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Chapter 12

William righted the stool and offered it to Buffy to sit on.

“No, it’s okay, I can (she sat down on the sand) it’s dry, I’m fine, anyway, I don’t want to disturb you”

“Oh goodness, don’t worry about that - the best light is going now anyway, the sun goes behind the hill and then I get too many long shadows cast – I’ve done enough of this one for today anyway – they’re only drafts so I can get the prospective and the light and shade right when I come to do the paintings.” He was still grinning, he then said,

“This is…I can’t believe you’re here!” Buffy laughed, the wind caught her hair and blew it across her face, she laughed and ducked her head, throwing back her ponytail and looking up into Williams face.

“I can’t quite believe it myself really…you should have seen the hash I made of trying to get to Carson City the year before last, and that’s only in the next state!”

Buffy began to feel very hot. Shielding her eyes she looked up into the sky and then at William

“Well it certainly isn’t true about what they say about England, how it’s always raining – Golly I’m hot!”

William had to bite his tongue to stop himself saying, ‘you certainly are!’

“So…where are you staying?”

“The Seaview, it’s-“

“I know it” William said

“And you?” Buffy asked, William pointed to a cottage half way up the cliff side.

“There – it’s very cosy, got a fantastic view of the bay”

“I bet, you’ll have to show me” Buffy said boldly

“I certainly will!” William felt his tummy flip – he continued,

“So…what are your plans?”

Buffy shrugged and laid her head on her knees looking up at William

“I haven’t got any. I got here at 2.15, unpacked a few things, and then came out to explore. Alex – is it, your assistant at the gallery-“

“Xander, he hates been called Alex!” William said

“Sorry Xander told me where you were staying; and I liked the look of the resort, an typical English village, so I thought I’d stay a few days. I also, well I wanted a chance to try and explain to you about Angel” Buffy looked down at her feet and then up to William, he smiled and said,

“Let’s forget about him, and all about that nonsense, it’s past now and gone for good. So, we start again…now, how long are you here for?” Buffy smiled, that was so nice of him to make it that easy for her, she could have hugged him there and then!

“Well, two days definite, with the option of another two, then I’ve still got two weeks here in England somewhere before I have to go back, depends how things go” Buffy said

“Do you have an evening meal booked at the hotel?” William asked

“No, just Bed and Breakfast”

“Good! Do you like fish and seafood?”

“Love it!”

“Great, coz I know a fantastic little restaurant just around the corner, the menu changes every day depending on what they’ve caught that morning, so it’s the freshest fish you can get, would you do me the honour of coming to dinner with me tonight?”

“Love to!” Buffy said grinning

“Great, that’s settled then!” William felt SO excited – he seemed to have lost his nervousness here, the situation been so different to the one outside the gallery.

“Right then! I don’t know about you, but I’m parching thirsty, how about I take you for a pint at your first English pub?”

“I think, that sounds a wonderful idea!” Buffy went to stand, and William ever the gentleman offered her his hand to help her up, which she accepted.

“Tell you what, I’ll just run up to the cottage and drop this stuff off, and I’ll meet you by the harbour wall over there, there are some bench seats I’ll be five minutes, tops” William said gathering up his stuff.

“Okay!” Buffy nodded and they walked up the beach together.

oOo

“Pint or half?”

Oh…pint, why not!” Buffy said grinning

“Okay then – that’s a pint of lager and a pint of best bitter please” William said to the barman

“Can we sit outside?” Buffy asked

“Sure, go through to the beer-garden I’ll bring the drinks through. Would you like a sandwich?”

“Yes please, anything will do”

“And two ham sandwiches please” William added. The barman nodded, put the drinks on a tray and told William the price. He paid and then followed Buffy outside to the beer garden.

It looked down onto the harbour

Two minutes later, the barman appeared with their drinks and two enormous ham sandwiches, cut from home-made bread, thick cut home roasted ham, with a salad garnish and potato chips on the side.

Her pint of lager had frosted up nicely and she took a deep draught

“Oh that is SO good!” She placed it carefully on a drip mat and picked up a quarter of a sandwich and bit

“Hmm, hmm…wow – this ham is so tasty!” Soon there was nothing left on the plates except a few bits of cress leaves, and both William and Buffy had nearly finished their drinks.

“Another?”

“Am I being greedy?” Buffy asked with a giggle

“Not at all – it’s the air down here, I always eat like a horse – it’s so bracing!”

They chatted easily over their next pint, taking it slow and just enjoying each others company.

William was on cloud nine, it seemed Buffy was more than happy to stay in his company too………

“………Pretty much done all the drawing I wanted to in the resort now, the harbour at high and low tides, the hill the cottages and the bay, might get another of the bay, but from the other side, I was thinking of climbing the cliff. But saying that, I’d planned on going to Barney’s Bit sometime”

“Barney’s Bit?” Buffy asked bemused

“Well, to give it it’s proper name it’s St Barnabus’ Island, but everybody calls it Barney’s Bit. It’s an island about four miles out to sea, there’s a monastery on it, and a light house, an animal sanctuary and a ruined castle. The monastery has some beautiful stained glass windows…and the monks grow all their own food, well vegetables and stuff, and they make this wicked alcoholic drink they sell it to make funds for the animals and that. Would you fancy going?”

“Oh yes! That’s just the thing I want to see – some girl in my office, she said all English seaside resorts were fun fairs, Lotto or bingo halls I think she called them, and fish and chip shops, no culture at all!”

“Well I suppose we DO have a fair few of those, but not down here – so you’d like to go then”

Buffy drained her drink and nodded eagerly

“Yes please, how much does it cost?”

“You leave that to me. I tell you what, lets see how the weather is tomorrow, if it’s nice like this, we’ll go, but if it’s raining, we could go into Torrington and go on the Little Train along the Buttercup Line and go to the cider factory. They show you how they used to make it with the old presses and that, it’s very interesting, plus you get to taste the product after the tour!”

“Sounds like my kinda trip!!” Buffy laughed

“My goodness, would you look at the time!” William said grinning

Buffy looked at her watch and was amazed to see it said 5.45pm

“Goodness!” Buffy stood

“What time shall I meet you?” Buffy asked

“I’ll come for you…about eight?” William looked hopefully

“Perfect” that would give her chance to have a rest for an hour and then a shower and to get ready. She felt all tingly and excited, it was one of the best things she’d ever done, and she was right about her instincts about William, he really did seem to be a proper gentleman.

ooOOoo





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