Read Online La Brat by Ashe Barker - Free Book Online Page A

in front of the mirror.
    Practice makes perfect, and perfect was what might—just might—get her this job.
     
    * * * *
     
    At precisely three twenty-three, Eugenie presented herself at the entrance to the hotel’s executive management suite. The door was marked Staff Only with a button to gain admittance. She pressed and waited.
    A buzzer sounded, followed by a smooth female voice. “ Bonjour, puis je vous aider ?”
    “ Bonjour, madame. Je suis Eugenie d’André…”
    “ Ah oui, nous vous entenderons. Entre, s’il vous plait .”
    The buzzer sounded again, followed by a quiet click. Eugenie pushed the door. It opened and she stepped inside.
    She stood in an empty, carpeted corridor. Double doors ran all down one side. The other side sported a series of prints. She thought she recognized one or two of the artists, Lowry certainly, perhaps Monet. Constable’s The Hay Wain was unmistakable.
    As she contemplated which direction to head in, a middle-aged woman appeared from a door about halfway down the hallway and bustled in her direction.
    “Mademoiselle d’André, how nice to meet you.” She spoke in English so Eugenie answered in like manner, accepting the proffered hand for a brief shake.
    “Thank you, it is lovely to be here.”
    “You are welcome, very welcome. My name is Elise Rougin. I am the general manager here at the Totally Five Star Paris. I am chairing the interview panel today. I will introduce you to my colleagues in a few minutes, but first, may I offer you some refreshment?”
    “A glass of water would be nice, if that is not any trouble.”
    “None at all. Please follow me.” She gestured Eugenie into a small side room where a bottle of chilled water and several glasses sat on a low table. There was a leather couch, too—clearly some sort of waiting area.
    “Please help yourself to water. Your interview will commence in ten minutes. First, you might like to glance at this…”
    She handed over a sheet of paper. “This is the list of questions we will ask you at the interview. It is our intention to get the best from you, so we want to hear all you have to tell us about yourself. By letting you know what we intend to talk about, you have an opportunity to collect your thoughts, even make a few notes should you wish. You only have ten minutes, so not sufficient time to browse the Internet or phone your friends. Enough, though, to know that we have no surprises lurking. There are no trick questions. We are not looking to catch you out.
    “Also, if there is anything you really want to share with us that we have not included in our topics for discussion, please feel free to mention it at the end of the interview. There will be an opportunity to ask us questions and, following the interviews, our security team will conduct each candidate on a tour of the conference and banqueting facilities if you would like to take advantage of that.”
    Eugenie was astonished and impressed. She’d never come across such a practice before, but it made perfect sense. And it chimed completely with her desire to be as prepared as possible for this. She could not have asked for a better start.
    “Thank you. I—”
    Madame Rougin raised a hand in friendly dismissal. “Please, make yourself comfortable. I will be back in ten minutes.” She closed the door quietly as she left.
    Eugenie poured herself a glass of water and wasted no time in perusing the list of questions. Relief washed over her. She could offer a decent response for all of these issues.
    She had several ideas about how she’d approach growing the corporate events side of the Totally Five Star Hotels. She had read up on recent and current trends in the hospitality industry and was familiar with the main areas of European Union legislation relating to public safety. And she could manage the equality and diversity stuff readily enough. She had a list of her own training needs, which she had already recognized for herself, and by asking her about