The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (225) An Interesting Girl

October

 

The head of the Townsend family was 80-year-old Nathan, but he resided in the Sunny Pines Retirement Village and Nursing home in Pipershaven and was unlikely to leave anytime soon.

So effectively the patriarchal head of the family elect was his eldest son Kevin, although in truth his wife Chloe was actually the brains of the outfit and Kevin’s role was more as the figure head and Chloe’s was one of absolute ruler.

One of her dictates was Sunday lunch, on the first Sunday of every month the whole family were expected to attend the ritual gathering of the clan in Spaniards Creek.

Of course, it wasn’t always possible for everyone to attend every month for a variety of reasons but on the last Sunday in October it was to be a full house and that had only happened once before, and the reason for the 100 percent turnout was all because of eldest child Danny and the fact he was bringing his girlfriend.

Not that Danny having girlfriend was unusual, far from it, in fact it would have been difficult for the rest of the family to remember a time when Danny didn’t have a girlfriend, and all of them had been unforgettable.

The reason for that was that Danny’s choices would be best described as “interesting” girls.

He didn’t really have a type, which you would have thought he would have done as he was almost 30 years old, but they didn’t even have hair colour in common, body shape, size, height, intellect, athleticism or age.

There had been Karen, the tattooed one, bald Dakota, the multiple pierced Goldie, a butch one called India, a Barbie doll named Pinkie, a goth, a punk, a biker, a pole dancer and a wrestler who answered to the name Headcase.

So, when word got out that Danny was bringing home another curiosity, nobody wanted to miss it.

His mother, Chloe, would have been happy enough had he not felt so compelled to keep bringing them home, but he did, and he was rather like a cat who keeps bringing home various recently departed creatures and dropping them on the doorstep for mum to admire.

So, because of the families’ curiosity there were 18 for Sunday lunch, including Danny and whatever circus performer he might turn up with.

Not that the numbers were a problem to Chloe in fact she relished it, she loved to cook and the more the merrier to her way of thinking, it was her disappointment in Danny for his appalling taste in women and his wounded expression at her disapproval which just seemed to say” I’ve done it again haven’t I?”

So, on Sunday morning when Danny’s car was spotted pulling onto the drive Chloe braced herself as Kevin looked out the window.

“Well?” she asked reluctantly

“Oh” he exclaimed

“Is the good or bad?”

“It’s good” he replied “she looks normal”

“Really?” she asked in surprise and joined him at the window and observed her sons latest squeeze, 5-6 slim brunette, well dressed, well-groomed and really rather pretty.

“Everyone’s going to be so disappointed” Chloe said and smiled.

 

After all the introductions had been done it seemed that not only did, she look normal, but she also appeared to be normal in every other respect, she conversed well and expressed no strong or controversial political views, she didn’t guffaw or shriek when she laughed, and everyone seemed to take to her very well as Danny looked on nervously. 

But it appeared that the only odd thing about her was her name which was Limone, which made Kevin raise an eyebrow, but if that was the only strange thing about her then he could live with that, but he had a nagging doubt at the back of his mind that she might be too good to be true. 

 

When lunch was ready everyone made their way to the conservatory and took their places at the huge table except those already designated to ferry in the food.

When the table was sagging under the weight of Chloes generous hospitality, Kevin stood up with a carving knife in one hand and a steel in the other and began stroking the former on the latter and as Chloe removed the platter lids to reveal a forerib of beef and a turkey crown he said

“What’s it to be Limone, beef or turkey?”

“Oh, neither thank you, I don’t eat meat” she replied, and a vein started to throb in his temple.

This didn’t go unnoticed, so she intervened in a soothing tone

“Not to worry dear, just eat the Yorkshire puddings and the vegetable, we have duck fat roast potatoes, buttered parsnips, asparagus in cream sauce and a rich gravy”

“I can’t eat any of that I’m a Vegan” Limone stated, and a stunned silence descended and a moment later after composing herself Chloe asked calmly

“You two have been dating for two months now and you didn’t think that the fact she is a vegan was important information to share with us when she’s been invited for a meal?”

“That was my fault” Limone said, “I told him not to say anything why?” Chloe asked in disbelief

“I like to see how people cope with the situation then I can gauge what kind of people they are” she explained

“Really?” Chloe said and sat down and then Kevin lay down his carving knife and shouted

“Well I’ll tell you what kind of people we are, we are meat eating people, who use cheese, butter and milk in their cooking, a lot of milk cheese and butter”

The tone and volume of Kevin’s retort made her recoil, and she pushed back her chair from the table and then he turned his attention on Danny

“As for you son, I suggest you go out and find somewhere to buy a vegan meal for miss fussy knickers”

“I’m not fussy” Limone protested “it’s a lifestyle choice”

“It’s a fussy choice” Kevin retorted

“What if I can’t find one?” he asked meekly

“Then you’ll have to take Lemsip outside and find a pebble for her to suck”

“It’s Limone” she snapped as she stood up

“And now I know what kind of a person you are” she screamed

“Really? Do tell me what you think” Kevin said

“You’re a pig Mr. Townsend, that’s what I think”

“Well you’re the only one that does, because if everyone else did they’d have killed me and cooked me already” he said brandishing the carving knife and she screamed before she turned on her heels and left and Danny trotted after her

“You enjoyed that didn’t you?” Chloe asked

“Very much” he admitted, and they all laughed, and he continued with the carving.

After Limone departed with Danny in her wake the rest of the assembled clan turned their attention back to lunch, but it took about 30 seconds before proceedings to descend into laugher as they recounted the Vegan incident with several attempts by those present to mimic Limone and Kevin’s confrontation and when that was exhausted they recounted tales of Danny’s earlier disasters, which took most of the afternoon.

 

Danny caught up with Limone a little way down the road heading towards the bus stop and it took all of his effort to persuade her back to the car where he could drive her home but suffice is to say that they were no longer an item whether she accepted or not, and he was soon on the lookout for another girlfriend.

After Limone there were to be three more “interesting” girls invited to Sunday lunch before he finally brought home an uninteresting one answering to the name of India, but it took three Sundays before she was finally declared normal and Danny was able to look at his mum and not see disappointment in her eyes. 

The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (224) Falling Back

 

October

 

Jada Ellington lived in a cottage with her parents at Woodside, which was the largest of the five farms on the island covering the whole of the southeast corner, a large wedge-shaped parcel of land bordered by Halfway Lane to the north, Spanish River and Eagles Crag in the west and the rugged coastline from Manor Cliff Beach to Armada Head to the east.

Jada was 17-year-old, and she was on a first date with local boy Mihael Cahill.

They had been to the pictures in St Pierre followed by drinks at the Sword and Shield and they the last bus back towards the village and then they had a long walk up to the farm from the bus stop and she was quite anxious as she had a 2am curfew and she was going to miss it, only by minutes but as far as her father was concerned, a miss was a miss.

“I’m in so much trouble” she said

“Why?” he asked

“I’m late obviously” she retorted, and he stopped and turned to face her

“But you’re not” he said

“I am, look” she said and showed him her watch

“Don’t you know what day it is?”

“It’s Sunday now” she replied

“Yes, it’s the third Sunday in October” he said, “And do you know why that’s significant?”

“No” she replied resignedly

“It’s when British Summer Time ends”

“How does that help?”

“Because it means that you’re not late, you’re early” he replied and showed her his phone

“So, we don’t need to hurry?” she asked

“No, we don’t”

“Oh goody” she retorted and kissed him

The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (223) The Girl Had Legs

 

October

 

Saxvirdan, is a small hamlet north of the town, made up of former labourer’s cottages close to the remains of the old Roman fort site, Saxa Viridia Castellum, which was of great interest to archaeologists and tourists alike.

All of the house’s contain to some extent, materials acquired from the old Roman Buildings.

It was also the home of the Tuke’s, brother and sister, David and Gill, who ran the poultry side of Roman Water farm.

They were both the wrong end of their twenties and there were only the two of them left of the Tuke clan, but they had two people working with them full time, 22-year-old local girl Victoria Walton, and her thirty-year-old brother Chris, who David had known at Agricultural College.

To Davids surprise and delight, Gill and Chris got together in September which in turn threw him and Victoria into close proximity, which he was also pleased about, but he was conscious of the difference in their ages, so he didn’t do anything but enjoy her company and he was content with the status quo, but Victoria had other ideas.

 

David was partial to a Coffee and after the Coffee Bean Canteen opened a branch in St Pierre, he would ride the farm bike, equipped with a large basket on the front, to the edge of town to deliver fresh eggs to the Corner Shop and would then indulge his passion for a real coffee.

But on those days when Gill did the larger egg deliveries in the van he would still ride into town on the bike just for a coffee, which Victoria was well aware of. 

 

So, on one Saturday afternoon in October when he was riding as fast as the old bike would allow through the Wood, he looked up and saw a young woman come out of the bushes ahead of him and then she turned towards him and smiled.

To his surprise it was Victoria, but not Victoria as he knew her in heavy denim and work boots, this was very much a horse of a different colour.

She was wearing a lemon-coloured dress, and she had legs, he’d never seen her legs before, and sandals on her feet, and he was blown away as she stood there in the unusually warm autumn sunshine as the breeze played with her soft brown hair.

“Wow” he exclaimed, and she smiled again because she knew she had him.

So, she walked towards him as gracefully as she could manage given the uneven ground and her unaccustomed footwear.  

And when she was alongside him, she kissed him gently and hoped she had not made an error about his feelings toward her.

She needn’t have worried because the moment their lips parted, he lifted her up onto the crossbar and kissed her in return.

 

After the most mutually satisfying kiss, she slipped gracefully off the cross bar and rearranged her dress, and he said

“Well, I’ll see you later then”

“What?” she said with panic in her voice as he began to pedal away

“Don’t leave me” she begged, and David smiled at her

“You pig,” she said and slapped his arm

“Do you really think I would just leave you after that kiss?”

“No” she said and hugged him “But you’re still a Pig”

Victoria lived in the village, but she was in no hurry to get home, she wanted to go wherever he was going, so they trundled along the track through the woods on the bike, him pedaling and Victoria sitting in the basket in front of him laughing loudly at every bump.

He stopped outside the Coffee Bean Canteen, leant the bike against a lamp post and helped her out of the basket.

And when she was perpendicular again, he gave her a long and meaningful kiss and then held her hand as they walked into the Coffee Shop.

The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (222) Belated Honeymoon

 

October

 

After marrying in August, Danny Nightingale and his wife Molly, deferred their honeymoon until September and instead just had a few days in Abbottsford and stayed at the Regents Hotel.

In September they had their honeymoon proper, an extended tour of European capitals encompassing Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm, Helsinki, Warsaw, Prague, Bern, Vienna and culminating in Berlin in time for the Oktoberfest.

The beer festival was still going on when they arrived in Frankfurt for the book fair where they met up with their publisher, Max Parsons.

It was of particular importance to them this year because the

crime fiction writers had two books to be promoted, the latest instalment of the Fraser Markham series, a character creator by Danny, and the long awaited second book containing the new protagonist Sharon Jacques created by both of them.

The Frankfurt Book Fair or the Frankfurter Buchmesse, FBM for short) is the world's largest trade fair for books, based on the number of publishing companies represented. The five-day annual event in mid-October is held at the Frankfurt Trade Fair grounds in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

Several thousand exhibitors representing book publishing, multimedia and technology companies, as well as content providers from all over the world gather in order to negotiate international publishing rights and license fees. 

The first three days are restricted exclusively to professional visitors; the general public attend the fair on the weekend.

Saturday was their favourite day as the got to meet the readers, many of them were fans but many of them weren’t, unfortunately they couldn’t stay for the last day as they had to get back to the UK.

 

Molly’s grandfather Sir Avery Arnold appointed Bramstock, Goodman, Crossfield, and Bushe of Abbottsford, to manage his affairs, which they did for many years.

After his death they handled Molly’s affairs, all her finances and all the assets from his estate, until the occasion of her 25th birthday when she would inherit her grandfather’s estate in its entirety and overnight become insanely rich. 

While they managed the estate, they also had discretion to release funds at her request for what Sir Avery called her “Special Projects” and it was Clive Crossfield, who handled her affairs on behalf of firm.  

So on the day after her birthday Molly met with him at Cliff Haven where they completed all the necessary paperwork and Sir Avery’s wishes were finally fulfilled.

Although she then had complete control of the estate, she still retained Bramstock and co to manage her affairs in the same way they did for her grandfather.

The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (221) Under a Watchful Gaze

 

September

 

A year after they kissed during a thunderstorm when James and Ada were on Beaumont Island for a family wedding, they were to be married themselves though their nuptials were to be in Pipershaven, but they did intend to honeymoon on Beaumont Island.

They bought a house together in the suburbs of the town and James moved in a month before the wedding but because Ava’s mother was a very strict Christian they weren’t allowed to live there together until after the wedding, and it was a dictate that they found difficult to ignore as her Aunty had a house in the same cul-de-sac, and she was a very nosy woman and Ava was not a favourite of hers, so reluctantly they had to honour it, for the most part at any rate.

 

It was early in the morning when Ava arrived at the house, parking her car in a lane nearby and walking the rest of the way, safe in the knowledge that she would reach the door unseen, as she had seen her Aunt and Uncle leave in their car, to go shopping.

 

Once inside they embraced and one thing led to another and they spent most of the day in bed in fact they would have been there longer had they not been woken by lightning strikes and thunder claps, but they cuddled closer and the lightning strikes got brighter and brighter and the thunder clapped louder and louder and grew nearer and nearer until it was directly overhead and the thunder shook the very fabric of the house, but they were making love again by then.

 

They would have happily spent the rest of the day and the night together but alas she had to go, however the problem was how to get her out of the house in broad daylight without being seen, because her Aunt and Uncle were home again, and eagle-eyed Aunt Mary would be casting a watchful eye in their direction.

By the time Ava redressed, and they got downstairs it was early evening and although the thunder and lightning had abated it was raining hard, but not just rain, it was an absolute deluge.

“Crappy weather” Ava cursed

“It’s excellent” he said

“What?” she exclaimed, “But it’s horrible”

“It’s perfect, is what it is” he said and went into the utility and came out with a set of waterproofs and a Golfing umbrella.

“If Aunt Mary sees you in these, she’ll think you’re me” James said

“Is that the umbrella we had our first kiss under?” she asked

“It is” he replied “so don’t lose it because it’s special”

“It’s special to me too” she said and kissed him

 

Having provided Ava with the appropriate clothing they immediately hit upon a snag, because the trousers didn’t fit over the skirts of her mid-dress, as it bunched up under the waterproofs and made it look like she had a bustle.

“Well, you don’t look much like me with a bum that big” he said

“Cheeky sod”, she retorted and punched his arm, and he was laughing as he left the room.

 

When he came back, he was carrying her decorating clothes, which consisted of a pair of paint spattered leggings and a T-shirt.

“Oh, good thinking” she said “You’re a sneaky man”

“I know but it’s the least I can do in return for an afternoon of sin”

He declared and she blushed crimson red, and then she removed the waterproof trousers and then had to take her dress off.

“Don’t get any ideas,” she said when she noticed him looking at her in her bra, pants and tights.

“Well, you could stay a bit longer” he suggested

“It’s not that I don’t want to” she said quickly pulling on the leggings, “Another four weeks and then it will be every night”

“I can’t wait” he said as he watched her put on the T-shirt, then she pulled on the waterproof trousers again they were a little on the large side and the waistband sat just below her bust line.

Then she pulled on the top over her head before slipping on her shoes.

“That’s going to work” he said

“Is it ok?” she asked

“Yes” He replied “Now put your hood up”

She did as he said, and it immediately obscured most of her face

“Perfect, you look gorgeous”

“I will hurt you” she threatened

 

After he had kissed her goodbye he said

“Text me when you get to the car”

“Ok” she responded and kissed him again, then he turned the light off and she let herself out into the rain, put the umbrella up, and off she went.

 

Meanwhile, with the house in darkness, he went into the backroom and put the TV on, then after five minutes he got a text

“Made it,” it read “Love you”

James smiled and typed a response

“I love you too”

The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (220) Reacquaintance

 

September

 

On the morning of the Wedding James decided to escape the madness surrounding his family and go for a long walk, so he left the hotel early, it was bright and sunny when he left, but it had rained heavily in the night and there was more in the forecast, so he took an umbrella with him just in case.

There was a road across from the Hotel called Halfway Lane which dissected the heavily wooded centre of the island with High Lake Copse on the left and Bellevue Woods on the right.

He was about thirty minutes into his walk and was approaching the crags when two things happened, firstly the skies darkened, and secondly a young woman in a summer dress stepped into the Lane about ten yards ahead of him, and she really caught his eye, the wiggle of her hips, the swirl of her skirts and he had just begun to admire her legs when the heavens opened.

He immediately deployed the umbrella and as the girl ahead of him was improperly dressed for the conditions the code of gallantry dictated that he comes to her aid, so he jogged towards her.

“Here under here” he called

“Oh thanks, that came from nowhere” she said

“And it’s brutal too” he added and then she looked up for the first time 

“Oh hello, its James, isn’t it?”

“Hi Ava, what are you doing here?” he asked

“Family wedding, my sister Toni…”

“Is marrying my cousin Liam” he continued

“That’s spooky” she said and then there was a lightning flash and thunder rumbled very close by, and she stiffened and squeezed in close to him and buried her face in his shoulder   

“Are you ok” he asked

“Yes” came a muffled response “I don’t like thunder”

“But thunder won’t hurt you” he said and chuckled

“Don’t laugh” she said laughing herself “thunder frightens me”

“Come on wimpy I’ll walk you home” he said, “Where are you staying anyway?”

“The Beaumont Manor”

“Me too”

 

The rain had virtually stopped by the time they reached the hotel, but he kept the umbrella up in order to keep her close but inevitably they reached their destination.

“Thanks” Ava said “I would have been soaked to the skin if you hadn’t been on hand”

“My pleasure” he said as he shook his umbrella dry

“I’ll see you later at the wedding” she said and smiled before she went inside.

 

The wedding was a nice affair, and the wedding Gods were kind enough to restrict the rain to when it didn’t matter but they were not as kind to James who was frustrated at every turn in his efforts to get close to Ava again, that was until he managed to get one dance with her.

“How long are staying here?” he asked as they danced along to the strains of Harry Nilsson’s “Without You”

“We’re here until Monday”

“Come sailing with me tomorrow then” he suggested “we can have a picnic out on the Roman Lake”

“Ok, that would be nice”

 

They had the lake to themselves, and they spent about an hour sailing and then he lowered the sail in the middle of the lake, and they started their picnic, with James sat in the stern and Ava midships.

They sat and chatted, ate sandwiches, drank beer and laughed until the skies began to darken and the far away rumbles of thunder wiped the smile off her face.

“Don’t worry, you’re safe” he said, and the smile returned but then large raindrops began to fall

“Oh no! Our picnic” she exclaimed

“Don’t panic” he said and reached under his seat and retrieved an umbrella

“My hero” she said and moved to the stern to sit beside him and they sat and chatted, ate sandwiches, drank beer and laughed as the rain fell around them, and then when the picnic was done, they kissed, and she was so totally absorbed by it that she wasn’t even aware of the thunder rumbling overhead.

The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (219) Love at First Sight

 

September

 

Downshire is a relatively small English county but that didn’t bother its inhabitants, they may not have been the biggest, but they were in no doubt that it was the best, and that belief was no truer than on the eastern extreme of the Pepperstock Hills National Park, at the end of the Finchbottom Expressway, namely the deepwater seaport of Pipershaven, on the edge of Pepperstock Bay.

It was first established as a garrison town by the Romans during the reign of Vespasian in 70 A.D. as Piperis Stirpe Praesidio.

In the 21st century none of its Roman origins are any longer in evidence as the town had expanded far beyond the ancient confines and the busy docks would have been the envy of the Roman world.

However apart from being a remarkably busy commercial port with a substantial dockside, it was also home to the cross-channel ferry port, the RNLI Lifeboat Station, a substantial fishing fleet and small ferry service covering the two miles to the bay islands, Beaumont, and St Giles, running a daily schedule, weather permitting.

It was also the home of Merriweather’s Preserves an old family business established in 1879 by Sebastian Josiah Merriweather and currently run by his Great-Great Grandson Oliver.

The company had moved to their present location in Pipershaven in 1928, to the broad white building which was a prime example of the Art Deco style, with its angles, curves and symmetry, which was a stylish façade that did not go unappreciated by James Osbourne, one of Merriweather’s long established employee’s, but it was the curves and symmetry of another staff member that interested him more.

 

It all began, when James was just 22 years old, when he met Ava Adderley for the first time.

It was a cold grey Monday morning, so grey and dismal that it was clear rain wasn’t far away.

He was starting at Merriweather’s that morning and he had just stepped off the bus when the girl in front of him dropped her umbrella.

James bent down and picked it up and when he stood up again, she had turned around and he was staring into the eyes of an angel whose brunette hair framed the classical beauty of her face.

“Thank you” She said and smiled at him, and he was instantly besotted.

But as taken with her as he was, he was completely struck dumb and all he could do was return her smile and hand her the umbrella and that would probably have been that, had it not been for the fact that she was heading for the same building as he was.

Although he had never met her before it turned out that they were both new starters.

As a result they went through induction together, which took up most of their first day, but even given that amount of exposure, and countless opportunities to speak to with her, he still found himself tongue tied, so he missed his chance, because she was bound for accounts on the 3rd floor and he was destined for the production floor.

 

Their paths seldom crossed after that in fact, and when they did, it was always from a distance, until the summer of the following year when James was on Beaumont Island for a family wedding and was staying at the Beaumont Manor Hotel.