The next day, Anna battled to keep her eyes open. ‘All these night shifts are taking their toll,’ she said.
Lemmy was used to working the front desk at night, so he was also used to feeling tired.
‘Power naps, that’s how I cope,’ he said. He pulled his hat slightly over his eyes and leant forward on the desk. ‘Like this. No one ever knows.’
Anna smiled knowingly.
‘Quite brilliant,’ she replied.
The lobby was bustling with guests, but everyone seemed quiet and tired after being woken during the night. To apologise Anna had decided that all teas and coffees would be free for the day. That met with some cheer, particularly from Mrs and Mr Kunkworth, who were enjoying an early-morning nightcap before bed.
‘Morning,’ squawked Mac Macaw, dancing from one leg to the other. ‘Any chance of another coffee?
Anna wondered if he’d already had a few, judging by how fidgety he was. Still, the customer is always right, she thought.
‘I’ll get you one now,’ she said.
As she left the desk she was halted by the ominous sound of banging on the wall behind her.
‘Wow!’ said Mac. ‘You’ve got some big woodpeckers staying here.’
‘We don’t have any woodpeckers staying here,’ she said.
Lemmy had set off to investigate. He touched the walls, moving along as he tried to find the source of the noise. The banging continued, and he held his paw to a patch of wall near a bookcase. It shook with each thump.
‘The noise is coming from behind here,’ he said.
‘What is it?’ asked Anna.
‘Giant moles?’ said Mac excitedly.
‘It’s getting stronger!’ said Lemmy, stepping away.
‘And louder,’ said Anna.
A rip suddenly shot through the wallpaper from floor to ceiling.
‘Get back!’ cried Anna.
Lemmy screamed and leapt backwards as lumps of brick and plaster fell from the wall. A dark and dusty hole appeared.
The banging stopped, and Mac clutched Anna’s arm with fear. Lemmy looked at Anna, Anna looked at Mac, then they all stared back at the dusty hole.
Stella’s head poked through. ‘Morning!’ she said, blinking in the light.
Mac howled with laughter while Anna breathed a huge sigh of relief.
‘What have you done to the wall?’ asked Lemmy.
‘It’s not a wall; it’s a doorway,’ said Stella. ‘And that’s the first item ticked off my list. Watch out!’
She disappeared again, only for more of the wall to crumble and tumble out into the lobby. Before long there was a proper doorway. It was dirty, and needed a bit of tidying, but the once glamorous entrance to the ballroom was now open.
‘How’s that?’ Stella asked.
‘Brilliant, though Hilary won’t be happy with the mess,’ said Anna.
‘No pain, no gain,’ said Stella.
Mac’s wing crept over his beak. ‘Oh no,’ he said.
‘What now?’ said Anna.
‘The smell’s back,’ he said.
Anna turned to see Mrs Kunkworth leading her husband out of the lobby. The shock of the wall disappearing had been too much for him.
‘Hilary!’ shouted Anna. ‘I need you!’
