Wessex Tales: "Crossing" (Story 31)

By Robert Fripp

Long ago, the ancient lady in the darkened bed had been the first white woman to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. Or had she been the first to walk around it? Whatever the truth, that legend from her lifetime would soon die with her. Unconscious on her deathbed, scenes from her life run through her head while caregivers chatter around her. [1976]

• Language: English
• Publisher: Robert Fripp
• Release date: Jan 28, 2013
• ISBN: 9780991857579

Robert Fripp

Nature, wildlife and public affairs television, earth sciences, gothic vaults and liturgy: Robert Fripp’s fiction and non-fiction share many slices of life. § Here, Fripp introduces his 38 “Wessex Tales” stories. Thomas Hardy used that title over a century ago. Fripp moves it forward with a new collection of “Wessex Tales” covering “Eight thousand years in the life of an English village.” § First come Stone Age hunters. Then villagers discover a new “stone,” bronze. Locals build Stonehenge. A Roman mosaic depicts Jesus. We advance: from Viking raiders to potions for maidens, a medieval wedding, civil war, smugglers, and the second battle of the Somme. § Smashwords releases several stories, here. Read them—free, for a time—choosing a format for your Kindle, Nook, iPad, Mac, PC, iPhone (via Stanza), Sony, Kobo and Androids. All 38 “Wessex Tales” stories will come alive in paperback within two years.

Book preview

This is one of the 38 stories in my collection...

~ WESSEX TALES ~

Eight thousand years in the life of an English village

‘ Crossing ’

(Story 31 of 38)

Robert Fripp

Copyright Robert Fripp 2013

Smashwords Edition

Wessex Tales: the story ‘Crossing’

ISBN: 978-0-9918575-7-9

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

Thank you for downloading my e-story, Crossing. It will be free to readers for several months. However, it remains the copyrighted property of its author, Robert Fripp, who reserves all rights. Crossing may not be reproduced, copied or distributed for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoy it, please encourage your friends to download a copy from Smashwords.com, where they will find more of my stories.

To help you find my e-stories,

use the search term ‘Wessex Tales:Fripp’

Thank you for supporting me.

Find books by Robert Fripp (Robert S. P. Fripp),

with reviews, at http://RobertFripp.ca/

or through online booksellers.

Cover

A lady in her salad days on a postcard

with a U.K. postmark, ‘Birmingham 1912’.

Posted again a century later, you can find her at:

lilyelsie.tumblr.com/post/31945348219

Cover design by The Design Unit,

www.thedesignunit.com

Table of Contents

‘Crossing’

Chapter 2

Endnote

The Author’s Note

Books by Robert Fripp

Reach me Online

A List of my Stories

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

WESSEX TALES

‘Crossing’

Circa 1970

Ninety-six years earlier she had been born in the great brick manor house set