The Archer’s were on the 8
o’clock ferry on Saturday morning and once they were out in open water the four
siblings were all standing by the rail and Clarissa and Pandora got their first
proper look at the Pepperstock Bay Islands.
They were unmistakably
siblings with their clear unblemished complexions and straw-coloured hair of
various lengths and styles.
“Well Pan, we’ll soon see
what’s so special about the place” Clarissa said
“I have very low expectations”
Pandora responded
“Relax and enjoy it, it’s the
place where dreams come true” Sam said, and Harry smiled, but Clarissa just
huffed.
Also aboard the early ferry
was Kenny Woodward the younger brother of Dr Deborah Woodward who was spending
the weekend with her.
He had never been to Beaumont
Island before, but his sister waxed lyrical about it.
He had
travelled from Sharpington, where he owned and ran the Bluebird Theatre and
seldom left the town, but he loved his sister and as they were the only family
they had they both made sure they stayed in each other’s lives.
But it suddenly occurred to
him that he didn’t know where he was going, so he decided to ask someone.
There were a group standing
by the rail a few yards away, so he decided to amble over and ask.
“Excuse me” he said, and they
all turned towards him
“I was wondering if you could
help”
“If we can” Harry said
“Great, have any of you been
to the island before?”
“Yes, we have” Sam replied
gesturing between him and Harry
“Brilliant, would you happen
to know how to get to Manor Row?”
“Yes, we can help with that”
Sam said
“Once you leave the dock,
follow the signs for “Spaniards Creek” and you’ll pass the Bellevue Hospital,
then the Beaumont Manor Hotel and Manor Row is the next left”
“That’s great, thank you”
Kenny said
“No problem” Sam said, and
Kenny walked away
It wasn’t long before the
ferry had lined up with the jetty, so the Archer’s walked briskly back to the
car.
Harry pointed out that the
guy asking directions was in the car ahead of them.
As soon as the ramp was
lowered, they began disembarking and the car ahead pulled away.
“Now we get to see if he was
paying attention” Harry said and when their turn came Sam followed it down the
ramp and out of the dock, onto the Spaniards Creek road, past the Bellevue
Cottage Hospital, likewise the Beaumont Manor Hotel, and then the car ahead
indicated left and turned off.
“So did he pay attention?”
Clarissa asked from the back
“Yes, that’s Manor Row” Sam
said
They drove on and went
directly to Cliff Haven
“I
can’t believe we’re staying at Danny Nightingale’s house” Pandora said
“Well
technically its Molly Barrington’s house” Harry pointed out
“Even
so, Danny Nightingale” she said as they pulled up on the drive.
Clarissa,
Pandora and Harry were staying at Cliff Haven, but Sam was staying with the
Harrison’s at Beacon Farm that night, where they were all headed once everyone
else had settled in.
Katie
Harrison put on a simple buffet lunch for everyone, nothing too heavy as they
were all dining at the Orangery that
evening.
After
lunch the talk turned to, Archer’s Ornamental, which was started by Sam, and
elder brother Harry, after Sam left university.
The business specialized in
handmade snow globes, but amongst other things they also made decorative lights
from recycled wine bottles, some bespoke, others mass-produced for the tourist
season, and Christmas decorations for Emmaline’s Christmas Emporium in
Sharpington.
Sam was the artist of the
family business, he was the creator, the carver, modeller, and painter.
Harry was more practical,
doing the technical stuff, 3D Printing, acrylic injection moulding, and impact
moulding.
He also managed the
production staff who assembled finished and packed the completed articles.
Clarissa and Pandora were
later to the party and did the ordering, invoicing, and accounts, remotely
while their mother was ill, and attended the factory one day a week.
Pandora and Clarissa had
given up a lot to look after their mum, they both gave up good careers and both
of them suffered relationship breakdowns as a result.
Their other halves not
understanding why their lives should have to change, and Pandora was engaged to
her partner.
However following their
mother’s death,
Rather
than return to their former career paths they wanted to become more involved in
the business as they found themselves with time on
their hands and their one day a week in Sharpington could now become more. This
also coincided with changes in their brothers lives as their hearts now resided
on Beaumont Island.
The
business was also at the point where it needed to expand, but they were unable
to expand the premises in Sharpington.
“So,
we either need to move to larger premises or split the business between two
premises”
Sam
said
“But
where?” Clarissa asked
“Ideally,
for me” Harry said “I’d like to split the business between the Sharpington and
the Island”
“Unfortunately good premises
are even more difficult to find here than they are in Sharpington” Sam added
“Well….” Molly began and half
an hour later they drove onto the old brewery site.
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