Chapter 8 – Tuesday afternoon November 2nd 1841 Hassocks station
Sylvanus went straight to the lone cab standing outside of Hassocks station.
‘Take me to Poynings will you kind Sir. As fast as you may.’
‘Certainly Sir, as fast as.’
They set off West along the road signposted to Hurstpierpoint.
‘Anywhere special in Poynings Sir?’
‘I am looking for a lady. Annie is her name.’
‘Lots of young gentlemen are looking for a lady.’
‘This is a very special lady. I am just a little worried that she may be spoken for and not quite the lady I knew just a few days ago in Brighton.’
‘Well I imagine that there should be someone in the Public House there who will know the name. It is a rather nice establishment known as the Royal Oak and I don’t mind to say that I have had a few beers in there myself of a Saturday night.’
They passed through the beautiful Wealden village of Hurstpierpoint perched atop a sandstone ridge before turning left at the crossroads beside the old church to head south down Brighton Road.
‘They call this here Muddleswood crossroads for some reason and if you look to the hills over there at the foot you will see Poynings. They have very good spring water all along there.’
Sylvanus basked in the autumnal morning and relished the distant views of the rolling green downs as the horse continued its regular clip clop punctuated with the occasional snort.
It took hardly more than another half an hour before they passed Poynings church on the left and dropped down across the chalk stream and past Frank Shaw’s blacksmith forge.
‘Frank is the reason I have been here often. He is one of the best smithys around and can turn his hand to anything from hooves to wheels. He will be closed for lunch, in the pub more likely.’
As they entered the village proper the pub was clearly evident on the right.
‘Would you like me to wait while you get directions?’ asked the cabbie.
‘No I think I will be fine from now on kind Sir. Here’s some money for you, I hope it is enough?’
‘Yes Sir three times enough.’
‘Keep the change. You have been very kind and it is a long way back.’
Sylvanus took a deep breath before entering the Royal Oak and walked directly to the bar. Inside it was dark and cigarette smoke hung heavy under the creamed ceiling.
The bar was built of massive oaken timbers like those from the Wealden forest which had supplied the world with timber since Roman times.
‘Excuse me landlord, I am looking for a young girl with several sisters called Annie.’
‘Annie you say. That sounds like your sister in law Annie Norman doesn’t it Frank.’
‘Sure does.’ replied Frank.
‘Are you the famous Frank Shaw the blacksmith?’
‘I am and who would you be?’
‘I am an acquaintance of Annie from Brighton. I have to say my cabbie was very complimentary about your skills.’
‘You haven’t come to chase for the money have you.’
‘No. Not at all. I gave her the money for her father’s medicine.’
‘Well that is a kind gesture Sir. He is my father in law William. Annie is my wife’s younger sister.’
‘I heard she was from a large family of sisters.’
‘Yes and right beauties the lot of them.’ Replied Frank proudly.
‘Anyhow you should find her attending to Bill across the street at Dyke View the family house. You can’t miss it across the road and the right hand one of the two houses.’
Sure enough the right hand house was named Dyke View, Sylvanus once again plucked up courage to knock. The door was neatly inset under a porch in the North West corner of the house beside an alley which led to the hills beyond the allotment gardens.
‘I’ll go.’ He heard a sweet voice say from behind the strong oak door.
As the door opened he saw a picture of beauty framed in the hallway.
‘Annie is it you?’
‘Oh Vaney, I though I would never see you again.’
They hugged spontaneously.
‘And I you. I was lost without you.’
‘I was wrongfully sacked from the hotel as someone saw me changing the money up in the till. Sacked without proof or evidence.’
‘Never mind Annie. I too was nearly in the same or worse condition when I witnessed a noble lady murdered on Saturday evening but I too am exonerated.
I have to ask if you are free and single as I supposed?’
‘I am Sir and you?’
‘Yes.’
‘Who is it dear?’ came the call from inside.
‘It is the kind gentleman who supplied the finances for father’s medicine.’
‘Bring him in.’
‘Good day, Mrs. Norman is it?’
‘Yes, and I believe we have a great debt owing to you for saving my husbands life. He is much better now thanks to the medicine. And here he is in his favourite chair to prove it.’
‘I am truly indebted to you Sir.’ replied William with a croaky chesty voice.
William sat in a throne like chair facing the roaring fireplace and in the plain light of the large sash windows which looked out on the high street.
‘No it is not I but your daughter that saved you, I am only here to offer her a job if you would permit me?’ replied Sylvanus.
‘I am a psychiatrist by profession and I would like to start a Psychiatric practice and detective agency in Brighton to accompany my London practice and I would like Annie to be my housekeeper, personal assistant and administrator and assistant if she would consider it.
I will also send you £5 a week for the pleasure of letting her work for me and to allow you to keep fit and strong.’
‘Oh Sir that would be wonderful if Annie considers it a fitting job.’ added her mother.
‘Well Sir as I have no better offer today I would like to take you up on your wonderful opening.’ said Annie.
‘Excellent; well we must waste no time to find an establishment with boarding for you in fashionable Brighton.’
Annie looked as excited as can be without exploding and replied with her final verdict.
‘Well the coach will be through in an hour and I can be ready if I start now.’
‘Wonderful, I will see to it you get a room of your own in hotel, or perhaps we will take two rooms in the Grand. Here is to all our futures and a wonderful fresh beginning for us all.
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Chris Cook
Bibliography – List of Books
Complimentary Books – Fill your boots and eReaders
I like to give away books free from time to time. I have a couple that are always free on or just get in touch with me for a download. e.g.
Self Help
How to retire early
How to play lawn or carpet bowls
Think your way out of Adversity.
Photography
60+ secrets of Professional Photographers
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70+ Professional DSLR Photography Tips.
70+ Professional Bridge and Compact Photography Tips.
70+ City Break Professional Photography Tips.
60+ Professionals Holiday Photography Tips.
70+ Professional Cruise Photography Tips.
Get in touch for these free guides below
70+ Professional Mobile Cell Phone Photography Tips.
Coming off Auto Professional Photography Tips
Composition tips of professional photographers.
Quizzes
Making money from Quizzes
Books and publishing
How to make a living from free books.
How to write an eBook in a month.
The Bloomsbury Group
The Essence of Bloomsbury – The Bloomsbury Group
Humour
How to be funny – a fun course.
Novels
Sylvanus Kent’s first story. To Be Beside. – The first case.
Sylvanus Kent’s 2nd Story
Free various places or from me at
[email protected] Other Books and Genres – Non Fiction & Self Help
Simply send me an email at
[email protected] stating the format or device you would like the story for e.g. eReaders or P.C.
Self Help
Living the Dream series
Living the Dream
Other books in this Living the Dream series
The Calabrian (Mafia) Cookbook (2016)
Sun Reiki (2017)
How to retire Gracefully (Post Brexit)
How to make money from Quizzes
How to make a living from Quizzes
MAVIK – philosophy & Religion
How to be funny – a funcourse.
Publishing
How to write an eBook in a month
Photography
PhotoSafari Photography Series
Mediterranean Cruise Photography Guide.
Mediterranean and holiday / vacation photography (2017)
Mediterranean Cruise Photography Guide.
Caribbean Cruise Photography Guide.
Asia Cruise Photography Guide.
Venice Photosafari Photography Guide
London Photosafari Photography Guide
Brighton Photosafari Photography Guide
Quizzes
How to make a living from Quizzes
Bloomsbury Group publications
Virginia Woolf.
Life in Squares -
Virginia Woolf, Monks House and the Bloomsbury group
Charleston @ 100 - The first hundred years of Charleston house under the Bloomsbury group.
The Longest Walk - Virginia Woolf’s amazing existence.
The Essence of Bloomsbury.
Bloomsbury On Sea.
Fiction
Sylvanus Kent stories – by Chris Cook
1. To Be Beside –– set October 1841 Published August 2012
2. “Love to be” set over Christmas 1841 it is perfect seasonal reading. Published October 2012.
3. Beside the Seaside set Feb (Valentines 1842) Published August 2012 1,2, and 3 published as 'The Seaside Trilogy'
4. 'Oh I do' The grand Tour of the Mediterranean and Italy. Set June – Sept 1842 Published August 20135. The hunt continues (to follow)
Follow Sylvanus on Facebook
[email protected] / Twitter @SylvanusKent, web site https://sylvanuskent.webs.com/ and blog (join the Sylvanus members club)
Other Novels by Chris Cook
Deia Vu
Where the Time Goes Treasure Quest (Pub 2015)
The quest for a pirate treasure.
Messages in Bottles
The Calabrian dream – how it all started (2016)
Mafiabria (2016)
Bowled Over (2017)
MHXXX - The story of the lost airliner (2017)
Children’s fiction books
The Giants of Mid Sussex -
Winner of the Mid Sussex Author of the year competition.
The Last Dragon
Ruby The Dinosaur.
Availability
Books are available at various places on the internet or in a variety of formats from the publisher and Author. Email :-
[email protected] Other Formats of eBooks- Other Publications available for eReaders, P.C. Tablets on...epub, .mobi . htm .pdf and. .txt format etc.
Chris Cook Biography
Chris Cook was born at an early age in Sussex and still lives on the Sussex coast in England where you will find some of his stories are set.
Chris has had a very varied life and never quite found his niche which mean he is always looking and exploring new avenues.
His first job paid was a professional photographer and trainer. From here he progressed into I.T. and flight simulation and from here into literature and quizzes.
He has travelled the world lecturing in 36 countries from Brazil to Japan and all stations in between. Chris is also pleased to speak at events on all things to do with writing and publishing.
In recent years Chris has been working at Bloomsbury Group houses in Sussex to improve visitor’s experiences.
In 2016 he set up Vivendum Ltd. which is an internet publishing house consultancy to help people living the dream.
Get in touch with the author...
You can contact the author at
[email protected] © Copyright 2017 Chris Cook
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