Words required:

Knowledge, language, leisure, length, library, lightning, marvellous, material, medicine, minute, mischievous, muscle, natural, naughty, necessary, notice, neighbour, nuisance.

The stories now include a 'story starter', which was actually to help the pupils, but mine was chosen for me!

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Cold and wet, tired and exhausted he made his way along the path through the trees round the lake.

He had no knowledge of how he came to be there, or why. He only had a shirt on, pale blue and a pair of dark trousers but he felt there should have been more. His trousers were of a heavy weight wool material and were spattered with mud; and his shirt was light, now clinging to his body with the rain that had followed the thunder and lightning, showing the lines of his slender body. The muscles at the top of his arm ached as if he had been beaten.

He tried to think where he should go, his mother would tell him he was naughty for wandering off, but he didn't know where he had wandered off from, it was all such a nuisance, not being able to remember. For a minute he stood and looked around him, there was nothing familiar about the area and yet he was used to being in the outdoors, but it was not natural or normal for him to be in such a place at this time of day.

He thought back to his childhood, for it was patently obvious to him that he was no longer a child. He had been a mischievous boy, always running off from the library, where he should have been reading, down the length of Doveton Street, to play round the lake, he didn't think it was necessary, at eight years old, to spend all his free time in the dull book filled rooms. He wanted to be outdoors, exploring the wonders of nature, how marvellous it was to watch the black swans and their cygnets, the cycle of life as trees threw out green leaves that, as the year passed, turned to golds and reds in the Autumn and fell to the floor, brown and dry, crunching under his feet. The number of times he was caught and punished by his parents, who wanted him to be someone in spite of his heritage. Mixed race was counted as black, but they always believed in him. They would have liked him to go into medicine, but he was not too good at science so he didn't.

He tried to think what he had finally decided would be his position in life, he had done so at his leisure, it was to be a momentous decision and it had to be the right one, no turning back from his path, but for the life of him he could not think, come to that, never mind what he was, the question was, who was he?

He stood and looked up at the sky, just visible through the canopy of leaves, and rubbed the back of his head. It hurt. Pulling his hand away he looked at it, red, wet and sticky; blood.

'Hm...' he wondered, 'how did that happen?'

He continued to stagger through the trees, wondering if he would find some people to help him.

The light was beginning to fade as he found a road. Perhaps a car would pass and pick him up, take him to someone who could help him.

His legs were beginning to ache, his shoulders slumped and he felt dizzy. He passed a house where the lights were on, perhaps they would help him. He dragged himself up the drive and knocked at the door. It seemed like forever before a woman opened the door and looked him up and down.

'Please,' he tried to say, 'can you ...'

But before he could finish the sentence she shouted at him,

'Be off with you!' She waved her fist at him, 'no beggars here!'

Her words didn't make sense to him, it was as if she was speaking another language, they were garbled and muffled, but her gestures told him he would get no help there. He staggered back down onto the road and continued as best he could. Two cars passed but did not stop, perhaps he did look like a beggar, after all. He paused at another driveway. There was a shiny plaque on the gate post, but the letters kept leaping about. Still, he could but try.

He stood in the porch, there was a chair he could wait in if his knock wasn't answered swiftly. He knocked and heard a voice from inside,

'I'll get it.' It sounded cheerful, like his mum did. The door opened, a lady with green eyes and a smile looked at him, but she didn't turn him away, instead she turned into the house and shouted,

'Lucien! Charlie! It's Ned!' She put her arms round him and guided him inside, then it all went black.

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'Bloody hell!' Lucien exclaimed as he took the young officer from Jean's arms and lifted him into his own. Jean opened the guest room door and Lucien took him and gently placed him on the bed.

'Doc?' Charlie gasped, 'what happened?'

'God knows,' Lucien said, taking the bowl of warm water Jean had fetched and proceeded to clean up the head wound. 'Was he going anywhere? Had he been sent on a call?'

'Not to my knowledge,' Charlie started to help Jean undress him. 'In fact, I think he was going off duty.'

Ned mumbled something,

'Sorry mum,' it sounded like, 'didn't mean it.'

'Ned, it's Mrs Blake.' Jean said, gently, 'what happened, dear?'

'Head,' he muttered, before blacking out again.

'I need an x-ray of his head.' Lucien wiped his hands. 'That's a nasty wound.'

'Charlie,' Jean thrust a pair of Lucien's pyjamas at him, 'dress him in these, they're too big but his clothes are wet, I'll call an ambulance.' She left the room and went to make the call, leaving Charlie and Lucien to finish making the young man comfortable.

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Ned stirred, he felt warm and dry. He opened his eyes, and coughed lightly,

'Mrs Blake?' Jean turned and smiled, she had sat most of the night by his side. His parents had been informed but may not be able to come to see him for a few days.

'Ned,' She went to him and stroked his forehead, 'how are you feeling?'

'Um,' he thought about this, 'bit of a headache.'

'That all?' She smiled again.

'I guess.' He whispered. 'Er...how did I get here?'

'You arrived at our house last night, half conscious, your uniform jacket gone, and soaked to the skin.' She pulled her chair close to the bed and sat holding his hand. 'Where had you been?'

'Was going to see my girl.' Ned blushed. 'Don't remember anything else.' He lay back against the pillow and closed his eyes.

'Rest now.' She whispered.

She sat back in her chair, dreadfully tired. She had insisted she stay, if Ned woke during the night she would be a face he knew and in his confused state wasn't that right?

The door opened and Lucien slipped in, smiling. He crossed the room and bent to kiss his wife.

'I'll just check him over,' he smiled, 'then I'm taking you home.'

'He came to,' she told him, 'said he was going to see his girl. But he doesn't remember anything else.'

Lucien did his regular checks, Ned moaned when he shone a light into each eye. His x-rays had shown a fracture at the back of his head and a little swelling in the brain, but not enough to warrant surgery.

'How's he doing?' Jean asked.

'Not too bad.' Lucien admitted, 'time will tell, but for now, he's ok.' He turned and held out his hand to her. As she stood to go she turned to the bed,

'Ned, I'll be back later.' She slipped her hand through Lucien's arm and allowed him to take her home.

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Lucien made Jean some toast and tea then sent her to bed. She was too tired to argue and fell, still in her slip, into bed. He smiled as he pulled the covers over her and kissed her temple.

Down at the station Chief Inspector Lawson had everyone in the office. What did they know about Ned's girlfriend? But Ned hadn't said anything, fearing teasing, albeit, good natured. Everyone agreed Ned was a good copper, diligent and thorough, but personally he was rather shy.

'He lives in the boarding house,' Charlie offered, 'since his parents moved away, to help his sister with her children.'

'They've been contacted, but it's where he was last night that we really need to know.' Matthew looked at the officers.

'Would you like me to see if he'll tell me?' Charlie offered, 'the alternative is Jean, but she sat with him all night so she's probably been sent to bed by the doc.'

'Do that, Davies.' Matthew said. 'The rest of you, his jacket is missing, with it I suspect his wallet. Get going.'

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Charlie stood at the foot of the bed. Ned was awake but still a little confused.

'Ned, mate,' Charlie said, quietly, 'what happened?'

'Dunno.' Ned muttered, but Charlie didn't believe him and he was sure it was something to do with his girl. Ned closed his eyes, he didn't want to discuss it with his colleague. Charlie didn't want to press him, the doc wouldn't be too happy if he upset his patient. He had an idea why Ned wouldn't speak, he'd heard Charlie get ribbed when he was seen with Mattie, and even worse when he was seen with the Boss's niece, Rose. He'd leave it to Jean, she was bound to get something out of him. Leaving the hospital he bumped into Lucien and admitted he'd been to see Ned.

'Won't say a word, doc.' Charlie told him, 'D'you think Jean might be able to get him to open up, when she's rested?'

'I'll see if she'll try.' Lucien smiled, 'she'll use the motherly touch.' He headed into the hospital to see to other patients and then call in on Ned. Like everyone else he was sure it was to do with a girl, and probably family disapproval.

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Jean prepared a light lunch for herself and her husband. She was going to ask if she should go and see the young policeman again. Perhaps take him some toiletries.

Lucien arrived and was relieved to see his wife was not too jaded from her night's vigil.

'Has he said anything more?' she asked.

'Won't say where he was,' Lucien swallowed, 'Charlie tried. I think he's worried he'll get teased.'

'He's a sensitive soul,' Jean agreed. 'I thought he might need some toiletries and fresh pyjamas.'

'Probably, but Jean,' He looked at her, 'do you think you could do the mother thing. Try and get him to talk. Whoever did this could have killed him.'

'I'll try. Perhaps tell him how Christopher got a beating by one of his girlfriends' brothers once. He hadn't done anything. Bill Hobart dealt with that, if I remember rightly.' She smiled as she recalled the incident. 'The girl's brothers weren't too keen on her seeing a farm boy, as he was then.' Lucien raised his eyebrows.

'I'll take you to the boarding house.' Lucien suggested,' you can pick up his things from his room.'

'Alright,' They washed the dishes and Jean got her coat and handbag.

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Ned had eaten a little lunch when Jean arrived. He looked a little better and was quite glad to see Mrs Blake. She wouldn't pry too much, but it was easier to talk to her than, say, Charlie or Bill.

'How're you feeling, Ned?' she asked quietly.

'A bit better, thanks, Mrs Blake.' He tried a smile. 'The headache's nearly gone.'

'Good.' She sat in the chair next to the bed, 'I've brought you some clean pyjamas, and your toiletries. Dr Blake took me to your boarding house.'

Ned looked a little embarrassed.

'Don't worry,' she smiled and patted his hand, 'your room is a lot tidier than my boys' used to be.'

He began to relax.

'Ned, dear,' She help his hand, 'I know you don't want to talk to Charlie, or Sergeant Hobart, but we really need to know what happened.' She felt him tense up, 'you wouldn't want whoever to do this to someone else, would you?'

'If the police go to my girl's house she'll get into trouble.' Ned whispered, as if the walls were listening. 'Her brothers are afraid she'll marry and leave and then there'll be nobody to wash and cook for them.'

'Is that what you want, Ned?' Jean asked, gently, 'to get married.'

'Yes'm.' He smiled. 'I've got her a ring, but she daren't wear it. I know we could get a little place of our own if we got married. We don't want much, Mrs Blake.' A tear made its way down his cheek.

Jean had known Ned since he was a little boy, he was not a tearaway, would not leave his wife to do everything, he was gentle and kind and she had seen his patience with small children when they were in trouble.

'Ned,' She looked at him, 'you need to tell me where the house is.'

'My girl...'

'Will be perfectly safe,' She assured him, 'Chief Inspector Lawson will make sure of it.'

Ned gave in, as Lucien said, she could be most persuasive. She patted his hand as she left

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'So how do we go about this?' Charlie asked as he looked at the map. They were heading out to the White Swan Reservoir area, a smallholding, Ned had said, run by the Roberts brothers and their sister, Elsie.

'Break down?' Suggested Matthew.

'Gotta be convincing.' Lucien strolled in with Jean.

'I could do it.' Jean said. 'Run out of fuel, get a puncture.'

'Jean,' Matthew looked at her, 'I don't really think that's wise.'

'I dunno, Boss.' Charlie grinned, 'as long as there's someone close behind her...'

'Just a minute,' Lucien interrupted, 'that's my wife you're talking about!'

'And she's here.' Jean batted at him, 'so don't talk about me like that!'

'Jean...' Lucien looked at her, worried.

'Lucien,' She held his arm, 'if I break down within walking distance, and Charlie is behind me, or drives past, or whatever, I can go up to the house and ask for assistance.'

Lucien took some convincing it would work and he insisted on going with them. Jean was going to take their car and before she got to the farm she would stop and one of the men would deflate the tyre. She would then drive up to the gate of the smallholding and stop.

'Don't drive too fast, Jean,' Matthew advised, 'it won't be too easy to handle with a flat.'

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Jean pulled up at a little clump of trees and sat there, she wasn't going to admit it to Charlie or, heaven forbid, Lucien, but she was a little apprehensive. She hoped neither would notice her, not very calm, manner, so she didn't speak to them.

Charlie leant in through the window,

'Right, take it easy,' he warned,' the tracks a bit skiddy, so don't park in a ditch!' He smiled, she was a remarkable woman, his landlady. Jean gave him a half hearted smile and wound the window up, before driving off. It was true, what Charlie said, the car was heavy and not as easy to control, it wouldn't be far from the truth to say she needed help.

She pulled up at the bottom of the drive to a small house. Actually she skidded and nearly hit the gate post, but the brakes held. She got out, shaking, and that was no acting. She walked up to the front door and knocked. The house was tidy, a little shabby but she could see someone tried to keep the place smart. The door was eventually opened by a young woman, about nineteen, Jean guessed.

'Oh, hello.' Jean smiled, 'I'm sorry to trouble you but I appear to have a flat tyre. I was wondering if there was anyone here who could help me.'

'Er...' the girl looked nervous and peered round Jean, presumably looking for someone else. On seeing Jean was alone she visibly relaxed, 'one of my brothers will do it for you. Come in a moment, I'll get him.'

Jean stepped into a small hall, clean, no rugs or carpet. The girl left her there and went to the back of the house.

'Stan!' She called, 'Stan!'

A man appeared, cleaning his hands with an oily rag.

'What do you want?' He growled at her, 'I'm busy.'

'This lady has a flat tyre.' The girl, who Jean assumed was Elsie, waved her hand in her direction. 'Can you see to it for her, please.'

'I'm terribly sorry to bother you.' Jean smiled her sweetest smile at Stan, but he was really quite frightening. Tall, muscular, wearing old dirty trousers and a singlet, he was twice the size of Ned. If he'd taken his fists to the young constable it was no wonder he was dazed and confused. Elsie looked worried, she was obviously living in fear of her brother. Jean wondered what the others were like, and how many. As he passed her he held out his hands for the keys.

'I've just made some tea,' Elsie broke through her worries, 'would you like a cup?'

'That's very kind of you, dear.' Jean smiled at her again, she could see why Ned liked her. She followed her through to the kitchen and sat down at a scrubbed table. There was not much income, she thought, everything was very clean but old and worn. Jean's tea was given to her in a cup that didn't match the saucer but Elsie's had a chip at the rim.

'My name's Elsie.' She broke the ensuing silence.

'Pleased to meet you, I'm Jean.' She smiled.

'Where are you going?' Elsie asked, 'only we don't get many passer's by here.'

'Truthfully, I think I took a wrong turn, I was supposed to pick up a friend on Clarks road, at the bus stop there.' Jean smiled, 'My husband says I have a terrible sense of direction.'

'Well, you're not too far away.' Elsie smiled back, 'when Stan has done the tyre I'll give you directions.'

'That's very kind of you,' Jean put her cup down, 'I don't want to put you to anymore trouble.'

'It's no trouble.' Elsie smiled, she rather liked this visitor, and told her so, 'it's nice to have a visitor, I don't have a neighbour to talk to, it's just me and my brothers.'

'My neighbours are too interested in what I do.' Jean laughed, 'they've always been rather nosy.'

'I suppose that's the downside of that.' Elsie agreed. 'but sometimes it would be nice to have someone take notice of you.'

'Surely you get to go into town, once in a while?' Jean suggested. As a young girl Jean took every opportunity to escape her chores.

'I did.' Elsie's face dropped, 'then I met someone and my brothers started escorting me.' She looked at Jean, she so wanted someone to talk to and this woman was a complete stranger. Could she trust her with her story.

'This someone you met...' Jean encouraged her. Stan wouldn't be back for some time, Charlie and the men were seeing to that.

Elsie looked over her shoulder, 'He's a police officer,' she whispered. 'We want to marry, but...'

'Well,' Jean smiled, 'at least he's a pillar of the community.'

'Oh Jean,' and she started to cry, 'he's so sweet and gentle, but my brothers won't have it.' She got up and went into another room. She returned holding Ned's uniform jacket, cleaned and repaired, beautifully. 'Will you see he gets this.' She put it on the table.

'Why don't you come with me and give it to him yourself?' Jean took her hand.

'I can't.'

'You can,' Jean inhaled, 'Ned is ok. In hospital, but he will be alright.'

'You know him?' Elsie brightened, she'd seen the state her beau was in when her brothers kicked him down the road.

'He made it to our house, dazed and confused. My husband is a doctor and the police surgeon.' Jean explained, 'it's taken me until today to get the truth out of him, he's been protecting you. My flat, a ruse to get to see you. The police will have arrested Stan for assault.'

'But the others...' Elsie gasped, 'they're out in the field.'

'Far enough away from the house?' Jean hoped.

'Yes. They will come back for dinner, in about an hour.' Elsie nodded.

'Time to pack, if you really want to marry Ned' Jean stood up.

'But where will I go?' She began to be excited and nervous at the same time, 'Ned lives in a boarding house.'

'You can lodge with us. We have plenty of room.' Jean offered, 'Now enough talk. Let's get your things.'

'It was all three of them, that beat up Ned.' Elsie told her as they both went to her room. Jean rightly surmised it wouldn't take long, Elsie was unlikely to have much to take. It didn't take long to put her clothes into a battered suitcase, along with a couple of photographs and keepsakes, that was Elsie's life. Back in the kitchen she turned everything off and, with Jean, walked out of her old life towards her new one.

They met Lucien coming up the drive, wondering what was taking his wife so long. They had let Stan change the tyre and then arrested him as Jean had said, then Charlie, Bill and some other officers went over to the others in the field and arrested them as well.

'Lucien,' Jean smiled and introduced Elsie.

'Ah there you are.' He smiled and shook Elsie's hand. 'Lovely to meet you, Elsie. Shall I drive, Jean?'

'Don't you trust me?' She tipped her head to one side, coyly. Lucien just smiled and opened the doors for his passengers.

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Ned was dozing when the door to his room opened.

'In you go,' Jean smiled as she ushered Elsie into the room, following her.

'Ned,' Jean touched his shoulder, 'someone to see you.'

Ned opened his eyes and smiled at Jean, then his smile became a grin as he saw his girl standing shyly to one side.

'Elsie, how?' He gasped.

Jean pulled a chair up for Elsie and left the young couple to talk.

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You can make up your own ending, I like to think, 'Happily Ever After.'