Free Sally’s Wedding: Book 3 Of A Contemporary Romance Short Story Series by A. J. Temple

Chapter 1
    It was 5.30 am, on what promised to be a warm spring morning as Sally ventured out for an early walk. Robert had told her that there were often Roe deer to be seen grazing by the waterside ; down by the loch on whose banks the cabin rested, nestled as it was amongst a scatter ing of Douglas Fir and the odd R owan and Silver Birch tree.
    Having just arrived from Milwaukee in Wisconsin USA just 3 weeks earlier ; in order to marry the man she had first met in a blizzard just some 4 months ago; this still felt very much like a vacation, and she was making the most of the care-free illusion that such a break from the mundane can bring.
    She smiled to herself , as she visualised Robert snoring away on the bed as she sneaked out. She had always been a ‘morning person’ and the idea of a lie-in wa s anathema to her way of thinking. Her late father’s words came echoing through her mind “One hour in the morning , is more productive that two in the afternoon Sally; always remember that!” and indeed she did, putting the concept into practice now automatically.
    “Yes indeed.” She thought to herself. “It’s the early bird that catches the worm, for sure.”
    She walked quietly along the old deer-track that led to the water’s edge, appreciating the early bird-song and the first dappled rays of the morning sun as it filtered through the pines.
     
    Twenty minutes later she heard a splash up ahead as she cautiously approached the loch; a splash which turned out to be a brown trout catching an early breakfast. Undaunted however , she walked a short distance of f the track and crouched down in a hollow amongst the low heather, and stunted forms of silver birch, bent and buckled by the wind and harsh conditions; to wait for the elusive deer that Robert has told her about.
    It was while waiting thus, in the undis turbed quietness of the morning, that the sound of low voices came to her ear; d istant at first ; but growing slightly louder as they approached.
    “Ah well, so much for catching a glimpse of the deer!” She thought a little disgruntled at having her peace disturbed and the chances of a ‘deer encounter’ squashed at the same time.
    She was about to get up and announce her presence, when something checked her. One of the voices was raised slightly as if aggrieved, and as they approached her hiding place she could see that it was two men – and they seemed to be carrying something between them.
    “I’ve been carry ing this thing for bloody miles; are we not about there yet?”
    “Stop your bloody moaning Frank ! You’ll not be complaining when we get paid for this I’ll bet!”
    She sat where she was, out of sight as the men approached on the track nearby, arguing continually until finally they passed her by. Both were rough-looking characters, dressed in old army-style camouflage jackets; and one of them had a distinct limp – he was also carrying what looked like a crossbow. The other man, who seemed to be the one complaining, wa s a huge brute of a man, and carrying what was unmistakably a small deer over his shoulder. The animals cold dead eyes staring unseeing, into the black void of death. A few moments lat er she heard an engine start up; and glimpsing through the trees saw a small boat head out across the loch.
    “Hmm, well that explains the absence of any deer this morning .” She whispered quietly to herself.
    She sat for a few minutes more, listening to the sound of the motor grow faint as it rushed on its way across lock Morlich. Feeling a little unsettled by this encounter Sally decided to head back to the cabin and inform Robert that there were poachers about.
     
    Agnes, Roberts mother; looked up as she entered the rear door into the kitchen , removing her jacket . She had made a remarkable recovery from the accident on the steps, and the last 3 weeks had seen her up on her feet again – much to everyone’s relief.
    “Good morning Agnes, I see you’ve got up before that lazy son