The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (042) In the Aftermath

 

After their visitors had left, Gwen went through Cliff Haven like a whirlwind, stripping beds, washing, tumble drying, hoovering, dusting, and mopping until the place sparkled like a new pin, she would normally have spread the work over a couple of days, but she had plans with Phil.

 

Molly and Danny spent the first two days slobbing around in their pyjama’s, they had no idea how tiring it was having houseguests, but they thoroughly enjoyed it though, even though it was exhausting.

Then all too soon it was twelfth night, so they had to take the Christmas decorations down.

“This isn’t nearly as much fun as putting them up” Molly observed.

“No, it’s not” he agreed.

“But it’ll be November in the blink of an eye, and we can put them back up again.”

“Oh, very sage, old man” she said and giggled.

“Any way it could be worse,” he said.

“How so?”

“We could be outside in the rain with George” he replied, and they both laughed, and just at that moment the door opened, and a soaking wet George appeared, and they laughed even louder.

 

Once all the decorations had been neatly packed away, with the exception of the snow globes, which had pride of place, they had another pyjama day, well actually they had a pyjama weekend and then on Monday work on the book commenced again, and they had to work flat out to finish the next two chapters in time for their trip to Abbottsford on the 17th.

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

 

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

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

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

 

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

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

 

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

 

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

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

 

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

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

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

“See what?” Sam asked.

“Here have a look” she said.

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

“Good for her” Nikki corrected him.

 

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

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

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

 

The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (021) A Bishop Calls

 

Following their meeting with the Vicar, their second full week in the cottage settled into a comfortable routine, of long walks on the pleasant days, collaborating on the new book on the unpleasant ones, with a liberal sprinkling of love making in between, a pattern they maintained through much of November, which was when Danny’s thoughts turned towards Christmas and what gift to buy Molly.

For her birthday he had commissioned a special present for her by Sam Archer, a craftsman who lived and worked in Sharpington, a hand-crafted snow globe, containing a detailed model of her former Colorado home, Lakeside, which she loved, so he contacted Sam again.

 

Towards the end of the month, they had a phone call from the Bishop's Palace in Abbottsford, by the Archdeacon on behalf of Bishop Aubrey Backer.

“Is that Miss Barrington?” Archdeacon Michael Perrone asked.

“It is” she replied.

“His Grace the Bishop understands that you wish to make a donation to the Church, a substantial donation I believe” he said.

“In a manner of speaking” she confirmed.

“Well, his Grace would very much like to meet you to discuss the details, perhaps we could make an appointment for you to come to the Palace.”

“I’m afraid that won’t be possible” Molly said “We have quite a lot on at the moment and can’t spare the time for a trip to Abbottsford this side of the New Year” she said as she lay naked beneath the duvet with Danny.

“We could make some time to meet here” she suggested.

“His Grace isn’t normally in the habit of making house calls” he said distastefully.

“No matter, thanks for calling, I’m sure I can find other worthwhile causes to spend my money on” she said and hung up.

“We’re getting a visit from the Bishop” she said.

“What exactly are we too busy with” Danny asked.

“What do you think?” she replied and pulled the duvet up over their heads.

 

Three days later Bishop Aubrey Backer, who was not in the habit of making house calls, was sitting in the lounge at Cliff Haven along with Archdeacon Michael Perrone.

“So, I understand you wish to make a substantial donation to the Church” the Bishop said.

“Not exactly” Molly replied.

“Well, I do hope I haven’t travelled here under false pretences.” He said looking accusingly at the Archdeacon.

“Having inherited my grandfather’s estate, I am a very wealthy woman and the donation I wish to make is to St Clara’s Church, for the necessary repairs and maintenance” Molly explained.

“Well, I think that money would be much better spent in more deserving parishes” the Bishop said.

“Such as?”

“We have many inner-city locations that are very deprived” he said.

“But not very Christian” Danny pointed out.

“Their need is very great” the Archdeacon confirmed.

“My interest is St Clara’s” Molly said quietly.

“I have many parishes and parishioner’s, and they all have needs, and I must balance those needs, so I am unable to sanction the expenditure on such a small insignificant Church, but I can promise your donation will be well spent” he said, and Molly rolled her eyes.

“Can you talk to her” he said to Danny.

“What do you mean? Are you suggesting that I explain to the silly little woman? Is that what you mean Bishop?” Danny said Angrily.

“No of course not, that’s not what the Bishop meant” the Archdeacon interjected.

“St Clara’s has a small congregation and not diverse enough for my taste and the church itself still retains too much of its papist fripperies.” The Bishop said, “But I promise I will spend every penny wisely.”

“I am not prepared to trust you to spend the money in accordance with my wishes once you get your grubby little hands on it”.

“Well, I will see it demolished and replaced by house’s rather than spend a penny on it” he said as he stood up.

When Molly spoke with the Solicitors, she asked them to find out as much as they could about St Clara’s, covenants, deeds, and such like, and what she found out informed her response.

“Unfortunately for you, you are unable to do that for two reasons, firstly it is a Grade 2 listed building and secondly you don’t own the land, I do” Molly said indulgently.

 

“So, there is nothing else to say on the matter, goodbye Bishop.”

She shouted as he left through the front door.

“The correct form of address is “Your Grace”  by the way” the Archdeacon said.

“I will refer to him as such when he shows evidence that he possesses any” Molly pointed out as she closed the door behind them.

“I’m very aroused right now” Danny said.

“Hold that thought” she said and picked up the phone and called Bramstock, Goodman, Crossfield, and Bushe

“I want to buy a church.”

The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (020) Meeting Arielle

November

Molly’s grandfather, Sir Avery Arnold, was keen that Danny encouraged Molly's relationship with God, not that she needed any encouragement, she never missed a Sunday, and if she couldn't do the Sunday morning, she would do the evening service, even if it meant going to a different Church.

In fact, it was more a case of her encouraging him because although he was a Christian he wasn’t a regular churchgoer, he wasn't a weekly worshiper until he met Molly.

 

Worship was quite different in the UK than it was in Colorado, and Molly had tried on a few churches for size in Downshire, St Hilda’s in Abbotsford, St Michael’s in Applesford, St Winifred’s in Mornington and St Lucy’s in Sharpington.

She had attended St Joan of Arc and St Pierre’s while staying at the Beaumont Manor but found the worship rather too High Church for her taste.

She hoped St Clara’s in Spaniards Creek would suit her rather more than the main churches on the island in St Pierre.

So, when she and Danny walked inside, she was apprehensive, but she was not disappointed with the church she’d chosen and felt immediately at home.

It was a small church by Norman standards and was full of catholic iconography and a spectacular stained-glass window behind the dais was a joy to behold.

The congregation were also very welcoming, and she really liked the Vicar, Arielle Nicolas, a small delicately featured woman with bobbed brown hair, quickly approaching her 40^th birthday, not that she looked it.

 

“That was a lovely service Vicar” Molly said as they left the Church and it’s a really beautiful Church”.

“Thank you” she responded and shook Molly’s hand “It’s always nice to see new faces among the congregation, especially local celebrities.”

“And it’s nice to be among them” Molly said, “I’d very much like to discuss something with you.”

“Certainly, is tomorrow, ok?” The Vicar said.

“I can come to you if you want, 11 o’clock?”   

“That would be perfect” she said “Goodbye.”

 

Back at Cliff Haven Molly cooked her first Sunday Roast, with Danny’s guidance, and the end result was more than acceptable, so much so that they both overate and fell asleep on the sofa watching TV.

 

There was a knock on the door Monday morning a minute or two before Eleven and Danny opened the door.

“Hello Vicar” he said, “Please come in.”

“Thank you, Mr, Nightingale.”

“No one calls him that” Molly said ““He’s Danny and I’m Molly”.

“Well, if we’re on first name terms then I’m Arielle.”

“What a lovely name” Danny said.

“Thank you”

 

“How are you liking Spaniards Creek?” The Vicar asked.

“Very much” she replied, “Although I’m not really a newcomer, I was born in this house.”

“Really?”

“I’m a foreigner” Danny said, “Are you a native?” 

“No, I’m from Tipton” she replied.

“But I love the island, I’ve walked every inch of it, you can’t help feeling close to God when you’re on the hills.”

“Yes, it is beautiful.” Molly agreed.

“I will miss it when I have to leave.” The Vicar said.

“You’re leaving?” asked Molly.

“It’s looking like a distinct possibility.” She replied sadly.

“What a shame” Molly expressed.

“Anyway, what was it you wanted to talk about?” Arielle asked and Molly spoke at length about the reinterment of her grandfather and then the Vicar said.

“That might be problematic.”

“Oh?”

“The Bishop wants to close St Clara’s”

“Why?”

“As pretty as the church is there are some issues that need attending to” she explained.

“Such as?” Danny asked.

“The Roof, the masonry on the bell tower and the belfry itself” she said.

“What about fundraising?” Molly asked.

“Well, we’re a small parish and we struggle to raise funds at the best of times and the diocese can't or won’t help us, so things are rather desperate.”

“Not anymore, they're not” Molly said resolutely.

“I will put up the necessary funds.” 

“That’s very generous Molly” The Vicar said, “But I doubt the Bishop will sanction spending the money on St Clara’s, he thinks of Beaumont Island as “little England”.”

“Well, that's what it's for and that is where I want it to be used.” Molly said crossly “So can you tell that to the Bishop?”

“I like you” Arielle said, “You’re feisty.”

“She never used to be” Danny said and smiled.

“Danny brings out the beast in me” Molly said and blushed.

 

“Do you even have access to those kinds of funds? And can you commit to such an outlay?” Danny asked.

“I’ve no idea” Molly replied and laughed “I suppose I’d better find out.”

Sir Avery Arnold appointed Bramstock, Goodman, Crossfield, and Bushe of Abbottsford, to manage Molly’s affairs, and all her finances and all the assets which would be hers in its entirety when she was 25.

But they also had discretion to release funds at her request for what Sir Avery called her “Special Projects” and that was what they told her when she phoned them.

“Apparently I do” Molly said after hanging up. 

The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (019) Exploring Spaniards Creek

 

The next day was Thursday, and they were much more disciplined and wrote from breakfast until dinner and saved the lust for the evening.

The following day was Friday, and the weather was absolutely foul and was also their household chores day.

They had just finished breakfast when George arrived.

“Morning you two” he said, “Its grim out there.”

 

Molly put a load in the washing machine before leaving with Geroge to drive to the Stephenson’s Supermarket in St Pierre, leaving Danny cleaning the bathrooms.

 

Saturday was a much brighter day and unseasonably mild, so they set off on foot to explore the fishing village of Spaniards Creek, so called because it was where a severely damaged Spanish Galleon from the Armada sought refuge from the English Navy and the storm in May 1588, the only evidence of the event in the present day were the oak beams in the Tudor buildings of the old village dwellings.

There was a single road that wound its way down to the riverside quay where the fleet of fishing boats were moored, and then crossed the river and climbed again on the other side, and the cottages clung to the hillsides.

They met a lot of locals as they walked hand in hand in the sunshine and found them to be very friendly, especially at the village pub, Philips Folly, with the exception of Paul Steptoe, who thought he should have been given first refusal on Cliff Haven, he left without speaking when they walked in.

It turned out that he was just as unpopular with the villagers as he was with them.

 

After a pleasant lunch they walked slowly back up the hill until they reached Church Lane.

“Let’s go up here” Molly said, and they followed the lane that wound its way around the cottages for about 100 yards until it emerged at a plateau where St Clara’s Church stood, surrounded by the graveyard, which was what interested her on that day.

Unlike many graveyards at Christian Churches St Clara’s was well tended and they wandered around until they found what they were searching for, the graves of Molly’s parents, Charlotte and John Barrington, and her Grandmother Bella Arnold, and this was where Sir Avery Arnold wished to be laid to rest.

When he died, after the normal formalities and legalities were completed, there was a small private funeral at St Savior’s Church, outside Colorado Springs, after which he was temporarily interred in the crypt, where he would reside until arrangements could be made for him to be repatriated to Beaumont Island.

 

Satisfied with what she had seen and as they walked slowly to Cliff Haven, they discussed the reinterment and when the best time would be and how best to achieve it.

When they got indoors Molly quickly shed her outdoor clothes and waited impatiently until Danny had done the same, and then took him by the hand and said

“Nap time”

“And by “nap time” you mean?”

“Not napping” she replied with a leer as she led him to her room.

The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (018) A New Beginning

 

On Tuesday morning Danny and Molly woke up with more than the normal excitement they would have expected from waking up in the cottage they had been working on for so long, because they had made love for the first time the night before.

After making love for the second time on that momentous morning, they drifted off to asleep again.

“That was an amazing housewarming” Molly purred as she cuddled up close to him after they eventually awoke again.

“It was amazing full stop” he said putting his arm around her “But it was more than that.”

“What do you mean?” she asked dreamily.

“Well, what I’m trying to say is” he said hesitantly “I love you Molly Barrington”

“I love you too” she replied and kissed him passionately and then they just lay in each other’s arms for about ten minutes until she suddenly rolled over and sat on the edge of the bed and pulled a sweater over her head and wriggled into it

“Where are you going? I really want to kiss you again.”

“Well, you’ll have to wait until later” Molly said and smiled over her shoulder before adding “We have another Sharon Jacques book to write.”

 

Best endeavours aside, after an extremely late lunch, they got virtually no writing done to speak of at all, in between all the kissing.

It was during one of their rare canoodling interludes that Danny suddenly exclaimed.

“Oh my God!”

“What? what?” she asked with alarm.

“We have to tell George.”  

“Ohhh” she sighed. “I forgot about George.”

“That’s not easy to do” Danny said, and they both laughed.

6ft 4 Gentle Giant George Wood was 47 years old and had worked for Sir Avery Arnold for 20 years after serving 9 years in the Downshire Light Infantry, and the reason Sir Avery choose him out of all the many applications he received, wasn’t his exemplary military record, or the impeccable references, what made him stand out from the crowd was that he was a fellow Beaumont Islander and he had gone to school with his daughter Charlotte, Molly’s mum.

He had always been in Molly’s life and was like a cross between a big brother, a kindly Uncle, and a bodyguard.

When he was part of the household staff at Lakeside, he always referred to himself as the chauffeur gofer.

“We’ll tell him tomorrow” she said.

“Ok, we’ll walk over to the farm first thing in the morning” he suggested.

“We’d better have an early night then” Molly said and began nibbling his earlobe.

 

They woke up on Wednesday morning in Molly’s bed but unlike the previous day they didn’t dwell, however much they might have liked to.

They showered, separately, to avoid distraction, then Danny made them bacon and eggs and fresh coffee.

It was a misty morning and there was an autumnal chill in the air and as he and Molly stepped outside, they exchanged a look that said, “I wish we were cuddled up and warm in bed.”

However, once they got going, they soon warmed up and they were laughing and joking.

“Maybe this could be the plot of the new book, a young couple are lured to the countryside and are murdered by the old family retainer.” He said when Beacon Farm came into view.

“Or the tale of a beautiful young maiden coming to terms with the death of her lover at the hands of a psychopathic chauffeur” she suggested.

“Brutal” Danny retorted.

 

As they walked down the hill, they saw Katie Harrison in the yard.

“Hey Katie” Danny called.

“Hello, you two” she said and smiled, then she kissed them both.

“What brings you here this early?”

“We need to speak to George” Molly replied.

“He’s in the barn, fuelling the quadbike, we’re just about to go out to check the flock.”

“Thanks Katie, we won’t keep him long” Danny said and walked towards the barn.

“Just my luck” Danny said quietly “They have sharp tools in the barn.”

“It’ll be alright,” Molly said, “He won’t kill me.”

“Very reassuring” he said as he opened the barndoor.

George was stood by the quadbike screwing the cap back on to a fuel can and when he saw them, he asked

“What’s wrong?” 

“Nothing’s wrong” Molly replied.

“Well somethings got you outdoors early on a damp autumn morning” George retorted suspiciously as he looked at them, picturing them as a pair of naughty school children outside the headmaster’s office.

“There’s really nothing wrong” Danny assured him.

“But we do have some news” Molly added.

“What kind of news?”

“Well…” Molly began, and George raised his eyebrows.

“We’re an item” Danny blurted out, and they held hands.

George dropped the fuel can and walked towards them and they braced themselves.

“About bloody time” he said, roared with laughter and hugged them both to within an inch of their lives.

“You’re ok with it then?” Molly asked meekly.

“Of course, I’m chuffed” he said but then he gave Danny a menacing look and added.

“But if you hurt her, they’ll never find the body.”

Then he smiled and said

“Let’s go and tell Katie, not that she didn’t guess already, I think she knew before you did.”

 

There was a lot of hustle and bustle in the farmhouse that morning because Katie’s sister Louise, who had given birth to twins a month earlier at the Bellevue Cottage Hospital, was now home and the babes were already ruling the roost.

 

“Are you going to stay for a cuppa?” Katie asked after they had shared their news.

“We don’t want to get in the way” Danny replied hoping that Molly would back him up.

“Nonsense, they have babies” Molly said excitedly.

 

The weather had brightened up considerably by the time they left Beacon Farm, though it was still cold.

“That went well” Molly said, and they held hands as they left the yard heading for home.

“Now we can get back to the book.”

They got quite sweaty trudging back to Cliff Haven, but the cold had got into their bones regardless by the time they got home.

“I’m chilled through” Molly said when they got indoors.

“Have a soak in the bath, that’ll warm you up” Danny suggested “I’m going to the same”

 

Danny stepped into the bath and immersed himself in the foamy water and the bathroom was good and steamy when he saw the bathroom door open, and the slender figure of Molly Barrington, walk in wrapped in a bath towel.

“Because of climate change it would be irresponsible to run two baths, so I thought it would be more civic minded to share”  

“Well, that sounds like a very sensible idea” he said, and Molly turned her back to him and dropped her towel.

“I’ve never shared a bath before” she said as she stepped in, and her round naked buttocks were only inches from his face.

“I’m glad” he said,

“So am I” she agreed and lowered her cute buttocks into the water between his legs, then loosely tied her hair up to keep it out of the water, and Danny kissed her neck, and she leant back against him, and the hot water lapped up over her breasts.

As they lay stretched out in the bath together, and Molly was laying back against his chest, her breasts were under the water, but broke the surface every time she breathed in and Danny found it very sexy, suffice is to say they didn’t get any writing done that day.

The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (017) Moving In

 

On the Monday morning, they were leaving the Hotel for the last time and hadn’t seen each other until Molly emerged from her room into the lounge where Danny was already waiting.

“Happy Birthday!” he said and handed her a wrapped parcel.

“You got me a present?” she said.

“Of course, I got you a present” he said, “Now open it, open it.”

“Ok, ok, I’m savouring it” Molly said sitting down on the arm of the sofa where she carefully untied the ribbon and gently removed the paper which she put on the sofa beside her and opened the gift box.

Molly unwrapped the layers of tissue paper, and after the last layer,  delight spread across her face like a sunrise as she exposed the hand-crafted snow globe.

“It’s Lakeside” she said, and then she shook it gently “It’s beautiful.”

“Do you like it?”

“I love it” she replied and put the snow globe down so she could hug him tightly, wrapping her skinny arms around his neck, a prolonged comfortable hug, which ended as quickly as it started.

“Thank you” she said and nervously kissed his cheek, then she paused and hastily kissed him full on the mouth and pulled her whole frame in close to his and he reciprocated in kind and became quite prolonged and only ended when it did as a result of George knocking on the door.

 

They separated without speaking and while Danny went and let George in, Molly busied herself with tidying up her present wrappings.

“Happy Birthday Molly” George said as he walked in and hugged her, lifting her off her feet.

“Thanks George” she said when he returned her to her feet.

“Look what Danny got me” she said proudly holding up the snow globe for him to see.

“Is that Lakeside?” he asked.

“Yes”

“That’s amazing” George said, “What a great present, really thoughtful.”

“Isn’t it” she said.

 

It was about half an hour later when George trundled the trolley full of bags towards the lift with Danny and Molly following silently behind.

After loading the bags into the Landrover, George drove them to Cliff Haven and the journey passed largely in silence, not that Danny or Molly didn’t have things they wanted to say, they just didn’t want to say them in front of George, maybe when George dropped them off, they could say what was on their minds.

 

They pulled up on the York Stone drive and got out,

“Leave the bags I’ll get them later” George said.

“Thanks George,” Molly said, and Danny opened the front door and let her step in.

“Thanks” she said and flashed him a smile before blushing.

She was still red faced when she walked into the lounge and Katie and Nikki Harrison chorused.

“Happy birthday!”

 

Katie had organized a little buffet style birthday lunch for Molly, which she catered herself with Nikki’s help, and was served with a very decent champagne courtesy of George, there were also balloons, banners, and streamers, as well as flowers and presents, nothing to match the snow globe from Danny, but the framed picture of her and her mum from Katie came a close second. Molly also had a stack of birthday cards.

But as much as she enjoyed the impromptu party, Molly was happy to see everyone go because there was still a conversation she wanted to have.

Unfortunately, Danny had gone out to the Landrover to help George bring the bags in, and then annoyingly spent ten minutes outside talking to him while she paced up and down, so when the door finally opened, she came right out with it.

“I’m sorry about before, I know I’ve ruined everything,” She blurted out with tears welling up in her eyes “I shouldn’t have kissed you like that.”

“Theres nothing to apologize for,” He said pulling her into his arms “And you haven’t ruined anything, if you hadn’t kissed me then I would have kissed you.”

They stood in that embrace for a few minutes, until the pattern of her breathing changed, and he could feel feather light kisses from her soft lips on his neck, before her lips reached his and she kissed him, a deeply passionate and electric kiss, a much more considered and unhurried than the previous one.

 

Danny and Molly lay cuddling in the afterglow having made love for the first time, Molly’s first time, and she sighed as they lay in the darkness and Danny’s thoughts went back to Colorado and the conversation he had with Avery, when he tasked Danny with helping Molly to rejoin the world.

“I want you to ease her into the world, introduce her to things I have denied her,” Avery said.

“I don't think this is what your grandfather had in mind” Danny said as she lay with her head on his chest.

“Oh, I think it's exactly what he had in mind” Molly replied with a sigh.