[Cliff and Maxine are discussing their plans for the next few days]
“Well, are you going to go?”

“What do you mean?”

Cliff, Maxine’s assistant sighed.

“To the board meeting in Devon? What with everything that has been going on, you have missed the last three.”

“Oh that. I don’t know.”

“Look Maxi, it has been almost three months since… since he passed. You need to get back into things. It will take your mind off everything.”

“It’s all right for you… I actually loved the sod. I promised myself until I was blue on the face that I wouldn’t do that and that we had just a business relationship but this past two years, I fell in love with him and I'm in no doubt that I still fancy women. Can’t you see that my mind is a total mess of conflicts?”

Cliff smiled.
“That’s why you need to get back into work. Besides, Belinda and Nina will be on your side you know. They know…”

“Know what?”

“That you loved him. Nina told me so at the funeral.”

Maxine sat motionless for quite a while.

Eventually, she got up with a sigh.

“You might be right. Things need to be done. He… He was very clear on what I should do but…”

Cliff smiled.

“Take your time. The girls in Devon won’t bite you know.”

Maxine smiled.

“Thanks Cliff, you are a rock.”

“Hey, I’m not dead yet!”

They both laughed.

A week later, Maxine drove down to Devon for the scheduled board meeting. Her mind was not on the meeting but she felt that she had to go if only to show face. When she arrived at the hotel, both Belinda and Nina were waiting for her.

They each took one arm and literally marched her into the restaurant. As it was mid-afternoon, it was deserted. They sat her down at a table that was set for afternoon tea.

“Now Maxine, we won’t be having any of this fug. We know Adrian is looking down on us tut-tutting at you and we are going to make sure that you get back to normal.”

Maxine sat motionless. A few tears started to form in her eyes.

“I feel such a fraud.”

Nina laughed.

“You are not a fraud my dear. You are the real deal. You are a woman despite what the cells and genes in your body says. Am I right darling?” said Nina.

Belinda held her partners hand.

“Yes, my darling you are so right.”

Maxine cried. She’d not had a good cry for months and she could not hold them back any longer. He hosts hugged her tightly until she had cried out. The conversation they’d had earlier with Cliff had worked wonders.

When Maxine had regained her composure afternoon tea was served to the three by the head chef, Jules. As usual, he had a huge smile on his face.

Over a cup of tea, Maxine’s brain started working again.

“Why are you so good to me?” she asked.

Belinda laughed.

“Without you and Adrian we would not be here today. The work that the two have done made and will continue to make all of this possible.”

Maxine smiled.

“Bollocks and you know that. It is the hard work that you and your team has done that has made this possible.”

“And who supplied the money and a lot of ideas and inspiration?” said Belinda’

“You did and that’s why we are sitting here today,” added Nina who sat back with a huge smile on her face.

Both Maxine and Belinda noticed this.

“Why the smile darling?” asked Belinda.

“I was just reflecting how much Maxine has changed since we first met her.”

Belinda nodded her head.

Maxine looked concerned.

“Don’t worry darling,” said Nina.
“When we first met you, you were totally out of your depth. But since then we have seen you grow into a lovely woman.”

“Nina’s right you know. That first day your looked and acted like a scared cat. Now, you are in charge of a business empire.”

Maxine almost choked on her tea.

“Business empire my ass!”

The three of them laughed.

“But…”

Belinda interrupted Maxine.

“You are part of this place whether you like it or not.”

Maxine tried to say something but failed. Instead, she mouthed ‘Thank you’ to her hosts.

When tea was over Maxine asked,
“About the board meeting?”

Belinda and Nina laughed.

“I thought we just had it? Do you have anything for AOB?”

Maxine was speechless.

“No… No, I don’t.”

“Then I declare it over for another month,” said Belinda.

Then she added,
“We are taking you out to dinner. There is something you need to try.”

No matter what Maxine tried neither of the others would divulge where they were going nor what new food she was going to experience.

Maxine left the reception to go and collect her bag from the car. As she did so, a fairly decrepit ex-Army Land Rover drew up outside the hotel. Maxine thought nothing of it until she saw who the driver was.

“Mr Chelon!”

He was as shocked as she was.

“Ms Forsythe. Nice to see you again.”

“What are you doing here?”

“Me? I’m delivering some herbs. I received a message telling me that the Chef has changed what is going on the menu.”

Maxine looked troubled.

“I grow them at a smallholding a few miles away. That other work is done on an as needed basis. By the way, it went very well. Sixteen people are now in custody and charged with art smuggling and most it was down to you.”

Maxine tried to stop herself from blushing but failed.

“What are you doing in this neck of the woods? It is quite a way from Reigate is it not?”

“Business I’m afraid.”

“If you get some free time, come and visit my smallholding. The reception can give you the address.”

“I may just do that Mr Chelon.”

“Jacques please.”

Maxine hurried off before she got herself into a mess. There was something about that man that made him impossible to ignore.

---

Just before one that afternoon, the trio arrived at a small pub somewhere on the edge of Dartmoor. The name of the pub was ‘The Red Cow’.

“Well, you have got me here to the back of beyond. Why are we here?”

Nina smiled.

“We did a big wedding last month as you know. One of the items we served on the menu was at the insistence of the groom. We are here so that you can taste it. Jules got the chef from this place to come and cook it for the reception. You know Jules, he has a lot of pride, but the pragmatic side of him won. He let the chef into his kitchen which was a big wrench for him. Still, he came out of it knowing how to cook the dish.”

Maxine was stunned. She knew just how Jules was when it came to strangers coming into his kitchen.

“It must be very special then?”

“Oh, believe me, it is.”

Maxine smiled.
“Shall we go in then?”

Nina led the way into the pub. She had to duck or she would have hit her head on the low door frame. Maxine had been in places like this before and was glad that she’d worn shoes with for her low 2in heels for the day.

The place smelt of wood smoke. Maxine saw the flickering of a fire in another part of the pub. She also smelt cooking. It reminded her that she had not really eaten that day.

They were at the pub to experience the beef. The organiser of the wedding had specified ‘Devon Red’ Beef for the reception. The chef at the pub was an expert at cooking it. The chef at the hotel, Jules had allowed the chef into his kitchen to help him cook it to perfection for the reception and had been raving over it ever since.

Maxine was not really a foodie but she knew from the first taste that this was a bit special.

When she finished her meal, she realised that both Nina and Belinda were waiting for her. She could read their minds.

“That was very nice,” said Maxine as she tried to be a bit non-committal.

“Nice?” exclaimed Nina.

“Well… It was excellent.”

All of them smiled.

“Am I to understand that you want to serve this at the Hotel?”

Belinda laughed.

“No way. This is for the Pub.”

“Eh?” said Maxine a bit puzzled.

“We’ve been doing some market research about the sort of people we want to attract. Now that the building work is progressing well, we need to think about décor and how it will be presented,” said Nina.

“And that is Nina’s forte,” said Belinda.

Maxine sat back with a smile on her face.

“What’s so funny?” asked Belinda.

“You don’t need me to make this sort of decision. I approve of this sort of food. Food miles are very important. If I recall correctly then I have mentioned it a few times in the past. The pub gives you both a chance to spread your wings a bit and … well make a name for yourselves.”

Belinda and Nina looked at each other with a look of concern on their faces.

“Are you … wanting out?” asked Belinda.

Maxine smiled.

“No chance. There is no chance of me wanting out but it is clear that you make a formidable team and have come on a long way in the last year or so. You have had to do that since I took more of a back seat to look after Adrian.”

Then Maxine leaned over and took hold of one of Belinda’s and Nina’s hands.

“I’m here should you want to expand the business again but you two and your staff have made the Hotel a success and I’m sure that you will do the same with the pub.”

Both Nina and Belinda did impressions of drowning fish. Maxine came to their rescue.

“Adrian… Well, his brain was working overtime almost to the end and we discussed giving you a little more freedom so to speak. His words were more eloquent than mine but I hope you understand what I mean. The Hotel has changed so much since we bought it from that bunch of American slimeballs. That is all down to the hard work that you and your team have put in. I might… or rather Adrian might have supplied the money but now you own a good deal more than half the equity so I can be outvoted if an issue is put to the vote but thankfully, we have not had to do that since you took that brave step and agreed to Adrian’s crazy idea about owning a Hotel.”

Maxine looked at both of them and smiled.
“Adrian and I were in total agreement that there really is no need to pay off any more of your borrowings. Use the money for the business.”

There was still silence so Maxine gave them both barrels.

“Go for it girls. Just remember that I’m here if you need the bank of Maxine.”

She squeezed their hands.

“For heaven’s sake, say something!”

Belinda wiped a tear from her eye.
“You sound just like him.”

“He was a good teacher and he taught me all I know.”

After lunch the trio went with the Chef from the Pub to visit the farm where the Beef came from. Both Nina and Belinda had a spring in their step. Maxine took a step backwards and let them get on with doing business.

As they crossed the moor on their way back to the hotel, Nina stopped the car by the side of the road.

She turned to face Maxine.

“Out with it Maxine! I have the distinct feeling that you are in the give and take mode that Adrian was so good at. You have given so what do you want in return eh?”

Belinda laughed.

Maxine smiled.

“Well… It is just a small thing and might not come to pass but…”

Nina and Belinda groaned loudly.

Then all three laughed.

“You know Cliff, Adrian’s and now my assistant?”

They both nodded.

“He’s been banging on about retiring for… well ever since I came on the scene. Now that Adrian has gone, I can sense that he wants to do it sooner rather than later. But he won’t leave until I get an assistant or partner but when I do… I think he might be suitable as the manager of the Pub. He’s run one before and know books and importantly, he knows both of you. What do you say eh?”

Belinda looked at Nina and laughed.

“What does he say about this? And more importantly, what about his wife?”

“Neither of them, know about this idea of mine. I wanted to bounce it off you first.”

“Do you have someone in mind to take over from him? Time is running out you know?” said Nina.

“Yes, I do but there really is a lot of water to flow under that bridge before it can be crossed.”

Nina chuckled.

“Are you sure Adrian is really gone? That’s the sort of thing he’d do.”

Maxine sighed.
“Yes, the old devil is gone but I know a bit of him lives on inside me. He was a one off and in time I’ll develop my own style.”

Then she added,
“You don’t need to say anything at the moment. I need to get my end sorted out before we even start moving forward and as you say, time is of the essence.”

“See! What did I say, give a bit take a lot!” exclaimed Nina.

All of them laughed for quite a while. Then Maxine changed the subject.

“I met one of your suppliers earlier. A man named Jacques Chelon. He’s quite a charmer.”

“Oh-la-la,” exclaimed Nina.
“If I didn’t love this one so much, I’d be after him in a flash.”

“But he’s so much older than you or me?” protested Maxine.

“So? Did you see that body? He lives off grid and grows all our herbs,” said Nina.
“He also sells at a couple of Farmers Market’s in the area.”

“Don’t tell me you are interested in him?” asked Belinda.

“No, I’m not. Adrian was a one off. If I get involved with anyone, it will be a woman but even so, he seems to be quite a man.”

“He’s French and I’m sure he could charm his way into your life,” joked Belinda.

“He did invite me to see his smallholding but I’m not going there…” replied Maxine entering into the spirit of the conversation.
“There… being his bed and I’ll have no more to say on the subject. I’ve done some work for him and he has powerful friends. I have no reason to risk everything with him. Got it!”

All three of them laughed.

---

When Maxine returned home, she wasted no time in talking to Cliff.

“Thanks for getting me to go down to Devon, it did the trick.”

Cliff smiled.
“Thanks Maxi. It went well then?”

“More than just well. But…”

Cliff groaned.

“You know that you keep on about retiring?”

Cliff smiled.
“I do and you are about to say that I’ve done nothing about it?”

“I was talking with Nina and Belinda over lunch yesterday about this and there might be a solution looking us in the face.”

Cliff’s face fell.
“Go on then. Give me the bad news.”

“There is no real bad news. You know that we bought the pub down in the Village?”

“Oh! I get you.”

“You’d make a great person to run the Pub and Restaurant.”

“I don’t know.”

“Good. That’s the response that I wanted. Why don’t you and Sheila go down to Devon, see the Pub and talk things over with Belinda and Nina?”

“What about you? You own a third of it don’t you?”

“I do the finance. They run the place. It is them you’d have to work with on almost a daily basis. That is of course you don’t mind working for a couple of women?”

Cliff glared at Maxine.

“Don’t look at me like that. You know what I mean.”

“Humph!”

“Don’t humph me. I am trying to think ahead.”

“And that is getting rid of me then?”

“No, it isn’t. I do know that I’ll need to find a Number 2 before you even think of retiring. Am I right?”

“Too darn right you are. I promised Adrian that I’d look out for you and I’m still doing that.”

“I know you did but with me starting to get my act together, it is time to look forward and not backwards.”

“And that means putting me out to grass?”

“I don’t think running a hopefully successful Pub and Restaurant is being put out to grass.”

“Humph.”
“Who have you got lined up as my replacement?”

“I didn’t have a clue until we were at a pub on Dartmoor yesterday lunchtime.”

“Skiving off?”

“Far from it. I was being introduced to some of the best beef I’ve ever eaten which hopefully will be on the menu at the Pub Restaurant. I remembered someone who would more than likely fit the bill as your replacement.”

Cliff didn’t look very happy.

“But I’m not going to make any moves in that direction until you have been to Devon and seen the place for yourself.”

Cliff wasn’t convinced.

“Call up Nina and take your wife down to Devon. Do it today.”

“Yes Boss.”

Cliff wasn’t totally convinced but Maxine knew that she’d sewn some seeds in his mind.

---

Two days later Cliff came into Maxine’s office in the middle of the morning. He’d had to move his desk to an adjoining room when she started working for Adrian and now that he was gone, she’d tried to get him to return but he refused to sit at Adrian’s old desk so now, she was on her own.
“I’ve just spoken to Belinda and Sheila and I are going down to Devon tomorrow. Sheila more or less told me that we are going as soon as I mentioned your conversation with me.”

Maxine smiled.
“Smart woman your wife!”

Cliff glared at her for all of half a second before he realised that she was pulling his leg.

“You didn’t have a quiet word with her by any chance?”

“I did not. Now… if you hadn’t done anything about it for a few weeks then I might but in this instance, I am most certainly ‘not guilty M’lord’.”

Cliff went away happy.

The news meant that Maxine had to do something about getting a number 2. She’d had a good idea about who she’d approach but she really had not got a clue about how she’d approach them but as she sat there gazing out of her office window, all sorts of weird and wonderful ideas started to form in her mind.

She dismissed all of them in a flash. Then she went out for a walk up on the North Downs. The space gave her time to think. Life without Adrian was proving a lot harder than she’d ever invisaged.

[to be continued]

Jacques Chelon plays a major part in my next story that will start to be posted here next week. Maxine also makes several appearances.