14 The Bridlington - Original Story By Stephanie Poppins

The Bridlington Hotel is the most prestigious getaway on the coast of East Riding. Owned by the cantankerous Lady Perklington-Smythe, it is never far from scandal. But reception staff Emily, James, and Joe are professionals, and committed to keeping up appearances, come what may.

In this Episode, Uncle Tom delivers some unexpected news.

Transcript

Hello and welcome to Sleep Stories with Steph,

A romantic bedtime podcast guaranteed to help you drift off into a calm and restful sleep.

Come with me as we travel into the heart of the Bridlington Hotel,

The most prestigious enterprise on the coast of East Riding.

Meet the characters as they go about their everyday lives,

Albeit amongst scandal and intrigue.

Not a day goes past at the Bridlington without something happening.

But before we begin,

Let's take a moment to focus on where we are now.

Take a deep breath in through your nose.

That's it.

Then let it out on a long sigh.

It is time to relax and fully let go.

There is nothing you need to be doing and nowhere you need to go.

This is your time.

Feel your shoulders melt away from your ears.

Feel the pressure seep away from your cheeks.

And let all the muscles in your face relax.

As you sink into the support beneath you,

Let the pressures of the day seep away.

The Bridlington.

A series set in an English hotel.

Written and performed by Stephanie Poppins.

Episode 14 Constance Delaware drummed her fingers impatiently on her breakfast table,

Frustrated at the lack of service.

Where is everybody?

You just can't get the staff these days.

News James making a point of brushing past her with his plate of hot chocolate muffins.

But don't fret,

There'll be some of these left by the time they get to you,

I hope.

He knew these were her favourites and he was loving every minute of this.

Ever since Jo had revealed the full extent of her involvement with the extortion racket that saw hard-working service staff cheated out of their pay,

James's gloves were off.

It was bad enough she tried to make him feel uncomfortable about who he was,

But that she was feeding the money to Emily's mother as well,

And perfectly okay with it,

Was beyond belief.

No one had wanted to believe it at first,

But when Emily explained the extent of what Lady Perklington Smythe was prepared to do to remain the financial success she was,

They had their eyes well and truly opened.

Greed's the one thing that drives her,

She told him,

Jo at J-10.

Sharing profits with the ball doesn't come easy to her,

And a reputation as the richest woman in East Riding has to be upheld.

As soon as I saw them together that day in the orangery,

Thick as thieves,

I put two and two together,

She confirmed.

Not that I'll say anything,

Unless everything else fails,

She said.

As it stands,

It'll be an uphill struggle without it,

But it implicates me if the Briglington gets a bad reputation.

Never mind,

James,

I'm happy to wait,

Delaware smiled,

As James turned his back on her and walked away.

This nonchalance should have been flagged up as something for him to worry about,

Shouldn't he read the signs?

Why did she appear so amused?

But he had his mind on other things,

And ignoring the blindingly obvious,

He calmly made his way back to reception,

Where J-10 was waiting with a smile painted across his face.

You look pleased with yourself,

He said,

Offering him one of the orangery's finest,

Have one of these.

Thanks,

Don't mind if I do.

Thank God you're back in M's good books,

I was beginning to lose hope.

Yeah,

Thank God,

J-10 replied,

I've been a drunken idiot,

But we're going to be writing a new story now together,

Aren't we,

Pretty?

Emily emerged from the back office,

Her besotted smile growing wider by the second.

Yes,

James,

It's going to be a new hotel and a new story.

J-10 and I are set on that,

And we've got Johnson behind us,

And my uncle,

As well as you and Jo.

We can't lose.

We won't lose.

That's right,

Babe,

Said J-10.

He refrained from hugging her in close,

Much as he wanted to,

So he winked at her instead,

And this lit up her whole demeanour.

Does this mean we can go back to normal shifts now?

Said James.

I don't know whether I'm coming or going when the guests have enquiries and you're AWOL.

Front and centre from now on,

James reassured him.

I spoke to my agency and my contract with the Bridlington's watered tight,

Thank God.

There's no way Cunningham will get rid of me,

Which he'll definitely try to do after this morning's meeting.

What did he say to you two?

Asked James.

He tried to coerce us,

Said Emily.

We had to admit we were having a relationship,

But the man's got no evidence.

He was bluffing.

He said he had CCTV evidence.

But I always insisted we were careful at work,

And now you can see why,

Can't you,

J-10?

Emily smiled.

She was proud of herself.

Her mother was always looking for any reason to discredit her,

And she'd be the last person to give her what she wanted.

There's no way I was going to make my mother's life easier for her,

Was there?

My clever girl.

J-10 wanted to kiss Emily again,

And then once more.

He'd missed her so much,

Her smell,

Her taste,

But he would have to wait until work was over and they were behind closed doors.

This now was war,

And he and Emily were determined to win.

What about you?

He said to James.

You've been here long enough,

Haven't you?

Are you with an agency?

I was headhunted for my looks,

Joked James.

I didn't need an agency.

Everyone chuckled at this.

There was no truer word said,

But spoken out loud,

It sounded much more arrogant than James had ever allowed himself to be.

I must speak to Johnson about this,

Said Emily.

I won't let them compromise you,

James.

It's not in their interest,

Said J-10.

Just look at the man.

The guests love him.

But my mother would happily cut her nose off to spite her face,

Especially to hurt me.

Emily had a nagging feeling ever since Lady Purklinton Smythe showed her true intentions.

Everyone close to her would be under attack now,

And she knew it.

Losing you from the front desk,

James,

Would do just that.

I'm going to make sure mother knows you've got legal representation if needed.

But how can you afford to do that?

You're skint,

Aren't you?

Said James.

And in her best upper-class accent,

Emily hissed.

No window fee,

Darling.

It's a thing,

You know.

This caricature set them all off,

But James was secretly very relieved Emily had his back.

Not that anyone could tell by his poker face.

He had a big tournament that night,

And he had earmarked the winnings to cover him in case he was booted out of the Bridlington.

But he'd secretly made a promise to Joe when that took precedence now.

He'll have no financial backup if everything went wrong at the Bridlington.

But it was time to prepare.

What did that matter?

Everything must run as smoothly as possible leading up to the big game.

James Brighton was an expert at counting cards,

But he could always be better.

Relying on this latest winning streak wouldn't be enough to help his friend out,

And he needed time to practice.

This was Joe's only way to escape the iron grip of Mikhail Botrovsky.

And though £10,

000 lighter James would be,

He could at least say he'd paid his dues for all the help his best friend had given him in the past.

I'm off,

He said,

To the events hall.

It was not true,

Of course,

But he had to keep the secret.

He was going to his room to practice.

He just needed a little more time,

And when he was finished,

He'd help with the annual art exhibition that was to be held that evening whilst he was busy saving the day.

It was to be a high-profile event,

And there was lots to organise.

Not least of all the security.

That was Cunningham's idea.

A great opportunity to show East Riding that Bridlington was still running on all cylinders after the extortion scandal,

He said.

And as far as that went,

He was right.

The local community knew the culprit,

Lewis,

Was safely behind bars.

But a successful PR event like this was needed to get things back to the way they were.

If only East Riding knew the bellboy's assistant was just a fool guy,

The real culprit was Lady Perklington Smythe herself.

James didn't think that Bridlington would ever recover from that.

Oh well,

What did that matter?

He had bigger fish to fry.

Sneaking through the back doors,

He caught sight of Cunningham and Mallory Monks,

Thick as thieves.

That man has no idea what's going on under his very nose,

He sniggered.

And he's supposed to be the hotel manager.

Beggar's belief.

That must be why Perklington Smythe employed him,

He thought.

Cunningham's too stupid to realise she's running a racket right under his very nose.

Hi Uncle Tom,

Do you have time to speak?

I'd really like an update on what happened at the board meeting,

If possible.

I thought maybe we could get together again soon.

Pressing her phone tight to her ear,

Emily felt a strange anticipation swell up inside her.

Her fingers,

Toes and legs were crossed now.

This was still very early days as far as her uncle was concerned,

And she didn't want to get this wrong.

He did say he would support her,

And she believed him.

But a tiny part of her was still scared.

It felt too good to be true.

That she would have someone she was related to on her side.

Yes,

No problem,

I'll just get the dogs in,

He said.

And she listened as her uncle spoke firmly and clearly.

Dasher,

Botham,

In you come.

She pictured the dogs running across the long lawn.

It must be sunny and golden sands now,

She said to herself.

She'd not been there for a long time,

But she expected it was much the same as it had always been.

Thomas Smythe was still a bachelor.

He had no reason to change anything.

Not that he wasn't an attractive option for an older woman,

She mused.

Right,

I'm all yours,

He said warmly.

The board meeting,

Yes.

A motion was put forward to shuffle some staff,

Including yourself,

Emily.

Including me?

But I rejected that.

Oh,

Thank you,

Uncle Tom.

This didn't sound good.

What else would they be doing?

It was kept to a minimum.

I made sure of that,

He continued.

But there was a mention of your colleague moving over to alternate duties.

Emily sat down.

My colleague?

Who's that?

Um,

James,

Uh,

James Brighton.

Is that his name?

Emily froze.

What do you mean,

Alternate duties?

Customer relations,

I think.

Customer relations?

That's a glorified name for official dog's body.

Her temperature was rising fast.

Is he a friend of yours,

Then?

Yes,

And he'll hate that.

Who put that motion forward?

But Emily knew the answer before her uncle said it.

It was your mother,

On behalf of a minimal shareholder,

Constance Delaware.

Oh my god,

That bitch!

You're working,

Emily.

Oh yes,

Sorry.

Sorry,

Uncle Tom.

Is there anything that can be done?

Not really.

I would have objected,

But I didn't know this would be such a problem.

Emily's heart sank.

Your mother's trying everything she can to rattle you,

Isn't she?

Nothing's changed there,

Then.

But I did manage to get some good news.

That bellboy you told me about.

Your friend,

Uh,

Joe,

Is it?

He can have his job back.

There's a shortage in the hotel.

And there's no reason not to reinstate him.

We've decided in relation to the whole incident between him and that Lewis being arrested,

His actions were understandable.

He'll be put on a probationary period if he wishes to recommence employment at the Bridlington,

Okay?

Emily was speechless.

In one foul swoop,

James had been compromised and Joe had been reinstated.

She couldn't believe it.

Thank you,

Uncle Tom.

What else could she say?

That's okay.

I'll be over soon when I've met with Mr.

Johnson and my lawyer.

We've decided to go at this great guns now,

Which means we'll be looking over your father's medical records with a fine tooth comb.

Does that sound okay?

That sounds great.

Thank you,

Uncle Tom.

I'll see you soon,

Then.

Bye.

Emily closed her phone and put her head in her hands.

What was she going to say to James?

He was about to experience a fall from grace.

All she could hope was that the news about Joe would somehow soften the blow.

Reviews

Thanks for writing more! I enjoy this story very much,