Jill looked up to see Janet reappear breathless from the corner of towering white cliffs half an hour later. She was followed by Jan and Luke Pendered.

As soon as Janet walked up, she knelt on the sand and cradled the unconscious man's head on her lap so Jill could feed him brandy. The golden liquid trickling down his full lips did not revive him. Fighting the urge to kiss off the drops, Jill settled for using Janet's cotton handkerchief to wipe off the brandy.

"How do you think he ended up on this beach without any sign of wreckage," Jan turned to Luke.

"I don't like it father, it's like he appeared out of thin air."

"I don't either, if his vessel wasn't wrecked, he could be a spy that was left here."

"A spy?" gasped Luke.

"Gentlemen," Janet interjected, "Can we come back to the speculations after we take this man where he can get medical attention? I think his ankle is dislocated."

As Jan and Luke lifted the unconscious man, his right foot hung down through the torn trouser leg exposing a bruised, discoloured and swollen ankle. Jan examined it thoroughly and agreed with Janet. "Dislocated," he concluded succinctly.

"The pain from his ankle, chest and the stings robbed this poor man of his senses," cried Jill.

The men nodded in agreement as they grasped handles at either end of the stretcher and lifted the unconscious stranger's dead weight.

"I'd better take him home with me," said Jan thoughtfully.

"He can have my bed, father," agreed Luke.

Janet could not help noticing the melancholy longing in Jill's face at the prospect of the injured man convalescing in the village.

"There's no need for Luke to give up his bed for several weeks when we have a spare room. Dorcas will help us nurse this young man. You can carry him up to our house, Mr. Pendered."

Janet Widdington was an astute business woman that expanded the family business she inherited from her father. She provided full time employment and housing for twenty men and five women. She was the voice of common sense in the village. She advocated for china clay extraction in Cornwall to be sustainable so natural resources and beautiful landscape was preserved for future generations. Her conservation views on sustainable resource development was very slowly winning over sceptics.

Jan Pendered did not question Janet's decision to have the injured man recuperate in the home she shared with Jill and Dorcas. "Yes Miss Janet, I'll check in on you ladies every day in case you change your minds." He thought Janet, Jill and Dorcas were good trusting people.

For the first time in history, the whole world was at war. At worst the stranger in their midst could be spying for the enemy. The whole village had to be vigilant...

April, 27, 2015

It takes your vote and comments for this story to be ranked on wattpad. If you enjoyed reading this chapter, please share it with your friends, vote, comment, review etc...Thank you so much for stopping by and reading this chapter. Love y'all!

Want to keep informed of updates as they happen, add Ladies in Lavender to your reading list. Thanks AS x