energy on paper.
What she loved most about the Cobb was how welcoming it seemed to beâhow everyone could walk there, from toddlers with grandparents to the dozens of dogs who came to Lyme with wagging tails and lolling tongues.
At the end of a particularly long day of ripping out old shelves and painting walls, there was a knock on the door. Kay had been sitting in the living room at the front of the house. Although it hadnât been decorated yet, it looked jolly enough, with her old sofa and a couple of armchairs, and she was already beginning to feel quite at home there.
Sheâd just been rereading a few of the Lyme Regis pages from Persuasion and wondered who on earth was calling. She hadnât been in Lyme long enough to make any friends, and she hadnât yet opened Wentworth House for business. Kay walked down the hallway and unlocked the door. There was a slim woman standing on the step. She looked about forty years old with a careworn face that wasnât smiling.
âYouâre a bed and breakfast, arenât you?â the woman asked, desperation in her voice.
âI guess I am,â Kay said.
âGood,â the woman said. âItâs just possible that you could save my life.â
Kay didnât quite know what to say to that. Sheâd never saved anyoneâs life before, but before she could say anything, the careworn woman invited herself in and was talking ten to the dozen.
âIâm Teresa Hudson. Youâve probably seen some of my films. Passion of a Lady , Two on a Tower âthat sort of thing. Iâm a director. Weâre making Persuasion here in Lyme, and the whole cast and crew are with me. How many rooms do you have?â she asked, bustling about and poking her head around the door. âItâs very small, isnât it?â
âFive,â Kay said. âI have five rooms, all en suite.â
âFive? Twins, double?â
âThree double, two twin, but the twins arenât quite ready. Weâve been redecorating, and I wanted toââ
âIâll take them. Iâll take all of them. Doesnât matter if theyâre ready. Weâre a bit desperate, you see. Weâve been staying at The Three Palms up the road, but a burst pipeâs made a few of us homeless, and thereâs absolutely nowhere left in town. Iâve got production assistants running up and down the streets hammering on doors. Itâs ridiculous. Somebody mentioned this place, except it didnât look very promising from the outside.â
âIâve just moved in,â Kay said, feeling it necessary to explain but annoyed that she had to. This was, perhaps, the rudest woman sheâd ever met.
âWeâll want breakfast and dinner. No lunch. Weâll be eating early and late, okay? Now, let me see the rooms.â
Teresa didnât bother to wait for Kay to lead her upstairs but made her own way, opening doors and peering inside.
âNice,â she said. âSmall, but nice. Paint smells a bit strong.â
âWeâve just decorated,â Kay said, âas I explained.â
Teresa nodded and got out her mobile from her jacket pocket. âLes, itâs Teresa. Iâve found somewhere. Parking?â she said. âIs there parking?â
âNot far away,â Kay said, pointing in the direction.
âYes, thereâs parking nearby. You know what Lymeâs like.â There was a pause, and Teresa frowned. âHurry up and finish eating and then get yourselves down here. Marine Parade. Itâs a place calledââ she stopped and looked at Kay with raised eyebrows.
âWentworth House.â
âWentworth House,â Teresa repeated with a wry smile. âI know. Itâs fate,â she said, snapping her phone shut. âRight, Iâll choose myself a room.â
Kay watched in total bemusement as her first guest disappeared up the