Footprints in the Sea.
Volume 5
Volcano
By
Frances Penwiddy
Copyright©Frances Penwiddy 2018
All rights reserved.

The complete story is not suitable reading material for minors

A brief résumé of the story so far.

Mourning the loss of his aunt and only living relative, Charles Broughton takes a cruise on Pacific Wanderer, a merchant ship modified to carry passengers.

Pacific Wanderer is caught in a South Pacific storm and wrecked on a desert island lying between New Zealand and South America in that part of the South Pacific known as The Desert which lies between Pitcairn and the Antarctic and three thousand miles from New Zealand and South America.

Charles explores the deserted ship which is holed in the bow and wedged on a lava and coral reef and in danger of sinking. Making his way down to the engine room he discovers another similarly marooned passenger; Will Devonshire an engineer who is occupied in building a frame to secure a collision mat against the hole in the hull as a temporary method of stopping the ship from taking on more water and sinking.

Whilst Will is taking care of Pacific Wanderer’s precarious position, Charles sets about trying to repair the radio and other electronic communication equipment. His knowledge of both the software and hardware of computers helps him diagnose the problem with the ship’s radio as faulty connections and a damaged transistor. Charles realises that without the radio, the likelihood of a rescue by a passing ship or plane is unlikely. The part of the Pacific they are marooned in is not one often crossed by either aircraft or ships and he only brought sufficient clothing for a relatively short cruise so he goes exploring in the ship’s passenger shop. Now life becomes difficult because Charles is not an easy off-the-peg fit, being under normal male height and weight. Such clothes that were available in the limited range stocked by the ship are almost unwearable. On the point of giving up and reconciled to having either to cut and stitch the outer clothes and probably make underwear out of the ships stock of bed linen, he passes the women’s clothing section and spots some women’s casual trousers in subdued colours and styles. Looking at the size labels Charles realises that a pair of pale yellow and a second blue pair would, at a pinch fit him and takes them. Then he passes the underwear section and spots a packet of plain white, fairly androgynous panties and takes them with the idea of trying to see if they could be adapted.

Working hard, the two castaways managed to free Pacific Wanderer from the reef and beach her in a safer spot on the island where she will be protected from the prevailing south and westerly storms. They then begin to explore the island and discover signs of mammal life, deciduous non-native trees and the storm damaged remains of a part stone and part log house. It is on one of these trips to the island that Charles makes a discovery that frightens him to the core and forces him to face something about himself. Whilst Will has accepted the duties of fixing Pacific Wanderer, Charles has undertaken the duties of cook, housekeeper and radio operator if he is ever able to get it working. This situation works well, even when Charles appears in front of Will wearing women’s slacks and on one occasion, women’s plain but nevertheless distinctly feminine briefs but when on a trip around the island in one of Pacific Wanderer’s lifeboats Charles begins to understand that his accepting of the women’s clothing and the roll he is plating as cook and housekeeper has a deeper meaning that just being a convenient arrangement. Furthermore he finds that he is attracted to Will and unless he is mistaken, Will has similar feelings towards him.

Marooned, out of touch with civilisation and with rapidly growing gender confusion Charles must do something soon or life on the island is going to become very difficult if not impossible. His position is made more difficult when he succeeds in fixing the ship’s radio and his Mayday call is answered My HMNZS Aurora and she along with an American AWAK, a New Zealand Maritime Surveillance aircraft and HMS Orca a Royal Navy Antarctic support ship along with a further merchant ship carrying scientific crew on leave from the International Antarctic exploration teams, move towards the dead reckoning position Charles gave them. Who should they rescue; Charles Broughton or the Charlotte Broughton he is slowly becoming?

They are rescued despite the fierce seas that are still raging and Charlotte the roll Charles has decided to adopt becomes something of a heroine when she dives into the sea and saves the life of an elderly doctor who was one of the original passengers who had left Pacific Wanderer in the lifeboats.

Charlotte’s reputation is further enhanced when she is instrumental in shooting down a helicopter and preventing a gang of drug smugglers from capturing the now temporarily repaired and seaworthy Pacific Wanderer whilst she was on her way to New Zealand for permanent dock yard repairs. Charlotte who is named the Mermaid of Mercy becomes world-wide news.

Charlotte returned to England with Will and has been diagnosed as intersexed so has to begin gender correction treatment at London’s Charing Cross Hospital. When this is completed both she and Will return to their island in the Pacific and begin the task of building a community in the area where they discovered the stone and log cabin which is now rebuilt and has become their home.

But this is not the end of their adventures, There is the small matter of a cave that turns out to be a kimberlite that was formed many millions of years in the past by the volcanic activity that created their island and the magma that forced its way up from below the Earth’s crust cooled down so rapidly that the carbon in the magma formed a diamond field!

Other discoveries are made on their island including a pre-history altar stone, the foundations of two Iron Age roundhouses and artefacts that have their origins in Pre-Roman Britain which is as far north from the Equator as Charlotte’s island is south and the artefacts are thousands of miles from where they should be! And how did the European trees, grain crops, birds and mammals get to this tiny isolated atoll in the South Pacific over two thousand miles from recognised civilisation?

To fully appreciate this fifth volume of Charlotte and Will’s romantic, hectic and often very dangerous adventures in the South Pacific, the story should be read from Volume One of Footprints in the Sea available now on Amazon Kindle and soon to be in paperback.

As for this fifth volume, subtitled VOLCANO, well you’ll have to see for yourself. Anything could happen and probably will!
Frances Penwiddy, Wessex, England.

Footprints Volume 5 begins here and to avoid confusion, the chapter numbers in this volume continue from where Volume 4 ended.

Chapter 93

The passenger door to the Sunderland flying boat opened as we approached and Peter greeted us with open arms and a wide smile, “Hullo Charlotte, Will, we’ve missed you. Do you want to come aboard and greet your visitors or would you prefer we brought them ashore?”

“We’ll come on board if it isn’t an inconvenience, I really need to speak to the Pembertons and Mary alone before I hit them with all the people waiting.” I looked back at the waiting crowd and spotted Lawrence and waved him over. “Lawrence, Will and I are going on board, to greet Mary and then Faye’s parents, can you organise a couple of people to bring the buggy busses down and then help Peter and the crew to unload the luggage.”

He went off with my added warning that the Pembertons and Mary would be taken straight over the island to Orca and we only had room on the buggies for a few extra passengers so family and personal friends would be given priority. Everybody else would have to wait until this evening when we would hold a meet and greet at the Revelation Bay social club. I took Will’s hand and we followed Peter into the passenger compartment of the Sunderland. Peter acted as the host and introduced us first to Mary Wellington; “Charlotte, Will, this is Mary Wellington, wife of Pacific Wanderer’s captain.”

She got out of her seat, hesitated for a second and I suspect she didn’t know who to address or whether or not she should curtsy. Will made the decision for her and eased me forward and I opened my arms and we hugged which is something men seem reluctant to use as a greeting.
“He did phone you yesterday?” I asked.

“Yes and you’re young lady, Penny phoned to tell me of the arrangements and he phoned again this morning and did nothing else but complain about being kept prisoner.”

“I told you he was better. I’ve fixed it so we can drive straight over there and if you decide to stay near Orca, we have a small suite set aside and of course when you get fed up with him moaning, you can come over to us.”

The Pembertons had taken their cue from Mary and got out of their seats and took the step they needed to join us, “And Faye phoned you?” I smiled a welcome.

“She did and we also had a call from your PA, Penny,” answered Mr. Pemberton, holding out his hand, “Walter Pemberton and this is my wife, Cassandra.” Cassandra eased him to one side and hugged me tightly, “Faye told us what you did. We’ll remember it for the rest of our lives,” and she kissed me on the cheek not the usual air kiss but lips on cheek kiss.

A little flustered and not really sure what she was talking about or the level of emotion in her voice, I glanced at Will who smiled and immediately took a hold of Walter’s hand, shook it, introduced himself as my husband and led him a little way to one side and joined Peter for man talk leaving us to go on hugging.

“What was it I did?” I asked.

“Faye told us you saved her life, stopped her bleeding to death and shielded her from the gun fire, we’ll never, ever forget you did that.”

I was still a bit flustered and I didn’t have Will to help out because he was discussing baseball, cricket and rugby with his new chum and Peter. “She was exaggerating,” was all I could think to say. I called out to Peter, “Are there any more passengers I need to meet?”

He thought for a moment and then shook his head. “There are others but they are scientists, a couple of clerks for the science side and somebody who came over to see the architect bloke Geoff Roman. Nobody that you need to speak to unless you want to.”

“No, I’ll meet them eventually but if it’s not urgent, we’ll get out of your way. Do you need somebody to help you clean up, polish the brass work and reload the ammunition?”

He grinned, “No, you look after your passengers and we’ll chuck the others off. The science side people may want something to eat but I believe Penny sorted that and their transport over to the other side of the island. We do have goods to unload if you can get somebody to help with that.”
“I’ll sort that. When do you want them?” called Will.

“An hour if you can,” and he nodded towards the door, “Somebody to see you I think, Charlie.”

It was Auntie Kate, “Penny has received a call from Orca. They want to know when you’re coming over because our sick and wounded are becoming troublesome. They found Faye just about to enter one of the laboratories and had to get a security man to help drag her back to her sick bed.”

“We’re leaving now, are you coming?”

“I’ll have to by the sound of it because the other girls are going with you and I’ll be needed to keep tabs on them. I’ll bring Penny and Gwyneth and we can do a bit of shopping, there’s a ship in with a load of fresh food.” She looked behind her, “The busses are here now and loaded with the luggage so hurry up or Orca will come round here and dump the whole lot on the beach.”

I smiled at Cassandra, “We’ll have to go, is there anybody you want to see before we leave.” She shook her head, “I’ve met the girls before, Faye brought them over on Thanksgiving three years ago when they had just started their Antarctic tour.”

“They’re coming anyway because they will have heard about Faye and know she went into the lab to get the results of the assay on the diamonds.
“Diamonds?”

“Didn’t Faye tell you? We’ve found what could be large diamond deposits on the island.”

“She never said a word about diamonds but did mention gold, jewellery, bullion and stuff like that,” said Walter picking up Cassandra’s shoulder bag and handing it to her.

“Not much wrong with her then is there if she’s wandering around the ship to find out about her research projects.” I led them out of the Sunderland, collected the girls, Gwyneth and Auntie Kate and climbed on board one of the buggies with my special guests, waited a short while whilst Will organised help to unload the luggage whilst everybody else jumped on to the other bus. “Penny came rushing out as soon as we approached the house with Clare and Rob close behind her. “Is there room?”

“Yes, hurry up, Faye and Byron are threatening to steal a ship and come back here.”

It took barely thirty minutes to get to Revelation Bay and we stopped outside the main reception Building. Larry and Camilla were waiting for us, and both came to me and waived Emma over. They started to speak but I asked them to hang on and found Penny already on the telephone but she spotted me, said one or two words and then joined our group.

“They are set up to take your X rays whilst you’re here, you can go down with Faye and Byron and I’ve told them they must send an orderly because you are not allowed to push gurneys or wheelchairs. There’s a big chief from New Zealand who will want to speak to you and Will and there is somebody ready to show Mr and Mrs Pemberton and Mrs Wellington their temporary quarters but I said they would want to see their family members first.” She took a deep breath and looked at Emma, “There is somebody in the biological section who is waiting to speak to you and I have been asked to tell you that the bee you identified is a common honey bee,” she paused and scrolled through her notes, “The blue butterfly is definitely a sub species and you will be required to name it and the same may apply to the bumble bee which may be a sub specie of the Bombus Affinis but this requires further research. Can you pop over and see somebody. That’s all but I have stuff for the others but they sent that to my desktop at the house .” She turned to me then, “I have nothing urgent on for an hour or two, is it okay if I go shopping with Auntie Kate.”

I smiled and nodded. Of course, take the rest of the day off I’m sure there’s a few shops opened by now and there’s the visiting ship’s hold as well.”

“Thank you,” she spread her arms out to encompass the whole group. “If everybody follows me, I’ll take you into reception and introduce you to your guides for the various departments. Those of you visiting Byron and Faye, I’m afraid hospital rules apply and there can only be two at a time beside the patient’s bed. Both patients are being sent for their X rays in a half hour. So if you pay them a quick visit now and then come back here a guide will show you your accommodation and then you can return to your relatives in the hospital. Auntie Kate, Gwyneth please stay with me, you too Emma and Liz and we’ll have a coffee in the social club and then go shopping.”

“What about me?” I asked.

“You have to go for your X ray and will then have to visit those people who were wounded whilst under your command. I didn’t put you on the shopping list but if you write down what you require, I’ll get it for you.”

I looked at Auntie Kate and Gwyneth and they were both grinning so I glared at Penny, “Is that the thanks I get, well you can just book me into a room somewhere and I’ll go shopping tomorrow.”

“With Camilla and I,” said Mary, “We won’t be sitting with Faye and Byron all the time and will need to get out for a bit of fresh air and a look at the place.”

“You and Will are already booked in and as far as Cassandra and Mary are concerned, you are welcome to join the shopping trip I expect we’ll be setting off in about an hour. Don’t forget the social gathering at eight pm this evening.”

“She’s good isn’t she,” whispered Will, “She even makes you obey.”

I just glared and turned to the Pembertons and Mary. “Come on, we haven’t much time for the first visit and I know where they are so you can at least say hello before they are whisked away for the X rays.”

I led everybody through the reception area, I was well enough known now to get away with things like that and went to Faye’s room. “I brought your mother and father over. We had a report that you are causing problems over here, lack of discipline or something like that and your daddy is going to sort it. I’ll be back in twenty minutes with Byron and then we’re having our X rays. How are you?”

She was sitting up in bed reading something technical about volcanology and smiled, “Bored stiff, can’t you have a word with somebody and get them to release me so I can come back home?”

“If your mommy and daddy approve, I’ll do what I can but why, this is more comfortable than your portacabin and it’s not as if you don’t know anybody here.”

“I’m scared I might miss something.”

I laughed, “I’ll pop into the rocks and dirt section as soon as I can and either get somebody to come over here or ask for the results on the diamond mine investigation but the X rays first. Your parents are waiting and you only have a few minutes so I’ll see you later. Oh, I forgot, there’s a party tonight in the social club, I’ll get you released for that if you want.”

“Of course I want. I can sit in my wheel chair and accept all the compliments about my heroic actions.”

“Fat lot of good you were. You were laying on the deck moaning about a bit of discomfort and bleeding all over the place, including my skirt. Byron wants you to clean up the blood stains on the deck when you get back to normal. See you later.” I kissed her cheek, “I’ve seen yours and you haven’t seen mine yet,” I teased and left. I told her parents to disbelieve anything she said and went off with Mary to the men’s section and Byron.

“Good Morning Byron, I have received reports that you are much better and making a nuisance of yourself. Pacific Wanderer is still afloat, the repairs are progressing in a most satisfactory manner. I was going to take ‘Captain’s Report’ this afternoon and am up to speed on Admiralty Instructions particularly those that deal with disobedient captains who argue with superior officers when it comes to matters pertaining to the running of a ship. However, as you appear to be the only defaulter, I’ve cancelled it. I am still of a mind to relieve you of your command until I have written instructions from the naval surgeons. Those instructions must confirm your ability to command in an orderly and professional manner, you have been warned.”

I eased Mary forward, “This lady is Mrs. Mary Wellington, your wife who you may recognise. I’ll be back in about twenty minutes to take you for X rays.”

To my surprise he smiled, held out a hand for Mary, “Out of the frying pan and into a furnace, I’m surrounded by hostile women. Come here and sit on the side of the bed and remind me of who you are and how well you can kiss.”

I left them to practice their kissing and bumped into Penny, “Something wrong?” I asked.

“No, well not wrong, just inconvenient. Will is with the man from the New Zealand Government and he said to tell you that if you are still busy, he can deal with things but he will need me to keep notes so I’ll have to cancel my shopping.”

“Can’t we postpone the shopping for an hour?”

“We could but the others will be disappointed.”

“I’ll see if I can fix it because both Liz and Emma have people they want to see about their work. Mary Wellington and the Pembertons will probably be just as happy staying here with Byron and Faye which leaves Auntie Kate and Gwyneth. If I get them a small buggy they will be able to find where the food and household stuff is or, better still, I’ll see if I can get them a guide to make sure they are recognised and smooth the way. That way, we can all go shopping tomorrow and have a bit more time. Does that suite you?”

“Yes, I only wanted to have a look at some new clothes and I think Undine would like to come as well, is there a way she could come over tomorrow and join us? She told me she desperately needs clothes because she has to keep borrowing your things. The girls and I can help her pick some nice things because she’ll also need some cosmetics and a bit of jewellery as well.”

“I’ll have to let her have some money. There’s plenty at the house but it means one of us going over there and I don’t think we’ll have the time. When you go back to the meeting, speak to Will and tell him I need some cash and he can sort something out with the New Zealand bloke, they must have a bank or something like it here if only for the staff but if it is an official one, I can draw on my UK accounts. Does that sort it out?”

“Yes except getting Undine over here.”

“She can swim if necessary. No wait a moment, I’ll have to go back and get some clothes for myself and the evening party, I’ll bring her back with me?”

“Okay, I’ll be off to my meeting and speak to Will and I’ll let the others know in case you forget.”

I took out my notebook and scribbled the arrangements down, “What about you. You’ll be at the party, do you want me to bring something back from the house?”

“The makeup on my dressing table and fresh undies with the white dress I bought in Beaconsfield, that’s all.”

“What about Morris?”

“Him too if he wants to come.”

“I’m not asking him, I’ll tell him, in fact, I might invite Geoff Roman as well and he’s Morris’s boss and can blackmail him. Don’t forget to book yourself into a room. Put that on the official account and while we’re at it, do you have enough money? If not I’ll let you have some from the Island account.”

“Thank you but I do have about a hundred so I’ll borrow some if I go mad. If that’s it, I’ll be off and keep your phone handy in case something crops up at Will’s meeting for which you are needed.”

“Yes Ma’am,” I glanced at my watch and I just had enough time to have a quick word with the geology people and then get back for the X rays. “I’ll be off now but will you make a note to remind me to speak to Will about buying more buggies for our own people and our admin and exploration stuff.”

“Electric?”

“Yes wherever possible. After Christmas we’ll have to start getting some sort of government set up working. We can’t keep asking New Zealand and the UK to continue lending us their staff.”

She was busy one finger typing into her notepad, “I’ll make a note about your checking with Geoff Roman about more temporary accommodation, shall I.”

I sighed, “We’ve only just started and we need more people. When we really get going next year we must sit down and take some time to organise all this admin stuff properly. Right, I must be off, bye.”

I was getting twinges where I had been hurt in the chest so as I left Penny I went to the nurses station and told one of the staff. She pulled me up on the computer and read quickly, “I can let you have a few Co-Codamol, the thirty/five hundreds. If I give you a half dozen that should tide you over until you see one of the doctors after your X-rays. No more than two though and don’t take them with…”

“I know. I’ve used them before. Six will be okay but the pain is slowing me down and I have quite a busy day in front of me.” She went to a cupboard and sorted the pills and handed them over and away I went to get Faye’s report.

“Brian Sellers, I was expecting you,” Faye’s Boss held out his hand. “I’ve seen you around and know about you and have a very brief result typed out for Faye.” He handed me an A4 envelope, “Two pages and only sketchy information I’m afraid because we now need to get over to the cave where the samples were found and have a closer look. The full report should be ready a week after that. What I can tell you is that it does appear to be a rich deposit and the samples indicate it may be large and of good quality.”

I didn’t open the envelope, I probably wouldn’t have understood much of it anyway, “I’ll give it to her straight away, at least it will keep her quiet for a few hours. About going over to see it, if you get your team ready, I’ll have a word with Byron Wellington and can arrange our side of it so you have a guide. Faye may not be fit enough so if I can’t take you over there and show you where the diamonds were found, there’s a CPO who was with me at the time and he knows the layout well enough.”

“That would help because we need to do some ground radar checks to see how deep into the hill the seam goes and if it’s possible, have a look into the tunnel where the stream comes into the cave. Faye did mention that she thinks that may be the source.”

“Right. We’re all here this evening and having a bit of a party in the social club so if you can make a quick visit I’ll introduce you to Aurora’s captain because he is looking after the security and will probably be able to sort out some physical help for you. We’re obviously doing what we can to keep everything hush-hush so if you could do the same and give your people a need-to-know briefing, that would be appreciated. We haven’t found any signs of trolls or dragons and I expect some of the navy blokes will be armed so you won’t have to bring any flame throwers or guns.”
He grinned, “Scare them off did you.”

“No, I just promised them some ice cream. I’ll see you at the party, I must get back now for the medicals we’re having.”

When I arrived back at Byron’s room he had already left and I was told he had been taken to Faye’s so off I went again but at least the tablets were kicking in and I was able to walk without wincing. “We’ve been waiting for hours,” complained Faye.

“No you haven’t, it was only seconds and anyway why the enthusiasm, do you like having open wounds probed for bullets whilst you’re being made radioactive?”

“No it’s you we missed.”

“I can understand that. Are we ready?” I asked the nurse.

“All set, I’ll take Captain Wellington and Brutus my minder can push Faye. Are you okay because I had a text from the nurses station about pain killing drugs and if you need a wheelchair, Mr. Pemberton has offered to push you, well push Faye really whilst Brutus pushes you.”
“Because Mr. Pemberton is Faye’s father?”

“No, Brutus is better able to control you.”

I chuckled, “No offence Brutus but I don’t need a wheelchair but if you want to come here and control me, I’m up for it but no tickling.”
We set off and I showed Faye the folder, “Brief and incomplete but these are the details of the initial assay of the samples from the mine.” She held out her hand, “Show me.”

“No, after your X-ray otherwise the rise in your heart rate will make the X-ray machine shake. They seem to be pretty good and the bloke I spoke to, Brian Sellers, is arranging for ground penetrating radar or something similar to measure the size of the field. I’ll tell you the rest later after you’ve read this.”

She pulled a face but we arrived at the radiography room and she didn’t have time to say any more.

“You first,” said the radiographer handing me a buttons in the wrong place gown. “Do you need help getting changed?”

“Yes. I held the gown out to Brutus, “Come and help me get undressed please and you can put this on me.” Before Brutus had a chance Faye held out her hand, “I’ll do it.”

“No you won’t it’s my chest not the bit you want to see.”

“Blouse and bra only,” said the radiographer, now hurry up. Mrs. Pemberton will you help Faye in the next room and Captain Wellington, you’re to strip, we want a full torso of yours and you’ll be on the gurney, Dennis will help you.”

“Who’s Dennis?” Faye and I asked.

“Him,” answered the radiographer pointing at Brutus.

“He told us his name was Brutus and he looks more like a Brutus than a Dennis,” I protested.

“No I didn’t, the nurse called me Brutus to make you two behave yourselves.”

I stalked over to the changing cubicle and before Faye had a chance to talk them into a full body X-ray for me I slipped my blouse and bra off and walked out trying to do the hospital ties up. “You can leave it unfastened, I want a clear field, just get in between the plates and stand with your chest just touching the front and I’ll adjust it. Everybody else behind the safety screen please.”

“Has this machine been warmed up?”

“Yes, we had it in the autoclave all night take care you don’t burn anything.”

I had two, one front and one profile but Faye had four, one from every view and her tits were the same size as mine. When she came out I was already dressed and gave her the folder to read because they had moved Byron down the corridor for a full torso scan. She read the two pages and sighed, “Isn’t that something to write home about.”

“You were spot on,” I agreed.

“Not until they’ve done their field investigations. If it’s not until the latter half of next week I might be able to go.”

I shook my head, “Not unless the doctors give you the okay,” I said, “And I mean it Faye. I’m not even allowing myself up there until I’m cleared. We’ll send Val.”

She frowned, “I suppose you’re right even a sackful of diamonds are not worth a life. What are you going to do with them.”

“Half for the Island development and the remainder to be shared between us and a generous donation for the men from the ships if there’s enough but the island must take priority. How big do you really think the field is?”

“Pretty large I would guess at but even if it’s only shallow, the ones I saw from just that short visit are going to be worth a million or two or three.”

“That much!”

“Well you saw them and we didn’t really look into the tunnel any distance but as far as I could see, there was no sign of them thinning out. In fact I thought they were thickening. The larger groups were quite noticeably larger. I can’t be sure until we’ve taken a closer look and have a bit of light but I would also venture that there were what appeared to be larger stones within some of the groups particularly the groups in the bottom half.”

“I’d better order the buggies we need because we are beginning to find too many jobs for them. I mean it took two of the busses to run us out here plus the smaller ones I’ve been using quite often.” I pulled a chair closer, “There’s something else I want to get started on after Christmas. I want you, Emma and Liz to form a committee. An official Charlotte Island Government committee and I want it to be hyper active and it has to control all the exploration, conservation and exploitation of our natural resources. I’ll leave you lot to decide on who does what but we have to keep a control of things or we’ll ruin the island. What do you think about the idea?”

“Well you’re the boss, it is after all your island, well yours and Will’s, so isn’t it your decision? I also notice you didn’t include your own name amongst the people you want on this committee?”

“There’s more than one reason I left my name out. The first is the amount of work I will have on my plate next year would mean my not always being available to do my share of the new committee’s work. The second is, the job being a job for practical people in the fields you all work in and I hardly qualify. I’m just an enthusiastic amateur who happened to find herself shipwrecked on the dream of a South Pacific island, no more. I certainly don’t feel qualified to be able to make decisions that require detailed knowledge of the subjects and the repercussions those decisions may have. You three are and between you I suspect you could cover most of the territory or know and be able to get hold of the necessary people to advise on those things. I mean look at all the things we are involved in already, geology, botany, agriculture, ancient Palaeolithic history, mining, building, shipping, treasure hunting and exploration. We already have too much for just a handful of people to cope with efficiently, me certainly; in the past few days I have become aware of what a mess I would have made if I hadn’t had people like Will, Penny, you three and the others. Even Auntie Kate with David and Gwyneth have made valuable contributions and quite a few members of the crews of the ships.

“If I serve on the committee I want to see formed, as much as I would love to be a full serving member and continue to have the fun I’ve had, I know it is going to be a mistake if others need somebody who can be there all the time. I will serve if I am asked, as I said, I would love to do it but I cannot be a full time. I would certainly be enthusiastic but I will also be the one that holds things up through my absence. Don’t forget I will be involved in other things, vital things as well. We can all do it collectively and if we use our heads, we’ll still have plenty of time to enjoy our lives, have fun, parties, holidays and babies. The babies will be for the girls of course, the men don’t know how to have babies and will probably want to form a football or cricket league instead. But you know what I’m saying so you three have a chat and a think and let me know. There’s no immediate rush but I think that by next Easter we must start doing things properly and build the infrastructure we’ll need to accomplish our dreams.”

The end of Chapter 93, there will be more soon but if you can't wait, the full volume is available on Amazon E Books. Click the link in the right column and Big Closet earn a little commission on the sales.