Tessa usually enjoyed the event, although she knew that some of her colleagues, especially those who remembered the Seafront B&B in her grandmother’s day, disapproved of her refurbishment. One was jealous of her prices, while another made no secret of his opinion that her style was pretentious, unlike his own establishment’s home-from-home cosiness. Tessa took the view that there was plenty of room in the market for all tastes.This year’s lunch was to be held in Orford, where those who could spare the time could make a day of it, and some friends had offered Tessa a lift because they knew she’d be coming on her own. She put on a final touch of lipstick then went to check on Mitch, who, now that his exams had finally begun, was allowed to stay home from school to revise. For the past week he’d moped about the house, dark shadows under his eyes, stooped like an old man. The only time he perked up was when his mobile rang.She found him lying on his bed, reading from a big lever-arch file.
