Your Heart My Soul's Gareth is joining us today.

Hi everyone, Daisy Banks here and today I’m interviewing a character from Your Heart My Soul. Gareth Saunders is an antiques expert, psychic and one of the all round good guys. He set out to assess the contents of a disused pawn shop and ended up in a very tricky situation.

Daisy: Hi Gareth, I’m glad you’ve been able to take a break from your schedule and join me.

Gareth: Thanks, I’m pleased to be here.

Daisy: I think your job in the antiques business sounds fascinating. Can you tell the readers a little about your role as acquisitions second?

Gareth: The Company I work for, Saunders, Sampson and Rickets, belongs to my father. Mr. Sampson, my maternal grandfather is now deceased but the name remains. Mr. Rickets does specialist work on furniture. Dad’s chief acquisitions person, I second him. When my father does retire I’ll take over his duties. Acquisition entails finding and purchasing stock for the showroom. I attend auctions, house clearances at times, local markets, and car boot sales too. Anywhere I think I might discover items the company can purchase and sell. I also give an advice service to people who need clarification of current values of goods. Often when people inherit items they are uncertain of how much they are worth. I find this aspect of my job so interesting. If an object or painting is especially valuable I can offer people information so they can make the choice to keep, or perhaps restore an item. I can also give them guidance on the best places to sell if they chose to do so. Our company is very proud of our reputation in the antiques industry.

Daisy: As I said, fascinating. I recall your special interest is in naval objects. When did you decide to focus on those items?

Gareth: I have a passion for the sea and since I was a small boy I’ve enjoyed sailing. I’ve a small boat of my own and I suppose the interest began there. Maps and charts especially the early ones appeal to me. Cartography has an amazing history. Some of the oldest maps are worth a great deal of money, globes too. I also like the day to day items that sometimes surface, such as William’s ship’s papers; they can tell us so much. I’m still learning in this field. I think it will take me a lot longer to gain the expertise to describe naval goods as my specialist interest.

Daisy: Will’s papers seemed very important, what’s happened to them?

Gareth: I’m researching them, adding more detail where I can. He certainly did travel. I’m intending to offer them to one or two of the local museum’s when my research is done.

Daisy: I believe you also have an additional skill, that of a psychic. Could you tell us a little about that?

Gareth: I don’t tend to talk about it much. People make assumptions and as I found out in my youth, sometimes those who don’t believe in such things can be aggressive in their attitude. As I explained to Miss Chesterton, I know I’ll never have enough evidence for some people.

Daisy: Can’t I coax you to say just a little more?

Gareth: My skill in is sensing things from objects. I can feel the aura, sometimes access memories an object harbors. Not all the recollections are happy, though some are. Since my first interactions I’ve thought of my work as a psychic as helping others to deal with unfinished business. My grandmother taught me to understand things that way. I do have to admit my experience in relation to Miss Chesterton’s store has to be the most intense and challenging psychic occurrence in my life so far.

Daisy: What made it so challenging?

Gareth: Dealing with my fears for Miss Chesterton. I’m convinced if I hadn’t got things right she could have been in grave danger. I had no time to consult wiser psychics and had to depend on my skills. I learned a lot and very quickly.

Daisy: Would you describe yourself as a natural hero, courageous under pressure?

Gareth: Not at all. I’m just me. I responded to a situation and did the best I could. From all I’ve heard and read, I think most people described as heroic would say the same thing. Circumstances make demands of us and we have to deal with them. Miss Chesterton was very brave throughout, an inspiration I’d say. Not every young woman would have coped as well as Libby.

Daisy: Would it be true to say your relationship with Libby is an important one?

Gareth: Indeed it would. When two people share the kind of experience we have it would be very difficult not to become involved. Libby is the most giving and courageous young woman. She is very dear to me.

Daisy: Thanks for sharing that with us, Gareth. It has been a pleasure to talk with you. One last question for you, do you think you and Libby might share other psychic linked adventures?

Gareth: I hope if we do they won’t be quite as intense as the first one. I’ve enjoyed talking with you, Daisy. Many thanks for giving me the chance to share my thoughts on events.

Daisy: Thank you, Gareth. I hope we get the chance to talk again sometime. Best wishes to you and to Libby.