‘And that’s how mistakes get made,’ Elle replied, certainty thick in her voice, and right away he knew their brief moment of intimacy was over.

‘Let’s have a look at this leak then,’ he said, all business once again.

‘Here,’ she pointed at the ceiling over the bath. ‘It started dripping on me while I was in the bath tub last night.’

Rob looked at the ceiling for a long time, not speaking.

‘Well?’ she asked eventually. ‘What’s the verdict?’

‘I’d have to get into the attic to make sure,’ he said with a sinking feeling, ‘but, I’m sorry Elle, it looks to be pretty major. I’d say that the whole roof needs doing. Forgive the pun but it’ll send your costs through the roof.’

She looked at him, horrified.

‘Sorry, I don’t mean to make light of things. But a job like this, it could quadruple the budget.’

Elle sighed and they both looked back up at the ceiling at the offending mark, as though willing it to disappear, solving their problems for them.

Chapter 7

Penny was just as crushed over the news about the roof as Elle, but she tried to take it in her stride. ‘You’ll just have to ask the bank for more money,’ she reasoned.

‘But we’ll be completely ruined if we take out a loan that big and business doesn’t pick up,’ said Elle. Though ‘picking up’ wasn’t enough; in truth they would need the hotel to take off altogether.

‘It will. It will pick up. Why shouldn’t it? It was popular before, and it can be again. People still flock to this town, to the beach and Main Street. You’re right, we just need some modernisation.’

‘You seem so sure,’ Elle said, not feeling quite the same optimism.

‘I am sure. But I think it’s probably best not to say anything to Dad about this latest little set-back for the moment. God knows, he doesn’t need to feel any worse than he already does.’

‘That’s true. I know that he’s barely sleeping or eating.’ To say nothing of talking.

‘We just have to give him some time,’ said Penny. ‘Mum’s death is hard for all of us but it’s worse for him. We just forget about that because he never says anything.’

Elle wondered when Penny had become so wise. She felt like a complete novice at life compared to her sister. ‘Well,’ she said, ‘we’ll know more tomorrow anyway. Are you sure you don’t want to come to the bank with me? At this stage, we might need to gang up on the guy.’