Audrey, recently widowed, is not saying why she left her comfortable home in the south of England to move into an old school boarding house on the edge of a moor. Tina, a young estate agent, is concerned for Audrey’s safety as she believes the folklore about a schoolboy who never went home. Property developers, annoyed at losing a site ripe for demolition, make plans to encourage Audrey to sell. Malcolm, a charming widower, brings a welcome light into Audrey’s life until it shines into a very dark corner...
Purchase Links:
UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bridge-Eternity-Romola-Farr-ebook/dp/B07PPPTQZ5
US - https://www.amazon.com/Bridge-Eternity-Romola-Farr-ebook/dp/B07PPPTQZ5
Read an Extract
Describing the electrical charge when two people meet can be crucial to a romantic scene.
Every reader has a check list of what she finds attractive in a man (or woman) and it is
usually a combination of looks, charm, interests and career. Cleverly mixing up those
elements is essential for creating a fully-rounded character that may not be to the taste of the reader but the reader can, at the very least, understand the attraction. The following scene from Bridge to Eternity by Romola Farr is between Tina, who is twenty-one, and a Russian
property developer aged about forty. (Merlin Ward, Wildmoor Press)
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Tina pulled the chain and watched the force of water swilling around the decorative toilet bowl. She opened the door and crossed to the washbasins, conscious of a tall, blond man washing his hands a few basins to her left.
‘This is a first for me,’ he said.
Was he talking to her? She was not a hundred per cent sure.
‘I’m not used to sharing with woman.’ He looked at her.
Tina smiled. ‘It’s a first for me, too. Some of the graffiti is quite fruity.’
‘My name is Spartak.’ He approached her with his hand extended. ‘It is clean. I give you my word.’
Tina laughed and hastily dried hers on a paper towel. ‘Tina Small.’ They shook hands and she almost jolted from the electrical charge as her fine bones were encased by his palm.
‘Yes, I know who you are. I wanted to buy this house.’
Tina froze for a moment, her mouth slightly open. ‘The Russian brothers.’
‘Please do not judge me too harshly. My brother is like bull in tea shop.’
‘I had heard.’
‘Well, it is very pleasant to meet you. We are looking to develop more land, more old houses. Point me in right direction, and I will make you rich.’
‘It was very nice to meet you, too.’ She turned away from him and headed for the door.
‘Nothing illegal or immoral, I assure you. All I want is advance warning, so I can get my chicks in row.’
‘Ducks,’ she corrected him.
‘I apologise. I am not being entirely honest. I would like to take you out for drink because you are the most beautiful woman I have seen since I come to UK.’
Tina looked at the man who was almost twice her age and felt an overwhelming wave of desire, which shocked her. She couldn’t help but compare her boyfriend, Sean, and his lack of ambition with this sexy man whose sculpted looks were complemented by his drive to enrich himself, a quality Tina profoundly understood.
‘I bet you say that to all the estate agents!’ The door opened behind Tina, and she jumped out of the way.
‘I hope I’m not interrupting anything,’ said a young man with a smirk. He headed straight for the urinal, unzipping his fly en route.
‘Time for me to go, I think,’ Tina said, and she slipped through the door which swung to behind her. She eased her way through the throng to the top of the stairs and looked down into the hallway, which was buzzing with chatter.
‘I’d like us to live in a grand house like this,’ whispered Sean into Tina’s ear as he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind.
‘Then you’d better start earning more money.’
‘Don’t worry – I’ve got plans. Follow me.’
He almost dragged Tina up the short flight of stairs and down the long corridor to the stairway at the end. ‘Where are we going?’
‘To meet your little ghost boy.’
Tina pulled back on his hand. ‘It was just the clouds reflected in the glass. An optical illusion.’
‘Really?’ He led Tina up the next flight of stairs to the second floor. Boards creaked with every step they took. ‘It’s a bit chillier up here.’
‘Can we go down?’ Tina almost begged.
Keeping a firm grip on her hand, Sean climbed the final flight of stairs to the top landing. He let go of her and walked across to the window. ‘Wow. Great view from here. You can even see the old school on the moor. Glad I didn’t go there. It looks like a bloody prison or a lunatic asylum. Hey, I’ve got an idea. Why don’t you go back down and take a photo of me at the window with your phone?
See if I look like a ghost.’ He laughed.
Tina didn’t bother to respond. Instead, she entered the top dormitory room. Audrey’s clothes were neatly folded on the narrow beds. On the windowsill was a glass vase with a generous bunch of lilies.
Outside stood the oak tree, its leaves turning red and gold.
Sean came up behind her.
‘Why is she sleeping in here? There’s a much bigger room downstairs.’
‘Sean, we’ve gone as far as we can. ’
‘You’re right. Let’s get out of here.’
‘You go on ahead.’
‘What about tea? Do you think she’ll mind if we leave?’
She dug in her bag and pulled out two twenty-pound notes. ‘Here. Take a taxi.’
Sean looked at the money then at Tina. ‘What’s going on?’
‘Go home. We’ll talk later.’
‘Are you dumping me?’
‘I’m sorry.’
‘This is bollocks. I’m not leaving without you.’
‘Please, Sean.’
‘What if I can’t get a taxi? They’re always busy on Saturdays.’
‘I’m sure you can cadge a lift off someone.’
‘It’s this house. You’ve lost your mind.’ He snatched the cash out of her hand. ‘Call me tomorrow when you’re thinking straight again.’ He swung the dormitory door back on its hinges so that it bounced against the old plaster wall.
Tina sat on Audrey’s bed and put her face in her hands. She sneezed. She looked up – her eyes swimming. On the windowsill, the petals of the Spirited Grace lilies had opened and were emitting their intoxicating fragrance.
Tina delved into her handbag and set about repairing the damage her tears had inflicted on her cheeks. Less than happy with her work, she put her powder compact away, got up and opened the door.
Her heart skipped a beat.
Across the landing was a lone figure looking out of the window. He turned and looked at her.
‘We meet again,’ Spartak said. He crossed the landing, and she instinctively slid her arms around his neck. All thoughts of Sean evaporated from her mind as she tilted her head back and their lips touched.
Author Bio
“I started my working life in the theatre and was very lucky to find myself on the West End stage in a hit play at the age of 16. My career and life nearly ended there as I was knocked down by a car on the way home one Saturday night. I recovered and went on to be quite a successful photographic model. Later, when that part of my career did die, I turned to writing and made quite a good living writing screenplays, making films, and writing advertising copy for a marketing company. A few years ago I entered a short-story competition and fell in love with prose and knew I had to tell my own story within a fictional framework. At the moment I am hiding behind a nom de plume.”
Social Media Links
@RomolaFarr
No comments:
Post a Comment