With two identical buffet lines, it wasn’t long before everyone was finding places to sit with their full plates. Bessie ended up at a table with Doona, Hugh, Grace, and John Rockwell and his children. She smiled to herself. No one else need know that that was exactly where she’d wanted to be.
After everyone had found seats, John stood up. “Before we all enjoy this wonderful meal, I believe it is traditional in America to give thanks. I just wanted to take a moment to say how thankful I am for the friendship that Bessie has shown me since we first met. She’s a wonderful woman and a true friend and I’m very thankful that I met her.”
Shouts of “hear, hear” and “hurrah for Bessie” filled the air. Bessie’s eyes filled with tears as she looked around the room. It had been a difficult and trying year with many tragedies, but today, surrounded by the friends who were her family, she felt that it had been worth it. She loved her island, and even more, the people who lived there.
Glossary of Terms
Manx Language to English
kys t’ou
How are you?
ta mee braew
I’m fine.
House Names – Manx to English
Thie yn Traie
Beach House
Treoghe Bwaaue
Widow’s Cottage (Bessie’s home)
English/Manx to American Terms
advocate
Manx title for a lawyer (solicitor)
aye
yes
biscuits
cookies
booking
reservation (at a restaurant)
boot
trunk (of a car)
car park
parking lot
chips
french fries
comeover
a person who moved to the island from elsewhere
crisps
potato chips
cuppa
cup of tea (informal)
fairy cakes
cupcakes
fairy lights
Christmas lights
fizzy drink
soda (or pop)
flat
apartment
hire car
rental car
holiday
vacation
jumper
sweater
lift
elevator
lorry
truck
midday
noon
pavement
sidewalk
plait
braid (in hair)
pudding
dessert
queue
line
shopping trolley
shopping cart
skeet
gossip
starters
appetizers
telly
television
till
check-out (in a grocery store, for example)
torch
flashlight
trainers
sneakers
Other notes:
CID is the Criminal Investigation Department of the Isle of Man Constabulary (Police Force).
“Noble’s” is Noble’s Hospital, the main hospital on the Isle of Man. It is located in Douglas, the island’s capital city.
When talking about time, the English say, for example, “half seven” to mean “seven-thirty.”
When island residents talk about someone being from “across,” or moving “across,” they mean somewhere in the United Kingdom (across the water).
In the UK you enter a building on the “ground floor,” and the floor above that is the “first floor.” The numbers go up from there. In the US, it is typical to count the ground floor level as the “first floor.”
Boxing Day is the day after Christmas (December 26th) and was traditionally the day that servants would get a present (their Christmas box) from their employers. It is a Bank Holiday (Public Holiday) in the UK. (And my birthday, if anyone is interested.)
A cattle grid is a grid of bars or tubes set into the ground to stop cattle (or other livestock) from leaving or entering an area. The gaps between the bars are far enough apart that the animal can’t safely walk across them, but they don’t impede vehicles from passing over them.
The Inland Revenue is the UK tax authority, similar to the US IRS.
Acknowledgements
As ever, I have a great many people to thank.
My editor, Denise, who keeps my biggest mistakes away from my wonderful readers.
Kevin takes the beautiful photographs that make my covers so special.
Thanks to Charlene, Janice, Ruth and Margaret for being the best beta reading team in the world.
And, last, but never least, thank you, readers, for enjoying Bessie’s adventures along with me. I am so grateful to each and every one of you.
Coming July 15, 2016
Aunt Bessie Joins
An Isle of Man Cozy Mystery
Diana Xarissa
Aunt Bessie joins the planning committee for Manx National Heritage’s new fundraiser, Christmas at the Castle.
Bessie is delighted that her friends, Marjorie Stevens and Mary Quayle are also both on the committee. Carolyn Teare is a less welcome addition. When Carolyn insists on hiring an expensive designer to “improve” everything, Bessie is even less happy.
Aunt Bessie joins Mary and Marjorie in fighting against Christopher Hart’s suggested changes to the beautifully decorated rooms.
But when Christopher ends up dead, not liking his design style seems a pretty slim motive.
Aunt Bessie joins forces with Inspector John Rockwell and his Douglas counterpart, Pete Corkill as an act of vandalism and a second dead body threaten to get Christmas at the Castle cancelled altogether.
Have you read all of the
Aunt Bessie Cozy Mysteries?
Aunt Bessie Assumes
Aunt Bessie Believes
Aunt Bessie Considers
Aunt Bessie Decides
Aunt Bessie Enjoys
Aunt Bessie Finds
Aunt Bessie Goes
Aunt Bessie’s Holiday
Aunt Bessie Invites
Aunt Bessie Joins (Release date: July 15, 2016)
By the same author
The Isle of Man Romance Series
Island Escape
Island Inheritance
Island Heritage
Island Christmas
The Markham Sisters Cozy Mystery
Novella Series
The Appleton Case
The Bennett Case
The Chalmers Case
The Donaldson Case
The Ellsworth Case (Release date: June 17, 2016)
About the Author
Diana would love for you to sign up for her newsletter so that you can find out about new releases as well as enter contests and giveaways. You can sign up on her Facebook page or on her website at www.dianaxarissa.com.
Diana grew up in Pennsylvania, moved to Washington DC and then found herself being swept off her feet by a handsome British man who was visiting DC on vacation. That was nearly nineteen years ago.
After their wedding, Diana moved to Derbyshire, where her new husband had his home. A short time later, the couple moved to the Isle of Man. After more than ten years on the island, now a family of four, they relocated to the outskirts of Buffalo, NY, where Diana keeps busy writing about the island she loves and driving her children everywhere.
She also writes mystery/thrillers set in the not-too-distant future under the pen name “Diana X. Dunn” and fantasy/adventure books for middle grade readers under the pen name “D.X. Dunn.”
She would be delighted to know what you think of her work and can be contacted through snail mail at:
Diana Xarissa Dunn
PO Box 72
Clarence, NY 14031
Or find her on Facebook, Goodreads or on her website at www.dianaxarissa.com.
; Diana Xarissa, Aunt Bessie Invites (An Isle of Man Cozy Mystery Book 9)
Aunt Bessie Invites (An Isle of Man Cozy Mystery Book 9) Page 24
