Ebb Tide
This is a very old story/novella I've suddenly got inspired on again. I started it at least 3 years ago and it really shows - some of the sentences can be measured in yards! It's basically a m/m take on Du Maurier's Frenchman's Creek - but with the plot changed just enough not to be a direct copy. At least I hope so. :) I've done 13,000 words and am trying to finish it and maybe submit to Changeling, or Loose-ID, or TQ as a single shot, depending on how long it ends up.

Here's a snippet from where the hero Tim first meets his mysterious sea-captain. :) ------------------- The fire had burned low and the Captain noticed and dispatched a man to fetch more wood - straight past the bush where Tim was hiding. Leaping up and poised for flight, his foot slipped on a pebble and he wobbled for a moment, arms flailing, before skidding straight down the rock face onto the beach. He only fell about eight feet, and landed safely enough in deep soft sand, but it left him winded and he lay on his back blinking just long enough for the men to gather round. “Well, well, look what the good Lord has dropped into our laps today,” he heard a laughing voice call, and looked up in confusion, straight into the Captain's cheeky grin. Close up the man was even more handsome, with pale skin, strong brows and deep blue eyes framed by waves of sleek dark hair caught into a pony-tail at the back of his neck. “Uh,” said Tim. “Did the cat run away with your tongue? Or are you always this eloquent? My name is Bowyer, by the way. Captain William Bowyer, at your very obedient service.” Bending one knee, he swept Tim a flamboyant, if ironic bow. Then he held out his hand. Tim looked at it doubtfully for a moment, but in spite of the teasing there seemed to be no malice in Bowyer’s eyes, so he took it and let himself be hauled to his feet, and treated to an energetic dusting down. “Um. Thanks.” “Aha! So you can speak after all. What’s your name? Spike?” “Tim,” said Tim, scowling at the reference to his own height-of-fashion eighties hair. “Tim Gough. And do they have to stare at me like that?” Finding his crew still clustered round like nesting quail, Bowyer shooed them back to work. Once they were alone again, Tim felt those cobalt eyes roam up and down his body in lazy appraisal. “Well, Tim Gough, you can hardly blame them for wanting to look at so pretty a picture, especially as all they’ve had to feast their eyes on since Whitsuntide is me and the fish. I’m not at all sure which they think is the worse,” Bowyer said, crossing his eyes in a creditable imitation of a guppy. “And now that you have appeared in our midst like manna from the heavens, perhaps you’d like to join our feast? It’s only crab, hot and fresh from the shell, but you would be more than welcome.” Tim was tempted, not just because the food sounded good, but because it would mean spending more time with the handsome Captain William Bowyer. But he was already in enough trouble at home and Elizabeth would only worry all the more if he stayed out half the night. “I can’t,” he said regretfully. “My aunt’s expecting me back for dinner.” “Suit yourself. Here’s a taste of what you will be missing.” And Bowyer leant forward and pressed his lips to Tim’s in a dry, chaste kiss.

Oooh, *very* romantic! Best of luck :D PS Love those nesting quail ...

Thank you! Parts of it will be more 'hot' and less romantic, I think... this just happens to be a mushy bit. :)

:oops: Just realised that should be *nestling* quail, not nesting. LOL. They're not like Em's penguins and incubating....

OOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!! I love this!!!!!!!

Thank you! Which reminds me. Nose--->grindstone

Scribbling some more on this (a sex scene, rowr) and have just broken 15,000 words!

Woohoo for sex and breaking the 15k mark! LOL

Heh. Sex interrupted by a fight, no less. :) And it's now 15,300. Going well for the first time in *weeks*.

That's good - it's good when things get "unstuck" and pick up again.

Isn't it just? Oooh - snowing here. my figners almost too cold to type. :shock:

Snowing?? :shock: It's beautiful here - quite warm, and very clear, very blue sky - I was just thinking 'Yes, no doubt about it - spring is on its way.'

Brrr. Intermittent sunshine here and snow flurries. It isn't sticking but the wind is strong and bitterly cold. What a difference a hundred miles can make!

Yes ... but I've just been out for a long walk, and it got colder ... and colder ... then started snowing, quite a lot. Hardly ever sticks in London, though. And I've seen the front pages "-15 Arctic Freeze on Way" We've had that before, though, this year, and not that much happened in the end. They love a good extreme weather story.