by Suzanne Snow
Once it was done, he drove it back to her cottage and when he returned he joined her on the green in the huddle that had lined up to watch the first of the volunteers sitting nervously above the tank of freezing cold water. Children were chosen to sling the first balls at the target and the worried occupant started to relax as the first few shots missed, even summoning up a casual wave for the crowd. A middle-aged man stepped up and the first ball landed on target, triggering the lever which tilted the seat, dumping the volunteer straight into the cold water. He shook himself as he emerged and after a couple more dunkings, was offered a towel and a change of volunteer. He stepped aside and the pattern was repeated with a woman Annie recognised as another volunteer from the fell rescue.
She saw one of the organisers waving at Jon and he bent down to speak into her ear. ‘My turn. Are you free after this?’
There was nothing to say other than yes, thoughts of anything else disappearing in the desire to spend more time with him and Annie saw him smile.
‘I won’t be too long, then we can go if you’re ready.’
She nodded, watching as he strode across to the tank and swung himself onto the seat. She couldn’t resist; she dashed forward, paid the money and took aim, aware of the growing crowd behind her. Playing netball at school had improved her hand to eye coordination no end and her first shot landed dead centre, catapulting Jon straight into the tank. The crowd roared and she laughed, hanging around to see him stand up and shake his head. He lifted his hands to wipe the water from his face, running them through his hair and slicking it backwards. Annie swallowed as she saw the soaking T-shirt clinging to his chest, outlining the width of his shoulders, and then he was laughing, his eyes searching for her. She refused her other two shots and a little boy was helped to land the target too, dunking Jon again. After another ten minutes he was relieved of duty and climbed out, dripping water onto the grass around him. Annie watched, her breath stilling, as he strode straight over, a grin still on his face.
His arms went around her the moment he reached her, lifting her, and transferring his wetness onto her clothes. She squealed, trying to wriggle away but he wasn’t to be dissuaded as he bent his head to kiss her quickly. If there had been any doubts about the nature of their relationship, he’d banished them with that gesture and Annie sensed that the crowd was seeing everything while trying to pretend otherwise.
‘You didn’t tell me you were such a good shot,’ he murmured into her ear, his breath tickling her ear. ‘I wasn’t expecting that.’
‘There’s lots you don’t know about me,’ she whispered, tilting her head back as he set her down.
‘I’m planning to find out.’ He slipped an arm around her waist, tugging her against his side. ‘Shall we go?’
She nodded, copying his gesture as they walked away, arms wrapped around one another, soaking wet. When they returned to his house everybody else had left for the day and they were alone. Annie helped Jon cook a simple supper and they ate in the kitchen after she laughingly refused to eat in the formal dining room. It was almost midnight when he walked her home and what had begun as an afternoon together had turned into the remainder of the day. She knew he was as reluctant as she was to say goodbye. Before he left, he invited her to be his guest at a party in a couple of weeks and she accepted at once.
Chapter Eighteen
Annie found out later the party was a silver wedding celebration for a couple with whom Jon had worked during his time in Kenya, and she was filled with doubts as she wondered how she would feel amongst some of his oldest friends and colleagues. It meant they would be away overnight, and she knew they had been invited to stay with Carrie and Owen at their home in Chester, where the party would be held.
Meanwhile, Sam’s blood pressure had gone up and she had been ordered to rest, so in between preparing for school and seeing Jon as often as possible, Annie was endeavouring to fill Sam’s freezer and do some pre-baby shopping for her new friend. But she was fed up of shepherd’s pie and ratatouille, and when Jon dropped in at the cottage one afternoon, she was baking hot and wishing she’d never started cooking chicken cacciatore, a recipe she’d picked up in Italy. Stirring the huge pot on the Rayburn, she jumped when he suddenly appeared, sliding his arms around her waist and kissing her neck quickly.
‘Aagh,’ she squealed, starting to laugh as she spun around to face him. ‘Don’t, not unless you want to scrape this off the floor.’
She had got into the habit of leaving her front door unlocked whenever she was around so he could let himself in. Once or twice, when she’d insisted she really must work, he had turned up anyway with his laptop and mobile and worked in the kitchen. She had shut herself away in the study and tried not to think of him nearby. Sometimes she couldn’t resist going to him and would peer over his shoulder, discovering that he liked to share his work with her. He talked about his plans for the estate and Kilnbeck, how he was in the process of setting up a scholarship to sponsor two students through agricultural college. He wanted to offer one place to a student from the village and he was about to offer the second place to Nathan. Annie had been thrilled by his plans, realising how much she had misunderstood him when they’d first met, imagining him breezing through life with his easy grin and friendly approach. The serious side of him was becoming familiar to her and she knew now that he was a person who cared for people and depended on his faith.
They’d spent a lazy afternoon at Fountains Abbey, supposedly gathering information for her school project, and had ended up picnicking besides the ruins before staying on to watch an outdoor screening of Dirty Dancing, which Jon had never seen and Annie had insisted he must. He hadn’t loved it as much as she did, but it had been a really fun evening and they’d teased one another about the dancing afterwards. He’d come with her to visit the woodland memorial ground where Molly was buried, and Annie had smiled through her sadness at the surrounding view of the Dales that Molly had so loved. They’d laughed together at the sheep busily grazing in the meadow, knowing how much Molly would have loved the idea of the animals improving the soil and increasing biodiversity on the land.
‘Are you ready for tomorrow?’ he asked casually, one hip perched on the kitchen table as he watched her.
Nodding absently, she poured half a bottle of Chianti into the dish and thought about what tomorrow might bring. She was so looking forward to spending time with him, and yet nerves clashed with anticipation as she tried to imagine what to expect once they were away from the village. She had bought another new dress and was almost packed and having finally completed her timetables and the Fountains Abbey project, felt she could take a weekend off and not think about school for once. Her parents were coming over for a visit soon and she was so looking forward to introducing them to Jon. But there was the party to get through first.
‘They will like you.’ He took the spoon, placing his hands on her shoulders to gently turn her around. She smiled nervously, and he drew her towards him, cupping her face with one hand.
‘What have you told your friends about us?’ She could feel the warmth of his fingers against her cheek, tipping her head back to look at him properly. She didn’t want her question to seem like a roundabout way of forcing him into an admission neither of them was ready to hear, and yet she wanted to know a little more. These past few days with him seemed to stretch back years, even though they only really amounted to moments. She knew he had rearranged his schedule wherever possible to spend more time with her, and once she had joined him out hiking with a Kilnbeck group. Along with Mark, Kirstie had roped them into a volunteer day with the National Park and afterwards they’d had a takeaway, the four of them together squeezed into Kirstie’s little cottage. Emma and Vivian had invited them to lunch twice and they’d discovered a lovely little tapas bar in town that was already becoming a favourite, and she knew, even as she wanted to pretend otherwise, that they were the talk of the village.
‘That you’re beautiful, kind, clever, fun, independent and a
teacher. Oh, and sexy. Have I missed anything?’
Startled and flattered, she gently swatted him to cover her surprise. She wondered if he had avoided giving her a direct answer on purpose. ‘You’ve forgotten I’m also a few years younger than you.’
He grinned as he smoothed a strand of hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ear. ‘Don’t worry, nobody will notice.’
‘Thanks a lot.’ She wriggled away, reaching for a wet cloth to throw at him. He ducked as it sailed over his head and they laughed.
When the food was ready, he walked with her to the vicarage. Each villager they met eyed them curiously as they shared greetings without pausing to chat. Sam was thrilled to see them, and Annie headed into the kitchen to leave the casserole on top of the Aga. Charlie arrived soon afterwards and invited them to stay for supper. He grinned when Sam pointed out that Annie had made it.
‘I can’t.’ Jon sounded reluctant as he leant across to Annie and kissed her briefly, squeezing her hand as he stood up. ‘I’m off to see the National Park about planning and then there’s a meeting at Kilnbeck at seven.’ He grinned at Sam. ‘Make sure you do as you’re told, for a change.’ He turned his gaze to Annie, and she smiled as she saw the warmth in his eyes. ‘See you tomorrow, about two?’
She nodded, following him to the front door so she would have another chance to kiss him goodbye. She reached up, touching his face gently with her hand. He kissed her fingers quickly and then he was gone, waving before he disappeared. She knew she was glowing when she returned to the sitting room and felt Sam’s eyes upon her.
‘It suits you,’ Sam said knowingly, and Annie looked at her in surprise.
‘What does?’
‘Being in love.’
Startled, Annie felt even more colour rush into her cheeks, holding up her hands to deny Sam’s remark. ‘It’s not like that,’ she protested, suddenly afraid she was expressing even more than she dared to admit to herself. ‘It’s just a few dates.’
‘Hmm. That’s what Jon says too, and yet he’s strutting around like a dog with two—’
‘Sam!’ Annie interrupted her before she could finish the sentence, and they laughed. But later, alone in the cottage again, she thought about Sam’s comments. Was that what people were thinking? Were she and Jon being too open too soon? She wasn’t sure, resolving to be more guarded when they were together. She hardly dared contemplating the future – it only seemed to exist until their next date – and she had no idea what would happen once the summer was over, and the school term arrived to claim her. The little voice in her mind, that reminded her he wouldn’t commit, that he wouldn’t choose a long-term relationship unless he believed he could envisage marriage and a family, liked to niggle her and cast doubt on what the future might hold for them.
Jon was on time when he arrived to collect her the following day, despite her concern that a crisis would spring up to hold them back. He teased her about the size of her suitcase as he carried it to the car, and she felt edgy and suddenly uncertain about the wisdom of going away with him. But it was too late. As she locked her front door, she knew for certain that everything between them would be different once they returned. She saw him cast an appraising glance over her skinny jeans and lacy top and felt the warmth of his hand on her back as she stepped into the Land Rover. He passed her an address and as she programmed the satnav for him, he told her about the family she was soon to meet.
‘I met Carrie when she came out to Kenya as part of a team advising people on basic business principles to help them begin projects that earned money. She’d taken a career break from her job as an accountant and she was with us for about eight weeks. When she came back on her second trip, Owen and their two boys were with her. Eventually the boys had to go back to school and Owen stayed on to help design and build new schools. Now the boys are old enough to be left at home, she and Owen spend about four months of the year in Kenya since he sold his business.’
Annie looked at him curiously. ‘So you’ve kept in touch?’
Jon nodded, sliding his hand onto her thigh as they drove along, and she covered it with her fingers, her resolve fading now they were out of sight of the village. ‘They’re good friends, as well as being very gifted and dedicated missionaries. We still meet up from time to time but it’s more difficult now. I’m sure you’ll like them.’
‘I’m sure I will.’ She tried to imagine what they would look like, probably pale and earnest, with sandals. But she’d been wrong before, smiling to herself as she remembered her surprise when he had told her that he too had once been a missionary. ‘Will there be many people at the party?’
She saw him hesitate, as though he was going to say something and then changed his mind. ‘Not sure. I think it’s supposed to be just for family and close friends.’
Once they reached the motorway the level of traffic took Annie by surprise, realising she hadn’t spent much time away from Thorndale, or Jon for that matter, in the last few weeks, and already her life in Edinburgh seemed like a distant memory. Jon knew exactly where to go, confounding the satnav from time to time, and soon they were pulling up outside a lovely Victorian townhouse. ‘This is it.’
Annie felt her nerves spinning as she surreptitiously tried to touch up her lip-gloss. The road was already crammed with cars, and Jon squeezed the Land Rover into a small space on the street nearby. She wanted to turn and flee, wishing she had never agreed to come to the party. But he was already waiting to take her hand as she left the car, and then they were at the open front door.
‘Anyone home,’ he shouted. Annie was glad he was still holding her hand and she clutched his tightly. Somebody shouted, ‘Come in,’ and she followed him inside, their feet tapping on the wooden floor beneath them.
‘We’re in here,’ the voice called from the back of the house. They walked along a corridor, beside a staircase and then emerged in a bright and sunny kitchen with a large orangery leading into the garden. The kitchen was a hive of activity and lots of people threw them smiling glances as they bustled about without pausing. A woman emerged from the melee with a shout of glee, and Jon let go of Annie’s hand to lift her into a hug and swing her around. Annie had a chance to look at her properly once Jon had set her down and saw that Carrie wasn’t in the least pale and bespectacled. He turned to Annie, drawing her against him as he made the introductions.
‘This is my good friend Carrie Graham. Carrie, I’d like you to meet my girlfriend, Annie.’
Annie’s eyes flew up to his in surprise. This was the first time either of them had acknowledged the extent of their relationship to anybody else, and she was elated. The smile Carrie gave her was affectionate, even as she looked at Annie curiously. She was plump and curvy, with stylishly cut brunette hair feathered into sharp lines falling around her face. As it was a silver wedding celebration Annie had expected her to be older, but she saw that Carrie couldn’t be much more than forty-five. She was beautiful but not in a conventional way. It came from within, from her bright and friendly eyes and warm gestures. She hadn’t bothered with make-up and her face looked fresh, despite the fine lines around her eyes and mouth. Carrie threw her arms around Annie too, hugging her quickly.
‘I’m so pleased to meet you at last,’ she said, giving Jon a playful smile as she drew back. ‘We’ve heard so much about you already. We couldn’t wait to see you in the flesh.’
‘Oh.’ Startled, Annie looked from Carrie to Jon and he grinned easily as he shrugged, his arm back around Annie’s waist.
‘Oh, there’s Owen,’ Carrie said hurriedly, spinning around as a tall, thin man appeared in the orangery, waving him over. ‘He’s having problems with the lights outside so we might all be in the dark later. Owen, come and meet Annie.’
Owen was a little older than Carrie, perhaps around fifty, but his grin was just as warm as he shook Annie’s hand and hugged Jon briefly. ‘Come and help me,’ he said to Jon, holding up a screwdriver. ‘I seem to remember you used to be able to turn your han
d to most things.’
‘Not yet,’ Carrie protested. ‘Let me take them to their room and then you can borrow him. Have you seen Alex yet? He promised he’d be back by now. Our youngest son’s learning to be a chef,’ Carrie explained as she led them upstairs. ‘He’s supposed to be putting all that training to good use and helping with the party.’
She opened the door onto a lovely room, with a wide four-poster bed and a glorious view of the city walls from the window. Jon disappeared to get their cases and Carrie hovered, pointing out different landmarks until he returned.
‘Come down when you’re ready.’ Carrie was at the door, about to excuse herself. She looked at Jon. ‘If the lights go off, you’ll know that Owen’s blown the fuses. You’ll probably both be roped into doing something.’
‘I don’t mind,’ Annie assured her. She glanced at Jon, sitting on the bed and then looked away as a multitude of thoughts raced through her mind.
‘You’ll regret that,’ Carrie said, laughing. ‘But thank you.’ She closed the door and they were alone.
‘Come here.’ Jon held out a hand and Annie inched towards him until she was standing between his thighs and he caught her, his hands on her waist. ‘Have I told you how beautiful you are and how much you distract me?’
She smiled slowly, lost in his eyes as he pulled her down onto his lap and began to kiss her. His hands crept beneath her top to explore her back, tracing tiny patterns on her skin with his fingertips. She slid her hands onto his chest, hearing his muttered groan when she undid a button at the top of his shirt and her fingers slipped inside to caress him.