Molly
had so enjoyed their “research” trip to Paris that he persuaded him to extend
it until Friday.
Which
meant that they didn’t get back to the island until Friday evening, had
Saturday not been so significant to her they would definitely have stayed
longer.
Lazarus of Bethany is a
figure within the Christian Bible, whose life was restored
by Jesus four days after his death. This is seen by Christians as one
of the miracles of Jesus.
In the Catholic and Orthodox
Church Lazarus is venerated, but in the Church of England, not so much.
But in Spaniards Creek the
day would be forever remembered by those in Molly’s inner circle as the day St
Clara’s Church was risen from the dead.
It was also the Saturday
before Holy Week, which is the sixth and final week of Lent,
beginning with Palm Sunday and concluding on Holy Saturday, and it’s the
most significant week of the Christian calendar.
For the Vicar Arielle
Nicholas it very much felt like she was starting at the beginning, and she was
immensely grateful to Molly for having faith in her.
Johnny
Lemon lived in a narrow boat moored in Spaniards
Creek quite near to where the renovations were near completion.
He was originally from
Finchbottom, and he was working as a supply teacher across the Finchbottom Vale
but was offered a twelve-month contract covering the Deputy Head teachers
maternity leave in St Pierre.
He didn’t normally do that
length of time but he had never been to Beaumont Island before so he thought he
would give it a go.
That had been five years
earlier, and when the teacher he was covering for elected not to return, he was
offered the position permanently, and after three years the Head retired, and
he was promoted.
His accommodation aboard the
“Island Rose” was only supposed to be temporary to cover his 12 months
substitute stint but something unexpected happened, he loved it, so hence why
he had been afloat for 5 years.
He met Rachel Hanson soon
after he’d taken the permanent position at the school when he started to
frequent the Galleon Coffee shop, and a friendship developed.
She had also managed to get
him to set foot in Church again after many years absence because she was the
Verger at St Clara’s.
However after four years he
was no longer interested solely in her friendship, but if he made a romantic
approach and she wasn’t interested he could screw up what they had.
He needn’t have worried
because Rachel Hanson felt the same about him, but she was also in a similar
mindset.
However she had set her heart
on being his birthday treat, so she dressed accordingly.
She could have gone full body
Lycra, which would fit her like a second skin,
taut and seamless leaving every contour revealed, but she was thinking something a little more subtle,
so she went for a bra top and fitted shorts.
So on Saturday morning Johnny Lemon was up early for his 40th Birthday and was
at the Galleon half an hour later.
“Happy Birthday!” she
exclaimed when he walked in and gave him a hug and kissed his cheek.
“Do you want to get going
straight away?” she asked
“No I need sustenance” he
replied
“I thought you’d say that”
she said and put two bacon baps on the table in front of him.
“You are an angel” he said,
“is this my birthday present?”
“No you can unwrap your
present later” she said
After he finished both bacon
baps and had drunk two coffees, he was ready to go, which coincided with Rachel
arriving with a Cooler Backpack.
“I hope you are feeling
refreshed after your breakfast because you’re carrying the pack”
“There is always a price to
pay” he said sagely
They set off on their bike
ride and headed up the St Pierre road it was
supposed to a quiet relaxion cycle in the countryside, just a spot of
fresh air and some exercise, and a picnic, and that’s what it was until Rachel over took him, but didn’t she didn’t try to
leave him in her wake, she just kept perfect pace with him and that was a
problem, because her shorts which fitted her like a glove, and that
was all he saw, none of the countryside scenery or pastoral views, just the
perfect curves and contours of her taut firm buttocks, and when she stood up in
the saddle and the landscape changed he could think of nothing else.
When they left the St Pierre road and onto Halfway Lane she set off at
breakneck speed and if he wanted to keep her buttocks in view, he needed to
match her speed, which he did with some effort.
Rachel was feeling very pleased with herself when they stopped up
on the crags for their picnic, he had kept his eye on the prize all the way.
“Well that was a good ride” she said “Great views”
“Really great views” he agreed
But she realised it was going to take much more than “great views”
to get him in her arms, so a bit of sneaky subterfuge was in order.
They spent a very pleasant hour or so up on the crags eating their
picnic and while they were eating lunch the solution came to her and she smiled
to herself.
“What are you smiling about?” he asked
“Nothing” she replied “I’m just happy”
Gentler pace on a different route down off the crag and down to
where the Beacon and Spanish rivers met and crossed over on the wide rocky
shallows.
Then they negotiated the streams and
rivulets on the outskirts of the woods before following the Spanish River all the
way back to the village.
Eventually they ended up on the tow path that led to where the
Island Rose was moored, and he came to a stop, from behind him he heard Rachel
loudly exclaim.
“Oww!”
“What’s the matter?” he asked as he quickly dismounted and shed
the backpack
“I think I’ve torn my calf muscle” she said
“Ok put your arms around my neck, and I’ll help you” he said and
as soon as her arms locked around his neck, she took control of the situation
and forced him backwards until they fell into the long grass where she snogged
him.
Then almost as quickly as it had started, she disengaged her
assault.
“Very acceptable” she said as she got to her feet, then she ran to
her bike and cycled off and shouted over her shoulder
“Pick me up at 8”
And as he sat in the grass, she was racing down the tow path
laughing her head off.
On the Eve of Palm Sunday Molly phoned the Vicar and invited her
round for the evening, the next day was very significant for Arielle because it
was her first service without the weight of the whole Church of England behind
her and Molly knew that she was very nervous.
It was just after 6.30 when she knocked on the door and Danny opened it.
“Hello
Vicar” he said, “Come in.”
“Thank
you,” she replied a little forlornly
“Hi
Arielle” Molly said “We thought you might need some moral support”
“I’m fine really” Arielle
said
“Oh
ok, so you won’t want to see our guest” Molly said and nodded to the door
behind her, and when she turned around, she saw Harry Archer standing there and
she ran into his arms.
The Galleon was closed when Johnny arrived at 8 o’clock, so he
went and knocked on the back door and he
only had to wait a few moments before it opened, and he saw Rachel standing
there dressed up to the nines.
“Wow” he said as she stepped backwards to let him inside.
“That was very sneaky behaviour earlier” he said
“I was left with no alternative, I’ve been waiting ages for you to
make your move, so I had to take matters into my own hands” she retorted and
kissed him.
After the nerve tingling kiss ended, he said
“We’d better make a move”
“Not until after you’ve unwrapped your present” she replied and
bolted the door.
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