
‘Really, Bryony, people don’t just disappear into buddleia bushes,’ Bryony’s papa frowned his irritation, ‘I always thought you were the sensible one,’ he tapped his cane on the floor, something he did when he was unimpressed, ‘stop playing games and tell Bethany to come out from wherever she’s hiding.’
‘You believe me, don’t you, Mr Eyre,’ pleaded Bryony, watching Papa glare at her tutor. Mr Eyre was about to speak when Papa, Donald Goodwin of HMDS*, cut in: ‘and I’d thank you not to encourage such nebulous ideas in the girls, Eyre,’ he growled, stalking into the hallway.
‘Come, Bryony, if we’re going to search for young Bethany, we should start from where you last saw her,’ Mr Eyre extended an arm to shepherd his charge out into the garden, grabbing a cane from his employer’s collection, which was stored in an elephant foot stand, a souvenir from Goodwin’s service in India.
Mr Eyre advanced across the lawn and began to poke about in the buddleia bush; the cane snagged something in the undergrowth and he crouched down, reaching into the foliage. ‘Aha, what have we here?’ he swiveled round and proffered the object to her.
Bryony eyes lit up.
*His Majesty’s Diplomatic Service (the year is 1912).
Written in response to two challenges:
– Di of Pensitivity101‘s Wednesday’s Three Things Challenge – POKE, TAP, PRESS
– Denise Farley of GirlieOnTheEdge‘s Sunday’s Six Sentence Story Word Prompt – NEBULOUS
Bryony, Bethany and their wonderful tutor, Mr Eyre first appeared in my historical fantasy fiction novel, Following the Green Rabbit. They’ve been begging to go on another adventure and it looks like they’ve got their wish!
Your portal to more Six Sentence Stories awaits you here!
Great second part…………… roll on next week!!!
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Thanks, Di… just keep those Wednesday words rolling! 😊
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My pleasure!
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Great addition Chris. You’ve whetted my appetite for more.
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Excellent! That’s exactly what my little band of characters want to hear… 👭👨💼
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Waiting for more. ❤️
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Coming soon… 🏃♀️
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👍👍👍
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Thats a great story part, well done.
I vanished into a buddleia once courtesy of my brother knocking me off my bike. I went straight over the handle bars, through the bush, and landed in a ditch of nettles on the other side. 20 years later I swear I still feel some of those stings!!!
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Ouch! I’m sure nettles would not be permitted in Mr Goodwin’s garden though. Thanks for dropping by, Mason, appreciating your comment with a sympathetic smile 🙂
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No he wouldn’t want those at all! You’re welcome.
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Yikes!!
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What is our inimitable Mr Eyre holding up, I wonder? 🤔
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Very intriguing, looking forward to the next instalment 🙂
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Cogs will be whirring to work out what’s happening next week!
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Looking forward to it 🙂
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Lovely lighthearted tone to this!
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Thanks, Tom… you’d expect that from this bunch of characters, wouldn’t you? 😉
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I’ll just bet there is a wee creature on the end of that cane . . .
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You could very well be right, Liz! Don’t tell anyone…
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I’m already warming to Mr Eyre. And I wonder just what it is he has found in the bushes with that ‘borrowed’ cane. Good follow up, Chris, and I think the setting of the early 1900s is perfect!
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I’ve always pictured Mr Eyre as David Tennant in his Doctor Who role. He’s a particular favourite of mine. Of course, I still wondering what (or who?) he’s found. 🤔
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Brilliant. I can totally imagine Tennant’s excellent Doctor as a Mr Eyre. Good job you don’t know what he’s found yet… the possibilities are endless!
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this continuing saga thing is very hard to keep UP. I feel like i’m peeling the onion and not getting it done before it rots. Hard work. Good job here.
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You’re doing so well though. Any struggle is unseen by the reader. I find winding stories up the main problem. 😉
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Thank goodness for Mr Eyre.
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He’s very resourceful, although that has been known to get him into trouble. 🙂
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I wonder what he found. Hopefully it was Bethany.
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I suspect that might be too easy!
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I’m liking this Mr. Eyre fellow.
(How the heck is this done*) you managed to covey a certain..conspiratorial air about the tutor that is most charming, maybe not conspire as much as that frequently under-actualized ability to identify with someone who is very different (age, background, doesn’t really matter).
* Paul and Frank both put out examples of the best of less-is-more in their respective Sixes. Quite inspiring and, for the record, I am not nearly as jealous as I want to be! lol
Good installment
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Thanks, Clark. Mr Eyre is a splendid fellow and a handy character to have around.
I agree. It’s been a great week for Sixes!
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You did not just do that! LOL We have to wait an entire week to find out what the “object” is. But it shall be worth the wait. I am enjoying the story so far, and yes, I too have taken a liking to Mr. Eyre 😀
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Ha ha! ‘ fraid so, Denise. It gives me a whole week to figure out what he’s holding!! 😀
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Funny, how that works 😉
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What a cliffhanger to leave this on! Hmm… What did he find?
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Ah well, not sure yet, Jacqui… 🙃
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Ah, the plot thickens. May whatever they found lead to a solution and her safe return, although i do hope they have fun adventures with the fairies before they have to return to their everyday world.
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We can count on an adventure, I’m certain! 🙂
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You consistently nail this short form writing! 🙂
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Thanks so much, Benjamin. That’s a lovely compliment. 😊
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I love flash fiction. It do it really well!
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[…] Previously […]
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I’m straight on to find out what he HAS found. Beautiful images you’ve found for the series, Chris. Fits the feel so well.
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Oops, sorry to have disappointed you in revealing Mr Eyre’s find, but I think we might have left a clue!
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Oh, you tease! You do love leaving us on cliffhangers. Another excellent installment, Chris! I’m on a mission to catch up with them in the next week.
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😉😂 – enjoy the roller-coaster!
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