(Part 01)
Downshire is a relatively small English county but like a pocket battleship it packs a lot in, a short but beautiful coastline, a channel port, the Ancient forests of Dancingdean and Pepperstock, the craggy ridges and manmade lakes of the Pepperstock Hills National Park, the rolling hills of the Downshire Downs, the beautiful Finchbottom Vale and farm land as far as the eye can see from the Trotwood’s and the Grace’s in the south to the home of the Downshire Light infantry, Nettlefield, and their affluent neighbour’s, Roespring and Tipton in the north but our story begins in the East, or more precisely, 20 miles inland from Sharpington-By-Sea, equidistant between Finchbottom and Pepperstock Green, in the sprawling village of Denmead.
Owen Carrington’s Uncle Glyn died on New Year’s Day and left him his Cottage and a small cash sum, more than enough to keep him going for a few more years.
He left it to him because he felt they were kindred spirits, he wanted to be a writer himself but his father made him get a proper job, Owen really liked him and he was a great story teller, and it was his Uncles colourful tales that helped him when he was writing his novels.
His death came as a great shock as it was sudden though not unsurprising given his health.
So that was how he found himself living in a lovely Victorian Cottage in the quaint Downshire Village of Denmead.
It was a very tranquil place though not without its distractions.
From his study he could look out through the open French windows and across the expanse of lawn to a stand of ancient woodland, there was no fence to separate garden and wood the two just merged.
And on the other side of the wood was the hub of the village, the Green Oak, everyone seemed to go there at some point, either for a drink, the restaurant or the coffee suite.
As a writer Owen’s star was definitely in the ascendency after the success of his first Romantic novel “The Maiden Muse” but the change in the fortunes of his writing career were not universally well received, his publisher liked it, his new agent loved it, the bank manager was ecstatic about it but his mother was disappointed by it because she thought it was a bit girlie.
But it wasn’t just his writing career that was climbing high, so was his love life thanks to his muse and lover, Juliana Molesworth, who had brought his writers block to an end, but his muse was going away for ten days to Greece with her folks so he planned to catch up on his writing as he had fallen hopelessly in love with her and the only antidote for his wanting her, in her absence was to throw himself into his work.
However while she was away it occurred to him that although he was in love with her and he had neglected to tell her, either when she returned from University or before she left for Greece, and that was something he clearly had to rectify.
Since he had become a writer of bodice ripping romances it had proved to be an occupation which suited him very well indeed.
And it suited him in many ways, but the main benefit was that he was able to work at home, so he had no tedious commute every day and his working day was flexible to the point that some days he didn’t write at all.
This afforded him the opportunity of playing a round of Golf during the working week when most people had their noses to the grindstone or even taking a day out to go fishing.
But all the normally enjoyable pastimes that would ordinarily keep him entertained didn’t distract him for the ten day Juliana was away and the time dragged by like a month, but he poured all his love and longing into his second novel instead.
However as much as the time may have dragged, the time of his lonely exile did come to an end.
(Part 02)
Owen left home bright and early so he could touch base with Juliana, who he hadn’t seen for 10 days, since she went away with her family to Greece.
She was working all weekend, at the Green Oak because she had missed quite a few shifts while she was away, so it would just be a quick hello then he would see her properly on Monday when they would have a proper hello.
He stepped out into the sunlight and headed off in the direction of the Normandie Woods towards the Molesworth’s house.
Owen Carrington was on his way to spend some time with his girlfriend before she went to work when he was button holed by Andrea Dean who was a very stern looking young woman with short brown hair who managed the local Stephenson’s Supermarket.
She was a pleasant enough young woman but she never smiled and always peered superciliously over her specs at everyone, and didn’t look like a joyful person by any means, but she was actually a very nice person.
“Hello Mr. Carrington” Andrea said
“Good morning Miss Dean and how are you today”
“Fine” she replied
“I’m selling raffle tickets for the for the Summer Fete”
“Oh ok I’ll have a couple of books”
“That will be £10” she said and handed him the tickets.
He took out his wallet and paid her the cash, and with the transaction done he got underway.
As he got close to the Molesworth’s he caught sight of Juliana sitting alone on the brick wall at the front of her house and his heart soared and then he noticed she wasn’t wearing her work clothes.
He guessed she was probably going to change just before she left for work.
He quickened his stride and he thought he’d caught her eye and he gave her a wave, but instead of waving back she got up and got in her dads car and then they drove away.
“Oh bugger” he said
He did go to the house anyway and had a coffee with Lavinia, her mum, and found out that Juliana had gone shopping with her dad to get new shoes for work as she had ruined her other pair while they were away.
He was going to stay until she returned but in the end they were longer than expected so her dad, Gregory, dropped her straight at work.
After leaving the Molesworth’s he set off for a walk around the village and headed towards the Church of Saint Jane Frances de Chantal and then he spent another two hours strolling around the environs of Denmead and found himself back in Normandie woods hot, tired, thirsty and a little peckish.
It was 2.30pm by the time he finally got to the pub and the place was absolutely heaving.
He could see Juliana as he walked into the bar and he thought she’d seen him but she just kept walking, so he went to the bar, they were really busy and he was at the bar for 5 minutes or more and he wasn’t even close to being served.
He looked to his left and he saw Juliana briefly before she strode off again and as there was no sign of a pint and a sandwich on the horizon he followed her.
She led him on a weaving yomp in between crowded tables, and along a short corridor, through a door that led into the beer garden, in and out of packed tables on the terrace and back up the same corridor arriving back in the main bar where he lost sight of her.
“Oh Shit” he exclaimed and returned to the bar and thought he might at least get his pint and sandwich.
(Part 03)
Owen stood at the bar for another ten minutes and still hadn’t been served when Suddenly Juliana was stood next to him.
“Hi honey” he said “Shouldn’t you be serving?”
“I’m due a break,” she replied “But I wasn’t expecting to see you today”
“I’m just after a pint and a sandwich” he said
“And I’ve been trying to talk to you all day”
“Why?” she asked
“I have something important to say to you”
“What?” she asked suspiciously
“I’ll tell you when we’re sitting down” he replied
“Go and find a seat in the garden and I’ll meet you out there” she said
“Great” he said and muttered to himself “I’ll get my sandwich now?”
Owen went and sat down in the furthest corner of the beer garden at the only vacant table and sat alone for ten minutes or so before Juliana arrived with a pint of beer and a tuna sandwich.
“There you are sir,” she said in her best wench’s voice, putting first the beer and then the plate on the table “sorry to keep you waiting sir”
“Thank you miss” he said pompously
“Well if that’s all sir? I do have other customers”
“No, you may sit beside your master” he said and patted the bench
“Thankee sir” Juliana replied and bobbed a curtsey
She then gave a quick glance around her, and kissed him tenderly.
She was only able to grab a 10 minute break so they continued to sit in the beer garden where he could at least steal an occasional kiss.
But before she went back to work she asked
“Are you going to dump me?”
“No of course not” he replied “why would you think that?”
“You said you had something important to say to me” she pointed out
“That’s right, but I didn’t mean that” he said
“Well what do you want to say to me then?”
“I wanted to tell you that I love you” he said
“Is that all?” she asked and laughed
“What do you mean is that all?”
“Well I already knew that” she said
“But I’ve never told you”
“You didn’t need to” she said smugly “I knew you loved me before you did”
“So shouldn’t I say it then?” he asked
“Oh yes, whenever you like”
“Good” he replied “I love you”
“I love you too” she replied and kissed him
“I missed you” he said
“I missed you too” Juliana replied “but I have to go”
“Aren’t you going to show me your white bits?” he asked
“No I am not” she replied indignantly “well not here anyway”
Then she turned away to go but she gave another quick glance around her and then lifted the side of her skirt up exposing a quick glimpse of untanned thigh.
“Just to keep you interested” she said letting the skirt fall and then she rushed away giggling.
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