Chapter 1

"Jenny, darling, Venture Pubs have offered us the Crown at Atheldiston." James Hoddinot's voice was trembling with excitement.

"Wonderful, darling," answered Jenny, his wife. "I've got a client at the moment. I'll ring you back as soon as I can."

James went back to preparing the evening meals at the Queen's Arms where he worked as head chef. He could not wait to tell Jim, the landlord, as well. He had worked for Jim for the best part of five years as a barman, as bar manager and as head chef. Jim had taught him most of what he knew about running a pub. He was well aware of James's aspirations of running his own pub and had given him active support.

James and Jenny had met at the Queen's Arms. She had a job with an insurance firm but used to do two evenings a week at the pub either as a barmaid or helping in the kitchen. She was a trained cook. They had been married for a year and were deeply in love.

Ten minutes later James's mobile phone rang. He wiped his hands on the cloth at his waist and answered it.

"Sorry I couldn't talk to you before, darling. Tell me all."

"Dick Williams, the Venture area manager, rang me about half an hour ago to tell me that they have bought the Crown at Atheldiston and are looking for a new landlord. The present couple have agreed to keep the place going for another month. Apparently, it's a bit run down and so Venture would be prepared to offer us a special deal for at least the first six months."

"What sort of special deal?"

"Low rent and discounted beer."

"OK. We'll obviously have to wait and see how run down the place is and just what Venture are prepared to offer."

"You bet, but I think we ought to go and see it and chat to the present landlord and his wife."

"Oh gosh yes! We probably ought to avoid the weekend. You'll be busy anyway. How about Monday, your free day? I'm sure I can get the day off."

James groaned. "Four days."

Jenny laughed. "I know, darling, but it'll also give you time to get your brain back in place. Why don't you give them a ring and fix something up?"

"Yes. Ma'am," replied James. "Thank Heaven I've got you to stop me darting off every which way with excitement."

"That's one of the reasons I love you, my poppet: your zest for living."

James blew a raspberry. "I'd better get back to work," he said. "I'll give these guys a ring once the lunch rush is over. I've just about got this evening sorted so I should be able to walk the dogs as well. Love you."

"Love you too, darling. Lots and lots."

Jim came clattering down the stairs from his office at quarter to twelve and James excitedly told him the news.

"Great!" said James enthusiastically. "It certainly used to be a jolly good pub when Brendan O'Connor ran it but I haven't heard anything about it in the last five years. If it's that run down you'll have a hell of a job getting it going again so watch Venture like hawks. From what I've heard they're sharks out to make a quick buck. If you do take it on it'll be September when you start and that's the beginning of the quiet season for pubs except for Christmas when everyone comes out of hibernation again."

"Yes, said James thoughtfully. "We could be lucky to break even over the first six months."

"And longer than that if it really is run down and you have to build up your customer base and reputation again. When are you going to have a look at it?"

"Monday."

"Well make sure you get the outgoing couple on your side so that you get a true picture of how things are: profit and loss, food consumption, drink sales broken down into beer, soft drinks, wines and spirits. If you like, I'll look them over for you and tell you what I think."

"Would you?" asked James gratefully. "That would be an enormous help. I won't contact Venture again until we've been able to chew it all over."

"Fine. Anyway, I must go and fire up the bar. Where's Miss Judy?"

His question was answered by a crash outside and a most unladylike expletive. James grinned at him. A dishevelled but pretty girl in her early twenties came flying in through the backdoor.

"Bloody brakes!" she exclaimed. "They take quarter of a mile to work."

"Get some new brake shoes," said Jim unsympathetically.

"What? On the pittance you pay me?" she grinned.

"Cheeky monkey," smiled Jim back at her. "Go and run a comb through your hair and then fill the ice bucket."

"Yes, sir, Jim, sir."

He smacked her bottom as she went past. "That's more like it," he said winking at James. "A bit more respect when it's due."

Judy wiggled her bottom at him and then pranced off to the Ladies.

Lunch went off much as normal. They had thirty-five covers and James was kept working. Liz came in at twelve-thirty and did the washing-up. By three he was free and, as he had indicated to Jenny, he had plenty of time to walk the dogs.

He met his father, Richard, on the way. They chatted in a desultory way and Richard showed little more than polite interest in the Crown. James went sadly on his way. Since the death of his mother, Rachel, six months ago, Richard had become a shadow of his former self. James felt deeply for him. Rachel had been beautiful, loving and a constant source of inspiration to his father, his elder brother Bill and to him and Jenny. They all missed her terribly but somehow his father was over-distraught. James wished he knew what to do about it. He and Jenny had discussed it a number of times but had no bright ideas.

He was sitting in the flat above the pub at half-past five quietly reading the newspaper with a mug of tea when Jenny came bounding in. She leapt from about three feet onto his lap. Both terriers followed. There was a flurry of hugs, kisses, and licks.

"Hello, my darling! Hello, girls! Yes, I'm thrilled to see you both but let me kiss my hubby." She did so warmly and lovingly despite squirming dogs.

"I love you, James darling, and I miss you while I'm at work. I do hope the Crown works out and then I'll be able to get at you whenever I want."

James kissed her back equally warmly. "I'll hold you to that promise," he said. "It might become a bit competitive though. Who wants to get at the other first?"

Jenny snuggled against him. "No, darling, both of us all the time. We'll just have to ration it so that we can get something done. Anyway, I need a cuppa and, as I'm on tonight, it'll need to be a quickie because I also want a shower."

James released her reluctantly. "Do you want help?" he asked.

"No, you dirty old man. You have your shower after work tonight."

She skipped off to the kitchen. James marvelled at her energy. He wondered whether it was reaction to being pent up in an office all day.

In no time Jenny was back clutching a mug of tea. "So tell me more about The Crown," she said.

"There's not a lot to tell you." He repeated his conversation with Jim.

"Bless him," said Jenny. "He's taught you everything you know about running a pub and then he's ready to let you go and make a try for yourself. He could have been selfish and thought that he'd keep you on as his manager while he took a back seat. He's pretty special, isn't he?"

"Yes, darling, he is and I'll bet you that if we take it, even though we'll only be five miles away, he'll continue to support us."

Jenny kissed him. "Shower time," she said.

She was back in what seemed no time at all. "Almost six o'clock, my darling. Duty calls."

They were both together in the bar that evening. Jenny went straight through to open up. James stayed in the kitchen to brief Jim on what he had prepared. Such was their teamwork and confidence each had in the other that they could run things this way. It gave Jim much more flexibility in his management of staff.

On Monday the Jays drove to Atheldiston. James had agreed with Phillip and Sophie Jones that they would arrive at about one, take a drink and lunch off them and then have a discussion and walk round once the pub was closed for the afternoon. He also asked them to produce all the figures Jim had told him to get.

They arrived quarter of an hour early so they decided to look round the village. The manor house dominated it. Manor Farm at the southern end was huge. There were some quite rich houses, a couple of rows of terraced labourers' cottages built in the 1930s and a council estate of about a hundred houses. The pub was tacked on to a corner of the manor wall and off the main road through the village. Main road was an overstatement. It was more of a main lane.

The Crown was most attractive from the outside. It was old, red brick with small paned windows in white. There was a climbing rose on the front wall and each of the downstairs windows had a window box brimming with colourful flowers. The car park was round to the side. James estimated it would hold twenty cars.

On the stroke of one they went inside. A man in his sixties was behind the bar. He looked tired but gave them a warm and welcoming smile.

"You must be Mr and Mrs Hoddinot," he said holding out his hand. "I'm Phillip Jones."

James shook his hand. "James," he said, "and my wife, Jenny."

With old world courtesy Phillip kissed her hand. "You are a lucky man, James, to have such a beautiful wife."

The Jays both happily smiled their thanks.

"So what can I get you to drink?" Phillip went on.

"An orange juice for me, please," said Jenny.

"And a pint of bitter, if I may?" answered James.

"Coming up right away," said Phillip. "The menu's on the blackboard over the fireplace."

"I don't want anything too much or I'll get all kippy," said Jenny to James. "I'll just have the tuna baguette."

"I agree, darling, but I'm going to go for the Stilton ploughman's. The crusty bread sounds good."

In the meanwhile a middle-aged man in working clothes and a tweed cap perched over one ear had come in.

"'Mornin', Phillip," he said.

"Good morning, Fred," replied Phillip starting to pour a pint of Guinness without bothering to ask. "You're late today."

"Yeah, 'ad ter go inner Pitsbury for a spare for the 'arvester, di'n' Oi?" He eyed the Jays with calm appraisal, nodded an acknowledgement of them and turned to his drink.

Phillip winked at James who grinned back, took their lunch orders and disappeared into the kitchen. The Jays took their drinks over to a table from which they could look round and also watch any activity.

A few minutes later Phillip reappeared with a large white bread sandwich that looked as though it contained cheese. There were no trimmings with it. Fred nodded his thanks and tucked into it.