The following morning brought the arrival of Mr Reynolds and his team of builders. They might not have outnumbered the previous team in physical bodies but Sam was relieved that their professionalism was tenfold in improvement.
‘It’ll take some time,’ said Mr Reynolds when he arrived to survey the house. ‘That Kevin Jacobs has made a right mess of things. But most things I think we can rescue.’
‘I know it’s not going to happen overnight,’ Sam told him. ‘What do you think should be our priorities?’
‘We need to get it waterproof,’ replied Mr Reynolds. ‘That means the roof, gutters, windows and doors first. Then we can start to look at the inside.’
‘Is there any way it’s going to be habitable any time soon?’
Mr Reynolds thought for a moment. ‘This is about getting the Earl back to live here, right?’
Sam nodded. Although his grandad was holding up much better than expected in the nursing home.
‘I think we’ll have to concentrate on one wing at a time. I’ll get someone to look at the plumbing and electrics in the east wing as that’s where the master bedroom is.’
‘Grandad just needs his bedroom and bathroom. Perhaps the drawing room too.’
‘It’s going to take a bit of time to get the right people together on a massive job like this.’ Mr Reynolds’ look of horror could not be disguised as he stared around the entrance hall and up at the rickety ladder that still lay against the top floor. ‘I assume you’ll want a staircase as a matter of urgency as well? I’ll get the carpenters working on it straight away.’ He shook his head. ‘I’ve never seen anything like it.’
Sam gulped at the mess. ‘I’m prepared to throw a bit of extra money everyone’s way if they can move us to the top of their lists.’
Hopefully not every penny we have, he added silently.
But finally, Sam felt as if he were in control. And in charge.
*
Annie was called into an urgent family meeting later that morning, along with Megan, Rose and Will, who had been summoned back from France.
But first they had stood and stared in horror in the middle of the entrance hall.
‘I’m actually at a loss for words,’ said Megan eventually.
‘Well, I suppose there’s a first time for everything,’ quipped Will. But Annie could see from his face how upset he was about the state of their home.
Rose’s lips trembled. ‘I just don’t believe it,’ she said.
Will put his arm around her and squeezed her tight. ‘Don’t you worry, Aunty. We’ll have you sliding down a new bannister before you know it.’
They went into the kitchen and sat around the table, awaiting instructions from Sam who paced up and down the room whilst the others drank their tea. ‘Right. I’ve told Mr Reynolds that I’m willing to throw as much money as possible to get the house done by Christmas.’
Annie was thrilled about her perfect Christmas being back on track but surprised that anything could be completed in such a short time frame. ‘The roof will be fixed by then?’
‘We think that it shouldn’t need a total replacement which should save us some time,’ said Sam, with a firm nod.
Annie thought that he seemed to have grown about three feet in statue as he stalked past the table, fully in control. He had never looked more like an earl in his life.
‘So the roof and windows are taking priority,’ he carried on. ‘And the stairs, obviously. I’ve already booked a chimney sweep to start work tomorrow. The central heating’s so dodgy that it’s going to take months to sort out but we need some kind of heat in here. Although I appreciate that’s also going to take time, so we’re going to prioritise the most useful fireplaces.’
‘I agree. It’s freezing in here,’ said Will. ‘I’m so cold, I think Annie and Megan should sit on my lap and warm me up.’
Annie blushed and shook her head at his joke.
Megan gave him a pointed look. ‘Seeing as you’re not completely ugly, remind me again why you haven’t found the right woman and married her already?’
Will broke into a wide grin. ‘Just lucky, I guess.’
‘Can we get back to the matter in hand?’ barked Sam, glaring at his brother.
‘What about the new kitchen?’ asked Annie, glancing around the dilapidated room.
At this point, Sam stopped pacing and sighed as he placed both hands on the table and looked around at them all. ‘OK. Here’s the deal. It’s such a massive renovation job that we’ve had to split it into various phases. This will be Phase 1. That means that the bare basics need to be safe and in place, which includes plumbing, electrics and weatherproofing the house. We’re going to concentrate on the east wing because that houses Grandad’s and Aunty’s bedrooms, plus the drawing room. Those rooms and their bathrooms will be top of the list.’
‘How wonderful,’ said Rose, breaking into a smile. ‘I can’t wait to move back. I love Beryl but I miss my own space.’
Annie smiled at her. ‘We’ve missed you too.’
‘So Phase 1 is the boring stuff,’ Sam told them. ‘Making the place habitable.’
‘That doesn’t sound boring to me,’ said Annie. ‘It sounds like absolute heaven.’
Sam’s face lit up into a quick smile. ‘I agree. So once that’s all done, Phase 2 will be the kitchen, dining room and servants’ quarters.’ He gave Annie a sheepish look. ‘Sorry about the kitchen.’
‘It doesn’t matter,’ she told him. ‘If the roof doesn’t leak anymore then I’ll be happy.’
‘If it makes you feel better, my room won’t be done either,’ said Sam.
‘Yes, that does make me feel better actually,’ she replied, giving him a grin.
They exchanged a smile until Annie began to feel the stares of the others watching them and quickly looked away.
‘You know,’ said Rose, her eyes still twinkling at a blushing Annie. ‘I need help to get my hands on some different clothes out of storage. There’s a new gentleman in our book group.’
Annie had been pleased to see Rose begin to wear her couture clothes once more.
‘What’s he like?’ asked Megan.
‘Lovely!’ cooed Rose. ‘There’s a few rumours about his wife’s mysterious death, but men over sixty are rare in this village, you know.’
Annie glanced at Sam who was staring open-mouthed at his aunt. Thankfully, his phone rang and broke his train of thought.
‘Alex? Where are you? I need you,’ he barked. ‘Very funny. Get here by next week at the latest.’ Sam put down his phone. ‘Aunty? You’re in charge of decoration. I’m going to leave you and Alex to sort out the look of the place, OK?’
‘How exciting,’ said Rose, looking thrilled.
‘Just ideas. Nothing extravagant. Or expensive, please.’ He broke into a smile that made Annie wonder how she had ever thought him as anything other than handsome. ‘Don’t worry,’ he said. ‘We’re not going to turn it into some stainless-steel, folding-windows Grand Design type of place any time soon.’
‘Glad to hear it. Well, I’m going to get my nails done,’ said Rose, standing up. ‘I don’t want your designer friend meeting me like this. I wonder if there’re any spare appointments at the hairdressers’
As she wandered out of the room, Sam turned to face Annie.
‘I want you and Megan to start getting everything ready for the quickest restoration job in history. I’ve transferred a fair bit into the housekeeping account. New bed linen, towels, you name it. Buy it, OK?’
‘Yes, Sir!’ said Megan, with a wide grin. ‘At the ready, Sir!’
‘Let’s get this show on the road, shall we?’ said Sam, with a wink.
Annie found herself nodding in agreement and felt a little thrill of excitement that he was referring to them as ‘we’. Although he was obviously including everyone in the room at the time.
As he walked out of the kitchen with Will, Annie found herself unable to look away from Sam. It was a pretty good view on a cold morning, what with the wide shoulders and firm bottom encased, surprisingly, in jeans that day.
She glanced over at Megan and found her friend smiling at her.
‘Looks like we’ve got another leak in here,’ she drawled. ‘Wait! I’m wrong. It’s just a puddle of drool that you’re creating.’
Annie blushed. ‘What are you saying?’
Megan’s eyes gleamed. ‘I’m saying go get him, tiger!’
‘You know that Will is totally unsuitable. He’s the biggest playboy ever.’
‘I wasn’t talking about him and you know it.’
Annie rolled her eyes. ‘Sam’s in a relationship,’ she said, even though the words pained her.
‘Ugh,’ said Megan, with a shudder. ‘I’d forgotten about Cassandra. Maybe you can make Sam forget about her too?’
Annie glanced at her watch. ‘Isn’t it time that you went home to look after my beautiful godchildren?’
‘Do I have to? I’m on permanent repeat at the moment, telling them that Father Christmas won’t come next month unless everyone is good.’
‘Is it working?’
Megan grimaced. ‘Not even remotely.'
‘Talking of which,’ said Annie. ‘I’ve decided that I’m going to organise the best Christmas ever.’
Megan looked startled. ‘Er, you?’
Annie threw a tea towel across the table at her friend. ‘I can do this. I can get organised.’
‘OK.’ Megan didn’t sound sure but smiled anyway to soften the blow.
Annie just hoped that she could prove herself wrong as well. Christmas had been her dad’s favourite time of year. But it hadn’t been special since he had died.
But she was determined that this, her first at Willow Tree Hall, would be wonderful.
Of course, that may require having a roof. And some windows.
Maybe some stairs would be a start as well, she added with a sigh.
*
Later on that day, she went to visit Arthur and found him surprisingly perky in spirits.
It was in stark contrast to how she felt.
‘You’re looking very serious today,’ said Arthur, frowning. ‘I thought things were beginning to pick up, according to my grandsons when they both came to see me earlier.’
Annie gulped. ‘Then you know the truth. About me, I mean.’
Arthur’s grey eyebrows went up. ‘You? What are you talking about?’
Had Sam not told him? She couldn’t quite believe it but it didn’t matter. She had to confess.
‘You see, I’m not really a housekeeper. I lied to you when I came about the job.’
‘Oh, I know you did,’ said Arthur, with a soft smile.
‘You did?’
‘Goodness me, my dear. It was quite obvious. You were far too young and, how can I say this, your lack of experience showed quite early on.’
Annie was aghast. ‘Why didn’t you confront me? Sack me?’
‘Why on earth would I want to do that?’ Arthur reached out and took her hand. ‘You know, you’ve become very dear to me and Rose. We could have had some stern-faced bossyboots getting the place shipshape but we had you, which was far better.’
‘But I’m completely useless,’ Annie told him, the tears slipping down her face. ‘You could have died when you fell down the stairs.’
‘But I didn’t,’ he told her in a firm tone of voice. ‘It was a just a silly accident so no more regrets, eh?’
But Annie was still wrestling with her conscience. ‘Sam should have sacked me.’
‘He didn’t want to. Besides, I wouldn’t have let him.’ Arthur smiled. ‘You know, he was quite insistent that you absolutely had to stay on at the hall.’
Annie was amazed. ‘He said that?’
Arthur’s eyes wrinkled up into a smile. ‘I think you need to give my grandson about a bit more credit that you’ve previously allowed him. He likes you.’
Annie felt her cheeks grow hot. ‘I wouldn’t go that far,’ she muttered.
Then she quickly changed the subject onto the new builders.
*
By Friday, Sam was pleased to see even more workmen arriving at Willow Tree Hall. But this time they were professionals with specialised areas of expertise.
The new roofers had spent the afternoon assessing the state of the tiles.
‘The good news is that the whole thing doesn’t need to be replaced,’ one of them told Sam. ‘The bad news is that it’s going to take a few weeks to find the appropriate missing tiles. We’re also going to have to replace quite a few of the joists which are completely rotten.’
But at least they were going to weatherproof the roof in the meantime by lining any holes with plastic to stop any further rain damage.
Mr Reynolds had also managed to source a bricklayer who was beginning to rebuild the wobbly chimneys.
‘So that’s the roof more or less started on,’ Sam told Annie. ‘They’re also going to measure up and order new windows. They tell me that they should be delivered by the end of the month.’
Annie nodded. ‘I saw that they’ve covered the missing ones with plastic which is good.’
‘It means that they can get going on the electrics and plumbing if the rain isn’t coming inside the house.’
Annie smiled. ‘I’m just grateful for the lack of catcalls and wolf whistles every time I cross the hallway now.’
They both glanced up to where a large team of carpenters had answered the SOS call from Mr Reynolds and were slowly beginning to build the foundations of a brand new staircase.
‘It’s a start,’ said Sam. ‘Or at least a proper restart.’
And the new team of builders even tidied up their mess and tools each evening.
By the time Alex answered his summons and arrived the following Thursday, a few more workmen had been added to the ever-increasing numbers.
‘I didn’t expect it to look like a UN disaster zone,’ said Alex in dismay, staring up at the scaffolding, the skips and the general disrepair.
‘It’s OK,’ said Sam, leading him inside. ‘We’ve got decent builders in now.’
‘You must be Alex,’ said Rose, heading across the hallway.
‘Darling! What a beauty you are!’ said Alex, stepping forward to give her a kiss on both cheeks. ‘Is that Chanel?’
‘Of course,’ said Rose, glancing down at her pale blue jacket before linking arms with him. ‘Now, we’re in charge of decoration, I’ve been told.’
‘With your sense of style and mine, it’ll be fabulous!’ Alex told her.
‘I just don’t know what it should look like,’ said Sam with a shrug of his shoulders.
Alex was quiet for a moment. ‘I think it needs to be cosy but chic,’ he said, eventually. ‘It should be true to its heritage but less like a crusty old museum.’
‘Maybe it’ll always feel like that,’ said Sam with a grimace.
‘Of course it won’t,’ replied Alex. ‘It’s going to be magnificent. Come on, give me another tour and remind me what I’m letting myself in for.’
Mr Reynolds’ team had worked quickly and efficiently so that, after only one week, there was an actual staircase leading up to the first floor. There was still no handrail and it wasn’t finished but it was solid enough to use. Sam and Annie were just relieved not to have to climb up and down the ladder each and every day.
As they went around the house, Alex rattled off a running commentary.
‘I think it should be deep colours in here,’ he said as they crossed the entrance hall. ‘How do you feel about red? And a sweeping staircase to make Scarlett O’Hara envious. Darling Rose, you and your Chanel will fit in perfectly. You need lots of warm colours,’ he said as they went from the family room to the study and then the dining room. ‘The room sizes can handle a bit of wallpaper. I know just the right place to get it from. Modern, but mix in some of the antique stuff.’
‘There’s boxes of it packed away,’ said Sam. ‘Annie made sure it stayed safe. But I don’t know about using too much of the old stuff.’
Alex rolled his eyes. ‘That’s because everything in your flat was manufactured in the land of Ikea, from what I can remember.’
‘We have to have our stuff around us,’ said Rose, looking panic-stricken. ‘Some of it has been handed down from one generation to the next.’
‘Never fear,’ said Alex, patting her hand in a reassuring manner. ‘I won’t let him ruin the place. Old doesn’t mean bad,’ he added to Sam. ‘Try to remember that you have a home of historical importance. ’
Upstairs, they went through the bedrooms and bathrooms in the west wing. ‘OK,’ carried on Alex. ‘I see luxurious bathroom suites, lots of bling tiles but tasteful. I want it to look gorgeous in here.’
‘And a bath that’s big enough for two,’ said Rose, with a wink.
‘Oh, you’re sooo on my wavelength, darling,’ Alex told her.
Sam stared at the chipped tiles and worn-out basin and bath, wondering if it would ever be truly gorgeous.
In the large bedroom suite that Sam had decided to call his own, Alex announced, ‘We’ve got to get the lighting just right. I’m thinking classy hotel look with crisp white bedding. Oh and some leather, as well.’
‘Leather?’ said Sam, frowning.
‘Trust me,’ said Alex, with a nudge. ‘You could do with a little Christian Grey in here. Talking of sex, you look like you could do with some. Your shoulders are so tight they’re up past your ears. When was the last time you had any action?’
Sam blushed, glancing at his elderly aunt who seemed to be taking all the sex talk in her stride.
‘Cassandra has been finishing her new album,’ he said through gritted teeth. ‘She’s back in the country tomorrow.’
Alex gave an involuntary shudder. ‘I thought I heard the howling of wolves on my way over here.’
Sam sighed as he followed them back along the corridor. He knew that he really ought to defend his girlfriend’s somewhat demanding reputation but most of their phone calls were borderline hysterical at the minute. She was very uptight about yet another live concert that was coming up soon and he was spending every conversation trying to calm her down, when he really could do with some support himself.
Just once it would be nice to have his girlfriend ask about him for a change, he thought. When did he get to offload about his problems?
Alex walked into Arthur’s room and immediately began to shake his head. ‘Your grandad can’t sleep on that bed. It’s too high and I should think that ancient mattress will set him back a few months in his recovery if he has to sleep on that. I’ll get him an orthopaedic one. Maybe even one of those electric ones that goes up and down.’
Sam sighed. ‘Look, you’re going to have to rein in the spending a bit.’
‘Sure,’ said Alex, waving away his concerns with his hand. ‘I promise I’ll only buy the bare essentials. Like decent beds. New mattresses. A walk-in shower. I can get some of this furniture sent away to be polished and fixed.’
‘OK,’ said Sam, feeling more relieved. ‘That sounds doable.’
‘Of course we’ll need new curtains.’ Alex nudged a threadbare rug with his foot in disdain. ‘And lovely thick carpets.’
Sam shook his head. ‘You’re killing me, you know that?’
He felt so stressed. The house was all-consuming at the moment and it wasn’t as if he had an endless money pot to spend. Once it had been done up, there would be no more to save it from its monthly bills. But he had to start somewhere.
This was the last chance to save Willow Tree Hall before it completely fell apart. It had to be right. And he needed his grandfather to love it as well.
Sam led Rose and Alex down into the kitchen where they found Annie chopping up some homegrown vegetables to make soup.
Alex shuddered at the derelict state of the room before screwing up his eyes and imagining how it would look. ‘I’m thinking oak in here.’ He held up a hand as Sam went to protest. ‘Don’t panic. I’m not going to have any of that yellow pine shit, OK? Trust me. No cutesy, country chintz around here. I’ll allow the tiniest bit of Cath Kidston if you want to vintage it up a bit. But not too much.’
Rose murmured her approval. ‘What do you think Annie?’
She gave Sam a quick glance. ‘I think it’ll look wonderful. In time.’
‘Yeah,’ said Sam, grateful for Annie’s support. ‘The thing is, we’ve only got so much time and money, so I want to concentrate on Aunty’s and grandad’s bedrooms, the drawing room and the hallway. For now.’
‘No new kitchen?’ said Alex, looking aghast.
‘Not yet,’ said Sam in a firm tone. ‘The whole place needs rewiring and new plumbing. As long as the Aga still works, we can cope.’
Alex frowned. ‘But that thing is awful.’
‘I agree,’ said Rose. ‘And look at lovely Annie. You look tired. Doesn’t she look terrible, boys?’
‘Gee, thanks,’ said Annie, blushing.
‘You’ve been putting this girl under far too much pressure,’ Rose told Sam sternly.
He went to protest but wasn’t given the chance to respond.
‘Besides, blondes are supposed to have more fun, aren’t they?’ Rose touched the end of her hair. ‘In fact, I was thinking of going blonde myself. What do you think?’
‘It will look fabulous,’ said Alex.
Sam watched as Annie appeared to relax, grateful that the conversation had moved on. But then his aunt’s focus moved back onto her once more.
‘What you need is a distraction,’ said Rose, patting her arm. ‘And nothing’s better for that than a nice man.’
‘Or a naughty one,’ added Alex, who had sat down at the table and was flicking through the Daily Mail. ‘Oh, Kim Kardashian! Who ever told you that you could pull off that see-through skirt?’
Annie was still looking embarrassed. ‘I really don’t need a boyfriend,’ she said in a small voice.
But Rose wasn’t listening. ‘I know! What about William? He’s near your age and awfully good-looking. Maybe you could do better than those fancy types he goes for.’
Annie went to open her mouth but Sam found himself beating her to it. ‘Annie does not need a boyfriend like Will,’ he snapped, spinning round to face them. ‘He has three women on the go at any one time.’
‘So who do you suggest?’ his aunt asked, her eyes twinkling at her great-nephew.
Unwilling to answer, Sam spun round on his heel and quickly left the room.
In fact, he left so swiftly that he didn’t see the smile that Alex and Rose exchanged.