Secrets at Meadowbrook Manor. Faith Bleasdale

amazing?’ Gemma shook her head; she needed to steer herself back onto more stable ground.

      ‘It takes a lot of work, more than I ever imagined when I started working on them. Dad, well he loved the gardens and put his heart into getting them into shape, and we feel that it’s a tribute to him to continue his work. My partner, Amanda, who you’ll meet soon, deserves most of the credit, as well as our wonderful gardening club. But to be honest, I’m not sure how it will fit in with our guests, which is one thing I wanted to talk to you about.’

      ‘What do you mean?’ Gemma detected some concern in Gus’s voice.

      ‘Well this hotel, we all have our doubts, apart from Pippa. But even Fred questions it sometimes. You see, who will want to stay here while there’s a bunch of old – by the way, don’t let them know I called them that – ladies in the gardens at least once a week, sometimes more. Our gardening club are very funny, they’re loud and well, perhaps not what you’d want if you’re looking for peace and quiet.’

      ‘I see.’

      ‘But at the same time they are crucial to our gardens and more than that, the gardens are important to them. It gets them out, it gives them so much, and we would never take that away from them.’

      ‘It’s going to be difficult to characterise this hotel, isn’t it?’

      Gus had a point. If you’re paying a large sum of money to stay in a boutique hotel in the country, did you want squealing old ladies wielding trowels? Oh, goodness, how on earth was she going to pull this off?

      ‘The thing is …’ Gus said, showing her to a beautifully ornate garden bench and gesturing her to sit, ‘Meadowbrook is our father. But now we’re all trying to put our stamp on it too. Harriet loves the house and wants it to be successful – in Harry’s mind, being successful means making money. She’s not greedy, but still the hotel needs to be profitable because she doesn’t do anything that isn’t. Fred, as I’m sure you’ve gathered, wants a party hotel. He used to organise parties and club nights for a living, and was very successful for a while, although of course he drank most of his profits. And although he’s calmed down a lot, well a bit …’ Gus paused to scratch his head ‘… he wants the house to be full of fun. Pippa wants it to be a place to heal people, which as it’s not a hospital or rehab, we’re all a bit sceptical about. I know what she means, this place does make you better, it made us all better, and it’s a very special house for that, but as I said, you can’t suddenly open a hotel for broken hearts – everyone would think you were mad.’

      ‘Of course they would.’ Gemma smiled. ‘And you?’

      ‘I want Meadowbrook to be full of creativity. I worked in insurance before my father died – can you believe that?’ Gemma shook her head, although she knew this already. ‘Well, I did, and I was boring, miserable and grey. I looked grey, I thought grey, but then I started working on these gardens, and I felt something I hadn’t since childhood. I also started painting again – I loved art as a child and wasn’t bad at it, but Dad didn’t approve – that’s another story. So anyway, I kind of want to offer people the chance to garden, paint, bake with Gwen even, work with the animals, get the whole Meadowbrook experience. But then of course that’s not an easy thing to put into a package, is it?’

      ‘No, it really isn’t.’ Gemma felt her heart sinking. After conversations with each of the Singers she was feeling increasingly confused, baffled and totally at sea about what the hotel model could actually be.

      ‘Right, well you’ve got your work cut out for you. Oh look, there’s Amanda and the ladies – come on and I’ll introduce you.’

      Gemma was crying again, but this time with laughter. The gardening club were the best bunch of women she had ever met, and they also sort of reminded her of her nan, before she got ill. Edie was immediately her favourite, as she took her to show her how she cultivated the amazing roses.

      ‘I’ve managed to grow some from scratch, and also some hybrids. See, I think of this one as the Singer rose.’ She showed Gemma a peach-and-red coloured rose, which was just starting to bud.

      ‘I am impressed, Edie,’ Gemma said. ‘This is incredible.’

      ‘Well I have loved these gardens for years, and I put my heart into it. It’s a real treat for me to get to work on them as well. I mean, who normally gets the chance? Andrew Singer let us all share these gardens, God bless his soul, and I’ll always love him for that. Oh, and I had a hip replacement last year too. I’m like a new person now!’ Edie gave a jump to demonstrate her fitness, then she grabbed hold of Gemma as she landed, almost taking them both down.

      ‘One day, do you think you’ll show me how to look after the roses?’

      ‘Of course I will, love, but now come on, meet the others.’

      Gemma tried to remember names – she didn’t want to write them down as that seemed rude – but she started forgetting after she was introduced to Margaret, Rose and Dawn. There were ten of them altogether, including Edie, and each was as welcoming as Edie had been. She managed to enjoy hugs and excitement as the women vied with each other to show Gemma their part of the garden. And Gemma lapped them all up.

      Amanda, an attractive woman with long red hair, tied back, wearing overalls, which she somehow managed to look good in, stood back and let the women enjoy their time, boasting about their work to someone new. Pride radiated from each and every one of them, and Gemma could see how magic Meadowbrook was yet again. These women largely lived alone in small homes and some lived in a retirement complex in the village. In Meadowbrook’s garden, they were given a new lease of life, and they worked hard in return. She also discovered many of them got involved in the Meadowbrook events. She could feel the community spirit radiating from everyone around her, and it made it feel as if Meadowbrook were wrapping around them all like a blanket. She tried not to blink back tears. This felt like family; she missed her nan more than she ever thought possible.

      ‘Hi,’ a voice said.

      Gemma turned, hoping her eyes weren’t too misty, and found herself looking at Amanda.

      ‘I didn’t want to interrupt the ladies, but now they’ve turned their attention to tea and biscuits, I can say hello properly.’

      She was attractive, her face a little weathered, which made sense as she worked outside. Although Gemma didn’t know Gus well yet, she could already see them as a good fit.

      ‘It’s so nice to meet you. I’ve heard so much about you. And the wonderful job you do with the gardens,’ Gemma said, tears fully pushed back.

      ‘We’re all lucky to have this to work with …’ Amanda gestured around. ‘Anyway, welcome to Meadowbrook. As someone else outside the family, see me as an ally. They are all wonderful, of course I’m biased with Gus, but they are just so passionately wrapped up in life here, in the memory of their father, that they can seem a little …’

      ‘Tricky?’ Gemma offered.

      ‘Good way to describe them. Anyway, just so you know, if you ever need to chat, just give me a shout.’

      ‘That’s really nice of you.’ Gemma felt shy, a bit like being the new girl at school.

      ‘Not at all. Have they got you working at the animal shelter?’

      ‘I’m starting after the weekend – cats.’

      ‘Oh, good call. We have Fleur’s two kittens living with us now. They were here, but since Gus moved in with me and Fleur stays every weekend, it made sense. They’re pretty naughty though; although my daughter, Hayley, loves them too.’

      ‘It seems you’ve got a lovely family,’ Gemma said.

      ‘It’s been a lot of work but yes, we are all figuring it out. The girls get on really well, although Fleur is a bit older, fourteen, which can be a difficult age. Gus is wonderful and I couldn’t be luckier to have him.’

      ‘It sounds great.’

      Gemma