she sighed unexpectedly and turned to look at Sasha. ‘I knowI’m probably being irrational, but our first guests are due soon and I’m getting more and more nervous about the whole thing of having paying guests. What do I know about running a place like this?’ She gestured towards the château. ‘The answer is, I know nothing. Nothing. I know if I try to talk to Peter about this, he won’t really understand. What if they don’t like it when they get here? What if my standards aren’t high enough for them? What if they are expecting… oh I don’t know, something more upmarket?’
Shocked, Sasha looked at her. ‘I can’t believe you’re seriously doubting yourself and the beautiful place you’ve created here.’
‘It’s so important that I— we, make this place work,’ Ingrid said. ‘I know Peter would hate it if it failed and we had to sell up. Not yet knowing what is happening with Penny is stressing me out too.’
Sasha took a deep breath. ‘I guess worrying about Penny isn’t helping, and starting any new job or venture is bound to be stressful. But honestly, I don’t think you should waste your time fretting about how people are going to react to the château. You’ve made it beautiful inside. And you might not realise it, but you do know something about hotels and guest houses. In the past, how many have you stayed in? Lots, I’m sure. I bet you remember the ones where you were made to feel genuinely welcome and looked after, over and above all the others?’
Ingrid nodded. ‘That’s true.’
‘Well, that’s how you treat your guests – make them feel you personally care about their stay in this beautiful place, without being too obsequious of course. Some people will always come with an attitude. You and Peter are naturally hospitable and friendly. I’m sure neither of you wanted to sell the Cottages du Lac, but you’ve made us both feel so welcome and helped in many ways, without showing any resentment you could have felt towards having strangers living on your private estate.’
‘Thank you,’ Ingrid said, releasing her seat belt. ‘I feel better for having talked to you and you’re right, of course. I shall become known for the magnificent breakfasts I serve. I might be a novice in the hospitality business, but I do know how I like to be treated, and I will make sure my guests are made to feel good during their stay – unless they are absolute horrors of course, in which case I shall politely tell them to leave the château.’
Ingrid, giving a small laugh at that thought, turned to get out, and Sasha watched in horror as she caught her foot in the dangling seat belt and fell out of the Land Rover, landing in a heap on the ground.
14
Sasha gave a long blast on the Land Rover horn in the hope that Peter would hear it and come out. It wasn’t that Ingrid was fat or anything, but she was taller and heavier than Sasha, and she knew she’d struggle to pick Ingrid up on her own.
‘Where do you hurt?’ she asked gently as she crouched down by Ingrid.
‘Just my wrist and my ankle,’ Ingrid said. ‘So stupid of me. I’ve been so careful with that seat belt recently, the bloody thing has been twisted and not rolling back in for a week or two. Tonight, I just completely forgot about it. And I haven’t made up the beds for the guests.’
‘Don’t worry about that right now,’ Sasha said. ‘I can do them for you.’
Peter came running at that moment. ‘Are you okay? Do I need to phone for an ambulance? Shall I drive you toUrgencesin Carhaix?’
‘Neither,’ Ingrid said emphatically. ‘I’m pretty shaken, but I’m fairly certain it’s just a twisted ankle and possibly a sprained wrist.’
‘Come on then, let’s get you in and put cold compresses on everywhere that hurts.’
Between them, Peter and Sasha helped Ingrid onto her good foot and, with Peter on one side and Sasha on the other holding her up, she hopped her way into the kitchen and collapsed onto a chair. Peter gave her a worried look as he wrapped an ice-cold tea towel around her ankle before elevating her leg onto another chair and wrapping another tea towel around her right wrist.
Sasha put the kettle on as Ingrid told her where to find everything, and made a pot of tea. Handing Ingrid a full mug with plenty of sugar in it, she shook her head.
‘I’m so sorry. If you hadn’t taken me to see the puppies, this wouldn’t have happened. I feel so guilty.’
‘Don’t be silly,’ said Ingrid. ‘My own fault for not remembering about the seat belt. At least it happened here on home ground. I wasn’t stranded on my own in town, unable to drive home. The worst part of it is, I have so many last-minute things to do for the first two guests arriving the day after tomorrow.’
‘I’ll come up tomorrow and help. I can make up the bed and make sure everything is ready for when they arrive. You can sit and direct me as to what else needs doing. And I’ll come and cook the breakfasts while they are here too. Okay? So stop worrying,’ Sasha said.
‘Thank you. I’m sure I’ll be fine in a day or two,’ Ingrid said. ‘I’ll get a crutch and at least I’ll be able to get around.’
‘I think you’ll have to rest that ankle, not aggravate it by trying to hobble around,’ Sasha said. Looking at the swelling and the psychedelic colouring on the ankle already, she was pretty certain it was going to be more than a day or two before Ingrid was fully mobile again. ‘Right, I’d better get home. Freddie is cooking supper tonight. I’ll see you in the morning. I hope the ankle and wrist feel better tomorrow.’
Back in the cottage, Freddie had prepared a salad and was waiting for her before he cooked the cheese omelettes. As he beat the eggs before pouring them into the hot pan, he looked at the two feed bowls, the two water bowls, the two collars and the bag of dog food that Sasha had dropped in the corner of the kitchen. ‘Two of everything? We’re having two puppies? Where are they?’
‘Bruno wanted them to stay together, and I couldn’t possibly have chosen between the two anyway. So I thought we’d have one each.’
