In the Village of Pepperstock Green – Chapter (027) – The Announcement

 

October

 

After their eventful date to celebrate her birthday, on which he made a proposal which she accepted they ended up at his house where they made love for the first time it was time to walk her home in the wee small hours.

  

It was further to drive from Beechwood to the Vicarage than it was to walk, but it took twice the time on foot.

They didn’t see a single soul on the walk through the Village apart from a distant dog walker on the far side of the green just before they walked hand in hand up to the front door of the Vicarage where she turned to face him and said

“It’s been a very special night”

“It has” he agreed “But any time spent with you is special”

“But tonight was…. more eventful” she suggested

“It was” He agreed “Not to mention memorable”

Toddy stood on her tiptoes and kissed him then retorted

“I’m looking forward to an encore”

“Me too,” he concurred “Perhaps after your birthday lunch tomorrow”

“I like the sound of that” Toddy said and kissed him again before opening the door and saying “I love you Charlie, goodnight”

“Goodnight Toddy, I love you too”

 

After rising early on Sunday morning Charlie showered and shaved and liberally applied aftershave balm on his smooth face and bald head.

When he was dressed, he drove to the Stephenson’s Supermarket to buy mocktails for Toddy’s birthday, because after saying how much they had enjoyed the Mojitos the previous evening, the waitress Susie had told them, in a hushed whisper

“You can buy them ready mixed in Stephenson’s much cheaper”

So, he bought four bottles, two for home and two for birthday lunch at the Vicarage.

 

When he returned to the Village he went straight to the Vicarage and was greeted by a nervous Toddy in the hall who quickly kissed him and whispered agitatedly.

“I haven’t told them, and I’ve hidden the ring, but keeping it secret is so hard, I didn’t know what to do, I’ve never been engaged before, I’m so glad you’re here” 

“That’s ok I’m here now and we’ll tell them together straight after Church” he assured her and kissed her

“Oh ok” she said and smiled “I feel better now you’re here”

From that moment on she never left his side apart from when she needed to go to the toilet, which was when his sister Chloe cornered him and said.

“What happened last night? Toddy was in a very funny mood this morning, what did you do?”   

Before he had to make a waffly response to his inquisitive sister, Toddy returned, and Chloe slipped away on a wave of disappointment.

 

On the walk to the Vicarage as soon as they were out of earshot Toddy said urgently

“I’m desperate to tell them, can we do it straight away?”

“Of course, darling” he said “As soon as everyone is there, and you get the ring from its hiding place”

“It’s in my bra” she whispered and giggled

“Interesting choice” he said as they reached the Vicarage door “Perhaps I should retrieve it”

 “Remember where you are, and behave yourself” she chuckled “Until later”

 

Their plan to tell everyone immediately and put Toddy at her ease was thwarted, initially as the Vicar was delayed at St Agatha’s, and then by the time he did appear Chloe and Verity were completely engrossed in preparing lunch.

Then when lunch was ready there was no opportunity, so they had to wait for a lull in the conversation, but there wasn’t one.

In fact, because of all the constant jovial chatter throughout the meal, the arrival of the Birthday cake, the first chance didn’t come until after the cake was eaten and Chloe began stacking the plates.

Charlie was alerted to the moment when Toddy kicked him under the table and when he glanced towards her, she showed him her left hand, so he nodded and said

“Hold on Sis, before you clear away, I have something to announce”

“Oh ok,” she said and sat back down “Is it about St Adelaide’s”

“No, it’s not about the Convent” he replied “it’s more important than that”

“Oh God you’ve got cancer” Chloe blurted out “I knew there was something going on”

“Honestly Sis do you really think if I was ill, I would announce it at a Birthday lunch?” he said “So stop trying to guess what it is and let me tell you what it is”

Then he reached out and took hold of Toddy’s left hand, squeezed it, and as he lifted her hand level with the tabletop, he said

“Toddy has agreed to be my wife”

Chloe and Verity’s jaws dropped, then they looked at each other and squealed.

 

After announcing their engagement at the Vicarage, and the screaming had subsided, the questions started, when, where and how did he propose? Which was easy enough to answer, and when and where the wedding was to be and where the honeymoon would be, which they couldn’t answer because they hadn’t discussed that yet.

“We’ll get back to you” he said 

In the Village of Pepperstock Green – Chapter (026) – The Afterglow

 

October

 

Charlie and Toddy lay in his bed in the afterglow lit by the pale light of the bedside lamp, Toddy was lying with her head on his chest, and he smiled.

“You have to marry me now that you’ve seduced me” he said and laughed

“I didn’t have to try very hard” she retorted

“What do you mean?”

“You were a push over” Toddy said lifting her head to look at him

“The cheek of the woman” he retorted, and she laughed as she settled her head back on his chest.

 

After ten minutes or so she yawned and said

“I need to go now, I’m getting sleepy”

“You could stay” he suggested

“No, I can’t” she said firmly

“Why?”  

“Because although you’ve already sullied me, I don’t want to have my reputation sullied around the Village” she replied

“That’s a valid point” he agreed

“Quite, so you need to turn your back,” she insisted

“Why exactly?” he asked

“Because you took all my clothes off, and I’m naked” she replied

“So, you need to turn your back so I can get dressed”

“But I’ve already seen you naked” he pointed out

“But that was when we were…. um…. you know….um”

“Making love”

“Yes, making love” she repeated and smiled

“But this is different”

“Ok” he said and rolled over and turned his back on her

“And no peeking”

“Ok”

 

He was lying on his side listening to her dress and thinking how much he liked that she was shy, when she said  

“Now you can look,”

When he rolled over, she was fully dressed in her knee-length cornflower blue dress, and blue tights.

“Thank you” she responded and blushed as she stood by the door smiling.

“You look beautifully unsullied” Charlie said,

“Thankfully looks can be deceiving” she said and blushed again

“I’ll see you downstairs”

 

He quickly redressed and followed her down and he found her sitting in the kitchen putting her navy-blue court shoes on, so he walked up behind and placed a hand on each shoulder.

“Happy Birthday by the way” he said, bending down to kiss her cheek

“Do you want your present now?”

When Toddy asked him not to drop her at home, he had thought that he could present her with her birthday gift, but events overtook them so it would have to be the next day.

“I thought I’d had it already” she replied

“My goodness I hope we’re going to do it more than once a year”

“I didn’t mean that” she exclaimed and blushed scarlet after adding

“But I hope that as well”

“Good” he said and squeezed her shoulder

“I meant this” she said pointing at the solitaire ring

“No, you wearing that ring is a gift to me” he corrected her, and she put her hand on his and stroked it.

“You say the loveliest things” Toddy said and turned and kissed him

“But presents are lovelier”

Toddy got a fit of the giggles which Charlie always found adorable, so he just wrapped his arms around her until they passed after which she said.

“Would you mind if we left it until later? I’m a bit drained after your ungentlemanly behaviour”

“I don’t mind, I’ll do anything to make you happy” he said and kissed her

“Get your coat on darling and I’ll get my car keys”

“Then can you walk me home instead?” she asked

“If that’s what you want” he said

“It is, thank you”

“Any particular reason?”

“So, people can see me on the arm of my fiancé” Toddy said proudly as he opened the door

“That’s very sweet, but I’m not sure how many Villagers will get to see us at half past one in the morning”     

“Nonetheless, what’s mine is mine, and I want everyone to know it” she said and put her arm through his.

In the Village of Pepperstock Green – Chapter (025) – The Special Night

 

October

 

Charlie and Toddy were not the last to leave the Kissing Angel as they had been on their first date, when they were reluctant to accept the end of the evening.

The couple were in a very different place now and had none of the first date anxieties as they returned to the car.

 

The conversation was comfortably sparse on the journey back to the Village, and when they did speak it was about his proposal and their engagement, and the associated excitement of telling people, and speculating on what their reactions would be.

 

As they drove through the Village, Charlie indicated to make the turn towards the Vicarage, and she suddenly said

“Don’t take me home yet, it’s been such a wonderful evening and I’m not ready for it to end”

That was music to his ears because he felt the same way.

“No problem,” he said as he cancelled the indicator and drove on to Beechwood and parked the car on the drive and when they got out, they walked hand in hand to the front door.

“It’s been a lovely evening” she said as she stepped inside

“Everything about it has been wonderful from the moment you picked me to the last drop sip of mocktail”

“The most wonderful” he agreed as he closed the door and switched on the lights

“Would you like a drink? I can’t offer you a mocktail, but I do tea, coffee or a soft drink”

“I don’t want a drink” she said quietly as she turned to face him, then she took a deep breath smiled and kissed him, but not hesitantly on the lips like on their first date, nor did it settle into a long languorous embrace, this special kiss was on another level, it wasn’t fueled by romance alone but predominantly by a burning passion.

Her passionate embrace, matched by his own, revealed their mutual wants and desires, but neither had wanted to voice them.

Such a passionate embrace was a defining moment for them, it was the first such expression of passion for Charlie since his wife passed away ten years earlier and it was yet another new experience for Toddy, as such neither of the parties were quite sure how to proceed, for Toddy because she just didn’t know and Charlie didn’t want to hurry things in case it spooked her.

As it was Toddy made the first move of sorts.

“I’ve never um, you know….” She began timidly

“I know”

“So, I don’t know what to do” she continued

“You don’t have to do anything darling” he assured her

“That’s just it, I do want to, I just don’t know how” she said as she buried her head in his chest.

“Are you sure you don’t want to wait?” he asked “Until a better time”

“I’m with the only man I have ever loved on the night he proposed to me, how can there possibly be a better time than that” she said so he kissed the top of her head and took her by the hand

“Come on then sweetheart”

 

In the Village of Pepperstock Green – Chapter (024) – The Dinner Date

 

October

 

When he went to pick her up for their dinner date, Charlie didn’t even get to knock on the door of the Vicarage as the door burst open and Toddy came out through it like a greyhound out of the traps at Brighton and kissed him.

“You’re eager” he said returning her kiss

“Are you complaining?” she asked

“Not for a second”

 

She was in a very bubbly mood, and he was enjoying her excited chatting, though it was not easing his nerves in any way for what was to come, and it was like that all the way to the Kissing Angel which was on the outskirts of Pipershaven and it was where they went on their very first date.

 

Having eaten there before, they knew what to expect, and it didn’t disappoint, it was still as lovely, and the soothing ambiance and cozy intimacy was exactly the same.

“It’s still very classy” she whispered once they were settled

“So are you” he said, and she blushed as he squeezed her hand

 

The waiter arrived enquiring about drink, and as they were both teetotal, he ordered a very pleasant bottle of alcohol-free Chardonay.

Her excited conversation continued throughout the three-course meal, so much so that he wasn’t sure if he would ever find a moment of silence to fill.

But his chance came between desert and coffee after the waitress had cleared away the plates.

 

“Since that morning in March when you knocked on my door and the sunshine of your smiling face spilled over the threshold, my life has never been the same” he said

“You breathed life back into me, and you filled my days with your unrelenting joy and laughter”

“That’s….” She began but he took hold of her hand and pressed on

“And every day I spend that doesn’t have you in it, is cold and empty, which is why…” he paused briefly and put a small package in front of her “I got you this”

“I can’t open it” Toddy said “It’s not my birthday until tomorrow”

“It’s not a birthday present” he said

“So, I can open it now?” she asked excitedly

“That’s the idea”

“How exciting” she giggled and ripped off the paper, and exposed another layer, then more ripping and there was another layer.

“My goodness, not another one” she exclaimed excitedly but after removing the next layer she was finely faced with plain blue lidded box about the size of a cigarette packet.

“You are very annoying” she said with a chuckle and took the lid off the box to reveal the prize which she just stared at

“Well open it” he urged

“I can’t” she retorted

“Why?”

“I’m frightened” she replied quietly

“Because of what it might be?” he asked nervously

“No, I’m scared that it’s not” she admitted

“Then it’s safe for you to open” Charlie said, and she smiled nervously.

Toddy’s hands were shaking as she picked up the little box, so he moved to the chair beside her and put his hand on her wrist to steady her, and finally she opened the hinged lid and gasped when she saw the platinum and diamond solitaire ring

“It’s beautiful” she exclaimed and just stared at it as if mesmerized then she looked at him with wide eyes and asked quietly

“Is it?”

“It is” he replied as he took the ring from the box and slipped it on her finger “So Millicent Winnifred Todd, my darling Toddy, will you marry me?”

“Of course, yes, yes, you wonderful man, of course yes” she babbled and threw her arms around him and kissed him.

Susie Bradshaw, the waitress, had witnessed the unfolding proposal put the coffee’s on an adjacent table and stood quietly until the drama was concluded.

When it was clear that the proposal had been accepted, she picked up the coffee’s and put them on the table and said

“Congratulations”

“Thank you” Toddy and Charlie exclaimed in unison and beamed at her

“We would like something to celebrate” Charlie said “Something special but nonalcoholic”

“How about a mocktail” Susie suggested

“What a splendid idea” Charlie agreed

“I don’t know what that is” Toddy said with a giggle

“I’ll just get you the drinks menu” Susie said

“No need for that” he said “surprise us”

“Say no more” Susie responded

She returned a few minutes later with two flamboyant looking offering with umbrellas and sparklers

“Mojito mocktails, with a celebratory twist”

“Oh wow” exclaimed Toddy

“They are perfect, thank you” Charlie agreed

In the Village of Pepperstock Green – Chapter (023) – Making Progress

 

July

 

After Charlie Phelps’s dual revelations outside St Adelaide’s Convent back in July, when he declared he had purchased the Convent and that he was in love with Toddy, it sparked an abundance of converse about both St Adelaide’s and their personal relationships, and there were decisions to be made.

 

The first week of discussions covered the broad strokes and the only firm decision made were that the Chapel, Cemetery and Kitchen garden had to be preserved and that their next discussions should involve an Architect.

The Architect they chose was James Tims who ticked a lot of boxes, he was a local man, a Christian and was a regular at St Agatha’s.

 

One of their stipulations was to use local artisans and they were pleased to find that he was of a like mind, however he did recommend they employ the services of a Project Manager and suggested Nicholas McGee, who, although not a local per se, he was relatively so, as he resided in Sharpington, and they took up his endorsement.     

 

August

 

Throughout the month of August James Tims produced several preliminary plans for their perusal, some of which they approved and some they rejected.

However, by the end of the month, they approved the final plans of the existing building and several additional single-story buildings.

 

September

 

At the beginning of September, he submitted the finished plans to the council planning department and began working on the detailed working drawings so that work could commence on the Convent buildings, because builders Reece Stead and Jamie Gomm, plumbers Catherine and Keira Smith, and electricians Archie Paddick and Callum Gallocker had already commenced work on site stripping out.

 

Charlie and Toddy were regular visitors to the site once work had commenced, and by the third week of the month they ordered the turf for Beechwood.

The weather forecast for the first half of October was persistent rain so the target was to lay the turf by the end of September.

So, they drafted in his niece Verity Virtue and her boyfriend Stephen Farnsworth to help out and they worked as a well-oiled team, Toddy laid the turfs, Verity fed her, and Stephen and Charlie did the donkey work.   

It was a large garden, and it took them almost three days from Monday to Wednesday, and when it was done, they were all shattered.

 

As a reward for their efforts, he booked them all into the Mablethorpe Spa Hotel in Pipershaven for two days and nights.

It wasn’t the best Spa Hotel in the county, but it was the closest and offered, fitness classes, gym, rock sauna, infra-red sauna, aroma steam room, ice fountain, drench showers, Jacuzzi, a Romanesque pool, Reflexology, Raki, facials, scalp massage, hand massage, full body massage, Manicure and Pedicure, to name but a few.

“This is very amazing” Toddy said who had never been to a spa before.

“Does it meet with your approval?”

“Very much so” she replied and smiled

 

Charlie had booked four single rooms although he knew it was likely that Stephen and Verity would only be using one of them, but he didn’t want to cause any embarrassment, so he booked the extra room.

 

After checking into their rooms, they met downstairs in the bar and discussed what treatments they were going to try, and they universally said that because of their physical endeavors for the previous three days that first and foremost they wanted a full body massage.

Stephen and Verity were lucky enough to go straight onto tables whereas the others had to book so went to the aroma steam room until it was their turn.

 

October

 

After two days of unadulterated pampered relaxation, they returned to Pepperstock Green on Saturday morning October 1st, after stopping on the way at the Starlight Café for something deliciously unhealthy.

 

The could have stayed at the Spa until lunchtime but Toddy had an appointment with Emma Daley to have her hair done, ahead of the dinner date with Charlie that night to celebrate her fifty fifth birthday.

Her birthday wasn’t actually until Sunday and he would have preferred to have taken her to dinner on her birthday, but Chloe got there first and organized a Birthday lunch at the Vicarage straight after Church, so he was taking her to the Kissing Angel on Saturday night instead.

 

In the Village of Pepperstock Green – Chapter (022) – Punching Above His Weight

 

September

 

Michael Bailey was an Estate Agent in the Village, and he had been dating Maisie, one of the Threadgold’s Garden Centre family, whose business had been in existence in some form or other for over 100 years and was still family run.

 

Masie Threadgold was a pretty blonde girl, and everyone thought Michael was punching above his weight.

At the beginning of September on Friday evening they drove up to Abbottsford to his parents’ house as it was his dad’s fiftieth birthday the next day.

Michael was up early on Saturday morning, as was his Mum, there were only the two of them up and about, as everyone else was sleeping in after severe overindulgence at dinner the night before.

They sat in the conservatory having breakfast when he asked

“What do you think of Maisie?”

“She’s very nice dear” she replied as she stood up

“Of course, she’s far too pretty for you to keep” she continued and left the room before he could respond.

“She’s far too pretty for me to keep” he repeated “What on earth did she mean by that?”

He spent the rest of Saturday morning wondering what she meant by her remark, did she mean Maisie was too pretty for him? Not good enough for him? Or too good for him?

Anyway, the conclusion he reached was that he loved Maisie Threadgold and he was going to keep her, end of story.

 

At two o’clock people started to arrive for the BBQ, and things slowly got going with the garden quickly filling with familiar faces and he took the opportunity to introduce Maisie to everyone.

As the afternoon gave way to dusk all but the hardiest of them had moved into the house or gone home already but then his kid brother Danny said he had an announcement to make, and a murmur spread around the room in anticipation.

“I would just like to make a short but significant announcement”

Now Michael was reasonably sure it was not a marriage declaration as he knew Danny’s position on marriage very well indeed.

He loved Kerry with all his heart, but he would never marry her because he thought marriage was nonsense.

Michael had no opinion on marriage himself as he never thought the opportunity would ever arise.  

Although Danny was anti marriage he suspected he might change his mind if given sufficient incentive to do so, namely if there was a chance he might lose Kerry.

So, when the announcement was imminent Michael was certain sure it wasn’t marriage but wasn’t prepared at all for what he did say as he stood holding Kerry’s hand. 

“We are having a baby” he said excitedly, and the news was met with enthusiastic approval.

 

About an hour later Michael was on his way back from the toilet when he walked past the kitchen door just in time to hear his aunt say

“Michael has a pretty little girlfriend”.

“I know and she’s lovely” his Mum said “but he’ll never keep hold of her, she’s way out of his league”

There was a brief pause and then she continued 

“He really needs to find himself a horsey type, not a pretty little blonde”

Well, they say eaves droppers never hear anything good about themselves well that would teach him.

As he continued on his path back to Maisie, he was feeling absolutely gob smacked.

He sat down next to Maisie who gave him a smile, and he smiled back but inside he wasn’t smiling.

It was only when they were on the dance floor smooching along to 10cc’s “I’m not in love” that he felt at peace, and he thought to himself “oh yes I am”

 

It was the next morning when he was getting ready for Church that he made the decision, he had woken up that morning having had an epiphany, so he quickly finished getting dressed and rushed downstairs and into the kitchen.

“Where’s Maisie?” he asked abruptly

“And good morning to you” Danny said sitting at the table still wearing his dressing gown.

“Have you seen her or not?” he asked

“She’s in the shower” he snapped

“Thanks” Michael said and turned on his heels and left

“And I’m next” he shouted after him

 

He rushed upstairs to the guest bathroom and pressed his ear against the door.

He could hear the sound of the shower running and some tuneless singing so having detected it was Maisie and not his mother he knocked on the door.

“I’ll be out in a minute” she called

“I need to talk to you” he called back

“I’ll be out in a minute hon” she said

The door was locked but it was an old house with a lot of the original fittings, including the door latch on the inside of the bathroom door.

He couldn’t wait a minute, what he had to say to her was urgent so as Maisie wouldn’t let him in, he had to let himself in.

So, he used his credit card, sliding it between the frame and the door and lifting the latch and pushed open the door, which squeaked as it opened.

“Who’s that?” she called in alarm

“It’s only me” he answered

Maisie was just stepping out of the shower and hastily covered herself with a towel.

Although in the two months they had been seeing each other they had, to put it as delicately as possible, been intimate, they were not at that stage of intimacy that allowed naked converse.

“Get out! I’m not decent” she shouted

“I have something important to say” he insisted

“Can’t it wait?” she asked

“No, it can’t” he said

“Well, you can’t just barge into the bathroom when someone else’s is in there” Maisie said crossly

“It’s not decent we’re not some old married couple you know”

“That’s just the point” he said

“What is?” she said, still cross

“I want us to be” he explained

“You want us to be what?” she said with a puzzled expression

“Married” he said quietly “I want to marry you”

Maisie just stood there looking at him with a vacant look on her face.

“Well, what do you think?” he asked

“I think you should come over here and kiss me” Maisie replied

“Is that really decent?” he queried

“It is now we’re engaged” she answered, and they kissed

 

They decided not to tell their Mum until after Church as they thought her head might explode.

They did tell Danny though but only as he happened to be passing the bathroom as they came out, but he was sworn to silence until lunchtime.

“I’d better be your Best Man” he said

“But you don’t believe in marriage” Michael replied

“That’s not the point” he said

In the Village of Pepperstock Green – Chapter (021) – The Immodest Muse

 

August

 

Norman Simpson was a middle-aged curmudgeonly writer who was renting a farm cottage for the summer as he had a deadline fast approaching and the distractions of the city were affecting his focus.

His home was in Abbottsford where he had lived alone for 5 years following his divorce.

The cottage was located on Spurgin’s farm between Pepperstock Green and Quarry Hill and had been booked by his Publishers via a local Estate Agent.

Clifford Conway was his real name, his pseudonym Norman Simpson, was the name of an obscure character in one of his early books. 

The Cottage was about half a mile from the farmhouse and other buildings so it should have suited him perfectly.

However, that didn’t take into account 20-year-old Victoria Spurgin’s presence.

She was the granddaughter of the matriarch of the family, Alberta, and the niece of her Maiden Aunts, Iris and Daisy.

It was a remote sheep farm high up on the edge of the Pepperstock Hills National Park, the three older women did all the shepherding leaving Victoria to do all the domestic chores, which included cleaning once a week at the cottage. 

Which he found very distracting, because it was a hot summer, and she wore summer dresses that showed every curve and her underwear.

She also possessed a naivety of how affecting her figure was and how attractive she was.       

But whether by accident or design she was always bending over immodestly, showing him a view of her panties up her skirt or dress.

One unbearably hot day in August he said

“Don’t worry about the cleaning today”

“I’ll get in trouble if I don’t do it” she said

“Then just sit down and have a cold drink” he said

“And they’ll be none the wiser”

“Oh ok”

“Gran says you’re from Abbottsford” she said

“That’s right, have you been?” He asked and she laughed

“I’ve never been off the farm”

“Never?” he asked in amazement

“Never”

“What about school?”

“I was home schooled” she replied

“What about when you’re ill?”

“The Doctor comes here”

“I can’t believe that you’ve never left the farm” he said unable to conceal his disbelief

“I’m not allowed” she said

“Why ever not?”

“It’s because of my mum, Gran said she was loose with boys” she explained “and she doesn’t want the same thing to happen with me”

“Where’s your mum now?” Norman asked

“She ran away from home after I was born” she replied sadly, and tears welled up in her eyes

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you” he said and sat beside her and put an arm around her shoulder to comfort her and before he knew what was happening, they were kissing.

The heat of the day and raised passions meant the 

kissing inevitably led to love making for the first of many times during the summer.

And as their relationship burgeoned his writing flowed like fine wine and he finished the book well inside the deadline, and it was the best thing he’d written for some time, so when he left the farm in September, he took Victoria with him because she had become his muse.