The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (146) Guy Fawkes

 

November

On the first of November after a pleasant breakfast Molly and  walked slowly down Cliff Top Road until they reached Church Lane, and then they followed the lane that wound its way around the cottages for about 100 yards.

Molly was feeling very pleased with herself as they passed the renovated cottages, with new roofs, solar panels, double glazing, guttering and external decorations.

When they reached the plateau where St Clara’s Church stood, it was not as picturesque as it was the first time she saw it, as it was still clad in scaffolding, and she looked forward to seeing it at its best when the renovators had finished.

 

Natasha Baker was good to her word, she helped Sheridan Tilbrook fill in the form, and got her an interview, and she and the other girls at the stables helped her with her literacy and at the beginning of November when she started working at the Beaumont Manor Hotel which was when Leo Humphrey came into Sheridan’s life.

They had both spent their entire lives in Saxvirdan they had never met.

He was four years older than her, tall dark and handsome, whereas she had thick chestnut coloured hair, she was small at and skinny, but she was wiry and strong even though she was only 5ft 2.

Leo took her under his wing immediately and showed her how things were none.

“You’re a quick learner” Leo said

“Thank you” Sheridan said meekly

During her first week they got on really well although the conversations were fairly one sided as Sheridan was as quiet as a mouse, while Leo prattled on, about this and that, but she didn’t mind, she’d never had anyone that talked to her so much before.

 

On Thursday, Molly decided that they were still on holiday and as it was a lovely sunny autumn day, they took the Water Taxi over to St Giles du Cabot and explored the island which they really enjoyed.

Unfortunately, as is often the case in the autumn, the weather turned after lunch to such an extent that the Water Taxi had to cancel the last trip of the day.

They could have caught the ferry up to St Pierre, but instead chose to spend the night at the Seaview Hotel which meant they could spend the evening with Elisa and Henry.

 

On Friday they enjoyed one of Elisa’s wonderful breakfasts and as the weather had calmed down a bit, they took the long route back to Cabot Town via Hastings Lake and caught the midday ferry up to St Pierre where they did a little shopping before having lunch at the Gondolier.

 

After an enjoyably long relaxing and overly indulgent lunch they got a taxi back to Spaniards Creek and spent the afternoon asleep on the sofa.

 

Deborah Woodward and Stuart Cameran were up early on Saturday and drove up to Stephenson’s Supermarket in St Pierre, then after lunch they went to her house to clear Deborah’s bedroom.

“Let me go in first in case I’ve left any unmentionables laying around” she said

“If there are, then half the tradesmen on the island will have seen them already” Stuart said and chuckled

“Oh that’s reassuring” she retorted and laughed

 

On Saturday night there was a firework’s display in the village, but Molly didn’t understand Guy Fawkes Night, it wasn’t a thing in America, and it made no sense to her.

“So he tried to blow up King James” she said “and got caught”

“That’s correct”

“So is the celebration because he tried or because he failed?” she asked “I don’t understand what it’s about”

Then Danny explained that it was a Catholic plot against a Protestant King, and she understood it even less.

However she did enjoy the fireworks immensely.

 

Nicole Wilson went to the University of Downshire where she did Business Studies in Abbottsford and it was for her, like many girls of her age, a life-defining time.

She was in halls for the first year and she shared with three other girls from Beaumont Island, Stacey Jackson, a tall, beautiful and kindly brunette girl, her cousin Paige Chapman, a skinny flat chested girl, who was beautiful but painfully shy and curvy redhead Poppy Nunthorpe.

All four of the girls were studying different subjects, but their strong friendship resulted from their shared history as islanders, and as they got on so well the four of them decided very early on to rent a house between them for the second and third years.

 

Nicole was five foot five, and a quiet and reserved busty brunette and she lived at Roman Water Farm which is the second largest of the five farms on the island covering the area from Beaumont head in the north to Bellevue Woods in the south, the rugged coast to the west and Saxvirdan in the east.

 

Jordan Lawrence was a postman, and his round took him out to the farms and on Saturday night he attended the Guy Fawkes Bash, at the Beaumont Manor, which was a fancy dress party, but in addition it was also a masquerade.

Jordan was staring up at the starry November sky when he was approached by a busty brunette wench wearing a satin mask across her eyes, who sauntered up to him and without saying a word kissed him wetly on the mouth, which took him by surprise at first, but he soon recovered and returned her passionate kiss with interest and as the pyrotechnic display began it grew in intensity.  

 

When the kiss was at an end, she stepped back and removed the mask and he gasped

“You?”

“Disappointed?” Nicole asked

“No, but this has been a surprise” he said “I didn’t think you liked me like that”

“I know” she replied “but I’ve fancied you for ages”

“I had no idea” he said

“I know that too, clueless aren’t you” she said

“That’s why I had to take you by surprise to get your attention”

“Well, it worked”

“So, can I take it that I now have your full attention?”

“Oh yes” he said “But…”

“But what?” she asked with concern

“I’d like to be one hundred percent sure” he said

“Oh, I think that can be arranged” she said and moved in close for another kiss, and they never did see the fireworks.

 

There were more firework’s the next day on the 5^th mainly private and domestic, but there was one organised display up in Saxvirdan, with a bonfire on the village green.  

Two of the crowd watching proceedings at that display were teenagers John Rawling and Lucy Nuttall, who were on their first date. 

The two of them lived on the outskirts of St Pierre and after the display was over, they headed slowly home down the lane. 

It was dark along the path and just ahead of them they could see there was a dog walker smoking a cigarette as some kind of dog snuffled in the undergrowth.

The man took one last drag on the butt and it glowed red on his face and then he flicked it into the darkness, and it span through the air like a Catherine wheel.

Which was quite appropriate as they had just been to a firework’s display.

The smell of the gun powder was still thick in the damp night air.  

But despite the cold and damp neither John nor Lucy were in any hurry to get home as it was their very first date.

However it was not only their first date together, but it was also the first date for either of them.

John was fifteen and Lucy was a year younger and quite naturally they wanted their date to last forever and they both walked as slowly as it was possible to go without actually standing still.

However they eventually arrived in the street outside her house.

An awkward silence ensued as John shuffled his feet and tried to think what to do next and Lucy waited patiently for John’s next move, but when she realized he didn’t have one, she took decisive action and reach up and kissed him and then the fireworks truly began.

Their first magical kiss, a kiss that neither of them wanted to end, sent their heart soaring into the heavens.

The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (145) Halloween Treat

 

After finishing their wine they walked up to Philips Folly still wearing their Witches outfits, and the moment the door opened and the two witches walked in, wearing long black cloaks, floppy witch’s hats, white striped socks and black high-heeled ankle boots, and there was a roar of approval.

When they reached the bar, they found Geoff Melling and Brian Baker ordering drinks.

“Aren’t there supposed to be three witches in a coven?” Brian queried

“Be careful or with a wave of a hand we could shrivel your extremities” Zoey said

“We had better buy you both a drink then” Geoff said

 

In the hours following their meeting at the bar the four of them had a great evening, drinking and laughing, but the evening ended in an alcoholic haze in the early hours on the doorstep of Zoey’s home.

Zoey wrapped her arms around Brian’s neck and slurred

“Trick or treat”

“Treat” he replied “But not tonight”

“So to be perfectly clear, you don’t want to kiss me?” Zoey asked

“I do want to kiss you” Brian said

“But I want us both to be sober”

“When will that be?” she slurred

“Tomorrow” he replied

“Promise?” she asked

“Promise” he replied and kissed the top of her head

Just at that moment Geoff and Marion staggered towards them holding each other upright

“Am I going to get a treat?” Marion asked

“Yes, but not until tomorrow” Brian replied

“I don’t want a treat from you” she said trying to focus on him with one eye shut.

“I know, you want Geoff”

“I do”

“Good choice” Zoey responded     

“A very good choice” Geoff agreed

Brian watched Zoey steer Marion through the front door then he turned towards Geoff and said

“You come along with me”

“Where did the girls go?” Geoff asked looking around

“They went inside” Brian replied

“Shame”

“Don’t worry we’ll see them again tomorrow”

Brian said

“Cool” Geoff retorted

 

At Beth Brine’s house in St Pierre on Halloween, they didn’t eat the snacks or watch any movies, they did however drink the wine and hid from the trick or treaters in her bed.

The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (144) Trick or Treat

Halloween had arrived at Cliff Haven and Molly was very excited about the evening, because it had been many years since she had celebrated Halloween.

Because all the years she lived at Lakeside with her grandfather in Colorado Springs they were too far out and too remote to attract trick or treaters.

That was not the case in Spaniards Creek, and she intended to make the most of it.

 

Elsewhere, in another part of the village, there was also excited anticipation of the evening’s events at the Bargeman’s house.

25-year-old Zoey Bargeman, worked in the village for Baker’s Tree Surgeon’s, and she had become close friends with one of her bosses, Vicki Baker, and it was through Vicki that she met her brother Brian and lost her heart.

She was a stunningly attractive girl and had been on the radar of every man she’d ever met, but she was very choosy, so for her being the pretty girl was a blessing and a curse.

It wasn’t her feeling excited anticipation of the evening however, it was her cousin Marion Fuller.

Marion had never done Halloween before; she had spent all her life living on remote farms, so she had never had Trick or Treaters knock on her door.

The girls were alone in the house dressed as witches when Marion pulled the curtain back a couple of inches and peered out and she suddenly panicked.

“They’re coming, what do I do?” she asked urgently, and Zoey laughed

“What do I do?” she urged

“Alright just calm down” Zoey said and after Marion took a breath she added

“All the children will have a goody bag”

“Ok” Marion retorted

“You put a small handful of sweets into each bag, but don’t be too generous too early or you won’t have enough to go round everyone”

“Ok” she said and nodded.

“But first you have to open the door” Zoey said inclining her head towards the closed door.

“Oh yes” Marion said and laughed nervously “That’s a good idea”

Marion opened the door and was met with a chorus of “Trick or treat!” from a small group of excited witches, warlocks, ghosts and ghouls.

“Wow! look at all of you” she said “What brilliant costumes”

“Ok who’s first?” she asked as she picked up one of the sweet tubs and scooped up a handful.

At the back of the group, chaperoning the group, was a tall dark-haired man, wearing a flat cap and a leather jacket, and a shorter auburn haired man in an overcoat, the former was Geoff Melling and Marion caught his eye briefly and smiled and he smiled back, then she carried on but she kept glancing in his direction, he was in his mid-twenties, and was there because two of the group were his nieces.

Soon she had deposited a handful of sweets into every bag and the group moved back up the path in a chorus of thank you’s.

“Goodbye” the tall man said and smiled.

Marion smiled back and then looked self-consciously in Zoey’s direction and was still smiling as she shut the door.

“Who was that?” she asked

“Which one?” Zoey asked

“The tall one” she retorted

“Geoff Melling”

“And the other one?”

“Brian Baker” Zoey replied

“The Brian Baker that you fancy?” she asked, and Zoey blushed deeply just as the doorbell rang.

“Saved by the bell” Marion said and opened the door and repeated the exercise, and then another five times until the sweet tubs were empty and all the village children had had their share.

She closed the door and reached for her wine glass.

“I’m exhausted” she said

“I enjoyed it though” 

The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (143) Halloween

 

The previous year Molly and Danny had only been at Cliff Haven for a few days so didn’t do Halloween or Guy Fawkes, but this year was different, so on Monday Molly said

“We need to get the sweets for Halloween”

So after breakfast they drove up to Stephenson’s Supermarket in St Pierre to stock up.

 

On the same day Tree Surgeon Nathan Baker was also in St Pierre, though much later in the day and for a very different reason. 

He was one of five siblings in the Baker family, but only two of them were tree surgeons, and they lived together in St Pierre in a large Victorian house, with rooms over 4 floors since the substantial loft space had been converted into another bedroom, and there was also a cellar that was used as the movie/games room.

Their parents had retired to Spain and left the house to the five children equally, it was built by one of their ancestors, and was something of a monstrosity, but it was home.

Two of his sisters Vicki and Morgan had now found new loves and although he was happy for them, it did remind him of the fact that he didn’t have anyone special himself.

Not that he didn’t have someone in his sights, because he did and the fact that he hadn’t done anything about it grated on him.

So he headed for Beth’s Coffee House which was located on the town square next to the Church and opposite the Forum Cinema.

There were no shops around the square anymore, it was virtually all eateries, café and bars and the cinema and a small theatre, so it was a sort of leisure haven.

When he walked into Beth’s it wasn’t for the coffee, even though there was nothing wrong with it, he was there for the person who it was named after, Beth Brine, and he had decided to ask her out, he had even decided where he wanted to take her.

Which was why, as he was sat waiting to be served, he was Googling the Forum to see what films were showing.

“Bloody Halloween!” he exclaimed

“Do you hate Halloween as well?” Beth asked as she arrived at his table

“Of course I hate Halloween, why wouldn’t I, why doesn’t everyone, all those ghastly trick or treaters begging door to door”

He ranted

“And then there are the implied threats of violence and vandalism” Beth added

He looked at her and raised his eyebrows and she laughed

 

“So what upset you about Halloween?” Beth teased him when she brought his coffee

“Well if you must know I was going to ask you out to the pictures, but all they have is stupid Halloween nonsense all week”

“You were going to ask me out?” Beth asked and she sat down opposite him

“Erm um yes” he replied

“Excellent” she retorted smugly

 

While she watched him drink his coffee she asked

“So what do you normally do on Halloween when you’re not taking attractive Coffee Shop owners to the pictures?”

“I normally stay indoors with the curtains shut and pretend I’m not in” he replied

“Interesting strategy” she mused

“So why don’t come to my place and we can have a movie night,” she suggested “Then we can close the curtains, and pretend not to be in together”

“That sounds like a great idea” he responded

“I’ll bring the wine and snacks” 

The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (142) Damage Report

 

In Manor Row Deborah Woodward received the report on the damage to the House, repairs were going to take four to six weeks as a substantial section of the roof needed to be replaced.

“Oh Hell” she exclaimed

“What’s up?” Stuart asked

“They’re saying a month to six weeks to do the repairs” she replied

“That’s ok, you can stay here as long as you need” he said

“I can’t possibly impose on you for that long” she protested

“Nonsense, its rather nice having company” he retorted and smiled

“What else does it say?”

“They say it’s safe for me to go into that room now, so I can move all my stuff into the spare room and see what’s salvageable and what I need to claim for on the insurance” she said 

“Well I know what we’re doing on Saturday then” Stuart said

“You don’t…” she began but stopped her with a look, so she smiled and said “Thank you”

 

As luck would have it, Adam Jandrell’s Team had just finished work on the Church Lane properties in Spaniards Creek and still had a site presence at St Clara’s Church, so they were in a position to be able to start almost immediately.

The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (141) Surprise Meeting

Kristina Causer worked at Nelson’s Boat Yard in Spaniards Creek and on Saturday Night she was supposed to be attending a Halloween Fancy Dress party with her Fiancé Martin at the Beaumont Manor, even though it wasn’t actually Halloween until Tuesday.

However, for a combination of reasons she was running late so arranged to meet Martin at the Beaumont and the party was in full swing when Kristina arrived and when she walked into the Ballroom, she was not only late to the party, but it also appeared she was too late to save her engagement.

Because she found her Fiancé Martin otherwise engaged in a very passionate kiss with her cousin Briony.

If Kristina had been surprised by what greeted her in the Ballroom, it was nothing compared to Martin’s surprise when she put her knee into his scrotum and there was definitely a look of surprise on Briony’s face a split second after Kristina slapped it.

With Martin doubled up on the floor, unable to speak and Briony with a scarlet handprint on her face, Kristina stormed out of the hall like a Norse Goddess with her blonde tresses  streaming behind her.

She was like a heat seeking missile and shot straight out into the car park and straight into Dave Glennie who was lost in thought as he walked the other way and they both ended up in a heap on the floor.

“Why don’t you look where you’re going, you idiot” she screamed.

Dave totally ignored Kristina’s angry bile, and instead chose to look at her golden locks shining in the moonlight and her striking blue eyes.  

“Are you ok?” he asked with concern

She looked confused at first and then opened her mouth to launch another tirade of abuse at him but dissolved into tears instead.

Dave took her in his arms and comforted her while she cried her pitiful tears and as they sat on the damp tarmac of the car park in the moonlight she sobbed and dribbled on his costume until their hearts somehow became entwined.

Kristina spent that night at his cottage, in his bed, while he slept on the sofa. 

The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (140) Zoey’s in the office

 

When Lawrence Gilbert and Brian Baker opened their new Chandlery premises at the Old Mill in Spaniards Creek, he was particularly pleased that they were moving in next door to Baker’s Tree Surgery, who were one of the first tenants to move in, back in June.

The reason for that was Lawrence’s partiality for Vicki Baker, who was his partner Brian’s sister, but he hadn’t been able to separate her from her brother and fellow tree surgeon Nathan or her best friend and colleague Zoey Bargeman, long enough to ask her out. 

He had known her for many years, but it wasn’t until he moved to the island that his feelings towards her changed.

 

So on Monday morning when Lawrence and Brian arrived at their unit, Brian went straight inside, but Lawrence was surprised and delighted to see Vicki was walking towards her pickup, so he thought he would take full advantage of the situation.

“Hi Vicki” he said

“Oh hello” she replied “Zoey’s in the office”

“Ok that’s good to know” he said “but it was you I wanted to talk to”

“Me?” she said incredulously

“Yes you” he replied

“Why?” she asked

“Why do you think?” he said

“Oh I understand” she said with a sigh “you want her phone number I suppose”

“No” Lawrence replied with surprise “Why would I want her number?”

“Everybody always wants her number” she replied “Which is a waste really, as she never wants to go out with any of them, she’s only ever had eyes for Brian”

“Really?”

“Yes”

“Well no I do not want her number” he said

“Now I’m confused” Vicki said, “Do you want to ask her out or not?”

“No! I wanted to ask you out” he explained

“Me?” she said incredulously

“Yes you” he replied

“I’ve been wanting to ask you out for ages but you’re always working or you’re with Zoey and I never get a look in”

“Seriously?” she asked 

“Yes” he replied “So?”

“So what?”

“Will you go out with me?” Lawrence asked

“Yes” she said and grinned from ear to ear

“I’m free tonight”

“Great” he responded “Dinner?”

“Lovely” she acquiesced 

“Where do you fancy?” he asked

“How about The Cherry Blossom?”

“Ok, do you want me to pick you up?” Lawrence asked

They both lived in St Pierre but on opposite sides of the town and the restaurant was equidistant between them.

“Why don’t we meet there” Vicki replied

“Great, I’ll see you there then” he said and walked toward the building.

“Lawrence?” she called, and he stopped and walked n

back 

“Yes” he replied

“In order to seal the deal” she said “shouldn’t there be a kiss”

“You want a kiss?” he asked

“Yes please” she replied

“Anything to oblige” Lawrence said and kissed her

 

The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (139) Birthday Salutations

 

On Thursday evening Molly and Danny returned to the island in time for her 24^th birthday the next day and were on the last ferry of the day and drove through the rain to Spaniards Creek and had an early night.

 

They rose late the next morning and after serving her breakfast in bed he wished her happy birthday again and so they were even later rising, so much so that she didn’t have time to open her presents from Danny before they had to leave for the Orangery.

When they arrived at the Beaumont Manor, George, Katie, Sam and Nikki were already at the table and Arielle and Harry joined them shortly afterwards.

 

After the usual birthday salutations Katie asked

“So what wonderful present did he get you this time?”

“Whatever it was, he didn’t get it from me” Sam Archer said

“I haven’t had chance to open my presents yet” she replied, and Katie raised an eyebrow

“But he did give me this” Molly added extended her left hand for them to see the ring, and after the squeals and congratulations had died down the engagement was all they wanted to talk about.

 

She did get to open her presents later that day but there were more birthday and engagement celebration with friends over the weekend.

The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (138) The Tempest

 

While Molly and Danny were sunning themselves on the white Sardinian sands, the Pepperstock Bay Islands were taking a battering from an autumn storm, which in the early hours of Wednesday morning brought part of an oak tree down in Manor Row which ended up going through Deborah Woodward’s bedroom window.

Fortunately she wasn’t at home at the time as she was on a night shift, but she got a nasty shock when she got home at 8 o’clock even though Stuart Cameron had phoned her.

 

The fire service was in attendance when she got home and she was greeted by part time firefighters Frazer Richmond, who she knew from the hospital as he was also a paramedic, and Adrian Robinson.

The damage was much worse than she expected, the huge oak bough had indeed gone through her bedroom window, but it had taken a big chunk of wall as it did so, and there was substantial damage to the roof as well.

Frazer and Adrian had secured a tarpaulin over the damage in order to keep the elements out, but the tree was still in situ as it was still partially attached to the tree.

“Is it safe to go in?”

“I wouldn’t recommend it until the tree has been removed” Frazer replied

“Can I at least go in and pack a bag?” she asked

“Yes, but don’t go into that bedroom” Frazer said, and she let herself in.

 

Deborah returned about ten minutes later carrying a large suitcase and a small holdall, she paused briefly to lock the door and then she walked up the path. 

The rest of the crew had stowed their gear on the vehicle and Frazer and Adrian had been joined by Stuart.

“Have you got everything you need?” Frazer asked 

“Yes, I think so” she replied despondently

“Where are you going to stay?” Adrian asked

“The Hotel I suppose” she replied

“Nonsense” Stuart interjected “I’ve made up the bed in the spare room”

“Are you sure?” she asked

“Absolutely” he replied as he took her suitcase

“Bless you” she said

“And thank you guys as well”

“No problem” Frazer said “The Baker’s will be along in a little while”

“Who are the Baker’s?” she asked

“The tree surgeons”

 

It was midmorning when Brother and Sister, Nathan and Vicki Baker arrived in Manor Row, it was not their first job of the day.

There were five siblings in the Baker family, but only two of them were tree surgeons, and they lived together in St Pierre in a large Victorian house, with rooms over 4 floors, since the substantial loft space had been converted into another bedroom, and there was also a cellar that was used as the movie/games room.

Their parents had retired to Spain and left the house to the five children equally, and it was built by one of their ancestors, and was something of a monstrosity, but it was home.

 

They soon set to work and quickly dealt with the problem bough, before dealing with any loose or damaged branches on the tree itself, and just as they had finished loading the last of the lumber onto the pickup, Adam Jandrell and Franci Liebenberg arrived to do a full inspection and make the tarpaulin secure after the tree was gone. 

 

Once they had finished in Manor Row Nathan and Vicki drove back to Spaniards Creek and unloaded the wood in the yard, where it would be cut and dried to sell as firewood by local girl Zoey Bargeman, who began working for the Baker’s within a week of them moving in.

Apart from working for them, stunningly attractive Zoey spent a lot of her spare time with Vicki, and they became great friends as they were both 25 years old and had a lot in common.

The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (137) Romantic Italy

 

Lawrence Gilbert and Brian Baker had been friends all their lives and when they left school aged sixteen, they both started working for a Chandler’s in Pipershaven and ten years later they decided to go out on their own and were doing very well for themselves, in a much smaller way than the company they had worked for, but after three years they had established themselves in St Pierre and in mid-October they opened a second premises at the Old Mill in Spaniards Creek, next door to Baker’s Tree Surgery, who were one of the first tenants to move in, back in June.

 

The Hotel Danny and Molly were staying in had a wonderful view over the bay of Naples and Capri beyond and as the scented sea breeze gently caressed her brunette hair Danny thought he had finally found the right moment in the right venue.

So on Friday Evening as they were gazing at the spectacular sunset he said

“Molly, I have to ask you something”

“What’s that?” she replied without looking at him

“Well it’s something I’ve been trying to ask you about for the last week” he added

“Well what is it?” Molly asked still staring at the sunset

“Perhaps this will give you a clue” he said putting a small package on the table and she turned to look

“It’s not my birthday for another week” she said and looked away again

“This is a different kind of gift” he said

“I’m not opening it until my birthday” she insisted

“Please”

“Definitely not” she replied  

“Molly Barrington, will you please do what you’re told when I’m asking you to marry me” he said

“What?” Molly exclaimed and turned around

“But if you don’t want to marry me, then I’ll take it back to the shop”

“No, no you can’t do that” she said in a panic

“No, the moment has passed” he said

“But you have to marry me” she pleaded, “You asked me, so you can’t take it back”

“I feel a bit silly now, but ok, will you …” he began said

“Yes, Yes, and Yes” she screamed and threw her arms around his neck.

He rummaged in his pocket and gave her the package and said

“You’d better have this then”

She snatched it from his hand and ripped the packaging to threads to expose a ring box.

Her hands were shaking as she snapped the lid back and when she saw the contents she gasped

“If you don’t like it, we can buy another ring together”

“It’s beautiful, I’ll keep it forever” she said and kissed him, and it was the kind of kiss that meant that they wouldn’t see any more of the sunset.

 

After celebrating their engagement rather spectacularly the night before they decided they had had enough of sightseeing so they thought they would take the ferry to Sardinia and have a bit of relaxion on the beach for the last five days of their holiday.   

The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (136) Good Friend’s and Artisan’s

 

The beginning of the second week of October Molly and Danny left Beaumont Island for a short holiday in Italy, and their first stop was Venice.

They stayed at the Palazzo Canova and from there they did all the touristy stuff, a romantic cruise in a gondola along the Grand Canal, the Rialto Bridge and fish market, St Marks's Basilica, the Bridge of Sighs and the grandiose Doge's Palace.

They enjoyed it well enough, and the Hotel was excellent, but he wasn’t feeling how he wanted to feel in a city fabled for its romance.

 

Molly enjoyed the sightseeing in Venice, and they talked in loose terms of what Sharon Jacques or Frazer Markham might get up to, but Venice hadn’t really lived up to their expectations.

So after two chilly nights they decided to get on the train and three hours later they were in Rome, and it was everything they expected it to be and more, but it still didn’t tick one important box for Danny.

 

Tracey Moran and Penny Keats were lifelong best friends and were inseparable, and every milestone they had reached in their lives had been reached together.

They lived in Spaniards Creek and had both recently had their 18^th birthdays and were in their last week before going off to university.

Their parents were not well off so they had got all the grants and bursaries that were available to them and being hard workers, they earned every penny they could to fund the shortfall.      

Since their early teens they had worked as Stable Girls at Woodside Farm and as soon as they turned 18, they started doing bar work at Philips Folly in the village.

It was while they were working at the Folly that they first saw Ben Arscott and Paul Young on Thursday evening and they were instantly attracted to them.

 

Ben and Paul were not islanders and were in Spaniards Creek to work on St Clara’s as they were apprentice Artisan Stone Mason’s, and they too liked what they saw, and as trade was slow due to the inclement weather there was plenty of time for chatting up.

 

On Friday it was a busier night, but they still kept a watchful eye on the girls during the evening and even chatted them up some more, but it wasn’t until Saturday night when they were at bar and noticed Tracey head off in the direction of the smoking area, and they nodded to each other, so Paul went in search of Tracey while Ben walked briskly over to where Penny was standing. 

 

Ten minutes later Ben walked back to the bar just as Tracey returned from outside, accompanied by Paul who then returned to their pints.

“Well?” Tracey asked when she returned to her friend.

“Well, what?” Penny replied

“Did Ben ask you?” Tracey asked

“Yes” she said excitedly, and they hugged

“But how did you know?”

“Paul told me” She replied

“But how did he know?”

“Ben told him?” Tracey said

“Oh”

“Anyway, Paul told me” She said “and then he kissed me”

“Where?” asked Penny, wide eyed with curiosity

“On the lips stupid”

“No, I mean, where?” she explained “Where were you when he kissed you”

“Oh outside” Tracey clarified

“What were you doing outside?” Penny asked “Apart from being kissed”

“Well, I went to the smoking area” Tracey explained “and when I came back in Paul was there waiting for me and he told me not to go back to the bar because Ben was asking you out”

She paused for breath and then continued

“Which was taking forever by the way, and we were blocking the door, so he suggested we went outside to get out of the way and that was when he kissed me, in the moonlight, it was very romantic”

“Wow” Penny responded “And did he ask you out as well?

“Yes” she said excitedly, and they hugged again

“Who’d of thought it, I have a date with an Artisan”

Penny said

“Me too” Tracey squealed just as the last bell rang.

 

In Rome, Molly and Danny had seen all the sights the great City had to offer until their feet were sore, so they decided they needed a change of pace by Sunday.  

So after 5 days in the eternal City they sat on the terrace of the Palazzo Canova Hotel drinking Wine Danny and asked

“So where to next?”

And the words had barely left his lips when she said 

“Naples”

“That was very definite” he said, and she grinned

“Naples it is then”

 

So the next morning after breakfast they got the train from Rome and an hour and a half later, they were in Napoli.

“See Naples and die” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe once famously said.

Well Molly and Danny did see Naples and they didn’t die, but they enjoyed amongst other things the ruins of Pompeii, Mt Vesuvius and a day trip to Capri.

The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (135) Harvest Festival

 

Paige Chapman went to the University of Downshire where she did Business Studies in Abbottsford and it was for her, like many girls of her age, a life defining time.

She was in halls for the first year and she shared with three other girls from Beaumont Island, Stacey Jackson, a tall, beautiful and kindly brunette girl, curvy redhead Poppy Nunthorpe, and Nicole Wilson a quiet busty brunette.

All four of the girls were studying different subjects, but their strong friendship resulted from their shared history as islanders, and as they got on so well the four of them decided very early on to rent a house between them for the second and third years.

 

Paige was five foot two, skinny and flat chested girl, beautiful and painfully shy, with blonde hair and a sweet smile and she lived at Crag Edge Farm which is the smallest of the five farms on the island, on the west of the island bordered in the east by Roman Road and Halfway Lane to the south.

 

There was a major effort during the Indian summer to harvest all the hay before the weather turned, but such was the intensity of the task they didn’t have time to stow it away as neatly as they normally would, so all the barns were full, but not tidy.

So ironically on the day of the harvest festival service at St Clara’s, all the farms were busy frantically getting their barns in order to make sure none of the hay and straw went to waste.

All the farms helped each other out during busy times which was why Phil Wilson from Roman Water Farm was in the barn at Crag Edge helping Paige stack hay bales.

 

They had been at it for about an hour and a half, and there was the normal amiable chatter between them as they stacked the bales, with Phil at ground level handing the bales up to Paige who was about ten feet up, piling them layer on layer, but then as she reached down for the next bale, the one she was standing on crumbled, and she fell forward onto the bale he was holding, which in turn fell on Phil and they ended up in a straw covered heap on the floor facing each other and then while she was still trying to catch her breath he took her by surprise and kissed her

“Oh” she exclaimed when he stopped

“Sorry” he said “I couldn’t help myself”

“Oh, that’s ok, it was very nice” she said “you just took me by surprise”

“Sorry?”

“It’s just…”

“Just what?”

“Well I always assumed you were gay” Paige said

“Why?”

“Well there are at least seven attractive women on the local farms, and I rather immodestly include myself in that number, between twenty-one and twenty-five and to the best of my knowledge, which is extensive, you haven’t tried it on with any of us, have you?”

“No” he said very definitely

“Why?”

“Firstly, because I’m not interested in your sister, random shepherdess’s or the stable girls” he said “and secondly because I was trying to get up the courage to ask you out, but then gravity intervened, and I seized the moment”

“Well you haven’t” she stated

“Haven’t what?”

“You haven’t asked me, you’ve invaded my personal space and assaulted me, but you haven’t asked me out” she said matter of factly

“Oh, I see, well yes I see what you mean” he said, “would you like to go out?”

“Of course, I do” she replied and then pushed him back on the pile of straw and invaded his personal space, and she was doing that to great effect when her sister Stacey walked in  

“I’ll come back later” she said

The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (134) Mending a Bridge

 

The following week was very difficult for Stuart and Deborah, the reason for their angst was not the kiss in isolation, they both rather enjoyed that, no, what had them both tied up in knots was the fact they had jeopardised their friendship.

There were a number of occasions over that week when their paths crossed at the hospital or in Manor Row, but they had adopted a distanced stance and only spoke to one another, when necessary, they had also adopted an attitude of deliberately avoiding each other on a day-to-day basis.

 

After a couple of weeks at the farm Natasha Baker said

“You’re a really hard worker, the Beaumont’s could use your energy and enthusiasm with the harvest if you’re interested”

“Really?”

“Yes really” Natasha said

“Then yes I’m interested” Sheridan Tilbrook said

 

October

 

The following weekend, when they would normally have been out and about together, on a very pleasant Sunday morning, they spent it alone walking aimlessly hoping not to bump into each other.    

Their intention was an invigorating walk to clear their heads and not to keep thinking about the other, which of course was the complete opposite of what happened.

It was damp and drizzly by midmorning but an hour later the drizzle had turned to persistent rain, and they made the decision that enough was enough and turned for home, by the shortest possible route, which for both of them was through Bellevue Woods.

They were both rushing along the path, head down and aware only of the fact that they were getting wetter with every step when the paths converged and they almost collided.

“Oh it’s you” he said in a surprised tone.

“You frightened the life out of me” she said and failed to suppress a laugh

He stood and watched rivulets of rain running down her face and she stared at the large droplets on the end of his nose.

Then they simultaneously exclaimed

“I’m sorry” and then they hugged, it was a long comfortable hug, and they were oblivious to the rain, they were just so happy they had their friends back. 

They restrained themselves from kissing again even though that was the opposite of what they wanted to do and contented themselves with the hug.

 

After the hug they trapsed less urgently back to Manor Row and had lunch at his house.

The problem was that the kiss had opened a “Pandora’s Box” of emotions in him and now he was desperately attracted to her, Deborah was now coming to terms with the fact that she had fallen in love with him, and had he ever known love before in his life he would have recognised the fact that he loved her.

As they sat in his lounge enjoying a hot chocolate she suddenly said

“Perhaps in future we should wait to be invited before we do any more kissing”

“Good idea” he concurred

This was reassuring for both of them as it meant that kissing was very definitely not off the menu.

 

The Beaumont’s were every bit as impressed with Sheridan Tilbrook as Natasha Baker was, but they weren’t able to keep her on more than a couple of weeks after the harvest.

“I’m sorry” Natasha said “I wish I could keep you on longer”

“That’s ok”

“But I have a friend at the Beaumont Manor, and I recommended you” She said

“Really?”

“Yes, she’s emailed me an application form for you” she said

“Oh, I can’t do it then” Sheridan said

“What do you mean?” Natasha asked

“I can’t fill in forms”

“Why not?”

“I can’t read or write very well” she said quietly and started to cry

“Don’t cry honey” Natasha said

“It’s ok, I’ll help you with the form”

“Will you?” she asked as she wiped tears off her cheeks with her sleeve

“Yes of course”

“But what if they ask me to read something, or fill something in while I’m there” she said in a panic

“You’ll be making beds and cleaning bathrooms” Natasha said “All you need to be able to do is recognize room numbers, and I know you can do that”

“But…”

“And I will help you improve your reading and writing in the meantime” Natasha said

“Honestly?” Sheridan asked and began crying again

The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (133) Overstepping

 

Also on that morning Doctors Woodward and Cameron took advantage of the fine day and the fact that they were both off work on the same day.

When Deborah knocked for Stuart, he had his binoculars around his neck and when she saw them, she said

“I hope you’re not going be saying “Oh what a beauty” every five minutes”

“I don’t say that” he said, and she laughed

“Or “Cor look at that lovely pair”“

“I don’t say that either” he said indignantly “People only say that in “Carry On” Films”

Deborah was chuckling loudly

“I would only say “Oh what a beauty” if I was looking at you” he said

“Oh!” she exclaimed and they both blushed

 

It was wet underfoot as they walked through Bellevue Woods following all the rain from the past week and with the wet  leaves beneath his feet, he suddenly lost his footing.

“Wha…” he exclaimed, followed by “oh shit” and the sound of breaking branches and a thud.

She pushed her way through some bushes and found Stuart getting to his feet and rubbing his hip.

“You didn’t see that coming with your binoculars?” she said, and laughed

“You’re mean” he replied and rubbed his hip again as if he had just remembered he had hurt it.

“Are you ok?” she asked, and they both giggled and then he replied

“I’m fine”

“Are you alright to continue?”

“Yes” he said “but somewhere more stable underfoot”

“Ok” she said, “What about up by the river?”

“Ok the river it is” she replied

 

When they got back to Manor Row Stuart was feeling the effects of his fall so, she offered to apply some Voltarol gel on his hip and lower back and when she had finished, without any warning she kissed him and he kissed her back and then almost telepathically they communicated that they had made a big mistake, and without speaking she left the house. 

“You are a stupid, stupid woman” she said out loud as she marched towards her the house “what on earth were you thinking”

She went through the front door still berating herself.

“Well that’s the end of the friendship now, and he’ll never trust you again” she said and went into the bathroom and slammed the door behind her.

 

As Deborah was stomping her way to number 6, Stuart was doing much the same thing in his own house.

“My God man, have you no self-control?” he muttered

“Just because she’s a beautiful woman, you think it ok to go and kiss her”

He ran the bath still muttering

“Just because she’s funny and has an infectious laugh and has a pretty smile, and smells divine, you cannot go around kissing her, her….” and as he struggled to complete the sentence he plopped down on the toilet and concluded.

“… beautiful soft lips”