Kathryn Reed had just turned thirty and she was a nurse, but reaching her milestone birthday she realised she was in a bit of a rut.
She was single and had lived alone for four years since her last boyfriend Dave got his marching orders and although she enjoyed her job she thought she could be doing more.
She was a good nurse, quietly efficient, and very popular with staff and patients alike.
Kath was tall and slim, she was also pretty but with her yellow hair scraped back into a bun and her half-moon glasses perched on her nose she looked a bit severe and her flat hospital shoes did nothing for her long slender legs.
But none of that stopped3 her from being admired.
Because she had no family nearby and no other plans she was working all over Christmas to allow the nurses who did have families to spend it at home with them and because she was doing them a favour they would do the same for her over New Years.
She had done it every year since she broke up with Dave, but that Christmas she had another reason to be on duty, because she had fallen for one of the patients on her ward in a big way.
This was not the done thing on many levels, firstly because nurses and patient’s fraternising was a no no, and very unprofessional, and she was very professional, the second reason was because the patient was a girl.
Kathryn had always been bi, but had made the decision in her early twenties to be either fish or fowl, and she had chosen to be heterosexual, but having turned 30 with no one in her life she had decided to re-evaluate, but that was after Christine Gallaher arrived on her ward.
She was younger than Kath by about six years with Titian hair and pale skin and she thought she was lovely.
Kath was encouraged by the fact that Christine’s only visitors were her parents, and as far as she could tell she had had no romantic visitors.
Christine was only in for some relatively minor surgery and was due to go home on Christmas Eve but it was decided to keep her in as a precaution as her blood pressure was very erratic and had caused some concern.
Kathryn was not concerned because she had discovered the cause of the problem, and it was her.
She made the discovery while she was attending to daily observations, because she very quickly realised she was having a distinct effect on her the painfully shy girl, but Kathryn hoped she might bring her out of herself.
Because Kathryn liked her she took her time, the patients she didn’t like she wasted no time with.
They chatted as she went about her business and updated the chart, then she took her temperature, pulse and finally her blood pressure. Kath attended to the cuff around her arm and pumped the bulb and when she had a reading she took hold of Christine’s hand and said
“Just relax”
But the caress of her hand made her do anything but relax and Kath knew for certain that the attraction was mutual.
“Well I think we have the cure for what ails you” she said and smiled as she gave her hand a squeeze and Christine smiled back and blushed.
Because the hospital always made a concerted effort to get as many patients home as possible over Christmas there were only a few patients left on Clementine Ward and only Kath and one other nurse were on duty to cover it.
So there were times during the day when the staff and patient comings and goings were almost non-existent.
Alice Franklyn, the other nurse took her break at three o’clock on Christmas Day so that Kathryn would be able to take hers and be back before visiting started at 4.
Christine was in a six bed bay at the quiet end of the ward and her bed was at the far end and only one other bed was occupied which was next to hers but Mrs George was in the bathroom.
There were no screens up around Christine’s bed but Mrs George pulled her curtain around her bed so she could get changed in privacy after her shower.
On seeing the screens in place Kathryn decided to make her move as Christine may well be discharged the next day before Kathryn’s shift began on Boxing Day.
So she decided to strike while the iron was hot and walked briskly to her bed and brandished a sprig of mistletoe and said
“Happy Christmas Miss Gallaher”
Then she stooped and softly kissed Christine’s smiling lips, then again, and again until it just became one long sensual kiss, which only ended when Mrs George emerged from the bathroom
“I’ve been wanting to do that for ages” Kathryn whispered
“I’m glad” Christine whispered in reply “I have too”
Kathryn didn’t volunteer to work on Christmas Day the following year as she had a reason to be at home and Christine was very happy about that.
Monday, 26 June 2017
Those Memories Made on Teardrop Lake – (92) There’ll be Nun of that
He did not possessed any high principles, he did hold certain standards and preferences but they were at best flexible.
But despite his appreciation for all things feminine, he did always try to avoid fishing in someone else’s pond, no matter how attractive the body of water might be.
Some might call it a code but those that did eventually abandoned it after repeatedly failing to meet their own exceptionally low standards and repeated their failures on numerous occasions following it.
If they did possess any scruples they had would have doubtless shown by their behaviour that they could be overcome, as their many peccadilloes would testify to.
Colin Diss however was not one of that number so when Sister Gloria of the Mary of Bethany Convent in Finchbottom made a pass at him, courtesy of an over indulgence on communion wine he supposed, so he was pleased with himself when he declined her advances and broke away from her embrace.
“Are you worried about your immortal soul?” She asked with a chuckle
“Because I would think you’re probably damned already for all the sinning you’ve done”
“No of course not” he snapped “I’m more concerned about yours”
“Oh that” she said, “well I’m of a purer bent than you and I shall merely have to repent my misdemeanour”
He looked at her doubtfully
“Look I have my faith,” she said with conviction “I know that I have eternal life awaiting me”
“I can’t do it with a nun” he retorted and kissed her on the forehead and then left the room but paused outside.
He was proud of his strength of character in rejecting Sister Gloria’s invitation to canoodle, it certainly wasn’t through a lack of attraction or even what she was wearing, that made him so steadfast, he liked uniforms and outfits, and vestments certainly didn’t put him off.
He didn’t even think it was because she was a nun although had she been in any other vocation he would probably not have hesitated.
But as he walked away the overwhelming feeling was not one of pride.
It was not however that he was growing a spine or at the very least getting a conscience, he thought it was just his strength of character.
But he found he was affronted because Sister Gloria said that she thought that having sex with him was sin free.
Making him feel like a vegetable in a slimmer’s diet plan.
In fact he was so miffed that he went straight back to confront her.
When he re-entered the room he found Gloria sitting on the sofa with her unshod feet resting on an occasional table
Her head was uncovered and she had a cigarette in one hand and a glass of whisky in the other.
“My God, what kind of Nun are you?” he exclaimed
“I’m not” she retorted taking a mouthful of whisky
“Not what?”
“I’m not a nun” She said and laughed
“What?”
“Your brother put me up to it” Gloria explained and laughed again “I’m an actress”
But despite his appreciation for all things feminine, he did always try to avoid fishing in someone else’s pond, no matter how attractive the body of water might be.
Some might call it a code but those that did eventually abandoned it after repeatedly failing to meet their own exceptionally low standards and repeated their failures on numerous occasions following it.
If they did possess any scruples they had would have doubtless shown by their behaviour that they could be overcome, as their many peccadilloes would testify to.
Colin Diss however was not one of that number so when Sister Gloria of the Mary of Bethany Convent in Finchbottom made a pass at him, courtesy of an over indulgence on communion wine he supposed, so he was pleased with himself when he declined her advances and broke away from her embrace.
“Are you worried about your immortal soul?” She asked with a chuckle
“Because I would think you’re probably damned already for all the sinning you’ve done”
“No of course not” he snapped “I’m more concerned about yours”
“Oh that” she said, “well I’m of a purer bent than you and I shall merely have to repent my misdemeanour”
He looked at her doubtfully
“Look I have my faith,” she said with conviction “I know that I have eternal life awaiting me”
“I can’t do it with a nun” he retorted and kissed her on the forehead and then left the room but paused outside.
He was proud of his strength of character in rejecting Sister Gloria’s invitation to canoodle, it certainly wasn’t through a lack of attraction or even what she was wearing, that made him so steadfast, he liked uniforms and outfits, and vestments certainly didn’t put him off.
He didn’t even think it was because she was a nun although had she been in any other vocation he would probably not have hesitated.
But as he walked away the overwhelming feeling was not one of pride.
It was not however that he was growing a spine or at the very least getting a conscience, he thought it was just his strength of character.
But he found he was affronted because Sister Gloria said that she thought that having sex with him was sin free.
Making him feel like a vegetable in a slimmer’s diet plan.
In fact he was so miffed that he went straight back to confront her.
When he re-entered the room he found Gloria sitting on the sofa with her unshod feet resting on an occasional table
Her head was uncovered and she had a cigarette in one hand and a glass of whisky in the other.
“My God, what kind of Nun are you?” he exclaimed
“I’m not” she retorted taking a mouthful of whisky
“Not what?”
“I’m not a nun” She said and laughed
“What?”
“Your brother put me up to it” Gloria explained and laughed again “I’m an actress”
Sunday, 25 June 2017
Downshire Diary – (91) The Babysitter
(Part 01)
Eleanor Saunders was a 29 year old divorcee with two young children who still lived in the marital home in Dulcet Green, the village where she was born and she concidered herself very lucky to be living in the place that she loved.
But she was still an attractive woman, very attractive most would say, and although she loved her children dearly she had needs outside of the family which wernt being met, so she started dating again, blind dates mainly, which were usually disasterous.
On the occasions when she did go out, she had a number of local girl who baby sat for her, they varied in ages from 16 to 18 but there was one older girl, Christine Murch, who was her first choice to babysit for her.
Chrissie was a pretty blonde student who was in her third year at Abbottsford University and was a quiet studious girl who was always grateful of the extra money, and could study just as well in Ellie’s house as at home, but Chrissie had a secret.
It came to light after one particularly disasterous date when Eleanor arrived home early and found Chrissie laying on the sofa behaving a little out of character, she was agitated and flustered, and Ellie suspected she might have been on drugs.
She suspected she was a bit too noisy as she opened the front door which gave the girl a chance to hide the evidence and Ellie found herself feeling a little dissapointed in the girl, she thought she was better than that.
But Ellie was certain sure she was up to something and found herself wishing she’d been a bit quieter with the front door.
The next day, after she’d taken the children to school she sat on the sofa drinking her coffee and made an interesting discovery.
One of her silk blouses was stuffed down the back of the cushion, which she was certain she had put in the wash the previous morning.
Eleanor imediately thought the previous nights nearmiss and the unearthing of her dirty blouse had to be connected, she held it to her face and she could still smell her perfume on it, and then she put two and two together and she realised why Chrissie was so flustered the previous evening, and Ellie had some very salacious images in her head and found herself really turned on.
Eleanor spent the afternoon wearing a very smug expression on her face and harbouring a salacious plan in her head.
And the first part of the plan was to bait the trap which she did by reapplying perfume to her silk blouse and putting it in her wash bin.
The second part was to phone Chrissie and ask if she could babysit that evening.
And once the kids were safely tucked up in bed she would bring out the artillery, her best and hottest black silk ensemble and black stockings all beneath a black designer dress and victory would be hers.
(Part 02)
Once the kids were safely tucked up in bed she brought out the artillery, her best and hottest black silk ensemble and black stockings all beneath a black designer dress.
She also took extra care with her hair and makeup so she could optimise the impact, so that when she appeared downstairs Chrissie would be blown away.
“How do I look?” she asked almost casually
“Wow, you look stunning” Chrissie said
“Are you doing something special?”
“I do hope so” Ellie thought to herself but out loud she said
“No just dinner”
“Well he’s a very lucky man” she said
Eleanor spent longer than usual getting out the door as she wanted to give Chrissie every oportunity to drink in the vision of her in her finery and crossing and recrossing the lounge also wafted her expensive perfume arround the room, although she wasn’t sure that was the way Chrissie liked to smell her perfume.
Ellie also did a lot of bending over, much more than usual, and she even lifted the hem of her dress and adjusted her stocking right infront of her to great effect, and the pleasure on her face was palpable.
When Ellie was quite sure she’d tempted and teased her babysitter enough she picked up her bag and keys and said goodbye.
“Have a nice time” Chrissie said
Eleanor slammed the front door behind her but instead of getting in the car she crept around the side of the house and reentered via the kitchen door.
She put her bag down and slipped off her shoes and tiptoed across the kitchen and quietly into the dining room to the half open door that led to the lounge and waited for the show to start and after the very noticable effect she had on the baby sitter she didn’t think it would be long.
And sure enough as she peered through the crack in the door, Chrissie was just returning from the wash bin with Eleanors silk blouse, and a pair of leggings, also from the wash bin.
But then much to Ellie’s surprise she didn’t make her self comfortable on the sofa, instead she slipped off her jeans and replaced them with Ellies leggings, then she removed her top and put Ellies blouse on and buttoned it up and then she closed her eyes and hugged her self as she breathed in Eleanors exotic perfume.
Then she watched as Chrissie sat on the sofa still hugging herself and smiling which was when Ellie decided to make her move.
So she slipped out of her black designer dress and stepped silently into the lounge wearing only hottest black silk ensemble and black stockings that Chrissie enjoyed so much earlier.
Eleanor stopped beside the sofa and looked down on her babysitter.
“Is there anything else of mine you’d like to wear?” she said holding out her black dress and Chrissie opened her eyes and gasped, and all the colour drained from her face.
Firstly because she had been discovered wearing Ellies clothes and then again when she noticed Eleanor was in her underwear.
“Oh wow” she exclaimed
Eleanor rarely went out after that night but when Chrissie was home from University she still babysat two or three times aweek so Ellie didn’t need to go out anymore to have her needs met.
Eleanor Saunders was a 29 year old divorcee with two young children who still lived in the marital home in Dulcet Green, the village where she was born and she concidered herself very lucky to be living in the place that she loved.
But she was still an attractive woman, very attractive most would say, and although she loved her children dearly she had needs outside of the family which wernt being met, so she started dating again, blind dates mainly, which were usually disasterous.
On the occasions when she did go out, she had a number of local girl who baby sat for her, they varied in ages from 16 to 18 but there was one older girl, Christine Murch, who was her first choice to babysit for her.
Chrissie was a pretty blonde student who was in her third year at Abbottsford University and was a quiet studious girl who was always grateful of the extra money, and could study just as well in Ellie’s house as at home, but Chrissie had a secret.
It came to light after one particularly disasterous date when Eleanor arrived home early and found Chrissie laying on the sofa behaving a little out of character, she was agitated and flustered, and Ellie suspected she might have been on drugs.
She suspected she was a bit too noisy as she opened the front door which gave the girl a chance to hide the evidence and Ellie found herself feeling a little dissapointed in the girl, she thought she was better than that.
But Ellie was certain sure she was up to something and found herself wishing she’d been a bit quieter with the front door.
The next day, after she’d taken the children to school she sat on the sofa drinking her coffee and made an interesting discovery.
One of her silk blouses was stuffed down the back of the cushion, which she was certain she had put in the wash the previous morning.
Eleanor imediately thought the previous nights nearmiss and the unearthing of her dirty blouse had to be connected, she held it to her face and she could still smell her perfume on it, and then she put two and two together and she realised why Chrissie was so flustered the previous evening, and Ellie had some very salacious images in her head and found herself really turned on.
Eleanor spent the afternoon wearing a very smug expression on her face and harbouring a salacious plan in her head.
And the first part of the plan was to bait the trap which she did by reapplying perfume to her silk blouse and putting it in her wash bin.
The second part was to phone Chrissie and ask if she could babysit that evening.
And once the kids were safely tucked up in bed she would bring out the artillery, her best and hottest black silk ensemble and black stockings all beneath a black designer dress and victory would be hers.
(Part 02)
Once the kids were safely tucked up in bed she brought out the artillery, her best and hottest black silk ensemble and black stockings all beneath a black designer dress.
She also took extra care with her hair and makeup so she could optimise the impact, so that when she appeared downstairs Chrissie would be blown away.
“How do I look?” she asked almost casually
“Wow, you look stunning” Chrissie said
“Are you doing something special?”
“I do hope so” Ellie thought to herself but out loud she said
“No just dinner”
“Well he’s a very lucky man” she said
Eleanor spent longer than usual getting out the door as she wanted to give Chrissie every oportunity to drink in the vision of her in her finery and crossing and recrossing the lounge also wafted her expensive perfume arround the room, although she wasn’t sure that was the way Chrissie liked to smell her perfume.
Ellie also did a lot of bending over, much more than usual, and she even lifted the hem of her dress and adjusted her stocking right infront of her to great effect, and the pleasure on her face was palpable.
When Ellie was quite sure she’d tempted and teased her babysitter enough she picked up her bag and keys and said goodbye.
“Have a nice time” Chrissie said
Eleanor slammed the front door behind her but instead of getting in the car she crept around the side of the house and reentered via the kitchen door.
She put her bag down and slipped off her shoes and tiptoed across the kitchen and quietly into the dining room to the half open door that led to the lounge and waited for the show to start and after the very noticable effect she had on the baby sitter she didn’t think it would be long.
And sure enough as she peered through the crack in the door, Chrissie was just returning from the wash bin with Eleanors silk blouse, and a pair of leggings, also from the wash bin.
But then much to Ellie’s surprise she didn’t make her self comfortable on the sofa, instead she slipped off her jeans and replaced them with Ellies leggings, then she removed her top and put Ellies blouse on and buttoned it up and then she closed her eyes and hugged her self as she breathed in Eleanors exotic perfume.
Then she watched as Chrissie sat on the sofa still hugging herself and smiling which was when Ellie decided to make her move.
So she slipped out of her black designer dress and stepped silently into the lounge wearing only hottest black silk ensemble and black stockings that Chrissie enjoyed so much earlier.
Eleanor stopped beside the sofa and looked down on her babysitter.
“Is there anything else of mine you’d like to wear?” she said holding out her black dress and Chrissie opened her eyes and gasped, and all the colour drained from her face.
Firstly because she had been discovered wearing Ellies clothes and then again when she noticed Eleanor was in her underwear.
“Oh wow” she exclaimed
Eleanor rarely went out after that night but when Chrissie was home from University she still babysat two or three times aweek so Ellie didn’t need to go out anymore to have her needs met.
Mornington-By-Mere – (91) The Manor Farm Mouse
(Part 01)
In the late summer of 1943 Ronald Carrington stood on the platform at Roespring station in the inclement weather as the Purplemere train arrived.
The train was very busy but he managed to find a seat in the second compartment he came to.
Once on the train he fell asleep within minutes of the train departing the station, the motion of the train always did that.
When he opened his eyes again there were some new faces in the compartment, so he assumed he must have missed the stop at Nettlefield.
There were two girls sat across from him, one of which was a tall redhead with outstanding legs.
Ronald thought she was pretty enough, but he also thought she was all too aware of the fact and she positively preened when she realized he was admiring her legs, so he turned his attention to a quiet mousy girl sitting in the corner by the window.
The girl had long straight brown hair and a rather attractive, if heavily freckled face, but lovely hazel eyes, a cute nose and a thin-lipped smile.
She was a short, slim girl who he thought could have been anywhere between 18 and 25, wearing a rather faded floral dress and scuffed shoes.
The redhead, on seeing his transfer of allegiance, huffed quite loudly and flounced off to another compartment.
So Ronald and the little mouse spent the next twenty minutes exchanging glances amidst the occasional word.
He looked at his watch and they were only five minutes from Purplemere, he was sure he would easily make the connection for the bus to Mornington.
But that was before they stopped at a signal and waited there for what seemed like an eternity, presumably for a troop train, and when they eventually got going again it meant catching his bus was going to be an impossibility and even getting the next one was going to be a very close shave indeed.
As they approached the station the mousy girl stood up and reached up to get her case when the train lurched and she fell against him.
“I’m sorry” she said
“That’s ok, allow me” he said and easily lifted her case down
“Thank you….” She began
“Ronald” he said
“Thank you Ronald” she said “I’m Fiona”
“Please to meet you Fiona” he said and they shook hands and Fiona
smiled coyly, then as the train came to a halt she was thrown into his arms.
“That was very nice” he said as she gathered herself and then he turned and opened the door and stepped down onto the platform where he dropped his kit bag and then he helped Fiona down and said
“I do hope we can share a journey together again sometime”
“Me too” she said and blushed before she set off along the platform.
After watching her walk away he looked at his watch and rushed off towards the bus station and his worst fears wear realised when he saw his bus driving away.
“Bugger”
He checked the timetable and found he had an hour to kill before the next bus to Mornington and then it started to rain so he went and found a café to occupy his time and keep him dry.
(Part 02)
As he left the café it was raining hard, very hard, so he turned the collar up on his RAF great coat and rushed over to the bus stand and boarded the Mornington bus.
He made himself comfortable and was quite confident that he would sleep and dream away the duration of the journey.
That was until a rain soaked figure in a dripping raincoat boarded the bus just in the nick of time.
There was only a couple of empty seats, one of which was on the back seat next to him, and the figure made its way up the aisle and had obviously selected that one.
They appeared in front of him dripping water everywhere, including over him, which was when he turned into his mother and tutted loudly.
Realising what they had done the figure turned around.
“I’m so sorry did I get you wet?” the figure said from beneath a head scarf, before continuing with surprise and a thin-lipped smile
“Oh Ronald”
He tried to recognise the owner of the voice but there was only a small circle of face visible and that had hair plastered to it and drops of rainwater were dripping off their eye lashes.
It was definitely a girl, small and wet, he suppose it could equally have been a small, wet effeminate man but he didn’t think he knew any.
Not having a clue who it was he did the only thing left open to and feebly said.
“Hello”
The figure unbuttoned their raincoat and removed the scarf and he could see it was a short girl with straight brown hair and an attractive face, freckled cheeks, and hazel eyes, and when her wet coat was removed and she was wearing rather faded floral dress, he said.
“Fiona! I didn’t recognize you”
For the first half of the journey they chatted at length about themselves,
18 year old Fiona Blake lived in Nettlefield, where she had boarded the train, and lived with her parents where she was the youngest child of three.
Her two older brothers and her father were all in the Downshire Light Infantry, the former were last heard of in North Africa while her father was a drill instructor in Nettlefield.
She however was bound for Mornington as part of the Land Army where she had been assigned to Manor Farm.
Ronald Carrington on the other hand was 19 and was a pilot officer and was stationed at Mornington field
Which was originally used by the then newly formed Royal Flying Corps as a training base and it remained as a training squadron when the RFC became the RAF and right through to the end of the nineteen thirty’s, but when World War Two began it became a front line fighter base in the Battle of Britain and many sorties were flown from the field and many brave young men failed to return to it, Ronald himself had been there for the eight months since he qualified.
(Part 03)
After they had got to know each other the second half of the journey passed in silence as she was sleeping against his shoulder, which he really liked, so he let her sleep but when they were approaching the village he gently woke her and she smiled at him before she gathered her things together.
She threw her wet coat down on the seat and was about to sit next to it when the bus lurched and she fell onto Ronald’s lap but she quickly pushed back against him and scrambled to her feet.
“Sorry” she said
The bus bounced once more and she again fell against him but once again she scrambled to her feet.
“Sorry” she said once more, but almost immediately the bus lurched again and she fell onto his lap.
This time as she scrambled to regain her feet he said
“Stop apologizing Fiona”
And after chastising her he sat her on the seat beside him.
“I’m not sorry in the slightest” he added “I rather liked it”
“You shouldn’t say things like that,” she said blushing
“Why not? It’s true,” he said and then she did something that he had wanted to do for a long time, she leant over and kissed him
It was only a quick peck but it held promise but as soon as her lips left his she was on her feet and tottering down the aisle.
He was quickly after her and caught her at the top of the steps,
“Meet me at the Old Mill Inn on Saturday night” He said “7 o’clock”
“I don’t know about that” she retorted “I’ve heard about you RAF types”
She went down the steps and walked towards the open locker where the driver was handing out the bags and when she had hers she looked at him and said
“Ok, 7 o’clock”
It was 6 days after he’d seen her and he was quite anxious as he waited outside the pub, he had thought of little else since he had watched her walk away the previous Sunday, despite the fact they had had a busy week of operations.
But his anxiety was not diminished by the fact that 7 o’clock came and went, as did 10 and 20 minutes past the hour and the big hand was rapidly approaching the half hour when he heard a plaintive cry.
“Sorry, sorry, sorry”
And when he turned towards the source of the voice he saw it belonged to Fiona who was running towards him in her faded floral dress and her old scuffed shoes, freshly polished, and when she reached him she was red faced and breathless.
“I’m sorry” she said “We were late finishing, one of the cows refused to cooperate”
“Don’t worry” he assured her “I’m just glad you made it”
She smiled in relief and the redness of her exertions on her face was replaced by a blush then Ronald took hold of her hand and they went into the pub.
The pub was packed and very noisy but he got to the bar and got their drinks, beer for him and port and lemon for her and then they found a quiet corner but it was so raucous that they couldn’t really have a conversation and she kept looking around the bar, it was much busier than he had hoped it would be.
“Too many people eh” he said and she nodded so he finished his drink and stood up and added
“Come on lets go somewhere quieter”
And he led her outside and they walked slowly around the village and they could at last have a conversation.
“This is better” Fiona said and held his hand.
“Next time we’ll get the bus into Shallowfield and go to the pictures” he said
“Next time?”
“Only if you want there to be a next time” he said
“I really do” she said and giggled
They held hands all the way home and then kissed goodnight at the gate to Manor Farm and he watched his little mouse all the way to the door where she turned and waved and he knew he loved her and that she loved him.
In the late summer of 1943 Ronald Carrington stood on the platform at Roespring station in the inclement weather as the Purplemere train arrived.
The train was very busy but he managed to find a seat in the second compartment he came to.
Once on the train he fell asleep within minutes of the train departing the station, the motion of the train always did that.
When he opened his eyes again there were some new faces in the compartment, so he assumed he must have missed the stop at Nettlefield.
There were two girls sat across from him, one of which was a tall redhead with outstanding legs.
Ronald thought she was pretty enough, but he also thought she was all too aware of the fact and she positively preened when she realized he was admiring her legs, so he turned his attention to a quiet mousy girl sitting in the corner by the window.
The girl had long straight brown hair and a rather attractive, if heavily freckled face, but lovely hazel eyes, a cute nose and a thin-lipped smile.
She was a short, slim girl who he thought could have been anywhere between 18 and 25, wearing a rather faded floral dress and scuffed shoes.
The redhead, on seeing his transfer of allegiance, huffed quite loudly and flounced off to another compartment.
So Ronald and the little mouse spent the next twenty minutes exchanging glances amidst the occasional word.
He looked at his watch and they were only five minutes from Purplemere, he was sure he would easily make the connection for the bus to Mornington.
But that was before they stopped at a signal and waited there for what seemed like an eternity, presumably for a troop train, and when they eventually got going again it meant catching his bus was going to be an impossibility and even getting the next one was going to be a very close shave indeed.
As they approached the station the mousy girl stood up and reached up to get her case when the train lurched and she fell against him.
“I’m sorry” she said
“That’s ok, allow me” he said and easily lifted her case down
“Thank you….” She began
“Ronald” he said
“Thank you Ronald” she said “I’m Fiona”
“Please to meet you Fiona” he said and they shook hands and Fiona
smiled coyly, then as the train came to a halt she was thrown into his arms.
“That was very nice” he said as she gathered herself and then he turned and opened the door and stepped down onto the platform where he dropped his kit bag and then he helped Fiona down and said
“I do hope we can share a journey together again sometime”
“Me too” she said and blushed before she set off along the platform.
After watching her walk away he looked at his watch and rushed off towards the bus station and his worst fears wear realised when he saw his bus driving away.
“Bugger”
He checked the timetable and found he had an hour to kill before the next bus to Mornington and then it started to rain so he went and found a café to occupy his time and keep him dry.
(Part 02)
As he left the café it was raining hard, very hard, so he turned the collar up on his RAF great coat and rushed over to the bus stand and boarded the Mornington bus.
He made himself comfortable and was quite confident that he would sleep and dream away the duration of the journey.
That was until a rain soaked figure in a dripping raincoat boarded the bus just in the nick of time.
There was only a couple of empty seats, one of which was on the back seat next to him, and the figure made its way up the aisle and had obviously selected that one.
They appeared in front of him dripping water everywhere, including over him, which was when he turned into his mother and tutted loudly.
Realising what they had done the figure turned around.
“I’m so sorry did I get you wet?” the figure said from beneath a head scarf, before continuing with surprise and a thin-lipped smile
“Oh Ronald”
He tried to recognise the owner of the voice but there was only a small circle of face visible and that had hair plastered to it and drops of rainwater were dripping off their eye lashes.
It was definitely a girl, small and wet, he suppose it could equally have been a small, wet effeminate man but he didn’t think he knew any.
Not having a clue who it was he did the only thing left open to and feebly said.
“Hello”
The figure unbuttoned their raincoat and removed the scarf and he could see it was a short girl with straight brown hair and an attractive face, freckled cheeks, and hazel eyes, and when her wet coat was removed and she was wearing rather faded floral dress, he said.
“Fiona! I didn’t recognize you”
For the first half of the journey they chatted at length about themselves,
18 year old Fiona Blake lived in Nettlefield, where she had boarded the train, and lived with her parents where she was the youngest child of three.
Her two older brothers and her father were all in the Downshire Light Infantry, the former were last heard of in North Africa while her father was a drill instructor in Nettlefield.
She however was bound for Mornington as part of the Land Army where she had been assigned to Manor Farm.
Ronald Carrington on the other hand was 19 and was a pilot officer and was stationed at Mornington field
Which was originally used by the then newly formed Royal Flying Corps as a training base and it remained as a training squadron when the RFC became the RAF and right through to the end of the nineteen thirty’s, but when World War Two began it became a front line fighter base in the Battle of Britain and many sorties were flown from the field and many brave young men failed to return to it, Ronald himself had been there for the eight months since he qualified.
(Part 03)
After they had got to know each other the second half of the journey passed in silence as she was sleeping against his shoulder, which he really liked, so he let her sleep but when they were approaching the village he gently woke her and she smiled at him before she gathered her things together.
She threw her wet coat down on the seat and was about to sit next to it when the bus lurched and she fell onto Ronald’s lap but she quickly pushed back against him and scrambled to her feet.
“Sorry” she said
The bus bounced once more and she again fell against him but once again she scrambled to her feet.
“Sorry” she said once more, but almost immediately the bus lurched again and she fell onto his lap.
This time as she scrambled to regain her feet he said
“Stop apologizing Fiona”
And after chastising her he sat her on the seat beside him.
“I’m not sorry in the slightest” he added “I rather liked it”
“You shouldn’t say things like that,” she said blushing
“Why not? It’s true,” he said and then she did something that he had wanted to do for a long time, she leant over and kissed him
It was only a quick peck but it held promise but as soon as her lips left his she was on her feet and tottering down the aisle.
He was quickly after her and caught her at the top of the steps,
“Meet me at the Old Mill Inn on Saturday night” He said “7 o’clock”
“I don’t know about that” she retorted “I’ve heard about you RAF types”
She went down the steps and walked towards the open locker where the driver was handing out the bags and when she had hers she looked at him and said
“Ok, 7 o’clock”
It was 6 days after he’d seen her and he was quite anxious as he waited outside the pub, he had thought of little else since he had watched her walk away the previous Sunday, despite the fact they had had a busy week of operations.
But his anxiety was not diminished by the fact that 7 o’clock came and went, as did 10 and 20 minutes past the hour and the big hand was rapidly approaching the half hour when he heard a plaintive cry.
“Sorry, sorry, sorry”
And when he turned towards the source of the voice he saw it belonged to Fiona who was running towards him in her faded floral dress and her old scuffed shoes, freshly polished, and when she reached him she was red faced and breathless.
“I’m sorry” she said “We were late finishing, one of the cows refused to cooperate”
“Don’t worry” he assured her “I’m just glad you made it”
She smiled in relief and the redness of her exertions on her face was replaced by a blush then Ronald took hold of her hand and they went into the pub.
The pub was packed and very noisy but he got to the bar and got their drinks, beer for him and port and lemon for her and then they found a quiet corner but it was so raucous that they couldn’t really have a conversation and she kept looking around the bar, it was much busier than he had hoped it would be.
“Too many people eh” he said and she nodded so he finished his drink and stood up and added
“Come on lets go somewhere quieter”
And he led her outside and they walked slowly around the village and they could at last have a conversation.
“This is better” Fiona said and held his hand.
“Next time we’ll get the bus into Shallowfield and go to the pictures” he said
“Next time?”
“Only if you want there to be a next time” he said
“I really do” she said and giggled
They held hands all the way home and then kissed goodnight at the gate to Manor Farm and he watched his little mouse all the way to the door where she turned and waved and he knew he loved her and that she loved him.
Tales from the Finchbottom Vale – (91) Christmas Plans
“I fancy something to eat” she said and the movement of her head caused the golden earrings to glint in the Christmas candlelight.
“Me too” he said
As they left their pews he glance up at the memorial plaques on the wall and one of them in particular
“Lt William Beaumont Killed in Action, Died February 1941 aged 19”
It struck a chord for two reason firstly because his brother was 19 when he lost him, though not in a war, his demise was due to drink driving, his own.
The other thing was that he felt a connection to William Beaumont because his grandfather knew him, in fact they served together in the Downshire’s and was actually present when he was killed and he always spoke well of him.
The reason it struck a chord on that day was that he had been taking stock of his life and had come to the conclusion that life was a participation kind of thing and he hadn’t participated fully and he had lived twice as long as William.
And that was why he had gone to church that day for guidance from on high while enjoying the peace and tranquility and he got an answer of sorts
“You know what to do”
And then by divine providence she was there in the church, Caroline Kimber.
“Now it’s up to you” he said to himself
She smiled when she saw him and sat beside him and they chatted as they had many times before, but on this occasion he was more overt in his converse which gave Caroline hope which was why she said
“I fancy something to eat”
They left the church and crossed the street to the corner café where they had often had lunch together.
They used to sit right in the window, never saying much, they just sat there in a comfortable silence, drinking tea and watching the world go by.
But he had decided that other people sitting in café’s should be watching him and Caroline go by.
So on that day as the Christmas shoppers bustled by George was oblivious to them because he had eyes only for Caroline and nor was he silent and as a result she was expectant and then he said
“I was wondering what you were doing for Christmas”
“Nothing, I have no plans” Caroline replied
“Nor do I” George said “so why don’t we plan to do nothing together”
“You mean spend Christmas…. Together”
“Yes”
“I would like that very much” she said
“Merry Christmas” he said and saluted her with his mug and she reciprocated.
“Me too” he said
As they left their pews he glance up at the memorial plaques on the wall and one of them in particular
“Lt William Beaumont Killed in Action, Died February 1941 aged 19”
It struck a chord for two reason firstly because his brother was 19 when he lost him, though not in a war, his demise was due to drink driving, his own.
The other thing was that he felt a connection to William Beaumont because his grandfather knew him, in fact they served together in the Downshire’s and was actually present when he was killed and he always spoke well of him.
The reason it struck a chord on that day was that he had been taking stock of his life and had come to the conclusion that life was a participation kind of thing and he hadn’t participated fully and he had lived twice as long as William.
And that was why he had gone to church that day for guidance from on high while enjoying the peace and tranquility and he got an answer of sorts
“You know what to do”
And then by divine providence she was there in the church, Caroline Kimber.
“Now it’s up to you” he said to himself
She smiled when she saw him and sat beside him and they chatted as they had many times before, but on this occasion he was more overt in his converse which gave Caroline hope which was why she said
“I fancy something to eat”
They left the church and crossed the street to the corner café where they had often had lunch together.
They used to sit right in the window, never saying much, they just sat there in a comfortable silence, drinking tea and watching the world go by.
But he had decided that other people sitting in café’s should be watching him and Caroline go by.
So on that day as the Christmas shoppers bustled by George was oblivious to them because he had eyes only for Caroline and nor was he silent and as a result she was expectant and then he said
“I was wondering what you were doing for Christmas”
“Nothing, I have no plans” Caroline replied
“Nor do I” George said “so why don’t we plan to do nothing together”
“You mean spend Christmas…. Together”
“Yes”
“I would like that very much” she said
“Merry Christmas” he said and saluted her with his mug and she reciprocated.
Those Memories Made on Teardrop Lake – (91) Yuletide at the Claremont Hotel
(Part 01)
Shallowfield sat on the southern edge of the Finchbottom Vale and was bordered on the other side by the Dancingdean forest and the town’s fortunes had always relied largely upon forestry and agriculture for its survival.
In the post war years with rationing and a shortage of work a lot of people moved away from the area and it only just survived and the community around Teardrop Lake fared even worse.
Only a few of the houses around the Lake were thriving, a lot of the houses had been rented out and those that hadn’t were in a poor state of repair, some too such an extent they were little more than ruins.
But by the 70s however things were beginning to change, thanks mainly to tourism as a result of an increase in leisure time.
This trend was reflected by the fact that the previously derelict Shallowfield Lodge, which had been inherited by a young couple from Lincolnshire, Rob and Sheryl Brown, was being turned into a Hotel.
From then on Shallowfield went from strength to strength which was echoed by the fortunes of the Claremont Hotel.
It was once the home of a wealthy Downshire family but like so many similar great houses in the county it fell into disuse as the fortunes of the owners suffered after the Great War.
It had had many reincarnations since then, particularly in the years between the wars and had been used for many things over the post war years but it wasn’t until the 60s that it became The Claremont Hotel.
However things had got tough in the Hotel trade with the success of Travelodge, Premier Inn and Holiday Inn Express and so places like the Claremont needed to offer something extra to attract the guests.
In the early summer a new manager was appointed, Matthew Millward, and he was an instant hit with the locals because he was young, tall, dark and handsome, physically fit, well-toned and had a reputation as a fair minded guy, which had very much preceded him.
He was 28 years old and his father owned the Millward Manor chain of hotels and he was grooming him to one day take over the reins of his worldwide hotel empire, the problem was that Matt had no head for business and he felt that he was more of an artistic soul.
Which could possibly have been ignored but for the fact that he had broken off his engagement with the granddaughter of his father’s oldest friend.
However that in itself wasn’t what had him exiled, it was Elaine’s attempted suicide, not that his action had caused her mental meltdown, it was rather more her mental instability being the deciding factor that forced him to end the engagement.
So it was decided to send Matt to the Claremont Hotel where he could do no real harm until the dust settled.
When he first found out he was being sent to Shallowfield, Matt was very unhappy, he was a city boy, born and bred, and he viewed being sent to the country as purgatory, but no one was more surprised than he was when he found that he actually loved it, it was a beautiful place, it was quiet and the air was clean and he felt immediately at home.
(Part 02)
When he first found out he was being sent to Shallowfield Matt was very unhappy, he was a city boy, born and bred, and he viewed being sent to the country as purgatory, but no one was more surprised than he was when he found that he actually loved it, it was a beautiful place, it was quiet and the air was clean and he felt immediately at home.
After the broken engagement and the resulting fall out Matthew Millward decided that he would not under any circumstances get himself romantically entangled while he was on punishment duty.
But there is a very apt saying which goes “never on your own doorstep” which he had clearly never heard because on his first day he fell head over heels for the Hospitality Manager, Sarah Poole, although in his defence the feeling was mutual.
Although apart from two very passionate kisses, the first initiated by her and the second by him, and the fact they were hopelessly in love with each other nothing else happened.
She was five foot eight with short red hair, in a pixie cut, mesmerizing green eyes and a cute figure with curves in all the right places and long slender legs.
Sarah was 26 years old and wasn’t looking for a relationship either because she was married, albeit to an alcoholic who hadn’t had shown her any marital attention for two years but she was still married to him nonetheless.
Sarah had worked at the hotel for since she left school, five years in housekeeping, five more in hospitality, and for two of those as Manager and she loved her job.
Despite the fact that Matthew was sent to the Claremont as a punishment and possessed no head for business he surprised his father as well as himself by doing a very acceptable job of managing the hotel and had grown the corporate side of the business and it was becoming a very popular venue for functions.
This was as a result in no small measure to his decision to promote the former Hospitality Manager Sarah Poole.
This was after Martin Tyrer tendered his resignation, he had been a loyal employee of the Millward Manor group for ten years and had been the Assistant Manager at the Claremont for 5 of those and when the Manager’s vacancy came up he believed he was a shoe in for the job.
So when Matthew Millward was parachuted in over his head it was just too much for him to take.
It left Matthew in a very difficult position as he needed someone who knew the place inside out and Sarah Poole was the only person that really fitted the bill so he offered her the job.
Matthews father was particularly pleased with him, there had been no reported mishaps and he had turned around the fortunes of the hotel, and so he invited him up to Abbottsford for the weekend for a celebratory meal but as he was conscious that his success was due more to Sarah Poole’s efforts than his own he dragged her along as well.
The following weekend he went on his own, the meal was very good and it was nice to see his parents but he didn’t stay the whole weekend as he was missing the quiet of Claremont.
And in truth he was a little embarrassed taking all the credit for the success at the Claremont plus he rather missed Sarah.
Matthew felt very pleased with himself for persuading Sarah to take the assistant Managers job although it was for purely selfish reasons.
Having Sarah as assistant manager, who was not only hard working and diligent but could also handle the guests very well, meant he could comfortably leave her in charge while he was doing what he did best, letting other people get on with it.
(Part 03)
Sarah Poole was five foot eight with long shapely legs, but in his leather chair she looked quite small, almost childlike, her head, with her pixie cut red hair was turned to the side and she had an angelic look on her face.
It was a pretty face that he was very familiar with, he saw it every day at work and every night in his dreams.
Matthew Millward’s arrival at the hotel had a massive impact on Sarah Poole, and not just the fact that she fell in love with him at first sight and the relationship that had developed between them after she had stolen a kiss on his first day.
She had been promoted from Hospitality Manager into the assistant manager’s position and she had been able to leave her alcoholic husband because she was living in the Gate Lodge.
And Matthew had decided that because she had done such a wonderful job, to such an extent that she was making him look good, coupled with the fact that he was in love with her, he decided she deserved a reward, and he knew just the thing, her own office.
Which he surprised her with in November after Sarah had a week off to move the remainder of her possessions from her former marital home in the village to her new home at the Gate Lodge and she was thrilled with it.
Although Sarah was living in the gate lodge and had started the process of divorcing her alcoholic husband, and had completely lost her heart to her boss, they had not progressed from sharing the occasional spine-tingling kiss.
She knew though that he was just being the gentleman and was waiting until she was ready, well by December she was.
It was on Christmas Eve when Sarah was sitting in her office opening the mail and she had a rather large parcel addressed to her personally, she opened it and found a gift wrapped present inside but she didn’t open it, she just read the card instead
“Have a very Merry Christmas Sarah, with love from a very grateful Guest”
“Well that’s lovely” she said to herself and then she remembered that she had a present to deliver as well.
After she had finished opening the mail she ordered what sounded like a very interesting sandwich from the kitchen which turned out to be rather boring so she drank the cup of tea that came with it and decided to go and deliver a present of her own.
Sarah stood in the hall holding a Christmas package when she knocked on the door of his suite.
When the door opened she found Matthew Millward standing there wearing a dressing gown.
“Happy Christmas Matthew” she said beaming a big smile and holding out the package.
“Wow Happy Christmas Sarah” he responded, “come in”
“Ok” she said still smiling broadly “but no impropriety”
“No impropriety” he agreed and Sarah stepped inside
“You didn’t have to get me a gift,” he said to her as she sat down on the sofa.
“I think I did though because last Christmas Ken was drunk for ten days in a row, we had no decorations, because he ripped them all down in a drunken rage, no tree for the same reason, no Christmas dinner because he spent all the housekeeping money on booze and there were no presents” she said and tears were beginning to form in her eyes
“This year, I have a new job, which I love, I have somewhere I can call home, which I love, I have my own office, which I also love, I have money in the bank and a bright future ahead and it’s all thanks to you”
He tried to interrupt but Sarah continued
“If you hadn’t helped me, believed in me, I wouldn’t be here now having the best Christmas I’ve ever had since I was child, and I will always be grateful for that, and the other things of course” she added and blushed as she stood up and produced a sprig of mistletoe.
“Doesn’t that constitute “impropriety”?” he asked
“No this doesn’t count” she explained
“We have to kiss, it’s the law”
“What law?” he asked
“Christmas law” Sarah replied
“Oh ok then” he conceded and they kissed and afterwards she said
“I don’t want to have to use mistletoe like this again”
“Ok I’ll try and remember for next year”
“No that’s not what I mean” She said and smiled “I want to be able to kiss you at any time I want, wherever I want, no matter who might be looking”
“Are you sure?” he asked
“Absolutely, it’s time for me to be happy” she replied and kissed him again.
After satisfying the Christmas ritual and establishing the new status of their relationship, she left his suite.
Matthew was leaving to spend Christmas in Abbottsford with his parents while she was on duty.
She had volunteered to give people with family the time off, but they would be spending New Year’s Eve together and the New Year would be their new beginning.
“Happy Christmas to me, I’ve got a boyfriend” she said as she walked down the hall smiling broadly.
Shallowfield sat on the southern edge of the Finchbottom Vale and was bordered on the other side by the Dancingdean forest and the town’s fortunes had always relied largely upon forestry and agriculture for its survival.
In the post war years with rationing and a shortage of work a lot of people moved away from the area and it only just survived and the community around Teardrop Lake fared even worse.
Only a few of the houses around the Lake were thriving, a lot of the houses had been rented out and those that hadn’t were in a poor state of repair, some too such an extent they were little more than ruins.
But by the 70s however things were beginning to change, thanks mainly to tourism as a result of an increase in leisure time.
This trend was reflected by the fact that the previously derelict Shallowfield Lodge, which had been inherited by a young couple from Lincolnshire, Rob and Sheryl Brown, was being turned into a Hotel.
From then on Shallowfield went from strength to strength which was echoed by the fortunes of the Claremont Hotel.
It was once the home of a wealthy Downshire family but like so many similar great houses in the county it fell into disuse as the fortunes of the owners suffered after the Great War.
It had had many reincarnations since then, particularly in the years between the wars and had been used for many things over the post war years but it wasn’t until the 60s that it became The Claremont Hotel.
However things had got tough in the Hotel trade with the success of Travelodge, Premier Inn and Holiday Inn Express and so places like the Claremont needed to offer something extra to attract the guests.
In the early summer a new manager was appointed, Matthew Millward, and he was an instant hit with the locals because he was young, tall, dark and handsome, physically fit, well-toned and had a reputation as a fair minded guy, which had very much preceded him.
He was 28 years old and his father owned the Millward Manor chain of hotels and he was grooming him to one day take over the reins of his worldwide hotel empire, the problem was that Matt had no head for business and he felt that he was more of an artistic soul.
Which could possibly have been ignored but for the fact that he had broken off his engagement with the granddaughter of his father’s oldest friend.
However that in itself wasn’t what had him exiled, it was Elaine’s attempted suicide, not that his action had caused her mental meltdown, it was rather more her mental instability being the deciding factor that forced him to end the engagement.
So it was decided to send Matt to the Claremont Hotel where he could do no real harm until the dust settled.
When he first found out he was being sent to Shallowfield, Matt was very unhappy, he was a city boy, born and bred, and he viewed being sent to the country as purgatory, but no one was more surprised than he was when he found that he actually loved it, it was a beautiful place, it was quiet and the air was clean and he felt immediately at home.
(Part 02)
When he first found out he was being sent to Shallowfield Matt was very unhappy, he was a city boy, born and bred, and he viewed being sent to the country as purgatory, but no one was more surprised than he was when he found that he actually loved it, it was a beautiful place, it was quiet and the air was clean and he felt immediately at home.
After the broken engagement and the resulting fall out Matthew Millward decided that he would not under any circumstances get himself romantically entangled while he was on punishment duty.
But there is a very apt saying which goes “never on your own doorstep” which he had clearly never heard because on his first day he fell head over heels for the Hospitality Manager, Sarah Poole, although in his defence the feeling was mutual.
Although apart from two very passionate kisses, the first initiated by her and the second by him, and the fact they were hopelessly in love with each other nothing else happened.
She was five foot eight with short red hair, in a pixie cut, mesmerizing green eyes and a cute figure with curves in all the right places and long slender legs.
Sarah was 26 years old and wasn’t looking for a relationship either because she was married, albeit to an alcoholic who hadn’t had shown her any marital attention for two years but she was still married to him nonetheless.
Sarah had worked at the hotel for since she left school, five years in housekeeping, five more in hospitality, and for two of those as Manager and she loved her job.
Despite the fact that Matthew was sent to the Claremont as a punishment and possessed no head for business he surprised his father as well as himself by doing a very acceptable job of managing the hotel and had grown the corporate side of the business and it was becoming a very popular venue for functions.
This was as a result in no small measure to his decision to promote the former Hospitality Manager Sarah Poole.
This was after Martin Tyrer tendered his resignation, he had been a loyal employee of the Millward Manor group for ten years and had been the Assistant Manager at the Claremont for 5 of those and when the Manager’s vacancy came up he believed he was a shoe in for the job.
So when Matthew Millward was parachuted in over his head it was just too much for him to take.
It left Matthew in a very difficult position as he needed someone who knew the place inside out and Sarah Poole was the only person that really fitted the bill so he offered her the job.
Matthews father was particularly pleased with him, there had been no reported mishaps and he had turned around the fortunes of the hotel, and so he invited him up to Abbottsford for the weekend for a celebratory meal but as he was conscious that his success was due more to Sarah Poole’s efforts than his own he dragged her along as well.
The following weekend he went on his own, the meal was very good and it was nice to see his parents but he didn’t stay the whole weekend as he was missing the quiet of Claremont.
And in truth he was a little embarrassed taking all the credit for the success at the Claremont plus he rather missed Sarah.
Matthew felt very pleased with himself for persuading Sarah to take the assistant Managers job although it was for purely selfish reasons.
Having Sarah as assistant manager, who was not only hard working and diligent but could also handle the guests very well, meant he could comfortably leave her in charge while he was doing what he did best, letting other people get on with it.
(Part 03)
Sarah Poole was five foot eight with long shapely legs, but in his leather chair she looked quite small, almost childlike, her head, with her pixie cut red hair was turned to the side and she had an angelic look on her face.
It was a pretty face that he was very familiar with, he saw it every day at work and every night in his dreams.
Matthew Millward’s arrival at the hotel had a massive impact on Sarah Poole, and not just the fact that she fell in love with him at first sight and the relationship that had developed between them after she had stolen a kiss on his first day.
She had been promoted from Hospitality Manager into the assistant manager’s position and she had been able to leave her alcoholic husband because she was living in the Gate Lodge.
And Matthew had decided that because she had done such a wonderful job, to such an extent that she was making him look good, coupled with the fact that he was in love with her, he decided she deserved a reward, and he knew just the thing, her own office.
Which he surprised her with in November after Sarah had a week off to move the remainder of her possessions from her former marital home in the village to her new home at the Gate Lodge and she was thrilled with it.
Although Sarah was living in the gate lodge and had started the process of divorcing her alcoholic husband, and had completely lost her heart to her boss, they had not progressed from sharing the occasional spine-tingling kiss.
She knew though that he was just being the gentleman and was waiting until she was ready, well by December she was.
It was on Christmas Eve when Sarah was sitting in her office opening the mail and she had a rather large parcel addressed to her personally, she opened it and found a gift wrapped present inside but she didn’t open it, she just read the card instead
“Have a very Merry Christmas Sarah, with love from a very grateful Guest”
“Well that’s lovely” she said to herself and then she remembered that she had a present to deliver as well.
After she had finished opening the mail she ordered what sounded like a very interesting sandwich from the kitchen which turned out to be rather boring so she drank the cup of tea that came with it and decided to go and deliver a present of her own.
Sarah stood in the hall holding a Christmas package when she knocked on the door of his suite.
When the door opened she found Matthew Millward standing there wearing a dressing gown.
“Happy Christmas Matthew” she said beaming a big smile and holding out the package.
“Wow Happy Christmas Sarah” he responded, “come in”
“Ok” she said still smiling broadly “but no impropriety”
“No impropriety” he agreed and Sarah stepped inside
“You didn’t have to get me a gift,” he said to her as she sat down on the sofa.
“I think I did though because last Christmas Ken was drunk for ten days in a row, we had no decorations, because he ripped them all down in a drunken rage, no tree for the same reason, no Christmas dinner because he spent all the housekeeping money on booze and there were no presents” she said and tears were beginning to form in her eyes
“This year, I have a new job, which I love, I have somewhere I can call home, which I love, I have my own office, which I also love, I have money in the bank and a bright future ahead and it’s all thanks to you”
He tried to interrupt but Sarah continued
“If you hadn’t helped me, believed in me, I wouldn’t be here now having the best Christmas I’ve ever had since I was child, and I will always be grateful for that, and the other things of course” she added and blushed as she stood up and produced a sprig of mistletoe.
“Doesn’t that constitute “impropriety”?” he asked
“No this doesn’t count” she explained
“We have to kiss, it’s the law”
“What law?” he asked
“Christmas law” Sarah replied
“Oh ok then” he conceded and they kissed and afterwards she said
“I don’t want to have to use mistletoe like this again”
“Ok I’ll try and remember for next year”
“No that’s not what I mean” She said and smiled “I want to be able to kiss you at any time I want, wherever I want, no matter who might be looking”
“Are you sure?” he asked
“Absolutely, it’s time for me to be happy” she replied and kissed him again.
After satisfying the Christmas ritual and establishing the new status of their relationship, she left his suite.
Matthew was leaving to spend Christmas in Abbottsford with his parents while she was on duty.
She had volunteered to give people with family the time off, but they would be spending New Year’s Eve together and the New Year would be their new beginning.
“Happy Christmas to me, I’ve got a boyfriend” she said as she walked down the hall smiling broadly.
Saturday, 24 June 2017
Downshire Diary – (90) Sunday Service
On his journey home from Church, William Grant found it quite remarkable just how many women of the village were wandering the streets and lanes of Dulcet St Mary long after the service had ended, despite the inclement weather.
But for 50 year old Brian, these ladies of mixed ages and physical dimensions all dressed in their Sunday best were all in his opinion second best to the lady he was on the way to see.
But as he passed the ladies, every one of them smiled pleasantly at him and he thought to himself as he returned their smiles
“You would not be smiling so politely at me if you knew how you failed to measure up”
When he reached his destination he opened the front door and went straight through to lounge where he found his widowed lover, Gillian Townsend, lying alluringly on the couch.
“Hello Darling” she said “Good service?”
“Yes very good” he replied
“Excellent” she said “now I would like a good Sunday service”
But for 50 year old Brian, these ladies of mixed ages and physical dimensions all dressed in their Sunday best were all in his opinion second best to the lady he was on the way to see.
But as he passed the ladies, every one of them smiled pleasantly at him and he thought to himself as he returned their smiles
“You would not be smiling so politely at me if you knew how you failed to measure up”
When he reached his destination he opened the front door and went straight through to lounge where he found his widowed lover, Gillian Townsend, lying alluringly on the couch.
“Hello Darling” she said “Good service?”
“Yes very good” he replied
“Excellent” she said “now I would like a good Sunday service”
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