The Dog Hotel By Fiona Gibson

Sarah and Mags planned a weekend away from it all – but they got more than they bargained for…

Mags and Sarah made their way through the hotel foyer to the lift. As well as the well-heeled human guests, the place was milling with spaniels, terriers and other hounds of indeterminate breeds.

“This is a dog hotel,” Mags exclaimed.”Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t know,” her sister replied.”I was just delighted to win a weekend away. Can we just try and enjoy ourselves, please?”

Mags frowned as a smartly-dressed man joined them in the lift.

“You didn’t know it was a dog hotel?” he remarked with a smile. Clearly, he’d overheard their whole exchange.

“No, but it’s not a problem,” Sarah said quickly. “I actually won our stay here. It was a prize in a cancer charity raffle.’”

“Oh, lucky you!” His bright blue eyes twinkled kindly. “There are some amazing walks here along the coast…”

“We’ll definitely explore those,” Sarah said before he stepped out at the second floor. On the third – the top floor of the stunning former stately home – they let themselves into their suite.

“Isn’t this lovely?” Sarah exclaimed. Mags nodded begrudgingly.”You don’t think they allow the dogs in the restaurant, do you?”

“Oh, Mags.” Sarah sighed.”I’m sure they won’t bother us if they do. And dinner is included in our weekend.”

“But it’s not exactly hygienic, is it?” “They’re hardly going to be licking your plate,” Sarah muttered as her sister explored the suite. Mags had always been the driven one, becoming chief executive of a retail chain ten years ago, in her mid-forties. Child-free and currently single, she had given her all to her career. In contrast, Sarah’s focus had been the raising of her four children.

“There’s a jacuzzi bath,” Mags called through from the bathroom.”D’you mind if I have a soak?”

“Of course not,” Sarah replied, sounding relieved. “While you do that, I’ll go for a little explore around the grounds.”

Mags reappeared in the bathroom doorway already wrapped in a fluffy white robe. “Sorry, I know I’m being a grump. By the end of this weekend you’ll be wishing you’d brought Tony, not me.” Sarah’s husband, she meant.

“Don’t be crazy.” Sarah mustered a smile.”I’m so glad you’re here with me. We’re going to have such fun.”

Despite the gentle bubbling of the jacuzzi, Mags couldn’t push away a nagging sense of guilt that she was being so ungrateful when Sarah had invited her here. She closed her eyes, picturing her sister’s perfect life: her charming young adult offspring, not to mention their father, who all adored her.

Mags’s last relationship had been with Pete, whom she had really loved. But he had adopted a puppy without consulting her –”as a surprise!” he’d said. How dare he bring an animal into her immaculate home? He’d moved out soon afterwards, taking the scruffy grey mongrel, Benji, with him.

After her bath, Mags dressed and headed downstairs, trying Sarah’s mobile number outside the hotel, but there was no signal on this remote area of coastland. She strode towards the dunes and stopped to call Sarah again. Still no signal.

“This is ridiculous,” Mags started, holding her phone high above her head and flinching at the sudden sound behind her – Woof! Then again, woof woof! There was dog nearby – with its owner, she assumed. She carried on walking, aware of the distinct sound of paws on the gravel path behind her.

Mags swung around to see the shaggy brown dog padding along with no owner in sight.

“Hello?” she called out loudly. “Has anyone lost a dog?” No reply came. This wasn’t what she needed. By now – two hours since Sarah had gone out “for a little explore” – Mags was starting to panic.

The path led her to the pebbly shore where she called out her sister’s name. The dog was still trotting along at her side, and was clearly lost, she decided. It had a collar but no identity tag. She wondered now if someone was beside themselves with worry – as she was now – over their missing pet.

“I’d better take you to the hotel,” she said, surprised at herself for even talking to an animal. She pulled off her scarf and looped it through the dog’s collar as a makeshift lead.

It was properly dark now and hours had spun by without Mags really noticing. The dog started pulling forward, and now Mags could make out a man in the distance. The dog barked sharply and the man waved and cried out, “Bonnie?”

Mags quickened her pace as he jogged towards her. “Is this your dog?” she asked.

“Yes. Oh my goodness, thank you for finding her. I only adopted her a few weeks ago and she’s terrible at coming when she’s called…” Mags recognised him now. He was the man Sarah had talked to briefly in the lift when they’d first arrived.

“I didn’t find her,” Mags explained. “She just tagged along.”

“Well, she seems to like you,” he said with a smile. He pulled a lead from his pocket, clipped it onto Bonnie’s collar and handed Mags her scarf. “I’m Calum.

Didn’t we meet earlier?”

“In the hotel lift, yes,” she said. “I’m actually looking for Sarah, my sister. She’s the one I was with…”

“Yes I remember.” He nodded. “Not lost, is she?”

“I don’t know.” Mags’s voice wavered.”I’ve been walking for hours and I can’t get a phone signal. I don’t know what to do.”

“No, it’s virtually impossible here,” Calum said. “But there is a place.” He indicated a huge, almost cube-shaped rock further down the beach. “If you stand

“I wanted this weekend to be special, you know, after all you’ve been through”

on that, you can get a mobile signal.”

“I’m not climbing up there!” Mags exclaimed.

“Well, I can, if you like?”

She bit her lip as they marched towards it. Having scrolled to Sarah in her list of contacts, she handed him her phone. “Would you mind?”

“Not at all,” he said, handing her Bonnie’s lead. “Could you hold onto her please? In case she decides to leg it again.” Mags nodded and Calum climbed up deftly onto the rock. Bonnie settled by her feet as he made the call.

“Hi, Sarah?” he started.”My name’s Calum. I’m with your sister on the beach. Yes, she’s fine. It might sound a bit crazy but the only way you can get a signal here is by standing on a rock, and…” He nodded and glanced down at her. “Sarah says she knows you hate heights.”

Mags smiled tersely, relieved that her sister had answered the call, yet feeling rather foolish at having to enlist Calum’s help. He turned his attentions back to the call… “Oh, I’m sorry to hear that… your choice, of course… whatever you both feel comfortable with…” What were they discussing now? “We’ll be back in twenty minutes,” he added, then finished the call. He jumped back down onto the pebbles and handed Mags’s phone back to her. “Where is she?” she asked.

“At the hotel,” Calum replied. “She’d gone for a walk and decided to check the menu at the Smuggler’s Arms a bit further down the coast. She’d got chatting to the locals there, and time had just whooshed by, she said.”

Mags rolled her eyes. “She’s so sociable. But I wish I’d known.”

“She’s booked dinner there for the two of you tonight,” he continued. “At the Smugglers, I mean. She said you weren’t keen to eat at the hotel, with all the dogs.”

Mags nodded. “Yes, that’s right. It was kind of her, I suppose, to find us somewhere else to eat.” The hotel was in view now. Calum had brought them a much quicker way back. They stepped into the hotel and found Sarah waiting in the bar. She jumped up from her seat and hugged her sister.

“I’m sorry you were worried,” she exclaimed.

“I’m just glad you’re OK,” Mags started, then she turned to Calum. “Thanks so much for your help.”

“Oh, it was nothing,” he said quickly, then excused himself and went over to chat to another group of guests. He seemed to be extremely at home there.

“What a lovely helpful man,” Mags said.

Sarah smiled. “Yes, he seems to be.” She paused. “I really am sorry for worrying you. I just wanted this weekend to be special, you know, after all you’ve been through.”

Mags frowned. “What d’you mean?” “I know it’s been hard for you, working from home all those months, isolated.”

“I’ve got used it it,” Megs said dismissively, but Sarah gave her a meaningful look.

“And I know it’s been a really bad time for business too.”

“I’m sure we’ll pull through,” Mags said, her eyes suddenly filling with tears as Sarah squeezed her hand.

“I know you, Mags. You always put a brave face on things, but I also know this last year has been the hardest you’ve ever had.”

Mags wiped at her eyes and nodded. She realised Sarah wasn’t just talking about the ailing retail chain, which had almost gone bust last year, but Pete leaving her over a silly row about a puppy.

“I thought you deserved a treat,” Sarah added gently.

Mags pushed back her glossy dark hair and mustered a smile. “I’m really grateful,” she started as Calum rejoined their table.

“Off to the Poachers soon?” he asked, and Sarah nodded.

“Our taxi will be here in a minute.” “Great.” He paused.”But tomorrow night, perhaps you’ll eat here?” He turned to Mags.”We don’t actually allow dogs in the restaurant.” She blinked at him in confusion.”This is my hotel,” he added, grinning now.

“I’m so sorry,” she exclaimed.”I didn’t mean to be rude.”

“Not at all,” he said warmly.”I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, having dogs roaming about. But my wife loved them.” He cleared his throat. “I donated the weekend to the charity because I lost her to cancer four years ago.”

“I’m so sorry,” Mags murmured. He shook his head and smiled. “Please don’t be. I’m just grateful thatt you found Bonnie.”

“But I didn’t,” she protested. “Bonnie found me.”

Calum chuckled and got up to leave. “Maybe later, when you’re back from the Poachers, you’d both like to join me here for a nightcap on the house? We have a great range of whiskies.”

“That’s very kind of you,” Mags said quickly. She turned to Sarah as Calum wished them a good night and strolled out of the bar.

“Shall we take him up on that?” Sarah asked with a playful smile.”I think he’s quite keen on you…”

“Don’t be silly,” Mags said, blushing. “I’m sure there was a bit of a spark there.” Sarah beamed at her sister who was smiling now.

“I think we might have that nightcap,” Mags said, linking her sister’s arm as they climb into the waiting taxi.”But first, you and me have a lot of catching up to do.”

If you’re after a light hearted story then bestselling Fiona Gibson’s latest is just the job. Suzy Medley’s life is not going to plan, a failing business, failed relationship and finances in a fiasco. When an abandoned dog turns up on Suzy’s door, her life suddenly takes a turn for the best. Full of fun and friendships, this is one canine caper to lift your spirits.

The Dog Share by Fiona Gibson, Avon, HarperCollins, PBO, £7.99.

Out March 18.