North Versus South

The Villagers Rivalry wasn't limited to the cricket match...

- H. Johnson-Mack

THE annual cricket derby between North and South Harleigh villages, established before the turn of the 20th century, was always a memorable event.

But none of the new millennium’s residents waking up on that beautiful midsummer morning could have guessed quite what form that would take this particular year.

Rose-Marie Ryan, arriving at her riverside tearoom with the dawn, just knew that, for her, it was going to be a long and very important day, which could decide her future here.

The café’s lease was coming up for renewal, and Rose wasn’t the only one bidding for it this time round.

Oliver Woodall, political party campaigner and one half of South Harleigh’s most successful golden couple, had his sights set on transforming Riverside into a gastronomic wine bar/bistro as part of his ambition to drag Harleigh into the 21st century.

Rose didn’t believe there was anything wrong with the current amenities, but Oliver was from the south side of the river, and they seemed to think a little differently there.

The trouble was, the tearoom had been struggling lately, and Rose had been working hard to come up with ways to boost its income.

Her ideas for introducing vintage afternoon tea and themed party packages had seemed to appeal to Gordon, the leaseholder, until Oliver had come along with his grandiose plans.

So she really needed to present her best-ever buffet today if she were to have a chance of saving her business.

Looking round at her little kingdom, Rose allowed herself a heavy sigh, then squared her shoulders and began to sort through ingredients to make the cakes and sandwiches that she hoped would safeguard her future.