Such was the magnificence of her entrance, Barbara required two handsome men to give her away. Tom and Ernest were the proudest ‘fathers’ a girl could ask for. Phil, equally resplendent in his light grey three-piece suit with a pale orange cravat and matching silk waistcoat, waited patiently at the foot of the altar steps. His toes tapping to the beat of the Wedding March the only show of nerves.
Barbara beamed at every pew, now trimmed with orange blossom and sprigs of baby’s breath, greeting all her guests. This was her moment and no one and no thing was going to rush her. Rosemary had to repeat the March several times to cover Barbara’s majestic progress through the church. The whole of Wesberrey was there to see their queen finally marry her prince, and the general sighs of approval marked her dress as a triumph.
Sometimes in our lives our hearts brim with so much joy, there is no room left for pain or doubt. The shared mood is of such exquisite perfection, it unites everyone present.
It is in these moments I believe God steps forward. His light. His eternal truth shines in and through us all.
I offered a prayer of thanks. Before me stood two souls entwined in love, who would soon be bound together for all eternity.
As the last chords of the organ died away, I took their hands and began.
“Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of God, and in the face of this congregation, to join together this Man and this Woman in holy Matrimony…”
✽✽✽
Mr and Mrs Phil Vickers emerged from the dark church into the full glare of the June sun. The earlier showers had brought freshness to the air and lightness to the birdsong that serenaded the newlyweds as they posed for photos in the arched doorway. Confetti trailed down the stone pathways, gathering on the ancient ridges and gullies that lined our route to the hall.
I watched. I waited. I drew in the sweet scent of this happiest of days.
A slender arm weaved its way around my waist. Warm breath caressed my neck. A soft jaw, with the merest hint of stumble, nuzzled my ear. “It’s tempting,” his gentle voice whispered. “But still not romantic enough.”
I tilted my head. The expectant grin on my face drew power from the glow in my chest. “Right now, would be perfect.” I replied.
Lawrence spun me around and balanced my chin on the tips of his fingers. His lips melted into mine. “I will wait until we have moonlight, and Paris and a jazz piano.”
I pulled back. “Jazz? Now that may be a deal breaker!”
✽✽✽
KEEP IN TOUCH
I hope you enjoyed Consecrated Crime. If you would like to find out more about me, my forthcoming books, or check out what’s going on with all the characters on the Isle of Wesberrey, there are many ways to stay in touch.
The best way to hear all the latest news is to subscribe to my monthly newsletter.
To say thank you when you sign up, you will be sent a free copy of Jubilee Jinks, a special prequel to this series set in 1977.
Sign up now!
You can also follow me on Amazon, Instagram, and @PenelopeCress on Twitter. I mostly hang out on Facebook, where I set up a group just for fans of Jess. Regularly I ask for ideas and suggestions for plotlines and we have quizzes and giveaways, so pop along and join in the fun!
And finally, if you loved this book, please leave a review on Amazon or Goodreads.
Or you can email me direct at [email protected] with any ideas, suggestions you have (or typos you have spotted).
I would love to hear from you.
Penelope x
Acknowledgement
I dedicated this book to my tribe - the Coronitas. Without heir daily encouragement and support this book would not have happened. I was, like many of us, struggling with the seemingly never-ending lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Even though there is only so much Netflix any one person can watch, I still found it hard to break away and write.
I love to write. That’s was been so crazy about this situation.
So many of us have been separated from family, friends and colleagues, From the pubs, restaurant and coffee houses. The gyms, the theatres, even the parks that gave us structure and our lives meaning.
I write to escape. And I hope that my readers can escape too as they read my stories. I think that’s it, though. In order for me to feel the need to escape, I needed to be in the world I wanted to escape from. I feed off the people I meet. The conversations I overhear. The places I visit. Without them, my notebook is empty and my ideas run dry.
I am so grateful for my friends for pulling me through.
I am looking forward to the new normal and being able to hug my family and friends again.
Sending you all light and love,
Penelope
x
About The Author
Penelope Cress
Penelope lives on an island off the coast of Kent, England, with her four children and an elderly Jack Russell Terrier. A lover of murder mystery and cups of tea (served with a stack of digestive biscuits), she writes quaint cosy mysteries and other feel-good stories from a corner table in the vintage tea shop on the high street. Penelope loves nostalgia and all things retro. Her taste in music is also very last century.
Find out more about Penelope at www.penelopecress.com
Books By This Author
Holy Homicide (Book 1 in the Isle of Wesberrey Series - A Rev Jessamy Ward Mystery)
Despite her cat allergy and her mother’s warnings of doom and disaster, Reverend Jessamy Ward is excited to return to the Isle of Wesberrey to take up her promotion as parish priest of St. Bridget’s Abbey.
Tourists know Wesberrey is famous for three things: there are no cars, there are lots of cats, and there is a legendary fertility well. Shortly after Jess’s arrival, it will be famous for something else - murder!
Can Jess root out the killer or will the unearthing of her own family’s mystical pagan history threaten to destroy her new life?
Holy Homicide is the first book in the exciting new Reverend Jessamy Ward Mystery Series by Penelope Cress
Mausoleum Madness (Book 2 in the Isle of Wesberrey Series - A Rev Jessamy Ward Mystery)
Good funerals are like buses, you wait all year for one and then three turn up at once! However, as there are no cars allowed on the Island, you’ll be waiting forever for a bus. Funerals, though, seem to be the latest craze and the newly installed vicar, Jessamy Ward has plenty to keep her busy.
Add to this mix a missing businessman, a famous actor, city gangsters and dancing nymphs and Jess soon learns that there is never a dull day on the Isle of Wesberrey. Murder and intrigue are as common here as cats and seagulls.
Is Jess right to keep faith in her family and friends? Can she even keep faith in herself?
Mausoleum Madness is the second book in the exciting new Reverend Jessamy Ward Mystery Series by Penelope Cress.
Pious Poison (Book 3 in the Isle of Wesberrey Series - A Rev Jessamy Ward Mystery)
Obliged to look after her older sister’s handsome and driven Brazilian lover, Jess introduces Frederico to the local walking group. With the annual Wesberrey Walkathon a few weeks away, everyone has their sights on the prize, but is there someone in the group prepared to kill for it?
A mysterious illness lays low several walkers and Jess suspects foul play. Who would deliberately poison their competition, and how did they do it? Still unsure of the reality of her newly discovered psychic abilities, but with little else to go on, Jess tries to channel help from a higher plane.
Can Jess trust her own intuition?
Who or what is bringing everyone to their knees?
Is it a dodgy hummus, or a deadly human?
Pious Poison is the third book in the exciting new Reverend Jessamy Ward Mystery Series by Penelope Cress.
Divine Death (Book 4 in the Isle of Wesberrey Series - A Rev Jessamy Ward Mystery)
Things appear to be settling down in the island parish of St. Bridget's, and Rev Jess Ward is
enjoying the relative peace in the lead up to Pentecost. So, maybe it's unwise to invite in the local archaeological society to dig up the old well?
What will the dig beneath the floor of the baptismal font uncover?
Spring is a time of fresh starts and new beginnings. Is that romance we smell in the air?
Life is skipping along until a sudden death takes the spring out of Jess’s step.
Old rivalries, deception and ambition are all viable motives for violence, but could it be a crime of passion, or even self-defence?
In a mystery that appears to involve some of her closest family and friends, Jess turns to her ancient past to help solve this latest tragedy.
Divine Death is the fourth book in the Isle of Wesberrey Series by Penelope Cress.
Vestry Vice (Book 6 in the Isle of Wesberrey Series - A Rev Jessamy Ward Mystery)
It's back to school for Rev Jess Ward in more ways than one. When an old flame arrives on the island looking to convince the now-famous sleuthing vicar to take part in a sensational new crime documentary series, Jess suddenly finds herself at the centre of her own true crime story.
Another mystery is the last thing Jess needs. She is knee deep in offerings for the Harvest Festival and the bell ringers appear to be on strike! Add to the mix some clumsy attempts at courting from the school headmaster and more convincing romantic overtures from the handsome blast from the past. All Jess really wants to do is to hide away with a pumpkin spiced latte.
However, with a murderer at large and a film crew following her every move, the cosy night by the fire is going to have to wait. Just how much of her unique investigation style is it safe for her to reveal?
Vestry Vice is the sixth book in the Isle of Wesberrey Series.
Consecrated Crime: A Rev Jessamy Ward Mystery (Isle Of Wesberrey Book 5) Page 14