In the Village of Pepperstock Green – Chapter (126) – St Lucy’s Day

 

December

 

It was at a dinner party on St Andrews Day where the new Curate of St Agatha’s, 35-year-old Derren Mcphail, had lost his heart.

It was in the Pepperstock Green home of a local bigwig, author Chania Campbell, and he fell for her almost the instant that she flashed him her glorious smile, and what a smile it was, a smile that reached her dark, almost black eyes, sharp and intelligent behind her gold rimmed spectacles as they sat perched on her aquiline nose.

It was a smile he had seen in his dreams many times since along with the image of the finely chiseled features of her face.

That meeting in her home was not their first that day, but the second, and the previous meeting also made an impact on him, though in a different way.

It was at the Church Wardens house when he went to use the downstairs bathroom and no sooner had he gone inside and locked the door than he spotted Chania sitting on the toilet, with her tights and underwear around her knees and her skirt hoisted up her thighs, so not the most auspicious of meetings.

 

Despite that awkward beginning there was a definite something between them and a few days after the dinner party, she had invited him round so she could sign a copy of her latest book for his niece Mia, and at the end of the evening they found themselves beneath the mistletoe, and in order not to anger the Christmas Gods, they kissed, but it was not a kiss of appeasement, nor the enactment of a silly tradition, it was a gentle tender kiss that made his knees go weak.

 

After that he was completely hooked but he did nothing about it after she drove him home in the rain, he could do nothing about his attraction towards her because she said

“I’m off on my travels again, but I should be back on St Lucy’s Day”

He didn’t know where those travels were to or indeed their purpose, he didn’t know anything, all he knew were her parting words

“Good night, I hope to see you at the party”

Which he subsequently found out was the St Lucy’s Night Party, held every year at The Palladium Ballroom in Sharpington.

 

He was kept very busy while Chania was away, first their was choir practice, almost every evening, the second Sunday of Advent and of course St Lucy’s Day which was completely new him.

It all began once the darkness had fully descended with a celebration service and then after the church service a parade of school children from local schools processed along the promenade carrying their Lucy lights and then down to the beach where they threw them onto the bonfire to light the Lucy fire, as it is believed that St Lucy’s light can lengthen the days.

It was all very pagan and a Swedish tradition originally, a mixture of the Christian and the pagan really, something that was right up Alesha’s street, and he could understand why she was keen to get back in time, though he hadn’t seen any sign of her.

The St Lucy’s day festival was always well attended as it’s such a unique event.

Christians from churches far and wide attended the service at St Lucy’s Church and a healthy crowd both church and secular turned out for the parade, even the odd humanist had been known to turn up, but then most humanists were odd in his view.

But with such a big crowd it was hardly surprising that he hadn’t seen her, if indeed she was there.

 

Once the fire was well ablaze and the singing began the crowds began to thin out as the curiosity of the secular section soon waned at the first sniff of anything religious.

When the proceedings were brought to a close the children were all marched back to school and the rest of the crowd dispersed.

A couple of volunteers stayed on the beach to guard the fire and then Derren walked across to Palladium Ballroom.

Once he was inside he soon discovered where the crowds had dispersed and the party was absolutely humming, and there were hundreds of people on the dance floor alone.

“This is hopeless” he said to himself “I’ll never find her in here”

He turned disconsolately and headed towards the door, but he only managed two paces before he was halted in his tracks

“There you are” she said, and he looked up to see the unmistakable smiling face of Chania Campbell, a little less glamourous than the last time he’d seen her, in a purple cloche hat, and a thick dark grey wool dress, which nonetheless showed off her delicious shape rather well, and knee length leather boots

“Oh hello” he said

“I’m glad you’re here, I was beginning to think you hadn’t made it back in time”

“Oh, I’ve been here for the whole thing” she said then she grabbed his hand “Come on let’s dance”

And she dragged him into the middle of the dance floor

“Did you say you’ve been here for the whole thing?” he asked when they were face to face.

“Yes”

“I was looking for you” he said

“I know, I saw you”

“I don’t understand” Derren said, “Why didn’t you come and say hello earlier?”

“Because I wouldn’t have been able to resist doing this” she said and kissed him, and it was an even more potent kiss than the one they shared beneath the mistletoe a week earlier

“Do you think it would have been appropriate to do that while you were performing the duties of your curacy?”

“Highly inappropriate I should have said” he replied

“I’m glad you agree” she said, “so can we get back to the kissing now?”

“We could find somewhere a little less crowded” he suggested

“Good shout” she agreed

 

They made their way off the dance floor and collected their coats from the cloak room and then left the Palladium and Chania slipped her arm through his as they walked along the promenade until they reached the first Victorian Seafront shelter.

As the wind was blowing offshore, they moved to the side of the shelter facing the sea and sat down on the bench.

“Now can you remember where we got to?” he asked

“Oh, I remember” she said and kissed him in the same gentle tender way that made his knees go weak when they kissed beneath the mistletoe, and they would have done the same that time had they not been sitting down.

In the Village of Pepperstock Green – Chapter (125) – Feast of St Lucy

 

December

 

Popular Children’s Writer, Chania Campbell, had made her home in the village of Pepperstock Green and on St Andrews Day she was hosting a dinner party, and among the guests were Louise Sexton and Jade Edwards, a pair of visiting thespians.

The hostess had first met Louise after they both took part in the World Book Day events at Pipershaven Library, and they became friends, but that evening was the first time Jade and Chania had met.

 

There was a period of reacquaintance with the guest that she knew and formal introductions to those she didn’t but then after a brief chat with her guests Chania had to excuse herself to check on the food, so it was up to the guests to amuse themselves.

In addition to the hostess Chania, were a skinny young woman of a similar age, Fiona Phippen, an illustrator, who was an old school friend, who also assisted in the kitchen, then there was Chania’s brother Aiden, an artist, Derren Mcphail, the new curate of St Agatha’s, Kevin Southey, Church Warden of same, Literary agents, Harry and Tracey Smedley, and Tim Weston who was a Local Historian, so it was an interesting bunch.

 

Louise and Jade got to know each other when they both worked on a very popular TV soap and during their time on the show they became very good friends, and over the years, in addition to the soap they had also worked in the theatre and even in pantomime, which was why they were both in the area, as they were appearing at the Heartstone Theatre, doing panto, playing the ugly sisters in Cinderella, which was intended to be ironic given the way they looked.

At 30 years old, Louise was stunningly attractive, slim with shoulder length brunette hair and hazel eyes but even Jade, who was three years older, put her friend in the shade with her looks.

Jade was slightly taller and a little curvier than Louise with a shock of flame red hair, so it wasn’t their looks that kept them single.

Their problem was that in their profession it was difficult to meet men, well the right kind of men at any rate, and they had over the years grown weary of being hit on by all the usual suspects.

Men who wanted to either be seen with a famous actress on their arm or wanted the glamour lifestyle they imagined went along with being a successful actor or on the baser level just wanted to have sex with a celebrity.

There was another obvious alternative to those types of men, and that was to date someone from their own world, someone on a par with them, but in their experience most actors tended to have huge egos and small personalities.

So, despite their professional success they were no different to any other human being, looking for love or companionship or a family.

What they needed was someone who would like them or love them for who they were rather than thinking of them as a backstage pass to a celebrity life.

But neither of them was actively looking for anyone so it came as a complete surprise to meet a serious candidate at dinner party in a quaint country village.

Although in Louise’s case it was more of a re-acquaintance.

The man in question was Harry Smedley, Chania’s Literary agent, who she first met just after the World Book Day events at Pipershaven Library, when she was starring in a play at the Heartstone Theatre, and there was an instant attraction, but Louise found out he was married to his business partner Tracey, so she backed off, however she had since discovered that they were not a couple.

Harry and Tracey had divorced the year before, but it was a completely amicable split because after eight years of marriage they both realized it wasn’t really working, they loved each other, and still did, but they were not in love.

In fact, they still lived under the same roof, in the same house, after the split, and planned to sell the house, or buy the other one out, if and when their personal circumstances changed.

So domestic life for them wasn’t really very different to when they were married, and it really should have been if they belonged together as a couple, so they knew they had made the right decision, and even after the divorce they were still best friends, and of course they still worked together at the Literary Agency they founded, Smedley and associates.

Even after they stopped living as man and wife, the split was so amicable that they kept up their long-standing routine of travelling to and from work together.

So, it was no wonder that Louise jumped to the wrong conclusion, and she’d left Pipershaven when the theatre Company took the play to Abbottsford, when she discovered the truth of the arrangement.

But now she was back in Pepperstock Green and there he was in touching distance, although his ex was also at the dinner party, so she thought she should be forgiven for getting the wrong end of the stick.

From the first moment she got “eyes on” she kept them on and when the time came for them to take their seats she found that she was seated opposite him and focused all her attention on him and made it patently obvious she only had eyes for him.

 

“So, what brings you here to Pipershaven?” he asked.

“I’m in Panto at the Heartstone” she replied, “Jade and I are the ugly sisters.”

“Typecasting then” he said, “I believe that is the curse that befalls successful soap stars.”

“You will get a slap” she said with a laugh “And anyway it’s a living.”

“Indeed”

“What about you?” she asked are you still getting your 30 percent?”

“Oh yes business is booming, though it helps to have a star like Chania on the books” he said.

 

The remainder of the evening passed in the same easy manner until it was time to leave, and they were suddenly thanking Chania, who was at the front door saying goodbye to her guests in turn, and then they were outside.

Jade was deeply engrossed with Chania’s brother, Aiden, and almost oblivious to the fact that Louise was waiting and then Harry asked.

“Are you staying at the Ocean View Hotel?”

“Yes, we both are” Louise replied.

“Well, I’m already dropping Aiden home in Pipershaven so why I don’t drop you both off” he suggested. 

“Good idea” Aiden said, and Jade nodded vigorously.

 

Louise and Harry chatted as much as they had all evening and then they were suddenly at the hotel almost before they had time to blink and were getting out of the car.

Aiden suggested they go round the corner to a club, but they declined and then she asked desperately

“Do you want to come in for a nightcap?”

“Ok just a quick one” he said, and she was feeling very smug as they went inside

“I’ll meet you in the bar” she said “I just need to spend a penny”

“Ok”

“Oh, I forgot” she said and handed him her key card “Order me a white wine”

“Ok”

She didn’t need to spend a penny, though she did anyway, what she wanted to do was attend to her makeup and freshen her perfume and when she got to the lounge he was sitting at the bar on a barstool waiting for her, the drinks on the counter in front of him.

 

When she was halfway down the glass of wine she said

“Perhaps we can do something over the weekend, dinner, maybe” she suggested

“The Panto doesn’t open until Monday, so I’m completely free”

“Ah” he responded

“Ah?” she repeated “I don’t like the sound of “Ah”, is it an “Ah” I’m back with my wife or “Ah” I’m with someone else or “Ah” I’m gay”

“None of the above” he said

“Phew”

“Do you remember me telling you during dinner that my sister Lizzie had twins?”

“Yes” she replied, “Oh God are they ill?”

“Not them” he replied.

“Lizzie has PPD, Postpartum depression” he replied “and she’s not coping and nor is her husband”

“Oh dear”

“So, the rest of the family are having to muck in and help them through the worst of it” he explained “They live up in Millmoor, so I’m going up for a week, maybe two”

“Oh, I understand” she said, “is your ex going?”

“Good God no” he said and laughed “She doesn’t like children, so she’s going to hold the fort at the agency for me”

She was disappointed that he was going away but relieved the Tracey wasn’t going with him.

“Do you want another?” she asked as she caught the barman’s eye.

“Hmm yes, please” he replied and drained his glass “But then I have to go.”

 

“Do you think you might be back by the 13th?” she asked.

“Possibly, why?”

“There is no performance that evening, so I have the day off, we could have dinner?”

“It depends on who’s paying” he answered, and she laughed.

“That’s just the type of response I expect from an agent” she said, and he shrugged.

“My treat” she replied but seeing him again would be the real treat.

“Ok I’ll do my best.”

 

They parted company in reception where he kissed her cheek and then she watched him leave, and it hurt, it really hurt and that really surprised her, why did it hurt? She knew she liked him, but obviously it was more than that if it hurt.

“Why does it hurt?” she asked herself as she walked towards the stairs and then she stopped.

“My God I love him” she exclaimed.

 

Over the rest of the weekend, with too much time on her hands she could think of little else than the revelation that she was hopelessly in love with him, and the problem with that was that she wasn’t going to see him for an absolute age. 

Fortunately, the pantomime started on Monday so two shows a day kept her occupied, it was just at night when she was alone in bed.

 

Her one big regret while he was away, was that she didn’t have a phone number or an email address for him, but she didn’t.

She could have asked Chania, but she would have felt foolish, she could even have phoned Smedley and Associates and asked Tracey, but what possible reason could she have for needing it?

So, she just had to keep herself busy and wait until the 13th.

 

As there were no performances on the 13th, she had the whole day off, which had to be filled, and her mind kept occupied, she had hoped that Jade would have helped but she had plans to spend the day with Zac.

So, she did the best she could, including having her hair and nails done and a bit of pampering to make the best of herself.

But that didn’t consume nearly enough of the day.

She spent the rest of the day Christmas shopping and then admired the festive decorations once the darkness had fully descended.

As she walked back to the Hotel she was feeling the chill, so she went straight to the lounge and up to the bar.

 

She was sitting at the bar, perched on a barstool drinking brandy, and feeling its warmth spread through her, still wearing jeans and a sweater, when Harry arrived.

“Hi” he said as he leant in and kissed her cheek and breathed in the fragrance of apples on her hair, the aroma of coconut on her skin and an overall presence of expensive perfume.

“Oh bugger” she screamed inside her head, she had planned to wear a brand-new white silk dress decorated with tiny pink roses, over some recently purchased very classy lingerie, and be made up to perfection, and instead she was wearing jeans and a sweater.

“You look lovely” he said as he sat down on the vacant stool.

“And you smell good enough to eat.”

“I am supposed to look gorgeous” she said sadly.

“You do look gorgeous” he said, “And you smell delicious, not like me, I look like I haven’t slept for two weeks, hang on, I haven’t slept for two weeks, and I smell of baby sick.”

She leant close into him and breathed in his aftershave and its effect on her was almost sensual, so much so that she almost buried her face in his neck before she sat up again.

“Not a hint of baby sick” she declared. 

“Honestly?” he asked.

“Honestly” she replied as she caught the barman’s eye “Another please, and whatever my…. guest wants?”

“I’ll have the same” he said.

“I don’t know about you but I’m starving, shall eat now?”

“Hmm good idea” she replied and when the drinks appeared they made their way to the restaurant.

 

When they were seated at the table she asked

“How’s your sister?”

“She’s getting better, slowly” he replied.

“And the twins?”

“They are fantastic, smelly, but fantastic.”

He said and as they ate he explained in detail.

After that the conversation was more general, but as much as the conversation flowed, so did the wine and Louise, who had always been a lightweight, drank too much, and when she drinks too much she is too honest.

“I’ve really missed you” she said, and he was both surprised and pleased by the revelation and he wondered if he had heard her correctly or if it was just the wines effect on his processing ability, in the end he decided he hadn’t misheard and responded.

“I missed you too.”

“Really?”

“Really” he confirmed.

“Oh, good because I was really worried that I loved you and you didn’t love me back” she said and giggled, but then she realized he was just looking at her and not speaking and she began to back track.

“What I meant to say is… um… err… I… erm… oh I’m sorry” she said “I used the “L” word didn’t I.”

“Yes, you did” he confirmed “and it’s ok because I think I love you too, but”

“But….”

“Oh shit, why is there, a but, I don’t like the “but”, one little bit.”

 “But….” He continued “I have to go back to Millmoor tomorrow, and I’ll probably won’t be back until Christmas.”

She looked crestfallen, so he took hold of her hand.

“I have to be there for my sister’s family right now, but I want there to be an “us”, but I can’t give you that right now” he said as he held her hand “But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to, do you understand?”

“Yes, I think so.”

“Can you wait?”

“Yes” she said, “on one condition.”

“Name it”

“That you give me your mobile number, so I can talk to you or text you or something” she said.

“I’ve already put it in your phone.”

“You have?”

“Yes” he replied, “Now I think it’s time to get you to bed.”

“Oh goody, I like the sound of that.”

“Calm down hot stuff” he said, “I need to get you to bed so you have a good night’s sleep and then we can spend an enjoyable few hours together tomorrow morning, before I have to leave for Millmoor and you have to be at the theatre.”

 

Louise tottered along the corridor beside him but when they paused to allow an elderly lady to go through the fire doors ahead of them, she looked up at him through soulful eyes and he kissed her, a kiss she had longed for since the moment she first met him.

After the long-awaited kiss, they walked hand in hand to the door of her room where they kissed again before he unlocked the door and pushed it open, but Louise paused in the doorway.

“I’m sorry” she said.

“For what?”

“For being so needy.”

“You’re not needy, so don’t apologize for being you” he said and kissed her once more.

In the Village of Pepperstock Green – Chapter (124) – Bumper Edition

December

 

Neil Mack was the most recent newcomer to the village of Pepperstock Green and had waited for four years for a suitable property in the village to come on to the market, and it was a life-changing move especially when he met his next-door neighbour, Marjorie Saunders.

He worked for a film production company WKF, who had been based on outskirts of the village for more than five years.

 

Marjorie was a divorcee and immediately lost her heart to her new neighbour but was reluctant to do anything about it and thought that any search for a meaningful love with someone of a like mind would be a fruitless exercise as she had been let down before.

She was a striking looking woman, not model beautiful but very lovely with dark hypnotic eyes.

Though the woman that stared back at her from the bedroom mirror each day thought she was far from lovely.

She stood 5 feet 4 inches tall in her stocking feet and was a stone heavier than she should have been, which was thanks to her own baking.

She wasn’t though disappointed with everything she saw in the mirror she liked her legs which she thought were quite shapely and her hair which she thought of as her crowning glory, which was long and straight and was of a brown so dark that it looked black.

 

However, Marjorie didn’t think that nice legs and beautiful hair was sufficient to win the love of her new neighbour Neil Mack, because she valued herself so little, which was why she held no expectation in his regard.

He for his part had shown no interest in her nor given any indication that he thought of her in anyway other than as a friend and neighbour, and her dilemma was that if she did tell him of her feelings for him and he didn’t feel the same about her it would create an unbearable awkwardness, with him living next door.

So that was why she decided it was best not to upset the Status Quo, and to just remain as friends.

After all friendship was better than nothing and that had been her opinion for nine long months.

Marjorie had not, however, gone unnoticed by Mark, but he too had decided discretion was the better part of valour and also opted for the Status Quo option.

 

His professional role was as a middle management strategist but that year, due to a sudden heart attack striking down the woman who organized the Christmas entertainment for the company, Neil was given a new project, cater the Christmas office party from scratch in 10 days.

 

Molly had her heart attack in October, and he wasn’t given the poisoned chalice until well into December by which time all the venues were fully booked, including the Barnabus Manor Hotel in the village and the Mablethorpe Spa in Pipershaven, and no one could cater for it at such short notice.

The venue wasn’t so much of an issue as they could hold the party at WKF, but catering was, because the staff were going to expect more that Pork Scratching’s and cheese footballs.

So, his thought returned to his beautiful buxom neighbour Marjorie, because apart from the fact he thought she was gorgeous, he also knew that she was a brilliant baker, and she was also the manager of Bloomer’s Bakery in the village, so she had the wherewithal to get the job done and get him out of a hole, provided she wasn’t already over committed.

 

What he didn’t know was that there was a great deal of competition within the Bloomer’s Baker’s chain and Pepperstock Green were neck and neck with their nearest rivals in Springwater and Pipershaven at the end of November and a huge catering order would push them over the line, which would mean both the kudos and a nice bonus for Marjorie’s shop.

  

He got up late on Monday morning, so when he knocked on Marjorie’s front door he got no answer, so he took a walk into the village and wandered aimlessly down the road with no particular purpose and found himself walking past Richmond’s General Store, and as he’d used the last of the milk in his morning coffee, he decided to pop in and get some, and as soon as he walked in, his eye was drawn to a large stack of magazines. the Radio Times to be precise, and the bumper Christmas edition at that.

He knew that it was a bit sad, but he really looked forward to getting the Bumper Christmas Edition of the Radio Times.

It was one of the highlights of the season for him, and he would have gladly acknowledged that it did indeed sound really sad, but he didn’t care, it was part of Christmas for him, but to make it even sadder, he bought two copies.

The magazine reminded him of his childhood when the family would mark the programs they didn’t want to miss in coloured pen.

At that time, you had to buy a Radio Times for the BBC channels and a TV Times for the commercial stations.

 

After leaving Richmond’s General Store with the Bumper Edition of his magazine he headed towards Bloomer’s to see his other favourite bumper bundle, Marjorie, and on arrival went inside.

“Hello Mark” Marjorie said, her face blushing slightly

“Hi Marjorie, I missed you at the house this morning” he said, and she completely coloured up

“Oh? How can I help?” she asked conscious that her colleagues were watching her every move

“I’m hoping you can save my life, I’ve been lumbered with organizing the Christmas party” he said fishing inside his coat and bringing out a folded piece of paper and handed it to her

“At the last minute to boot, can you cater for one hundred, in a week?”

Marjorie said nothing, just read the list so he added

“I’ve listed a few things that are a must, but the rest is up to you, and money is no object”

Marjorie smiled and handed the list to her colleagues and gave him a bear hug almost crushing his Radio Times

“You are my hero” she announced and kissed his cheek several times, and then as they stood face to face smiling at each other they kissed, and it was a long slow and deliberate kiss.

“Do we get one of those now” Marion asked from behind the counter when they had finished.

“No, you certainly don’t” Marjorie replied

“It’s one of the perks of management” she added, and she kissed him again

 

When they had finished a queue had formed so she blushed and said

“Well thank you for your order, Mr. Mack”

“Here if I order something do I get one of those?” and elderly customer asked, prompting a peel of laughter

“I’m sorry Mr. Kelly” she said “Special customers only”

 

As a result of their exchange in the shop, WKF got their Christmas Party, Bloomer’s staff got their bonus, Marjorie got her man and Christmas for Neil was a special Bumper Edition. 

In the Village of Pepperstock Green – Chapter (123) – Feast of St Nicholas

December

 

Church Warden of St Agatha’s, Kevin Southey, was attending a dinner on St Andrew’s Day, at the home of a local celebrity, children’s author, Chania Campbell.

Kevin was a popular figure in Pepperstock Green society who dedicated all of his free time to the church and good works, so it would have been of little surprise to find him on the guest list, but he on the other hand was surprised at some of the other guests.

In addition to the hostess Chania, was Fiona Phippen, an illustrator, who was an old school friend of hers, and she also assisted in the kitchen, Chania’s brother artist Aiden, Curate of St Agatha’s, Derren Mcphail, Literary agents, Harry and Tracey Smedley, Actresses Louise Sexton and Jade Edwards and Tim Weston who was a Local Historian, so it was an interesting bunch, but his interest was overwhelmingly in Tracey.

Kevin had known Tracey since she was a girl, he was an old family friend, but it wasn’t friendship that he felt for her, but he had not shared his feelings with her, because he thought it would have been a betrayal of her parents trust, but following their deaths in a car accident, he said nothing then because he had to fulfill more of an avuncular role, and then she married so he resigned himself to the fact that there could never be any other role for him in her life.

 

When the time came for them to take their seats Kevin found that he was seated opposite Chania and next to Tracey, and he could tell by the look on the formers face that she had put them beside each other by design, hoping that her change in circumstances would move things along between them.

 

Tracey was divorced from her husband Harry the year before, but it was a completely amicable split because after eight years of marriage they both realized it wasn’t really working, they loved each other, and still did, but they were not in love.

In fact, they still lived under the same roof, in the same house, after the split, and planned to sell the house, or buy the other one out, if and when their personal circumstances changed.

So domestic life for them wasn’t really very different to when they were married, and it really should have been if they belonged together as a couple, so they knew they had made the right decision, and even after the divorce they were still best friends, and of course they still worked together at the Literary Agency they founded, Smedley and associates.

 

The conversation between Kevin and Tracey during dinner was as easy and relaxed as it always had been, so much so that it actually felt like they were a couple, but they weren’t.

Over coffee Tracey said

“I’ve been asked to organize the St Nicholas gifts this year”

“Really? I did them for a couple of years” he said “before I became Church Warden”

“Yes I remember” she said “Which is why…”

“Why what?”

“Which is why I could use your help” she replied

“Of course I’ll help” he said

“We could meet tomorrow”

“Perfect” she said

 

They met the next day at his house after Church and over coffee they compiled a long list of items she needed to get from the cash and carry and afterwards they walked into the village to the Britz Coffee Shop where they had brunch.

“Thanks for your help Kevin” she said

“My pleasure Tracey, you just need to drive over to Pipershaven and pick it up”

“I might need your help again with that” she said “I’ll never get that lot in my car”

“Why? You’ll easily get it all into your SUV”

“Erm… It’s in the garage until Wednesday, so I’ve only got the Mini”

“What about Harry’s car?”

“He’s gone to Millmoor, and won’t be back for a fortnight” she replied

“Well in that case we can go in mine” he said

 

They couldn’t go on Sunday afternoon as it was the first Sunday of Advent and as he was Church Warden and she was the Verger they needed to be on hand for the evening service, so he picked her up early on Monday morning and drove her over to the cash and carry.

 

It was an amazing place, and they were very impressed even though they had both been to one before, it was like an Aladdin’s cave of Christmas goodies, and they soon filled their trolley.

But Tracey seemed to be in no particular hurry to leave because although they had everything that was on the list, she kept Kevin there for another hour wandering up and down the aisles but added nothing to the trolley before she accepted, they had finished the shopping and went to the checkout.

Kevin and Tracey loaded the shopping into his car and then they exited the car park with the sound of thunder in the distance.

On the way out of the gate it started to rain, and as he turned onto the Expressway the sky had grown really dark, and the thunder cracks grew closer, and the rain fell harder.

Twenty minutes later the rain was falling ever harder until the wipers could barely cope.

As luck would have it they were just approaching a lay-by, so Kevin turned into it to wait for the rain to abate.

He had barely applied the handbrake when there was a clap thunder above that shook the car and Tracey screamed and launched herself at Kevin.

“Hold me” she begged “the thunder frightens me”

“Don’t worry honey” he said putting his arm around her “I’ve got you.”

 

The thunderstorm went on for almost half an hour before it moved away, and the rain eased off and Kevin said

“I think it’s safe to go now”

“Are you sure?” she said “it might come back”

“No, it’s moved away now” he said and released his hold on her and he thought he heard her sigh.

 

When they got back to Pepperstock Green they went back to her house and unloaded the car.

“So where do you want them?” he asked as he walked in carrying two boxes

“In the Dining room” she replied “I’ll make a start on them after lunch”

And then almost as an afterthought she added

“You’ll stay for lunch of course? “

“That would be lovely, I can stay and help after” he suggested

“Really? Would you?

“Of course,” he replied “and I’m free tomorrow so I can help you box them up and deliver them” 

 

The St Nicholas Day gifts could come in different forms but were almost always presented in boots or shoes.

The ones that St Agatha’s Church were giving out consisted of a small red plastic Santa Boot, complete with white fur trim and filled with chocolates and candy.

Each one contained Chocolate Coins, Candy Canes, Bonbons, Fudge, Chocolate Santa, a small toy and a puzzle.

So, after lunch they set up a production line and when the Boot was filled the whole thing was completed by putting the filled Boot inside a cellophane bag tied at the top with a red ribbon.

working together right through until 10 o’clock, only stopping for pizza, they got them all filled, bagged and tied, but left the packing of them until the next morning.

 

Kevin arrived at Tracey’s just after ten the next morning and they packed the gifts in boxes for the various destinations, and then they loaded the car, before making the deliveries.

St Agatha’s Primary School, Tots nursery, St Agatha’s Church, for the Sunday School, and some for Pipershaven Library for the reading club and then back to Tracey’s.

“I can’t thank you enough Kevin” she said

“It was my pleasure” he said “I enjoyed it”

“Nonetheless I’m very grateful” he said “Let me take you to dinner tomorrow night as a thank you, The Kissing Angel”

“That’s my favourite restaurant”

“I know it is” she said, “so is that a, yes?”

 

It was a lovely meal and the conversation was easy, witty and stimulating but Kevin drank more than he probably should have but he was having such a good time.

“A perfect end to a perfect evening” she said when the liqueurs arrived.

“You’re perfect” he said, and then he realized he had said it out loud, and he glanced at her, and she was smiling, but not in a derisory way, so he decided, aided by all the wine, to tell her how he felt.

“I’ve always thought you were perfect, in every way.”

“Before you go any further I have a confession to make” she said.

“You don’t have to say anything, I just need to say how I feel” he replied.

“But I really do” she insisted.

“Ok” Kevin replied, a little concerned at what might follow and then.

Tracey took a deep breath and blurted out.

“I planned all of this.”

“All what?”

“Everything in order to get you here tonight” she said, and Kevin thought for a moment and then said.

“Did you arrange for me to be sitting next to you at the Dinner Party?” He asked

“Yes, but that was the easy bit” she confessed “because I had an ally in Chania, but after that, it was up to me to take advantage of the situation”

“Which of course you did” he said

“Indeed, I did” she admitted, “The rest however took a bit more planning”

“And a bit more deceitfulness” she continued, and Kevin took a moment to think before he said

“You didn’t need my help with the planning, did you?”

“No” she confessed

“And the SUV being in the garage?”

“Was a lie” Tracey confirmed

“And your being scared of the thunder?”

“Also, a lie” she confirmed again “I just wanted to hug you”

“So why?”

“So that I could be close to you and hopefully pluck up the courage to tell you how special you are to me.”

“So, does that mean what I think it means?” he asked

“If that’s what you want now that you know that I’m he not perfect” she said

“I do” he said and held her hand

“You don’t think less of me?” she asked

“I’m shocked and stunned” he said “but only that you want me”

“I’ve always wanted you” she said and kissed his hand

 

As they rode home holding hands in the back of an Uber he asked

“So, are you pleased with the outcome of your scheming?”

“Oh yes” she said “pleased and surprised”

“Surprised?” he queried

“Yes, I’ve never done anything like it before, and I’m surprised how conniving I’ve been” she said

“Well, you’ve got me now” he said

“Yes, and that’s perfect” Tracey said

In the Village of Pepperstock Green – Chapter (122) – A Christmas Affair

December

 

Jon Goss arrived back at the Intercontinental Hotel just as the snow began to fall again, he paid the driver and Jon and Trevor walked into the lobby of the Hotel.

It had been a nice evening out, a lovely meal and good company, there were forty of them at the restaurant, colleagues from all over Europe, some of them close friends and some of them more so.

“Night cap?” Jon asked

“No thanks’ mate I’ve got an early check out in the morning” Trevor replied.

Jon looked at his watch and saw it was already morning.

“I’ll say goodnight then” he said, and they shook hands and Trevor headed for the desk.

He was definitely up for one more drink, so he headed for the bar, there were only a handful of people in there at that hour and as he caught the night porter’s eye, he said.

“Jameson’s, a large one”

“Make that two” She said from behind him

He recognized the voice and said to the barman “Two”

And then he turned around and looked at the woman who had been the object of his lust for nine months and an unrequited love for three of those.

Alexandra Guiton was his older woman, his cougar if you like, she was four years the wrong side of fifty but still beautiful in his eyes even though Jon was nineteen years younger.

Alexandra and he had shared an office for over a year, and at first, he loathed her, he thought she was vain, overbearing and manipulative, and her opinion of him was much the same.

However, as the weeks changed into months his feelings for her changed with them.

Alexandra had an English father and a Filipino mother, which left her with brown skin and western features, an exotic looking beauty with jet black hair and large brown eyes.

She was tall, slender, and very well endowed, and with legs to die for.

He would surreptitiously watch her move around the office on her shapely legs admiring the tightness of her skirt around her hips and buttocks as she bent, and when she was sat at her desk his eyes would stray to her gaping blouse and the treasures contained within.

However, it wasn’t until a grey overcast day in June, on an office beano to the Epsom Derby that they showed each other in no uncertain terms how they felt.

It happened as the Derby favourites thundered towards the finish line when Alexandra and Jon, away from prying eyes, kissed for the first time, and as they kissed he unzipped her leather jacket and slipped his hands inside her shirt to caress her naked skin.

Over the weeks that followed, so did more sensually intimate moments, but they were only tasters of what the two of them really desired.

 

They had tried on several occasions to engineer an opportunity to take their burgeoning relationship to the next level.

One such chance was a three-day trip to visit suppliers, which they got rubber stamped by management and booked appointments and Hotels and they were feeling very pleased with themselves for their lustful scheming, however an unseen hand dealt them a blow when Alexandra went down with laryngitis.

Afterwards they tried to just arrange a simple dirty weekend away, Brighton, Bognor, Blackpool and other places that didn’t even begin with the letter B.

They even devised an intricate scenario for the benefit of Alexandra’s husband, which he swallowed hook line and sinker but then that failed at the eleventh hour when Jon broke his wrist.

 

So, they decided they should have one last role of the dice, which was at the Christmas Party weekend in Paris, where they planned to finally consummate their lust.

They had been out to a fabulous restaurant in city and had spent the evening sitting at the same table for dinner, discreetly holding hands under the table, but as they left at the end of the evening they got separated and ended up in different cabs, so he thought fate had interceded once again and their chance had gone.

Jon blamed fate because although he was single at the time, Alexandra was a married woman, which meant there was some guilt involved, even if her husband Jamie was a complete waste of space, especially as they were both native to Pepperstock Green.

However, despite any perceived guilt he was delighted to find Alexandra was waiting for him in the bar when he got back to the Hotel, he had failed to take into account that she would want it as bad as he did.

 

They sat in the corner of the bar and finished their drink.

“Another?” he asked

“I don’t think so” Alexandra replied and stood up, took his hand and dragged him to his feet.

The lusty pair walked arm in arm to the desk and collected their keys and with keys in hand Alexandra hurried Jon along the corridor until they reached her room, where they stood in the corridor and kissed.

At first it was the usual semi controlled kissing they had done so many times before, but it quickly became hot and passionate as his hand sought out her breast.

She broke away and opened the door.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked

“God yes” she replied and pulled him into the room.

Once inside the room he was eager to get started again and immediately tried to get inside her clothes.

Alexandra, however, put a stop to things and said

“Not so fast, I want everything to be just so”

“Sorry” he responded not quite sure what “just so” was, but he needn’t have worried, it seemed that she wanted to, amongst other things get the lighting right.

She was conscious of the age difference and didn’t want him to be disappointed with what she had to offer, because as a much younger man he would have been more used to firmer flesh, however she needn’t have worried.

While she set the scene he was sent into the bathroom and as he was in there he thought it prudent to relieve himself while he had the opportunity.

However, such a natural function, normally simply rendered is greatly complicated when you are seriously aroused, and it necessitates adopting the posture of a ski jumper and even then it’s not always successful.

When he left the bathroom Jon found the room lighting very subdued and Alexandra wearing only a smile and a pair of White lace knickers showing in stark contrast to the gorgeous brown flesh.

“Are you disappointed?” She asked

“You’re even more gorgeous than I had hoped” he replied

“Good answer” she said,

From the first moment he emerged from the bathroom she had one arm draped across her breasts but as she walked towards him she slowly lowered her arm and at the last second he got his first long lingering look at her large round breast that he had only previously dreamed of, topped with glorious chocolate coloured nipples, and then she was in his arms and began undressing him.

 

As they lay entwined in the afterglow, still breathing hard from their exertions, Alexandra rested her head on his chest and sighed as he reflected that making love with her was everything he had hoped it would be and more and then they drifted into a sweet post coital sleep.

After a short sleep he was awoken by Alexandra tenderly kissing his neck as her hand strove to awaken the rest of him, and when all of him was fully awake they made love again.

The next day when the rest of their colleagues returned to their home countries Alexandra and Jon put into effect their plan to stay on for another night and repeated the joyful pleasure of each other again and again.

He would have gladly continued their unions well into the New Year but alas after the protracted Christmas break Alexandra took him to one side and to his great surprise, ended the affair.

“But I love you” he said

“And I love you” Alexandra concurred

“Then why?” Jon asked

“It has to end, not because I don’t love you” she said “But because despite everything I love my husband”

December

In the Village of Pepperstock Green – Chapter (121) – The Beginning of Advent

 

December

 

The new Curate of St Agatha’s, in Pepperstock Green, 35-year-old Derren Mcphail, had been invited to have dinner at the home of a local bigwig, and he was muttering to himself and shaking his head for virtually the whole of his walk, as he reran an incident that happened earlier in the evening.

 

He was at the home of the Church Warden Kevin Southey for a meeting about the beginning of Advent, when he needed to pee, so he discreetly slipped away from the meeting and went to use the down stairs bathroom and no sooner had he gone inside and locked the door than he spotted a woman sitting on the toilet, with her tights and underwear around her knees and her skirt hoisted up her thighs.
“I'm so sorry” he said in a fluster “I didn’t think, I am so, so sorry”
He was in such a state that he didn’t know where to look, but when he noticed her smiling at him he got all flustered and turned to leave, but his hand was shaking so much that he couldn’t unlock the door and then he heard her get up and replace her clothing.

“It’s ok I’m not angry” she said, and he turned around to face her.

“But I’m so terribly sorry” he said, and she smiled at his discomfort, and he got all flustered again and this time when he turned to unlock the door he succeeded and returned to the meeting, just in time for the end, despite the fact he still hadn’t peed.

 

But as he made his way through the village all he could think of was the incident with the young and beautiful young woman with the dark skin and bobbed brunette hair and dark, almost black eyes, and that glorious smile.

 

When he reached the house, he knocked on the door and was greeted by Kevin Southey, who he had met at the earlier meeting at his home.

“Hello Derren, the lady of the House is in the lounge” he said and pointed the way

“Thanks Kevin” He responded and then headed to the lounge as directed, and no sooner had he gone inside and closed the door than he spotted the woman who’d been sitting on the toilet at Kevin’s and she flashed him her glorious smile, a smile that reached her dark, almost black eyes, sharp and intelligent, behind her gold rimmed spectacles as they sat on her aquiline nose.

With her finely chiseled features she was the beautiful side of attractive, and despite his embarrassment from earlier he found himself drawn to her.

“Ah Derren this is our hostess Chania Campbell”

“Chania, this is our new Curate, Derren Mcphail”

“Hello Derren” she said offering her hand “It’s nice to see you again so soon”

“Likewise,” he said shaking her hand and he felt a tingle of electricity pass between them.

“Oh, I didn’t realize you’d already met” Kevin said

“It was on a brief hello” she said without elaboration

He knew that she wasn’t at Kevin’s for the meeting, she was only there to go through the Parish accounts, so he wasn’t quite sure how they’d met.

“Chania Campbell?” he said, “the Children’s Writer.”

“Yes” she replied

“I just bought my niece “Wiccan Wendy” for Christmas” he said “She’s a big fan”

“She has impeccable taste” she said with a laugh

“Now you must excuse me while I check the food”

 

He was considerably less embarrassed after having met, and been formally introduced to her, especially as she was fully clothed, so he was able to relax and mingle with the other guests.

In addition to the hostess Chania, there was a skinny young woman of a similar age, Fiona Phippen, an illustrator, who was an old school friend of the hostess, and she also assisted in the kitchen, Chania’s brother Aiden, an artist, Kevin Southey, Church Warden at St Agatha’s, Literary agents, Harry and Tracey Smedley, Actresses Louise Sexton and Jade Edwards and Tim Weston who was a Local Historian, so it was an interesting bunch.

 

When the time came for them to take their seats he found that he was seated between the Actress, Louise Sexton, and Chania, and as the actress seemed to be focusing all her attention on the man across the table from her, Harry Smedley, he found he spent most of the meal talking to his hostess.   

She was a delightful young woman, intelligent, witty and a very good cook, toboot, he thought of her as a young woman but she was only younger than him by a year or two.

“So tell me about you niece?” she asked

“Mia is my sister Liz’s daughter, 12 years old, incredibly bright, a voracious reader, and she can twist me round her little finger” he said proudly “and as she is an only child, I spoil her”

“Is she local?”

“Relatively, they live in Pipershaven” he said “So I see them fairly regularly”

“And do you have any other nephews and nieces?”

“No, just the one” he replied

“What about children of your own?” she asked

“No, sadly, but then I am a Batchelor”

“So you’re not the marrying kind eh?” she said and winked

“I wouldn’t say that. I just haven’t met the right person yet” he replied

“Perhaps you’ve been looking in the wrong places” she said and raised her eyebrows, in reference to their first meeting and they both laughed.

 

Over coffee Chania said

“As your niece Mia is a fan, why don’t you pop round with the book some time and I’ll sign it for you”

“That’s very kind but I wouldn’t wish to presume on your good nature” he protested

“Nonsense, I insist” she said and touched the back of his hand, and he felt that tingle of electricity again and he could tell by her expression that she felt it too.   

“Thank you” he said after she removed her hand

“That would be great Kudos for me, she’ll think I’m the best Uncle in the World”

“I’m sure she does already” she said and smiled and then people started getting up to leave so he felt that he should too.

 

Chania was at the front door saying goodbye to her guests and Derren was the last of them

“So, I know you’re going to be busy for the next few days at St Agatha’s as it’s the first Sunday of Advent, and then I’m in Abbottsford for a couple of days, seeing my publisher among other things, so is Wednesday evening ok with you?”

“That would be perfect” he said and shook her hand, “Good night”

“Good night, Derren I’ll see you Wednesday”

  

Chania was right about him being busy on Sunday, St Agatha’s was such a well-attended Church that they ran three services, at his previous Parish they barely had enough Parishioners to run one.

When he called round to her house on Wednesday Evening he related his thoughts to her while they sat in her lounge drinking coffee.

“So how did you motivate yourself to so few, was it Matthew 18:20 “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them”” she asked

“No, I used an old joke that my Uncle Walter told me many years ago, he was also a clergyman, and a very funny man” he said

“Well do tell” she said in earnest

“Ok then” he said “It was a bitterly cold and bleak Christmas morning and the snow had been falling heavily for hours, and the Vicar stood at the door waiting to greet his congregation, but none came, then just as he had decided to cancel the service, one solitary parishioner arrived, a farmer named John, “Merry Christmas John”, the Vicar said, but alas you’ve had a wasted journey because even though it’s Christmas day I’ve decided there’s no point in having a service today”

“Well Vicar when I go to the fields at feeding time and only one cow turns up, I still feed it””

“That’s a great analogy” Chania said and laughed delightfully

“Not as poetic as Matthew but very funny”

 

“Now where’s that book?” she asked and put a lap tray in place in preparation, and he gave it to her and she opened the fly leaf and began to write and write.

“That’s a very long inscription” he said

“Hush, I’m busy giving you more kudos” she said and chuckled

“There” she said offering the book to him, and snatching it back immediately

“No peeking until she’s read it, promise”

“Promise” he said, and she handed the book to him which he put straight in his bag.

 

When it was time for him to leave, Chania took the cups to the kitchen while he slipped his coat on and when she came back she said

“It’s absolutely bucketing down out there”

“That’s ok I don’t have far to go”

“I’ll drive you in the car” she offered

“I’ll be fine really”

“Nonsense you’ll catch your death, and you’ve got a busy time ahead, you still have three advent services, St Lucy’s Day, the Carol Concert, Christingle and then there’s Christmas itself, so if you think I’m going to let you get soaked to the skin you are very much mistaken” she said forcefully and found herself buttoning his coat when she was finished “So we’ll go in the car”

“Ok then” he conceded

 

As she walked him to the front door he added

“I have to confess I was surprised to find the Author of “Wiccan Wendy” was a Christian”

“Do you mean because my heroine is a pagan?”

“Yes I suppose so”

“Well first of all despite her being a Wiccan she is also a force for good” she said

“And it’s very difficult to completely separate paganism and Christianity, especially at this time of year, Christmas itself takes place at the time of the old Roman festival of Saturnalia”

“Well yes that’s true” he agreed

“And the bringing of evergreens into the home, a wreath on the door, holly boughs, Christmas Trees and of course this…” she said pointing upwards to the mistletoe hanging above them.

“Ah” he exclaimed

“A very potent pagan symbol” she said

“I don’t suppose we could just ignore it” he enquired

“Not really”

“We could pretend we haven’t seen it” he suggested

“I wouldn’t recommend it” Chania said gravely

“You wouldn’t?”

“No, it might anger the Gods”

“The pagan Gods?”

“No, the Christmas Gods” she said and kissed him, and it was a gentle tender kiss that made his knees go weak.

“Oh my, that’s very potent” Derren sighed

“Well, I think that should appease the Gods” she said and opened the door “For now”

“Oh, I think so” he agreed

 

When she pulled up outside Caxton Court he was hoping for another taste of pagan potency, but he was to be disappointed

“I’m off on my travels again” she said “but I should be back on St Lucy’s Day”

“Ok, good night then, and thanks for the lift”

“My pleasure, good night, I hope to see you at the party” she said