Those Memories Made on Teardrop Lake – (91) Yuletide at the Claremont Hotel

  

Shallowfield sat on the southern edge of the Finchbottom Vale and was bordered on the other side by the Dancingdean forest and the town’s fortunes had always relied largely upon forestry and agriculture for its survival.

In the post war years with rationing and a shortage of work a lot of people moved away from the area and it only just survived and the community around Teardrop Lake fared even worse.

Only a few of the houses around the Lake were thriving, a lot of the houses had been rented out and those that hadn’t were in a poor state of repair, some too such an extent they were little more than ruins.

But by the 70s however things were beginning to change, thanks mainly to tourism as a result of an increase in leisure time.

This trend was reflected by the fact that the previously derelict Shallowfield Lodge, which had been inherited by a young couple from Lincolnshire, Rob and Sheryl Brown, was being turned into a Hotel.

From then on Shallowfield went from strength to strength which was echoed by the fortunes of the Claremont Hotel.

It was once the home of a wealthy Downshire family but like so many similar great houses in the county it fell into disuse as the fortunes of the owners suffered after the Great War.

It had had many reincarnations since then, particularly in the years between the wars and had been used for many things over the post war years but it wasn’t until the 60s that it became The Claremont Hotel.

However things had got tough in the Hotel trade with the success of Travelodge, Premier Inn and Holiday Inn Express and so places like the Claremont needed to offer something extra to attract the guests.

 

In the early summer a new manager was appointed, Matthew Millward, and he was an instant hit with the locals because he was young, tall, dark and handsome, physically fit, well-toned and had a reputation as a fair minded guy, which had very much preceded him.

He was 28 years old and his father owned the Millward Manor chain of hotels and he was grooming him to one day take over the reins of his worldwide hotel empire, the problem was that Matt had no head for business and he felt that he was more of an artistic soul.

Which could possibly have been ignored but for the fact that he had broken off his engagement with the granddaughter of his father’s oldest friend.

However that in itself wasn’t what had him exiled, it was Elaine’s attempted suicide, not that his action had caused her mental meltdown, it was rather more her mental instability being the deciding factor that forced him to end the engagement.

So it was decided to send Matt to the Claremont Hotel where he could do no real harm until the dust settled.

When he first found out he was being sent to Shallowfield, Matt was very unhappy, he was a city boy, born and bred, and he viewed being sent to the country as purgatory, but no one was more surprised than he was when he found that he actually loved it, it was a beautiful place, it was quiet and the air was clean and he felt immediately at home.

 

When he first found out he was being sent to Shallowfield Matt was very unhappy, he was a city boy, born and bred, and he viewed being sent to the country as purgatory, but no one was more surprised than he was when he found that he actually loved it, it was a beautiful place, it was quiet and the air was clean and he felt immediately at home.

After the broken engagement and the resulting fall out Matthew Millward decided that he would not under any circumstances get himself romantically entangled while he was on punishment duty.

But there is a very apt saying which goes “never on your own doorstep” which he had clearly never heard because on his first day he fell head over heels for the Hospitality Manager, Sarah Poole, although in his defence the feeling was mutual.

Although apart from two very passionate kisses, the first initiated by her and the second by him, and the fact they were hopelessly in love with each other nothing else happened.

 

She was five foot eight with short red hair, in a pixie cut, mesmerizing green eyes and a cute figure with curves in all the right places and long slender legs.

Sarah was 26 years old and wasn’t looking for a relationship either because she was married, albeit to an alcoholic who hadn’t had shown her any marital attention for two years but she was still married to him nonetheless.

Sarah had worked at the hotel for since she left school, five years in  housekeeping, five more in hospitality, and for two of those as Manager and she loved her job.

 

Despite the fact that Matthew was sent to the Claremont as a punishment and possessed no head for business he surprised his father as well as himself by doing a very acceptable job of managing the hotel and had grown the corporate side of the business and it was becoming a very popular venue for functions. 

This was as a result in no small measure to his decision to promote the former Hospitality Manager Sarah Poole.

This was after Martin Tyrer tendered his resignation, he had been a loyal employee of the Millward Manor group for ten years and had been the Assistant Manager at the Claremont for 5 of those and when the Manager’s vacancy came up he believed he was a shoe in for the job.

So when Matthew Millward was parachuted in over his head it was just too much for him to take.

It left Matthew in a very difficult position as he needed someone who knew the place inside out and Sarah Poole was the only person that really fitted the bill so he offered her the job.

 

Matthews father was particularly pleased with him, there had been no reported mishaps and he had turned around the fortunes of the hotel, and so he invited him up to Abbottsford for the weekend for a celebratory meal but as he was conscious that his success was due more to Sarah Poole’s efforts than his own he dragged her along as well.

 

The following weekend he went on his own, the meal was very good and it was nice to see his parents but he didn’t stay the whole weekend as he was missing the quiet of Claremont.

And in truth he was a little embarrassed taking all the credit for the success at the Claremont plus he rather missed Sarah.

 

Matthew felt very pleased with himself for persuading Sarah to take the assistant Managers job although it was for purely selfish reasons.

Having Sarah as assistant manager, who was not only hard working and diligent but could also handle the guests very well, meant he could comfortably leave her in charge while he was doing what he did best, letting other people get on with it.

 

Sarah Poole was five foot eight with long shapely legs, but in his leather chair she looked quite small, almost childlike, her head, with her pixie cut red hair was turned to the side and she had an angelic look on her face.

It was a pretty face that he was very familiar with, he saw it every day at work and every night in his dreams.

 

Matthew Millward’s arrival at the hotel had a massive impact on Sarah Poole, and not just the fact that she fell in love with him at first sight and the relationship that had developed between them after she had stolen a kiss on his first day.

She had been promoted from Hospitality Manager into the assistant manager’s position and she had been able to leave her alcoholic husband because she was living in the Gate Lodge.

And Matthew had decided that because she had done such a wonderful job, to such an extent that she was making him look good, coupled with the fact that he was in love with her, he decided she deserved a reward, and he knew just the thing, her own office.

Which he surprised her with in November after Sarah had a week off to move the remainder of her possessions from her former marital home in the village to her new home at the Gate Lodge and she was thrilled with it.

 

Although Sarah was living in the gate lodge and had started the process of divorcing her alcoholic husband, and had completely lost her heart to her boss, they had not progressed from sharing the occasional spine-tingling kiss.

She knew though that he was just being the gentleman and was waiting until she was ready, well by December she was.

 

It was on Christmas Eve when Sarah was sitting in her office opening the mail and she had a rather large parcel addressed to her personally, she opened it and found a gift wrapped present inside but she didn’t open it, she just read the card instead

“Have a very Merry Christmas Sarah, with love from a very grateful Guest”

“Well that’s lovely” she said to herself and then she remembered that she had a present to deliver as well.

After she had finished opening the mail she ordered what sounded like a very interesting sandwich from the kitchen which turned out to be rather boring so she drank the cup of tea that came with it and decided to go and deliver a present of her own.

 

Sarah stood in the hall holding a Christmas package when she knocked on the door of his suite.

When the door opened she found Matthew Millward standing there wearing a dressing gown.

“Happy Christmas Matthew” she said beaming a big smile and holding out the package.

“Wow Happy Christmas Sarah” he responded, “come in”

“Ok” she said still smiling broadly “but no impropriety”

“No impropriety” he agreed and Sarah stepped inside

“You didn’t have to get me a gift,” he said to her as she sat down on the sofa.

“I think I did though because last Christmas Ken was drunk for ten days in a row, we had no decorations, because he ripped them all down in a drunken rage, no tree for the same reason, no Christmas dinner because he spent all the housekeeping money on booze and there were no presents” she said and tears were beginning to form in her eyes

“This year, I have a new job, which I love, I have somewhere I can call home, which I love, I have my own office, which I also love, I have money in the bank and a bright future ahead and it’s all thanks to you”

He tried to interrupt but Sarah continued

“If you hadn’t helped me, believed in me, I wouldn’t be here now having the best Christmas I’ve ever had since I was child, and I will always be grateful for that, and the other things of course” she added and blushed as she stood up and produced a sprig of mistletoe.

“Doesn’t that constitute “impropriety”?” he asked

“No this doesn’t count” she explained

“We have to kiss, it’s the law”

“What law?” he asked

“Christmas law” Sarah replied

“Oh ok then” he conceded and they kissed and afterwards she said

“I don’t want to have to use mistletoe like this again”

“Ok I’ll try and remember for next year”

“No that’s not what I mean” She said and smiled “I want to be able to kiss you at any time I want, wherever I want, no matter who might be looking”

“Are you sure?” he asked

“Absolutely, it’s time for me to be happy” she replied and kissed him again.

 

After satisfying the Christmas ritual and establishing the new status of their relationship, she left his suite.

Matthew was leaving to spend Christmas in Abbottsford with his parents while she was on duty.

She had volunteered to give people with family the time off, but they would be spending New Year’s Eve together and the New Year would be their new beginning.

“Happy Christmas to me, I’ve got a boyfriend” she said as she walked down the hall smiling broadly.

 

IT ISN’T LOVE

 

It isn’t love, when you kiss all the time

Lust is what that is

The bits in between the kissing

Now that’s where the love is

WHEN YOU LOVE SOMEONE

 

When you love someone

And you know that they love you,

When they speak your name

It no longer sounds the same

ROSES ARE RED # 1

 

Roses are Red

But slightly cliché

So, I’ll just say

Happy Valentine’s Day

Uncanny Tales – (18) Lustful Intent In The Glens

 

It was a warm summer’s night in 1974 and Marilyn and I were in a tent together when all at once the flaps flew open, that would’ve been the tent flaps obviously and not hers.

“What’s going on in here?” the voice said through the opening

I was lying under my sleeping bag naked from the waist down and Marilyn was kneeling fully clothed, well almost, on an adjacent one.

The voice belonged to her father Ronald

“I might have known Cooper would be in his pit” he continued pompously

Her father was a pompous git of the first order and I had known him for quite a few years and we didn’t get on even before I started feeling up his daughter.

We were staying on a camp site in Perth and Kinross that was once a working railway station before it fell afoul of Dr Beeching and his cuts, in a place called Lochearnhead.

So that explains where we were, though not why we were alone together in a tent on a warm summer evening in Scotland.

We had been seeing each other for about 3 months and we had reached the point on that holiday where a kiss and a grope in the woods and a bit of fingering in the unisex toilets wasn’t enough for her and she wanted to go to the next level.

The reason we found ourselves in my tent was that Janice, the girl Marilyn shared with was entertaining a waiter from the local hotel in hers.

We had been planning the deed for about 3 days prior to that night as it was to be the first time for both of us.

But in the end, as first times go it was pretty rubbish, in fact even at the time I wasn’t even sure it qualified as a first time.

As I managed to get myself into a condom but I wasn’t entirely convinced that I got into her before the incident came to a premature end.

Which is why she was almost fully dressed by the time Ronald arrived.

“Get back to your own tent young lady” he said

“You’re so embarrassing Dad, Nothing happened” she responded which if I’m perfectly honest was the truth.

“I’ll deal with you later” Ronald said

“For God’s sake Dad, We didn’t do anything” Marilyn said, which was true enough though it wasn’t for the want of trying.

As they both walked off into the distance still arguing I thought she looked really horny especially as I knew she had her “Love is…” knickers stuffed in her pocket.

Unlike the young of today we were incredibly naïve about sex back then, we were so much less aware.

Fortunately, we were both virgins and Marilyn had no high expectations for the night, having no yardstick to measure it by.

So I got a second bite of the cherry so to speak which I took a couple of days later in the heathered hills of Glen Ogle and afterwards were left in no doubt whatsoever that we had had our first time.

KIWI GIRL

 

She was a tiny little thing

Barely five foot, Pint size

But larger than life

With huge grey eyes

 

Her first words were

I’m not an Aussie

I’m from New Zealand

And I’m a Kiwi

 

Christened Katherine

She preferred Kitty

At first glance

I thought she was pretty

 

Perhaps not beautiful

Well not obviously so

But certainly pretty

But not to the shallow

 

She was not compelled

By fashion or fad

In her cargo pants

And shirt of plaid

 

Her stocking feet

Made little sound

As on fairy steps

She flitted around

 

She had a delicious chuckle

Rich and fruity

When she laughed

Was when I saw beauty

 

A smile lit up her face

And her big eyes

Transformed her

From pupae to butterfly

 

Her laughing eyes

Glanced aside

And she was caught

Her look was spied

 

Her pale skin

As she blushed

Turns to crimson

And away she rushed

 

Though she dressed

Not to impress

She had a figure

Hidden, nonetheless

 

My eyes followed her

Though no others did

My pretty Kitty

This gorgeous Kiwi kid

 

Do you try to hide?

From the wicked world

The pretty girl inside

Oh lovely Kiwi girl

 

Because I already spied

The pretty girl inside

When first I looked

Into her big grey eyes

WHERE DO I BEGIN TO SAY?

 

Where do I begin to say?

Exactly what you mean to me

It would surely end my world

If you were to set me free

 

Where do I begin to say?

How happy it would make me

If I could find the perfect words

To express my feelings with clarity

 

When we are separated

I feel half a person, empty and incomplete

But when we are together

I am whole and I am replete

 

Where do I begin to say?

How blessed I am to have you in my life

As my lover, and best friend

My partner and my wife

SHE IS

 

She is embedded in my heart

I imagine her inside my head

I picture her in my life

Safely in my arms

Or sleeping in my bed

 

She is ingrained in my soul

I imagine us with a family

I picture our life together

Far off in the future

With cherished memories

 

She is woven through my fabric

She is at the very heart of me

I feel her hand in mine

And her kisses on my skin

Her scent is exotic and heady

 

Though she is in my every thought

And my dreams of her persist

I have to confess that

As much as I love her

She doesn’t know that I exist

Those Memories Made on Teardrop Lake – (90) After Graduation – Paul and Sharlene

 

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 it’s in the Village of Shallowfield where our story takes place.

 

Shallowfield lay on the southern edge of the Finchbottom Vale and Shallowfields fortunes had always relied largely upon forestry and agriculture for its survival.

In the post war years with rationing and a shortage of work a lot of people moved away, to Abbottsford, Abbeyvale and beyond, and it only barely survived.

And the community around Teardrop Lake fared even worse.

Only a few of the houses around the Lake were thriving, a lot of the houses had been rented out and those that hadn’t were in a poor state of repair, some too such an extent they were little more than ruins.

But by the 70s things were beginning to change, thanks mainly to tourism and an increase in leisure time.

More importantly these people had money in their pockets.

This trend was reflected by the fact that the derelict Shallowfield Lodge, which had been inherited by a young couple from Lincolnshire, Rob and Sheryl Brown, was turned into a hotel.

Its completion formerly marked the rebirth of Teardrop Lake and by extension Shallowfield.

 

Triplets, Dale, Manny and Paul Smith had just graduated from Abbottsford University and were spending the summer with their uncle Julius, who was the Vicar of St Jude’s church in Shallowfield, which was where they met the Nichols sisters.

They had been at their Uncles for less than a week when they walked up to the village green to attend the Village summer Fête, but even though they had only been there a few days they were not newcomers as they had spent every holiday there for as long as they could remember and had made a lot of friends among the younger members of the village population over the years.

The Fête was very well attended but despite not being strangers they didn’t really know many of the people in attendance but they thought they would take a look, show willing at least, so they went on a few of the side shows and drank a couple of pints in the beer tent and by late afternoon, a combination of too much beer on an empty stomach and the heat of the sun had left them all a little light headed so they decided to call it a day and headed back across the field in the direction of the Vicarage.

But they only got about half way across the field when they were two of the Nichols girls, Crissie and Sharlene and they turned in unison to see them tottering towards them across the grass, shoes in hand and ever so slightly tipsy.

The twin girls were not only sisters, but were also best friends, quite inseparable and Manny and Paul thought them very gorgeous, and had been in love with them foe three years, but alas when they fell for them the girls were only 15, even though they kept reminding them that they were actually 15 and three quarters.

Sadly that three quarters was not going to keep them off the sex offenders register if they did what red bloodied young men of 18 might think of doing.

But they were both lovely girls and he liked them a lot but they decided to keep them at arm’s length until they turned 16, unfortunately another opportunity never presented itself in the following three years so that seemed to be that, until that summer.

Crissie was the younger of the two by a few minutes, five foot two red hair and pale complexion and cutely freckled while Sharlene was an inch shorter with a strawberry blonde hair and alabaster skin.

They were both stunningly beautiful and wearing low cut summer dresses they looked even more so.

They tottered up alongside them, each taking an arm, Sharlene as always was flirting outrageously.

“Can we come back to the Vicarage Paul?” Sharlene said

“Then we could have another drink”

“It’s not like we’re drunk or anything” Crissie chipped in

“Can we?” Sharlene said again

“Please Manny?” Crissie added

“Ok” he said, “as long as you behave”

“What will you do if we don’t?” asked Sharlene

“Will you spank us?” Crissie said and giggled

“You’ll get us shot” Paul said

Being over six feet tall and being arm in arm with the two girls gave them a height advantage of more than a foot, affording them a wonderful view down the front of their low cut dresses, they knew they shouldn’t have looked but even for good Christian boys it was difficult to resist the temptation.

Dale who was the only one of the boys not to have a gorgeous girl on his arm looked on and smiled as his brothers struggled with the moral repercussions of ogling young girl’s breasts.

 

Being over six feet tall and being arm in arm with the two girls gave them a height advantage of more than a foot, affording them a wonderful view down the front of their low cut dresses, they knew they shouldn’t have looked but even for good Christian boys it was difficult to resist the temptation.

Dale who was the only one of the boys not to have a gorgeous girl on his arm looked on and smiled as his brothers struggled with the moral repercussions of ogling young girl’s breasts.

Sharlene saw Paul looking down her top and giggled so he didn’t look away.

Then she compared she whispered to her sister about what Manny was doing and she blushed scarlet but made no attempt to prevent him from looking either.

 

When they reached the Vicarage Dale left his brothers and the giggling flirts outside while he went inside to get the drinks, which given the girls inebriation and his own light-headedness he decided not to fuel the flames with more alcohol, so when he joined the others on the patio, which was now in the shade and put a tray full of soft drinks on the table which on reflection was the wisest thing to do despite protests from the girls.

And then about ten minutes, Gail Nichols emerged through the garden gate and she was also wearing a summer dress, she was the older sister, and was the one that Dale had set his cap at, and thought she was equally gorgeous to her siblings, a few inches taller with a rounder curvier figure than her siblings, but for Dale she was perfection.

 “Well no surprise to find Smith boys surrounded by pretty girls” She said

“Is that why you’ve joined us?” Dale said

“I’m not one of the pretty girls” she said coyly “I’ve just come to collect my sisters”

“But we’re having fun” Crissie protested

“I’m sure you sure but it’s time to go” Gail said

“Do you want a drink?” Dale asked

“Yes please” Sharlene replied eagerly

“Me too” giggled Crissie

“I wasn’t asking you two, you’ve had enough” Dale said “I was asking Gail”

“No thanks but another time when you’re not surrounded by pretty girls” she replied “mum and dad are waiting”

“As I said before you’re one of them” he said

“I’m not pretty,” she snorted

“No, you’re beautiful” he corrected her and she turned her head away coyly.

He imagined her coy denial about being one of the pretty girls was either false modesty or she was fishing for compliments.

Just at that moment the back gate swung open and Uncle Julius walked up the garden.

“Hello girls” he said jovially and there followed five minutes of light hearted chattering and then the girls went on their way.

The Smith boys watched them as the three girls tottered down the lawn and when they reached the gate all three turned and waved and Sharlene blew a kiss.

“They are sweet young things aren’t they?” the Vicar said

“Yes Uncle” Dale agreed but to himself he added “and I have a very sweet tooth”

For years he had fantasied about him and Gail and he looked forward to when he could turn the fantasy into reality as it turned out he didn’t have to wait too long, to his surprise it was the next day, that his fantasy was made manifest.

 

The day after the Smith boys entertained the Nichols sisters in the vicarage garden Manny and Paul went sailing up at Teardrop Lake while Dale remained at the vicarage catching up on his reading.

But by the time they had finished on the Lake for the day back at the Vicarage, Dale had put his book down for the day and was kissing Gail Nichols for the first time which turned out to be the first step on a life long journey.  

But Dale wasn’t the only member of the Smith family to have a penchant for a Nichols girl but it was a week later before cupid hit the mark for a second time and Manny and Crissie became a couple but there was still more to come that Summer because Paul had Sharlene in his sights.

It was two weeks after Dale and Gail got together and one week after Manny and Chrissie first kissed, when Paul woke up on Saturday morning with serious intent.

Dale and Manny were spending the day with their respective girlfriends so he had decided he need to stake his claim on Sharlene before someone else snapped her up.

As it was a nice day he left the Vicarage to take a walk up to Teardrop Lake, and he chose that destination as he had heard that Sharlene had been seen walking in that direction so he had to hurry before she disappeared.

He followed the Lane that ran parallel to the River Brooke as it flowed from the head of the lake and on towards Shallowfield and beyond.

He headed past the Shallowfield Lodge Hotel and then the lane joined the perimeter road which circled the lake and after a moment’s thought he took the northern side.

 

Teardrop Lake and the surrounding woodland was privately owned and divided into twelve parcels, each with one significant dwelling on it although there were a number of cottages dotted around the woods as well, some in use and some not. 

It was both idyllic and peaceful, there was little or no noise pollution and although the lake was used there were no speed boats or jet skis, only rowing boats, canoes, dinghies and skiffs.

Manny and his brothers learned to sail on the Lake

But there was more to Teardrop than the lake, there were two follies, a Watch tower, and Olwen’s chapel as well as a waterfall, brooks, streams, a 16^th Century Bridge and lovers leap.

 

Unlike the eager and self-confident Crissie Nichols, who had sought out Manny on the day of her birthday when she saw him pass by, even though she was attending her aunts wedding, her sister and best friend, Sharlene had not been able to do the same thing which was why she was spending the day alone up at the Lake.

She was a bit sulky because her sister were so happy since they had got their Smith boys but she was beginning to think the whole summer holiday would pass before she got Paul, if at all.

But little did she know when she decided to go up to the Folly by the Lake for some private sulking that the lovely Paul Smith would cross Sharlenes path.

 

There were two Folly’s in the area around the Lake the first one was built in the early 19^th century by the local Nobleman, the Earl of Dancingdean who had it built for himself, in the style of a Castle Keep, on top of a hill and then had the surrounding Forest cleared so everyone around could see his standard flying from the turret.

The second was erected by Ezekiel Cooper who lived on the opposite side of the Lake and was not of the nobility, he made his money in the cotton Mills of Lancashire.

And in response to the Earl’s construction he had built a gaudy Folly of his own in the Victorian Gothic style and like his noble adversary he had the surrounding Forest cleared so everyone around could see his standard flying.

Over the intervening years however the forest had crept back to reclaim the hills and only a small clearing was maintained around each of the structures.

 

Paul had just started the climb up Northern Perimeter road and was just turning the corner when he caught sight of Sharlene ahead of him.

She was unmistakable, five foot one with strawberry blonde hair and alabaster skin.

She had her strawberry red hair tied up and was mostly hidden under a baseball cap.

She was shuffling and scuffing along the road and Paul thought she looked lost and lonely without her sidekick Crissie.

Crissie was the outgoing bubbly girl and Sharlene rather lived in her shadow.

Crissie was ultra-confident, self-assured and pretty and she knew it.

Sharlene was shy, socially awkward and full of self-doubt but she was every bit as pretty but had no idea of the fact.

Crissie was the driving force in their relationship, bold and bubbly.

Being with her made Sharlene feel more confident, daring to do things she would never do alone, living life on her coat tails and without her sister, Sharlene clearly floundered.

Which was evidenced but the rather pathetically forlorn creature who was ambling along ahead of him.

With his longer stride he would have closed the gap on her in a matter of minutes had it not been for the Hodgson’s, a middle aged couple who were friends with his Uncle who had emerged from the woods with their dog and wanted to chat.

As much as he wanted to tell them he had more important things to do than talk with them, he couldn’t so he responded to their converse as he watched Sharlene disappear over the brow of the hill in the distance.

 

Once the Hodgson’s had gone on their way he set off up the road which climbed quite steeply up the hill then eased down the other side briefly, then he trudged up the next hill but there was no sign of Sharlene.

“Damn” he cursed before pressing on but by the time he reached the top his legs were feeling it a bit, so he took a breather and a drink, and thought about where she might have gone, it was possible she had gone into one of the houses but then he remembered her mentioning once how much she liked Lovers Leap, so that’s where he headed next.

 

Lovers leap was a rocky outcrop above the cliffs that were an extension of those that formed part of the northern side of Teardrop Lake and formed the natural border between the Teardrop estate and the Dancingdean Forest proper.

Lovers Leap was so called because it was where desperate and broken hearted lovers would leap to their deaths, although there was no evidence that anyone actually had, but it made a good story.

 

By the time he reached Lovers Leap he was panting worse than an old man and as he walked onto the rocky shelf that jutted out above the cliffs shelf his heart sank because there was no one there.

Paul paused for a drink and then he made the longer and gentler descent, thinking as he went, and he thought she might have gone to

Dancingdean Folly instead.

 

The Folly was built by the 8^th Earl of Dancingdean who had it erected for himself, in the style of a Castle Keep.

He was always prone to delusions of Grandeur.

He had it erected on top of a hill and then had the surrounding Forest cleared so everyone for miles around could see his standard flying high from the turret.

The scene was very different almost two hundred years later as the forest had begun encroaching on the cleared land.  

 

Once Paul got close to the Folly he noticed Sharlene sitting on a towel in a shaft of sunlight wearing a bikini top and shorts so as he approached he called out to her.

“Hi Sharlene” he said and she almost jumped out of her skin

“Oh Hello” she said blushing as she tried to catch her breath.

“Sorry I didn’t mean to scare you,” he said

“It’s ok, I was miles away” Sharlene said

“No Crissie today?” he asked, already knowing she was out with Manny.

“No” she sighed “she’s gone to Sharpington with your brother”

He thought she looked quite sad but hopefully from this chance meeting he might put a smile on those pale lips and some colour on her cheeks.

Sharlene was fresh faced and make up free and he thought she was the most beautiful girl he’d ever seen.

“With your lovely pale skin you really need to stay in the shadows” he said and she blushed at the compliment

“If you sit there like that you’ll burn, suntan lotion would help, if you have some I could put it on for you”

“Yes please” she said eagerly “I have some in my bag”

The sunlight was warm but her risk of burning was nowhere near as high as he had made out, but he didn’t tell her that.

He knelt down on the blanket next to her and perused her as she rummaged in her bag.

Sharlene had her head turned to one side and was facing away from him as she searched for the lotion but when she had it she turned to face him and at the precise moment their eyes met he gave her a kiss, not much of a kiss, just a peck on the lips, but the moment lips touched lips she pushed him onto his back and gave him a proper kiss.

“That’s better” Sharlene said and blushed and giggled.

 “Very nice” he agreed “But I think we could use more practice to be sure”

“Oh definitely” She concurred and kissed him again

 

So Sharlene and Paul spent the afternoon on a blanket in the clearing by Dancingdean Folly where they practiced their kissing and fell in love. 

Five years after that momentous kiss Paul married Sharlene Nichols and their love remained throughout their 40 year marriage.

WHEN LOVERS PART

 

Was it really two weeks ago

When we cried and said hello

And now as we stand in the rain

It’s the time for us to part again

Holding you close again we cry

As the time has come to say goodbye

Only a few more weeks to go

When we will say our last hello

And our goodbyes will be done

As before God we join as one

And never again will we part

Or feel the longing in our hearts

I hold you close as again we cry

Then I kiss you and say goodbye

MY HEART WILL SAY

 

My heart will say

Every day

Why am I empty?

So empty

 

My heart will say

Every day

Why am I so lonely?

So lonely

 

My heart will say

Every day

I can love someone

Anyone

 

My heart will say

Every day

Answer me please

Please answer me

My heart makes a plea

Please fill me

Give me some company

Hear my plea

 

My heart will say

Every day

Find me a kindred spirit

Oh please permit

 

My heart despairs

I have so much to share

I have so much to give

Please let me live

THOSE EYES

 

Those eyes, those eyes

Of saucer size

Those eyes, those eyes

That hypnotize

 

Those eyes, those eyes

So worldly wise

Those eyes, those eyes

That bring me sighs

 

Those eyes, those eyes

Cause of my demise

Those eyes, those eyes

I’m lost, so no surprise

Those Memories Made on Teardrop Lake – (89) The Second Adventure

 

Gary Smith and Carla Lund, were staying on a camp site in the Finchbottom Vale that was once a working railway station before it fell afoul of Dr Beeching and his cuts, in a place called Sharpinghead.

The two of them were staying in a converted signal box which was comfortable enough but because of the limited floor space it had bunk beds which didn’t go down well at all with Carla, she wanted a double bed and plenty of comfort and more than a little loving.

“What the hell are they?” she said when she saw the bunks

“A challenge” Gary replied flippantly but she was not impressed

“We’re not 13” she said,

It was not an insurmountable problem as far as he was concerned but she just wasn’t the adventurous type.

Although Gary could remember the time when she was, a time when she enjoyed a kiss and a cuddle in the woods back in the days when they were courting but she seemed to have forgotten just how much.

The bunk beds were bad enough but Carla really lost it when she realised there was also no toilet or bathroom en suite and the nearest facilities were 60 yards away.

She stormed out and left Gary to unpack and she was gone for hours, in fact Gary was already asleep in the bottom bunk when she got back.    

The next morning just after first light he had to get up to the toilet, he wasn’t going to bother dressing but trotted the 60 yards to the toilet in his pants.

When he returned to the signal box he quietly closed the door and was just tiptoeing across the room when he spied, highlighted in the early morning light, Carla’s naked buttocks protruding from beneath her duvet and written on a post it note, stuck to one buttock was one single word “Sorry”.

And that was when he woke her in the dawn light and the adventure returned to their marriage.

 

After that first surrender to adventure Carla felt alive and tingling all over and was keen to try some more while Gary was just intent on enjoying it while it lasted.

As it was a beautiful day Gary suggested they take a drive over to the Dancingdean Forest.

 

They parked up and then walked along a well-worn trail for about half an hour and then Gary led them off-piste into the more heavily forested wood.

And a half an hour later they came to a small rocky clearing and then they sat down and had a drink.

“I like it here” she said

“Yes it’s nice, but another half an hour” he said, “and we should reach the lake”

“No I mean I like it here” she said and kissed him an opened mouthed, darting tongue, stirring the loin’s type of kiss.

“What’s going on?” he said “We came here to see the lake”

“I came here for adventure” Carla giggled and kissed him again and it was too dark to go to the lake by the time she had finished with him.