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.
Chapter 94
Copyright Frances Penwiddy 2018
To our surprise, David was in Orca’s doctor’s surgery along with the radiographer. “Hullo everybody, it’s so nice to meet you all again,” I greeted them.
“I want to hear you say that after our meeting,” said Hugh Gillespie, Orca’s doctor. “I’m not going to break the news, I’m scared so I’ll leave it to David.”
“In short, the three of you are grounded,” began my ex friend David, “And I do mean grounded and that includes you,” he looked at me and I was tempted to scream for Gwyneth. “Can’t we talk about it?” I asked foolishly because I gave him the weapon he needed, for negotiating with a female and he was an expert. As a retired GP and the husband of Gwyneth he had had a lifetime to learn how to negotiate with women of all ages. “Of course we can negotiate, in fact I intend to after each medical. I am your GP and your health and happiness are my prime concern. I have spoken to Duncan Chesham and Randolph Sinclair in your case and they have said they will back any decision I make. I have also spoken with Andy Bryant and Harry Fellows and to the Navy doctors and they have sent me the necessary files for you,” he looked at Byron, “And I am already your GP whilst on the island,” that was for Faye. “You are all excused physical duties if, in my opinion, such duties will either cause further damage or slow the healing process and just to make sure, I have spoken to the Prime Minister of Charlotte Island, that’s your husband, Charlotte and he has said that for as long as you are on the island or within its territorial limits or on board any vessel or aircraft owned or being used by the island, your rights to a second opinion are restricted to doctors already serving or stationed on the island.”
“That contravenes Human Rights laws and the British and New Zealand constitutions.”
“If you think it does, then you can appeal to the necessary Supreme Courts, EU courts and the International Human Rights Court at the Hague which will probably take about three years. There is the UN of course but even they will want about the same amount of time. If you do decide to follow that route you will of course have to continue under my care until the courts reach their decision and as I’ve already pointed out, you risk a three year suspension of duties rather than the few days I had originally intended.”
I opened my mouth to mention my other alternatives but a look from Byron shut me up so Magna Carta or a unilateral declaration of independence would have to wait.
“Now we have that settled I’ll deal with the reasons: Charlotte you have quite severe bruising to fat and muscle tissue below and including your left breast. This is healing and I will have another look in four days’ time. Faye, you have a bullet hole in you, again muscle and tissue damage and you lost nearly half your blood. I will check you again in a week. Byron you not only have a hole, lost blood and incurred muscle and tissue damage but your right lung was slightly damaged. Everything is healing nicely but it will take at least two more weeks before I can release you for a period of light duties only. I am however prepared to release you into the custody of Will and Charlotte’s Aunt Kate tomorrow on the understanding that you are confined to the house. The alternative is for you to remain here confined to your bed for at least another week. Before you argue; this decision was worked out with the help of Harry Fellows and Andy Bryant and I am instructed to inform you that the transfer is not leave of absence; you are still subject to naval law and discipline and I remind you that Will is also on the navy list as a Commander so you will not be able to circumvent my orders via Kate or Charlotte. Now, if there are appeals against my decisions, you have forty eight hours to register them . In the meantime I am clearing everybody to go to the celebration this evening on the understanding that both Faye and Byron remain in their wheelchairs and Charlotte restricts her dancing to waltzes and slow foxtrots. Byron and Faye you will return here tonight by midnight and Charlotte you are to return to your room in the guests hotel with Will at the same time. Enjoy your evening and drink in moderation.”
I got up with the intention of grabbing Faye’s wheelchair and pushing it down to a quiet spot on the deck so we could plot our escape and counter measures but whether it was concern for my safety or a deliberate attempt to stop a mutiny before it started Brutus beat me to it. “You mustn’t strain yourself, remember and Doc David is watching,” he was grinning as he took hold of the wheelchair, “If you wait here, I’ll come back after I’ve seen Faye to her room and we can use the wheelchair to take you to your place in the hostel.”
I just glared at him, “At least you can’t come to the party, nobody has invited you.”
“That’s so but I am employed by the navy and as such I am allowed into the social club any time it’s open and as the party is being held during club opening hours, I’ll see you later.”
“Is it okay if I carry a tray with five pints and four shorts on it?” I asked Brutus after we arrived at the club.
He lifted the tray and replaced it on the bar and shook his head, “No it’s too heavy.”
I didn’t say anything and took three of the pints off, “What about now?”
He repeated the performance and nodded, “That’s okay and I’ll bring the others.”
“No you won’t my bloody husband or Doctor Death can get them and one is for you.” I carried the tray to our table and made a thing of placing a pint in front of Walter Pemberton and Faye’s fiancé Howard and then the shorts in front of Mary, Faye and Cassandra. The remaining short I put at the girl end of the table and pushed the empty tray in front of Will. “Yours are still on the bar, Brutus is up there and wouldn’t let me bring them because he thought the tray was too heavy,” and I sat down, “It’s for medical reasons,” I added and took a sip of my V&T.
Faye and Mary giggled and Gwyneth grinned, “I hope you didn’t get David a pint. Technically with you three at the table he’s still on duty.”
“What about me, I’m one of the sick, not a conspirator,” complained Byron.
“Will can get yours, he’s a Commander in the navy and he’s obliged to look after sick and wounded personnel.”
“So are you.”
“Light duties, very light but I expect I can take a chance and fetch yours,” I started to get up but Will rose and then sat down again, “Brutus is fetching them over.”
“And I’m not on duty, this is a navy club and it’s on Gillespie’s patch,” said David with a grin.
“When are the others getting here?” I asked Gwyneth.
About a half hour. I spoke to the man managing the club and he’s brought extra tables up and is going to lay on snacks later and the band is coming again and they should be here in an hour. So we’re all set for partying.”
“I can’t do any jiving. I suppose I could risk a rhumba if David isn’t watching but even without him, that bruise won’t be slow to remind me of the damage if I start lifting my arms for spins and stuff.”
“Four or five days and it will heal completely, you’re young and healthy so stop complaining,” David admonished.
People started drifting in and I spotted Leah and Giles and waved them over. When they were settled on a nearby table, I went over for a chat and told them about the committee that the girls were forming and brought up the need for them to get together with people who were planning any similar ventures to their farm or any form of food production and processing to follow their example. “Keep the committees small and bureaucracy to a minimum and it will be efficient and we can make sure people don’t clash with each other. It’s not until after Easter anyway and the object is to make life and our work easier, not find jobs for the boys. Every month or so each committee can send a couple of representatives to a meeting, a sort of cabinet meeting I suppose, where we can all learn what everybody is doing or planning and help smooth the paths. If we do it at this early stage it will stop us from undertaking tasks that have to be stopped or changed in the future. I know it’s more complicated than that but that’s the aim.”
“We couldn’t do much ourselves until the planting season is over,” pointed out Giles.
“That’s where we can help each other. Not only can we arrange the larger tasks so they don’t clash too much, we can also ensure there is enough labour and machinery available for whichever jobs need them.”
Leah nodded, “I can see the sense of it and perhaps we should read up on some of the ways things were done in medieval Europe before central governments became involved.”
“I think a lot of it was local villages using the neighbourly help system, and basically that’s what we are and are likely to remain, a large village. We must see how some of the other South Pacific islanders arrange things. If there’s anything else you are likely to need until the committee is up and running, continue as you are and speak to me or Will.”
“We’ve spoken to Larry and he’s arranged for some cattle to be got ready for us so after Christmas, we’ll need to arrange a way of shipping them here,” said Giles, changing the subject.
“I’ll get Penny or somebody in New Zealand to sort it out but I still think we can arrange for Pacific Wanderer or the other ship we’ve captured to fetch them for us and that will only need you to arrange driving them up to you farm from wherever they are landed. I’ll have another chat later, I want to have a word with one or two other people before the band arrives and we start partying for real. Are you staying here tonight or going home?”
“Home, they’ve arranged a couple of busses to take people back to the north side. There’s a few coming from Aurora and Wanderer any minute now so they’ll need transport to take them back.”
I went back to my table and there was another glass standing beside my V&T and no men, they had vanished and taken Byron with them, “What’s happened?”
“Usual thing. The crowd from the Sunderland have turned up and there’s a dart’s war just beginning. David asked me to tell you that as he was joining them, you are in charge of the sick and to ensure that everybody drinks in moderation,” answered Gwyneth.
“So who bought the second drink for me, I’ve barely touched the first?”
“That was David and it’s a spritzer, he said no more V&Ts.”
“I thought he was off duty when in here. He has no right to act as my physician on another doctor’s patch.”
“I think he promoted himself to consultant working in a private capacity in your case, you shouldn’t have provoked him earlier.”
“Home is the sailor, Home from the sea,” I quoted changing the subject as Anne and Rob entered the club. I stood and waved with my good arm, “Over here, Anne,” and went to meet them. “All our men have gone over to the darts board, if you join us I’ll get you a drink and Rob can go over to the men. Will is there, Rob and he’ll introduce you to people you don’t know and you can play darts with them.”
“I’ll get us a drink first.”
“I’ll do it. A pint? What about you Anne.”
“White wine, please.”
I took them to our table, I think you know most people here but I’ll leave Emma to introduce you to the rest,” and I went to the bar. Brutus was there and waited until I ordered and said, “I’ll fetch them over for you and I believe that young lady is trying to attract your attention,” he nodded back at the entrance.
I looked and spotted Undine and Tamati, “Blast, I’ll have to find out what they’re drinking now.”
“I don’t know what the lady will ask for but I vaguely remember the bloke with her and I think he drinks lager.”
“That’ll do for now and a white wine and lemonade for the girl, she doesn’t drink often. Put them on my tab will you please and don’t forget one for yourself.”
I went back to the entrance, “Tamati, I hope you haven’t bunked off duty because Byron is here.”
“No, no, I’m off, it’s okay.”
“Good. I’ve ordered a pint of lager is that okay?”
“Fine thank you, is Undine allowed to drink in here?”
“Why not, she’s over eighteen by a few thousand years. There’s a crowd of us so come over and say hullo and then you can join the men at darts or if you want to chat on your own, claim a table somewhere."
We went back and once again settled but we had to drag another table a bit closer because even with the men away playing darts, we were getting crowded. I squeezed in with Gwyneth and Auntie Kate, “You okay I asked, I’ve been dashing about trying to have a chat with people I haven’t seen for a while.”
“Dashing about?” asked Gwyneth, “That’s not like you. How’s the wound?”
I grinned and rubbed the place where the powder compact had shot me, “It’s okay, just a slight twinge when I forget and try to do something I shouldn’t. Brutus is watching me all the time and won’t let me carry drinks so I am taking it easy.”
“Try sitting down for more than a minute at a time,” advised Auntie Kate.
“That’s what I’m doing now and I’m not being tricked into playing darts. Why didn’t Uncle Ted come with you?”
“He said it was the first time the house has been empty for weeks and he’s been doing a bit of gardening and Val, your diamond friend came over with a couple of his shipmates to help. The last I saw of them, they were sitting on the lawn surrounded by garden tools and drinking cans of beer. I asked him if he was coming over here and he said ‘no’, there was too much to do at the house. “I expect they’re still sitting on the grass drinking beer and planning everything.”
“How about the help for the house. Have you found anybody yet?”
“Never you mind about that, I have somebody in mind and I’ll sort it out when we go to England at Christmas.”
“Okay, I’ll leave it to you.”
“What about you Gwyneth. Are you finding yourself under pressure?”
“Why should I be under pressure. I help David and Katie, that’s hardly pressure unless you’re involved, then it gets frantic.”
“I can’t help that, I don’t exactly plan my disasters you know.”
“It’s not the disaster, it’s the aftermath that’s the problem.”
I smiled, “It’s true I suppose and that’s what I’m trying to sort out this evening. I’m getting various groups together to form committees to sort out the various things that need doing. I’ve already got one for the environment and exploration and Leah and Giles are going to organise the farming and food, what about the one you and Auntie Kate were going to do.”
“Employment you mean?”
“Yes and finding staff here, New Zealand and England, you know the sort of people we need.”
“Feelers have been sent out already and it’s looking very hopeful. We’ll know when we get back to England. At the moment, when I get a chance I’m asking people already here what sort of help they need.”
“If you get the time, can you let me have a synopsis of what and who you’ve dealt with so I don’t duplicate your efforts and I’ll do the same for you.”
“Okay but you have to slow down, don’t forget that. It isn’t just the recent damage to your ribs; you’ve had other symptoms that you are doing too much and are choosing to ignore the warnings.”
“That’s why I’m putting the committees together. I am hoping to give myself more time, more space. The trouble is I’m enjoying myself, meeting people, discovering things, learning so much and being able to plan for the future by planning for the island.”
“You could try planning a holiday,” said Auntie Kate.
“I am, well Penny is, we’re going back to England for a couple of months.”
“Three at least,” Auntie Kate corrected me. Whilst you’re waiting you should take a few days off from everything. Unplug the telephones, switch your mobiles off and spend the time in bed.”
“I can’t because Will would feel obliged to look after me and I can’t keep him away from his work as well. He loves me and would spend the whole time in the bedroom nursing me. In fact he would want to spend the whole time in bed with me and do everything he could to help me regain my vitality.”
“You just be quiet about that sort of thing, there’s people here that can hear you.”
“Well I can’t let them get into bed with us because there wouldn’t be anybody to bring me food and drink…er I mean drinks.” I polished off the first wine spritzer and started on the V&T when I spotted the waiter coming to our table with a laden tray. “I’ll stay a bit then I must go and see some of the others and I might have a go on the darts, it’s a pity I didn’t bring my red shoes, the ones with the sky high heels.” I glanced around the club, “There’s quite a crowd in here tonight.”
“The word reached the other side and quite a few came over from there, even Gareth and Mark have skived off. The ships only need an anchor watch so that helps.”
I picked up my drink, “I must go over and say hullo to Mark and Gareth, won’t be long.” I eased my way through the tables and groups of people stopping from time to time to have a few words with people I knew and fifteen minutes later reached the table where Mark and Gareth had set up camp. “How did you two escape, there can’t be many people left on the north side?” They started to get up but I shook my head and sat down myself, “Byron’s over with the darts players, Martin and Tamati are here, so is Will whose taking care of our fleet?”
“Andy Bryant was going to send Lieutenant Venables over to Wanderer but Victor and the Chief Engineer are acting as OODs between them. Ferret arrived earlier as well, so there’s plenty of people still working.”
“We went ashore to see how the Pub and club are progressing and had a chat with Geoff Roman and he reckons that it will be ready for the internal fittings and furniture soon after Christmas. The shop and boutique as well.”
“You still serious about taking on the pub when you leave the navy.”
“Yes, very serious that’s why we went over today to speak to Geoff. Gareth gets out at the end of May and I follow in July and then it’s Victor’s turn.”
“I didn’t know Victor was retiring?”
“He only made up his mind in the last few days. He hasn’t any ties, lives on his own in New Zealand and said he liked the island which for him means the people who are settling here. He had a chat with us and as there wasn’t anybody in the frame to look after the social centre he was thinking of maybe taking that on and possibly helping us as well with the pub. That solves one of our problems because once we get it up and running, the pub should be quite busy and the social centre will also have a good chance of becoming popular.”
“I seem to be attracting a load of people from the ships, I hope it isn’t going to upset the navy.”
“It shouldn’t do because it solves a problem for them as well. They have an overworked department that deals with settling retiring seamen, they might even be able to send you a few more,” Mark was grinning now, “If Victor makes up his mind and decides to have a word with you, you’ll have to find him a wife.”
“And a couple of barmaids and waitresses,” added Gareth.
He said it as a joke but there was a serious request behind it, we were short of females and apart from these two requests, Auntie Kate needed help, Penny needed an assistant and as we grew, we were going to need a lot more women working in the administrative side as well as nurses, schoolteachers and the thousands of jobs women do within any society. I had people in England I knew would be interested but what was really needed was somebody who could come up with ideas to attract more single women who would possibly consider settling here on a permanent basis. “Have a word with the Doctor’s wife, Gwyneth, she’s working with my Auntie Kate and they are trying to form an employment agency to attract permanent staff to the island. Give her details of your needs and your ideas as well. It doesn’t just concern you and the pub, we do need more women living here, particularly unattached women. See if you can get them to find a glamorous granny for Victor.”
They laughed and Mark started to get up, “I’ll get you a drink, what is it a V&T?”
“No leave it, I have to stick to white wine now and there are other people I need to speak to. When you get back to Wanderer, tell Victor there’s a ship with loads of food and ships stores in Revelation Bay and get here quickly because Auntie Kate will pick it clean.”
The end of this sample. All seems quiet on the island at present but out of everybodies sight a dangerous sittuation is developig and it could place everybody in serious danger...
If you wish to find out what...the full version of Volume five is now available on Amazon Ebooks. Use the link in the right hand column because Big Closet gets a small commision when ordered through that link.
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
Chapter 95
I did get to dance with Will, first a waltz and I played a trick on him. I snuggled up and placed both my arms over his shoulder and clasped my hands together as he was taking a forward step and gently bent my knees so that both feet were off the floor. He continued with the three step sequence without noticing he was carrying my weight totally and still didn’t notice in the reverse three steps until he went into a reverse turn and the sudden change of my weight on the left side caught me out and I had to get my feet down onto the floor rather rapidly and accompanied the exercise with an ouch and a moan.
“Sorry, I thought you were expecting it.”
“I was but I didn’t anticipate the change in my body weight distribution.”
“Sorry,” he said again, “I’ll give a stronger signal next time.”
“No need,” and I started giggling, “I’ll keep my feet on the floor from now on.”
“What do you mean?”
The giggles got worse and I had to stop and hold on to him with my right hand whilst I leant to my left in an attempt to ease the pain, “I had both knees bent a little and neither of my feet were on the floor when you made the turn. You were carrying me through the last two sequences and didn’t even notice.”
“You were doing what?”
“Nothing. I was just hanging on to you with my feet up off the floor to stop you treading on my toes.”
He started laughing and we closed together and started waltzing properly and at the end I did a single twirl but made sure it was under my right arm.
It was a terrific evening but David turned me down when I asked him for a tango but he did dance a slow foxtrot and I behaved myself and danced in a demure manner. At about eleven, people started to drift off and shortly after that we all called it a day but once we were outside I asked Will, “Is there a small buggy going spare?”
“There’s a couple and another over at Goats Cove, do you want to go back to the house?”
“No, I don’t feel very tired and wondered if you fancy a little drive down to Goats Cove and a walk up to the top of the cove. We could stand in the moonlight, look at the stars, have a kiss and cuddle and enjoy the view along the peninsula.”
“Okay but we can’t go along the peninsula at night, it’s a bit tricky at any time but with you already suffering a damaged rib, it would be dangerous.”
“No, I don’t want to walk along the peninsula, just look at it and the stars for a bit and then come back to Revelation Bay.”
“Okay,” he made a call, got the okay and left to collect the buggy from the security car park. Twenty minutes later we were standing on the southeast corner of Goats Cove looking out over the sea towards the Antarctic and the sky was absolutely clear and there were stars so bright and in such quantity that if I weren’t used to these starry skies, it would be difficult to pick out the constellations. “It’s so incredibly beautiful, if it wasn’t for the choppy water left by the storm we would have been able to see the reflection of the stars in the sea. It’s like looking into a star filled tunnel.”
Will wasn’t looking out to sea, he was looking into my eyes, “I’m doing that now, looking into two star filled tunnels,” and he kissed me and I wasn’t able to lift my left arm over his shoulder but I made up for it my using my right arm to pull his head down and I stood on tip toe. We kissed for a long time and for once there was no little giggle from Undine but I expect she was enjoying kisses of her own. We broke the kiss and I rested my cheek on his chest and looked out along the peninsula to the east wondering at the beauty of the scene and storing away this moment in our lives. I was about to turn into him again when I thought I saw a reddish glow on the horizon just to the right of the tip of the peninsular. “What was that?” I eased back but kept my eyes towards the east.
“What was what? Are you getting pains?”
“No, nothing like that, I thought I saw a red glow just to the right of the reef, over there,” and pointed.
Will looked and studied the area I was indicating and shook his head, “I can’t see anything except the stars and a choppy sea.”
“It’s gone and I’m sure it wasn’t my imagination. A dull red glow but only for a second or two.”
He look again but nothing happened, “You’re getting tired, come on we’ll make our way back and he turned towards the shore and as he did so, the glow appeared again, a little brighter this time, “There!” I said, “It’s brighter,” and he turned back but the red vanished again. “Keep looking I definitely saw something.” A few seconds later the glow appeared again and it was brighter still and clearly showed for a second or two. “There you must have seen it that time?”
“I did. It’s a bit odd, there’s nothing out there until Tierra del Fuego and it’s certainly not a reflection from the beacon at the end of the peninsular.”
“Ship?” I asked.
Will shook his head slowly. “If it was a ship we would have detected it on one of the radars. He turned to look towards Devonshire Hill, “It’s not a reflection from that beacon either, wrong colour and too bright…”
“There, Will quick it’s almost yellow and I’m sure I saw the shadow of some smoke. Could it be a distress flare?”
He just caught it. “Perhaps a parachute flare but as I said, a ship would have shown up on radar and we would have been told.”
“Something small like a lifeboat or perhaps a small sailing ship or motorboat?”
“Not out here. Quest showed on the main radar but anything smaller than her wouldn’t have done so and out there we aren’t covered by close range radar. What would a small boat be doing out here in the middle of nowhere? If somebody had gone sailing from the island they would have left details and nothing has been logged and no boats are missing.”
“It’s definitely something Will, we’ll have to phone Aurora and let them know and the people at Revelation Bay it must be a distress flare or a small boat on fire.”
“Do you have Aurora’s number?”
“No but I have Wanderer’s, I’ll phone Victor and ask him and you telephone somebody in charge at the Bay.” I didn’t wait for him to answer but found my phone and dialled Wanderer and hoped they had somebody on watch on the bridge. They did and my call was answered, “Pacific Wanderer, OOD.”
“Is that you Victor?”
“Yes. Commander Charlotte?”
“Yes. Look, we may have an emergency on hand can you check the radar for about fifteen or so miles out and approximately due east by a touch south. We have seen a red glow on the horizon and Will and I think it’s either a distress flare or a small vessel on fire. Check the area east of Charlotte Island peninsula and a little south of that.” I waited whilst I heard him give instructions to somebody and without waiting for a confirmation I asked, “Can you let me have Aurora’s number, I’ll have to let them know as well, Will is busy phoning Revelation Bay.” As he gave me the numbers I tapped them in and stored them. “Our people should be back from the party any minute now, if you can, will you get the reasonably sober ones on board and is Wanderer in a fit state to put to sea?”
“Just about but wait until Lieutenant Venables makes a decision on that but I will get as ready as I can. What are you doing?”
“Letting everybody know until we get some sort of confirmation and then probably hot foot it back to Mermaid Bay but we’ll have to see if we can get Orca’s helicopter or the Sunderland up. Trouble is most of the crew have been drinking.”
“There’s the new blokes that the Sunderland crew have been training, three of them I think but I don’t know if they’re capable and I don’t know about the helicopter pilot, was he at the party?”
“I don’t know. Look I’ll have to speak to Aurora, most of our lot are okay, they didn’t overdo the booze. I’ll leave you to make the judgment on their condition. If Martin or Tamati are no good, tell them to get off the ship and I’ll back you. You okay with that?”
“Perfectly but they won’t argue.”
“I’ll let you know anything as soon as I get it, bye.”
“Wait a second, Charlotte, the radar result.” There was a short pause and then, “It’s a bit iffy on its own because the island is stopping us from getting a decent look but Sparks tells me that with what you’ve seen it could well be a small boat or possibly an oil slick on fire though he doubts the latter but the sea does appear unsettled for a small area around the spot you indicated. He’s already on to Aurora so forget them and try and get the radar on top of Devonshire Hill to take a closer look, their stuff is much more powerful than anything we have and they might pick up something if they switch to close range.”
“Will do.” I killed the call and waited whilst Will continued speaking to somebody at Revelation Bay and then in the distance I heard a ship’s siren start, it was coming from the northwest so it must have been Aurora or Wanderer and then I heard Orca start. Something had definitely been spotted and I started getting fidgety but didn’t dare interrupt him. Inspiration hit me. So far Goat’s Cove hadn’t reacted and they too should be informed. I sorted out Larry’s number and dialled him.
“Hullo?”
“Larry, it’s Charlotte, are you awake?”
“Yes, just about to go to bed.”
“Forget it. Something is going on out to sea, to the east and right on the horizon, red flares or flames. Aurora has sounded her recall siren and Orca has just started. Should Goat’s Cove be alerted?” He started to reply and then suddenly the siren on top of the reception hut at Goat’s Cove started up.
“Sounds like it has,” he replied. “That’s the staff recall, I’ll go over to admin and see what’s going on.”
“Let me know okay. Will and I are at the southeast corner of the cove and will probably shoot back to Revelation Bay in a minute or two so use my mobile number.” I ended the call and the phone rang, “Emma?”
“Yes. Liz and I were just getting ready for bed, “What’s going on, there’s alarms going off all over the place?”
“Not sure but we think a ship or small boat is on fire some miles off the peninsula at Goat’s Cove. Where’s Faye?”
“In the hospital with her parents being read a bedtime story I expect.”
“Will and I will probably be back in twenty minutes or so, can you check with Auntie Kate and Gwyneth and make sure they’re okay in case it’s something more serious.”
“Okay what about you?”
“We’re fine, we have a buggy and as I said we will be coming back soon unless they want Will somewhere else. Must go, Will’s just finished speaking to somebody at Revelation Bay and we’ll probably have to go dashing off. Just in case it’s a real emergency, make sure everybody is dressed, awake and ready to move, okay, don’t forget the Pemberton’s and Mary Wellington, she’s probably in the hospital with Byron.?” I ended that call and returned my attention to Will, “Any more news?”
“Some. Come on we’ll have to get back, I’ll tell you in the buggy.”
We set off leaving the beginnings of organised panic behind us and Will started to tell me his news but my telephone started again, I looked at the screen and grinned and held it up for Will to see. “Do you want to speak to him or are you leaving it to me?”
“You,” he grinned, “He’s a bit scared of you.”
“Byron, how are you?”
“How am I! What the blazes is going on! Emma has phoned and Mary has gone off to pack a suitcase and told me she’s coming back for me and I’m to get dressed again. There’s alarms and sirens going off all over the place and people dashing about screaming things about ships on fire, North Korean invasions and missile attacks!”
“It’s okay, Will and I are taking care of it.”
“I might have guessed you’d be involved. Is Pacific Wanderer okay?”
Why do ships captains enquire about their ships before they ask about their womenfolk? “Pacific Wanderer is fine, I spoke to Victor a few minutes ago and he’s getting ready to put to sea…”
“He’s what!”
“Stop shouting, Will is beside me and he’s driving at top speed and you’re likely to distract him. I said Chief Petty Officer Victor Evans, the chief chef on Pacific Wanderer is making ready to sail but isn’t going to do it until he gets permission from Andy Bryant or Will and I.”
“You!”
“Byron, stop shouting or you’ll harm your dodgy lung. Everything is under control. We believe a small vessel a few miles off the Goat’s Cove peninsular is on fire and I suspect all the flap is to get the ships ready to go to her aid.”
“There wouldn’t be a flap like this if it was just a small ship. Now what is going on?”
“Wait a second Will was going to update me but your telephone call interrupted him.” I muted the phone, “What is causing all the flap, Byron does have a point.”
“Devonshire Hill radar have detected disturbed sea in the area of the flames and there is a report from the seismic operators that an underwater explosion may have been detected. They now think there may be a submarine out there in trouble. Probably forced to surface to deal with an on board explosion and fire. So far they have failed to detect a reflection from the coning tower and they think she may be unable to surface more than just enough to get the conning tower open so the crew can get out but it’s too low in the water to show on radar particularly in that choppy sea.”
“Good heavens, wait a bit.” I turned the sound on again, “Byron, they believe there may be a submarine out there on fire and unable to surface fully so they’re sending ships out to help. Orca has equipment for operating mini-subs so is probably going with Aurora. We’ll be back at the hospital in a few minutes so get dressed and we’ll brief you when we know exactly what’s going on and stay in the hospital, there’s no point in staggering around because you’ll get in the way.” I ended the call before he could object and shuddered when I looked out of the windscreen and saw the way Will was driving the buggy. “Did they say anything else?
“Yes, they are speaking to the Americans and Royal Navy and just about everybody else to try and find out who might have a sub in the area. American AWAC and New Zealand Maritime surveillance planes have been diverted and Harry Fellows is churning up the sea with his new inn-shore support destroyer.”
“What’s he doing out here?”
“He was coming down to relieve Ferret so she could escort the captured ship and Pacific Wanderer back to Auckland for repairs.”
“There’s nothing wrong with Wanderer that we can’t fix here.”
“Chief Engineer isn’t happy about one of the reinforcing bow plates and wants it checked by the dockyard before they go to Antarctica. He thinks one of the shells that hit her during the recent fracas may have caused more damage than was first thought.”
“So she could sink?”
“Not up here, the original hull is sound but she can’t be risked amongst ice floes until the ice breaker section is fixed.”
I sat back and sighed, “That means the South Pole trip will have to be cancelled.”
“I was going to tell you tomorrow but it is almost certainly going to be cancelled anyway. The crack in the ice has widened again and there’s a panic on to get things moved to safety and the thinking is of postponing the Antarctic trip until after Christmas.”
I sighed again, “Everything is going pear shaped suddenly but I suppose it’s for the best. There’s another problem as well. If Aurora is needed on this flames in the sea mystery or is sent to New Zealand and Orca is involved in rescuing submarines, we only have Harry Fellows and his new destroyer and I can’t see him agreeing to let us use it for ferrying people and goods between here and New Zealand so we’ll be back to where we started. Marooned on a desert island."
“There’s always Penguin’s barge, that’s still at Goats Cove and you’ve forgotten Undine and the Sunderland.”
I wish he hadn’t said that because his phone rang. It was Andy Bryant, “Andy… They have, good do you think they could get airborne?... Yes I think it’s a good idea then we will at least have somebody on site. What about Wanderer’s missing crew?...Better still, so they could get going as well if they are needed. She’s here with me, want to tell her?” He laughed and closed the phone. “He’s scared of you as well.”
“What did he say, I didn’t like the sound of it?”
“Harris is fine and Peter is not up to flying but can act as co-pilot and with two of the trainees they are confident they can get the Sunderland up and over the site a lot quicker than getting Aurora there but Aurora is on stand-by. So until this flaming sea business is sorted out we have no ships left except the barge. Andy said that might have to go out on its own if they are needed to help lift the sub. He thinks that will take at least three hours at her top speed.”
“So there’s only Undine left unless they postpone Wanderer’s repairs.”
“I’m afraid so. I don’t think they’ll postpone Wanderer’s work. It’s not a big job by dockyard standards but she will need dry-dock time and it’s a question of how long they will have to wait if we cancel the slot they’ve made for us.”
I didn’t phone Byron because we were turning into the Revelation Bay compound and then I had an inspiration, “Will get the buggy swapped for a twelve seater. I’ll get hold of the girls and their blokes, I have an idea.”
“What?”
“Haven’t time now, just swap this for the twelve seater and I’ll explain on the way back to Mermaid Bay.”
“You what…” but he was too late and I was out of the buggy and jogging as fast as my rib allowed towards the hostel whilst trying to dig my phone out at the same time.
I can’t release any further chapters of volume 5 for fear of upsetting Amazon. The full volume is available at Amazon Kindle Ebooks and the link to Amazon is in the right hand column.