Sea Tides: Seafarers, #2

1

Home Shores

Daphne Dixon always left a spyhole in the window display so she could keep a watchful eye on the comings and goings in the High Street.

Some days there was not much to observe. The village was small and getting smaller. It was rare to have a stranger stop by for a newspaper, a can of pop or, more likely, directions to the nearest town.

The locals, also were increasingly opting for the bus to the supermarket where prices were undoubtedly more competitive. Daphne could not compete. She saw her life behind the counter rapidly receding with every bus that passed the end of the road.

With a sigh she turned back to the store’s cramped interior and surveyed the shelves. The baked beans should be re-stacked. Those boys of Sadie Adams’ made her life a misery but she could not afford to turn away even their unwelcome custom.

She arranged the cans in a pyramid then spent five minutes checking all the corners of the store for further Adams’ depredations. She almost missed the sound of a car approaching from the road.

When the wheels ground to a halt, she raised her head like a hound scenting prey and moved quickly to the door.

Most of her customers arrived by foot. The advent of a vehicle might signal a customer who needed the space for a larger purchase of groceries. At the very least, the arrival might provide a diversion in what

was shaping up to be another dull, boring morning.

Emily, try to wake up. I won’t be a moment; just milk and bread to pick up. Tell the driver to switch off the meter.

Daphne opened the door wide to assist Gwen Harrison to enter. She pasted on a welcoming smile although the elder Miss Harrison was not one of her favourite villagers. She knew, without doubt, she was about to hear the tale of the sisters’ latest extravagant cruise to foreign parts. No one could sound as supercilious as Gwen Harrison in full flight.

Daphne busied herself behind the counter as Gwen began her report.

We did enjoy the cruise despite some heavy seas in the Med. The service and the catering were at their usual high standard of course. It does help to be known by the staff and crew. We always get superlative attention.

Daphne looked up from her computer calculations and caught the disgusted glance Gwen cast around the tiny shop. She could tell an insult was brewing and she was not surprised.

I suppose we have to adjust to reality now, Daphne dear. I’ll take these few things with me. I don’t have any UK cash at the moment. You’ll put the bill on my account? I’ll settle up when we have unpacked. Bye! Bye!

Gwen turned and exited with her groceries in hand without realizing the shopkeeper had not exchanged one word with her.

Typical! said Daphne under her breath. "Stuck up, jumped up nobody! I know all about you, madam. You can’t fool me. There’s not much goes on in this village that I don’t know about. You can parade your airs and graces as much as you want. I can see the truth. You and your sister are poor as church mice.

It takes you all year to save up for your fancy cruises and you surely don’t spend any money on groceries in here. Most of the little you actually eat comes out of your own garden."

Gwen Harrison settled herself in the front seat of the car. It was such a luxury to be conveyed home in a large car instead of struggling with luggage on a bus from the airport. This was definitely one of the advantages Victor Roberts had brought into their lives. She had to admit she still harboured fears he would spirit Emily away to his home in Kent leaving her bereft, but there would be a breathing space before this could happen. The house in question was occupied by a tenant and until the lease expired, there was no chance of Victor and Emily taking up residence together.

So there was time; time to think of a way to shape the future to her own benefit.

She glanced over at Emily asleep again in the back seat. So much had happened to her on the cruise.

It was no wonder the girl was exhausted. Ever since the engagement service in Gibraltar and the retirement reception for Victor on board the ship, Emily’s head had been in a spin. Only one thing had emerged clearly from this maelstrom of rapid change. Both Victor and Emily had made their intention to marry and live together very evident. Change was going to happen in all their lives. For two sisters who had followed a well-prescribed pattern of hard work and harder saving, the prospect of ready money from a generous suitor was liberating. Yes, Emily Harrison would begin her new, married life and it looked like her sister would be left behind.

The car arrived at the gate leading to their cottage. Gwen reached back and gave her sister a shake.

Home sweet home, my dear!

Emily groaned and began to gather up the bags and boxes occupying the remainder of the rear seat.

How would they have managed to get all this home without Victor’s insistence on hiring a car for them?

He was such a dear, kind man. It was going to be difficult to be separated from him when their romance was so new. And yet, there was much to be done and decided here, if a wedding was to be arranged before they took up residence in Victor’s home.

She wrestled the cases out while Gwen haggled with the driver about a tip. It was strange to be returning to their tiny cottage after the excitement of the cruise. Already she could feel the extraordinary events fading into a dream state. Who could have imagined such things would happen to an ordinary country woman, part-time dental assistant, seamstress, gardener, cook…………………ordinary in every way. Yet, a wonderful man had come into her existence in such an unexpected fashion and in such an unlikely place. A man who insisted she, Emily Harrison, was the answer to his prayers. She blushed to think of it.

One thing was certain. Victor Roberts was the best thing ever to happen to her and she would move heaven, earth and even her sister Gwen, to make this relationship work out.

Two hours later, after a quick, simple lunch and the required unpacking and sorting of clothes for washing, Emily had a moment to withdraw to her white-painted bedroom and sink down on her single bed to call Victor. She reached him immediately.

Darling Emily! I am so glad you called. It seems an age since we said goodbye at the airport. When did you arrive home? How do you feel? Do you miss me?

Victor! It is so good to hear your voice. I was beginning to think I had imagined you and every wonderful thing we did on the cruise. It’s been only a few hours and already I don’t know how I am going to survive this time apart. Gwen prattles on endlessly about the trip but I just want to hear you and see you again. Now, listen to me complaining already! I haven’t even asked how you are settling in with your friend. I swear I have lost my mind, Victor.

Nothing of the sort! You are simply overtired from travel, Em. I am quite comfortable here with Adrian and his family. His spare room is perfectly adequate for a few weeks until my tenant leaves and I can get back into my home. Remember, we will have so many decisions to make about our home. I want you to renovate and renew everything that displeases you, my darling. Our life together will start in a new home for both of us. We have so much to look forward to.

"Of course you are right! I am tired or else I would be jumping up and down with anticipation just thinking of our future together. Thank you for setting me straight, Victor. Please call as often as you can and send pictures of anything you see that you would like for new furnishings."

"Now, you know very well, my Emily, you are the expert when it comes to such matters. I could not compete with your sense of design and colour. I shall happily defer to your superior taste.

Buy whatever you think we will need and I will happily pay the bills without question."

There was a slight pause while Emily fought back tears.

Oh, Victor, I am overwhelmed by your generosity and embarrassed that I have so little to offer you in return.

She heard an intake of breath on the line and began to think she had said something inappropriate. After all, what did she know about a man like Victor with his sophisticated manners and style?

When he finally spoke, she could detect a catch in his voice that revealed the depth of his emotion.

Never say such things again, my darling. I am the fortunate one to have found you and persuaded you to share my life. What you bring to me is more than I could ever have hoped for. You. Just you.

There was little more to be added. They said a tender goodnight.

Emily lay back on her pillows clutching the phone to her chest as if she could squeeze from it the essence of the love that had imbued her fiance’s final words. She looked at the ring that gleamed on her finger and recalled the night, that amazing night, when Victor had asked her to marry him.

She did not want to lose those feelings. The minute she descended the stairs the real world would impose itself on her heart. The daily world of scrimping and saving that was the sisters’ usual subterfuge. And then she remembered his reassuring words. That old world was gone now. In only a few short weeks she would be preparing a home where she and Victor would live in some comfort and ease. Travel abroad was sure to be a feature of that new life since Victor had a company pass for reduced-price cruise tickets. He had family in Gibraltar who had welcomed her warmly and insisted they expected to see much more of the couple.

Her mind flipped. The old life was no more. The old Emily would have to adjust to the changes.

Down below she heard Gwen calling. As she stood and smoothed over the duvet cover, she understood that the new life would not be fully available until she had found a way to reconcile her older sister to the sweeping changes in her life also. No matter what Gwen said, or hinted at, in the next weeks, it was imperative that Emily kept a firm grasp on the future she would have with Victor. If she could not do this, she knew her sister’s dominant personality would overwhelm her own wishes, as had happened many times in the past. Often, it had seemed less trouble just to give in to Gwen’s ideas. But not this time. There was too much at stake now.

As if to cement her determination, she stepped over to the wardrobe and carefully withdrew the dress she had worn on the ship when Victor had proposed and they had spent the night together for the first time. She clipped the padded hanger onto the top of the wardrobe so the delicate folds cascaded down and would be the first thing she saw each morning as she opened her eyes.

There! If the dress could not harden her resolve, nothing in the world could do so.

Emily Harrison skipped down the steep stairs with a smile on her face and a song in her heart.

2

Rising Tides

Victor Roberts put down his phone with a caress as if to smooth, at a distance, the fair hair of his beloved Emily.

This separation was going to be very difficult. It came so early in their relationship that he worried about the effects of the time apart. Perhaps he should have travelled to Hampshire with the sisters on their arrival at Gatwick airport? Perhaps it would have been wiser to insist on showing Emily their home-to-be to give her some idea of the location? It would have been something to cling to when Gwen began her campaign. He was under no illusion that Gwen Harrison was going to accept, without a struggle, the marriage and removal to Kent of her only remaining close relative.

He suspected Gwen had once harboured aspirations to be the future Mrs. Roberts. This illusion had almost convinced Emily to step aside and leave the field to her sister. It had taken a considerable amount of careful manoeuvering and diplomatic skill to persuade Emily that he had no intentions of wooing Gwen. Indeed, he was doing nothing more than his job on board the ship when he taught Gwen some dances. Like other older women of his acquaintance over the years, Gwen had read too much into his required pleasant manners. If he had been a trifle over-solicitous on occasion, it had been with the express purpose of keeping Emily at a nearby table a little longer so he could watch her lovely face for a few more minutes.

When he finally managed to get Emily into his arms, he had his work cut out to convince her of his sincerity. She knew how women flocked to the Trocadero Lounge for the chance to match their dance skills with the man they called ‘The Silver Fox’. As far as he was concerned, there was no fox-like cunning in his nature. He was merely doing the job for which he was paid. He could not argue about the silver part, however, as his hair had gradually taken on a lighter grey hue as the years accumulated.

Was he glad his working life had come to an end? Many would be sad to leave an environment where they had the opportunity to travel the world in comfort and meet with mostly-pleasant women in very pleasant working conditions.

Of course there were downsides to even the most glamorous occupations. The late hours had taken a toll as he got older and his feet required ever more expensive shoes to prevent bunions and corns from accumulating. Even the constant moving from place to place eventually became tiresome. Certainly, he recognized at a glance the port facilities in a dozen or more exotic locations but leisure time to explore them further was greatly restricted.

He looked around Adrian’s spare room, his temporary space for the next week while he sought out reasonable rented accommodation until his own home was vacated.

Home.

The word had rich associations, perhaps because his time there was always limited to the lay-off periods between ship contracts. In truth, it was more his parents’ home than his own because he had never really taken the time to make it his own. When his parents passed away within a year of each other, the well-known, familiar surroundings were a comfort to him as he adjusted to a new, single reality.

The question now arose; how would Emily view his home? He had tried to determine her tastes but never having seen the home she had described only as ‘a cottage’, he had no idea what she might expect. He had also tried to see his own place as Emily might see it and that had given rise to some uncertainty. It was a substantial home with five or six bedrooms; one had been used as storage space. There were four bathrooms and a downstairs toilet. Seen as such on a realtor’s advert, it sounded quite acceptable but he had misgivings when it came to the décor.

His parents favoured antiques and had spent a lifetime happily seeking out and acquiring some fine examples of French Provincial and English Georgian pieces. Fortunately, the rooms were spacious enough to accommodate these treasures but, on reflection, he worried that the overall atmosphere could be somewhat heavy and static. Judging by the few programs he had seen on television, the style desired by modern couples reflected a sparse, eclectic vibe with little formal furniture and an environment of a minimalist character. Was this what Emily might want?

He needed Emily to be happy in their home. His suggestions about renovating rooms and replacing items were sincerely meant. He had finances to support this. Whatever she wanted would be purchased.

And still, he felt unsatisfied about the prospect.

The truth was that he had no idea about much, if anything, of Emily’s life. The timing of their relationship at the end of a voyage had left no opportunity for the long, slow accumulation of personal preferences and lifestyle choices. None of this changed his depth of feeling that Emily was the right one for him and he had confidence that she felt the same way. But, successfully setting up married life together was made up of much more than devotion to each other. The home they shared would be a crucial part of that future success.

He walked the few steps to the single window and looked out on the busy street. Adrian’s home was very much smaller and more crowded than his own. There were two working parents and the varied needs of two children to be accommodated. Every family had to make their own concessions according to needs and finances.

Suddenly, he knew what to do to relieve his anxiety. He must drive to Emily’s village and see her circumstances first hand.

His heart rose at the thought. It was an excellent excuse to spend time with her. He would suggest it immediately but be prepared to wait for a week or so to allow the sisters to settle down at home.

Emily could show him around her area and they could discuss an appropriate time for a reciprocal visit to Kent.

His worries dissipated as a satisfied smile curved his lips.

He had volunteered to collect Adrian and Pam’s girls from school and give them a snack while they did homework. Retrieving the keys from the hall table, he ran out to the driveway and felt the summer sun on his shoulders. All would be well in this most happy of all times.

All would be well.

Emily Harrison had a niggling sense of alarm despite the exciting changes in her immediate future.

In only two days at home she was beginning to notice doubts creeping into her mind.

Whenever it happened, she made some excuse to walk out to the garden. She sat on the wooden bench near the kitchen window and took in deep breaths of the fragrant air. The lavender was in bloom and every time she brushed past the low rosemary hedge that healing aroma also soothed her senses.

What is wrong with me? What more could I possibly ask of life? Victor has called each night since we said farewell and he is most solicitous, even asking permission to come here to see me when I am ready. Gwen has said nothing against Victor or cast aspersions on our plans. Is that what disturbs me?

Am I waiting for the other shoe to fall? Is it the number of decisions I have to make in a short period of time? Is it concern about my sister’s situation?

This last question seemed to have a ring about it that indicated there was some truth there.

Emily absently plucked some lavender and held it to her nose. Just breathe.

It could not be denied that Gwen would be in difficulties after she left the village. It took their combined resources to survive. Every month there were new demands on their meagre finances; some county council increase for rubbish collection or a new licence structure for television. When Emily left, Gwen would not be able to manage these demands.

How could she leave her sister with such concerns? Would it be possible to earn enough after marriage to send money to Gwen? This seemed unlikely. Victor would want to spend time with his new wife. There would be household duties and travelling. Devoting the hours to