A Spring Fling At Hotel Mayfair: A feel-good escapism summer romance, page 1
By Elizabeth Holland
Copyright © 2023 Elizabeth Holland
All rights reserved
The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.
No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.
Cover design: Elizabeth Holland in collaboration with Dawn Cox Photography
Elizabeth Holland is a writer of romance novels. She enjoys the escapism of picking up a book and losing herself in a new world. Elizabeth is a keen advocate for mental health and often speaks out about her own struggles. She writes to escape her own thoughts. When Elizabeth isn’t writing, she’s usually outside walking the dog. Her favourite walks are when it’s cold and rainy, so she can work on her next plot.
Thank you
Before we begin, I must say thank you to Deborah, Rosemary, and Nicole.
Without you, this book wouldn’t be the escape I envisioned.
Author’s note
Dear reader,
Thank you for picking up A Spring Fling at Hotel Mayfair.
I hope you enjoy your stay.
The hotel is set in London but is entirely fictional.
It’s a haven amongst a bustling city for you to check in to.
Lots of love,
Elizabeth
xxx
This book is for those of you still searching for your place in the world.
Chapter One
The kitchen was in darkness as Carrie walked in. The squeak of her rubber shoes echoed throughout the unoccupied room. She flicked on the overhead lights and suppressed a shiver. The cold morning air crept through the old windows on the far wall. Once the ovens switched on, the draughty windows were a blessing, but at this time of the morning, she wished they were modern and doubled-glazed. She zipped her fleece up and turned to her morning routine. It was her favourite time of day when the castle was still asleep, and she had the kitchen to herself. Today, the usual fizz of excitement was absent. Truthfully, over the last few weeks, the fire within her had been smothered. Today, she resented getting up in the pitch black and shivering until the kitchen warmed up. The loneliness of the castle was seeping into her soul. Endless nature surrounded the castle. There were fields, streams, and towering mountains as far as the eye could see. Usually, it felt exhilarating to be surrounded by so much grandeur in the heart of the Scottish Highlands. However, lately, Carrie felt the endless fields and isolation were slowly suffocating her, leaving her lifeless. She craved the hustle and bustle of a city. And the excitement of not knowing what every day would bring.
Ignoring her growing unease, Carrie pulled out all the ingredients to make miniature tarts for today’s dessert menu. She cleared her mind and mixed the ingredients. Cracking the eggs into the bowl, Carrie marvelled at the perfect round yolk. They were collected last night just before she went to bed. She rolled the dough out and pressed it into a tin then slid it into the oven. Baking was her meditation. It cleared her mind of the endless stream of doubts swirling inside her head.
With the tart shells baking, Carrie went over to the fancy coffee machine Lachlan had insisted on installing. She hadn’t touched it since scalding herself on the first day.
“Morning!” Eve called as she walked into the kitchen, stretching her arms above her head.
“You’re up early,” Carrie commented. Usually, she’d be on her fourth instant coffee by the time Eve padded into the kitchen. They were always the first two awake and working, both early risers, and enjoyed the quietness of the castle before the staff arrived. Then the kitchen would transform into a working kitchen, preparing for paying customers.
“Let me do that,” Eve said, watching Carrie’s attempt to froth the milk. “You clean up that puddle of milk, and I’ll make us both coffee.”
Once they had their drinks, Carrie started the next item on her list of things to do. She needed to bake the bread for the day. Silence shrouded the kitchen as both women flitted around, preparing for the day ahead. Carrie tried to silence the thoughts flying around her head, but they only seemed to get louder. She pounded her clenched fists against the dough. Despite the continuous movement, her frustration wasn’t abating. Baking was no longer providing her with its usual solace.
“What’s wrong?” Eve asked. She’d been watching Carrie for the last five minutes.
“Nothing,” Carrie snapped, continuing to pound the dough.
“Carrie, you’ve been aggressively kneading that dough for the last five minutes.” Eve turned to stir the pot on the industrial-size stove.
“I’m sorry,” Carrie said, allowing her fists to come to a stop. She rested them on the bench and took a deep breath.
Eve turned the heat off and took the pot off of the stove. “What’s wrong?” she asked, moving to Carrie’s workspace.
“I feel like I’m suffocating.” Carrie leaned against the workbench and ran a finger through the flour, creating a path from one side to the other.
“Is it being here, in Lachlan’s castle? Do you want to go home? If you want to move back in with your grandmother and commute, we’d be okay with that.” Carrie’s grandmother lived close by on the grounds of the castle owned by Lachlan’s parents. “I know your gran still works at the McLeod’s Castle. We’d miss you, Carrie, but we’d understand if you wanted to go back.” Eve reached out to take Carrie’s hand in hers. They’d been working together in Lachlan’s new restaurant for the past three months, and their friendship had solidified. Growing up, Carrie had been a bit of a loner. Eve was her first close friend outside of the McLeod family.
“No, I love the restaurant. I love my job. I just want more. My brief relationship with Rhys sparked something inside of me. I have this longing to share my life with someone, to make memories with them and to always have someone in my corner. Those few months dating Rhys gave me hope. I loved being part of a couple, but now it’s just me again.” She shrugged her shoulders and stared at Eve’s grip on her hand.
“Rhys really liked you, but his job means he can’t stay in one place for too long. Your relationship was too new for him to commit to giving up his career.”
“I know, but nobody ever stays here, Eve. Sometimes, I think about my year in London, and I miss it. I want to spend a week having a different cuisine from around the world for dinner. Imagine walking into a clothes shop and buying something other than a fleece. Or ordering something online and for it to arrive the next day! To drink fancy cocktails not made by us, with questionable music blaring out so loudly we can’t hear each other speak. Instead, I’m tucked up in bed by nine. At the weekend, I’m sitting drinking tea with my grandmother. It’s not that I don’t love it, Eve. I need a change before I become set in my ways. If I continue like this, my work will become my entire life. There’s a fire in me, and right now, being here, I feel as though it’s being extinguished.”
“Carrie, you know we love you. But if you feel the nee—is that smoke?” cried Eve, letting go of Carrie’s hand and running to the oven with smoke escaping from the closed door.
“Oh, my tarts!” Carrie cried and ran to where Eve was trying to pull the smoking tin from the oven, coughing as the acrid smoke filled her lungs.
“Carrie, they’re burnt to a crisp!” Eve exclaimed, staring down at what was once a tart shell.
“That was supposed to be for today’s dessert special,” groaned Carrie. She used a knife to scratch off the charred crust. It was no good. The underneath was just as burnt. Her eyes stung from the smoke as she scrubbed at them, trying to hold back tears.
“It’s not like you to be so absentminded.”
“I’m sorry.” Carrie stared down at her hands, unable to meet her best friend’s gaze.
“Come on, let’s get some fresh air in.”
They opened the windows and used tea towels to encourage the smoke out of the kitchen before the smoke alarms went off. It was still eerily quiet, and the sun was only just rising. The chilly early-morning air flowed into the room, sending a shiver down Carrie’s spine. It was early April, but the temperatures were low, nestled in the hills of the Scottish Highlands.
“Where’s Lachlan?” asked Carrie. Normally, he’d have joined them by now.
“Last night’s guests were awkward, and he was up late with them, so I told him to have a lie-in, and I’d help with prep today,” Eve explained.
“Is he enjoying having his restaurant up here?” Carrie asked. The last few months had been a whirlwind, and Carrie hadn’t had time to ask Lachlan how he was enjoying living his dream.
Lachlan had only opened his new restaurant in January after restoring the castle. He’d worked his way up and proven himself in the culinary world, and now he was an award-winning chef with a Michelin-star restaurant in London. He had fallen in love with Eve two Christmases ago when she came to work as a private chef at his parents’ castle. Eve had been grossly unprepared for the role, but Lachlan, Carrie, and Carrie’s grandmother, Alice, had all helped her to find her feet. Eventually, they’d fallen in love, and Lachlan had begged Eve to move up to Scotland with him when he opened his restaurant at the castle he had bought and renovated
“He’s loving it. It’s his dream. Carrie, stop trying to change the subject. You’re not behaving like yourself. How can we help you?” Eve cast a worried glance in Carrie’s direction.
“I think I need to get away from here for a while. A change of scenery and a chance to spread my wings.” Admitting it out loud was painful. She loved her life here in Scotland, but right now, she felt as though she were being pulled in two. Scotland was increasingly feeling like a reminder of what she didn’t have.
“Why don’t you take some time away? I’m sure we can pull together without you. The restaurant is still finding its feet, and we’ve been playing it safe with the dessert menu since you don’t have an assistant yet. A well-rounded pastry chef could step in. Lachlan can always step in when needed.” Eve drummed her fingers on her mug. Carrie had been refining Lachlan’s baking skills over the last few months.
“Are you sure?” Carrie’s voice perked up at the thought of escaping for a few months and going somewhere to indulge in new things and meet new people.
“I’ll need to talk with Lachlan, but I can’t see why he’d disagree. You could probably go back to his restaurant in London and work there for a bit. After all, you trained there.”
“I think I want something completely new.”
“What about the agency I used that got me the job at the castle? I still have the number somewhere.” Eve pulled out her phone while Carrie stared out the window and watched as the sun rose in the sky. “Here it is, Peace, Joy and Love Catering Company. I’ll forward you the email with their contact details. Why don’t you see if they have any temporary roles that would suit you?” Eve’s eyes glistened as their plan came together.
“Thank you, Eve.” Carrie felt excitement fizzle through her body. There was a chance she might get to go in search of a new adventure. Carrie knew she would always return, but watching Lachlan fulfil his dreams with Eve by his side had awakened something inside of her. It reminded her she had dreams to chase.
“You’ll have to tell Alice before she hears it from someone else. She’ll miss you.” Eve reminded her.
“I know. Let me contact the agency first. They might have nothing that suits me. There’s no point worrying Gran over nothing.”
“Are they almost ready?” Lachlan was hovering around the workstation where Carrie was filling profiteroles with a whisky-infused cream. It had been a special request from a customer celebrating a milestone birthday.
“Almost,” whispered Carrie, concentrating on piping the right amount of filling so it wouldn’t all ooze out as somebody bit into it.
“Eve mentioned you might like some time off to travel?” Lachlan kept his voice low so nobody could overhear their conversation.
“Lachlan, I’m trying to concentrate.”
“Carrie, you and I know you could fill these with your eyes shut. If you need the time off, you can have it. You’ve lost your spark lately. I understand sometimes you need to get away and refill your creativity. Just let me know when you’ll be gone and when you’ll be back. You’re always welcome to return to my restaurant in Mayfair. I know Belle would love to have you back as part of the pastry team.” With a smile, he walked away, leaving her to mull over his words.
Continuing to fill the last few weightless balls of choux pastry, Carrie thought about Eve and Lachlan’s advice. They both supported her decision to get away for a while. Carrie cursed as her hand slipped on the piping bag, and a blob of cream fell on her foot.
“Let me take those for you. I don’t think we need anymore.” Eve swooped in and took the platter of profiteroles out to the restaurant before Carrie could protest. “Take your lunch break!” Eve called over her shoulder.
With a cup of tea in her travel mug in one hand and a croissant in the other, Carrie left the kitchen through the back door, which led to the kitchen garden. She’d pulled on one of the staff puffer jackets and a pair of Wellington boots. The sun was shining, but it was yet to warm up. She took the path through the kitchen garden, marvelling at how vibrant the spring greens looked under the glow of the early afternoon sun. Slowly, she meandered down to the little jetty and sat on the bench beside it. The water was flowing rapidly, and the sound filled Carrie’s ears. Nature surrounded her with stunning views, yet she was craving something different. She pulled the top of her travel mug off and watched as the steam rose into the air and floated in the same direction the water was running. Carrie took a sip and picked at the croissant in her other hand. There was no point in putting it off any longer. She pulled her phone from her pocket and saw a message from Eve with the website for Peace, Joy and Love Catering Company. Carrie broke off a piece of croissant and popped it into her mouth, allowing the flaky pastry to melt as her phone slowly loaded the page.
There were three hundred job vacancies on the website. However, as Carrie used the filters to find the adverts which suited her skills, they rapidly dwindled. She finished the croissant as she read the last few job descriptions. Each one was looking for a chef proficient in savoury cuisine and pastry. At the bottom of the page, Carrie spotted a message from the company encouraging people to get in touch if there was nothing that suited their skill set. With nothing to lose, Carrie quickly typed out an email telling them about her training and her experience. She emphasised she was a pastry chef trained by a French patisserie master.
Carrie stepped back into the kitchen to find the atmosphere had changed. Lunch service had ended, and everyone had relaxed now the rush was over. “How was your break?” Eve gave her a knowing look.
“They had nothing that suited me.” She shrugged her shoulders, trying to mask her disappointment.
“I can put some feelers out?” Lachlan had overheard their conversation.
“It’s okay. I’ve emailed the agency. I’ll see what they come back with. You’ve helped me so much, Lachlan. I really appreciate everything you’ve done, but I feel as though I need to do this for myself. This break needs to be all about me. I’ve lost myself in the grandeur and excitement of the castle, but it’s not my journey. It’s yours and Eve’s, and it’s time I found my own.”
Eve wrapped an arm around Carrie’s shoulder and pulled her against her side. “We’ll be here waiting for you when you return,” she promised.
Chapter Two
Carrie’s phone vibrated on the bedside table. She groaned and sat up in bed, with the duvet wrapped around her. Her alarm had already gone off twice, and she’d ignored it. Usually, Carrie was up before the sun, but today she wanted to stay snuggled under her duvet and hide from the world. Her phone kept vibrating, so she picked it up, and through bleary, tired eyes, saw it wasn’t her alarm. It was a phone call.
“Hello?” she answered.
“Ms. Mackenzie? It’s Sarah from Peace, Joy and Love Catering Company. I’m just calling about the message you sent us yesterday.” The words took a moment to pierce through Carrie’s sleepiness.
“Hello, Sarah. Sorry, I didn’t expect to hear from you so quickly.” Or so early. Carrie’s voice was thick with sleep, but she felt wide awake, waiting to hear what the woman had to say.
“It’s unusual for us to get back to a query this quickly, but we’ve just had a position come in that would suit you.”
Silence hung in the air as Carrie tried to find the words to respond.
“Ms. Mackenzie, are you still there?” Sarah asked.
“Yes, sorry. I’d love to hear more about the position.” Carrie swung her legs off the bed and reached for the unopened post on her bedside table. She flipped an envelope over and took a pen from the pot on the window ledge, ready to scribble any details Sarah gave her, not trusting her memory to retain the information.
With a few illegible scrawls, Carrie stared wide-eyed at what she’d written. With the envelope grasped between her shaking fingers, the only two words she could make out were Hotel Mayfair. Carrie said goodbye and hung up. Almost immediately, it vibrated in her hand. She dropped the envelope and watched as it floated to the floor. Her phone continued to buzz, reminding her that if she didn’t get up in the next three minutes, then her entire schedule would be behind.
