1979 in the tiny English village of Little Saddlington where local auctioneers Rubicon & Shipley find their next auction has been mysteriously publicised around the world causing thousands of people to descend upon it, many to find their lives become changed through the extraordinary occurrences created by ‘The Great Convergence’. Major George Roberts lives in a cottage on a stretch of salmon river next to Little Saddlington. Still wracked by nightmares of the defeat and slaughter of his men during world war two the Major has been fighting a twelve year running battle with his landlord Geoffrey Rawlston, who has unsuccessfully tried everything possible to force the Major out of the cottage. Now that the Major cannot afford to renew his lease Rawlston will finally get the cottage and salmon fishings back, forcing the Major to move to a retirement home. All over the world people are making plans to come to what has been advertised as a very important auction. General Chuck Verbeer from America, an Arab Sheikh from the Ahram desert, Bill Boyd from Australia and Hiroyuki Takada from Japan arrive along with thousands of people who overwhelm the tiny village. The villagers and crowds of visitors become embroiled in chaotic scenes throughout the six day auction, but in amongst the chaos there is much more going on than meets the eye and in the end there is a very different outcome for the auctioneer and his silent backer than the one they were expecting as there is for almost everyone involved, including the Crow that was a Rook! Book Excerpt: The daggers came even closer. But you would be welcome in my home for no payment at all, as are all the peoples who wander upon the earth. What is the price?
I can’t, I mean, really, you must understand…
Silence! We shall not wait longer for I can see that you are a difficult man. As you will not give us the price… the Sheikh snapped his fingers and the one who was not the Religious One produced a flat bag from within his robes and handed it to him without moving his eyes from Rawlston or removing the dagger from his face. The Sheikh produced a fistful of money from the bag. This is what we offer to stay in your house! Rawlston looked in amazement at the large wad of notes in the Sheikh’s hand. Take it or we go!
A shaken Geoffrey Rawlston took the money and the Arabs walked past him into the hallway and on into the lounge. He ran after them. But don’t you want to count what you’ve just given me? The Sheikh made a dismissive gesture. We would like to eat now.
Eat?
Yes, you do eat I suppose? Rawlston nodded dumbly. Well have you any lamb?
Lamb?
Yes, it is a small sheep.
Oh, lamb! Yes, I’ll get some lamb! You just hang on here and I’ll organise some food! The Sheikh sighed. Rawlston’s brain had finally overcome the shock and shifted into gear as he realised how valuable these ‘guests’ of his might be considering the large amount of money they had just furnished him with. Good, we will look to establish ourselves in your house, find our places to sleep and await your call to dine.
Dine? Yes, of course, I’ll just be a little while your, er… He backed out of the room half bowing and left them to get his car and go shopping. Book Contents: The Plan Little Saddlington The Major The Response The Arab The Aussie The Yank The Jap The Cornishman The Lancashire Lads The Scotsman Converging Countdown The Viewing Days The Auction Day Two Day Three Day Four Day Five The Great Day Aftermath Epilogue