‘Oh my God!’ Nell shouted and immediately helped the girl back up. ‘Niall, can you get some water, please? Here, come with me and sit down.’ Nell, overwhelmed with guilt that she’d been so blunt, worried she’d done it again – made stuff up and not based things in reality. But she was sure this wasn’t a coincidence. She led Tallulah to her flat and forced her to sit on the edge of the bed. ‘Are you okay?’
Tallulah wiped her face.
‘Look, I’m sorry if I was mean. I was just so cross that I thought you were the one behind the bad reviews—’
‘It was me, sort of. I’m so sorry.’ She sobbed. ‘I’m so, so sorry. I didn’t write the reviews – that was all them – but they wanted me to spy on you. I didn’t want to, but they made me.’ She took a huge breath in and then cried out.
‘Who’s they, Tallulah?’ Though Nell’s spine was rigid with indignation, she tried to remain calm.
‘I didn’t want to do it but they told me if I didn’t, I wouldn’t get the extra hours I need and Dad’s just lost his job and Mum doesn’t know how she’s going to afford Christmas and—’
‘Shush now.’ Nell rubbed Tallulah’s back, realising exactly what had happened. The girl kept talking, needing to get it out of her system.
‘As soon as they found out I had a little brother and sister at St Herbert’s they made me come. They wanted me to look at your bookings, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it.’
So that was why she was at her reception desk looking for an earring. Nell felt her anger rising again; this poor girl had been used and abused. ‘Who exactly is they, Tallulah?’ she asked again. ‘Who’s making you do this?’
‘Kevin and Bryan, the managers at the Langdon Mansion Hotel.’
‘Is that Bryan with a Y? The restaurant manager?’ Tallulah nodded. ‘And which one’s Kevin?’
‘He’s the one with the bright white teeth that look like they’re trying to escape every time he opens his mouth. He’s really mean to everyone.’
These horrible men had bullied her because she was young and working hard to help her family. That was absolutely despicable, and Nell put a protective arm around her shoulders.
‘They wanted me to sabotage the wedding – ruin the food, or the music, or something – but I haven’t.’ She looked at Nell with wide eyes. ‘I wouldn’t. If my mum ever found out I’d done something like that, she’d be so ashamed of me.’
‘Oh, sweetheart.’ Nell rubbed small circles on her back, trying to calm her down. ‘Tallulah, I’m so sorry. They’ve put you in such a horrible situation, haven’t they?’
Where tears had washed her make-up off, Tallulah looked so childlike. With a gentle tap, Niall came in with the water. Unsure how much he’d heard, Nell smiled and said, ‘Just a misunderstanding, Niall. I confused Tallulah with someone else and I’ve apologised to her. I feel terrible.’
The young girl stared at Nell. She clearly couldn’t believe that Nell was covering for her. Then she turned to Niall. ‘You’re so kind, Nell, but I have to tell the truth. She wasn’t mistaken, Niall. She was right. My bosses at the Langdon Mansion Hotel conned your partner into hiring me so that I could ruin this wedding and ruin Nell’s reputation.’ She pulled her shoulders back and sat a little straighter, regaining some of that professional expression Nell had been so impressed with. ‘If you want to fire me, that’s okay. I deserve it. And tomorrow I’m going to quit working for the Langdon Mansion. I can’t keep doing it. They’re just horrible to everyone and they sneer at the customers behind their backs. I hate it there.’
Concerned, Niall handed Tallulah the water then spoke to Nell. ‘What do you want me to do, Nell? It’s your wedding, so to speak.’
Poor Tallulah was so mortified and strung out by the whole thing, she’d suffered enough, and Nell could understand what a difficult position she’d been put in. She didn’t need punishing any more than she’d been already. ‘I think we can probably forget about the whole thing, as long you promise not to actually ruin the wedding.’
‘Or my food,’ Niall added firmly, but with a slight teasing edge to his voice. ‘And, listen,’ he added, ‘we’ve got a lot of jobs lined up over the Christmas period. I’m sure I’ve got more than enough hours and you’ve been really conscientious so far. I’ve been very impressed.’
Tallulah’s tears began again. ‘I can’t believe you’re all being so nice to me.’
Nell gave her shoulders a squeeze. ‘That’s what Christmas is for, isn’t it? Now, I’ve got a wedding to get back to, and there are guests requiring mini mince pies before you serve this delicious meal.’ Nell returned to the wedding and Tallulah and Niall to work. That was one problem solved, and she’d deal with the Langdon Mansion Hotel later. How? She wasn’t actually sure just yet. She’d talk it through with Tom and they’d come up with something together. Maybe now she could get that blasted video taken down, or at the least those made-up bad reviews.
Chapter 24
In the dining room, Brenda was just calling everyone to order and asking them to take their seats for the meal after being upstanding for the bride and groom. From the conservatory, Cat rolled her eyes at Nell. The mother of the bride couldn’t quite stop herself from taking over a bit, but she had accepted all the changes in good spirits, so they let her carry on. Nell sat down, ready to enjoy the dinner Cat and Kieran had wanted but hadn’t been allowed before. After the giant meltdown, when Kieran had got more involved in the wedding, Cat had asked him about the wedding breakfast, and they’d agreed on Kieran’s favourite of chicken pie and mash.
