Milliwick Chapter Two page 1

George Harris causes a stir when he appears in the street in what seems to be his underwear but, in a bid to get fit and to avoid another lecture from his doctor, he has taken up running with local plumber, Kester James.

Kester is persuaded by his grandmother to pose for one of her paintings and was astonished to learn that Harriet has also used local librarian, the prim Helen Marchant, as a model. Although he insists that Helen is not his type, Harriet is not convinced.

Jessie Shepherd learns the truth from Nathan Samms about the gossip surrounding him and the fifteen-year-old daughter of Vince Wilson, a property developer. With the prospect of a further contract in the offing to keep quiet about an incident at Wilson’s house, Nathan has said nothing in his defence. After talking it through with Jessie and doubtful of the reason Wilson gave for the need to keep quiet, Nathan decides to go and see him in the hope he can put a stop to the slander.

Previously in Chapter One

The High Street, Milliwick

‘Caught you!’ Jessie tugs at the back of Nathan’s jacket and giggles as he swings round with a startled look and the flakes of pastry from his bite of Cornish pasty still on his lips. ‘You’ll have terrible indigestion if you don’t sit down to eat.’

Nathan smiles down at her and brushes his lips of crumbs with his fingers. ‘No time today. Just grabbed something from the bakers’ He takes another bite. ‘Sorry, Jess. Really am in a hurry. I’ll have to catch you later. Good to see you though!’ he adds as he hurries on.

‘I won’t hold you up’ Jessie almost runs alongside him as he strides along the pavement. ‘Just wondered if…you know…if you’d…..seen…’ she puffs. ‘…alright…..I’ll ring you tonight….or something.’ She bends from the waist, gasping.

‘Jess! You okay?’ Nathan stops and hurries back to her.

‘I will be….given a bit of time….and the kiss of life. I only…. wanted to know if you’d…. seen that man…’ She waves him away. ‘Go on. I’ll be alright. You get back to your work.’

‘Stuff work.’ He looks at her with genuine concern and quickly glances around for a seat. ‘God! I can’t believe I….I’ve always got time for you.’

‘Oh stop with the guilt trip! I’m only a bit out of puff. You wait until you get old.’ Jessie takes a deep breath and lets it out quickly. ‘See? I’m fine now. You get along.’

Nathan frowns as she takes another deep breath. ‘I’ll see you home’ he says, taking her arm.

‘You can if you like but I was on my way to the library’ she giggles.

Nathan rolls his eyes. ‘Yeah, you’re ok. ‘ He smiles with relief. ‘No I haven’t seen Wilson yet.’

‘Oh, Nathan!’ she chides.

‘Just a minute before you start nagging. I did go out there but they’re away, according to the cleaners.’

‘Cleaner-s? Now there’s posh.’

‘Whole vanload of them; doing the carpets.’

‘Oh, I say! Nearest I’d get to that is getting George to bash hell out of me rugs with a broom handle. And the brushes on me Hoover are damn near bald’ she muses thoughtfully then brightens. ‘I’ll let you off then.’

‘Things seem to be blowing over a bit, though, yeah?’ Nathan asks as he pops the last of his pasty in his mouth.

‘The gossip, you mean?’

He nods as he chews, screwing up the paper bag that held his pasty.

‘Can’t say I’ve heard anybody new talking about it…but you’ve still got to sort this contract business out, Nathan. Really you have. You leave it and you’ll be in his pocket the rest of your life.’

‘Talk about melodramatic’ he chuckles

‘Blackmail is blackmail.’ Jessie huffs. ‘You see if I’m not right’

‘Yeah, ok. I will sort it. That’s a promise.’ He grins. ‘You alright then? I really gotta run.’

‘I am just fine…. but I’ll nag, you know.’

‘What’s new?’

‘Go on with you!’ Jessie smacks at his hand. ‘Here, you might need these.’ She rummages in her handbag and hands him a packet of indigestion tablets. ‘Don’t say I never give you nothing. Ta ta, then.’

‘Bye Jess.’ Nathan throws the packet in the air and catches it again as he lopes off chuckling.

Chapter Two