The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (041) At Hastings Lake

 

The damp and fog of the previous day had given way to a glorious cold and crisp day, with a bright blue sky, all too soon Sam, Emma and the boys’ stay on the Island had come to an end, the time had come for them to return to the mainland.

They were to spend the next two weeks visiting Emma’s family and catching up with friends.

Molly and Danny would meet up with them on the 17th in Abbottsford and they would spend three days seeing the sites of the Town before their guests had to return to Australia.

 

Arielle Nicolas had been standing on the quayside for about ten minutes, she was always early, when she saw Harry approaching and then her heart sank when she saw his brother Sam and Nikki Harrison following him, she had hoped it would be just the two of them.

However, she was much happier as soon as she found out that Nikki and Sam were just going to the island to fly the drone and get some shots of the landmarks, Cabot Point Lighthouse, Cabot Town, St Giles Chapel, Norman Rock, the Seaview Hotel for Sam’s business and nature and landscape shots for her artwork.

 

So as Phil Holgate started the engines of the Ocean Breeze Water Taxi, they got aboard, and she and Harry sat together as the boat moved off down the Spanish River towards the open water and it was a smooth ride across the dead calm sea.

 

The Shaw Brothers ferry, the Empress Victoria, was on the jetty at Cabot Town, and Phil brought the launch to a halt beside the small quayside.

Cabot Town itself was actually just a hamlet, with a café, and a General Store/Post Office, from there Sam and Nikki went to the North of the Island where they were going to start filming while Arielle and Harry went South to the farthest end of Broad Beach Sands, then they walked back up the full length of the beach and back up the rocky path to the lane past the Seaview Hotel which led to the meteorological station and then they walked inland to Hastings Lake to have their picnic lunch.

 

Nikki and Sam meanwhile had worked their way down to Cabot Point and filmed the Lighthouse and were making their way back to the café to get some lunch.

When they got to the southern end of the lake, they put the drone up again to get some shots of the lake and the woods from a different angle.

“Oh my God!” Nikki said, “I wasn’t expecting to see that.”

“See what?” Sam asked.

“Here have a look” she said.

“Bless me” Sam said as he saw the image of his big brother kissing the Vicar by the water’s edge. “Good for him”

“Good for her” Nikki corrected him.

 

An hour later they were sitting in the café eating bacon sandwiches when Nikki gave Sam a nudge and nodded towards the window where she could see Harry and the Vicar walking along the lane holding hands.

“I bet he’s glad I made him come to the island now” Sam said.

“So’s the Vicar” she said, and they both laughed.

 

The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (002) Meeting the Great Man

 

When the orderly pushed him into the room Danny got his first look at the famous industrialist and financier and he was shocked to see how pale and frail he looked.

It had been a few years since he was seen in public, and he was a shadow of the man he had expected to see.

It would have been simpler to list the ailments he didn’t suffer from than those that he had, but the thing that brought him to hospital on that occasion was a mild heart attack, and not his first.

“Ah Mr. Nightingale thank you for coming” said Sir Avery in a stronger voice than his physical appearance suggested and offering his hand.

“My pleasure Sir, and please call me Danny” he responded shaking his hand, which was equally strong.

“In which case Danny, I insist you drop the Sir and call me Avery.”

“Deal”

“Good, now how are you doing my boy, are you on the mend?” he asked.

“Well, I think I’ve turned a corner” Danny replied, “And how about you?”

“Well for me the corner is unattainable” Avery said, “In truth, I am paying the price for a life well lived, but if I do what I’m told by the Doctors and my Granddaughter, I should be around long enough to get my affairs in order.”

“I’m sorry to hear that” Danny said then after a momentary silence he added.

“I was flattered, and more than a little curious to get your…. Invitation, I would never have pegged you as a Crime fiction kind of man.”

Sir Avery responded by way of a throaty chuckle.

“Quite right, quite right, it’s my Granddaughter Molly who’s the fan, she’s a little shy so she would never have spoken to you directly.”

“Oh, I see,” he said while looking around.

“She’s running an errand” he said in answer to the unasked question, “She’ll be back within the hour, we’ll just have to pass the time in conversation until she arrives.”

“Or we could play chess” Danny suggested as he spotted a fully populated chessboard on the tray table beside the bed.

“You play?”

“I do” he replied.

“Do you like to win?” Avery asked earnestly.

“Of course,”

“Good, Molly lets me win sometimes because she feels sorry for me” he said and laughed.

 

They spent a very pleasant hour and a half playing and talking, although when he thought about it later it was more like he was fielding questions in a very low-key interrogation.

“So where are you from, originally?” Avery asked.

“A village called Applesford in Downshire” Danny replied and took his bishop.

“Really? I am a Downshire boy myself, Spaniards Creek on Beaumont Island” he responded proudly.

“It’s true what they say then, it really is a small world” Danny said and took Avery’s rook, “Checkmate.”

“Well played my boy” he said and chuckled just as the door opened and a tall redheaded girl walked in, with her eyes fixed firmly on the floor.

“Ah Molly, come and say hello to Danny, he’s from Downshire” he said.

“Applesford,” Molly said quietly, and they both looked at her with raised eyebrows.

“I googled.” Said Molly.

“Come and sit down and say hello” Avery gestured to her.

“Danny Nightingale, this is my Granddaughter Molly.”

“It’s lovely to meet you” Danny said, “I understand you like my books.”

“Yes, very much” she quietly replied.

“I will happily sign a copy of my latest as soon as I can hold a pen” he said, and she smiled which seemed to put her at her ease and relax her because then she asked in a much more confident voice.

“Have you started the next book yet?”

“Kind of, I have an outline, but that’s as far as I’ve got and I won’t get any further if I don’t find what’s left of my car, and more importantly what was in it, suitcase, laptop, notes and everything else besides” he said.

 

They continued chatting for almost another hour when he noticed that Sir Avery was starting to look tired, so he said.

“Well, I really think I’ve taken up more than enough of your time, could you ring for an orderly and I’ll leave you in peace.”

“I can push you back” Molly offered boldly.

“If that’s ok” he said, “I would greatly appreciate it.”

“That’s a good idea Molly” Avery said, “Now you will come again, won’t you? tomorrow if you’re up to it.”

“I’d like that” he said.

 

Danny’s room was only a short walk of twenty yards away and when they were halfway, Molly said.

“I can help if you like.”

“With what?”

“Finding your car,” she replied, “and your laptop and things.”

“You don’t have to do that” Danny said.

“I don’t mind” Molly replied as she pushed him into his room “I have plenty of time on my hands.”

“Well, if you’re sure” Danny said.

“That would be very helpful.”

He got up out of the chair and rummaged in the bedside locker and fished out an envelope, which contained the hire car details, a business card from one of the officers who attended the scene and a copy of his driver’s license.

“That’s all I have I’m afraid” he said.

“I think that should be more than enough.” Molly said.

“Thanks Molly”

 

The next day Danny played chess with Sir Avery again and stayed with him for about three hours until he became weary, he enjoyed the game, but there was not a sign of Molly, and he found he was disappointed by that.

But at 7 o’clock that evening just as he was finishing his Jell-O, there was a knock on the door.

“Come in” he called.

The door opened and Molly walked in pushing his suitcase in front of her and she was followed in turn by a uniformed chauffeur carrying an assortment of bags.

“You got everything” he said with amazement.

“Well George did” she admitted.

“She did everything else though” George Wood pointed out.

“Well thank you both very much” he said and grinned as he tried to open the laptop bag.

“I’ll wait in the lounge Molly” George said, “Good night, Sir.”

“Good night, George, and thank you again and call me Danny.”

Molly watched Danny struggle with the laptop bag for a full minute before she intervened and took the bag from him and took out the laptop.

“Bloody hell, if I can’t get it out the bag, how the hell am I going to use the damn thing?” he said angrily. “And I can’t even write notes because of this.”

“How long do you have to keep it on?” Molly asked.

“Another 5 weeks” he replied. “I’ll go insane by then, I have so much rattling around in my head and I can’t get it out.”

Molly didn’t respond, she just opened the laptop then turned it towards Danny’s face to unlock it.

Once she was in, she opened Word and clicked on “Dictate” then turned it back towards him.

“Now all you have to do is talk.”

“I don’t often use the “Dictate” function” he admitted.

“I don’t annunciate properly when I’m in full flow.” 

“It will type most of what you say, even if it doesn’t get everything right, I can help you edit it tomorrow” she said, “Just concentrate on emptying your head for tonight.”

“Good idea, thanks Molly”

 

The next morning Molly knocked on the door again.

“Good morning, how did you get on?”

“Morning Molly, not bad I got a lot out of my head but it’s a bit gobbledygookish.”

Danny said.

“Is that even a word?” she asked.

“It is now”

“Well, you might find this of more use, I brought it from home” she said.

“A Dictaphone! that’s perfect.” Danny said, “I can type it up when I have use of my arm again.”

“Or I could type them up” Molly suggested “It’ll probably be quicker.”

“Your grandfather said you were shy.” Danny said.

“I’m not so sure.”

“I’m only shy with strangers and people I don’t like” she retorted and blushed.

 

Over the next two weeks he split his time equally between dictation, chess with Avery and editing with Molly, and his arm improved every day, and medically there was no real reason for him to be at High Pines, and publisher Max Parsons agreed because it wasn’t cheap and his insurance was only covering a proportion of the bill, but after Danny sent him the first 100 draft pages he said.

“You can have another week, then we’ll talk again.”

 

However, halfway through that week while playing chess with Avery he suddenly said.

“I’m discharging myself.”

“What about your treatment?” Danny asked.

“I am as well as I’m ever going to get” he said stoically.

“So, I’m going home to die in my own bed.”

“What did Doctor Cole have to say about that?”

“He had a blue fit” Avery replied and chuckled throatily.

“But once he knew I wasn’t about to change my mind we settled on a compromise,”

“Which is?” Danny asked.

“A live in nurse” he replied.

“Very sensible”

“What about you, my boy? Will you return home to Downshire?”

“I don’t think I will just yet, I’m making such great progress with the book, so I don’t want to break my stride and lose my momentum.”

“Where will you go?”

“I’ll get my publisher to splash out on a posh Hotel” Danny said and laughed.

“Nonsense, you don’t want to stay at an impersonal hotel, you must come and stay at the house” Avery insisted.

“I couldn’t possibly impose,” said Danny.

“You won’t be imposing my boy, it’s a big house, by the lake, and very peaceful, especially this time of the year.” He said persuasively.

“And Molly would be disappointed if you don’t come.”

“If not for Molly I would still be trying to extract my laptop from the bag” he said and laughed.

“So, I would be delighted to accept your invitation.”

“Excellent, excellent” he exclaimed and shook his hand.

“Have you told Molly yet?” Danny asked.

“No, I haven’t, I was waiting until I could use the news of your presence at the house to soften the blow” he replied and chuckled again, and Danny knew he’d been played.

 

The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (001) Origins

January

Beaumont Island is the largest of the two Bay Islands, 11 miles long and 8 miles wide, with a population of around 3000, and was first settled by the Romans, who called it Saxa Viridia, the green Rock, and built a fort on the hill above the harbour with a commanding view across the open water and any approaching vessels that might threaten the garrison on the mainland.

It was not a popular posting for most of the soldiers because of the remoteness and the quiet, the remainder liked it for the same reasons.

 

Following the formal end of the Roman occupation of Britain at the beginning of the 5th Century AD, the islands were largely unoccupied until the arrival of the Norman’s after their victory over King Harold at Hastings, when a close friend of William of Normandy, a minor nobleman, Gilbert du Beaumont, claimed the islands for himself, and took up residence on the larger Island which he promptly named after himself. 

The other island he named St Giles du Cabot in honour of his cousin and childhood friend who died of his wounds after the battle.

 

When Gilbert and his entourage first set foot on the island only the wooden piles remained from the old Roman Quayside, so the first task was to build a new one of stone along with breakwaters, sea walls and tetrapods, until the port of St Pierre-Eglise was born, so named as it was the birthplace of his wife Eleanor.

Work began in earnest on the town once the port was fully functional, including a Manor House and a Norman Church, unfortunately neither Gilbert nor his wife lived long enough to see St Pierre completed, but they were both buried on the island.

The burden of completing the work his parents had begun fell to their second son William, as his elder brother Robert had gone to fight in the first crusade and never returned.

Robert was not the first Beaumont son to fall in battle and he wouldn’t be the last, but the family stewardship protected the  land for over 900 years before war finally ended the family’s tenure when three successive heirs were killed in action during the Great War and the accumulated death duties forced George, the only surviving Beamont, to sell off the estate in 1920, auctioning off the buildings, the port and parcels of land.

Fortunately, the sale managed to raise enough to pay off the taxman, while being able to keep Woodside Farm for himself and retain a Beaumont family presence on the island.

 

However, this story begins 4,700 miles away from the island where bestselling crime fiction writer, Danny Nightingale, creator of the Fraser Markham series, was in the USA on a book signing tour, while simultaneously researching for a new book series he had been promising his publisher, Max Parsons, for some time, with a new protagonist Sharon Jacques.

At the age of twenty-eight, to have had not one, but three bestsellers was some kind of achievement.

He had been in the states for three months when he completed his tour and already had a clear outline sketched out for his new book, so he was feeling good and looking forward to returning to Downshire.

However, in January while he was travelling through Colorado, Danny got caught in a snowstorm and crashed his car into a snowbank.

He wasn’t badly hurt, but he did have a wrist fracture, a couple of broken ribs, a mild concussion and assorted cuts, bruises, and abrasions.

His hire car didn’t fare quite so well and was a write off, so the car got towed and he ended up in the ER.

While he was there, he called his publisher who arranged to have him transferred, after his wrist was set, via a private ambulance to a more exclusive hospital close to Colorado Springs called High Pines, where he met Sir Avery Arnold and his granddaughter Molly Barrington, a meeting which, although he didn’t know it at the time, was to change his life forever.

 

He had been in the hospital for three days before Danny arrived, but it was twenty-four hours later when he was summoned for an audience.

It was Molly who first spotted him as she was walking along the corridor past his room, no one else seemed to realize who he was, so she began to doubt herself, so she walked slowly past the door another five times until, she was sure.

Molly was a huge fan of his books, but was far too shy to approach him herself, which was why Sir Avery summoned him instead.

However, it wasn’t until his fourth day at High Pines that he felt up to accepting the invitation from the great man.

Uncanny Love Tales – (078) The Dapper Doctor

 

It happened during one special Summer Holiday on Teardrop Lake when Brothers Julian and Nigel Arbury were staying at the Shallowfield Lodge Hotel on the shore of Teardrop Lake.

The view of the lake from the forested hills was spectacular, the lake was shaped like a teardrop, hence its name, and surrounded by the ancient woodland of the Dancingdean Forrest.

It wasn’t a huge body of water, just over two miles long and almost a mile at its widest point, but it was beautiful and relatively unspoilt.

Julian spent his days sailing on the Lake, whereas Nigel was more interested in walking the woods or birdwatching.

The lake was beautiful, 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, skiffs and the more recently introduced electric dinghies.  

 

Julian hadn’t seen an electric dinghy before, until his first day out on the lake, it was out in the middle of the lake with an olive-skinned girl sitting on the bow fishing with her lovely legs hanging over the side and dangling in the water and she gave him a wave as he passed her, which he returned.

He sailed up and down the lake for another hour and a half before he passed the boat again and this time she was standing up in the boat and waving both arms frantically, so he went over to investigate.

“Is everything ok?” he called as he lowered the sail.

“It won’t start” she replied.

“Out of charge?”

“No, out of bloody order” she replied and laughed.

“Do you want a ride back to shore?” he asked as he drifted alongside.   

“Yes please” she replied and climbed aboard and handed him the painter which he tied to the stern cleat “I’m Maria by the way”.

“Julian” he responded.

“Where would you like to go?”

“Can you take me to the East Jetty?” she said and pointed it out.

It took a while because it was against the wind, but they chatted on the way.

Her full name was Maria Fiorellino, and as her name suggested, she was of Italian decent, with a Mediterranean complexion, dark lustrous hair, and a beautiful smile.

She was a doctor at the local Health Centre and was in danger of being late for her afternoon telephone consults, she would have missed them altogether had he not come along when he did.

He drifted up to the jetty, climbed out and tied off the line before taking Maria’s hand and helping her step onto the jetty.

“Thank you, kind sir,” she said and smiled before tying her boat to the capstan.

“I can’t thank you enough for coming to my rescue, I’d offer you some lunch but I’m desperately late”.

“Some other time” Julian said.

“It’s a date, I mean… well … you know … bye” she stammered and rushed off.

“Very nice” he muttered to himself “Very nice indeed”.

 

He spent the next couple of days on the lake but didn’t see her out in her boat again. 

Then the day after, he had to take Nigel, well forced would have been nearer the mark, to the Dancingdean Health Centre in Shallowfield after getting a nasty cut on his leg following a slip on wet rocks by Shoe Buckle Falls, so named, as legend had it, after a 17th century fugitive Cavalier who was pursued into the forest by parliamentarian soldiers but disappeared in the vicinity of the falls and all they ever found of him was his shoe buckle.

Nigel didn’t want to make a fuss over the cut on his leg, he would have been quite happy to stick a few plasters on it, but Julian was having none of it.

“It needs stitches” Julian insisted.

“But…”

“But nothing” Julian said, “Get in the car”.

 

The owner of the Shallowfield Lodge, Sheryl Brown, had phoned ahead so when they got to the Health Centre they were expecting them, it was while they were sitting in the waiting area that he caught sight of Doctor Fiorellino just for a minute, long enough to take in and appreciate her, medium height, super slim, very dapper in a dark blue trouser suit, and standing perfectly erect with her tiny feet together, looking very prim and proper, then sadly she went back into her room.

After Nigel’s name had been called and he followed the practice nurse into the surgery, he got up and walked over to where he had seen her and pretended to study the notice board.

He was there for a full five minutes before he heard her door open and when he heard footsteps, he turned around he said.

“Hello Doctor”

“Oh er… um … Julian …” she stammered and smiled broadly.

“What a nice surprise, nothing serious I hope”.

“Serious?”

“The reason for your visit to the surgery” she explained.

“Oh, I see, no its my brother, he has a nasty gash on his leg” he replied, “I’m just here to remind you about the lunch you owe me”.

“Oh yes lunch” she responded and began playing with her hair in a flirty way.

“I can’t really manage lunch this week, but what about dinner?”

“Even better” he said, and she blushed.

Uncanny Love Tales – (077) Green Eyes

 

It happened during one special Summer Holiday on Teardrop Lake when Brothers Nigel and Julian Arbury were staying at the Shallowfield Lodge Hotel.

Nigel spent his days walking the woods or birdwatching, whereas Julian was more interested in sailing on Teardrop Lake.

The view of the lake from the forested hills was spectacular, the lake was shaped like a teardrop, hence its name, and surrounded by the ancient woodland of the Dancingdean Forrest.

It wasn’t a huge body of water, just over two miles long and almost a mile at its widest point, but it was beautiful and relatively unspoilt, but it was not the view of the Lake which lingered most in his memory that holiday.

 

It was on the fourth day of his holiday when Julian forced him to go to the Dancingdean Health Centre in Shallowfield after getting a nasty cut on his leg following a slip on wet rocks by Shoe Buckle Falls, so named, as legend had it, after a 17th century fugitive Cavalier who was pursued into the forest by parliamentarian soldiers but disappeared in the vicinity of the falls and all they ever found of him was his shoe buckle.

 

Nigel was a painfully shy man, which was perhaps why he spent so much time following his solitary pursuits, so he was always reluctant to put himself in situation where he had to be face to face with strangers which is why he didn’t want to make a fuss over the cut on his leg, he would have been quite happy to stick a few plasters on it but Julian was having none of it.

“It needs stitches” Julian insisted.

“But…”

“But nothing” Julian said, “Get in the car”.

 

The owner of the Shallowfield Lodge, Sheryl Brown, had phoned ahead so when they got to the Health Centre, they were expecting them.

They went straight to the reception desk, and were greeted by two smiling receptionists, the first one was an older lady who exuded efficiency, and it was she who took all of his details, but Nigel’s attention was drawn to the younger woman, she was of Chinese heritage, and the older lady called her Frankie.

Frankie was sitting at her desk typing on her laptop, and she was wearing a short summer dress, and as she was sat side on to him, he had a lovely view of her shapely smooth skinned naked legs, from her cute knees down to her lace trimmed ankle socks and the flat shoes on her tiny feet.

Frankie ticked a lot of boxes for Nigel and when she turned and smiled, she ticked another one.

However, the next time he looked at her lovely legs she caught him and when she smiled in response, he blushed so he and Julian went and sat down in the waiting area.

Sadly, from where he was sitting, he couldn’t see Frankie anymore and they sat there for about 20 minutes before his name was called and he followed the practice nurse into the surgery, when he looked across to the reception desk, Frankie was stood up with her back to him and he still thought her legs were lovely. 

 

It turned out that Julian was right to take him to the Health Centre as he needed six stitches and a tetanus jab, and instructions to rest the leg and have the dressing changed at the centre the next day.

When he returned to the waiting room, he found his brother Julian in conversation with an attractive woman with a Mediterranean complexion and dark lustrous hair.

She was medium height, super slim and very dapper in a dark blue trouser suit, and standing perfectly erect with her tiny feet together, and she was playing with her hair in a flirty way.

He really envied Julian’s ability to engage complete strangers in conversation and charm them, he could never do that.

He found out later that she was a Doctor called Maria Fiorellino, and as her name suggested, was of Italian decent.

 

For the next few days, he had to curtail his walking, and restrict his birdwatching to what he could see from the environs of the hotel, he did go out on the boat with Julian one day, but it wasn’t really his thing. 

So, on Saturday he decided to throw caution to the wind had headed up to search for the green Woodpecker he was searching for when he cut his leg, he just made sure he stuck to the well-trodden paths.

 

He had been out for about an hour and was lost in his own thoughts when an unfamiliar voice behind him said.

“What are you doing up in the woods? apart from disregarding medical advice”.

“Bird watching” he replied and when he turned around, he saw it was Frankie Fong, from the health centre and added.

“Oh hello”

“Don’t you “Hello” me” she chastised “You’re supposed to rest that leg”.

“I have been this is my first time out, honest, and it’s much better, really” he babbled on but when he looked up, she was smiling.

“I was only teasing”.

“Oh,” he said and blushed

“So, what’s then plan today?” she asked, “Have you seen all the local sights, The Chapel, the Follies and the Tower?”

“Yes” he said, “but I prefer something natural rather than manmade”.

“Yes, I know what you mean” she said, “What about the falls?”

“That’s where I did this” he replied pointing at the bandage.

“Of course, silly me, best not go back there yet” she said with a giggle.

“Well, what about Lovers Leap?” she said.

“Lovers Leap?” he repeated.

“Yes, it’s a kind of rocky shelf that juts out above the cliffs, the view is amazing” she explained.

“Great, how do I find it?” he asked.

“I’ll show you if you like” Frankie suggested.

“Oh ok, yes that would be lovely” he replied.

 

The cliffs 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.

 

It wasn’t a long walk from where they met but it wasn’t an easy one either, so as it was a hot day, and not wanting to be sweating profusely by the time they reached Lovers Leap, and mindful of Nigel’s leg, Frankie took them the long way round, which was a much gentler climb, and gave them chance to chat.

“So, do you live around here?” he asked.

“Yes, I’m lucky enough to have a flat overlooking the lake” she replied, “its heaven”.

“Wow you are lucky” Nigel agreed.

“What about you, where is home for you?” she asked.

“Childean” he replied.

“So not far then” Frankie said and nodded to herself “and when do you return home?”

“Next Saturday” he replied.

“Another week?”

“Yes, I need to make the most of it” he said.

“Good idea” she retorted.

 

When they reached their destination, they walked onto the shelf and took in the vista, and it took his breath away.

They sat down on the rocky shelf which bizarrely felt cool despite the heat of the sun, and they shared the bottle of water from Nigel’s pack.

“So, what were you looking for with these?” she asked and picked up his binoculars before standing up to survey the trees below, while she did that, he surveyed her legs again.

“Oh, it’s a bit blurry” she said so he stood up behind her showed her how to use the focus.

“That’s much better” she said cheerfully.

“What am I looking for?”

“A Woodpecker” he replied.

“What colour is it?” She asked scanning the treetops.

“Green like your eyes”

“I’m surprised you noticed that they’re green” she said turning to face him.

“Because I know you like my knees as I caught you looking at them more than once, and I thought that was the sum total of your interest”.

“Nnnnno my interests are much higher than that”.

“Really? So above my knees then” she asked with raised eyebrows.

“No! I didn’t mean that” he replied with alarm.

“So, what then? come on out with it” she demanded.

“Your heart” he replied.

“Good answer” she said and kissed him.

Uncanny Love Tales – (076) Mother Theresa

 

The village of Kettlewell sits in the rolling Pepperstock Hills that form the northwest border of the Finchbottom Vale and it is half a mile from the hamlet of Kettlewell-on-the-Hill, the two of which made up the parish of St Augustine’s Church, and Kettlewell is 1.5 miles from its largest neighbour, Highfinch, which was where Theresa Gammon was driving to on a hot sunny afternoon.

She lived in Kettlewell, on the far side of the village right on the edge of the countryside, in a large detached former farmhouse and had lived there her who life and could never imagine living anywhere else.

Theresa had come close to losing the house after her husband left and had to work hard to keep a roof over her daughter's heads after the divorce.

She had had to make sacrifices over the years and one of those was romantic attachments which was why she hadn’t found a significant other in her life.

However, her daughters, Lily, and Rosie, were now both engaged to fine young men, so time was running out to find love again before the grandchildren came along.

When she arrived at the Tennis club she parked up, and when she got out, she was wearing white Tennis shoes, white ankle socks with yellow trim and a pale-yellow tennis dress, mid-thigh length, to show off her lovely long tanned legs.

On her head she wore a peaked cap, and her hair was tied in a ponytail, Theresa had the same colouring as her daughter Lily, pale ginger hair, fair delicate skin, and stunning blue eyes, her hair was going a little salt and peppery, which she could have dyed,

 but she rather liked it.

She smiled when she saw her Tennis partner walking towards her, because her children had been talking about wanting to find someone for her, but they didn’t know that she already had her sights set on the new Church Warden, who was her partner that afternoon, but hoped that was just the beginning.

Uncanny Love Tales – (075) Grecian Crush

 

It was in the late 1980’s when Gary Welsh, a Paramedic in Abbottsford, was on holiday with a group of friends.

They were staying in an apartment on the northernmost island of the Greek Cyclades archipelago, Andros. 

It was a quiet island due to the fact that it was a two-hour ferry ride from the mainland, but Jack thought it was worth it and the lads had been there for two days when quite by chance they met up with some familiar faces.

A group of Nurses from the Winston Churchill Hospital in Abbottsford and among them was Alisha Beckwith a girl he had known at school, in fact she was his first crush.

There had always been something smouldering between them, although they had never been out together, they had come close once or twice, but it never quite happened for them, but there they both were on the same island at the same time and with no attachments, and it was apparent straight from the start that there was still a spark.

An ember which glowed beneath the Greek skies and burst alight with a kiss on the sands of Agia Marina beach one bright warm day which led inevitably to burning passion in his apartment where they made love for the first time.

 

Gary stood in the bathroom doorway and watched her stir as the afternoon sunlight painted patterns on her naked contours as it shone through the billowing curtains.
Her hair was still damp from their passionate exertions, clung to her face and neck and beads of sweat sparkled on her luscious skin.
She lay on her side, knees drawn up to her belly, showing off the wonderful sweep from her narrow waist to a curvaceous hip and then onto the perfect roundness of sumptuous buttocks.
Alisha rolled on to her back as she stirred again and the magnificence of her was there before him with patterns of light and dark dancing over her gorgeous form.
Her nipples aroused as the soft breeze wafted over her and Alisha’s eyes opened and she smiled the broadest smile when she saw Gary watching her.
She sat up and brushed the hair from her face then moved onto her knees and stretched, leaning back until her hands touched the bed behind her supporting herself on clenched fists and throwing her head right back putting on a display until her black hair tumbled down her back.
His eyes slowly scanned the beauty of her form, the cascading black hair, down the cords and sinews of her neck to the fine structure of her shoulders.
He dwelt, naturally, on her firm breasts and proud nipples before continuing to the softness of her flat belly and her curved hips and round buttocks before reaching the thick black triangle and her long taught thighs either side.
He left the doorway and picked his way through the discarded clothing on the floor to reach the bed where she now sat on her haunches looking at him.
A radiant smile was illuminating her face with eyes that said “again please”

Uncanny Love Tales – (074) The Sister’s Best Friend

 

It was in the late 1980’s when Rob Tory, a Paramedic in Abbottsford, was on holiday with a group of friends.

They were staying in an apartment on the northernmost island of the Greek Cyclades archipelago, Andros. 

It was a quiet island due to the fact that it was a two-hour ferry ride from the mainland, but Jack thought it was worth it and the lads had been there for two days when quite by chance they met up with some familiar faces.

A group of Nurses from the Winston Churchill Hospital in Abbottsford and among them was Rebecca Kinsey, his sister Mandy’s best friend.

Rob had fancied her for years, but she had always given him the cold shoulder.

But suddenly they were both on the same island at the same time and with no attachments so he thought he would chance his arm one more time.

It took the best part of the two weeks but eventually she weakened and agreed to go moonlight swimming on Agia Marina beach one warm and balmy night.

But he wasn’t going there for a swim, and he hoped she wasn’t too.

First of all, they just walked together hand in hand in the moonlight but very soon their Metaxa fuelled thoughts turned to more passionate delights.

The beach was deserted apart from the two of them and silent but for the gentle breaking of the waves and when they stopped to kiss it proved to be the prelude to something more as they stood beneath an olive tree and quietly undressed.

 

Rob and Rebecca lay entwined in the moonlight panting and sweating in the sand.

“So, you finally got me” she said.

“I was beginning to think it would never happen” Rob said.

“I wasn’t” she replied and kissed him passionately and then got up and ran into the sea.

Uncanny Love Tales – (073) Afterglow

 

Henry got out of bed and left Sandra sleeping and went to the kitchen to get drinks.

She lay serenely in the afterglow, the sweat of earlier passions spent had evaporated and was no more and her tousled blond hair framed a peaceful face with the red glow that had previously graced her cheeks no longer visible.
Her eyes were resting, her mouth open slightly and her full lips still moist, and on her pale smooth skin no hint remained of what had passed.
The contortions of orgasm which were earlier etched into her innocent face lingered no more, but he thought they would soon be present again.
She lay beneath a silken sheet stretched more tightly across her breasts showing them in sharp relief.
The cool evening air from the open window aroused her nipples which then stood proud through the taught silk and she murmured in her sleep and squirmed in unison as her arousal continued elsewhere.
If Henry did not return to the bed her satisfaction would have to be in her own hands but luckily Henry did return as he was himself aroused.

Uncanny Love Tales – (072) Strange Bedfellows

 

It was in the late 1980’s when Billy Nixon, a Paramedic in Abbottsford, was on holiday with a group of friends.

They were staying in an apartment on the northernmost island of the Greek Cyclades archipelago, Andros. 

It was a quiet island due to the fact that it was a two-hour ferry ride from the mainland, but Jack thought it was worth it and the lads had been there for two days when quite by chance they met up with some familiar faces.

A group of Nurses from the Winston Churchill Hospital in Abbottsford and among them was Camelia Clerembeax a girl he had known since nursery school and one whom he had never looked at twice.

Not that she was unattractive, on the contrary she was lovely, but the truth was that he just didn’t like her and never had, and he always believed the feeling was mutual, but as it turned out he was mistaken. 

 

It was a blistering hot day, and the rest of his mates were taking the ferry to Tinos to see the Monasteries and the Holy Church of the Virgin Mary Evangelistria, not that they wanted to go, it was just that they had got involved with a group of girls, Billy hadn’t got involved with anyone and so didn’t fancy a trip to a monastery so he feigned a headache and cried off.

He was also trying to avoid Camelia Clerembeax who he had manage to bump into more often than he was happy with, so having her spend the day on an island two hours away would have been a refreshing change.

As it turned out, due to the heat he did develop a headache and went to his room to lay down.

He went straight to sleep and awoke some time afterwards to find someone nibbling his ear and a hand was caressing his torso.

He had no idea who the gentle assailant was that was fondling him in the semi darkness, but he didn’t really care but he did know that it was  arousing him.

But as the gentle caressing hand moved towards the waistband of his shorts, he thought he had better check, so he lifted his head to look.

“You” he said.

“Yes, do you mind?” Camelia asked as she began to unbutton his shorts.

“Not anymore” he replied and lay back and let him know how wrong he had been about her.

Uncanny Love Tales – (071) Grecian Delights

 

It was in the late 1980’s when Jack Nilson, a Paramedic in Abbottsford, was on holiday with a group of friends.

They were staying in an apartment on the northernmost island of the Greek Cyclades archipelago, Andros. 

It was a quiet island due to the fact that it was a two-hour ferry ride from the mainland, but Jack thought it was worth it and the lads had been there for two days when quite by chance they met up with some familiar faces.

A group of Nurses from the Winston Churchill Hospital in Abbottsford and among them was Heather Reeves a girl he had known at school.

There had always been something smouldering between them, although they had never been out together, they had come close once or twice, but it never quite happened for them, but there they both were on the same island at the same time and with no attachments. 

So, it was on Agia Marina beach one warm and balmy night when their destiny was fulfilled, though first of all they just walked together hand in hand in the moonlight but very soon their Metaxa fuelled thoughts turned to more passionate delights.

The beach was deserted apart from the two of them and when they stopped to kiss it proved to be the prelude to something more.

However, that sordid alcohol fuelled coupling in the sand led to a holiday romance, which in turn led to a romance that lasted a lifetime.

Uncanny Love Tales – (070) Kitchen Cousin

 

The Walters and the Pickford’s had lived in Springwater for many generations and every year they had a family holiday together in Greece.

Colin and Kate Walters and their sons Harry and Sam, Kate’s sister Christine Pickford and husband David and their daughters Charlotte and Ellie, all stayed in the Villa that was jointly owned by the two families every year in Batsi on the island of Andros.

Sam Walters was a twenty-nine-year-old solicitor who still lived in the old family home in Springwater although his parents had retired to their Greek Villa and his brother Harry was working for a magazine in New York.

On one family holiday in Greece Sam, who was a few weeks short of his nineteenth birthday at the time, was seduced by his Aunt Christine’s oldest daughter Charlotte, who was just sixteen, for the first of many occasions.

Sam and Charlotte were what is known as “friends with benefits” which was a mutually satisfactory arrangement.

Sam had had a very stressful week and so on Saturday morning he was hoping for a bit of a lay in.

He had been invited to a Summer Ball and a Golf tournament, but he had been so busy of late that he declined both invites.

What he planned to do instead was to sleep late and then spend the rest of the day doing very little.

However, he was awoken earlier than planned, much earlier in fact, by the rattling of crockery from the kitchen and the sound of water running, a kettle being filled probably, he supposed.

He looked at the clock and it was 6.05am and he had an unexpected houseguest, he didn’t know for sure who it was, but he had a fare idea.

So, he just threw on his robe and went quietly downstairs to investigate but as he approached the kitchen, he suddenly hesitated as he caught sight of Cousin Charlotte sitting on the kitchen counter completely naked happily pleasuring herself.

Sam didn’t want to embarrass her, so he did the gentlemanly thing and watched her through the crack in the door.

Charlotte of course wasn’t fazed or embarrassed when he did eventually walk into the kitchen, nor did she stop what she was doing.

“Is there anything I can help you with?” he asked, and she smiled.

Uncanny Love Tales – (069) An Inappropriate Celebration

 

The Walters and the Pickford’s had lived in Springwater for many generations and every year they had a family holiday together in Greece.

Colin and Kate Walters and their sons Harry and Sam, Kate’s sister Christine Pickford and husband David and their daughters Charlotte and Ellie, all stayed in the Villa that was jointly owned by the two families every year in Batsi on the island of Andros.

Sam Walters was a twenty-nine-year-old solicitor who still lived in the old family home in Springwater although his parents had retired to their Greek Villa and his brother Harry was working for a magazine in New York.

On one family holiday in Greece Sam, who was a few weeks short of his nineteenth birthday at the time, was seduced by his Aunt Christine’s oldest daughter Charlotte, who was just sixteen, for the first of many occasions.

One Wednesday he was working from home, and he got up early and emailed the documents he had been working on the night before and then had a leisurely breakfast.

It was just before 10 o’clock when Charlotte walked through the front door and called.

“Hi cuz,”

“Hi Charlotte” he responded, “I’m in the kitchen”.

When she walked into the kitchen, she was dressed in a dark blue uniform that he hadn’t seen before.

“What’s this then, new uniform?” he asked.

“New job” she replied proudly and gave him a twirl “Ward sister at the Winston Churchill”.

“Well done” he said and hugged her,

Her uniform was all crisp and new and still had that fresh laundered smell.

“Do you have time for an inappropriate celebration?” he asked hopefully.

“Why do you think I’m here?” she replied and then kissed him.

“Where would you like it, Sister?” he asked between kisses.

“Here will suffice I don’t want to be late for my new job” she replied.

“Just don’t get anything nasty on my new uniform”.

Uncanny Love Tales – (068) Sister’s Reprised

 

The Walter’s and the Pickford’s had lived in Springwater for many generations and every year they had a family holiday in Greece together.

Colin and Kate Walters and their sons Harry and Sam, Kate’s sister Christine Pickford and husband David and their daughters Charlotte and Ellie, and they stayed in the Villa that was jointly owned by the two families every year in Batsi on the island of Andros.

Sam Walters was a twenty-nine-year-old solicitor who still lived in the old family home in Springwater although his parents had retired to their Greek Villa and his brother Harry was working for a magazine in New York.

On one family holiday in Greece, Sam, who was a few weeks short of his nineteenth birthday, at the time, was seduced by his cousin Charlotte who was just sixteen, for the first of many enjoyable occasions.

Sam and Charlotte were what is known as “friends with benefits” which was a mutually satisfactory arrangement, however there was an occasion in early summer when Charlotte and her younger sister Ellie were both staying with Sam for the week as there was a family wedding in the Pickford Family.

Ellie was four years younger than her sister and was an absolute stunner with a lovely figure and bigger breasts even than Charlotte.

But he was under strict instructions from Charlotte not to even look at Ellie in a sexual way and if he did, he would be castrated. 

But one night when Charlotte was working nights at the Winston Churchill Ellie made her move on him.

 

“I’ve wanted to do that since I was 12” Ellie said as she rolled off him and there, they lay exhausted and spent for an indeterminate period.

Then he looked at her and said

“Was that worth waiting 10 years for”?

“Oh God yes” she replied still panting then a few moments later she asked.

“Am I as good as Charlotte?”

“How would I know” he replied.

“Because you’ve been shagging her since she was sixteen” she said.

“I don’t know what you mean” he said defensively.

“Oh yes you do” she chuckled.

“How did you know?” he conceded.

“Because I’m neither deaf nor blind” she said.

“Did you see us then?” he asked.

“Yes, in Greece, you were asleep in her bed when we returned from a trip to Tinos” she explained “and I’ve heard you, numerous times at the Villa, and several times this week, you’re not exactly quiet”.

“Oh” he said, “I thought we’d been quite restrained”.

“Restrained?” she said mockingly.

“Does anyone else know?” he asked.

“If they do, they didn’t get it from me” she said.

“What about Charlotte?” he asked.

“What about her?”

“Does she know that you know?” he asked.

“I’ve never told her” Ellie said.

“Oh God” he exclaimed.

“What’s the matter?” she asked.

“Charlotte” he said.

“What about her?”

“She threatened to castrate me just for looking at you” he said.

“Oh dear” she chuckled.

“God knows what she would do if she found out what we just did”.

He said and turned pale which caused her to laugh.

“Why will she find out?” she asked.

“Because….” He began and left the rest unsaid.

“Well, I’m not going to tell her that I just had sex with my cousin who I’ve fancied since I was 12” Ellie corrected him in a rather superior tone.

“And I’m not looking to replace her, I have a boyfriend.”

“Ok” he said reassured.

“That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t like to do it with you again sometime.”    

She said.

“It’s rather exciting sneaking around and shagging my sister’s bed buddy”.

“So, when did you have in mind?” he asked.

“Oh, I think when the opportunity arises” she replied.

“I see” he said and looking down he added.

“I think an opportunity has arisen already”.

“Eh?”

Sam just pointed in response to her exclamation and asked.

“Do you want to do it again or not?”

“Oh God yes” She replied.

Suffice is to say he didn’t make it to the Golf club that memorable Wednesday night and his itch was well and truly scratched by Ellie and they repeated the experience on the following night when Charlotte was working late again.