Chapter 3: New Friends

The Golden Anchor is quiet, and the only other patrons are a group of five men sat at a table by the bar. Pete orders a flagon of ale for the four men and, at my request, a glass of wine for me. Margot recognises me and gives me a questioning look. I smile weakly and signal to her that I’m alright. At least for the moment. I’m very careful not to drink too quickly, and I notice James is also drinking slowly. Not so the three older men who are soon into their second flagon.

After half an hour or so of pleasant conversation I start to worry that Pete, Sam and Morty are getting worse for drink. James sees my unease. When Pete gets up to go order yet another flagon, James follows him to the bar. I don’t know what he says, but when Pete returns he grabs the semi-conscious Sam and Morty, and says that the three of them are off to sample the beer at another inn.

“Goodbye Andrea, and thanks for your company,” Pete manages to say on his third attempt at forming a coherent sentence.

James and I are left alone and he asks if I’m hungry. I had planned on being back at the house for lunch, but I’ve left it too late. The sandwich tray Annie usually leaves out in the dining room will have been cleared away by now, so I accept James’ offer. He orders a platter of food which we devour.

We take our time over the meal and spend a delightful time talking. When we eventually finish the meal, James offers to escort me on a walk around Fort Royal and back to the house. He is being the perfect gentleman and I find that I’m wishing he wasn’t quite so gentlemanly. I wouldn’t object to something more intimate as we walk.

By the time our meandering route brings us to the house we are finally holding hands. I know our friendship isn’t going to go any further. James is leaving on tomorrow morning’s tide, and I’ll most likely never see him again. But we have promised to write to each other.

He is about to escort me up to the main door when I am forced to admit that I’m out of the house without permission, so I must sneak in through the window. He finds this very intriguing, and I show him where I intend to climb in. He offers to give me a leg up, but before doing so he turns me around and gives me a kiss. Not a short peck on the cheek, mind you. A deep and memorable kiss on the lips. As we break I gasp and feel all flustered. A real kiss. No man has kissed me like that since I was a teenager flirting with boys.

He smiles and I lower my head in embarrassment. He bends down and clasps his hands so I can step up into the tree. But before I do, I wrap my arms round him and give him another equally memorable kiss. Now it’s his turn to be flustered, and without saying a word I step up into the tree and clamber towards the kitchen roof and the window beyond.

“Goodbye James. Thanks for a wonderful day. I’ll always remember you. Don’t forget to write.” I whisper as I look back from the kitchen roof.

“Goodbye Andrea. And thanks. Don’t worry, I’ll write when I can. Good luck.”

He waits while I clamber in through the window. The room is empty so I signal that everything is alright. I watch from the window as he walks away. I go upstairs to my room and I look out at the surrounding buildings in case anyone has seen me. There is no sign of activity. No, wait, there’s a man by the window of the upper floor of the empty store on the opposite side of the street. But he seems more interested in the people coming and going along the main street.