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NEW AUTHORS SHOWCASE
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20-02-10 6M P7 |
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Both Sides of the Border by Michael Corbett |
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Both Sides of the Border – Synopsis.
Deserted by husband Frank for Mara, Lynne Stainforth with children Beth and Alec are left land and property on the Scottish border. Their benefactor, recluse Toby Ringwood was supposed to have been very strange. Dreams of renovation are stalled when locals tell them the area has a bad history. A fading dog, grass that cuts itself, a scary record request and fatal road accidents unnerve them. Local youngsters Elsie and Cameron come to their aid, and an old man tells of a tragic love affair involving a family who were murdered on the site in 1930. Frank and Mara want part of the inheritance, and come to survey the property, but Lynne’s solicitor, knowing the area is haunted has an unconventional approach. Mara’s lust for Alec leads to a grisly discovery, and Toby’s ghost pays a visit. Terrified, Mara leaves and Frank drops his claim. Lynne finds she’s more closely related to the stricken family than dreamed possible, and meets a friendly news editor who reveals the truth about her ancestry. Out of uncertainty, comes romance for Lynne and her children, and together they see the area settle down, taking it into a bright new future. A lost grandmother is found and a fading dog finally come home.
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Both Sides of the Border – 78000 words, sample-- chapter 19.
Alec went into work next day, and returned just after five. The weather had turned colder, with flurries of snow drifting down from the north. He’d just parked his car, when there came a voice from the shadows. ‘Hello handsome! I was taking a look around your grounds.’ Mara stood there in a summer top, and paid no heed to the temperatures. ‘Go in Mara,’ said Alec, ‘You can look around another time, and without me.’ ‘Oh, I thought you’d like to show me around. Frank’s gone into town.’ Mara turned to face him, and he wondered how, with bare shoulders and an inch of midriff showing, she coped with the icy wind. ‘I told you to get lost,’ he snapped. ‘So, I do things to you then?’ Alec began to feel uncomfortable as Mara moved closer. ‘It’s cold — thought you’d warm me up a little.’ The young man backed away. ‘Get lost Mara, I’ll tell my father.’ His threat made her laugh. ‘He wouldn’t believe you. Go on, one little cuddle won’t hurt. This wind is freezing!’ Alec stepped back, as Mara mocked him. ‘You can’t take it — can you?’ ‘Just you dare to lay a hand on him!’ The voice came from behind; Elsie had seen enough, and was spoiling for a fight. Mara swung round to face her. ‘Oh yes, of course, you’ll be the Scottish girlfriend. What’s the matter? Frightened of a bit of competition dear?’ That taunt made Elsie look as though she might spit, and her reply was delivered with a snarl. ‘Aye, I’m Alec’s fiancée, and I’m Scottish. Have you a problem with that?’ A flurry of snow blew around Mara, bringing on a shiver. She suppressed it, made a comment about Alec fancying her and had a go at Elsie’s nationality. ‘Bet you Scots haven’t got what it takes.’ Alec told her to go in, but despite swirling snow settling on her shoulders, Mara refused to move. ‘I was hoping Alec would show me round.’ Elsie looked furious. ‘There’s only one part of this place you’re going to see, you little tart! Come-on Alec!’ He could see what was on Elsie’s mind. They pushed Mara over, each grabbed a hand, and dragged her across snow covered grass towards the pond. When they passed Duncan’s Lodge, Alec flicked a switch, and a series of outside lights blazed across the grounds. Mara, realising what might be in store tried to scream, but as she was bumped over the grass at ever increasing speed, all she could do was to use filthy language. The icy pond lay ahead and Elsie no longer cared. Driven on by sheer fury she dragged Mara to the edge, and gave her a savage kick. ‘Now you hot bit of stuff, Scotland’s about to cool you down! Alec — on three!’ A shrieking Mara went sailing through the air to land in the pond with an undignified splash, shattering the thin ice on its surface. Yelling and hurling abuse at them, she regained an upright position in about five feet of water and used language that would compete with any building site. Gasping with cold she made for the bank. ‘You bloody rotten swine! J-just wait until your father gets back!’ Mara looked a sorry sight; hair soaked, arms and shoulders blue with cold. As another snow flurry descended, she tried to clamber up the bank. Elsie had ideas about shoving her in again, but Alec restrained her. ‘She’s had enough, must be sheer torture in there.’ Elsie stood back, glaring at their unwelcome visitor as she tried to struggle up the bank, icy water pouring from her clothing. By now Mara was groaning, and her teeth were chattering. Suddenly the ground gave way, and Mara fell back into the water with another scream of agony. She struggled forward, gasping and swearing. Part of the bank had collapsed, and her hand grabbed at something in the mud. She heaved on it to pull herself out, glanced at what she had hold of, struggled rapidly out of the pond, turned and yelled in horror. In the stark light from the outside lamp, they could see rib bones showing above the water. A section of land, four feet wide had fallen into the pond to throw up a cloud of mud, but a rapid flow from the stream was clearing it. Mara shuddered and pointed. ‘It’s a b-bloody s-skeleton!’ Elsie and Alec gawped. Mara might be frozen to the bone, but was still coherent enough to pass on that bit of grisly information. The disturbed mud had cleared to leave a human skeleton lying in the pond, as though placed there by some prankster who’d stolen it from a biology lab. Lynne and Beth arrived to stare incredulously at the scene. Alec turned to Elsie. ‘Best take Mara back to the cottage before hypothermia sets in.’ ‘I think you’ve learned your lesson,’ Elsie said grimly, taking her arm. Mara, her blue face showing abject horror, glanced at the skeleton. ‘I-I’ve h-had enough of th-this p-place!’ Mara and Elsie only took a few steps before coming to an abrupt halt. Suddenly the enmity between them was forgotten as they froze, arms linked and mouths agape. A tall figure had appeared close to the pond. A deathly silence descended on the scene, as they turned to gaze upon the figure. As though with a bizarre mark of respect, the biting wind dropped, to leave a few snowflakes drifting among the shocked party. The figure turned slowly towards Lynne; its movement seeming almost mechanical. Terrified, Mara stood rooted to the spot. She tried to scream, but managed only a whimper. They were looking at a young man. His face, caught in the lamplight looked white and forlorn, as though re-living some terrible tragedy. He turned to look for a few minutes at the skeleton, and his gaze fixed once more on Lynne, who stared into his saddened eyes, unable to utter a sound. The young man nodded slowly and raised his hand in some kind of salutation, as though giving silent approval to their discovery. After what seemed an eternity he turned again, in that rather mechanical fashion to face Elsie. He nodded, as the hand came up once again. Up to that point the figure seemed to be young, but then as he looked at Elsie, his face began to age. To Lynne, that ageing process was more frightening than the figure’s initial appearance. As they all looked on, the apparition’s face — within a minute took on the appearance of a man of ninety. Before any of them could respond, the melancholy ghost slowly faded away. Lynne gulped and managed to croak. ‘That was Toby!’ Elsie heaved a heartfelt sigh. ‘Aye, it was Toby.’ Lynne looked at the Scottish girl in amazement as she continued, ‘I often wondered if he’d come back to see me. You see — he knows now we’ve found his beloved Jenny, and that we’ll do the right thing by her.’ ‘We’ll carry out his wishes,’ said Lynne, still in a state of shock. Elsie looked at the skeleton, now lying in crystal clear water. ‘Thank you for that. I know that Toby came to say farewell to Duncan’s House, and to me. He’ll not come here again.’ Lynne looked into Elsie’s face. She was no longer scared, but somehow the sadness displayed by the ghostly figure had passed to her, and tears trickled down her cheeks. Despite her melancholy state, there was an uncanny degree of acceptance on the Scottish girl’s part, and Lynne realised then, just how much Toby had meant to Elsie. |