Snippets of Downshire Life – Australia Day

 

Emma Harding had enjoyed a successful career in the Downshire Constabulary, due to her diligence and hard work and she had reached the rank of Detective Sergeant.

And she had done so largely without regrets, but she had arrived in the middle of her thirties with her integrity, looks and figure intact, but she still lived the existence of a singleton.

She had friends a plenty and an abundance of family whom by and large she adored but the one thing that had eluded her was a lasting romantic attachment.

It certainly wasn’t by design or for the want of trying but it had eluded her regardless, although there was a man she was very attracted to, who she met on a recent investigation, but as he was a Major in the Downshire Light Infantry and moved in very different circles, so she was unlikely to come across him again.

So, she resigned herself to the fact that she was never going to realise any of the romantic expectations she may once have had.

As a result, it was for the love of her family that had her on the road to Millmoor in late January.

 

Millmoor was in the northeast corner of Downshire and was once a Military town, well actually it was always an army town, until the defence cuts tore out its heart.

Now the quarters had been refurbished and sold to eager would be home owner’s, the old parade grounds had been dug up and replaced with new shoe-box like dwellings in the modern style and the garages, workshops, barracks and stores buildings were now occupied by small business’s.

Millmoor had however retained the Aerospace Britannia Company which was a huge employer in the area, but the town missed the peripheral business which a military establishment brings to a town so consequently the town of Millmoor was not as prosperous as it had once been, their former Football League club had gone bankrupt and now languished two divisions below their former rivals Abbottsford Town.

Having said all that it was not an unpleasant place to be and the people did not live in abject poverty and it had attracted an influx of newcomers including a sizable community of Australians, and that was why Emma was headed there because she and the rest of the Harding clan were from Australia and it was a big clan.

But family was only part of the reason she was on the road to Millmoor with a car full of relatives, and the other being Australia Day.

 

Emma was a fiery character and her tall slender frame in full flight with her flame red trailing behind her with her sparkling green eyes was an exhilarating site and the only thing more exhilarating was her driving, although in truth for everyone else it was more terrifying than exhilarating.

Her Cousin Gary was in the passenger side and he had his left hand on the door handle and his right hand was gripping the underside of his seat, and his eyes were screwed tight shut.

Gary’s father in law Al was in the middle of the back seat and had braced himself with one hand on each of the front seats and his eyes were wide open and filled with terror as this was his first experience of his nieces driving having just landed in England.

The only passenger not being terrorized was Emma’s sister Donna and that was because she was asleep but then she was immune to her sisters driving because she was worse.

Emma turned the wheel violently to the left and shot across both lanes of the dual carriage way and onto the slip road, sign posted Millmoor; and Al suppressed a scream, it was a dangerous manoeuvre to attempt at the best of times but when she did it, it was lashing down and visibility was poor.

After several more stomach-churning manoeuvres Emma indicated and turned into Montgomery road and then right into Churchill Court, where the small neat houses were arranged in tidy formations like platoons of soldiers on a parade ground and then she screeched the car to a halt, half on the pavement, in front of a small parade of seven shops, the middle one being an Indian takeaway.

“Donna!” she called “Time to get your girlfriend”

“She’s not my girlfriend, she’s just my friend” she retorted as she got out of the car and strode towards the Indian.

Emma smiled to herself as she watched her go inside, thinking that nobody had noticed she and Claire and how she was blissfully unaware that everyone in the family knew they were a couple.

Al and Gary struggled out of the car, once the latter had regained the use of his legs he turned to Al.

“You know I think she’s getting better.” He said encouragingly patting Al on the back.

“Definitely”

And then the two of then leant against the car oblivious to the fact they were getting wet.

 

When Donna and Claire reappeared, they got in the car and Gary and his father in law reluctantly did the same and then Emma drove them to the party.

The Australia Day celebrations were being held at the Millmoor Country Club for the Australian expat community of the town and its environs.

It was always a busy affair, well organized, but very informal, no dress code, no structured dining, just turn up, eat drink and have fun. 

Emma was wearing jeans and a sweater that suited her figure beautifully and her red hair blazed about her neck as she mingled among the crowd, catching up with friends and family.

After a couple of hours, she had made steady progress around the room when someone she wasn’t expecting to see there approached. 

“Hello” he said, “its Detective Sergeant Harding isn’t it?"

“Yes” she replied “Emma”

Despite the fact she had only met him on a handful of occasions, and brief ones at that, she recognized him instantly even though he was out of uniform.

“Hello Major”

“Call me Marcus” he said “or Marc”

“No uniform tonight Marc?” she asked and then thought

“I loved you in the uniform”

And she inexplicably blushed like a schoolgirl.

“Are you here with someone?” she asked

“Yes” he replied, and she was very disappointed.

“I’m here with my Captain” he continued.

“Oh, I see" Emma said and hoped his Captain was man, then she panicked and thought “I hope he’s not gay”

She put that thought out of her head it wasn’t important, the Major was "alone" and that was.

“I was sorry that you had to leave before the end of the investigation” she said

“Yes, me too” he agreed “But I had to get back to HQ”

“It was rather unexpected” she said

“Was it to do with the helicopter crash in Afghanistan?”

“It was” he replied sadly

“I’m sorry” She said, “is the regiment back in Nettlefield now?”

“It is”

“So, you won’t have to rush off again before you’ve eaten something” Emma said

“Well I’m good for a couple of hours” he replied

“Why? Is the Regiment deploying again?” she asked

"No" he replied “Manoeuvres”

“When?"  

“Tomorrow” he said, and she was disappointed

“You can’t say where I suppose?”

“No, I’m afraid not” he agreed

A comfortable silence settled around them and then he asked

“Would you like to dance?”

“Love to” she replied

Marc took her hand and led her to the dance floor and they danced through a selection of slow standards, the titles were unimportant to them and to be honest they weren’t listening, they were just enjoying holding each other and they would have continued indefinitely but Marc was tapped on the shoulder.

He reluctantly relinquished his hold on Emma and turned around

“Sorry sir” a man said “it’s time to go”

“Ok Captain” he said “I’ll be right there”

The man nodded and walked towards the door and Marc said

“I’m afraid I need to go”

“I understand” 

“I’m so glad we ran in to each other, it was so nice seeing you again” he said, “Perhaps when I return from manoeuvres I could call you?”

“Yes” Emma said enthusiastically “I’d like that very much”

The music stopped, and they smiled at each other briefly and then he was gone.

But he was going to call her.

“Result” she said out loud and continued her mingling.