A Morris Man’s Tale Part 5

This work may be used free of charge and copied, selling without prior written consent prohibited, obtain permission before redistributing, In all cases this notice must remain intact copyright D.W. Bloyce 2012


All characters are fictitious, If a character name is used in connection with a side, it’s just co-incidence if that given name belongs in that side. Insofar as song lyrics being included I don’t know the legalities or etiquette involved, I have given the opening few and last few lines if that is all that is needed or the song in full if the text needs it and credit to the author in either case, traditional songs are treated the same but credited as Traditional.

This is a fiction story, not fantasy and while there is a lot of passion and some very erotic action in later parts and in book two if you are looking for raw action then I am sorry but this isn’t the book for you.




Chapter Eleven
On The Third Day
ii. Midday

“Put him back girl, he’s too old for you.” We surface rapidly, both of us blushing a bit, I hide behind my tankard, for a moment I am confused; I don’t recognise the lady behind the voice.
“Chrissie, what are you doing here, I thought you were going out,”
“I have gone out, that’s why I’m here and not at home, and you aren’t the only one who can swan off unescorted, although you don’t look at all unescorted to me.”
“Sorry Chrissie, this is Frank, my white knight on a silver charger, without him I don’t know what might have happened, Frank this is Chrissie, my neighbour and protector, she has been dropping dark hints about David for a fair while, I’m glad I didn’t listen to her though, if I had I would never have come here and met you. How did you find us by the way?”
“I just walked along the fence asking for Jenny Saunders or Blackwater, over the other side half a dozen people said they were Blackwater and I could leave my stuff there, you were walking round the field with your ‘betrothed’, and that you were in a green dress. From what they said you have an awful lot of explaining to do, young lady.”

“I have no explaining to do, especially to an elderly control freak like you.” This was said with a smile from both of them, so no malice intended. Chrissie was young, probably twenty-six to thirty, blonde, and very pale skinned, five foot six, and she carried a bit more flesh than Jenny, and looked healthier for it.“Flower, shall we shake our fists at the mischief makers over the way.”
“That sounds like a good idea, how about a bonus raspberry as well, my love.” We do it and giggle like a couple of school kids, as Blackwater wave back.”
“Come on Jenny, I worry about you, you are such an innocent in a very strange place, what did that ‘betrothed’ mean.”

“I don’t have time now, and I don’t want to tell all the details anyway, but Frank took me in, cared for me, helped me through a very difficult afternoon and fed me, in the evening he took me to meet some friends of his, Blackwater Morris, he and his late wife Lynda danced with them for a few years. They were very pleased that I was with Frank, I couldn’t find a safer berth, were their exact words, after a social evening of singing and a couple of glasses of wine, we came back to the van, Frank rearranged the sleeping bags and duvet into two single beds, we slept through to morning, He didn’t lay a finger on me, and idiot that I am, I tried to tempt him, but he didn’t fall into temptation, after that I knew he was someone special. For reasons I don’t yet understand, Sue and Val ended up having a bet over whether we were emotionally involved, we found out about it and turned it around on them, and in doing so we discovered we each have some fairly intense feelings for the other, last night, we sang two songs together, now they are trying to marry us off,”

“I have further news on that front love, you remember after your little paddy Ken said “Frank, if I were you I’d get on one knee, ask her and when she says yes make sure ‘obey’ is in the vows” Jenny nods yes;
“When I went into the awning to get your beer Ken gave me some very specific orders and I quote ‘there or thereabouts’, ‘Not if but when you pop the question, and she says yes, if she wants someone to give her away can you book my place at the head of the queue, I know I’ve known her less time than you but she can easily get to someone, you and her are like peas in a pod, she’s special. See you later in the Gordon, ok?’ What do you say to that then love?” Jenny’s eyes start to fill, I hold her, and we start to sway to that tune we both know so well but neither can hear.

“Frank, my flower, are we both that easy to read? I know how I feel, and I have a very good idea of your feelings, but it is only six months since you lost Lynda are you ready to start again?”

I whisper in her ear, “If I asked, would you say yes?” Jenny whispers her reply,
“Of course I would, when were you thinking of asking?”
“I am sorry to say it, but not now, if Blackwater and Tribal got to know, we might as well take out adverts on the television, I was thinking of tomorrow morning over breakfast, after I had tired you out a couple of times.” We come apart and face Chrissie,
“Chrissie, this must be very strange for you, why did you come down here? It must have cost a fortune, how long did it take?”
“Only a couple of hours driving and a quarter of an hour of waiting time, As to why, when you spoke to me yesterday, I could tell from your voice and word choices that something significant had happened, I wasn’t willing to wait until you got round to telling me so I came to find out exactly what was going on, and now I have a confession to make, I have borrowed your tent and a sleeping bag, ‘just in case’ I wanted or needed to stay.”

“That’s perfectly ok, so now you are here what are you going to do, we were planning on going down to the town watch some dancing, and have a liquid lunch at the Gordon, would you care to keep us company,”
“I will but only if you have space for a gooseberry.”
I chip in with, “You will be right at home here, there are enough fruitcakes around here already and an extra gooseberry wouldn’t be noticed or thought out of place.”
“Well my flower, should we go and have a few choice words our friends in Blackwater, would you care to choose them or may I”
“I would be very interested in your choice of words when we meet them, if they are as interesting as previous encounters, I think Ken and Sue will need a couple of pint’s apiece to help them recover. Should we cut across or finish our lap?”
“The sooner we see our ‘friends’ in Blackwater the better, race you, no…. I can’t run in this dress, come here my flower,” and we walk back to our van with our arms around each other.”

Chrissie, walking a couple of yards behind, thinks to herself, ‘She’s so involved with him, I hope he hasn’t hurt her; it is said that the lord protects fools and lovers, but I’ve never seen her near a church; I’ve only known her a couple of years, she was the younger sister I never really got to know, I won’t half miss her if it works out for her’.

As we get closer to our van ‘when did it become our van’, another change, neither planned nor asked for but welcome all the same, these are the sorts of little changes that help to prove to myself that what we are doing is right for us, Val and Sue start towards us, I can see curiosity seeping out of every pore, if they were cats, curiosity would have terminated them both years ago. Who will speak first? I will.
“Why do I suddenly feel a bit outnumbered? Five to one isn’t fair”
“There are only two of us, or have you got double vision,” Says Sue
“Don’t forget Chrissie, and Kath and her daughter, coming up behind, I don’t know her name.”
“It’s Charlotte, we all call her Charlie and she’s nine going on nineteen”
“Like I say, Five to one, that’s not fair.”

“Jenny’s on your side, Charlie’s too young, two to one is fair enough!” Jenny retorts with, “I’m on no one’s side; I’m only batting for me. Everyone in the awning now! I’m not messing. Everyone enters, those that are inclined take a beer, I pour one for Jenny, “Thank you, my flower,” and pour one for myself, Jenny starts to talk in a very schoolmarm voice, I watch as Charlie nearly stands to attention.
“Right listen up all of you, Friday afternoon and early evening were a proper nightmare for me, thanks to Frank and Chrissie,” here she lifts her tankard and salutes us both;
“I made it through the night. Saturday was dominated by my legs and how much of them should be on display, also by the bet about Frank and me, when we called you on it and admitted our feelings towards each other those were not enough for you.”

“When we left last night I wouldn’t be surprised if you were marrying us off, and I know plans had already been made as to where we would dance. Earlier, Ken told Frank, and I quote, make sure ‘obey’ is in the vows. Finally, the icing on the wedding cake, he wants to give me away. If and or when I marry I would like Erica and Chrissie to work out between themselves who is to give me away and who is bridesmaid. This isn’t a little ‘got you going’ rant like earlier these are our lives you are playing silly buggers with and I will not stand for it. Is that understood? Those who cannot accept this may leave our van now.” Nobody moves.

“It looks like I’ve put my foot royally in it again, I can only say that I am sorry, so sorry I upset you Jenny, I guess it proves Sue to be right, I shouldn’t be allowed out without a keeper, can you please forgive me, Frank knows that I do not understand the meaning or use of tact and sensitivity, that, I am afraid, you will have to accept if you hang around with me and Blackwater.” Sue interjects with “It’s not all your fault, pet I shouldn’t have started the bet with Val, mind you, I stand by what we said about the clothes.”

Val addresses the whole awning, “Frank, Jenny, we are all sorry if our antics caused offence or upset you in any way, that wasn’t our intention, we know Frank and he knows us, to him, it’s probably water off a ducks back. Jenny, don’t let us spoil what you have or want, if you want it, go get it girl.”
“I want to go see some dancing and get a drop or three of Nelsons Blood, but first having hopefully put our points of view across, I need to do the hostess bit, everyone, this is Chrissie, my next door neighbour and my best friend, Chrissie, from the door round the table Ken, he is squire of Blackwater, next is Sue, Ken’s partner, Val her partner in crime and next Harry, Sue’s partner, standing is Charlotte, known as Charlie she belongs with Kath and Richard. Finally there is Frank, former member of Blackwater and another half dozen other sides as well, widower and light of my life. Right five minutes and we are off to town, ok.” This gets a
“Yes Miss” practically in unison from Ken and Sue, they are well used to being corrected by spirited individuals. We all eventually rise from the table and leave the awning, Jenny and I first, followed by Chrissie, then Blackwater in pairs with Charlie bringing up the rear, I whisper to Jenny,
“Does this feel like a wedding procession to you?” She turns and looks and bursts out into a fit of very schoolgirl like giggles,
“Yes, it looks that way, doesn’t it? It only needs Charlie beside Chrissie to complete the illusion. Parade Halt!” Calls Jenny. “This is not a rehearsal.” There are a few chuckles over this as they look around and realise what we look like. A people carrier pulls up beside us and three more Blackwater people alight and join us, The car drives down to the bottom of the field, the driver and front seat passenger get out and are joined by Andy and Lisa who come out of their camper van, and all walk back to us. When they get back to us, Ken does the introductions,

“Day trippers, meet Chrissie, Jenny and Frank, Chrissie is new to all of you, she hails from Bishops Stortford, The day trippers are Jerry, Debbie, and Alan, I assume you collected Mark and James on the way up,” Jerry replies. “Yes, they were looking sorry for themselves, slogging uphill in the heat. Nice to meet you all, are you dancers?” I reply for us, “I used to be, I can play a bit and Jenny and Chrissie aren’t involved, at the moment.” Jenny gives me a very relaxed smile, Chrissie; I feel is totally out of her depth.
“Jenny wanted to go down town to watch some more dancing; we will be leaving in a minute, who else is coming?” To Jenny I say;
“Do you need anything out of the van, my treasure?”
“No thanks, but could we put the stuff that Chrissie bought inside.”
“Of course treasure.” and I lift tent, bag and I assume spare clothes into the van.

“Frank, can we have the use of your awning for a bit, we’ll zip up when we come down in an hour or so?” Asks Richard.
“Of course, no problem, see you later.” Nine of us set off for the town, Harry and Val, Ken and Sue, Andy and Lisa, Jenny, Chrissie and I. We three walk a bit slower and are soon ten yards behind, and at this point, Chrissie says to Jenny, “You aren’t the same person that left on Friday, your confidence is sky high, the way you talked to them in the awning, the way you are holding onto Frank, what happened to you this weekend, has Frank been good to you.”

“He hasn’t only been good to me; he has been very good for me, Firstly, could you see me standing up in front of people I only met the day before and singing a song as a duet that I hadn’t even heard a day before. Secondly, because David was supposedly bringing my clothes down on Friday I only had the clothes I stood in, Frank lent me one of his t-shirts and got very creative with a bandana, I could not believe how good he made me look in an xl tee, and later we went clothes shopping round the charity shops, have you ever seen me in a skirt, a short skirt at that about six inches above the knee? This is a dress he bought for me, Blackwater think it needs to be a couple of inches shorter would you believe? Isn’t it gorgeous? And lastly so far, Frank, my flower, did you notice that I said ‘our van’ when I was having a paddy, that wasn’t a slip of the tongue, that was how I felt about it. Is that another of those ‘little changes’ that you mentioned?”

“Yes love, I have been thinking in terms of ‘our’ since yesterday evening.”
“Chrissie, can you tell me more of what happened yesterday, I can’t believe the police got there so quickly”
“I might have had something to do with that, you know Terry, the local PCSO, I saw him outside the block after I moved into yours, I called down to him from the balcony and asked him to come up for an official chat, I gave him a mug of tea and let him loose on my biscuit tin while I explained who we are, where we live, where you were, and why, he didn’t seem overly interested until I mentioned that it was David Andrews who had diverted you Fdown here, after that he asked a few more questions, he had a wander round and made a couple of security suggestions for the future, and one for overnight.

He called again just after 10 am, as the man from the locksmiths was leaving, no discount by the way. Terry said that they thought David might be paying me a visit between midday and 2pm they were that confident, they asked if a couple of PCs could wait in the flat, rather than moving officers around outside. I gave consent on your behalf, I had one male and one female officer with me, she asked if she could play your dad’s guitar, again I gave the go ahead, she was good; she played five or six songs and sung along.
Her radio beeped, the guitar was hung up and the pair of them went into the hall, within a minute I could hear a key going in the lock, an attempt to open the door, then a fair bit of thumping and banging on the door and a lot of very colourful language, when the police opened the door an inch David charged the door, was tripped and handcuffed in next to no time, he was arrested for a public order offence, as Terry explained when he came in, that is more of a holding charge than anything, when you give a statement they will be able to bring more significant charges against him, from overheard conversations I gather once he is under arrest they should be able to search his home, looking for stolen goods, and even possibly tie him in with some of the local drug dealers. I told you he was bad news didn’t I girl?

“Yes you did, thank you so much for all you have done for me this weekend.” By the time the news had been exchanged, we had cleared U.C.A. and from the high end of the field we could look across the Medway and see all the new development on the rivers banks, Blackwater have stretched their lead to fifty yards. I was between the two girls, Jenny on my right, Chrissie to my left, Jenny and I have our arms round each other, I talk quietly directly to her.

“Jenny love, are you going to give Chrissie a clue as to what she might be seeing today.”
“I don’t think I will, you didn’t help me when we came down yesterday,”
“That’s different, I assumed you learnt something from Blackwater Friday evening and when you saw them in kit Saturday morning.”
“No my flower, Chrissie is going in the deep end, I hope Tribal do the same to her as they did to me.” This last statement was said very quietly. Jenny has a low and slightly evil sense of humour, this could be great fun, it’s a pity she is in a dress, Bishop Gundulphs Longsword side could had some fun with her if she were in trousers.

“I think we ought to move a bit quicker, we don’t know if they are going straight to the Gordon or stopping at The Eagle or even The Two Brewers.”
“Frank my flower, I don’t want to get rid of you but could you walk on and catch them up to find out what they’re doing, I would like some girl talk time with Chrissie.”
“Ok treasure, I will wait for you outside The Eagle, See you in a bit, I love you. As Frank moves on ahead, Jenny asks Chrissie if we can sit here and talk for a bit.
“Of course girl, what’s on your mind?”
“It’s your mind I am thinking of, I am fully aware that you think of me as a younger sister, so put your older sister head on and start asking and listening.”
“Ok Jenny, You say he hasn’t hurt you, what has he done, honestly?”
“I am still a virgin, if that’s what you are asking”
“Ok you haven’t had sex, what have you done?”
“Honestly, all he has done is to stroke and play with my boobs, and we have done a lot of kissing, a heck of a lot of kissing, he knows how to move me.”
“What do you mean by that, Jenny?”

“Frank made me come twice this morning, just by kissing and playing with my boobs.” That’s how he moves me.”
“Life isn’t just orgasms Jenny, girl. What else has he got going for him?”

“I trust him totally, I have told him things that I can’t tell you, He has told me things about himself and his history, which makes me love and trust him even more.”
“That’s the first time you’ve used the love word in its proper context, if I am an older sister to you what do you think Erica will say about Frank,”
“It doesn’t matter what Erica thinks, she won’t be having a say in what we decide to do. As I said earlier I would like you and Erica as bridesmaid and to give me away if and or when I get married.”
“Last question Jenny, and our friendship rests on an honest answer, what were the two of you whispering about, back on the track?”
“Frank said, ‘if I asked would you say yes?’ I replied, ‘of course I would, when were you thinking of asking?’
“I am sorry to say it, but not now, if Blackwater or Tribal found out, we might as well place adverts.”
“Ok Jenny, as Val said, if you want it, go get it girl.”

“Thank you Chrissie, I hoped you would understand, I do love him, I am fully aware he might be dead before I’m fifty, that really hurts but I don’t get a choice in the matter.

“Hi Jenny, everything ok?” A voice behind them asked, we both turned and Chrissie jumped as we were faced with a Morris Man blacked up and in black, white and green tatters. Jenny asks,
“Tribal? Yes”
“Yes, we met here yesterday, I’m Darren, see you down town later, right?”
“Yes we are moving in a minute, if you see Frank, please tell him we are on our way and when you see Michael, Chrissie here needs the same as me, ok.”
“You know a lot of people now, don’t you?”
“I’ve only met and been introduced to about twenty people, but Frank and Lynda danced or played for I think seven sides together, that’s a lot of people. Tribal have asked Frank if they can run an ‘ale’ for Lynda one year on, Frank reckons they might get a hundred people for that. As I told Darren, we had better start walking, if we are going to meet Frank on time.” We stand and walk together along the rest of the bowling green and towards the play area and I put my arm in Chrissie’s as we often do around Stortford.

“Are you interested in this Morris stuff because it’s interesting or is Frank pushing you into it?”
“It’s all me. I don’t think Frank knows how to push, I have never seen or heard anything like it before in my life, and I’m not going to describe it, I don’t want to give you any preconceived ideas. But at one point yesterday Frank invited me stand beside him in the band while he played his melodeon, as the dancers finished and moved off they came through the band, the last pair holding hands together aloft as they went either side of me. The band then moved to where the dancers had been, I was right in the middle of them, I’ve never felt a rush like it. Well not until this morning. Frank and Ken reckoned I was becoming a Morris Junkie!” A woman in whites, with blue and green trim is walking towards us.

“Hi Jenny.” She says,
“Hi.” I reply.
“Who was that?” Asks Chrissie.
“I have absolutely no idea, probably a member of a side that Frank and Lynda danced with sometime, I don’t even think I saw them dance yesterday. I would guess that the Morris grapevine or at least the Essex, Suffolk and Kent parts of it has me tagged and identified the length of Rochester High Street by now.”As we are waiting at the lights at the exit from the gardens, two ladies in long green and grey pinafore dresses come alongside side us.

“Hi Jenny, what’s it like being caught in the Blackwater trap?”
“Very confusing.” Is my honest and heartfelt reply.
“Stick with it and you’ll soon have them trained, see you later”. And with a tapping of clogs they were across the road, our light goes green so we cross behind them.
“See what I mean, I think they are Winstree Hundred from Mersea Island, but don’t quote me on it.” The rest of the way down we talk girl stuff about Stortford and I try to talk about Chrissie’s love life, still non-existent according to Chrissie, and she changes the subject to work, she is a clerk in Harlow NHS Hospital, some of the things she has to handle make me cry, she is part of the organ transplant admin team. Franks words about ‘Without you’ spring to mind ‘the intensity decreases the more familiar you become with the emotions it provokes’ that has to be true otherwise Chrissie couldn’t function.

We are just before the start of the High St. and there is a hole in the wall machine, only a couple of people in a queue so I wait my turn to get some cash, fifty should do, we are going home tomorrow and I still have twenty and change. Transaction complete we move into the High St.


Chapter Twelve
The Third Day
iii. Afternoon
Fifty yards further on are the Whitchmen, I hope they are about to start, my stride lengthens, “Keep up Chrissie.” we get there just as the band are starting, we are on the side of the road by the first of the dancers. When I saw them yesterday they used short sticks about a foot long, this time the sticks are thicker and three feet long, they put a lot of work into swinging and clashing the sticks, as they weave along the sides I am still struck by how quiet their movements are, they are very confident, small talk and banter between the dancers, I would want a hard hat!