Chapter 361
Hearth & Kettle stayed closed during the holidays, but by the sixth day it was back in business. Even then, it wasn’t open to the public. Only a few regulars had booked out the private rooms ahead of time.
Claire brought Dane along, weaving through the busy lobby. Jennifer was running around like crazy, barely stopping for breath. Everyone coming in today seemed important, and Jennifer, as the owner, insisted on cooking herself. Thankfully, the manager knew exactly what was going on and had a real knack for recognizing faces. He remembered Claire and Dane, even though they’d only visited once before. More importantly, he knew Claire was family to Jennifer, not just some ordinary customer.
He greeted them at the door with a big smile. “Claire, you’re here. Jennifer’s in the kitchen. If you want, I can take you right to her p>
Claire smiled back, taken aback at how warm his welcome was. “Thanks, but if she’s busy, we don’t want to get in the way. We’ll just take a stroll for a bit p>
The manager hesitated, glancing out at the chilly courtyard. “It’s cold outside. If you’d like to eat, I can set up a private room for you… one that’s usually off-limits p>
“That’s all right. Hearth & Kettle looks beautiful this time of year. Spring’s almost here, so we’ll just enjoy the view. When things calm down later, could you have someone bring us a few dishes p>
The manager nodded, not about to argue. Claire clearly knew what she wanted. She didn’t seem like the type to go barging in on VIP guests either, so he relaxed. After she nodded goodbye, she took Dane down a different path, leaving the main area behind.
They crossed a little stone bridge over a stream and headed toward the other side of the courtyard. The manager didn’t think much of it. Lots of people wanted to explore that part of the grounds, but the entrance was always locked with a heavy iron padlock. Guests couldn’t get in at all; that area was completely off-limits. Usually, people would try the gate, realize it wouldn’t budge, and give up.
But as the manager watched, expecting Claire and Dane to turn back, he saw Claire pull out a key and unlock the iron padlock. His eyes went wide. He just froze on the spot.
How… how could that be? His boss had always told him that staff and guests were only allowed in the front courtyard. The backyard, with its better view, was private-strictly for the owner’s family. Just letting people rent out the front courtyard was already a big deal!
were
bedrooms in the back, and those were never meant for outsiders. But now, here was Claire, holding the key.
Was it something the owner had given her? Or… something else? He felt a jolt run through him as another thought hit. Maybe Claire was actually the owner of Hearth
& Kettle. That would explain why she had the key.
Claire, meanwhile, had no clue what
the manager was thinking, or that he was watching her and Dane so intently. She clicked the lock open and waved Dane through. “I’ve never actually looked around here before. Pandora gave me this place heard she lived at Hearth & Kettle for a while when she was younger, so she left it to me as a wedding gift p>
Claire’s curiosity got the best of her as she took in the property. It looked exactly like the old estates that belonged to big, wealthy families-huge buildings, deep’ courtyards, winding stone paths, hidden little corners. The front courtyard was lined with hydrangeas, and in the back there was a massive pond, most likely filled with water lilies in summer. Someone was definitely taking care of the grounds. Everything was neat and tidy, even the weeds had been pulled out, not a single patch of grass out of place.
Claire pushed open a room at random and her jaw almost dropped. The whole place was filled with antiques. Gorgeous rosewood furniture was everywhere. Forget how much the house itself cost-just the decorations and furniture alone were worth a fortune.
The James family’s wealth started to make a lot more sense now, and Claire found herself seeing them in a whole new light.
Dane looked around too, clearly impressed. This old estate was being looked after so well, it almost felt like it had been frozen in time.