The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (218) The End of Summer Ball

 

September

 

Jane Loveridge was a 39-year-old widow, who tragically lost her husband when she was only 26 and there had only been her and her daughter, Sally, since her bereavement, but now Sally had someone special in her life, so Jane was feeling unloved, at least until she met widower Alexander Lynn.

They got on very well and really enjoyed each other’s company but for homemaker Jane, who had been so long without a significant other in her life, she didn’t know how to be a girlfriend.

It was easier for Alexander, he was a successful businessman, semi-retired and comfortable in his own skin, and he had only been on his own for three years, but he did his best to tease her out of herself, while remaining patient.

 

They lived in St Pierre on Beaumont Island and one afternoon, as Sally and her boyfriend Mark had gone to Pipershaven for the day, so Alexander kept Jane company in the kitchen while she prepared the evening meal.

“It’s a shame we didn’t go to Pipershaven with the others” He said

“I know” she agreed “We could have made a day of it”

“Perhaps we could go another time” he suggested

“That would be nice” She said

“How about we do something for your birthday” he continued “I could get us tickets for “The end of summer ball” and we could stay over at the Mablethorpe Spa”

“We can’t” she replied urgently “it’s only next week so you’ll never get tickets”

“I get sent a pair of tickets every year, which I normally give-away”

“Besides I think Sally has something planned for that day” she protested

“I’m sure she won’t mind” he pointed out

“It’s not that simple” she said “its tradition”

He said no more on the subject and thought he might need reinforcements to persuade her, so he would enlist the help of Sally.

 

So Alexander made a call to Sally and relayed the content of the conversation and the next morning, sat at the breakfast table, she asked

“Why can’t you go to the “End of Summer Ball”?”

“Because we always go out for dinner on my birthday” She replied stubbornly

“We’ll do lunch instead” Sally suggested and then a further 20 minutes followed of Jane putting up an obstacle and Sally knocking it down until she eventually said

“Ok I give in”

 

Next week, on her birthday Jane was pacing up and down nervously in the hall

“I’m not sure about staying overnight” she said to her daughter

“Relax, Alexander has booked two rooms at the Hotel” Sally said “Nothing has to happen unless you want it too”

“Sally!!” she scolded, and her daughter just gave her a look and Jane sat down heavily on a chair.

“I wouldn’t know what to do anyway” she said “There hasn’t been anyone since your Father, in fact there wasn’t anyone before your Father”

“You’ll be fine” Sally said reassuringly

“I’m not sure I should go at all” she said “I’ll call him and cancel”

“Nonsense” Sally said sternly “Alexander really likes you, and I mean “really” likes you”

“Ok” she said meekly

“Just relax and enjoy your birthday treat” Sally said and hugged her Mum “Then if you feel like a special birthday treat you will know what to do when the time comes”

“You’re incorrigible” Jane said, and they were both laughing when Sally’s boyfriend Mark walked in

“Your carriage has arrived madam”

“Oh ok” she said and took a deep breath before adding “Ready”

Then she reached out to take her case and Sally stopped her.

“We have men for that kind of thing” she said, and her Mum laughed

“Hey peasant” she called to Mark “Take the bag for the Lady”

“Yes em” he replied and tugged his forelock and then followed a respectable distance behind.

 

As she left the front door she got her first look at the transportation.

“Oh my God” Jane said, “is that for me?”

It was a gleaming Vintage Rolls Royce Silver Cloud complete with chauffeur.

“Happy birthday” Alexander said as he stood by the open door, and Jane ran towards him and hugged and kissed him to within an inch of his life.

“There will definitely be a special treat” Sally said

“What was that milady?” Mark asked

“Nothing peasant, just a family joke”  

The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (217) Michaelmas

 

September

 

It was at the Bellevue Cottage Hospital where Michelle MacArthur worked and on Michaelmas, she felt that all the planets were in alignment for her, and she felt it quite appropriate.

It was after all the Feast of Saint Michael and all angels, and she was a Michael of sorts, as well as being an Angel, well an Angel of mercy at any rate, in the nursing sense.

She had just earned herself a big promotion and there was only one person in the world she would want to share her news with that was the love of her life, Michael Lucking, who was her cousin.

 

The Lucking’s and the MacArthur’s had lived on Beaumont Island for generations and since they were merged by marriage the families became very close and often Holidayed together.

There was a particular closeness between Michael and Michelle because they had grown up together having been born only two days apart.

Michael Lucking was also in the medical profession, only he chose to become a Paramedic rather than a nurse, which wasn’t the best paid career either, but he loved it regardless, but it did mean that he was still living in the old family home.

On Michaelmas Sunday he was at home alone and got up late, because he had been on the late shift the night before, and then he started to think about having a leisurely late lunch on his own as his parents were lunching out with his Aunt and Uncle.

 

It was just before 3 o’clock when Michelle walked through the front door and called

“Hi cuz”

“Hi Michelle” he responded, “I’m in the kitchen”

When she walked in the kitchen, she was dressed in a dark blue uniform that he hadn’t seen before.

“What’s this then, new uniform?” he asked

“New job” she replied proudly and gave him a twirl “Ward Sister”

“Well done” he said and hugged her, and her uniform was all crisp and new and still had that fresh laundered smell, and she smelt pretty good herself.

“Do you have time to celebrate?” he asked hopefully

“Why do you think I’m here?” she replied and then hugged him again

“I was about to have a rather unappealing sandwich” he said, “I’ll treat you to lunch, where would you like to go?”

“Here will suffice” she replied

“Here?”

“Yes, I have everything my heart desires right here” Michelle said, and kissed him

“Are you sure that’s what you want?” he asked between kisses

“It’s all I’ve ever wanted” she replied and then there were no further questions.

They were married the following spring and as they got together on Michaelmas, they named their first-born daughter Daisy.

The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (216) August Days

 

August

 

Olivia Carter, the new locum Vicar at St Clara’s had, at the behest of Vicar Arielle Archer, accommodated Danny Nightingale and Molly Barrington by fitting them in at short notice.

 

It was a glorious August day with not a cloud in the sky when Danny and the wedding party arrived at St Clara’s, he had spent the previous night with his best man George Wood, and the Harrison’s at Beacon Farm.

Molly and her Matron of Honour Arielle Archer and bridesmaids Nicola Harrison and Hayley Stock got ready at Cliff Haven cottage and rode to St Clara’s in a horse drawn carriage.

 

It was a beautiful ceremony, very moving and was well attended and when they left, they were seen off by all the well-wishers as Molly and Danny left the village in the carriage which took them to the reception at the Beaumont Manor Hotel and Molly felt like a princess.

 

At the same time Danny and Molly were tying the knot, a group of friends from Spaniards Creek were on the golden sands of Norman Beach where they were enjoying the hot weather, and among them were brothers Paul and Ryan Parkin and Ryan’s girlfriend Ellie Watson.

But despite the blue skies there was a black cloud hanging over the day because Paul knew that his brother was going to dump Ellie and he was not happy with what Ryan was going to do, because he was doing it so he could make a play for someone else.

 

About an hour after seeing Ryan and Ellie in a heated exchange by the cliffs, Paul was walking along the beach towards the steps when he saw Ryan kissing someone else.

He climbed the steps up to the cliff path and found Ellie behind one of the trees and he could tell by the movement of her shoulders that she was crying, so he closed the distance between them.

“Are you ok Ellie?” he asked when he reached her and as she turned to face him, he could discern that her eyes bore the evidence of crying, and then before he knew what was happening, she had buried her tearstained face in his chest and began to cry anew.

“I’m sorry” he said

They stood in the shade of an oak tree in that embrace for ten minutes as she cried, until the pattern of her breathing changed and he could feel feather light kisses from her soft lips on his naked chest, before her lips journeyed upwards until they reached his and she kissed him, a deeply passionate and electric kiss, but he curtailed it.

“We shouldn’t be doing this” he said

“But it’s what I want” she retorted and tried again to connect her lips to his.

“But you were crying for Ryan ten minutes ago” he pointed out

“No, no, you mustn’t think that” she said with alarm

“I wasn’t crying because we broke up, I was glad, I was distraught because I didn’t think I would see you again”

And then the kissed again.

 

On the August Bank Holiday, on a hot sultry Sunday afternoon in the Hamlet of Saxvirdan and Samantha Lucas was as hot and sultry as the weather, and the children running in and out of the house every five minutes either bickering or telling tales or saying, “Can I have?” was not cooling her down in the slightest.

So, she just carried on watching TV with her husband Eddie and tried to think happy thoughts, which was proving very difficult. 

“Thank God” She exclaimed when she heard the tell-tale chimes of the ice cream van playing “I wish I was in Dixie” in a neighbouring road.

“Nothing says come and get an ice-cream more than a jolly racist tune” Eddie said as the children came running in from the garden
“Ice cream, Ice cream” they called
“Just a minute kids, Dad will give you some money” Samantha shouted to them and he dug around in his shorts pocket and brought out a couple of two pound coins which he handed over to the children and they were out the front door in ten seconds flat, and the moment the door closed Eddie took hold of her hand and pulled her onto his lap.
“Behave Eddie” she protested “it’s too hot”

“Just give me a kiss” he said

“That’s not going to cool me down, that will just make me hotter” she said but kissed him anyway.

“Well, if it’s cooling down you need then I can help with that too” he said

 

Ten minutes later when the children returned with their ice cream, they found their mum and dad in the back garden where Eddie was spraying their mum with the hose pipe.

The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (215) Lookie-likie

 

August

 

30 something Anelita Gordon lived and worked at the Seaview Hotel where she was the Hotel cook.

Although she had no man in her life she had some very good friends, and they did a lot together, but her three closest friends, sisters Rebecca and Sally Root and Cordelia Caldwell, had all recently found themselves partners, and to her immortal shame she was jealous, but she didn’t tell them that or even let it show, because her girlfriends were very important to her, and she would never do anything to jeopardize that.

One of their regular meeting places was the Hotel Kitchen for coffee and chat.

Three of them were sitting at the table eating ice cream while Anelita was standing at the sink and someone caught her eye.

“It can’t be” she suddenly exclaimed “it’s just not possible.”

“Why can’t it?” Cordelia asked.

“Why isn’t it possible?” Rebecca added.

“Never mind all that” Sally retorted “what the hell are you all talking about?”

“I’ve no idea” Cordelia replied.

“Um” Rebecca said.

“Very helpful” Sally said and turned her attention to Anelita “Well?”

“I just saw Jason Bagg” she replied vaguely.

“But he went to Canada” Cordelia pointed out.

“That’s what I thought” Anelita said.

“It can’t have been him” Rebecca said.

“Lookie-likie” Cordelia exclaimed.

“Do what?” Rebecca asked, “Have you got brain freeze or something.”

“He must be a lookie-likie, you know a dopple thingy” she explained.

“You mean a doppelgänger” Anelita said.

“Yes” Cordelia said and smiled.

“Well, there’s only one way to find out” Sally said and stood up.

“What are you doing?” Anelita asked.

“We’re going to find out if it’s Jason or not” she replied.

“Oh, I don’t know about that” Anelita protested.

“We’ve got to, he was the love of your life after all” Sally insisted.

“That was a very long time ago” Anelita said.

“I know but just the possibility that it was him has made you glow” Sally said, “and that’s just on the outside, I wouldn’t like to speculate what’s going on the inside.”

“Stop it” Anelita said and blushed and the other three laughed dirtily.

“Oh, ok then” she conceded “You’re not going to shut up until we do.”

“Good decision” she said, and they headed towards the door, all except Cordelia who was still sitting at the table eating her ice cream.

“Come on hoover-head” Rebecca called.

“I haven’t finished my ice cream” she retorted and shoveled down the last three spoonful’s before getting up.

 

“Ok, which way did he go?” Sally asked.

“That away” Anelita replied and pointed towards the lighthouse.

“What’s he wearing?” Rebecca enquired.

“A green barber jacket and black trousers” Anelita said.

“Seriously? Everyone at the sanctuary is dressed like that” Sally said, “we need more than that to go on.”

“Well, he’s 6ft 5” with bright red hair if that helps” she retorted.

“Yes, that’s definitely better” Sally said, “right Rebecca shin up the lamp post and see if you can spot him.” 

 

“Well?” Anelita asked after a couple of minutes had passed.

“No, nothing yet… hold on though I think that might be our man, yes, yes that’s him” she announced triumphantly and began her descent.

“Are you going to share?” Anelita asked impatiently.

“Yes, he’s down by the Wildlife HQ” she replied smugly and then Anelita rushed passed her and they were off.

 

Jason Bagg was indeed the love of Anelita’s life, the one that got away, the one she let get away, but equally she was his lost love.

They began dating at college and were together all through University but after graduation he was offered a job in Toronto, it was a great opportunity that he felt he couldn’t pass it up, and he was thrilled at the prospect, and he thought she would be too, but he was wrong.

Anelita didn’t want to leave Downshire, all the people she loved most in the world were there, and she knew no one in Canada.

So, she said she didn’t want to go, she thought that if he loved her as much as she loved him he would stay, while he thought that if she loved him as much as he loved her, she would go with him.

But they both miscalculated neither would give ground, and angry words were exchanged which served to entrench them further, up to the point that they stopped talking, and he left Downshire a month later, and she hadn’t seen him since, until he walked past the Hotel.

 

The girls made their way quickly along the path past the cottages but by the time they got to the Wildlife HQ he was nowhere to be seen.

“Right Rebecca shin up the lamp post again and see if you can spot him.”

“Oh ok” she sighed and started climbing and thirty seconds later she was back on terra firma and said.

“Hastings Lake”

 

Jason liked Hastings Lake, it held great memories for him, and he had thought of it often when he was away, it was one of his favourite places in the whole world and although he hadn’t been there for years it hadn’t changed a bit from when he used to fish there.

 

The girls soon tracked him down and followed at a safe distance.

Anelita wasn’t entirely convinced that it was in fact Jason Bagg that they were following and secretly feared that they would feel extremely foolish when they realized they were stalking some random lanky ginger.

But her fears were allayed when he paused by the water’s edge and scanned his surroundings and she and the others got a proper look at his face.

“That’s him” Rebecca said.

“Without a doubt” Sally confirmed.

“Oh yes” Cordelia agreed.

“It is him” Anelita said quietly.

“Well come on then let’s go and say hello” Sally said.

“That’s ok I’ve got it from here” Anelita said “You lot wait here.”

 

On that warm sunny August day by Hastings Lake Jason made a bee line for his favourite spot on a little peninsula beneath the shade of a familiar old oak tree and he was just gazing across the lake and was enjoying the gentle breeze off the water when a soft voice from behind him said

“Hello”

He turned around to see that the voice belonged to an attractive looking woman, pretty face, blue eyes, short brown hair, 5ft 5 or 6, early thirties, nice figure, wearing a t-shirt, knee length shorts, and flip flops, whom he recognized, though that recognition left him speechless.

“I’m sorry” she said and began to walk away “You clearly don’t remember me.”

“That wouldn’t be very flattering” he said, “Especially after we shared our first kiss beneath this very tree.”

“Ah so you do remember me” she said.

“How could I forget Anelita Gordon” Jason said.

 

Sally, Rebecca, and Cordelia were watching events from a safe distance, but their view was obscured after the arrival of a delivery van.

“Damn it” Sally exclaimed.

“Get up the tree Rebecca and have a look.”

“Why do I have to do all the climbing?” she protested.

“Because you look like a monkey” her sister said unsympathetically, and Cordelia giggled “So climb.”

Once she had clambered to a sufficient height her sister called up

“Can you see anything?”

“Yes, I can see them now” she replied.

“And?” Sally snapped.

“Oh my” Rebecca exclaimed.

“Oh my?” Sally retorted “What does that mean?”

“Oh, I wasn’t expecting that” Rebecca added.

“What? What weren’t you expecting?” Sally shouted.

“Kissing” Rebecca replied.

“What kind of kiss?” her sister asked.

“What do you mean what kind of kiss?”

“Well, was it an air kiss, a peck on the cheek, both cheeks or full on the lips” Sally explained.

“Oh, I see what you mean” Rebecca acknowledged.

“Definitely lips”

“And?” Sally snapped.

“Well, I think it would be best described as a pash” she replied.

“Wicked” Cordelia said.

“And it’s still going on” Rebecca called.

The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (214) Beau Vista

 

August

Tim Cunningham was staying at the Beau Vista Villa on Beaumont Island high above St Pierre, which was the family home of his best friend Kenneth, and the reason for that was a gathering of the Wade’s to celebrate the engagement of Kenneth and India, and there was to be grand party that evening at the Beaumont Manor Hotel, so Tim decided to freshen up.

He stepped out of the shower and had just wrapped a towel around himself when he thought he heard a noise in the bedroom, but he assumed he had probably imagined it but went to investigate anyway and to his surprise he found an intruder.

It was his best friend’s younger sister Charlotte Wade and there was a momentary pause before she took him completely by surprise when she reached forward and jerked the towel off him, then she stood back and gave him an appraising look and bit her lip as she stared at his naked body.

She had been planning her stealth attack on him from the moment the date was in the calendar, and she had executed it like a military operation.

She flicked her eyes up and made the briefest contact with his, enough to cause her to blush but not enough to prevent her from returning her gaze to his arousing manhood.

He sat down on the bed and Charlotte turned and locked the door before she sat on a chair and removed her shoes and socks, before returning to the middle of the room.

“Well don’t stop there” he said

“No, you have to do it” she replied, so he stood up and stepped towards her, and her eyes were still fixed unashamedly on the prize.

“We shouldn’t be doing this” he said

“Why not?” she asked, “Don’t you want me?”

“You know that I do” he replied

“Then have me” she said and kissed him the way she had dreamed that she would since the first time Kenneth brought him home.

While they kissed again her small hands busied themselves caressing his naked flesh, while his began to unwrap the perfectly packaged delight, which was the final part of her plan, so mission accomplished.

The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (213) The Green Eyed Monster

 

July

 

In the sleepy hamlet of Saxvirdan divorcee Tracey Theobald lived with her daughter Carli and brother Mason.

Mason was a farmer and worked up at Roman Farm and it was there, where he met and fell in love with Kelly Harper who also worked there.

This made Tracey immensely pleased and incredibly jealous in equal measure and that made her feel guilty because she loved her brother and really liked Kelly.

Of course she may have felt differently if she had known that things were about to change for her.

It happened when there was a party up at the farm to celebrate Kelly and Mason’s engagement which wasn’t a big affair with only around twenty guests.

Tracey’s daughter Carli was having a fun day, dividing her time between playing with her peers and being spoilt rotten by the grownups.

In fact everyone at the party appeared to be enjoying themselves including Tracey, although in her case she was merely putting on a brave face, and when things quietened down she slipped quietly away and wandered down to the lake, and as soon as she was out of sight she leant against a tree and cried.

 

Tracey may have slipped quietly away from the fun, but her departure did not go entirely unnoticed, as Kelly’s cousin Tom saw her, and the reason for that was he had barely taken his eyes off her all day.

They had been introduced just after she and Carli arrived and as his daughter Becky was of a similar age to hers, they spent half an hour or so in conversation, and the only reason they stopped then was because they were instructed to take their seats, and they got separated.

When he saw her leave the party, and it was clear by the direction she took that she wasn’t off to use the facilities, he got up himself and headed in the same direction, and he saw she was heading towards the lake, so he followed.    

When he caught up with her, she was leaning against a tree and as he closed the distance between them, he noticed that her shoulders were shaking.

“Are you ok?” Tom asked

“No” she sobbed

“Why?” he asked, “what’s wrong?”

“I’m a terrible person” she replied

“I find that hard to believe” Tom said brightly and put a hand on her shoulders and in response to his touch she leant into him.

“It’s true”

“You’d better explain then” he urged and tried to turn her to face him.

“No don’t look at me” she snapped

“Ok but you still need to explain”

“I love my brother, I really do and I’m so pleased that he and Kelly are going to get married, she is so lovely, and they really are perfect together” she said

“But?” he asked

“I’m jealous” she admitted “I’m jealous of his happiness, God I’m so despicable”

“No you’re not” he said and tried to turn her again and this time she yielded and buried her face in his chest

“You just want to be happy too, that’s perfectly natural” he assured her

“It’s not natural to be jealous though, is it?” she retorted 

“Did you ever wish that they weren’t so happy?” he asked

“No, not for a second” she snapped “They deserve to be happy”

“So why do you feel so guilty?” he asked

“I don’t know, but I still feel guilty” Tracey said, “I always feel guilty because of my jealous thoughts”,

“Well you’re not the only one who felt jealous today” he confessed

“There’s someone else?” she asked “Who?”

“Me”

“Why were you jealous?” she asked and lifted her face from his chest for the first time to look at him “Who were you jealous of?”

“The people sitting either side of you” he replied, and she gasped

 

When Tom and Tracey left the lake, all evidence of her tears had been wiped away, apart from a damp patch on the front of his shirt, and as they walked, he was standing tall, and she was smiling, and they were holding hands.

As they neared the party again, they were greeted by their excited children, Carli and Cassie, running in the opposite direction towards them.

When they got closer, they stopped dead in their tracks when they saw the joined hands, then they looked at each other, giggled and ran away

“I think we can take that to mean we have their seal of approval” Tom said

“It would appear so” she agreed and kissed him.

The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (212) Early Bird

 

July

 

It was on the outskirts of St Pierre where Tim Hardy and Sarah Terrell worked at the Beaumont Manor Hotel.

They were both students at Abbottsford University on the same Degree course and were between their second and third year.

Tim and Sarah were staying, with a group of other students in a hostel  owned by the Hotel, which was used by the summer staff, which was not unlike their first-year university accommodation. 

Which was a very noisy and boisterous place in which it was very difficult to get any peace and quiet for yourself, let alone develop any romantic feelings you might have for a housemate.

 

So, when the rare phenomenon of an empty house presented itself to Tim, because his housemates, that weren’t working, were off trekking or climbing, he decided to take full advantage and have a bit of a lay in and then spend the rest of the day doing very little.

However, he was awoken earlier than planned, much earlier than planned in fact, and what woke him was the rattling of crockery from the kitchen and the sound of water running.

He determined that the water was probably filling the kettle, and the crockery was for whatever beverage they were making.

He looked at the clock and it was 6.05am and he had an unexpected houseguest, which he assumed was either a housemate or a very bold burglar, he didn’t know for sure who it was, but he knew who he wanted it to be.

He got out of bed and threw on his robe and wandered downstairs but as he approached the kitchen he suddenly hesitated as he caught sight of Sarah sitting on the kitchen counter looking at something on her phone.

Tim’s heart started to pound in his chest as he watched her through the crack in the door, she was the world to him and he had never been able to tell her how he felt for a variety of reasons, but now fate had presented him with a perfect opportunity to share his feelings with her.

Sarah wasn’t fazed when he suddenly appeared, or when he walked into the kitchen.

“What are you doing here?” he asked

“My shift got rearranged” she replied and smiled

“How long have you been watching me?”

“What do you mean?”

“You were watching me from the hall” she said and smiled again

“I thought you were a burglar” he replied feebly

“No, I think you were ogling me” she said and put down her phone

“No, no”

“Yes, yes, you were ogling me because you want to do this” she said and leant forward and kissed him and when the kiss ended the toast popped up.

 

They sat at the kitchen table, drinking coffee, and eating toast

Well now you can tell our grandchildren where we had our first kiss” she said

“I didn’t know we were going to have grandchildren” he retorted

“You don’t know much” she said wryly

“What do you mean?”

“Well you wouldn’t have even known I was here if I hadn’t made enough noise to wake the dead” she explained

“You did it on purpose?”

“Of course I did” she admitted

“Why?”

“Because I fancied you” she replied “and so I could get you down here for a kiss”

“Oh”

“When exactly were you going to get around to telling me you fancied me?” she asked

“I was actually on my way to tell you when you attacked me” he lied

“Liar” she mocked “I think you wanted to, but you would have lost your nerve, just like you did at Halloween, Christmas, New Years, and the summer Ball and every party we’ve ever been to together”

“Probably” he admitted, and she laughed so hard she spilled some coffee.

“But I think that now I know where we stand, we should be doing less talking and more kissing” he said

“That’s a great idea” she said and kissed him again.