Sade Blue

By Lois Tennant

Lyneve Hart finds herself in Whitecliff, a village along the Western South African coast. She has to help sort the affairs of her aunt who has been declared missing. As it is a small village, everyone was acquainted with her aunt, who was a member of SADE (Surf and Dune Exploration). At some point the body of a foreign child was found. Lyneve meets the rather randsome Julian Greyton. From then on she learns there is something rather suspicious and dangerous connected to the village which is close to the Columbine lighthouse. Julian is determined to help Lyneve unravel the secrets that people hold and to protect the fate of other missing people. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lois Tennant
• Release date: Apr 3, 2021
• ISBN: 9781393698647

Book preview

DESCRIPTION:

Lyneve Hart finds herself in Whitecliff, a village along the western South African coast.  She has to help sort the affairs of her aunt who has been declared missing.  As it is a small village, everyone was acquainted with her aunt.  Lyneve meets the rather handsome Julian Greyton.  From then on, she learns that there is something rather suspicious and dangerous connected to the village which is close to the Columbine Lighthouse.  Julian is determined to help Lyneve unravel the secrets that some people hold and to protect the fate of other missing people!

REVIEWS:

This story was certainly realistic enough and exciting enough to hold my full attention!  I enjoyed it!  Treasure van der Merwe

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I love adventures.  I love mysteries - with a bit of romance intertwined!  This story has it all!  Glenda Wilson

For: my dear friend, Lyneve, gone, but never forgotten (I kept my promise to name the heroine after you) and for my precious daughter, Candice - always a joy and inspiration!

CHAPTER 1

Lyneve Hart thoughtfully took a sip of her coffee and added a few more strokes to the illustration in front of her.  The little cafe' was fairly quiet with one or two elderly couples enjoying tea and a muffin or scone.  The small square tables were covered with bright blue and white checked cloths.

Lyneve smiled to herself as she imagined the color of the curtains she had managed to find for her little sitting room.  The emerald green was just what she had wanted.  She smoothed down her ruby-colored waistcoat which matched her calf-length pencil-line skirt.  The cream frilly blouse she wore with it was just right for this weather, she thought.

As she put down her cup, out of the corner of her eye she saw quite a personable gentleman stride into the cafe' and nod to the waitress.  He was wearing a brown leather jacket over a pale blue shirt and tan trousers. 

He paused a moment and then headed to the table near her.  As he brushed past, he glanced up at the door.  In so-doing he brushed very slightly against the cafe' table at which Lyneve was sitting.  Her coffee cup rattled slightly and some of the coffee splashed into the saucer.

I'm terribly sorry! exclaimed the man.  He had a pleasant voice and somewhat of a rather posh English accent, so was obviously not local, where many people's accents had a tinge of true South African pronunciation. 

He turned and smiled wryly at Lyneve.  Let me get you another one! He waved at the waitress who was on the point of bringing his own cup of coffee and she nodded.  Do you mind if I join you? he asked unexpectedly.

Lyneve looked at his face: certainly quite a looker, deep blue eyes which matched the tablecloths.   She found herself smiling at the thought as he drew out a chair.  A fringe of dark hair flopped slightly over his left eyebrow.  He had a straight nose above firm lips, the lower lip slightly fuller, with just a slight shadow of a moustache. 

He had fairly broad shoulders, something she always admired in a man.   She had typically noticed this in just one swift glance.  People interested her.  It's not really necessary... she began, knowing her accent (as a trained English teacher) was similar to his, as the waitress placed two cups of coffee on the table. 

Then, she saw the shift in her companion's expression.  A large, rather podgy-looking man loomed up behind the waitress, who deftly dodged aside.

Ah, Julian! said the stranger in a somewhat silky voice which rose from fleshy lips.  Fancy seeing you here!  I thought you would still be in Paris!  He was obviously local.  He was wearing rather gaudy checked pants and a green cardigan which stretched somewhat over his ample stomach.

As you can see, Billy, I am not, replied the man he had called Julian in a fairly quiet and discouraging tone of voice.

But I see you have company! said the red-faced Bill Bloomberg nodding in Lyneve's direction.  He glanced at Julian, expecting to be introduced.

Yes, nodded Julian.  This is er- Sade. His eyes held a slight twinkle as he glanced at Lyneve.  She's a writer.  He indicated the notebook in front of Lyneve.

Ah, Sade? said Bloomberg, stretching out a sweaty palm towards Lyneve.  Looks like you're an architect as well! he grinned as he glanced at the sketch she had made of her newly inherited home.

Oh, that's just a hobby! replied Lyneve, deciding to join in Julian's game, whatever it was.  I write articles for magazines.

Ah, replied Bloomberg, raising an interested if rather bushy eyebrow, pausing as if he was waiting for an invitation to join them.

I'm just about to interview Julian! replied Lyneve with a bland smile.

Sugar? asked Julian, paying no more attention to the large man who was leaning towards them.

Well, I won't interrupt then, said Bloomberg, straightening up and pulling at his green cardigan.  But, just a tip - don't believe everything he tells you!  He's a sly one, that one! With a rather sarcastic nod in Julian's direction, he swept away towards the counter to place an order.

I hope that's a take-away! muttered Julian.  Sorry about that!  He is pretty obnoxious.

Lyneve pursed her lips as she stirred a spoon of sugar into her fresh cup of coffee.  Why am I Sade? she asked with a twinkle in her eyes.

Julian looked a bit contrite.  I'm sorry - I could have been more original!  It's the first name I could think of!  I'm Julian Greyton, he added, and I apologize for taking over your table, but I just had to get away from a long conversation with Bloomberg!

As long as I'm not Sadie, the cleaning lady! said Lyneve with a grin. I'm Lyneve, Lyneve Hart. And I dabble in a bit of writing, but I am not an architect!

Oh - are you the niece? asked Julian with raised eyebrows.  My uncle was sad when Theresa Hart was declared missing.  He said her niece was coming to see to the house.

Yes - Theresa was my beloved aunt, said Lyneve blinking away a small tear as she looped her shoulder-length light auburn hair round her ears.   And she left her house to me, she added quietly.  She was my mother's elder sister.

I'm sorry for your loss, said Julian as he looked at her gravely.  Have you come to stay? he asked, with some interest in his eyes.

I'm considering it, replied Lyneve.  I'm a schoolteacher by profession - English.  I had a post in a small school on the outskirts of Cape Town, but they have recently closed down all their additional posts for financial reasons, so this is really quite a pleasant change and challenge for me.

Welcome to Whitecliff! said Julian with a wider smile.  He raised his coffee cup and clicked against the one she was holding.  "I'm staying with my uncle at the moment.  He has lived here forever and is on his own and quite lonely, so I get these