The dining room seemed like the right place for this kind of conversation, which Elle guessed would be about what needed to happen to the hotel from here on. This room was superbly impressive, even in its decline. The cream walls contrasted with the dark wood furnishings and the carpet was red and gold, the ceilings high and mouldings still intact. A bar ran the length of the room, bottles glistening behind it, and champagne glasses that had toasted so many occasions hung gleaming like icicles. The circular and turreted room that Elle had always loved was off to the side: originally it had been built as a reading room from when the hotel was still a private residence, in the late 1800s. All in all, it was a beautiful room, even Elle could admit that.

She cleared her throat again and decided to just be out with it.

‘I think we all need to talk about the state of things around here,’ she said bluntly. There was a silence. To speak, to suggest any changes to the way things were done would be to ignore the memory of Anna, which was still so fresh that it seemed she was sitting at the table with them. But Elle decided she might as well be brave and get to the point. Someone had to, and her mum would have understood.

‘I’m not blind. I can see that things aren’t great with the business. And I also have a good idea why.’ Her gaze settled upon her father. ‘Dad, I’m sorry, but after you mentioned that Mum had been stressed, I wanted to find out what was going on.’

Penny looked confused, she shifted her attention from one family member at the table to another. ‘What is going on? Elle, what are you talking about?’

Elle sighed and got up from the table. She left the room and walked into her mother’s old ‘office’, a tiny area behind reception. A moment later she returned with a stack of documents. She set them on the table in front of Penny as if displaying evidence in a courtroom.

‘This is what’s going on. See this file? All arrears notices. Dad, again, I’m sorry for airing dirty laundry, so to speak, but you two aren’t going to be able to solve this on your own.’ Elle felt guilty as she saw the colour rise in Ned’s face. It was clear this was a terribly embarrassing moment for him. ‘I’ve been looking at the finances. And I’m honestly surprised that the bank hasn’t tried to come in and claim the place.’

Penny was looking at each individual arrears notice, her face pale. ‘Why wouldn’t Mum have said anything about this? I mean . . .’

Elle sighed. ‘Penny, come on. You can’t honestly say that you didn’t know something was awry. You said yourself that most of the staff had to be let go.’