Coming of Age the Fast Way
When 19-year-old waitress Millie takes a summer job as companion to wealthy Lady Vera Ashington at her Suffolk stately home, she has no idea that a mystery will unfold which puts her own life and her family's business at risk. Unexplained deaths will test her morality. Can the end justify the means?
Lady Ashington (Vera) fears a breakdown due to personal regrets. She has one last go at seeking long-term happiness. Having taken Millie as a companion, the two women become friends and enjoy arguing about Vera's wealth and her inability to use it wisely. ‘
Too much cake', is the problem. Millie empowers Vera. She keeps a first person diary, and includes Vera's viewpoint. This diary is the novel. It tells how the talents of two very different women, when harnessed, move mountains.
But, Vera's local influence means every good deed, leaves a loser. Millie had not appreciated this and conflicts mount. Things reach a head when a couple in the village, are murdered . The evidence isn't clear. Who would profit from their deaths? Is Vera implicated? Must Millie fear for her life?
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Chapter: The final wordDay 331. Friday.Nearly a year has gone by and much has happened.My Diary. I shall never show Vera this diary and she will never ask to see it. It’s better that way. It’s behind us.Vera’s pregnancy. Nothing to report. She either got carried away with her diagnosis, she was lying for reasons only known to her, or she lost the baby. Whatever, if she wants to talk about it, she will. She doesn’t seem fussed, now she has Sid in bed and Tom and Sandra to mother.But why would she lie about that? I have my theory (as always).Charley saw himself as the surrogate father and would never have let the children down. Only by bringing Charley into the house, could she hope to get Sid and the children for herself. Trying to exclude Charley was too risky. He would certainly have been hurt after all he had done for them and may have l
Last Updated: 2022-02-06
Chapter: Millie has her say'A lot has happened since then. I expected more recent thoughts.''It all has to start at that point. If we extrapolate back from all points around today’s Lower Butts, we end up at that fateful morning. That’s where big bang happened. Let’s start at that moment. We can consider distance travelled since then.''That’s fine by me,' she affirmed.'I’m going to assume that you knew Sid had lesbian leanings. I wasn’t sure. You were!'I waited for confirmation. She remained quiet so I took that as a ‘yes,’ and proceeded.'You wanted her and you wanted the children she looked after, so you hired me so that you could have contact without your scheme becoming obvious to the outside world.'Vera stiffened, sitting upright like a governess wanting to make a good impression. She still said nothing.'Then you moved the Walker children into the stable apartments - with good reason I hasten to add. Ch
Last Updated: 2022-02-05
Chapter: Nearly the truth'I need to explain that I’ve taken steps to legally adopt Sid, Tom and Sandra. That will give them financial security as they will qualify for a small allowance under the Ashington estate rules. The adoption was what caused me to go to the Walkers that fateful morning. I also had to broach the problem of them quitting the house. The rest you know.'No mention of blackmail this time. She’s a lousy crook. She continued, 'It’s quite likely that my visit sent Cedric over the top, but it was unintentional. Not that intent will help if I’m prosecuted.''Is that really likely?' I asked.'Probably not, but it’s in the hands of the coroner’s court.'Sid went as white as a sheet. She couldn’t cope with the idea that she could lose her protector and patron. The thought of being solely responsible for Tom and Sandra again took her back to the edge every time.I had two more questions.'Why did you exclude me fro
Last Updated: 2022-02-04
Chapter: A woman's scorn'Every time I deliver Lady Ashington’s evening paper, Charley is just knocking off work and on his way up to the House. It seems he doesn’t go home for a wash these days. I usually bump into him when I’m doing the morning milk and paper deliveries, coming out the house, on his way to work. But then his hair is wet so he must shower somewhere in the House. Has he shacked up with Sid?'Miss Marple, eat your heart out! That girl misses nothing and draws nearly the right conclusions.'So how long ago has this been going on?''Quite a while.''What time did he go up tonight?'She stopped and pondered a sickle moon, silhouetted against the early evening sky.'I stopped for a fag, then did the stables. About half an hour I’d say.'I’m still surprised I didn’t burst into tears, but instead I became as hard as blue steel.'That’s long enough for Charley. Georgie, if I gave you the gossip of a li
Last Updated: 2022-02-03
Chapter: Not in the moodIt’s a Friday. I don’t know what day anymore. Weeks have passed.I’d taken the mail to the letter box. As I walked by the bus lay-by on my way home, a car pulled up beside me. The window wound down. There was Detective Sergeant Smythe.'Just hop in please, Ms Backhouse. I need to talk to you.''Do I have to? I’m really not in the mood.''We can do this without you being in the mood,' he snapped.He released the door catch and it swung open. He wasn’t taking ‘no’ for an answer. I climbed in beside him and shut the door. The window whirred upwards.'How can I help you, sergeant?'There was a long pause, while he took his notebook and pencil out. His whole demeanour was that of a fifties cop like you see in TV dramas. I put my hand on the door release and moved to get out again. That concentrated his mind.'You will be aware that you owe me.'
Last Updated: 2022-02-02
Chapter: TurmoilDay 64.Friday. I’ve slept on it and decided I’ll have to ask Vera for her version of events, woman to woman, two friends together. It’s the only way to lay the ghost of Sonya’s ramblings. Should I tell her the full Sonya version? We could have a laugh about it. I didn’t. You can’t laugh about the death of two destitute alcoholics, who had once been the kindest, softest villagers - according to village lore that is. I’d never known them and only spoken to them the few times this summer. The walk up to the House after work that day was the loneliest I’d known. I didn’t notice the late summer colours forming, the swifts collecting on the electricity cables, chattering and practising their departure, the squirrels hunting nuts, and the chill in the air as the autumn mists collected over the sea. It must have all been there. It’s there every October. This was the first October that I had carried such a
Last Updated: 2022-01-31
Goddesses or 49 ½ shades of charcoal
Readers said. 'Very funny, I needed cold showers! I dropped my tablet in the bath! Totally original. Outrageous. The goddesses thread is totally original.'
Goddesses - is this what 50 Shades should have been about?
Connie Grimshaw, is now a successful businesswoman in an international consultancy. She reached these dizzy heights by believing her mother - work hard and reject emotional needs. On a business trip, the dam bursts and her libido refuses to be silenced. Her PA (Dee) helps her reconcile her lascivious feelings by using a series of parables from ancient goddesses. This works until the goddesses land her in hilarious, embarrassing and sometimes, dangerous situations as she develops the vamp in herself.
But there are forces at work, which try to mismanage her feelings. Can she defeat the bad boys? Firstly, she has to deal with Greg, the evil misogynist.
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Chapter: How to lose a husbandChapter 18. Contains sexual content. Abe and I were lost in first love. But all things slow down and it occurred to me that we hadn’t resolved his bigamy. I slid off and lay beside him. ‘Is your divorce through yet?’ ‘Ah,’ he said. I waited. Surely there was more. There wasn’t and despite all efforts, I slipped into a deep sleep enjoyed only by those with a clear conscience. I forgot to ask again and Abe had a business trip to New York. ‘Be careful. Greg might still have his heavies out, looking for us.’ Abe made reassuring noises, I was reassured, but looking back, he said nothing of importance. My day was busy and it kept me from dwelling on my man being away. Nevertheless, Dianne spotted my absent mindedness. ‘Anything troubling you?’ ‘Abe is away – gone to New York.’ ‘I see,’ she interrupted. ‘Was that wise?’ ‘It’s probably OK, but I’d rather he
Last Updated: 2022-02-04
Chapter: FreyaChapter 17Dee had a stroke of luck with her new job. Her boss was away for a fortnight, and needed the phone answering professionally during his absence. Thus, Dee had plenty of time to organise Greg’s defeat at the hands of Freya. I knew little of what was going on, just that a major group visit to Silly Suits would be necessary. She booked us in for a personal fitting the following Friday evening, after hours. There was a further surprise. On that Friday, as I returned from work and was walking towards Abe’s garden gate, I saw in the distance two black women hauling suitcases. I looked a second time and was sure they were Mave and Cath. They grinned and waved and I walked past the gate towards them.‘This must have an ulterior motive, or are you merely on holiday?’ I asked as we exchanged hugs.‘Abe has a job for us. Client pays the flight, so we
Last Updated: 2022-02-02
Chapter: Dee the FixerChapter 16Monday came. No Greg. His first late mark. At least he has one human quality.I had meetings all morning. When I returned to the office, Dianne reminded me Greg was still missing.‘Is it time to try his mobile?’ she asked.‘Definitely.’I waited while she dialled. No reply.‘Perhaps he has quit our fair and lovely isle,’ Dianne offered.‘I’m not sure that would be so good. Before Greg goes we need resolved issues. Greg’s power over me, will resurface and come back to haunt me. He may as well be in the office. He will be in touch.’On the way home, I received a text from Greg.‘Sorry! Had to throw a sicky, as you people say. See you tomorrow.’With nothing resolved on that front, and as Abe was out until late on a case, I stopped off at my
Last Updated: 2022-01-31
Chapter: The FalloutChapter 15Greg and Tannhäuser’s BDSM date took place the next Friday. I wasn’t interested. I wasn’t sure why Greg mentioned it before he left work that afternoon, but I did relay the information to Dianne. She seemed worried.‘Come round for nibbles and a drink tonight,’ she ordered.‘Is that to make sure I don’t weaken and go to Plaistow?’Dianne laughed.‘I am sure you are not so daft as to keep an assignation with Greg and Tanny in a dodgy BDSM club. You hold a senior position in an international engineering consultancy company. There must be some grey cells with ‘common sense,’ between your ears. No, Connie! I know you won’t go near Plaistow tonight. Nevertheless, to make sure you don’t weaken, drop round, around nine. Madeline should be asleep by then.’I hesitated. Wimbledon to Hampstea
Last Updated: 2022-01-30
Chapter: Tannhäuser’s planChapter 14 I met Tannhäuser the following Saturday, in the Tate. So John, ‘Did you see Greg?’ I asked. ‘No. I took your advice and put him off.’ ‘Was he difficult about it?’ ‘Not at all. He muttered something about a new job he had to concentrate on, but I should contact him as soon as I am in town.’ ‘What next?’ ‘I want to meet him, with you, and we try to talk some sense into him.’ ‘Ridiculous notion!’ I couldn’t believe the man’s naivety. ‘What is your idea?’ he asked. ‘I don’t need one. He is leaving me alone – at the moment.’ I didn’t tell Tannhäuser that I would be working as Greg’s boss within a few days, that he couldn’t return to the USA at the moment without facing retribution from his father-in-law, that we had enough on him to ruin his already shaky reputation. I didn’t tell him, because despite all the car
Last Updated: 2022-01-29
Chapter: ComplicationsChapter 13Work, home, weekend. I dreaded the coming Monday, when I would face Greg as Cornelia Bentwhistle, née Connie Grimshaw. Abe had plenty to say about our barmy plan. He posed the obvious and necessary question.‘What will you do, next Monday morning, when Greg sees Connie Grimshaw – the author of his woes? Mave says he has been chucked out of his cushy Baltimore life because his wife wants a divorce and the old man won’t pay for his perves. The police spent a week taking forensic evidence from his apartment and made press statements every day. Imagine the moment they announced the blood and tissue came from an Argentinian steer. He will not be a happy rabbit and will want your entrails hanging from a gibbet, and you invite him into your castle.’‘Maybe you are right. Perhaps I am trivialising his evil. I think the only way to put this away &nd
Last Updated: 2022-01-25
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