A Yellow Rose

A Yellow Rose

The Temptation Well into Autumn, there was a single, beautifully constructed yellow rose, unblemished, growing close to the edge of the garden and within easy reach of people walking the footpath. Looking carefully both ways, she, without a glance at her companion,...
Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Determined to challenge the old man, the Captain approached the galley, mindful of his contract to take him and his cargo to Biddlecup. With the omen from the ravens now past, and indeed the ravens no more, his crew returned, if somewhat the worse for wear– he must...
Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The Captain woke to a windless day, not even a ripple on the surface, yet the ship was sailing at eight knots. He went to the mess deck. He took his meals with the crew except in the evenings, when he ate in his cabin. The old man was in the galley, sitting in the...
Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The Captain was worried. He had been forced to sail his damaged ship into port for repairs. A severe storm had snapped one of the masts and shredded the sails. He had never been in this harbour, but it was the closest one to the place where the storm disabled the...
A Disturbing Mood

A Disturbing Mood

The punishment for lying There is a disturbing mood in Australia, and maybe elsewhere, that lying is OK. It can be given a multitude of names such as cheating, deceiving, obfuscation, often parried by comments such as ‘I wasn’t aware, or ‘really’ with raised eyebrow....