November
At the beginning
of November, it was a month since Charlie Phelps had proposed to Toddy and she
had acquiesced, so they went to their favourite restaurant, the Kissing Angel,
in Pipershaven, and when they returned to his house they went straight to
bed.
Samuel and Chloe
Virtue were in Abbottsford for a short break that weekend to celebrate their
25th wedding anniversary, and as Verity was staying at her boyfriend Stephen’s
house while they were away there was no one at the Vicarage to know what time Toddy
returned home, so she was able to stay in Charlie’s bed longer than normal and
they fell properly asleep.
Charlie woke up
first the next morning to find Toddy curled up beside him beneath the
duvet fast asleep.
He kissed her
forehead and shook her gently
“It’s time to wake
up darling” he said, and she murmured
“Wake up darling,
its morning”
Her eyes suddenly
were wide open, and saucer sized
“It’s what?”
“It’s morning, we
fell asleep”
“What time is it?”
“Nearly seven”
“Oh God!” she
exclaimed “Sorry God, what am I going to do?”
“We need a plan to
get you out the house in broad daylight without being seen.” he said
“Everyone is going
to know I’ve been out all night” she said “And they’ll guess I’ve been with you
all night, doing you not what”
“Don’t worry
darling” he said and kissed her “Get yourself dressed and I’ll see you
downstairs”
When she arrived
in the kitchen, she was panic stricken
“What am I going
to do?”
“Well don’t panic
for a start” he said
“It’s alright for
you” she shouted “No one will judge you, but I was a Nun”
Then she started
pacing, and ranted
“What was I
thinking, how can I go home in this, everyone will know I’ve been out all night”
He made them a
coffee which they drank while they made a plan, and after half a mug, as if in
answer to a prayer it started to rain, but not just rain, it was an absolute
deluge.
“Oh, that’s just
what I need” Toddy snapped
“That’s precisely
what we need” he said
“What?” she asked,
“but it’s horrible”
“It’s perfect, is
what it is” he said and went into the utility and came out with a pair of
waterproof trousers and a cagoule.
“No one will recognize
you in these, and at this time of day there won’t be many folk about” he said
“Perfect” she
said, “but what if I’m seen going into the Vicarage?”
“Go round the
back, the kitchen door is always unlocked” he said
“You’re a very
devious man,” Toddy said
“I know but the
rewards are well worth it” he stated, and she blushed crimson red.
But having
provided her with the appropriate clothing they immediately hit upon a snag,
the trousers didn’t fit over her skirt, it bunched up under them and made it
look like she had a bustle.
So, she removed
the trousers and then had to take her dress off.
“Don’t get any
ideas,” she said when she noticed him looking at her in her knickers, vest and
tights.
“Well, you could
stay a bit longer,” he suggested lustily
“Don’t temp me,”
she said quickly pulling on the waterproof trousers which were a little on the
large side and the waistband sat just above her bust line.
Then she pulled on
the cagoule over her head before slipping on her shoes.
“That’s not going
to work,” he said
“Why?” she asked
with concern
“No one would wear
footwear like that with waterproofs,” he told her
“They are a bit of
a giveaway, aren’t they?” she admitted
“Indeed” he agreed
“What can I wear
then?” she asked
“Your gardening
shoes” he said, and she slipped her stockinged feet into her muddy gardening
shoes
“That looks better”
he said and pulled a woolly hat onto her head, and she tucked her hair up under
it.
“I still can’t go
out the front door even disguised like this” she said forlornly
“That’s why you’re
going out the back gate and along the lane” he said
“What about all my
stuff?” she queried
“I’ll bring it to
the Vicarage before Church” he said
“You’re good at
this stuff,” Toddy said, and she kissed him
After he had
kissed her goodbye, he let her out into the rain.
“Text me when
you’re home” he said
“Will do” she
responded and off she went
“I love you” he
called after her
Charlie gathered
her stuff together and put it in a black sack along with her overcoat, no one
would question someone taking a bag of donated clothes to the Vicarage.
Then he had
another coffee and sat at the kitchen table until he received a text from Toddy
“Made it,” it read
“I love you too”
He smiled before
draining his coffee mug and went upstairs to have a shower.
No comments:
Post a Comment