The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (051) Building Plans

 

Building regulations were very strict on the Island for new buildings but permission to renovate existing buildings was almost always granted, although building regulations applied, and everything has to be signed off by the building inspector .

When the old Beaumont Estate was sold off in 1920 there were more than the five farms that now existed, so all of the farms had houses, cottages and barns which became disused over the years, but in recent decades farmers had been renovating properties, either as tied properties for farm labourers or cottages to be let out to summer guests.

There were also a number of larger buildings, old barns, mills, stables, and stores, which were not readily restored either as there was no immediate benefit or the farmers didn’t have enough disposable income to invest, this was not an issue for Molly Barrington. 

 

Two days after their exploring, they had a clandestine meeting at Beacon farm, because at Molly’s behest George Wood, had gathered together the relevant group of people involved in the building renovations, Adam Jandrell who was Project managing proceedings, Franci Liebenberg who he called his right hand “man” and Architect Carolyn Livingston, who was recommended by Josh Beaumont.

 

“So, what are you thinking?” Molly asked

“Well, my thoughts would be to enlarge the cottages, and convert the stables into more cottages on the west side.” Carolyn replied

“On the other side I’d convert the barn and the brewery buildings into dwellings and the other two should stay commercial.”

“My thoughts exactly” Molly agreed

 

The remainder of the week was taken up with meetings, Face Timing and phone calls with the various players about the plans for the Spaniards Creek properties, and although she didn’t express it at the time Molly was shocked to find out that there was no mains sewerage in Spaniards Creek.

“But I saw the pipe’s when they were working on the Cottage” she said

“Yes, but they take the waste to a septic tank” Danny explained

“Ewww” Molly exclaimed

The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (050) Renovation Exploration

 

Danny and Molly were looking forward to spending a quiet week at the Cottage, after their meeting with Max, they had no impending deadlines, so they could please themselves, the weather had certainly quietened down so they thought they might do some exploring. 

 

Back in the Autumn when Molly had offered a donation to repair and maintain St Clara’s Church, she spoke with the Solicitors, and asked them to find out as much as they could about St Clara’s, covenants, deeds, and such like, and what she found out was that the land on which the Church stood belonged to her, as did the vicarage, and a dozen cottages in Church Lane, and a number of other building down by the Spanish River at the northern end of the village.

When they saw the cottages on one of their explorations, they found them to be in a poor state of repair, much as Cliff Haven had been.

So, she asked George to contact the contractors they had used previously to get the buildings made weatherproof at the very least.

 

So, on Tuesday they decided to start their walk in that direction so they could see what progress they had made.

Four of the buildings, an old mill, a grain store, an old barn and the old brewery were located half a mile to the north of the village on the east bank of the Spanish River, between the water and the St Pierre Road, the other three, a stable block and two pairs of cottages, were on the west side.

From the village they followed the path over the road bridge and then went down the steps to the riverside path and walked past the moored houseboats, pleasure boats and barges, after which the path got a bit boggy and overgrown, but after about fifty yards they emerged onto clear ground where the contractors had been at work.

All the external work was completed, the groundwork had been done, all the overgrown shrubbery had been cleared, and three of the four buildings were fully protected against the elements, the roofs, soffits, guttering, double glazing, and external rendering were all completed, the remaining building was still a work in progress.

 

After spending some time walking around the buildings they continued on their walk, rejoining the St Pierre Road and followed it as far as Norman beach then they headed down Beacon Farm Road until they recrossed the river and headed back towards Spaniards Creek.

When they could see the moorings on the western side of the river, they knew they were very close to their goal.

Things were much further from completion than they were across the water, the Cottages were being reroofed as the old one was too far gone, and the stables now had a sound roof, new guttering and the windows and doors had been boarded to keep the elements out.    

Satisfied with what they had seen they continued along the path until they reached the road bridge, then they climbed the steps up to the village and made their way to the Galleon for a well-earned coffee. 

With the work well advanced they had reached the point where they needed to make some decisions. 

The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (049) A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum

 

The Forum theatre was an old cinema originally built in the twenties, and back then it was the only cinema on the island, and that was still the case a hundred years later.

Because of that in the seventies, when film had gone out of fashion across the rest of Downshire, and theatres closed, or suffered the indignity of becoming bingo halls, as many a fine picture house did, the Forum survived.

When the cinema revival happened, Islander David Lee, a local man made good, who like many had fond memories of the Forum, mainly associated with courting his wife, restored the theatre to its former glory, and he resisted approaches from the chains and remained independent.

The Forum was located on the town square, next to the Church and opposite Beth’s Coffee House, there were no shops around the square anymore, it was virtually all eateries, café and bars and the cinema and a small theatre, so it was a sort of leisure haven.

Hayley was early, which was typical of her, and not only by minutes, but she was ridiculously early, so she had time to kill.

As she walked past the war memorial for the umpteenth time, she spotted Jamie, who was also early, going into Beth’s.

“He’s keen” she thought to herself and put the memorial between her and Jamie.

She liked the fact that he was keen, that was sweet, but she didn’t want to give him the impression that she was too keen herself.

But after a minute or two she decided she didn’t care what kind of impression she gave him, she was going over now, early or not.

So, she walked around the memorial, and was on his blind side as she entered Beth’s and stopped in his peripheral vision and almost immediately, he turned around and seemed surprised to see her.

“Hi” she said smiling broadly. “You’re early.”

He stood up and said

“Hi” and gazed at her speechless as if transfixed, because she looked stunning in girl clothes, and then he suddenly realized he was staring.

“You look lovely”

“I scrubbed up well, didn’t I” she said.

“You can say that again” Jamie said and then blushed to his roots when he realized he’d said it out loud.

“Shall we go?” Hayley asked

“Good idea” he replied

He held the door open for her to go first and as soon as he joined her Hayley slipped her hand into his and they made their way slowly to the theatre.

The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (048) Surprising Sophie

Jamie White was meeting Hayley Stock in St Pierre on Sunday where they were going to the pictures.

George Wood was taking Katie to meet his sister in Saxvirdan so they said they would drop Hayley off in town on the way, and Jamie would then drive her home afterwards. 

 

Jamie’s younger sister Angela was also going to St Pierre, because there was someone she wanted to see, so she got a lift from her brother.

Angela first saw Sophie Blourde when she served them at the Beaumont Manor, when her parents took her and her siblings there for a meal at Christmas, and she fell head over heels, at first sight and she could tell by the way Sophie blushed when she caught Angela looking at her that she was interested.

When Sophie collected the plates there was a lingering exchange where their hands almost touched, but not quite, then the next time Angela caressed her hand with her thumb and brushed her fingertips against hers and Sophie blushed and got very flustered.

 

Sophie was four years younger than Angela, but she was smitten.

Angela knew what time the evening staff started at the Hotel because she had waitressed there herself when she was at college, she also knew that Sophie lived in Saxvirdan and got a bus to the Bellevue hospital and walked to the hotel.

So she made sure that she was on the path between the Hospital and the Hotel in order to “bump” into her, it was a bit stalky, she admitted that to herself, but she couldn't think of any other way, she couldn't have asked her out at the restaurant while she's taking orders.

“And for you madam?” Sophie could ask and Angel could reply “I’ll take you, any way you come”

And as they lived at opposite ends of the island “real” chance encounters just weren’t going to happen, so she had to stalk her prey.

It was an unseasonably mild day, peaceful and calm following the storms and the sun was shining.

Angela had elected to wear a short skirt, and black tights to show off her legs and slight heels to accentuate the shape of her calves, and a blouse with a shrug over the top.

 

Sophie was walking with her head down looking at her phone, and she almost jumped out of a skin when Angela said “hello Sophie”

“Oh eh um hello”

“Sorry did I startle you?” she said flicking her Raven hair off her shoulder.

“A bit” Sophie replied, with her cheeks Crimson red.

“Well perhaps I could buy you a coffee sometime by way of an apology” Angela suggested

“When you have a day off”

“I’m not working on Saturday” she blurted out

“Ok, Saturday it is” Angela said and took Sophie's phone from her hand, caressing Sophie’s hand as she did so and added a new contact and sent herself a text

“There now you have my number” Angela said trying to remain cool while wanting to jump for joy.

“I'll text you, time and place”

“Great” Sophie said and smiled,

“You’d better get to work now” Angela said

“Oh God yes” she said all flustered “bye”

Angela watched as she hurried away with her brunette hair dancing on the shoulders with every step, while her little buttocks were doing a different dance.

When Sophie glanced over her shoulder Angela knew she was hers.

The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (047) Family Matters

 

Molly Barrington’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, which is what they did when they found themselves in Abbotsford on a Sunday and attended the evening service at St Dunston’s.

 

On the 17^th they met up with the family again in Abbottsford and over the following three days visited galleries, museums, the theatre, did more shopping, and Danny even managed to get tickets for the Abbottsford Town game, but all too soon it was time for them to leave.

As an employee of Shaw Brothers, David Leggett, got free travel on the ferry, so he took his car to the island, which was where he was sitting in his car in the carpark at St Pierre, adjacent to the port, and June Stonard was approaching furtively, in a baggy raincoat with her coat collar pulled up and the brim of her fedora pulled down, and he smiled as it was unlikely that anyone would notice her given how poor the visibility was due to the rain.

When she reached the car, she opened the passenger door and quickly got in and they immediately kissed, and the moment their lips met he wanted her, and he could tell by the urgency of her response that she wanted him too.

She had wanted him for several months, but he had resisted, but now the resistance was over.

There problem was where, she wasn’t the type of girl to do it in the car, they couldn’t go to hers as her husband worked nights and was at home during the day, and he couldn’t take her back to his house as his wife was terminally ill, and they certainly couldn’t do it al fresco given the weather, but they really wanted each other.

Unbeknown to her he already had a plan, which was why they were meeting in the car park.

He disengaged his mouth from hers, kissed her forehead and said, “Buckle up.”

“Where are we going?” she asked suspiciously.

“We’re going sailing” he replied as he pulled out of the carpark.

“What in this weather?”

They drove out of the port and followed the road past the Bellevue Hospital, and the Beaumont Hotel, and Halfway Lane then followed the road all the way to Spaniards Creek where they parked beside the Spanish River and quickly walked to down the tow path.

They walked surreptitiously for about 20 yards along the bank before he climbed aboard a small cabin cruiser.

“Where are you going?” she said with alarm, looking around to see if anyone was looking.

“Don’t panic” he said. “It belongs to my mate, Terry.”

“Are we allowed?” she asked feebly.

“Of course,” he replied. “He’s in the states”

“Yes, but are we allowed?”

“Yes, we’re allowed” he replied

 

In the cabin, as the flowing waters of the Spanish River lapped against the side of boat, he lapped at her flowing waters, and they made vigorous love as the rain beat down and the thunderclaps drowned out her moans of pleasure.

They continued their afternoon delight until the early evening when it began getting dark, so they left the boat, and he said after they returned to the car.

“That was a very pleasant afternoon,”

“Wasn’t it, I’m not so sure what your friend will think about the mess we’ve made.”

June said with a grin, and they drove back to St Pierre.

 

When they returned to the car park, they kissed again but with slightly less urgency than before.

“I liked sailing” she said and smiled.

“Me too” he agreed. “And Terry said I can have use of the boat until August.

“Smashing” she said as she got out of the car.

After watching her walk away into the darkness, he got on the last ferry of the day, returned home and after quickly showering away his lust, he went to check on his wife.

However, as he sat at his wife’s bedside, he reflected on his comment about having use of the boat until august, because as he listened to her breathing, he thought their need of it certainly wouldn’t reach until late summer, early spring was exceedingly optimistic.

 

After a tearful farewell at the Hotel, Molly repaired her makeup before they met up with publisher, Max Parsons, and had a long leisurely lunch.

They were planning to head back down the Expressway straight after breakfast but the previous afternoon they received a message from Bramstock, Goodman, Crossfield, and Bushe, Sir Avery Arnold’s solicitors, asking if they could meet at their offices on Saturday morning, the reason being that they had had some interesting news, so they had a very important and fruitful meeting with them, and decided to have a celebratory dinner and stay another night before checking out of the Abbottsford Regents Hotel on Sunday.

The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (046) The Christening

David Leggett was first mate on the Empress Victoria ferry and remembered the time, not so long ago when his sister-in-law, June Stonard, much the worse for drink, offered herself to him on a plate at Christmas, an offer which he rebuffed, so when she phoned him and invited him to a party, he was about to refuse until she mentioned that the rest of the family were going to be there, plus another ten guests, because it was a Christening party, so he accepted, albeit reluctantly, because his wife would not have been pleased if he stayed away.

 

David lived in Pipershaven with his wife Janis, who was sadly terminally ill, and was bedridden, and had good days and bad days, so he attended the party on Beaumont Island on his own, because even on a good day, travelling was no longer possible.

June lived on the Island, in Saxvirdan, and was unhappily married to John who was an islander.

David arrived late, as he wanted to make sure it was in full swing, and when he got there, she was well away, much as she was when they had their drunken near miss a few weeks earlier.

On this occasion he was coming out of the cloakroom, and she was rushing to the toilet, and they came untidily together, ending in a bit of a bear hug.

“I’m so sorry” he said. “Are you hurt?”

“Only my pride” she replied. “But that happens when you’re rejected.”

“Like I said, I’m sorry.”

“Anyway, I have things to do” she said as they parted company, and he was left with the smell of her scent in his nostrils and erotic images in his head.

As he sat at his wife’s bedside that evening and recounted the details of the party, he recalled how good June smelt, so the next day he phoned her.

The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (045) Getting Ahead of the Storm

 

The day after the celebratory meal was painful and unproductive one at Cliff Haven and after sleeping late, Danny and Molly seldom left the sofa for the rest of the day, and the day after that was little different.

The next day Molly got them back on track, as amongst other things she had become his muse.

At first in Colorado, because of the accident he had gotten behind, but she got him organized, but she was also a bit of a distraction, and a pleasant one at that, but later she became more of a distraction when she wasn’t with him, now he couldn’t imagine life without her.

Since the Archer’s returned to Sharpington after New Years there had been almost constant communications between Sam and Nikki, much as they had before they met but much more open and intimate than before.

For Arielle and Harry, it was almost daily Face Times but all four of them were really looking forward to the boys returning to the island in February. 

On Friday, because of an adverse weather forecast, warning of an approaching storm, Danny and Molly decided to leave the island early for the mainland to get ahead of the weather, so as not to risk getting stranded on the island and missing their rendezvous with Sam, Emma and the boys.

 

Longlake Farm is not the smallest of the five farms on the island, but covers the whole of the southwest corner, a parcel of land bordered by Halfway Lane to the north, Eagles Crag in the east and the rugged coastline to the south and west, and the White’s had raised their sheep on that land for more than four generations, and Jamie had every intention of making it five, but his immediate priority had become Hayley Stock, and their coffee date at the Galleon, where

Jamie and Hayley spent two hours talking about what might have been and before they left, they arranged a second date, and afterwards in the moonlight they shared their second kiss.  

Once they arrived in Pipershaven Molly and Danny drove straight to Applesford and stayed at his flat for two days where they could continue to work on the book before travelling to Abbottsford on the 16^th where they checked into the Abbottsford Regents Hotel.