The Christmas Inn. Stella MacLean

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ neutral as he edged past her and went into the same office. Henry promptly settled in behind the reception desk, his chocolate-brown eyes pensive.

      Was everyone in this place either frowning or looking far too serious for such a lovely day? What was the problem with them? She was here, and all she wanted was a pleasant room with a soft bed and a deep tub.

      She’d gone over the questionnaires before she left Boston, and there was a section covering the reception desk. She’d be sure to give them a failing grade on how they received guests. Only the little boy and the dog had shown her any true courteousness so far.

      She resisted the urge to tap her foot as she gazed up at the vaulted ceiling with its dark wood and hanging brass light fixtures. No wonder Advantage Corporation wanted this place checked out. No hotel employee should be this unpleasant with a paying guest, regardless of what plans had been made for activities at the inn.

      She was left to twiddle her thumbs for a few minutes longer, and then the man reappeared without the child, the woman trailing behind him. His smile was back on his face.

      “I’m Luke Harrison, manager of The Mirabel Inn.” He held out his hand, a welcoming smile on his face.

      Now, that’s more like it.

      The warmth and the firmness of his touch drew her in despite his recent behavior. So this was the manager of The Mirabel Inn. His penetrating gaze could prove dangerous should he have reason to believe that she was anything other than a paying guest. The last thing she needed was for him to suspect that she was doing a private assessment of his operations. It would probably be a good idea not to press him over his preoccupation about her traveling alone. The less involvement she had with the man over the next few days, the better.

      “It seems we’ve made a mistake. You’re right, you do have a reservation, but I’m afraid the only room available is on the third floor. Unfortunately, it’s very small and the bathroom doesn’t have a Jacuzzi tub. It is not up to the standards of the other rooms here and is seldom used.”

      “Does it have internet access?” she asked.

      “It does, but only because it’s about to be converted to an office.”

      “Well, as long as it has a bathroom—”

      “We’re sorry about this situation. We don’t normally rent that room. If you’d like, we can call another inn just a couple of miles down the road. The Chancellor is very intimate and offers the best of everything, including a four-star dining room. They have a vacancy, and we’d be more than happy to compensate you for our mistake.”

      Obviously she preferred a full-size room to what sounded like a broom closet with a bathroom. But she didn’t have a choice. She had to stay at The Mirabel Inn. Still, she could indulge her curiosity. “Does the Chancellor have a spa?”

      “No, it doesn’t. Was our spa part of your reason for choosing The Mirabel Inn?” he asked, pleasure lighting his handsome features.

      He was clearly proud of his spa. “Yes, it was.”

      “That’s really too bad. But this is a very popular season of the year, and we’d like you to have the best experience possible during your stay at our inn. We could, of course, offer you a certificate toward booking another time. We would be pleased to provide the Ambassador Suite, should you decide you prefer the accommodations of the Chancellor Inn for this visit, and then return for another visit here.” His eyebrows lifted, his parted lips showing off his perfectly straight teeth.

      She wished she could agree to his offer—the chance to see him a second time adding to the appeal—but there was her brother to consider. “No, I prefer to stay here. I’ve read so much about your inn.”

      He nodded slowly. “Then welcome to The Mirabel Inn. I do hope you have a pleasant experience here with us,” he said, giving her a forced smile before turning on his heel and marching out of the lobby. Henry issued a mammoth dog sigh as he followed the man down the hallway.

      The woman in the black dress stepped forward. “I’m sorry about this. You are travelling alone, correct?”

      Marnie stared at the woman in disbelief as she yanked her cell phone out of her purse. The minute she got to her room she would get Scott on the line and have him deal with these people. With the way they were acting toward her, she’d happily get back in the car, find a gas station and get out of here. “What is the big deal?” she muttered.

      The woman started to say something, then thought better of it.

      Marnie leaned closer to read the woman’s name badge. “Amanda Buckland, is that correct?”

      “Yes…”

      “Mr. Harrison didn’t seem very pleased when I refused his offer to switch inns.”

      The woman passed Marnie a form for her signature. “Mr. Harrison is anxious that each guest have the best possible experience while staying at The Mirabel. He’s simply concerned for you. Starting tomorrow, the only guests here will be couples.”

      An inn full of romantic couples—just her rotten luck. But there was the spa, and hiking and good food, and a timeout for her. “Not to worry. I understand. I’ll be as quiet and discreet as possible. I won’t interfere with your special Christmas event.”

      “We have a large clientele who come here for pampering and socializing with other guests. Our manager simply wants each guest to enjoy his or her experience with us.” Amanda pursed her flawlessly painted lips.

      “I understand.” In truth, as gorgeous as Mr. Harrison might be, what the manager of this inn wanted came in last on her list of priorities.

      “Mr. Harrison is a lovely man and a great manager. Everyone here at The Mirabel likes him, and of course Ethan is such an adorable little boy. We’re like a family.”

      The whole family thing didn’t live up to its billing as far as she was concerned. Yet, she had a job to do and she would do it.

      Amanda passed her an antique key embossed with a coat of arms. “I hope you have a wonderful stay with us, and if there’s anything any member of the staff can do for you, please don’t hesitate to ask. I’ll show you to your room.”

      “That’s not necessary. I’ll get my suitcase and go up by myself. Room number 311, right?”

      “Yes. If you’d like someone to park your car for you…”

      “That would be nice.” Oh, she could get used to this sort of luxury very quickly. She imagined the spa and what treats awaited her there. She intended to indulge in all of them.

      Amanda pulled the long velvet pull cord hanging at the back of the desk area and a bell tolled somewhere deep inside the building. “Again, please enjoy your stay, and let one of the staff know if you need anything.”

      Marnie got her bag from her car, gave her keys to a young man who was waiting outside for her and then headed up the stairs to the third floor. The wide-angled staircase, carpeted in heavy paisley-patterned carpet, led to a much narrower stairway leading to the third floor. Reaching the top of the stairs, she faced a narrow corridor with a tall window at the far end. Her key clutched in her hand, she huffed along down the hall, dragging her suitcase until she found her room. Unlocking the door, she discovered a narrow room made even narrower СКАЧАТЬ