The new year celebrations commence and Briony finds much enjoyment at Daphne's club. They are enjoying a quiet momen on the front balcony when calamity strikes.

The outfit Daphne was wearing. (Modelled by Bev.)

(P.S. I am NOT 6'8" tall!!! That doorway is only 5'7" high. Don't even begin to ask who lives there but it was a private party. I've go some strange friends. XXX Bev.)

The Welsh Mountain Ram 19.

Briony Betrayed wife and mother.
Sion Her eight-year-old son.
Ellairy Her nine-month--old daughter.
Arfon Brionys’ abusive and unfaithful husband.
Dave Cadwalloder Welsh bachelor hill-farmer.
Jenny and Lassie Daves’ sheepdog bitches.
Laddie. Daves’ sheepdog.
Jessica and Pansy Daves’ sows.
Angel Daves’ mare.
Gabriella (Gabby) Angels’ foal (Gift to Sion.)
Elsbeth Briony’s sister.
Daphne Daves’ ‘girlfriend’
Cledwyn. Farmer further down the valley (Neighbour.)
Blodwen Cledwyn’s daughter.
Rachel Daphne’s TV friend.
Shirley Rachels’ GG wife.
Fajita The maid.
James & Tara Rachel’s teenaged children (16 & 15)

After the meal, the four friends retired to the suite to dress for the evening. As a treat, Sion was allowed to attend the fun except for the intimate dressing scenes. He was allowed to attend the beforehand fun as the friends selected their outfits but he was not allowed in Rachels or Daphne’s bedrooms until they were clothed or at least wearing their dresses. He was fascinated as the girls all gathered to do their makeup in Daphne’s room because she had the biggest dressing table mirror. Finally as jewellery and accessories were finalised he stood amazed as the girls lined up for a photograph by Fajita. Naturally Sion demanded to be photographed with them and they duly obliged. When they finally departed, Sion was a little despondent that the party atmosphere had departed with the girls. Fajita was hard put to console him.

“I wish I could go. They looked really happy ... and pretty.” Sion sighed.

“Well you’re too young yet young man. You’ll have to grow up.”

Downstairs the four girls caused something of a stir amongst some organisations that had booked the hotel function rooms for their New Year parties. Several comments were muttered by the ‘tuxedo crowd’ as the four strutted boldly towards the main entrance to await their pre-ordered, stretch limousine.

One group of ‘bow-tied’ Round Tabler’s even had the temerity to try and ostracise them for their ‘objectionable behaviour’ but Rachel gave more than she got when she told them to mind their own business or businesses.

“You’re just a bunch of immature jocks who think they own the city, well you don’t. You go to your bash and we’ll go to ours, so goodnight! Oh! And a happy new year!”

With that the limousine arrived and amidst much laughing and ribaldry the four girls set off totally ignoring the censorious looks from the ‘penguins’ and their peacocks posing and posturing at the hotel doors. Daphne looked back contemptuously and sneered.

“Bugger them! We’re not harming them.”

Briony could not have agreed more. She was beginning to see why Rachel was such a fervent campaigner for ‘transgender rights’. It was obvious there was a long way to go.

In the village the scene was already getting lively and the limmo had to pick its way slowly through the crowd. The streets were not packed yet but Briony could see that they were already busier than the previous evening. The limmo had to set them down several yards from the Melancholy Pussy’s doors and many eyes turned as the girls emerged.

“They must think we’re celebrities or something”, Briony observed.

“Just put your head down and make a beeline for the entrance. The bouncers will sort you out.” Daphne advised as she paid off the limmo and agreed a ‘pick-up’ time.

Briony took the advice but it was still a scrum to make it to the doors intact. As the four entered, Briony heard several objections from the unfortunate ticketless optimists crowding at the door.

“How come they’re allowed in?” Seemed to be the most common chorus.

“Because she owns the club mate, simple as that.” A powerful looking bouncer announced.

“What! She owns the club! But she looked like a bloody tranny.”

“She is a tranny mate but she still owns this club. And now you’ll definitely not be welcome. You might as well try your luck at another club before they all fill up.”

Briony turned to watch ‘the voice’ pushing his way through the crowd while cursing.

“He wasn’t very happy,” she said to Shirley as Daphne; once again fell to chatting with the manager.”

“Yeah it gets quite tasty on busy nights and this is the busiest of the year. There’s always a load of chancers; some get lucky if the ticket holders are not here by half eleven but the bouncers get to know the trouble makers and it’s a case of ‘If in doubt, keep em out,’ See those two guys by the ticket booth?”

Briony turned to study two serious faced guys then turned back to Shirley.

“Yes. What about them?”

“Armed police. There’s gonna be a lot of money sloshing around tonight. That’s cash not credit cards. Ticket holders have booked their tickets on line then they pay the remainder at the booth. Saves on the cash risk while giving others a chance if ticket holders haven’t turned up by the deadline. When ticket holders do arrive late, they can go in up to eleven fifty but after that, the standby queue gets to come in until the two thousand limit is complete. The late ticket-holders get a refund.”

“What about drug-dealers and stuff, bad boys and that?”

“The bouncers know most of them, though a few get through. That’s why we have plain-clothes cops patrolling the club. Dealers‘ll always get through the screens, hence the patrols. If you see them in action ejecting dealers it’s a sight I can promise you. Smooo-oooth as silk. Straight out the back door.”

“Don’t they arrest them?”

“Yes, outside after confirming with security that they’ve got video evidence. There are cameras all over the club. But they're clever and the hide their deals. If there's no pictures, they’re just told not to come back.”

“And still they try,” Briony sighed as they went into Daphne’s office.

“There’s a lot of money in it. This street is awash with drugs despite everything. Anyway, you’d best get your feet up for a couple of hours, Daphne’s got a hundred and one things to sort before she can be with you.”

“And I thought she was going to stay by me all night.” Briony sulked slightly.

“She’ll be here for the New Year, just be patient, she's really busy. Go for a walk around the whole club before it fills up.” Rachel offered.

Briony took her offer and went for a wander. She returned at ten after falling into conversation with the police party in the back function room. Several officers were intrigued to learn Daphne now had a girl-friend. Briony assured them Daphne was ‘straight’ though she herself wasn’t sure exactly what ‘straight’ meant in Daphne’s particular circumstance. Briony was also mildly surprised that Daphne was so well known to the police. She giggled when the deputy chief constable explained.

“She’s known to us for good things Briony, not bad things.”

When she returned to the office, Daphne had just arrived from sorting out the last wrinkles.

“Ah, there you are darling; I was just about to send out the search party. Here’s your meal token.”

“Meal token?” Briony wondered as she took the be-ribboned metal disc.

“Yes, there’s a buffet after one a, m, you’ll need your token, they won’t be able to deliver food here in our office, the club is too crowded and the dance floor too lively. The food would get knocked all over the place by the dancers. Besides, the buffet is a lot of fun. Haggis, soup, and assorted tab-nabs but it has to be eaten in the big function room, the police have the other function room for their new-year’s-eve party.”

Now Briony began to realise why Daphne had been so busy; the party was very well organised. After placing the token around her neck like a medal, she accepted Daphne’s invitation to strut their stuff on the dance floor and the four of them joined the fun. As midnight approached, Briony began to realise why it was an all-ticket event. The club was heaving and dancing was becoming difficult. She was struggling to stay close to her friends when the Deejay announced the approach of the witching hour. A large picture of 'Big Ben's' clock face was projected onto the display screens and people began to count down loudly. The noise rose to a crescendo as the numbers were chanted throughout the club until midnight was announced explosively by hundreds of streamers and ‘poppers’ being activated. The crowd started congratulating each other and back-slapping as Auld Lang Syne was struck up. Briony realised she had a grin permanently fixed to her face as Daphne grabbed her, hugged her and kissed her passionately. The night was going swimmingly and then a Conga started up that lasted until the buffet was announced.

At one o’clock, the lights were switched on in the main function room to reveal several rows of long tables groaning with food. The addition of the large function room to the club’s available floor space suddenly reduced the crowding as people surged towards the tables. The music was silenced for an hour and clubbers had a chance in the bright light and quiet to chat and renew acquaintances. Briony was also impressed by the army of caterers renewing the food and disposing of the waste bins as they filled up
She turned to Daphne who was stuffing a cream cake into her mouth.

“You’ve got this well organised.”

“The punters have paid for it; they’ve every right to expect.”

“You’ve got a fabulous set-up here.”

“Thanks darling. This is only the second year. D’you want to come out on the front balcony. It’s a private area where only my staff and my invited guests are allowed. It’s a sort of quiet area where the staff can recover from the hurly burly.”

Briony was relieved and copied Daphne as they replenished their plates then slipped through the catering doors and past the food area. They climbed another flight of stairs then Briony found herself on a modest balcony area with some seats that overlooked the street. The club manager happened to be there with Janet, the woman who Briony had seen earlier counting the money. They were sat sipping drinks and turned to meet Daphne as she appeared. Both staff stood up and smiled as the pair arrived then they settled into the seats again. Briony took an empty seat while Daphne leant against the balcony rail looking down at the street.

“Been a good night Billy?” She asked the manager.

“Seems to be, you’d best ask Janet, she does the counting and she's looking after the control room tonight with all the video screens.
Daphne turned to Janet who nodded enthusiastically.

“Brilliant night. The door and the bars have done fifty five grand by midnight.”

Briony nearly dropped her plastic plate.

“How much!” She almost screeched.

Daphne turned and smiled.

“Beats farming, but there’s a lot of overheads. That buffet alone took ten grand to organise, the food, the staff, the tables and chairs. Billy’s done a good job, we’ll find out by morning but we’re already ahead I’m guessing.”

Billy nodded as a satisfied smile spread across his lips. Daphne explained.

“The regular staff are all on a bonus after sixty thousand and Janet will know if we’ve passed that when she returns to the computers. Each till is connected to the office computer.”

“We’re probably there already and it’s only just gone one.” Janet surmised. “I’ll know when I go back down.”

The four were settling down in their chairs as Rachel and Shirley Appeared. Bums shifted up and chairs were re-arranged as the five took their ease while Daphne continued leaning on the rail as she studied the throngs celebrating in the streets below. Briony found herself admiring Daphne's tight fitting white dress and pretty bolero jacket.

In the street. people were still letting off fireworks while generally singing and dancing in the street. Then the fireworks got louder and people started shrieking as Daphne turned to Briony and smiled as she remarked.

“Well, it looks as though everybody’s having a good time. Shall we g — aaah.”

Daphne’s smile contorted into an agonised groan and she slid slowly from the rail as her hand clutched out to support herself. Briony leaned forward and asked.

“Are you okay love.”

“No,” she croaked, “I think I’m having a heart attack or something ... my chest! Help!”

With that Daphne’s hand lost its grip and she crumpled from the rail to the floor. Briony squealed in panic as Rachel catapulted from her chair and rolled Daphne over to check her out. Only then did the dark red stain become apparent as her bolero top flipped aside to reveal her life blood spilling from her wound.

Brionys’ squeal turned to a scream of despair.