C is for the Captain (Sixpenny Cross Book 3) by Victoria Twead

Author:Victoria Twead [Twead, Victoria]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Ant Press
Published: 2018-05-01T22:00:00+00:00

“Yes, that’s right, Sixpenny Cross, near Yewbridge. Am I speaking with the landlord of the King’s Arms?”

“Indeed you are, how can I help?”

“Just a quick staff question, if you don’t mind. Did you have a Babs Mason working for you at any time? Maybe she called herself Barbara?”

“Barbara? No, definitely not. My ex-wife’s called Barbara, and I’d remember that name, no question. We’ve never had a Barbara, or Babs, working here.”

Time marched on, and May saw the first swallows arriving from Africa. A cuckoo called from Sixpenny Woods. Angus no longer lit the fire in the Dew Drop, but the Captain and Sixpence still sat in their customary seats in the inglenook, often joined by Babs.

The month of June brought out all the wildflowers in the surrounding meadows. Garden beds burst with blooms all the colours of the rainbow.

The Captain gazed out of the drawing room window onto the wide lawns edged with herbaceous borders. In his mind’s eye he saw Sixpence’s father using twine and stakes to tie up and support the tall lupins, foxgloves and gladioli, preventing them from falling over in strong winds.

So many years ago!

Now a professional landscaping company tended the grounds. Except, of course, for the roses and kitchen garden which were Sixpence’s pride and joy.

The place needs a woman, thought the Captain. It’s too late to fill the house with children, but at least I can keep my promise and bring home a wife.

Yes, it was time to take action.

Meanwhile, outside, Sixpence gazed at his roses. There were several buds that he had his eye on, lavishing them with time and attention. Any of these might be the blooms he would choose on the morning of the village fête, to enter in the Best Roses competition. He smiled, confident that he’d win another red rosette. His roses never failed to lift his sagging spirits. This business between Babs and the Captain was driving him to distraction lately.

Should I talk to the Captain about my suspicions? he mused. No. Not yet.

Stan Cooper had asked him and Angus to maintain silence for the moment while he investigated further.

“After all,” Stan had said, when Angus had reported back about the second pub Babs had allegedly worked in, “she lied, but she hasn’t actually broken the law. And she has no criminal record that I can find. But mark my words, people like her may be very clever, but they always make a mistake. For the moment, we just watch and wait.”

Angus was only happy to agree. Babs was an excellent barmaid and attracting an ever increasing clientele. The pub was thriving and, despite her lies, he was reluctant to fire her.

But it was hard for Sixpence to see the Captain fall ever more deeply under Babs’s spell. The man was mesmerised by her, oblivious to her lack of breeding and her brassiness. The thought that the Captain might be considering making the wretched woman the lady of the manor made him shudder.

“Sixpence, is that you?” called the Captain from the drawing room, when Sixpence entered the kitchen through the back door.

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