Under New Management (2 page)

Lord Sedgwick shifts nervously in his chair. “Ah, well... um, that is the sticky point: the contracts are being signed next Friday.”

Mollie’s head shoots up so fast it’s surprising she doesn’t sustain whiplash. Staring at him in utter shock, she splutters, “Friday? Next Friday? But that’s only one week!”

Lord John looks as if he is in physical pain now; he squirms uncomfortably in his chair.

“I really am so, so sorry about this, but it was Evelyn you see. She has refused to give any more notice. She didn’t want the entire town gossiping; she felt that less time would offer some damage limitation. I tried Mollie, I really tried but as you know Evelyn is not the most reasonable of women. Please, don’t look so distressed. As I have said we will of course ensure that you all have a good redundancy package. We have no intention of leaving you all in the lurch, and hopefully some, if not all of you, can be taken on by the new people.”

He rushes through his speech desperate to reassure her. He doesn’t mention that if his wife had her way the entire staff would only receive the bare minimum required by law. What a humdinger of an argument that had been. Lord John didn’t stand up to her that often but this was one point he refused to budge on. The staff would be treated fairly if it was the last thing he did.  Once she had realised her husband’s true wrath, Evelyn had eventually relented. She knew that Lord John was already at breaking point at having to sell his beloved pile. The last thing she wanted was to push him too far: he might take it into his head to choose said pile over her and that wouldn’t do at all. Once she had unlimited access to the trust fund money, she could have a field day. The new lifestyle she envisaged would, in fairness, be so much more enjoyable without her old grump of a husband holding her back. Unfortunately, in order to have the first she has to ensure the compliance of the latter.

Mollie slowly closes her gaping mouth as she digests this news, her mind is racing. Eventually she finds her voice.

“Wow, well that really isn’t very much time. How are you going to manage a move in that time? I haven’t noticed anything missing. You can’t have been secretly packing? Come to think of it, I haven’t noticed anyone here looking at the place, either. Have they bought it unseen or something?” she asks frowning. Her mind whirls as she tries to get her head round it. She has the uneasy feeling that she might be losing her touch.

Lord Sedgwick clears his throat with embarrassment. He is deeply angry with Evelyn for this entire fiasco and here he is picking up the pieces. They had been sneaking around and lying to the staff for the last two months, making sure that any business dealings were kept top secret. He is exhausted from it all.

“Ermmm, no my dear, not unseen. I am afraid that we have had to be a little furtive about everything.”

Mollie raises her eyebrows.
Blimey, ‘furtive’. That’s one word for it. God knows how they managed to keep this quiet. For crying out loud, it was going to be mad! One week to pack up a house this size.
Mollie sighs deeply.
Bloody Evelyn! She has really surpassed herself this time. She’d pulled a right fast one on them all.
Mollie is stunned that she hasn’t picked up on any of this wheeler dealing.
Fair play to Cruella, she’d played a blinder.

Lord John interrupts her thoughts. “I intend to tell the rest of the staff and tenants tomorrow, but first I need to meet tonight with the new owners. I am going to try and gain some promises from them. Most of the tenants are safe for now as the majority of them have long tenancies and rental agreements. The new people cannot legally do anything about them until their agreements run out. Of course, a couple are up for renewal over the next couple of years but I’m afraid I cannot do anything about that. They will have to negotiate new agreements with the new owners.” He takes a long deep breath before continuing. “Evelyn has arranged for a removal firm to come on Monday and stay for the week. The new people apparently would like to buy a good deal of the antiques and furniture; the rest will be taken to the London house or put into storage.” Lord Sedgwick lets out a long sad sigh. “Evelyn has an idea to bring in some locals to help with the move and to make any running repairs as we go along. She has made certain... erm... rather rash promises to the new owners on the state of the property. She didn’t want the maintenance issues affecting the price. It appears that she has been watching too much television; something about a big build, ‘Nick’ knows, apparently. Although I have to say I have no idea who this ‘Nick’ is or what it is in fact that he actually knows? I should like to have a word in his ear to be absolutely frank. Surely there should be a law about going around putting ideas into the heads of gullible members of the public. I am quite sure that is not why I pay the television licence.” Mollie smirks slightly at this statement as Lord John exhales a long defeated sigh. “She is convinced that if the price is right we can entice tradesmen to pull off a rather large feat in one week.” He shakes his head in frustration.

“Wow.” Mollie states again.

“I was hoping that your father would be interested. I know it’s short notice but I am optimistic that if the price is right we could come to an arrangement. I trust him, you see. He runs a reputable building firm and he knows the Hall well.” He gazes at her, appealing with her, looking unnervingly like a puppy in an RSPCA advert.

“In all honesty Mollie, if Evelyn is insistent on paying out ludicrous sums of money I would much rather see it going to an appreciative home. What do you think?” He asks nervously as he rubs his hands through his hair.

Mollie knew exactly what her Dad would think. It was safe to say that there would be none more appreciative than Jim Brown. A guaranteed week’s work, earning stupid money. Jim wouldn’t have to be asked twice. She knew that anything already booked in would have to wait. Jim wouldn’t pass up an opportunity like this: he was a shrewd businessman. He’d think all his Christmases had come at once.

“Um, well that’s very thoughtful of you Lord John. I’m sure Dad will be happy to help you out. Would you like me to ask him for you?”

“Oh no, no my dear. That isn’t the way to do business. I will of course see him myself tomorrow, if he is available, and explain what I need, come to an arrangement. If you don’t mind my asking him?”

“Of course not. If you let me know a time I will ask him to pop up here.”

“Yes that would be wonderful. I am of course happy for you to give him the outline before I see him. I’ve had enough cloak and dagger shenanigans to last me a lifetime. I don’t expect you to start lying for me.”

“No problem, I’ll explain it to him tonight.”

“I would also be very grateful Mollie if you could talk to the staff and tenants with me tomorrow.” Lord Sedgwick pleads with her weakly.

“Yes of course. I did have the day off but I’ll come here for the ten thirty break, if that’s Ok?”

“That would be so helpful if you could make it, but can I suggest twelve thirty? I would like to wait until the guests have left, then I can talk you through any decisions made this evening before we speak to them. Would you be able to contact any of the staff who are not in tomorrow and ask if they would mind coming up here for, shall we say, twelve forty-five? And perhaps the tenants, if you don’t mind for, say, thirteen hundred hours? Are you sure you don’t mind coming in on your day off?” Lord Sedgwick shuffles uncomfortably again. At this rate he would wear the seat of his trousers away.

Mollie smiles weakly at him, “No, I don’t mind. After all, it looks as though I’m going to get a lot more time off than I thought after next week.”

 “Ah yes, of course.” he says with a watery smile.

“I’ll check the rota and give them all a ring before I leave, and don’t worry, I’ll be discreet.” She assures him softly.

Mollie stands up to leave, “I will see you tomorrow then Lord John. I hope your meeting goes well this evening, and what time would you like to see my dad?”

“Thank you for taking this so well Mollie my dear; not that I expected anything less. Shall we say one thirty for your father?” Standing up as he speaks, Lord Sedgwick makes his way around the desk and walks to the door to open it for her. “Good night my dear.” He tells her wearily as she leaves the room.

Walking dejectedly down the corridor to her little office at the back of the house Mollie feels terribly sad for the lovely old gent, not to mention herself and the rest of the staff.

Chapter 2

Things haven’t been going too well for Mollie lately. Exactly six weeks ago to the day she had left work early to go to the dentist. When she arrived there, she found they had mixed up her appointment. She had trotted off home early, only to find David, her husband, in bed with Kevin the local community policeman. Now Mollie is no prude and has no problem with the sexual preferences of others, however, finding herself unintentionally witnessing that particular graphic and astonishing performance seemed wrong on so many levels. The unpleasant memory repeatedly assaults her in full technicolour clarity when she least expects it. Mollie had actually screamed: a bloodcurdling high pitched scream that she had no idea she was capable of producing.

On that fateful day she had let herself in through the front door and stopped to pick up the post from the mat. The weird noises emanating from upstairs had encouraged her to investigate. She actually believed she would find their cat, Arthur,  pulling up the carpet behind their bedroom door: he must have been locked in again.

Irritated with David as he had left the house last that morning, Mollie stomped up the stairs. He was always shutting the bedroom door and locking Arthur in. Their bedroom carpet was ruined in the doorway. It would take her ages to free him from the room if the carpet had been dragged up too far. It would be stuck under the door and you couldn’t open or close the thing.

She had vaguely thought about taking a knife up with her to help push the carpet down. On balance it was probably a good idea that she hadn’t stopped to grab one .

At the top of the stairs she registered that those noises could not possibly be coming from the cat.
It must be David working out. Did he really have to make those grunts and groans? Was it really necessary?
He was obviously home early, his car was on the drive.

Without a second’s thought she reached the bedroom and opened the door, intent on having a word about the need for acoustics whilst exercising.
David was hardly flipping Mo Farah after all.

As the door swung unhindered into the room, the relief that she wouldn’t have to fight with the carpet was swiftly replaced by a jolt of shock. As her brain caught up with her eyes she registered that David was indeed working out, on their marital bed. Working out so energetically in fact that there were actually rivulets of sweat glistening on his bare back.

The scene would have been comical if it hadn’t been so horrific. David, who was pumping strenuously away, slowly caught sight of her out of the corner of his eye. The look on his face had been farcical as he did a double take and gradually brought his head round to stare at her in astonishment. His energetic pumping had gradually receded to the point of stopping as he registered his audience. It had been like watching something in slow motion. Kevin had turned to see what was holding up proceedings and they had all openly gawped at each other.

Mollie had been the first to break the spell with her scream, which had seemed to coil from her belly like a twister, making its way upwards and gathering pace until it had burst forth in the manner of a spewing volcano. She vaguely remembered Arthur letting out his own ear splitting shriek as he shot from his favourite spot on the window sill and left the room at lightning speed.

Pandemonium broke out as the two men fell away from each other and tried to cover themselves. Not an easy feat as the quilt and pillows were strewn all over the floor and her favourite Egyptian cotton sheet was all mushed up tightly under them.

Mollie somehow managed to stem the scream, surprised as she was by its appearance, and just gaped at the two of them.

David, now partially covered with a pillow, had tried to speak. He had said her name and put his hand out towards her and that was enough to shock her into action. She had started to shake. She put out her own hand and simply said “Don’t,” in a strangled whisper.

Then she turned on her heel and stumbled out of the room, down the stairs and out of the house.

It had taken two days before she could bring herself to go back and pick up as much of her stuff as she could fit into her little car. The only reason she had managed that was however repugnant the visit would be, it was far preferable than having to spend another day dressing in her mother’s clothes. The visit incorporated a huge row mainly instigated by the fact that Kevin was in situ in
her
living room, sprawled out across
her
husband, on
her
sofa. He looked ultimately smug with himself surrounded by his own boxes. David had wasted no time in moving in his lover.

She had finally stormed out, with an Arnold Schwarzenegger promise of “I’ll be back,” and leaving them with the threat of all manner of nasty punishments if anything happened to the rest of her belongings in the meantime.

Mollie is now living back at her parents’ house at the ripe old age of thirty. Her horror at being dumped for another man is compounded by having to leave her lovely home and be back at the relentless mercy of her parents. Lovely as they are, it is slightly disconcerting to find that she is immediately back in the position of being treated like a fourteen-year old having to say where she is going, what time she is coming home, and facing an ongoing inquisition on how she is feeling.

Her dad actually punched David after a few too many pints in the local pub,
not that he didn’t deserve it.