There's No Accounting For Love

Chapter Fifty Seven

The sunny weather continued and Monday morning found them enjoying a 'Full English Breakfast' in the hotel dining room. It was an old fashioned hotel and the dining room was no exception. Dark wooden furniture and heavy curtains, with swags and tails made it a depressing room. There were several large plants on pedestals, tucked into odd corners, making the place look typically Victorian.

"I'd really love to get my hands on this place" said Alan, sipping his tea. "It desperately needs modernising. It looks like something out of the 1800's and I can't say I like it."

"You'd make a good interior designer. You've got a good eye for colour." said Clare.

"I would've liked to have taken it up, if I hadn't become an accountant." Alan replied.

"I think people keep coming back because the food is so good. I really love this." said Clare, cutting into her bacon.

"I must admit the food is excellent. These sausages are delicious," said Alan, spearing a piece with his fork. "I wonder if they buy them locally?"

"I'm going to miss this, when we get home." said Clare.

They finished their meal and stood up from the table. Clare picked up her bag and put the strap over her shoulder. Suddenly, Alan moved into a little space in the middle of the dining room and said, very loudly, in a deep booming voice:-                                                       

  "Give my blessings to the chef, the food was really fine.

   Toast golden, eggs perfect, sausages divine.

  There is nothing more that I can add, except perhaps to say;

  Goodbye, farewell to one and all, and have a lovely day."

Alan gave a low bow to the floor and walked out of the room, while the other diners laughed and clapped. Clare followed him.

"You're so funny."

Alan grinned at her.

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"Where did you get that from? Or did you make it up there and then?"

"It's one of dad's little ditties. Have you not heard it before? You surprise me."

"Never mind an interior designer, you should have been a comedian."

They collected their jackets from their rooms and set off to the car. They took a drive to Seaton where they spent the morning walking around the town and the beach front. They bought some sandwiches and had a picnic lunch on the pebbled beach. Clare wanted to change as she had spilt some tea on her jeans, so they returned to their hotel in Sidmouth, before they visited the Connaught Gardens that afternoon.

Alan waited for Clare in the lounge as she went upstairs to change. He met her at the lift and hanging on the wall next to it, was a new poster advertising a Dating Agency. 'Happy People Dating Agency' it was called. Alan pointed to it, grinning. "I think I'll give it a try. You never know...I might meet the love of my life. Someone a bit happier than Marie. She was such a sour puss."

Clare was about to reply when the gent in the wheel chair came up to them. They had met him in Reception on the day they'd checked in.

"Hello you two. What are you doing today?" he asked.

Alan looked at Clare and she answered.

"We took a drive to Seaton this morning and now we're going up to the Connaught Gardens."