The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (234) – Christingle Girls Refrain

 

December

 

The girls were sitting at a corner table facing back towards the bar.

“Look who’s just come in” Shannon said, and Catherine looked up and saw their prey standing at the bar.

As soon as she saw them Catherine got all flustered and her cheeks flushed.

“What’s wrong with you?” Shannon asked.

“Nothing” she said trying to look anywhere but at the bar.

“Just play it cool” Shannon asked and glanced at the bar just as Sam looked across at them and smiled.

“He’s looking over here” Shannon whispered.

They both smiled back at him and then Catherine said.

“Well, he’s not looking at me, is he?”

 

Catherine spent the next 20 minutes sneaking glances at Sam as he laughed and joked with his cousin, every now and then he would throw a glance at her, and she would look away.

There were a number of girls who approached them but whatever they were after they left without it.

Shannon suddenly got up and announced she was going to the loo and almost as soon as she left there was movement at the bar as Sam started walking towards Catherine.

“Hi Catherine” he said.

“Hello” she replied, “Shannon’s gone to the loo.”

“I know I saw her go” he said, “it was you I wanted to talk to.”

“Me?” she said incredulously.

“Yes you” he replied.

“Why?” she asked.

“Blimey you don’t make it easy for a bloke” he said.

“I don’t understand” she said.

“I wanted to ask you something while Shannon was in the ladies” he explained.

“Oh, I see” Catherine said with a sigh “you want her phone number I suppose.”

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

“Sorry?”

“I wanted to ask you out” he explained.

“Me?” she said incredulously.

“Oh no not again, yes you” he replied.

“I’ve been wanting to ask you out for ages, but I can never get you on your own, so I never get a look in.”

“Seriously?” she asked. 

“Yes” he replied “So?”

“Yes” she said.

“Now was that a question or an answer?”

“Definitely an answer” she said and grinned like a Cheshire cat.

“Good” he said, “now can I get you a drink?”

 

Sam walked to the bar just as Shannon returned from the toilet and Robert joined his brother at the bar.

When he first walked to the bar and saw Catherine sitting at the corner table, he congratulated himself on his choice of venue and hoped Christmas had arrived early and seemed he was not to be disappointed.

 

“Well?” Shannon asked when she returned to the table.

“Well, what?” she replied.

“Did he ask you?” Shannon asked.

“Yes” she said excitedly, and they hugged.

“But how did you know?”

“Robert told me” she replied.

“But how did he know?”

“Sam told him?” Shannon said.

“Oh”

“Anyway, Robert told me” she said, “and then he kissed me.”

“Where?” asked Catherine, wide eyed with curiosity.

“On the lips stupid”

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

“Oh outside” Shannon clarified.

“What were you doing outside?” Catherine asked, “Apart from being kissed.”

“Well, I went to the loo” Shannon explained “and when I came out Robert was there waiting for me, and he told me not to go back to the table because Sam was asking you out.”

She paused for breath.

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

“Wow” Catherine 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.”

Catherine said.

“Me too” Shannon squealed just as the boys and the drinks arrived.

 

After they were on the way home from the bus stop, they split up.

Robert turned left so he could walk Shannon home and romantically kiss her in the moonlight once more and Sam and Catherine turned right and walked slowly hand in hand in the moonlight, as they were in no rush to get home.

“Fancy that, I’m walking hand in hand with Sam Dennison” she said inside her head.

While Sam was thinking to himself about how lucky he was.

 

“Was that romantic enough for you?” Robert asked moments after his lips left hers

“It was acceptable” she said.

“Perhaps I should have another go” he suggested.

“Definitely worth a try” Shannon said obligingly.

 

When they got to the end of the path that led to her front door they came to a halt and he turned to face her, and he kissed her soft lips, in a long and sensual kiss.

“I’ve been waiting a long time to do that” Catherine said.

“Me too” he concurred.

“How long?” she asked.

“A couple of years, almost three to be precise” he confessed.

“I was 12” she admitted “when I first noticed you like that.”

“Was it worth the wait?” he asked.

“It was for me” she said.

And then her kissed her again which she took to mean “me too”

 

So, the Christingle Girls got their dark-haired gypsy eyed boys and had them hook, line and sinker, and they were all set to have a very happy Christmas indeed.

The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (233) Christingle Girls

 

December

 

It was at the church of St Pierre where the Christingle service was being held which would be well attended as usual as there would be children and families there from all across the island. 

 

The Christingle Service had become ingrained in Anglican worship though it had its origins in Eastern Europe, and the Christingle Service is a Service of candle lights, where very many years ago people gathered in the street, sang carols and collected gifts to help the less fortunate in the community.

It is a beautiful candle lit service of hymns, carols, recitations and bible readings, but Christingle goes beyond a candlelight service, and it tells a story.

A story is told with the symbolic use of an orange representing the world.
A red ribbon is tied around the orange to symbolize the blood of Jesus shed for his people and toothpicks decorated with dried fruits and sweets are placed at the four corners of the orange representing all the people of the world.
A lighted candle in the center of the orange represents the gift of the light of Christ to the world.

The Christingle lights are made by the children in Sunday school, and then they carry them proudly in procession into the church where they are lit for the service.

 

Because the symbol of the service began life in the Sunday School classes the leaders also attend to watch their charges and from St Joan of Arc’s were Sam Dennison, Robert Horne, Catherine Emmans, and Shannon Duel.

 

Catherine Emmans thought of herself as a plump girl but in reality, she was just a couple of dress sizes bigger than her best friend.

In every other respect she thought she was ok, with her luscious Auburn hair and an abundance of freckle and she was a tall girl, but that hadn’t been enough for her to get her anywhere with Sam Dennison, and she was convinced he didn’t even know she existed, but she had been in love with Sam since she was 12 years old and she was now 18.

 

Sam Dennison and Robert Horne were cousins and had black hair and wild gypsy eyes and were also 18-year-old and good-looking boys, and were very popular with the girls, but the sort of girls who kept throwing themselves at them were not the type of girl they were looking for.

 

Shannon Duel was 17 years old, and she was pretty, tall and slender girl with long dark hair and she was on the outside at least ultra-confident and ultra-popular with the boys who she kept dancing on strings, but they were not the right boys.

She was always immaculately turned out, painted, perfumed and powdered and ready to impress Mr. Right.

But apparently, he was never looking her way, whoever he might be.

But for all her big talk and bravado she was fast approaching 18 and hadn’t even been kissed.

Because she was pretty and because she knew she was pretty, Shannon always talked big when it came to the opposite sex, and her friends bought into it.

But it was all bravado, if one of the men she flirted with actually came on to her, she would have run a mile.

Outside she was sexy and confident but inside she was a shy and dowdy little mouse.

 

Shannon was convinced she was never going to be kissed and especially not before she reached her 18th birthday.

She could quite easily get a kiss in time if she acted like a tart, but she wasn’t a tart and she wanted her first kiss to be romantic, not desperate.

Meanwhile Catherine was still dreaming of a romantic affair with her prince charming Sam Dennison but was resigned to the fact it would never happen.

 

The two friends finally confided in each other during December.

“You fancy one of them?” Shannon probed “Which one?”

“Sam” she reluctantly replied.

“How long have you fancied him?” Shannon quizzed.

“Since I was 12” she replied.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked.

“Because nothing will ever come of it” Catherine said definitively.

 

But Shannon was very persuasive, and they made a plan, so on the afternoon of the Christingle service the girls did each other’s makeup, so they could each snag themselves a dark-haired Gypsy eyed boyfriend.

“Wow” Shannon said, “I look really hot.”

“Not bad, eh?” Catherine said admiring herself in the mirror.

“I look about 20” Shannon said, “Don’t you think?”

“21 maybe” Catherine added.

“Shall we go to the pub with them then” she suggested.

Catherine thought about it for a moment and said.

“I don’t know” she said, “I look rubbish.”

“You can borrow something of mine” Shannon said, and Catherine reluctantly agreed so half an hour later they were laughing and joking and on their way to St Pierre’s.

At the same time Shannon and Catherine were doing their makeup Sam and his Cousin Robert were just leaving home themselves for the same destination.

 

The Christingle service was lovely, and the huge congregation thoroughly enjoyed it but for the girls it caused a problem for them as they lost track of the boys, but unbeknown to them they had also decided to go to the pub, fortunately they also chose the Sword and Shield.

 

Shannon hadn’t been to a pub before and although she looked old enough to be in there after the makeover, she had no ID, so she went and found a table and Catherine bought the drinks.

The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (232) Like a Breath of Spring

 

December

 

It all began for Evangeline House and Roman Street in the southern town off Abbottsford, which was Downshire’s administrative capital and the seat of the Downshire government.

It was also a place that benefitted from the renowned Winston Churchill Hospital, it could also boast that it was a Cathedral City, was home to Abbottsford Town football club and was a seat of learning thanks to Downshire University’s.

 

Sweet Evangeline House walked into the party with a delicate air, and she entered Roman’s life like a breath of spring, enlivening him and her sweet refreshing presence altered everything in his world forever.

Heads turned to watch the maiden, a vision of pulchritude, as she moved like liquid lust, but she had eyes for him and him alone.

She was lithe limbed, gracile, and coquettish in the extreme and had but one desire which was to win his heart and soul because Evangeline was hopelessly in love with him.

But until that day she had been invisible to him, all through the first year they were at University she was just another college girl on campus, but for her he was her universe and every night he was in her head and in her dreams.

She was not invisible to other boys on campus, but she wasn’t interested in any of them, she had set her cap, and she would brook no substitute.

 

However, on that day she was not invisible, on that day he could see her, and he instantly ached for her, but he wasn’t going to get her, not that day.

She didn’t want to be just another conquest for a college boy, she wanted him, but she would deny herself the pleasure of him until he wanted her more.

Dressed as she was in a figure-hugging dress which left nothing to the imagination, she would win his love along with his lust.

She had his attention now and with him hooked she would lead him like a bull by the nose until she was certain she had his heart, his soul, and his love as certain sure as she could have had the rest of him right there and then.

Only when he professed his love to her and she was sure of his sincerity would she surrender her virginity to him.

That surrender came on the night of their wedding on the 8th of December, in the Wedding Suite of the Beaumont Manor Hotel and their union was perfectly blessed.

The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (231) St Andrew’s Day

 

November

 

St Pierre in the northwest corner of Beaumont Island, is the largest town on the island, in fact it’s the only town on the island and the most densely populated area in the Pepperstock Bay Islands.

St Pierre was where Arthur Lewis had lived for all 63 years of his life, in fact he’d lived his entire life in the same house, and it had never once occurred to him that he should live anywhere else.

 

He was born in the late fifties and had few recollections of that austere decade, almost all his earliest memories were from the brasher, brighter and less restrained sixties.

But the earliest memories he did have were about Christmas and in the Lewis household Christmas began on St Andrew’s Day, November 30th.

As a result of his awareness of the time coming on the cusp of the decades, his earliest memories of Christmas were of a bright and sparkly time when paper chains and the watery coloured paper stars, bells and balls were being replaced by dazzling foil and tinsel.

Which included the Silver Tinsel Christmas Tree, when he looked back it was a quite unspectacular specimen of a tree compared to what’s on offer in the 21st century, but he loved it.

It stood less than 5 feet tall with its fold down tinsel covered wire branches, tipped with red beads to symbolize berries.

However, by the time his Dad had worked his not inconsiderable Christmas magic and covered it with every size, shape and shade of bauble, glass birds with feathered tails, lantern lights, strands of brightly coloured tinsel, foil covered chocolate treats and tiny crackers lain on the branches, it was transformed and was absolutely stunning.

It was the only tree he’d ever known until his teenage years came to an end, when in the mid-seventies he suggested that they have a real tree just for a change.

He would never have suggested it if he had realized for a second that it would signal the death knell of the Silver Tinsel Tree.

Because the following year it was replaced by a green plastic tree much more akin to the trees of today.

 

After his Dad died a few years later the task of decorating the tree fell to him and he instantly realized, sadly, that he hadn’t inherited his father’s tree dressing skill and was never able to equal him.

He came very close one year, in 1983 it was, but he concluded in the end that he merely flattered to deceive.

 

The task of tree dresser fell to his wife Becky which she performed admirably for 40 years, and she made a far better fist of it than Arthur ever could.

However, whether she possessed the necessary skill to transform a Silver Tinsel Tree into something stunning he would never know, as she passed away in October.

“What I would give to watch you dress the tree again my darling” he said as he stared at the naked branches “and then hold you in my arms beside it”

The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (230) Fever Dreams

 

November

 

Saxvirdan, is a small hamlet north of the town of St Pierre, made up of former labourer’s cottages close to the remains of the old Roman fort site, Saxa Viridia Castellum, which was of great interest to archaeologists and tourists alike.

It was a quiet back water to someone like Gemma Ralph who was born and bred in London, her brother called it the back end of beyond, but those who lived there liked it well enough, even Gemma loved it despite the fact she’d had an argument with her husband and was sleeping in the spare room.

 

As she slept, her head was full of disturbing dreams of loss and loneliness interspersed with stark warnings from her dead grandmother “Never go to sleep on an argument” until she woke up in a panic, sweating profusely and panting hard.

She got up and paced the room for five minutes before tiptoeing across the landing and slipped beneath the duvet and cuddled up closely to Scott and drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

 

But as the dawn broke, her peace was disturbed, but this time, as she slept, her head was full of erotic images and her sleep became restless and fitful, and her skin tingled, and she kept licking her lips as the vivid images played in her head.

Her head rolled from side to side and then she suddenly awoke from that erotic dreamland, with a leer on her face.

So as the dawn chorus chattered in the trees Gemma and Chris made up, and following her disturbed night they both slept late.

The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (229) Just you and me

 

November

 

James Plant worked for Shaw Brothers and had been away on an outward-bound course, one of those team-building kind of affairs, and the first thing he did on returning home to St Pierre was to sit on his sofa and wade through the emails that had accumulated.

Most of them were of no importance so they went straight into trash, the rest comprised of a number from Daniella Williams, from the office, gently reminding him that he hadn’t submitted his expenses lately.

He had always found her to be an attractive woman but a bit too forceful and a bit bossy.

Luckily before leaving for the Pepperstock National Park, “for team bonding”, he managed to get ahead of the curve and got most of his receipts entered so it only took some little time for him to get them up to date and fire them off to her, which he hoped, would keep her quiet for a week or two at least.

 

Once he had finished all his correspondence, his thoughts returned to Theresa, as they had for most of his time away.

During his enforced isolation, with no access to technology or communication devices, he had a lot of time to think, and most of those thoughts were about Theresa, and on his return to civilization he was eager to speak with her, but he wasn’t getting any response on her mobile.

Theresa was the manager of the Beaumont Manor Hotel so he decided to phone her there the next morning and asked to speak with her and was informed by Kerry, an unhelpful receptionist, that she was not available, so he was about to leave a message for her to call him but instead he asked

“Is her brother Kenny available?”

It turned out that he was, as his was the next voice he heard 

“Kenny speaking”

“Hi Ken, its James” he said

“Hi James, how are things?” he asked

“Not bad” he replied “Listen I’m trying to get hold of Terri”

“She unexpectedly had to fly to the States on Saturday morning” he responded “And she’s staying over there for Thanksgiving”

“Damn” he cursed

“Anything I can help with?” he asked

“Not really” he said, “It’s a question only she can answer”

“Well, I’m sure she will if she can,” he said “I’ll get her to call you”

And he had to leave it at that.

 

It was much later that day when he received a call.

“James” Terri said brightly “Sorry it’s taken so long to get back to you, but the time difference really messes with my head”

“That’s ok” he lied, but it was so good to hear her voice

“I was just hoping we could get together”

“I would like that”

“Ok great” he said “when?”

“Well, I get back in late on Friday which means on Saturday I’m going to be an absolute cabbage so how about Sunday” she suggested

“So how about lunch, but just you and me”

“Definitely” he replied “phone me with the where and when”

 

He was disappointed initially with not being able to say all the things that he wanted to say to her, all the things that he had been dying to say since the team bonding exercise when it dawned on him that he was in love with her, and that came right out of left field.

But that upset was more than offset by her proviso in reference to lunch when she added “But just you and me”

So, he was elated, but the only downside was that he had to wait a for a week before he could see her, but at least they could skype, so he had something to be thankful for.

The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (228) Guy Fawkes

 

 

November

 

On Saturday night there was a Guy Fawkes Bash, at the Beaumont Manor, which was a fancy dress party, but in addition it was also a masquerade.

But not everyone who wanted to go could afford to attend so they had to watch the display from a distance.

So staring up at the starry November sky in the hotel carpark

were teenagers Barry Wood and Sally Swift who were on their first date on Guy Fawkes Night, and they stopped to watch the pyrotechnic display as it began to grow in intensity after they’d been to the pictures.  

 

After enjoying the fireworks display the headed the headed home, it was dark in the lane as they exited the carpark and just ahead of them, they could see there was a dog walker smoking a cigarette as some kind of Terrier snuffled around in the grass.

The man took one last drag on it and the flicked it into the darkness and it span through the air like a Catherine wheel.

Which Barry thought was quite appropriate as they had just spent half an hour watching the fireworks display, and there was still the smell of gun powder in the damp night air.  

But despite the cold and damp, neither Barry nor Sally were in any particular hurry to reach their respective homes.

It was their very first date, in fact not only was it their first date together it was the first date of any kind for Barry and the first for more than a month for her.

Barry was sixteen and Sally six months older 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 at her front gate and an awkward silence ensued as Barry shuffled his feet and tried to think what to do next and Sally waited patiently for Barry’s next move, but when she realized he didn’t have one she took decisive action and reached up and kissed him and then the fireworks truly began, when 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 (227) All Souls’ Day

 

 

November

 

The hamlet of Saxvirdan a mile or so from St Pierre and as it was a hamlet, everyone knew each other’s business, but that didn’t mean that there weren’t still secrets.

 

Mark Holdway was walking along the bridle path in the autumn sunshine, lost in thought and totally oblivious to the glorious scenery surrounding him in the glorious woodland.

He wasn’t even aware how long he’d been walking such was the burden he was carrying.   

“Hello Mr Holdway” a voice said bringing him back to the present and he looked round to see Charlotte Euringer trotting past and giving him a radiant smile.

“Hello Charlotte” he said as she trotted off down the path on her horse, her pert little bottom bouncing on the saddle, rhythmically rising and falling in synchrony with the beast below her and he instantly felt guilty.

It was the guilt of a grieving husband, daring to look upon the loveliness of another woman, and in those moments, he felt really alive.

He had nursed his dying wife from the moment they found out she was terminally ill right up till the end, which thankfully had been mercifully quick.

Charlotte Euringer had been her palliative care nurse, and he really liked her, but there had been no infidelity, he loved her far too much to betray her in that way, it would never even have occurred to him to cheat on a dying woman.

In fact not only that but he kept Charlotte at arm’s length and was cold and aloof and never let his true disposition show through, but the guilt he had felt since, took none of that into account.

 

But that day was different, he had no cause to feel guilty, because on that morning, six months after his beloved wife Ellen passed, he received a letter from his solicitors, Cutts, Miller and Toogood, which he supposed to be some final loose ends to be tied, which in a way it was.

Because when he opened it, he discovered another letter, this time from his wife Ellen, which the solicitor’s letter informed him, was being delivered to him in accordance with his late wife’s wishes.

He sat down and his hands were shaking as he opened the envelope which at once exuded the essence of her favourite fragrance, which he took several minutes to enjoy, with her scent in his nostrils it was like she was there with him, which he surmised was probably the point.

 

He was in tears when he read the letter, one particular part he read several times and each time he cried afresh.

 

“If you are reading this then it means that six months have passed since I left you, and that means that, if you haven’t done so as yet, it’s time for you to get on with your life, you’ve grieved long enough.

I know that you and Charlotte “connected” while you were both nursing me, although you did your best to hide that fact from each other, though not from me, and I also know that you’re far too honourable to have done anything about it, either then or now, which is why I’ve also written to Charlotte.

So live your life to the full, our chapter is over now, and it made very good reading, but it’s time to write the next one with Charlotte”.

 

She had given him permission to pursue another woman, but he wasn’t anywhere near as sure as she was that Charlotte had even the merest interest in him and then he rounded a bend in the bridal path where he saw Charlotte stood beside her horse, which was tied to a stile.

“What kept you?” she called

“Were you expecting me then?” he asked

“I was told you were coming” she replied and held up Ellen’s letter as she walked towards him

“No need to hold back now” she said as she faced him  

“No” he agreed and then he kissed her, guilt free

The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (226) All Saints’ Day

 

 

November

 

For ten years Andrew Jessup and Yolanda Torres had lived together in the town of St Pierre.

It was when they were planning their wedding in the Parish when tragedy struck, and a riding accident left her paralysed and brain damaged and in need of perpetual care.

Andrew was fortunate that he had his own design business and was able to work from home at last three days a week safe in the knowledge that the people who worked for him could handle the day to day without his input.

He was also financially secure enough to have private nursing care for Yolanda, while also benefitting from a large family support network which still held strong even after six years.

In late October it was the turn of Yolanda’s youngest sister Evelyn to spend a week helping out.

Evelyn didn’t live in the St Pierre, she lived and worked in Spaniards Creek, so she stayed in the spare room for the week, and because she lived away Andrew didn’t see her very often.

Evelyn was six years younger than her sister and was as different physically as it was possible to get, they were both beautiful with  lovely figures, past tense in Yolanda’s case, she was short and curvy, brunette and brown eyes, while Evelyn was a tall skinny, redhead with green eyes.

 

Andrew and Evelyn had never had a falling out but had always been a bit standoffish with each other although there was no animosity between them, but being in the same house together for a week was not something Andrew was looking forward to, but he knew he had to make the best of it.    

They decided to give each other a wide berth and that all went fine until All Saints Day, which was Yolanda’s birthday, Andrew always thought that was very appropriate as he always saw her as a Saint for putting up with him.

There was a constant stream of visitor all day bringing flowers, cards and best wishes, and more crucially as the day went on, alcohol, so by the time the last of the visitors had left both Andrew and Evelyn had drunk a glass or two too many.

 

The pair of them were clearing up before turning in and in their befuddled state were trying to navigate around the kitchen, and more importantly around each other, when they found themselves standing face to face.  

 

At which point she grabbed him around the neck and kissed him, hungrily and passionately and when she broke away, she exclaimed.

“Sorry, sorry, I’m so sorry.”

And then she ran off.

 

Andrew finished the tidying and turned off the lights and after kissing Yolanda good night he went upstairs to bed.

But as he passed by the spare room door, he could hear sobbing, and he couldn’t ignore it.

So, he knocked lightly on the door, and when it opened Evelyn was standing there with red eyes and tear-stained cheeks.

“I’m so sorry” she said and threw herself into his chest “I’m such a despicable person, please forgive me I’m so, so sorry.”

“You don’t have anything to be sorry for” he assured her.

“But…”

“Absolutely nothing” he added.

“But I kissed you” she said, “a proper snog.”

“I know and do you think it would have gone on as long as it did if I hadn’t wanted to do it too.”

“Really?” she said, “but I didn’t think you liked me.”

“I like you too much, that’s the problem” he explained “So I kept you at arm’s length.”

“I’ve wanted to do it since I was 16” Evelyn said.

“And was it worth waiting 14 years for?”

“Very much” she replied, “But now, I want more.”

“Me too” he admitted “but you know we can’t, don’t you?”

“Yes” she replied.

“Does Yolanda know how you feel?” he asked.

“I’ve never told her” Evelyn said, “And now I’ve betrayed her.”

“No you haven’t” he assured her and then they just stood in silence embrace for an indeterminate time until she asked.

“Will there ever be an us?”

“One day, if you want it” he replied.

“I do, so very much.”

“Then it will happen, but we have to be strong for Yolanda” he said and then kissed her on the forehead and turned to go back into her room.

“No more tears” he said.

“No more tears” she agreed.

 

The next morning Evelyn arrived downstairs with her case and in response to his unasked question said.

“I thought it was for the best, I can’t trust myself now I’ve tasted forbidden fruit.”

“I’ll miss you” he said and walked towards her and kissed her on the forehead.

“Kiss me goodbye properly” she pleaded and without hesitation he complied, and it was everything that the sloppy enthusiastic exchange of the evening before was not, because this kiss didn’t taste of excessive Pinot, it tasted of love.

 

That night after the nurse had left, he was sitting beside the clinical hospital furnishings holding Yolanda’s hand in his as his thumb gently caressed its back when the phone rang and when he answered it, it was Evelyn,

“Hi Andrew, thanks for putting up with me this week” she said.

“It was no hardship” he said his thumb still caressing Yolanda’s hand.

“I suppose you’ll be sleeping in the chair beside my sister tonight.”

“Yes” he replied.

“She’s lucky to have you.”

“Your time will come” he said.

“I know but that makes me sad” she retorted “Because to get you I have to lose her.”

The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (225) An Interesting Girl

October

 

The head of the Townsend family was 80-year-old Nathan, but he resided in the Sunny Pines Retirement Village and Nursing home in Pipershaven and was unlikely to leave anytime soon.

So effectively the patriarchal head of the family elect was his eldest son Kevin, although in truth his wife Chloe was actually the brains of the outfit and Kevin’s role was more as the figure head and Chloe’s was one of absolute ruler.

One of her dictates was Sunday lunch, on the first Sunday of every month the whole family were expected to attend the ritual gathering of the clan in Spaniards Creek.

Of course, it wasn’t always possible for everyone to attend every month for a variety of reasons but on the last Sunday in October it was to be a full house and that had only happened once before, and the reason for the 100 percent turnout was all because of eldest child Danny and the fact he was bringing his girlfriend.

Not that Danny having girlfriend was unusual, far from it, in fact it would have been difficult for the rest of the family to remember a time when Danny didn’t have a girlfriend, and all of them had been unforgettable.

The reason for that was that Danny’s choices would be best described as “interesting” girls.

He didn’t really have a type, which you would have thought he would have done as he was almost 30 years old, but they didn’t even have hair colour in common, body shape, size, height, intellect, athleticism or age.

There had been Karen, the tattooed one, bald Dakota, the multiple pierced Goldie, a butch one called India, a Barbie doll named Pinkie, a goth, a punk, a biker, a pole dancer and a wrestler who answered to the name Headcase.

So, when word got out that Danny was bringing home another curiosity, nobody wanted to miss it.

His mother, Chloe, would have been happy enough had he not felt so compelled to keep bringing them home, but he did, and he was rather like a cat who keeps bringing home various recently departed creatures and dropping them on the doorstep for mum to admire.

So, because of the families’ curiosity there were 18 for Sunday lunch, including Danny and whatever circus performer he might turn up with.

Not that the numbers were a problem to Chloe in fact she relished it, she loved to cook and the more the merrier to her way of thinking, it was her disappointment in Danny for his appalling taste in women and his wounded expression at her disapproval which just seemed to say” I’ve done it again haven’t I?”

So, on Sunday morning when Danny’s car was spotted pulling onto the drive Chloe braced herself as Kevin looked out the window.

“Well?” she asked reluctantly

“Oh” he exclaimed

“Is the good or bad?”

“It’s good” he replied “she looks normal”

“Really?” she asked in surprise and joined him at the window and observed her sons latest squeeze, 5-6 slim brunette, well dressed, well-groomed and really rather pretty.

“Everyone’s going to be so disappointed” Chloe said and smiled.

 

After all the introductions had been done it seemed that not only did, she look normal, but she also appeared to be normal in every other respect, she conversed well and expressed no strong or controversial political views, she didn’t guffaw or shriek when she laughed, and everyone seemed to take to her very well as Danny looked on nervously. 

But it appeared that the only odd thing about her was her name which was Limone, which made Kevin raise an eyebrow, but if that was the only strange thing about her then he could live with that, but he had a nagging doubt at the back of his mind that she might be too good to be true. 

 

When lunch was ready everyone made their way to the conservatory and took their places at the huge table except those already designated to ferry in the food.

When the table was sagging under the weight of Chloes generous hospitality, Kevin stood up with a carving knife in one hand and a steel in the other and began stroking the former on the latter and as Chloe removed the platter lids to reveal a forerib of beef and a turkey crown he said

“What’s it to be Limone, beef or turkey?”

“Oh, neither thank you, I don’t eat meat” she replied, and a vein started to throb in his temple.

This didn’t go unnoticed, so she intervened in a soothing tone

“Not to worry dear, just eat the Yorkshire puddings and the vegetable, we have duck fat roast potatoes, buttered parsnips, asparagus in cream sauce and a rich gravy”

“I can’t eat any of that I’m a Vegan” Limone stated, and a stunned silence descended and a moment later after composing herself Chloe asked calmly

“You two have been dating for two months now and you didn’t think that the fact she is a vegan was important information to share with us when she’s been invited for a meal?”

“That was my fault” Limone said, “I told him not to say anything why?” Chloe asked in disbelief

“I like to see how people cope with the situation then I can gauge what kind of people they are” she explained

“Really?” Chloe said and sat down and then Kevin lay down his carving knife and shouted

“Well I’ll tell you what kind of people we are, we are meat eating people, who use cheese, butter and milk in their cooking, a lot of milk cheese and butter”

The tone and volume of Kevin’s retort made her recoil, and she pushed back her chair from the table and then he turned his attention on Danny

“As for you son, I suggest you go out and find somewhere to buy a vegan meal for miss fussy knickers”

“I’m not fussy” Limone protested “it’s a lifestyle choice”

“It’s a fussy choice” Kevin retorted

“What if I can’t find one?” he asked meekly

“Then you’ll have to take Lemsip outside and find a pebble for her to suck”

“It’s Limone” she snapped as she stood up

“And now I know what kind of a person you are” she screamed

“Really? Do tell me what you think” Kevin said

“You’re a pig Mr. Townsend, that’s what I think”

“Well you’re the only one that does, because if everyone else did they’d have killed me and cooked me already” he said brandishing the carving knife and she screamed before she turned on her heels and left and Danny trotted after her

“You enjoyed that didn’t you?” Chloe asked

“Very much” he admitted, and they all laughed, and he continued with the carving.

After Limone departed with Danny in her wake the rest of the assembled clan turned their attention back to lunch, but it took about 30 seconds before proceedings to descend into laugher as they recounted the Vegan incident with several attempts by those present to mimic Limone and Kevin’s confrontation and when that was exhausted they recounted tales of Danny’s earlier disasters, which took most of the afternoon.

 

Danny caught up with Limone a little way down the road heading towards the bus stop and it took all of his effort to persuade her back to the car where he could drive her home but suffice is to say that they were no longer an item whether she accepted or not, and he was soon on the lookout for another girlfriend.

After Limone there were to be three more “interesting” girls invited to Sunday lunch before he finally brought home an uninteresting one answering to the name of India, but it took three Sundays before she was finally declared normal and Danny was able to look at his mum and not see disappointment in her eyes. 

The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (224) Falling Back

 

October

 

Jada Ellington lived in a cottage with her parents at Woodside, which was the largest of the five farms on the island covering the whole of the southeast corner, a large wedge-shaped parcel of land bordered by Halfway Lane to the north, Spanish River and Eagles Crag in the west and the rugged coastline from Manor Cliff Beach to Armada Head to the east.

Jada was 17-year-old, and she was on a first date with local boy Mihael Cahill.

They had been to the pictures in St Pierre followed by drinks at the Sword and Shield and they the last bus back towards the village and then they had a long walk up to the farm from the bus stop and she was quite anxious as she had a 2am curfew and she was going to miss it, only by minutes but as far as her father was concerned, a miss was a miss.

“I’m in so much trouble” she said

“Why?” he asked

“I’m late obviously” she retorted, and he stopped and turned to face her

“But you’re not” he said

“I am, look” she said and showed him her watch

“Don’t you know what day it is?”

“It’s Sunday now” she replied

“Yes, it’s the third Sunday in October” he said, “And do you know why that’s significant?”

“No” she replied resignedly

“It’s when British Summer Time ends”

“How does that help?”

“Because it means that you’re not late, you’re early” he replied and showed her his phone

“So, we don’t need to hurry?” she asked

“No, we don’t”

“Oh goody” she retorted and kissed him

The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (223) The Girl Had Legs

 

October

 

Saxvirdan, is a small hamlet north of the town, made up of former labourer’s cottages close to the remains of the old Roman fort site, Saxa Viridia Castellum, which was of great interest to archaeologists and tourists alike.

All of the house’s contain to some extent, materials acquired from the old Roman Buildings.

It was also the home of the Tuke’s, brother and sister, David and Gill, who ran the poultry side of Roman Water farm.

They were both the wrong end of their twenties and there were only the two of them left of the Tuke clan, but they had two people working with them full time, 22-year-old local girl Victoria Walton, and her thirty-year-old brother Chris, who David had known at Agricultural College.

To Davids surprise and delight, Gill and Chris got together in September which in turn threw him and Victoria into close proximity, which he was also pleased about, but he was conscious of the difference in their ages, so he didn’t do anything but enjoy her company and he was content with the status quo, but Victoria had other ideas.

 

David was partial to a Coffee and after the Coffee Bean Canteen opened a branch in St Pierre, he would ride the farm bike, equipped with a large basket on the front, to the edge of town to deliver fresh eggs to the Corner Shop and would then indulge his passion for a real coffee.

But on those days when Gill did the larger egg deliveries in the van he would still ride into town on the bike just for a coffee, which Victoria was well aware of. 

 

So, on one Saturday afternoon in October when he was riding as fast as the old bike would allow through the Wood, he looked up and saw a young woman come out of the bushes ahead of him and then she turned towards him and smiled.

To his surprise it was Victoria, but not Victoria as he knew her in heavy denim and work boots, this was very much a horse of a different colour.

She was wearing a lemon-coloured dress, and she had legs, he’d never seen her legs before, and sandals on her feet, and he was blown away as she stood there in the unusually warm autumn sunshine as the breeze played with her soft brown hair.

“Wow” he exclaimed, and she smiled again because she knew she had him.

So, she walked towards him as gracefully as she could manage given the uneven ground and her unaccustomed footwear.  

And when she was alongside him, she kissed him gently and hoped she had not made an error about his feelings toward her.

She needn’t have worried because the moment their lips parted, he lifted her up onto the crossbar and kissed her in return.

 

After the most mutually satisfying kiss, she slipped gracefully off the cross bar and rearranged her dress, and he said

“Well, I’ll see you later then”

“What?” she said with panic in her voice as he began to pedal away

“Don’t leave me” she begged, and David smiled at her

“You pig,” she said and slapped his arm

“Do you really think I would just leave you after that kiss?”

“No” she said and hugged him “But you’re still a Pig”

Victoria lived in the village, but she was in no hurry to get home, she wanted to go wherever he was going, so they trundled along the track through the woods on the bike, him pedaling and Victoria sitting in the basket in front of him laughing loudly at every bump.

He stopped outside the Coffee Bean Canteen, leant the bike against a lamp post and helped her out of the basket.

And when she was perpendicular again, he gave her a long and meaningful kiss and then held her hand as they walked into the Coffee Shop.

The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (222) Belated Honeymoon

 

October

 

After marrying in August, Danny Nightingale and his wife Molly, deferred their honeymoon until September and instead just had a few days in Abbottsford and stayed at the Regents Hotel.

In September they had their honeymoon proper, an extended tour of European capitals encompassing Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm, Helsinki, Warsaw, Prague, Bern, Vienna and culminating in Berlin in time for the Oktoberfest.

The beer festival was still going on when they arrived in Frankfurt for the book fair where they met up with their publisher, Max Parsons.

It was of particular importance to them this year because the

crime fiction writers had two books to be promoted, the latest instalment of the Fraser Markham series, a character creator by Danny, and the long awaited second book containing the new protagonist Sharon Jacques created by both of them.

The Frankfurt Book Fair or the Frankfurter Buchmesse, FBM for short) is the world's largest trade fair for books, based on the number of publishing companies represented. The five-day annual event in mid-October is held at the Frankfurt Trade Fair grounds in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

Several thousand exhibitors representing book publishing, multimedia and technology companies, as well as content providers from all over the world gather in order to negotiate international publishing rights and license fees. 

The first three days are restricted exclusively to professional visitors; the general public attend the fair on the weekend.

Saturday was their favourite day as the got to meet the readers, many of them were fans but many of them weren’t, unfortunately they couldn’t stay for the last day as they had to get back to the UK.

 

Molly’s grandfather Sir Avery Arnold appointed Bramstock, Goodman, Crossfield, and Bushe of Abbottsford, to manage his affairs, which they did for many years.

After his death they handled Molly’s affairs, all her finances and all the assets from his estate, until the occasion of her 25th birthday when she would inherit her grandfather’s estate in its entirety and overnight become insanely rich. 

While they managed the estate, they also had discretion to release funds at her request for what Sir Avery called her “Special Projects” and it was Clive Crossfield, who handled her affairs on behalf of firm.  

So on the day after her birthday Molly met with him at Cliff Haven where they completed all the necessary paperwork and Sir Avery’s wishes were finally fulfilled.

Although she then had complete control of the estate, she still retained Bramstock and co to manage her affairs in the same way they did for her grandfather.