Clemency's Point

Chapter Ten

March breezed in with warm sunny weather much to the relief of the whole village. Spring was definitely in the air and everyone was starting to take advantage of the rise in temperatures. Winter coats had been swapped for lightweight jackets and scarves had been discarded and some had even dared to don sunglasses to try and convince their winter brains to come out of hibernation. There was one person however who didn't really feel like getting in the sunshine mood. Jenny took the walk down High Street exactly a week and a day after the Leap Year Celebration, keeping her head down and generally avoiding all she came into contact with. As it was Sunday, this was easier than it had been in the past few days. Alex had been kind enough to let Jenny sleep in as he went off to the Village Green, cricket bat in hand, ready to start full on training. Jenny wasn't really in the mood for the role of referee but she was sure that it had been in her wedding vows somewhere so she resolved to play the doting wife. The Village Green was just beyond The Harbour and was probably Boroughford's best kept secret which, normally made it peaceful and restful but in cricket season it was rowdier than The Mariners after a good cod haul. With C&C being closed, Jenny didn't even have the added boost of caffeine to help her through. All she had was deep breaths and her bravest face to combat what was to come.

Although the Leap Year Celebration had gone badly wrong, Granddad Tom almost immediately issued a decree that Mrs Claymore needed to put a lid on the false rumours that she was obviously itching to spread around. It was a more formal interpretation than Jenny's and the rumours weren't untrue of course. Still, most people in the village believed the word of their Mayor rather than a self-righteous busy body. However, Jenny's very own paper had decided to report the whole thing with their usual sensualisation, which was the main reason Jenny wanted to keep some kind of anonymity. Upon reaching the Village Green, she pushed her sunglasses up onto her nose and took a deep breath as she approached Alex and the rest of the team.

'Good morning gorgeous.' Alex smiled, leaning his cricket bat on his shoulder and kissed his wife. 'Perfect day for whacking a bit of leather around.'

'Isn't it?' Jenny smiled, trying to sound as enthusiastic as her husband. In reality, the only thing that slightly excited her was the sight of Alex in his cricket whites. 'So what's the plan then?'

'Just the basics today.' Alex looked around. 'Get these lot back into the swing of things.' Jenny looked at the team who were looking at everything as though it was alien territory.

'We're doomed.' Jenny sighed heavily.

'No, just need to whip them into shape that's all.' Alex shrugged off his wife's comment as he lowered his bat and began swinging it. 'It's all in the wrist and the timing.'

'Really.' Jenny folded her arms, crinkling the sleeves of her brown suede jacket. 'Wonder what your captain will say about that?'

'Captain on the bridge!' Jenny shopped her head around at the sound of Archie announcing the arrival of the Team Captain in the traditional manner. Pip sauntered across the field, dressed fully in white, cap on head, beads jangling, Jamie skipping behind carrying the rest of Pip's equipment. Jamie himself had not surrendered his woolly hat but had swapped his winter wardrobe for a lighter spring look. Jenny waved and smiled as Boroughford's number one couple, self-titled at least, approached them.

'Oh dear Lord...' Alex rolled his eyes. 'Have you ever seen something so ridiculous in all your life?'

'You dressed up as a Storm Tropper on your twenty first.' Jenny offered half smiling, knowing that very outfit was still in a box in the loft of their cottage. Alex looked at his wife with the type of face that asked her if she was actually being serious. Jenny responded by poking her tongue out at him.