Chapter 6

Saturday was their first full day in business. They had no bookings for meals and indeed did not really expect anyone in for lunch after the party. Nevertheless, James spent the morning preparing food and Jenny did further tidying and cleaning up in the clear light of day. Gavin had lunchtime off but would be in for the evening.

Jenny opened the door at midday and moments later Fred came in. She said good morning to him and poured him a pint of Guinness which he took with a nod of thanks.

"Just plain bread and cheese?" she asked.

He nodded again and took out his newspaper. Jenny placed his order with James.

The telephone rang. "The Crown," answered Jenny.

"Hello, my name's Liz Harmsworth. I'm sorry we missed your party last night. We were asked out to dinner. Could the four of us come to you tonight?"

"Of course. What time would you like?

"Seven-thirtyish?"

"Fine. I look forward to meeting you."

Jenny could not resist it. She stuck her head into the kitchen. "We've got a booking for four for dinner," she said excitedly.

James's face lit up. "Great," he said. "We're off."

Jenny went back to the bar as a tall, woman in her late thirties or early forties walked in followed by a tall, tanned man in an open necked shirt. Fred stood up and raised his cap.

"Good morning, Fred," they both said.

"Mornin', sir. Mornin', m'lady." He went back to his paper.

"Hello," said the woman to Jenny. "I'm Ginny Everleigh and this is my husband, Henry. We live at The Manor. I'm sorry we missed your party last night but we had a dinner party and your round robin arrived after we'd organised it."

Jenny smiled. "Don't worry at all, Lady Everleigh. It was pretty short notice, I'm afraid. Did the Harmsworths come to your party?"

"Oh Lord! Don't tell me you know the guest list already."

Jenny laughed. "No, it was just that Mrs Harmsworth rang a few minutes ago to apologise for not being here last night and said that they had been invited to a dinner party. I just put two and two together."

"And made four. Well done!"

Sir Henry stepped forward. "Enough chit chat," he said. "Let's get our priorities right. What would you like to drink, darling?"

"G & T, please."

"Fine. And I'll have a pint of bitter with a handle, please."

"Coming up," said Jenny cheerfully.

She put their drinks on the bar and Sir Henry handed her a ten-pound note. "We'd like to book dinner as well, if we may."

"Certainly, what sort of time?" Jenny asked taking the money.

"About seven-thirty. For four."

"Fine."

Jenny handed him his change and went and wrote their booking in the diary.

"We hardly know ourselves," she said turning back to them with a smile. "Eight for dinner on our first day and it's only half past twelve. Are you ready for another, Fred?"

Fred pushed his glass forward without a word and she replenished it. Fred nodded his thanks. The Everleighs grinned.

"So, tell us about yourselves," Lady Everleigh asked. "Where have you come from?"

"Well, James left school after his 'O' Levels. He's not very academic and became an assistant gamekeeper at Milderton..."

"Oh, for Harry Barnard?"

"Partly. Some of the land was Sir Harry's, the rest belonged to some people called Cullins."

"Oh, I know."

"Well, the head keeper got sacked for poaching his own deer and James got the job. It seems he had impressed Mrs Cullins with his honesty and she was the one with the money." She grinned.

"Anyway, he did that for a total of five years but found that it was very long hours seven days a week and his social life was suffering. So he chucked it and did a cooking course at the local college and found work at the Queen's Arms both as a chef and behind the bar. He told Jim, the landlord, that eventually he wanted to run his own pub and Jim, bless his heart, taught him everything he knew. I was working with an insurance firm in Pitsbury and used to do two or three evenings a week at the pub and that's how we met. We got married just over a year ago and here we are."

At that moment James emerged from the kitchen. "Done, my love," he said to Jenny.

"Well done, darling. Meet Sir Henry and Lady Everleigh."

"How do you do," said James. "Forgive me for not shaking hands but they're still a bit bourguignonny."

The Everleighs laughed. "Do stop the Sir and Lady," said Ginny. "Henry and Ginny."

"Thank you," said the Jays.

"Good morning, Fred," said James.

"Mornin', James."

"So," asked Ginny. "Are the Harmsworths coming en masse or just the two of them?"

"Four," said Jenny.

"Ah! Back to school treat like us. They're nice children." She proceeded to tell Jenny about them and hers.

"Do you still shoot?" Henry asked James.

"When I get the chance but it's too early to have found out what goes on here."

"Well, we've got quite a thriving shoot. Thirty odd turnout. You'd be welcome to join us."

"Thank you very much."

"Got a dog?"

"Yes but wrong sort. Two terriers, which Jenny takes beating. I used to have a lab when I was keeping but once I started this game it wasn't getting the exercise it needed and I had to sell it. I'm glad to say it's still working though. Up near Oxford."

"That's good."

"Yes. She'd have been wasted as a family pet. Mind you, she was that to me as well. I gave the people who bought her my terrier as well because the two were inseparable."

"Well done! What about dogs in here?"

"They're welcome as long as they're well behaved. No scavenging!"

Henry smiled. "I'll have to keep my spaniels on a lead then. They're devils."

"What sort are they?"

"Springers."

The two men were off into the merits of different breeds for shooting.

At one o'clock a big man the Jays had not met before came in, greeted the Everleighs deferentially and then joined Fred.

"Fred," he said.

"Roy," replied Fred.

"Hello, I'm Jenny and this is my husband, James." James raised a hand in greeting but continued his conversation with Henry.