Copyright 2015 Richard Ainsworth
The right of Richard Ainsworth to be identified as the Author of the Work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs & Patents Act 1988.
First Published in this Ebook edition in 2015 by Green Raven Media Ltd
Apart from any use permitted under UK copyright law, this publication may only be reproduced, stored, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, with prior consent or permission in writing of the publishers and Richard Ainsworth. In the case of reprographic production, in accordance with the terms of licences issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency (Green Raven Media Ltd).
All Characters – Unless formally identified and acknowledged, are fictitious and any resemblance to any persons living or dead, is purely coincidental.
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The Dave Hinchy Code
A Tale
of witchcraft,
secret societies,
demons, angels...
and afternoon tea.
Preface
When the postman – Dave Hinchy, pops the wrong piece of post through the letterbox of Ruby, he causes a brand of mayhem he could never account for. Dave is mixed up with a secret society – The Rosy Crustaceans. They are led by a sinister Doctor, with very dubious intentions of world domination, all starting with the annexation of Widdowshins with Hades. Ruby recognises him for what he is and gathers her forces together – her twin sister, her cat, a rather hysterical vicar and a koi carp, off they trot to take on the powers of darkness… St Michael pops in to lend a hand too.
For more information, characters, newsletter, videos, audio and pictures of the actual village go to www.widdowshins.com
Foreword
It’s taken several years to get this all together. Not so much the writing, but making sure what was done, was done - and what I mention in the history, was, to a greater degree, real history, but with the same breath, blow the dust off it and make it accessible for any who find ‘real’ history as dull as ditch water. I wanted to make stories which not only engaged, but also wrapped fact in a veneer of sugar coated fantasy.
I’ve been encouraged and cajoled to get all this ‘out there’ by Kat, my long suffering wife, Jim Gregory, Balsh, Glyn, Steve Harris, Carl, Tessa, Jeff, Rachel, Chris and Tracey Donnelly, amongst others, some of those unmentioned helpers from very surprising and enterprising quarters indeed, their influences will be all too apparent to them in the series as it progresses.
Widdowshins is real, but not under that name, as you would see from the website, www.widdowshins.com. The history is real… for the most part, and the occult and magickal practices exist. You can either enjoy the work for the surface tale which pops along, or look deeper into it – and the tales it works with and is mystically tied to.
Everything in Widdowshins means something. Whether it be a flower mentioned, the colour of a coat or the choice of a tune, and Glyn’s tunes are incredibly carefully crafted and considered indeed. It all means something, it’s up to you to work out what they mean for yourself. Lastly, I’d like to thank the late departed Cath Sutton for instigating me to ‘go and do it’ years before I did – by giving me the introductions to Carl and Jim. God Bless you Cath.
Thank you for taking the time and consideration to read this foreword.
Blessed Be.
Richard Ainsworth
October 2015
Contents
Chapter 1 : Deliverance
Chapter 2 : Tea For Two
Chapter 3 : Paper Chase
Chapter 4 : Pearls Of Wisdom
Chapter 5 : Doctor Does Little
Chapter 6 : Doctor On The Go
Chapter 7 : Tea And No Sympathy
Chapter 8 : Poor Old Hari, The Unhappy Chappy
Chapter 9 : A Tête-à-tête And Tea
Chapter 10 : Parched And parchment
Chapter 11 : All That Glitters
Chapter 12 : A Crazy Old Bat
Chapter 13 : Today… We Shall Learn Of Our Fête
Chapter 14 : Ruby Meets A Bad Driver
Chapter 15 : Vicar In A Two, Two
Chapter 16 : A Revelation For Ruby
Chapter 17 : Hariman Is Offered A Monopoly
Chapter 18 : Reverend Phullaposi Becomes Bogged Down
Chapter 19 : Nephthys Night
Chapter 20 : Hariman Is Stage Struck
Chapter 21 : Hariman Learns Not To Take The Mike
Chapter 22 : Ask
Epilogue: Underneath The Spreading Chestnut Trees
Warning
Chapter 1
Deliverance
Do what you will, but harm none...
Operor quis vos mos, tamen vulnero nullus
It was a fine, crisp, Summer's Day in Widdowshins; the air was fresh, and the birds in the trees and hedgerows were singing in celebration to anyone who cared to listen. Ruby was up and about bright and early. This being the North West of England, where such weather was unlikely to last very long, she had determined to take advantage of it while she could, and had gone for a leisurely hike in the countryside surrounding the village. Now she was heading for home, the small velvet bag that hung at her side stuffed with the leaves and roots of various potent herbs and plants gathered along the way.
As she turned up the track that led up the hill to her caravan, just beyond the horses' fields, she encountered Dave Hinchy, the Postman, and bid him her customary “Good morning.”
Dave was sitting on a dry stone wall practising his banjo. Dave was a very good banjo player; so good that sometimes people would travel great distances to this small village just to listen, or to play with him. Some would try to compete with him for speed, complexity or dexterity. But whether they played banjo or guitar, he could usually best them. People would hear the music and would gather to watch this 'duel' of banjos. His favourite place for playing his banjo was sitting on a garden swing, dangling his legs and just concentrating on his playing, as if nobody else in the world existed. He was playing that way now; so
