In the Village of Pepperstock Green – Chapter (018) – The Starling’s Seduction

 

June

 

After putting some distance between himself and Verity Virtue following their New Years Eve kiss, Stephen Farnsworth was pleased to be back at the, uncomplicated by sexual attraction stage, while still being able to enjoy the company of an attractive, funny musical equal, and it would probably have continued like that indefinitely had it not been for the Vicars wife, Verity’s mother.

 

It happened at the end of June on the night of the Barnabus Boarding School Centenary Ball.

Stephen had just returned to the house from his studio and was sat on his sofa and was just contemplating what takeaway to order when she stepped through the French doors wearing a distinctive white party dress.

“Don’t you dare laugh” she barked

“I wasn’t going to laugh” he lied “You look lovely”

“I look like bloody Tinkerbelle” she retorted and kicked off her shoes.

“You won’t look out of place at the party” he assured her

“I’m not going, especially looking like this” she replied and started pacing up and down.

“I didn’t want to go in the first place, I’ve only got two really good friends at School and they’re not going, Gina has appendicitis, and Kayleigh is on Holiday, but my mum insisted I go and put me in an Uber”

“So how did you get here?” he asked

“I told him to drop me off before we got there” she replied “Then I needed somewhere to hide so I came here, sorry”

“Theres nothing to be sorry for” he said “And I’m happy for you to hide out here”

“Thank you” she said as her pacing continued at a pace

“Why don’t you sit down” he said “Before you wear out my carpet”

She tutted loudly then sat down heavily on his knee and huffed, that wasn’t quite what he had in mind, but at least she’d stopped pacing.

“I’m so cross with myself,” she said and then started tapping her foot agitatedly

“Just calm down” he said and put his hands on her narrow shoulders and pulled her back towards him, so her head was on his shoulder, and he was looking down on her.

“Just relax” he said, and she seemed to calm down, but the opposite was true for him.

Verity’s usual shock of red hair was tied up exposing the white flesh of her neck and shoulders, of which there was a lot due to the cut of the dress and the creamy whiteness of her skin looked delicious.

As he stared at the flesh, he was beginning to get aroused and his breathing deepened and his exhaling breaths on her skin was affecting her breathing in turn and then he began to kiss her gently on the neck and she gasped.

Stephen’s soft kisses travelled slowly from the nape of Verity’s neck along her collar bone to her shoulder and her breathing became more erratic and she adjusted her position on his lap as her hands gripped the leather upholstery, and he began to unzip the back of her dress.

Having met no resistance, he began pushing the straps of the dress off her shoulders and without speaking she accommodated him by slipping her skinny arms out one at a time while holding the bodice close to her breasts.

The moment both arms were free Stephens hands made immediate ingress inside her white dress.

 

After a prolonged period of foreplay, she was sprawled on the sofa moaning and sighing, when she opened her eyes and looked up at him and she asked

“Are you going to make love to me now?”

“Yes,” He replied, “Am I the first?” 

“Yes” she replied quietly

“Do you want me to take you to bed, or do you want me to make love to you here?” he asked

“Take me here” she begged “Take my virginity right here on the sofa while I’m wearing this hideous dress”

“Ok, honey” he said

 

He left her sleeping on the sofa while he got redressed and ordered a takeaway but when he returned to the lounge, he found she had redressed herself, except for her panties which she had in her hand.

“So, you’ve had your way with me, and now you’re ordering yourself pizza, I’m obviously just a one-night stand”

She said crossly

“I suppose you just want me to go home now, so you get back to one of your Posh Tipton girls”

“Firstly, I’ve ordered pizza for both of us” he said and snatched the knickers from her hand

“And you won’t be needing these for a while, because once you’ve got your strength back, I’m taking you to bed”

“But…” she began

“And this is not a one-night stand, not for me anyway, this is the first of many” he said

“Really?” she asked red faced

“Really” he replied and kissed her

“Sorry” she said, and he kissed her again

 

As they ate their pizza she quietly asked

“Not that I’m complaining, but are we just “friends with benefits”?”

“Well, I see us as friends and lovers, but the benefit for me is looking forward to divesting you of various outfits and ravishing you on a regular basis” he said

“As your boyfriend”

“Really?” she said and grinned then ate her last slice of pizza

“What kind of outfits?” she asked

“Well obviously your Barnabus School Uniform, your Hockey Kit, Brownie Leader’s Uniform, Surplice and even your Tinkerbelle dress again” he said “That will be enough to be getting on with I think”

“I’m not sure about Tinkerbelle, and I don’t see what’s sexy about a surplice”

“Well, it depends on what you’re wearing underneath it” he said

“You’ve really thought about this” she said “You’re a bit of a perve”

“Are you complaining?”

“Not a bit” she said “As long as you’re my perve”

“Good answer” Stephen said “Now put your pizza down and get your sexy arse upstairs”

In the Village of Pepperstock Green – Chapter (017) – The Treetop Trail

 

June

 

It was a bright Sunday morning in June, just one week after they had first met, when Emma Daly picked up James Tims in her Nissan Qashqai outside the Richmond’s General Store.

It was probably a little unconventional for the first date but after some discussion it was decided that she would pick him up as she lived furthest away from the Quarry Hill Road.

 

About fifteen minutes earlier, in a different part of Village, Philip Raynes had picked up Catherine Scott and they were well on their way to the same destination and despite her apprehension she was very much looking forward to her first date with Philip and was praying it would go well.

Her trepidation was quite apart from the normal first date nerves and it stemmed from the fact she had to contend with the death-defying heights of the Treetop Trail with all its incumbent hazards such as Tarzan swings, rope bridges and Zip Wires all at a height of 30ft.

She was not good with heights, she never had been, not that she suffered from vertigo or had an irrational fear of being up high.

In fact, she liked high places, Airplanes, the London Eye, Canary Wharf or the Empire States Building, as long as there was something between her and oblivion.

What scared here to death was gravity and the belief that it would at any moment pull her screaming to the ground, but she couldn’t show it, not to him, she had to put on a brave face for his benefit as she didn’t want her to think she was a wimpy Nail Technician.

 

It was about half an hour’s drive to the site, but the time seemed to pass by very quickly as they chatted about something and nothing.

Once they arrived her trepidation deepened as she looked up and realized exactly how high 30 feet was.

As if sensing her reservations Philip took hold of her arm.

“Come on then” he said steering her in the direction of a large timber shack.

 

There were 12 in their group, and several of them were also first timers and one of the party she knew, Emma Daly, and that made her feel better, and they had a very jovial leader called Graham who was determined everyone  had a “great experience” and on the whole Catherine did, although there were moments when she was almost scared to death, though they were never in any real danger, as they all had harnesses and protective gear, but she was still scared up in the treetops.

But at the end of it, thanks to Graham, they all had a great experience, but for her it was nice to get back to terra firma and as soon as her feet hit the ground, she threw her arms around Philips neck and kissed him to within an inch of his life.

 

After divesting themselves from their safety gear they all made their way to the café for a well-earned coffee.

As Emma and James sat on either side of a picnic table discussing how much they had enjoyed the experience she announced

“I wouldn’t want to do it again”

“What?” James said with alarm

“The Treetop stuff” she assured him

But she continued with more than a little smugness, knowing she had him hook line and sinker

“I’m up for another date though”

Then after a minute or two she suddenly said

“I have a confession to make”

“Oh” he responded fearing the worst

“I would have enjoyed it more if I wasn’t scared of heights” she confessed

“I only finished the course because I didn’t want you to think I was a wimp”

And he laughed

“It’s not funny” she said crossly

“I’m laughing because I was scared to death myself, I just gritted my teeth and got on with it because I didn’t want you to think I was a wimp”

he said and she laughed as well.

When the laughter had subsided, they both concurred that it had been a good first date.

 

It was early evening when they finished their coffee and said farewell to their fellow adventurers, and the weather was still lovely.

They were both getting peckish and as neither of them were ready for the date to end and as they were only half an hour away from the coast, they headed off to Pepperstock Bay where they ended the momentous day eating fish and chips out of the paper on the sea front and talked about the day.

 

Their first kiss came in true romantic style as the sun slowly sank beyond the horizon and on the journey home they planned their second date.

So, following their unusual first date on the Treetop Trail, Emma and James spent a lot of time together on the full range of more conventional dates, country walks, museums, galleries, pubs, restaurants, cinemas and bowling alleys.

Over which time they got to know each other, and he discovered that quite apart from being gorgeous, which was plain to everyone, she was witty, intelligent, sensitive, loving and a totally rubbish bowler, just like him.

In the Village of Pepperstock Green – Chapter (016) – Deliberations

 

June

 

James Tims, having plucked up the courage, at his Godsons Christening, to ask Emma Daley out on a date and bolstered by her positive response he very foolishly neglected to cement the arrangement there and then and furthermore left the Christening party without securing, either a firm date for the erm…. date or any contact details for her, but it wasn’t until he got home that the full extent of his stupidity dawned on him.

In his defense of course he was so taken aback by Emma’s positive reply, and such was his elation that she had agreed to go out with him, he not only didn’t arrange anything, but he had also left without any means of contacting her.

He had just reached the point where he was well and truly feeling sorry himself when the phone rang.

“Hello” he answered forlornly

“Oh dear” his sister Lucy said unsympathetically “cheer up”

“Don’t joke” he said “I’ve done something really stupid”

“I know” she replied “you’re a plank”

“Oh don’t” he responded feebly

“Fortunately, your wonderful sister has come to the rescue” Lucy said

“And I gave your number to Emma so she can call you”

“You’re the best sis” he said

“I know” she said immodestly “now don’t cock it up”

 

James had been so diverted by his foolishness that he hadn’t even given any due consideration to where he would take her.

Given that prior to that morning she had been a complete stranger to him, he therefore had no idea what to suggest.

All he knew about her was that she was a pretty brunette, who was a very successful hairdresser with her own premises, and she drove a white Nissan Qashqai. 

His normal first date experience, limited though that might have been, consisted of either a drink, a meal, the cinema or bowling.

Well, a drink didn’t sound substantial enough for his liking and as he was somewhat nervous, he imagined he would probably drink too much and make a complete dog’s breakfast of it, so he ruled that out.

A meal on the other hand was fraught with dangers of its own, food preferences, allergies and intolerances, and he didn’t know if she was vegan, so that was a mine field, and it was a given to rule out any food that required the wearing of a bib.

The cinema he had always found to be a difficult area date wise, sitting in the dark with a girl you didn’t know and spending most of the film weighing up the options of when it would be appropriate to move in for a cuddle or a kiss.

Not that that would be of concern to Emma, after all they were both well past the age of back row groping, but it was knowing her taste in film that was the issue, so he ruled out the cinema as well.

He also crossed off tenpin bowling but for no other reason than he wasn’t very good at it.

 

After a couple of fruitless hours of deliberation with himself, he still had no idea where to suggest that he and Emma should go on their first date and then the phone rang.

James took a deep breath and reluctantly picked up the receiver.

“Hello” he said timidly

“James?” a voice asked

“Speaking” he replied

“It’s Emma”

“Hi” he said weakly

“We didn’t make a firm date” Emma said hesitantly “At the Christening”

“No I...” he faltered

“Did you still… erm still want to?” she asked

“Of course,” he said firmly, almost shouting

“Good” Emma said with a giggle

“I thought you might have changed your mind”

“No not at all” he stated “But...”

“But?” she said falteringly “There is a but?”

“I don’t know where to suggest” he said

“Is that all?” she asked and laughed

She had had a similar struggle to the one he was having to find a suitable venue/activity but had, however, reached a totally different conclusion which he found out when she announced she had the perfect date in mind.

“A Treetop Trail”

“Brilliant idea” he exclaimed “Why didn’t I think of that?”

 

On the other side of the Village at roughly the same time a conversation was taking place between Catherine Scott and Philip Raynes in the back garden of her cottage.

Catherine was what’s called in modern parlance, a nail technician, but she preferred to be referred to as a manicurist and a pedicurist and was fully qualified in both disciplines.

Philip was a Tree surgeon who had been taking down a diseased beech tree from her back garden and there was a mutual attraction and as he packed away his tools for at the end of the job, he asked her out, and she said yes.

“When and where?” she asked

“Next weekend, how about a Treetop Trail”

“What’s that?” she asked genuinely oblivious

“It’s a trail through the treetops with Tarzan swings, rope bridges and Zip Wires” he said excitedly “There is a new one just opened near Quarry Hill I’ve heard its great fun, and I’ve fancied giving it a go”

Well, she had no great expectations when he asked her out and Catherine thought he would soon tire of her, because she was one of life’s spectators while he was center stage living life.

But she was wrong about that, Philip knew that they were cut from different cloth, but he didn’t care that they were so different.

Catherine had always been content to look on from the sidelines whereas Philip was in there participating with all his might, he was a “joiner in” while she was an applauder of other people’s efforts.

But no more, and despite the fact that the thought of walking through the Treetops 30 feet above the ground scared her to death she said.

“That sounds great”

In the Village of Pepperstock Green – Chapter (015) – Meeting Emma

 

June

 

James Tims had always been a contented person and altogether happy with his lot.

Though not an excessively wealthy person by any measurement, he was a successful Architect and had everything he wanted, and all was well in his world.

He had a job that he enjoyed immensely and a loving family that he loved and got along well with and lived in his own cottage in the Village.

In short, he had everything a man could want, and he was content, that was, until a few weeks after his thirty third birthday when he met Emma Daley for the first time.

 

It was a glorious Sunday morning in June, and the Village was looking particularly picturesque.

James was on his way to St Agatha’s Church in the Village, not somewhere he was completely unfamiliar with but somewhere he hadn’t been as often as he felt he should have.

Though on that particular morning he had a more pressing need to be there other than the neglect of his spiritual wellbeing, because on that morning James was to be Godfather to his nephew Nathan.

His sister Lucy was three years younger than him, and she was the baby of the family and now had a baby of her own who was about to be christened.

 

It was as he walked to the Church, preoccupied by thoughts of pride at his impending God fatherhood that his life was changed forever.

Having caught sight of Lucy on the Church steps he quickly crossed the road and was brought rudely to his senses by the blast of a car horn.

He jumped out of the way and reached the safety of the footpath and braced himself to launch a tirade of abuse at the impatient arse on the other end of the car horn, but when he turned to face the driver and was greeted by a beautiful smiling brunette, who mouthed the word “sorry” it completely disarmed him.

 

Lucy and her husband Craig were watching from the Church steps and thought it was highly amusing that he had nearly been turned into roadkill.

He turned around to give them a withering look and when he turned his attention back to the pretty vehicular assassin she had gone and that was that or so he thought.

 

It was at the end of the main service when the Reverend Virtue began the Baptism of his nephew Nathan into the faith that he saw her again.

It turned out that “Penelope Pitstop” the beautiful, if dangerous brunette, was a close friend of his sister and was also to be a Godparent to his nephew.

Following that he would have freely confessed that as proud as he was to be Godfather, he didn’t really follow proceedings as closely as he should have as his eyes were constantly drawn to the beautiful girl on the other side of the font.

But in the end, he lost sight of her in the melee as everyone decanted from the Church, and such was the effect this beautiful stranger had on him that he walked to his mum’s house full of trepidation that she was gone forever. 

“Hey James” Lucy said as he entered the kitchen “you got here safely then?”

“Very funny” he countered

“You’re obviously not safe as a pedestrian” she said and roared with laughter.

“Shut up and give me a beer smart-arse” he retorted

She went to the fridge and took out a bottle, opened it and handed it to him.

“Thanks sis,” he said, “have you got a glass?”

James didn’t like drinking from the bottle, he couldn’t stand it, and it was a bit of a joke within the family, he thought it was common.

“You are so old” Lucy said laughing

“I just have standards” He retorted pompously “Where’s Craig?”

“He’s in the lounge showing Gran the video” She replied.

Gran was 91 and quite frail and wasn’t well enough to attend the Christening so the ceremony was videoed by one of the family and it was being played back for her so she would feel included in proceeding.   

“You should go and watch it yourself” she added “as you missed most of it as you were ogling Emma”

“Emma?” he asked playing dumb

“Yes, the pretty brunette you couldn’t take your eyes off” she said

“I think you’re imagining it” he answered as he left the kitchen

“I think you’re smitten” she shouted after him and he was about to unleash a witty retort in response, but he was suddenly knocked sideways into the wall slopping his drink down his trousers.

“Sorry, I wasn’t looking where I was going” she said, and he turned around to face his assailant

“That’s…” and that was all he could say as he gazed upon the smiling face of the beautiful girl he knew to be, though they had not been introduced, Emma.

He didn’t know how long he stood there staring at her or how long he would have continued to stare had she not broken the silence.

“This is becoming a bit of a habit” She said “my name is Em…”

“Emma” he continued

“Yes” she answered “and you’re James”

And so, the introductions were complete and from the first moment they met she bought something into his world that he hadn’t even noticed he didn’t have romantic love.

James was besotted with the diminutive young woman with the immense personality and a heart as big as the moon.

He thought before that day he was quite content with his lot and had not felt his life suffered for the want of love, he had not craved it nor coveted it, he just thought it was something that was inflicted on other people and he was immune, but once he tasted it, he was hooked.

Had it not been for the fact that she had almost run him down and had fate not also decreed they both be Godparents to the same child it was unlikely he would ever have spoken to her, let alone ask her out but ask her out he did and furthermore she said yes.

In the Village of Pepperstock Green – Chapter (014) – Sister’s in Residence

 

June

 

Following her coronary angioplasty procedure, Sister Margaret was discharged the Pepperstock and District Hospital at midday on Saturday and was in good spirits, but it had been agreed over dinner the previous night that to journey back to the island that day might be detrimental, so Charlie suggested she stay at Beechwood for the rest of the weekend and cross to St Giles on the midday ferry on Monday.

Sister Margaret could have had Toddy’s room, and she could have gone back to the Vicarage, but he liked having her close, she he called Mrs Horne again and after apologizing for imposing on her weekend, asked if she would mind making up the fourth bedroom and explained the situation.

She couldn’t have been more obliging when she found out it was for another Nun, she thought the whole thing leant an air of respectability to Beechwood having 3 Nuns in residence, albeit one was and ex.

 

As it turned out the Sister’s stayed until Friday, Charlie thought it might be beneficial to build a relationship with the Sister’s as they were the closest thing to family that she had, so they went out on a few outings, but nothing too far or too strenuous.

On Monday they went to Sharpington, which was where Sister Lucy was from, and she took her name from St Lucy’s Church where she went as a girl, so that was one port of call because she hadn’t been back for many years, and she was amazed to find someone there that she knew from her school days.

So, Charlie and Toddy left them to reminisce and pushed Sister Margaret along the promenade to get some sea air and stopped by the pier entrance and got ice cream from Bizzoni’s before walking back to the Church to rejoin Sister Lucy, then Charlie took them all for lunch.

 

On Tuesday Charlie offered to take them to Upper Gracewood, which was where Sister Margaret was from and she also took her name from the Church where she found her faith, though she was in her twenties when she found God.

“Thank you no,” she replied “I knew no happiness there”

“Ok, is there anywhere you would like to go?” he persisted

“I’ve always wanted to go to Mornington-By-Mere and see the windmills and Teardrop Lake in Shallowfield” she replied

“That’s settled then” he said and looked at Toddy who smiled at him

 

Mornington-By-Mere was a small country Village lying in the Finchbottom Vale nestled between the Ancient Dancingdean Forest and the rolling Pepperstock Hills.

It is a quaint picturesque Village, a proper chocolate box picturesque idyll, with a Manor House, 12th Century Church, a Coaching Inn, an Old Forge, a Schoolhouse, a River, a Mere, which gave the Village its name and the Mornington Windmills.

Although the Mere in Mornington was only half a mile wide and half a mile long it sits at the heart of Mornington, figuratively if not literally, and is one of three small bodies of water in the area that were all that remained of the great wetlands that at one time stretched from Mornington in the East to Childean in the west and from Shallowfield in the south to Purplemere in the north.

But over many centuries the vast majority had been drained for agriculture and part of the traditional drainage system were the Mornington Mills, of which only three had survived to the present day and even those were no longer functional, but had been restored and converted into residences, and the mills would have once pumped the excess water into the River Brooke.

 

Sister Margaret was not disappointed with the Windmills or the Village itself, in fact both exceeded her expectations, and she even felt well enough to abandon the wheelchair as they strolled around the Village and then rewarded herself with half a pint of Mornington Ale at the Old Mill Inn. 

 

It was just a short drive to Shallowfield and when they arrived Charlie pulled into the lane leading towards Teardrop Lake which ran parallel to the River Brooke, which flowed from the head of the Lake and on through Shallowfield.

They parked outside the Shallowfield Lodge Hotel, and when they got out of the car and got their first view of the lake, and they were blown away by the vista which was spectacular, although they couldn’t see it all or discern the teardrop shape that gave the lake its name.

But the view of the surrounding ancient woodland of the Dancingdean Forest was majestic and the lake shimmered in the June sunshine.

 

Even though it was just a modest body of water, just over two miles long and just short of a mile at its widest point, they weren’t going to attempt to walk it, especially as Sister Margaret had returned to her wheelchair, so they just walked about a mile in total and ended up back at the Shallowfield Lodge Hotel.

“Lunch?” Charlie asked

“Does it come with more of that Mornington Ale?” Sister Margaret asked, and they all laughed.

 

The next day the weather was miserable, so they spent the day at home and on Thursday when the sun returned so they put together a picnic and Charlie drove them up through the Pepperstock Hills National Park which stretched from the bare, and often barren crags of Quarry Hill in the North to the dense wooded southern slopes on the fringe of the Finchbottom Vale and from Quarry Hill, and the Pits in the West to Pepperstock Bay in the East.

They had their picnic on a high rock outcrop which looked out to sea and enjoyed the natural beauty on display.

 

On Friday it was time for the Nuns to go back to the island and as they stood by the departure gate Toddy said her goodbyes to them and Sister Lucy turned to Charlie and said

“Thank you for your kindness and your hospitality”

“My pleasure” he responded then the seated Sister Margaret took his hand in both of hers and said

“As grateful as my damaged heart is for your kindness, you’d better not break hers, because we have friends in high places”

“Enough said” he responded “Her heart is safe in my hands”

Toddy held his hand as they watched as Sister Lucy pushed the wheelchair up the ramp and when she reached the top she turned and gave a wave.

 

They spent the rest of the month shopping for plants in anticipation of the Thorne girls completing the hard landscaping, but there were also periods of more intense excitement during the rest of June, such as when the Greenhouse arrived, which was particularly exciting for Toddy, and not so much for Charlie.

Then the roles were reversed the week after when the BBQ was delivered, though the arrival of the water feature was a source of joy for them both.   

In the Village of Pepperstock Green – Chapter (013) – Medical Procedure

 

June 

Toddy had been on St Giles for two weeks, after learning that Sister Margaret had had a heart attack, but she and Charlie were in constant touch, using the mobile phone he bought for her, and fortunately it turned out not to have been a heart attack.

Paramedics attended her, and she was flown on the Air Ambulance to the Beaumont Manor Hospital on the neighbouring Beaumont Island where she was monitored for 48 hours.

She had already left when Toddy arrived at the retreat, where she found a very agitated Sister Lucy, who wanted to go to the hospital.  

Reverend Henry Noble who worked at the retreat, suggested they get the Water Taxi, the Ocean Breeze, from the port of Cabot Town to Spaniards Creek, and he arranged for a taxi to meet them after the Ocean Breeze moored and take them to the Beaumont Manor Hospital.

So, after leaving Cabot Town the Water Taxi passed between Cabot Head and Spaniards Point, before proceeding into the mouth of the river which led to Spaniards Creek where the taxi was waiting.

 

On one of the calls Charlie received, Toddy said that Sister Margaret needed surgery and had an appointment at Pepperstock and District Hospital in Pipershaven.

“I'll drive into Pipershaven to pick you up” he suggested

“I can’t ask you to do that” Toddy replied

“You're not asking, I’m offering” he retorted

“Thank you, Charlie,” she said

After giving him the ferry details, he said

“I’ll book three tickets for Friday, and I’ll meet you at this end”

“I can’t wait to see you” Toddy said

“I can’t wait either”

“The Sisters are really looking forward to meeting you”

She added 

“I hope they’re not disappointed” Charlie said

“You haven’t disappointed me” Toddy retorted, and he could tell, by the way her voice cracked, that she was about to cry so he said

“Until Friday then”

“Ok dear man, Bye” she responded and hung up

 

Charlie was up early on Friday morning as he had very much missed Toddy while she had been on the island and was eager to see her again.

She and the Sisters were arriving on the first ferry that morning from St Giles and he was keen to be there to meet her, so keen in fact that he was at the port half an hour early.

Which gave him far too much time to think while he waited, he had been dreaming of the moment when he could hold her and kiss her, but as much as he wanted to, he was worried he might embarrass her in front of the Sisters and that was the last thing he wanted.

However, he didn’t want to give Toddy the wrong idea either, so he was in a quandary.    

To add to his discomfiture the ferry arrived twenty minutes late, so he was in a state of agitation when the ramp was lowered, and the cars began to disembark.

He spotted the nuns straight away among the assembled crowd of foot passengers behind the rope, even in their more modern habits they were still easily identified, one was seated in a wheelchair, who he assumed to be Sister Margaret, and the tall slim Sister Lucy pushing her, and then he spotted Toddy in a floral dress, and she was scanning the area.

The steward unhooked the rope, and the passenger began filing down the walkway and Toddy was constantly looking around as they proceeded towards the quay.

He was in among a crowd himself but as they thinned out, she spotted him, and she waved and pointed him out animatedly to the Sisters.

When they were about twenty yards away, she suddenly ran headlong towards him and jumped into his waiting arms and kissed him.

So much for his worries about embarrassing her, by the time she had finished, Sister Lucy had arrived with Sister Margaret, and holding tightly on to his hand, Toddy introduced them and said

“This is Charlie”.

“I’m so pleased to meet you both, I've heard so much about you” he said

“Not I suspect, as much as we’ve heard about you” Sister Lucy said with a wry smile and when he looked at Toddy she was blushing

“Well, you can tell me more on the way to the car, it’s a bit of a yomp I'm afraid, shall I take over the donkey work?” he said and took control of the wheelchair

“You’re right, he is a gentleman” Sister Lucy said

It wasn’t as far to the car as he led them to believe so they were soon on the way to the Pepperstock and District Hospital and when he got there he pulled up at the main entrance and got Sister Margaret back in her chair.

“I’ll go and park and catch up with you inside” Charlie said and gave Toddy a quick kiss  

 

The procedure Sister Margaret was having was a coronary angioplasty and she had already gone through to a side ward for an assessment to make sure the operation was still possible after the journey.

Toddy texted him while he was on his way from the car park, so he got himself a coffee and made himself comfortable in the waiting area.

During the pre-operative assessment, they did blood tests and gave her a general health check to make sure she was well enough for surgery and then she had an angiogram to check her blood vessels before discussing their concerns with the heart specialist.

So, the cardiologist and Sister Margaret announced they were both happy to proceed so she was taken to a catheter lab equipped with X-ray equipment to allow the doctor to monitor the procedure on a screen.

 

Sister Lucy and Toddy were with her as the nurse helped Sister Margeret lay on her back on an X-ray table and linked her up to a heart monitor but had to leave before she was given the local anesthetic.

The procedure was expected to last anywhere between 30 minutes and 2 hours, some tears were shed as they returned to the waiting area to find Charlie, who after some words of comfort suggested he take them for a hot drink and some food.

“We don’t want to go too far” Todd said 

“How about the cafeteria by the main entrance?” he suggested

“Perfect” they chorused and laughed

Despite the fact that Sister Lucy said she was too nervous to eat anything, she managed to force down 2 sausage rolls and a Danish pastry washed down with 2 Latte's.

“I'm assuming they will be keeping Sister Margaret in overnight” Charlie said 

“Yes, that’s what they said” said Toddy “Sister Lucy is going to stay at a Bed and Breakfast near to the Hospital”

“Nonsense” he said “I live alone in a 4-bedroom house, you can stay with me Sister”

“I'm not sure that would be seemly to be alone in the house with a man” she said “But thank you for the offer” 

“Well, how would you feel if Toddy stayed as well?” he asked, “Would that be more seemly?”

“That would be perfect” Toddy said

“Great I’ll phone Mrs. Horne” he said

Widow, Catherine Horne was among other things, his cleaner and it was her day to clean.

“Hi Catherine, I have two house guests tonight, could you make up two rooms please?” 

 

The coronary angioplasty procedure was a success, and the two stents were where they should be and functioning effectively, however an overnight stay at the Hospital was required even though the procedure was quite straightforward, mainly due to her age.

In the Village of Pepperstock Green – Chapter (012) – The Lingerie Thief

 

May 

Cathy and Keira Smith shared a house on the east side of the Village as well as being housemates, they were also partners in their own Plumbing business, which they inherited from their father.

Catherine was the oldest at thirty-four and her sister was two years younger, Cathy was also taller, darker haired, and two dress sizes bigger.

By the beginning of May they had been housemates and partners for three years, and everything was going well, the only thing that was lacking in their lives was romance.

Working on building sites so much the only men they met on a regular basis were builders, electricians, roofers and other plumbers, and as nice as some of the guys were they really wanted significant others who were not trades.

 

On the whole they got on very well together, although they were very different characters Catherine was a neat freak and Keira was messy, but they didn’t fall out very often.

But for Cathy there was one bone of contention and that was namely articles of underwear, as nice as they might be they were very annoying when they were left hanging from the shower rail or draped over radiators, so when Keira wasn’t looking she would gather them up, in ones and two’s, and put the wet ones in the airing cupboard or the dry ones in her drawer in the bedroom.

Keira didn’t seem to notice or if she did, she didn’t say anything that is until the beginning of May when she enquired

“Have you seen my green knickers?”

“No sis,” she replied

“Are you sure?” she quizzed “I know what you’re like with your tidying”

So, she had noticed then Cathy thought and answered.

“Definitely not honey”

“I don’t understand it I’ve found the bra upstairs so I know they’re here somewhere, but I can’t find the pants anywhere”

“They’ll turn up” Cathy suggested

“That’s not very helpful” she replied

“There are some blue ones in the airing cupboard” she said helpfully

“I can’t wear blue pants with a green bra” she said crossly

“Honestly, what kind of a girl do you think I am?”

“Well, you know I haven’t had them, I couldn’t get me arse in your skinny skimpies” Cathy said, and they both laughed

Over the next few weeks her green panties didn’t turn up and it transpired they weren’t the only items to disappear.

Cathy also had some disappearing lingerie, and they went on to lose an assortment of knickers, two bras, three odd socks, a pair of tights and even Keira’s pajama shorts did a disappearing act.

They had never experienced any loss of laundry all the time they had lived there so they were at a loss to explain the disappearances and could offer nothing but Cathy’s stock answer of

“They’ll turn up”

Keira was unconvinced, as was her sister, they were sure that some kind of fetishist had a secret stash of their knickers.

However, any such suspicions they might have harbored were readily dispelled one Friday evening when they arrived home and spotted a tabby cat jumping over their garden fence with something pink and silky in its mouth and entered the cat flap of their next-door neighbour.

“Do you see that!” Keira exclaimed

“I did” Catherine replied “It had a pair of your drawers in its mouth”

“Right strike while the iron is hot” Kiera said and got out of the van and went straight to the neighbour’s door and knocked on it loudly and when the door opened by a tall good-looking man she barked

“Your cat keeps stealing our socks and knickers”

“Yes, sorry about that, she’s a…”

“Pervert”

“Rescue cat and she’s a bit…”

“Perverted”

“Insecure” he corrected her

“If it makes you feel any better, she’s not just stealing yours”

“Funnily enough, it doesn’t” she replied and turned on her heels

 

Nothing else was said until Sunday afternoon, when just after they had returned home from a walk, there was a knock on the front door.

When she opened it, Keira was faced with a very shamefaced and embarrassed neighbour, Duncan King, who was a School Teacher at the primary School in the Village and was a couple of years older than her.

He was holding a carrier bag out in front of him. 

“I think these might be yours” he said quietly thrusting the carrier bag in her direction.

“What is it?” she asked and took the bag

“Open it” he said shuffling his feet nervously and she did as he instructed and opened the bag and found inside sundry items of underwear.

“You’d better come in” she said

 

He hadn’t been in the house very long, no more than a month they had known the previous owners John and his wife Carole, for several years and they had always gotten on very well, then John got sick and died so Carol moved away.

They hadn’t had a chance to meet the new owner at that point, and things hadn’t started well.

Because of his tabby cat called Tabitha, who was a very sweet looking cat that unfortunately suffered with psychological problems.

It was a very nervous and timid creature who was very suspicious of everyone but what none of the neighbour’s suspected was that it had a darker side.

While the humans of the Village were all at work Tabitha roamed the local area, indulging in her particular passion namely stealing knickers, pants, socks, tights, handkerchiefs and the occasional bra as well as babies’ bibs and booties.

The troubled animal preyed on the unsuspecting locals stealing from washing lines, washing baskets and clothes airer’s, though thankfully even with her psychological problems she only stole clean items, nothing soiled or un-fresh.

They were all oblivious to this dastardly crime putting the loss of missing items down to mischievous house elves.

The dastardly crime only came to light when Duncan was clearing his spare room prior to decorating when he discovered a nest of other people’s underwear.

After first discovering the stash, he had found it was very funny, however after having to sort the not inconsiderable collection into bags for the prospective owners, it was less funny.

Even less so when he had to set off to return the items, which was why he was standing in the girl’s house.

 

“I have never been so embarrassed” Duncan said

“How many houses have you had to go to?” Catherine asked

“You are number 8” he said

“You poor thing” Keira said sympathetically then she looked at Catherine and they both burst out laughing.

When they had regained control of themselves, he continued

“Luckily Tabitha’s is scared of her own shadow, so she never strays more than a few houses either side of us, so it narrowed down the field”

 

After he had gone Catherine looked at the contents of the bag

“You see I said they would turn up” she said

“Pah” Keira retorted unimpressed and then there was another knock on the door, so she opened it and found Duncan King standing there again

“Um… I was wondering… um… by way of apology if I might… um … take you to dinner” he said

“Well… I wasn’t expecting that” she said

“I am encouraged, that you haven’t said no” he said

“I haven’t said yes either” she pointed out

“And will you?” he asked

“I will go to dinner with you on one condition” Keira said

 “Name it”

“You bring a friend to make up a four” she said

“Deal”

 

She closed the door and went into the lounge

“We have a dinner date on Saturday” she announced

“We do?” Cathy said, “Who with?”

“The Knicker King and a friend”

The friend was another teacher called Luke Hedger.