The Roaring Twenties

Jack spied Doc sitting in a far corner sucking on an unlit pipe, unlit because it was not considered proper for people to smoke whilst food was being served. Jack demolished his fish and chips in record time then wandered over to the Doc.

"Hi Doc, can I ask you to step outside for a moment? You can smoke your pipe while you think over my question."

Once outside Jack explained the strange events of the morning. Doc looked at Jack quizzically over the end of his pipe as he lit it.

"So you're interested in the old Manse are you? 'Twill cost a pretty penny to restore it but no doubt you already know that and will have done your sums. One thing you don't know is that it doesn't actually belong to the Church Diocese. oh they posture themselves as its guardians but look at the state that they have let it get into."

"So who DOES own it, and will they sell do you think? asked Jack, eager to know more.

"Now there's a thing, you have seen the handiwork of the owner but not Old Jess herself, yer not likely to either unless you can convince her that you don't intend to demolish the place. Jess is well into her eighties and has spent her whole life there, she'd be heartbroken to see it consigned to rubble."

"Where? How does she live then?"

"She lives in the basement, just a few necessities, bed, table, rocking chair, stew pot etcetera."

Jack was flabbergasted and thanked the Doc and went back to Penny.

Penny watched Jack eat his fish as if there was a time limit on his meal before he headed over to Doc. Penny herself ate at a more leisurely pace and was only half finished when Jack left. The fish was the best fish she had ever had, and they had made her chips a bit crispier as she preferred and she happily crunched away as Hettie sat down beside her.

"Penny, me best dress is navy. Will t'at work fer tha weddin'?"

"Anything will work. As long as you are there to stand beside me. You're my best friend here."

They chatted for a minute before she asked her questions.

"How many people live on Lundy?"

"Well, it changes. Oi'd say 'bout twenty-free or twenty-four. 'Y?"

"Well, does someone live in that shell of a house by the church?"

Hettie sucked her teeth as she thought. "That could be Old Jess. Oi can't say as Oi seen 'er in several years. Far as Oi 'members, awl tha turist 'ave left tha island." She grinned at Penny. "Yew an' Jack don't count as turist as yew are livin' 'ere and gettin' married 'ere."

"Old Jess?"

"She's a recluse. Really 'as nuthin' ta do wif ofers on Lundy, t'at Oi knows uv." The woman looked at her. "'Y yew askin'? Yew seen fings?"

"Just curious."

Penny looked up to see Jack coming back inside with a look that told her that he had definitely found out something.

After a while, once everyone was through eating and the beer was flowing freely, the singing started and soon everyone was singing 'Wotcher My Old Brown Son'.

Now I'm a funny sort of chap, I never like to be
Mixing up myself with other people's company
Whenever I'm a-walking out I like to be alone
I'm as happy as can be when I'm upon me own
No matter where I am. If I'm a thousand miles away
Someone's sure to come and slap me on the back and say.

'Wotcher my old Brown son, How are yer?
'Wotcher my old Brown son, how are yer?
If you've got the money and the time to spare
Come and have a 'tiddly' at the old Brown Bear
You look fine, put your hands in mine
Never mind if it weighs a ton
Why, don't you look a swell, you are a-looking well
Wotcher my old Brown son.'

Now the other afternoon as I was feeling rather blue
I went to Madame Tousauds 'cos I'd nothing else to do
Just to cheer me up I took the wife along with me
Went to do the chambers, the horrors for to see
I began to tremble when the missis ran away
As I looked at Charlie Peace I thought I heard him say.

Wotcher my old Brown son, How are yer?
'Wotcher my old Brown son, how are yer?
If you've got the money and the time to spare
Come and have a 'tiddly' at the old Brown Bear
You look fine, put your hands in mine
Never mind if it weighs a ton
Why, don't you look a swell, you are a-looking well
Wotcher my old Brown son.'

I shan't forget when I got married. Talk about a fight
Me and my old woman just as happy as you like
We got to bed but hadn't been asleep by two before
There was someone down below a-knocking at the door
I looked out the window. I said, What's the matter, ay?'
The fellow said, 'There's nothing up, I've only called to say,

Wotcher my old Brown son, How are yer?
'Wotcher my old Brown son, how are yer?
If you've got the money and the time to spare
Come and have a 'tiddly' at the old Brown Bear
You look fine, put your hands in mine
Never mind if it weighs a ton
Why, don't you look a swell, you are a-looking well
Wotcher my old Brown son.'

Jack sat down next to Penny seeing that she was all agog wanting to know what he had found out.
"I'll tell you when we get home, Mrs Triffit has just arrived her ears flapping already,I want to keep this under wraps until it's settled."
They joined in the sing song and then strolled home arm in arm stopping several times for a kiss.
Jack sat down at the table with loads of paper and began scribbling as he told Penny what Doc had told him.

When he had finished he sat Penny on his knee.

"This is a list of our proposals to put to Old Jess assuming we can get her to talk to us."

Next morning they both went over to The Manse and called out for Jess, much to their surprise she appeared straightaway, not at all what they had imagined, she stood tall and straight her grey hair tied in a bun.

"You are here to make me an offer?"

Jack handed over the sheaf of papers and waited whilst she read them. She handed them back with a smile.

"I agree with everyone of your renovation proposals but I am afraid I cannot sell at the price you suggest. Do you have a pen or pencil ?

Old Jess took the papers back and made an amendment before giving them to Jack again, he looked at the amendment .
"You can't be serious you'll be missing out on thousands of pounds, five pounds a month rent providing we carry out the renovations? If you are serious you have a deal."

"You are no doubt wondering why such an offer, well I have been watching you both and you seem a decent enough couple and about to get married I hear," Her eyes twinkled as she continued "That is not all I hear, you have kept me awake many a night young Penny with your exhortations to Jack to 'ahem' fuck you hard, sound travels a long way in the countryside, I enjoy listening to you both and reminisce with my own memories. Don't worry I am not a voyeur.

Penny was blushing furiously whereas Jack had a stupid grin on his face.

"Shall I get this typed up for the solicitors?" Jack asked.
"No need for solicitors my word is good enough as is yours I hope.
She turned without another word and was gone.

Once they finally made it home, Jack proceeded to outline exactly what the plan was for renovations with the run down house. They wished to be totally fair to Old Jess, but they would have to wait until tomorrow to approach the woman to see if she was willing to deal with them.

That night, they made gentle love and she fell asleep in his arms feeling blessed that he had loved her enough to search across the width of England for her. She had run away in shame and pain, had lost Jack's baby, and yet he loved her and asked her to marry him and spend the rest of their lives together. His beating heart soothed her to sleep.

The next morning dawned grey and cold. Tomorrow was to be their wedding day. She had hoped that it would be a beautiful one, but as long as Jack loved her, it would be a perfect day no matter the weather.

They dressed and headed over to the Manse, calling out loud to Old Jess. The woman appeared, tall and proud.

You are here to make me an offer?

And so started the dealing. She really was not surprised when the woman made a counteroffer. But the counteroffer she made was somewhat shocking. It momentarily occurred to her that Jess was perhaps taunting them. The. The old woman spoke.

You are no doubt wondering why such an offer, well I have been watching you both and you seem a decent enough couple and about to get married I hear. That is not all I hear, you have kept me awake many a night young Penny with your exhortations to Jack to 'ahem' fuck you hard, sound travels a long way in the countryside, I enjoy listening to you both and reminisce with my own memories. Don't worry I am not a voyeur.

Penny was mortified. It had never occurred to her that she could be heard while in the Blue Bung. She would make sure that Jack would well insulate this place. No sense in letting the entire island know what she liked. She could have cheerfully slugged Jack's arm as he grinned like a schoolboy.

And with that, she and Jack would have their new home. She watched the retreating back of Old Jess before turning to face Jack.

"So, how long before the house will be ready for us to move in?"

Gleefully arm in arm and laughing hysterically hardly believing their luck they went back to the blue bung. Penny as usual was full of practicalities wanting to know how long before they could move in.

"Hold your horses darling, we need a Surveyor first then sort out a workforce so I reckon a minimum of three to four months."

The disappointment on Penny's face was apparent, Jack's thoughts however were concentrated more on the present and celebrating. A wicked smile on his face he backed Penny up against the kitchen table and hoisted her skirt up around her waist and slid her panties to her ankles.

"I reckon Old Jess is going to be expecting us to be celebrating so why not let her listen in?"

His cock a hard thick rod pressed between her legs as he sat her on the table,

"I hope you're in good voice baby." He chuckled as he slid inside her.

"What is on the menu today? Toad In The Hole with a good length thick sausage coated in your special sticky batter?"

He undressed Penny and gazed lovingly at her spread out on the kitchen table, she looked embarrassed, not, he guessed, from being about to be ravished on the kitchen table in the middle of the morning, but in the almost certain knowledge that Old Jess was listening in to every word and knew exactly what was going on.

Jack gave her one of his school boyish smiles which he had learned melted her into agreeing with anything he said.

"Forget Jess, baby, just lay back and think of England, she'll be expecting us to celebrate and we can't disappoint her can we ?"

He covered her body with his and gave her a good roasting, gleefully egging Penny on to become more vocal and louder.

As he stood up he laughingly said "After listening to you I would imagine the dear old girl is as wet as you."

He pulled Penny to her feet and lightly smacked her rear as she bent to gather her clothes.

"I am just going to work on the plans for a while then I'll be ready for lunch."

As usual, Jack had other things on his mind, almost as if to take her mind off of the disappointment of how long this would take. She found herself backed up against the kitchen table, his determined fingers lifting her skirt up and sliding her panties down.

I reckon Old Jess is going to be expecting us to be celebrating so why not let her listen in?

"Jack, if she can hear, so can others. I can't face people at the pub knowing that they heard us!"

Ignoring her words, he sat her on the table, pulling her ass to the edge of the table as he teased her.

I hope you're in good voice baby. What is on the menu today? Toad In The Hole with a good length thick sausage coated in your special sticky batter?

"Jack..." He grinned as he slid his member deep inside of her, his hands on her ass to pull her to him. Her dress was lifted over her head and she blushed at the thought of others listening in, of Old Jess hearing her in the throes of sexual passion. She wanted to stop him, but he grinned at her, and she forgot all about her reluctance to sex at the moment.

Forget Jess, baby, just lay back and think of England, she'll be expecting us to celebrate and we can't disappoint her can we ?

Before she had a chance to protest, he laid her out on the kitchen table and gave her a right rousing rogering, encouraging her to be quite verbal. Soon she was enjoying herself too much and managed to make enough noise to satisfy Jack and Old Jess.

Jack laughed at her as she blushed, quite sure that not only Jess, but the entire island heard the two of them. As she picked her clothes up of the kitchen floor, he gave her rump a spank he teased her.

I am just going to work on the plans for a while then I'll be ready for lunch.

"I'm fixing big sandwiches for lunch. Remember, Hettie is having a party for me at her house and Morgan is giving you your party at the pub. I don't want you getting too drunk tonight. And, that was the last sex for us until the wedding night. So I hope that you enjoyed that!"

She could tell that he had forgotten. "You are supposed to be at the pub at 8. And I suppose that I will be learning all about what Mrs. Triffit forsees our married life will be like."

She made a face. "I wonder if I should get drunk before I go?" She laughed.

The premarital celebrations passed without noticeable incident except for Morgan trying to extricate himself drunkenly from the rose bushes that lined the pathway to the pub. Everyone was in high spirits after a few drinks and there was a lot of back slapping and the usual ribald remarks regarding his and Penny's activities on their wedding night which Jack took in good part.

Jack awoke the next morning with a start and carefully and methodically showering, shaving and dressing in his wedding suit. He studied himself in the full length mirror thinking that he cut a fine figure of a man. It was only then that he realised that he had no idea WHERE the wedding was to take place.
In a panic the only place he could think of going to was the pub where, to his relief it seemed the whole of Lundy had gathered. He found the Doc, his best man and asked him anxiously,

"Shouldn't we be catching the ferry for the mainland soon, I don't want to be late at the church, wherever that is?"

Doc slapped him on the back, "Calm down Jack, it's all taken care of just stick with me.

After a pint of best ale had calmed him down he noticed the crowd thinning until there was only Doc and himself left.

"Time to go Jack, follow me." Announced Doc with a broad smile.

Jack followed him out of the door and they began the walk down to the harbour. Before they sighted the harbour they found the Islanders lining either side of the road and Captain Earl, waiting to greet him dressed in full uniform.

"Come along Jack and see where you are getting married." He chuckled turning the corner and there was the 'TIBBERT' decorated with balloons and gaily coloured bunting, a real picture.

THE TIBBERT

Jack gasped in amazement, almost choking up with emotion.

"All we are waiting for is the bride then we can set sail. said Captain Earl jovially.

"We have to get you down below you're not to see your bride 'til she's standing by your side."

He was quickly ushered below decks in a small cabin not knowing what was going on until he heard a loud cheer and a few minutes later the engines spluttered into life and they were on their way.

With her wedding dress on its hanger and hidden from prying eyes, Penny headed to Hettie's where the party was to take place, as well as where she was to spend the night. As far as the townsfolk knew, she was a widow so her dress, though white, was street length and not the full length with the long veil that would be from the average bride.

The party was well attended by all the island womenfolk, and Hettie had gone to great lengths to lay out a nice spread. Brian was at sea for several days so there was no chance of being invaded by men.

Mrs. Triffit pronounced that she had foreseen that the future Mrs. Freeman would be blessed with 4 children.

"Do twins run in your family, dear?"

"Twins. Good heavens, I hope not." Penny tried her best to look mortified.

"Funny, but I had the strangest feeling about twins."

A loud guffaw erupted from Hettie as she waved a hand at the woman. "Betty, yew've bin tryin' ta make every woman on this island 'ave twins."

About that time, Mary arrived. "Just left the guys all busy raising a glass to your Jack. Oh, and just so you know, Morgan asked to be released as Jack's best man. Oi told 'im that we were teasing about 'im 'aving to "do" you, Hettie. But he wanted to play it safe. Oi'm not sure who 'e'll ask now. When Oi left, all the men, save Morgan, we're offering to stand with Jack."

The party was pretty much over by 10:30, leaving just Penny and Hattie alone at Hattie's house. The two women just sat around talking until finally they headed to bed.

Bright and early Saturday morning, Hettie woke Penny up and the two had a nice breakfast before the older woman helped dress the younger one. Any time that Penny headed for a window, Hettie told her to stay away.

"I don't want to be late."

"Yew won't be late. Oi 'ave my eye on everyfing." Periodically, her matron of honor would peer out the window, until grinning, she told Penny, "It's time!"

Stepping outside, she noticed a crowd around the corner and down the dock to the Tibbert, with Capt'n Earl, dressed in his best uniform and wearing the biggest grin on his face, welcomed her aboard his boat and floating chapel. As she headed for the boat, there was a cheer that went up as she boarded, quickly followed by the rest of the islanders. Hattie and her were hidden away waiting as the boat, probably carrying more people than she ever had before, headed out into the open water towards the Bristol Channel.

"Jack is on board, isn't he?" Penny suddenly felt panicked that they might have left her future husband on Lundy.

"'oney, 'e came on 'fore yew. We're jist waitin' ta git far 'nough out ta start the weddin'."

The boat headed out away from the island.

Jack sat on the edge of the bunk in the tiny cabin nervously drumming his fingers on his knee.

"So what are your plans for the Manse?"

Doc broke the silence in an attempt to distract Jack from his nervousness.

"I,,,,,I,,, have them all in the hands of an architect," Jack began when the engines stopped and they heard the rumbling of the anchor chains as they plunged down to the bottom, securing them in position.

"It's time." announced Doc in a voice best suited to the hangman at an execution.

"Let's go do it." Jack replied, accepting his fate.

They stepped out onto the deck to applause from the gathered congregation. The Bristol Channel seemed to be paying lip service to what was happening, the normally choppy waters calm as a mill pond, the sun beating down.

They made their way to the forward deck where there stood a makeshift altar with a cross stood in the centre. To one side stood Captain Earl.

"Did I give you the rings?" Jack asked Doc in a whisper.

"Yes, indeed you did, I have them safe here in my pocket." chuckled Doc.

Seth Bloomsdale began playing his accordion, the strains of 'THE WEDDING MARCH' drifting over the wide expanse of the Bristol Channel.

All of Jack's nerves and doubts disappeared when Penny stood beside him looking radiant and smiling broadly. Jack reached out to grasp Penny's hand when Captain Earl gently reprimanded him.

"Uh Uh, no touching you's ain't married yet."

Jack blushed and hurriedly withdrew his hand.

"Dearly beloved we are gathered here today,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"
The rest of the service was a blur to Jack until he heard,

"By the powers invested in me I pronounce you man and wife, Jack you may now kiss the bride."

In one stride Jack had Penny i his arms and felt her soft full lips pressed to his and his tongue slipped between them into the warmth of her mouth.

The congregation applauded but was almost drowned out by the hooters of the small flotilla of pleasure boats that had surrounded them to witness the wedding.

The trip back was uneventful as each and every one of the Lundy Islanders offered their congratulations. The couple barely had time to draw breath until Jack managed to get Penny alone in the tiny cabin.

"Well Mrs Freeman, we've gone and done it now, we can do some baby making without fear now."
Jack grinned as one hand grasped Penny's breasts and the other slid under her dress and between her legs.

As they drew nearer to Lundy Jack pointed to a tiny figure on the headland.

"Look there Darling, Old Jess has come to welcome us."

The house took a little longer than they had planned to get it habitable, though it was finished in time for the birth of their first child, a boy that they named Charles, after Jack's best friend. The boy was a bonnie baby, and Old Jess took immediately to him. A year and a half later, their second son was born. They named him Jack Jr.

Even though Penny told Jack that she was alright with him contacting Charlie and telling him about what had happened, Jack knew her well enough that he knew that it would still bother her and he told her that everything was fine the way it stood.

And it was. The family fit right in with the rest of Lundy. Old Jess lived until the ripe old age of 97, just as spry and quick witted as the day when they first met her. Then one morning, she didn't appear at breakfast. They found that she had quietly died in her sleep the night before. The family was heartbroken as Old Jess was very much a part of the family. Doc went to his grave a couple of years after Jess. His was an unsolved murder, and it was assumed that perhaps a visiting tourist had done it for no one could imagine one of the islanders committing such a heInous crime. Perhaps it had been someone trying to rob the man and Doc had put up a fight.

Mrs. Triffit outlived her husband. Somehow, her 'gift' failed to warn her that Mr. Triffit was going to choke on a chicken bone. She died 5 years after her husband.

Hettie and Brian stayed together, and once a month, Capt'n Earl would wait until Brian was out fishing for a long stretch before coming over and on the pretext of tea with an old friend. He and Hettie would get together for a spanking session and quick fuck. Eventually though, after a couple of years it lost its appeal and they finally stopped, going back to being just friends.

And about Penny and Jack? They were very happily married for 21 years. One evening, Penny took a cold. Jack tried to get her to take it easy but she was hard-headed. Within 24 hours, it was pneumonia and 2 days later, she died in her true love's arms. Jack and the boys were devastated as Penny was buried in the small cemetery on the island. A year later, Charlie married a sweet girl from Ilfracombe and a year after that, Jack Jr. found a sweet girl that he fell in love with. When he brought her home to meet him, Jack's heart skipped a beat when his son introduced his fiancé, Clare Davis. The girl looked nothing like his Penny but he found that she's was from Barnstaple where she had been born and raised by her parents.

When he met Clair's parent, Davidson and Beryl Davis, Jack recognized the young man that had worked behind the counter all those years ago on Barnstaple - the young man that Penny had kissed. They recognized each other and after a while, Jack discovered that Davis had been so smitten by Penny and had loved the name 'Clare' so he and his wife had named their first daughter after Jack's true love.

Finally, Jack and Clare were together. Maybe not the original Jack and Clare, but in the grand scheme of things, it was meant to be. Somehow, Jack suspected that Penny would be happy with how things turned out.

Once things calmed down, Jack took a trip back to London and met with Charlie. It was great seeing his old friend and they each brought the other up on what had happened in their respective lives. Charlie was sad that Clare could not face him or George, but he understood and they drank a toast to her. Charlie himself had been married several times though at the moment, he was free. The men spent several days reminiscing about days gone by and how two girls named Edison had changed their lives.

Jack spend his days living on Lundy in the house he had built for him and Penny. Jack Jr. and Clare shared the house with him. Perhaps Mrs. Triffit had the 'sight' after all, as Jack Jr. and Clare did have 4 children, two girls and twin boys.

Many a blustery afternoon, Jack could be found walking past the Blue Bung on his way to the beach, walking the very paths that Penny had. The memory of many a happy afternoon spent in that small blue house, making love to Penny as they started their family behind those blue walls, almost seemed to haunt him. In the evenings, he would spend it at the pub, eating and laughing and singing with his friends.

And sometimes, he would turn to find Penny, standing there watching him, a smile on her face. "Until the end of time", she would say and he would smile and nod as she would fade from his sight. But he knew that she waited for him, and that when it was his time, she would not fade away but hold out her hand and he would join her, until the end of time.

*****

All stories run their course, as has this one. Cumnchat and I have greatly enjoyed writing the story of Jack and Clare/Penny, and we hope that you have enjoyed reading it. We thank you for taking time from your busy schedules to read The Roaring Twenties, and hope that you will also read other stories that we are also writing, both with other writers and with each other.

Sesame