Chapter 2

A few days later we were walking along the opposite ridge for a change, well I was walking and Aggie was running, once more admiring the scenery and silently thanking Uncle Jim for the opportunity to be here. {https://1drv.ms/u/s!Al_8HgVUN9_pjQ62gkC89IabTj6p?e=QpJkwg}

I came across some beautiful blue flowers and thought that they would make a nice picture, so I stopped and looked for the best angle. One of the things I love about digital photography is the ability to take as many shots as you want without worrying over the cost of film and developing. I’d just put my camera back in the bag after deciding to add a book on flowers to my shopping list; my knowledge of botany matched that of ornithology; when I heard a voice.

I looked back and saw a woman rapidly approaching. As I waited for her, I did the typical male thing; I appraised her, well her appearance. She was slim and looked quite tall for a woman, probably around 5’ 8”. Her hair was wrapped in a scarf and her attire was countryside elegance. I put her age at anything between early thirties to middle forties.

‘Hello,’ she said in a very feminine and almost posh, voice. ‘I’m Jane Garner.’

I shook her proffered hand and was a little surprised at how firm the dainty hand gripped mine.

‘David Powell.’

‘Yes I know, that’s why I wanted to catch you.’

Up close, I saw a woman in her prime, with real natural beauty, not purchased to enrich some cosmetic giant. I couldn’t help but look at her left hand and admit to some disappointment when I saw a wedding ring.

‘I was speaking to Sheila Parsons last night and she mentioned your suggestion about a place to drink for those that can’t stand that awful man at The Falconer.’

I nodded and smiled, just like they film news interviewers, to show that they are paying attention and understand.

‘I like the idea in principle but thought that it needed fleshing out somewhat.’

‘Oh I agree, it was just a spur of the moment idea, based on what I used to do,’ I explained.

‘You have done this before then?’

‘Only for an occasional party, usually business related, not on any kind of permanent basis.’

‘Okay, that makes sense.’

Before any further conversation could take place, Aggie started barking wildly. I looked up and saw her, about fifty yards away, bouncing along a hedgerow.

‘She’s probably seen a rabbit, this area is teeming with them. Let her catch a couple, they are always good for the pot,’ Jane said knowingly.

I laughed. ‘Kill it? She’s more likely to want to play with it, don’t forget that she’s new to this countryside lark, she’s a city dog at heart. A bit like me, I suppose.’

She smiled politely. ‘Well at least you have come to your senses, my dear.’

‘Any chance that you could come to my place this evening?’ She then asked.

‘No problem, just tell me what time and I’ll be there. Oh yes, and where it is.’

‘Of course you don’t know yet,’ she smiled at me, ‘I’m used to everyone knowing where the Manor is.’

As she explained where it was, I remembered passing it a few times at the end of our walks. It wasn’t what I thought of as a manor house, but it was easily the largest house I’d come across in the area. We agreed on eight o’clock with Jane saying I was okay to bring Aggie with me. We then chatted for another ten minutes or so, mainly about why I’d moved here. She laughed when I told her just how impetuous that decision had been.

‘Well let us hope that we can ensure that it was a good one,’ she said as we parted company.

Aggie looked at me as if to say ‘about time’ when I called her to continue our walk. With a polite ‘good morning’, we passed a couple of sprightly pensioners with an even more spirited Springer Spaniel. As it and Aggie bounced around each other I mused if the breed had got its name because it couldn’t keep still.

Much to her chagrin, I decided not to take Aggie with me went I went up to the Manor. As planned, I arrived a few minutes early. One advantage of village life, you tended to walk everywhere, which made judging arrival times so much easier.

‘Hello David,’ the lady of the Manor said as she opened the door. ‘Follow me.’

She turned and walked away before I could answer her greeting. Shutting the door, I followed her into a huge and austere room. There were a number of people there, sitting on the chairs that were the only real furniture in the room. I looked around, admiring the original décor. The ceiling was at least twelve feet from the polished wood floor, with fabulously ornate coving and three large chandeliers with their decorative roses. The room’s main attraction was its massive fireplace, in itself almost as big as my living room.

‘You know Tim and Sheila,’ Jane said looking in the direction of the Parsons. She then looked at Elizabeth. ‘This is Lizzie Hopkins, Sheila’s sister.’

‘Yes, Elizabeth was with Tim and Sheila when they came to my place.’ Elizabeth nodded acknowledgement. ‘By the way, do you prefer Lizzie or Elizabeth?’

‘Liz or Lizzie usually, it’s only Sheila and my mother that call me Elizabeth,’ she answered with a smile.

I felt Jane tug at my elbow and then lead me to two men and one woman. ‘Peter Styles, Jack Dunstan and Felicity Dunstan,’ she said as way of an introduction.

‘David Powell,’ I said before shaking hands with all three.

‘One more to come,’ Jane said just as the door opened.

Hearing no ring or knock on the front door, I assumed this would be Jane’s husband. It was however an extremely attractive young lady, and there was no mistaking the lady bit. Ultra feminine chic that even I could tell must have cost a small fortune. Once again I found it difficult to put an age on her, but couldn’t see her being over thirty, more like mid twenties.

‘Ah! My daughter Virginia. Ginny meet the new man in the village, David Powell.’

I looked at Jane with amazement, either she was a lot older than I’d guessed or her daughter was a lot younger.

‘Mother!’ Virginia admonished with a little laugh, before explaining. ‘Jane is my wicked stepmother.’

‘Wicked?’ I asked with a grin.

‘Yes, as in wicked sense of humour,’ she replied laughing.

‘Now that we are all here, let’s begin,’ commanded Jane.

Pulling the chairs into a rough circle and with just one chair to spare we all sat down.

‘David here had a disagreement with Seth,’ Jane began.

Jack laughed. ‘Not the first and won’t be the last to do that, welcome to the village.’

‘Well, unlike us, David made a suggestion that means we do not have to put up with it. Would you care to explain. Oh yes David, think on using this room.’

‘Thank you Mrs. Garner,’ I started.

‘Jane please, we are all friends here.’

‘Okay, thank you Jane,’ I started before going on to explain what I’d discussed earlier.

Everybody thought it was at least something worth pursuing. It was during these discussions that I realised just how bad the feelings were towards the pub landlord. He had upset at least half the village, but as was explained to me, he had bought The Falconer outright, after a lottery win, and seemed quite content to run it as his private drinking club, banning anyone how he took a dislike to, which was anyone who disagreed with anything he said or did.

After about an hour it was agreed to go ahead with the idea, using the room we were in as a makeshift bar room. The women discussed the décor, wanting better seating than the usual pub, whilst the men discussed beer and whisky. Being an English village, they of course set up a committee to run things. Any new member must be recommended by one of us and be acceptable to the committee. Nobody else would be invited to join in the first month while we got up and running.

I had a large three piece suite in store that took up more space than I actually had in the cottage. Now that I was certain that I was staying, there seemed no reason not to donate it to the cause. I also had a foot pump that could be used for the beer. Whether it was worth buying a proper pump could be decided at a later date. I also agreed to make a small bar, knowing that I was already set up to make complete kitchens so it wouldn’t be too much to do.

Peter had an import business and said he was sure that he could scrounge an array of glasses. All the others, except Virginia, chipped in with something. Only Sheila was a smoker so it was agreed that the room would be smoke free.

There was a fine vintner in nearby Dorchester that would be happy to supply us with wine. I’d found them within a day of my arrival. I could do without beer but not my wine. Sheila was a member of a large national chain of Cash & Carry stores and was sure she’d seen beer barrels on sale. The men agreed to get together and check it out.

We agreed a sum that we would pay each month and that it would be reviewed every month for the first two, then every three months after that.

Finally, Jane, who I discovered was a local magistrate, said she would find out exactly how we stood regarding the law.

‘On the whole, a good meeting all round,’ Jane said as we made our way out.

I was about to leave when I had a very pleasant surprise. Virginia was standing by the door saying goodbye to everyone, but she actually kissed me, on the cheek I’ll grant but I’ll take anything from pretty young ladies.

Lizzie who was behind me laughed at my flustered reaction. Once we were outside she stopped me and reached up to my face. My reaction was to back away slightly.

‘Lipstick silly. I was just going to wipe it off,’ she said with more laughter.

I blushed and let her. I quite liked her when she laughed. Thinking about it, I quite liked her when she didn’t too.

‘She!’ Lizzie shouted to her sister, although it took me a few seconds to work out that ‘She’ was her abbreviation of ‘Sheila’. ‘David is walking me home.’

‘Okay. Be careful.’

I was more than a little surprised, first at the fact that I was walking Lizzie home and second that her sister thought that she needed to take care around me.

My bemusement was obvious to all. ‘She’s warning you, not Elizabeth,’ laughed Tim.

‘Hmm!’ mumbled Lizzie, trying hard not to laugh. ‘Come David, let’s go,’ she said as she linked her arm in mine.

‘Where to?’

The laugh turned into a real giggle. ‘Of course you don’t know. What must you be thinking?’ She managed to say. ‘I live two cottages down from you.’

‘I know it, with the red Punto.’

She giggled some more. ‘Typical bloody man. Has no idea who lives in a house, but knows exactly which car belongs there.’

‘Guilty.’

The cottage in question was another of the village’s thatched ones, with white cladding all over. {https://1drv.ms/u/s!Al_8HgVUN9_pjRHyWp_TWa6aCqIH?e=TfTg9y}