by Marian Phair
“It’s wonderful to have a man about the place again,” said Daisy to Ralph, “to chop the wood and fetch the turf. This place needs a man’s hand; it makes life so much easier on the women folk.”
Daisy sat on a little wooden stool in the yard, watching Ralph at work as he drew the saw back and forth across the branch he had carried into the yard. He was sawing it into smaller pieces, ready to be split into logs for the fire in the range, which was kept lit all year round for cooking, hot drinks and heating the cottage in cold weather. Now, the summer sunlight was streaming in through its open doors and windows.
Stripped to the waist, Ralph spat into his hands, and wielding the heavy axe, split the log in two with one blow. Daisy admired his rippling muscles as he worked, envying her granddaughter her youth.
“If I was sixty years younger, I would give Amie a run for her money, and I’d keep your bed warm for you at night,” said Daisy, grinning at him, exposing gaps where she was missing a few teeth.
“And if oi’ was sixty years older me darlin’ ‘oid let yer warm me bed.” Ralph told her, adopting a broad Irish brogue and giving her a roguish wink causing Daisy to burst into laughter.
Amie came out of the cottage, two steaming mugs of tea in her hands. “Time for your ‘elevenses’ folks,” she said, holding the mugs out to them, “what’s all the laughter about?”
“It’s our little secret,” Daisy said, winking at Ralph. Setting down his axe, Ralph took the hot mug from Amie’s hand, and planted a swift kiss on her lips. Daisy, sensing the passion between them, had made sure they were never left alone together, always managing to keep them in her sight. She felt it her duty to act as chaperone to the couple, believing as she did, in the old-fashioned mode of conduct in courtship, which was how things were done in her own young days.
Daisy had become very fond of Ralph in the weeks past, and she enjoyed baking cakes for him, which he ate with wolfish abandon, washed down with mugs of hot, sweet tea. He teasingly called her his ‘number one girl,’ singing ‘Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer do,’ and going down on one knee before her, his hands clasped together in a pleading motion, causing her to laugh out loud at his antics. Daisy knew how ambitious Ralph was to make it to the top of his chosen career, and she did not mind his being older by almost eight years, to her granddaughter, when she saw how happy Amie was in his company.
Although Ralph spoke openly about his childhood, and his work, Daisy felt there was something he was not telling them about himself, some dark secret he was hiding, something he did not want them to know.
As long as he was kind to Amie, she kept these thoughts to herself, as everyone has a skeleton in their closet somewhere. Heaven only knew, Amie needed someone like Ralph in her life, the past few years had been lonely enough for her, it was wonderful to see her so relaxed and happy.
Leaving her stool, Daisy followed Amie into the cottage, gathering the empty mugs as she went. The two of them were going into town on a special shopping spree.
“We will leave the dishes pet,” Daisy said, setting the mugs down on the table, and removing the apron from her ample waist, “I will deal with them later.”
She would not be accompanying them this evening as today was special, being Amie’s eighteenth birthday, and Ralph was taking her out to dinner on the mainland to celebrate it. Daisy had planned this day for some time. Saying their goodbyes to Ralph, who had returned to splitting the logs, the two made their way down the cobbled pathway to the boat moored at the Lough shore.
With a light heart, Amie settled her grandmother into the boat. Seating herself at the back, she lowered the engine’s propeller into the water, tugged at the starting cord, and the engine purred into life. Amie settled back in her seat, and expertly guided the boat out across the Lough towards the mainland, and her old Austin Allegro, given to her by Joseph Nesbitt, who had taught her to drive.
They spent the rest of the morning shopping for a dress for Amie’s dinner date with Ralph. Having tried on several, and discarding each in turn for one reason or another, they both fell in love with an emerald green satin gown that suited Amie’s colouring to perfection, and had matching high heeled sandals.
“It’s far too expensive gran,” Amie said glancing at the price tag, “so are the sandals.” She looked down at her feet wondering if she would be able to stay upright on the spiky heels, wriggling her feet into them. She took a few tentative steps, and found them surprisingly comfortable.
“Fiddlesticks,” said Daisy, “it’s my birthday gift to you what is the point of saving money at my age if I can’t spoil you on your special birthday?” Amie thanked her, kissing her lightly on the cheek.
“Get away with you,” said Daisy with a chuckle, a flush of delight appearing on her cheeks.
They had a light lunch in the Cosy Nook, a small café by the quayside, followed by a cup of coffee each and what Daisy laughingly called a ‘tit cake,’ a large round iced bun filled with cream and a cherry on the top.
“That was lovely pet,” Daisy said, dabbing at her chin with a paper napkin, removing the last traces of cream from her face, “I have really enjoyed myself today, and we should do this more often.”
Amie rose, helping Daisy on with her jacket, before gathering up their purchases.
“I will go and settle our bill, and then we had better think about returning home. I have to bathe and wash my hair, ready for my big date tonight.” A ripple of excitement went through her, and she sensed something wonderful was about to happen to her, something that would change her life forever.
Amie dressed carefully, the emerald green satin gown, with its heavily beaded top and narrow straps setting off her lightly tanned skin. She brushed her hair until it shone, gathering it up into a coil at the back, held in place by a diamante-studded clip. A quick spray of perfume, her gift from the Nesbitt’s, and with a check of her lightly applied makeup, she pushed gold hoops into her ears, and stepped back to check her reflection in the long mirror, pleased with what she saw.
She slipped her feet into the matching sandals, then had second thoughts, as in those high heels she could break a leg, tackling the cobble stoned lane to the Lough. She had better carry them, she thought, and travel in her flat heeled pumps. She took a further look in the mirror, gathered up the sandals, closed the door, and made her way downstairs.
“Oh, you look lovely pet, just like a princess,” said Daisy, giving her a hug and wiping away a tear. Her little granddaughter had grown into this beautiful young woman standing before her, and Daisy’s heart filled with pride at the sight of her.
“Now you go off and enjoy yourself, Flo’ will be over soon to keep me company, and you know what we are like when we get together.”
Florence Green had gone to school with Daisy, and they had remained life-long friends. Florence’s son Ryan would often bring his mother over for a visit. From the point on the mainland where they lived, it was only a short distance to Craig Island. The two old women would sit for hours, catching up on the latest gossip, and recalling the past over cups of tea and homemade cake, until Ryan returned to ferry his mother back to their cottage on the mainland.
Ralph had to park around the corner from the Italian restaurant he had chosen. He helped her alight from the car, offering his arm to lean on, and waited patiently whilst Amie changed her footwear. He took her arm, and they set off towards the restaurant. They had not gone many paces when her foot caught on the uneven pavement. Ralph’s arm went quickly around her waist, preventing a fall, and he only removed it when they reached the restaurant, holding the door open for her to enter. Giving his name to a waiter, they were shown to their table. Once they were seated, Ralph turned his whole attention on her completely.
“I took the liberty of ordering a bottle of the house wine, as I feel sure you will enjoy it. They serve a lovely Valmarone Lambrusco Bianco here, or so I am told. Amie nodded her head, not wanting him to know just how naïve she was in these matters.
The waiter hover
ed around their table waiting to take their order.
“I would like the Lasagna al Forno,” she said, glancing up at Ralph over her menu, trying hard to sound sophisticated. She was unfamiliar with most of the dishes offered but loved Lasagna.
She glanced around the restaurant, whilst Ralph was studying his menu, admiring the lovely interior. The candlelit tables, with their small posies of flowers, and sparkling crystal wine glasses; the large mirrors on the walls, reflecting the huge chandelier in the centre of the ornate ceiling. He could not have chosen a more perfect setting for her.
She looked at him adoringly as he gave the waiter his order. She had not failed to notice the admiring glances or the envious look on the faces of the women, as they looked from her to the tall extremely handsome, dark haired man in the immaculate tuxedo by her side.
“I will have the Bistecca alla Whiskey, and I would like a side-salad with it.”
The waiter took the menus and the wine list and disappeared.
They smiled at each other across the table. Reaching into the inside pocket of his jacket, Ralph produced a small gift-wrapped package, which he placed on the table before her.
“Happy Birthday Amie,” he murmured. She reached forward, thanking him for his gift and carefully removed the wrapping paper. As she opened the box, Ralph noticed a look of child-like wonder on her face. She gasped out her delight at the beautiful gold necklace nestling on the velvet pad inside.
In the centre was a heart shape made up of small diamonds, whose brilliance caught the light from the candles on the table, sending out a myriad of colours. Ralph sat watching her lovely face.
“Oh, it is so beautiful, I love it,” she breathed, thanking him again. “I will always treasure it.” Amie had never seen anything so lovely.
“Let me put it on for you,” he offered, rising from his seat. Taking it from her with trembling fingers, he placed it round her neck.
“You have no idea just how much I want you,” he whispered in her ear, his voice low and husky. His fingers lightly caressed her neck, as he secured the fastening. Her heart raced even faster at his words.
The waiter returning with their food broke the spell. Ralph told the waiter to put a bottle of their best champagne on ice, and asked for it to be served after their meal, with a further bottle to take with them later.
Cutting off a small piece of his steak, Ralph fed it to her from his fork.
“It’s delicious,” she told him, finding the gesture intimate and sexy.
Later, he held her in his arms on the small dance floor, while they danced to the strains of ‘Love Me Tender.’
“Happy?” He asked, holding her closer to him, molding his body into hers and sending delicious thrills up and down her spine.
“Ecstatic!” she replied, closing her eyes and laying her head on his shoulder, as they swayed to the music. This was the happiest day of her life.
“Amie, there is something I must tell you,” he paused, unable to find the words. She gazed up at him expectantly, waiting to hear what was on his mind.
“It’s nothing that can’t wait until later.” He realised he would never be able to tell her he was going away, or the reason he could not ask her to go with him. He had never wanted anyone in his whole life, as much as he wanted her right now.
“Come on Cinderella, it is time to leave the ball,” he said with a sigh, not wanting the night to end. Ralph had given Daisy his word not to keep Amie out all night. He did not want her sitting at home, alone in the cottage worrying about her grandchild.
With Amie safely back on the island, Daisy relaxed. Ralph stood off a little to one side, as Amie showed off her beautiful diamond necklace to Daisy. She could not help noticing he was uneasy about something, whilst starry-eyed Amie, noticed nothing amiss.
The three sat at the kitchen table, enjoying a glass of champagne from the bottle Ralph had bought back with him. Unaccustomed to alcohol, Daisy found it going to her head. Placing her glass on the table she announced she was going to retire for the night.
“You can tell me all about your evening tomorrow dear, right now I can barely keep my eyes open, so I will say goodnight to you both. Don’t stay up too late Amie, as we have a busy day ahead of us, and you will need your sleep.”
They found themselves alone in the cosy little kitchen. Ralph took the bottle from the table. “Fancy a moonlight stroll; we can finish this off under the stars?”
Amie slipped her feet back into her comfortable flat heels, and they left, closing the door quietly behind them, and strolled hand in hand up the winding moonlit path.
Ralph removed his jacket, and spread it out for her to sit on under the giant oak. Amie kicked her feet free of the shoes, letting them lie where they fell in the long grass. They sipped the champagne out of the bottle, passing it back and forth between them as they sat in silence, looking out across the Lough in the moonlight, each lost in their own thoughts.
Amie was about to take a sip from the bottle when Ralph leant over her and kissed her. It started out as a gentle kiss, meant to be teasing and playful, but they were both caught up in their desire for each other the instant their lips touched. Ralph put his hand to the back of her head to bring her closer to him, to kiss her more deeply. The hot, sweet kiss went on for endless frustrating minutes, which made him ache with longing, until finally he could stand it no longer, and raised his head with a ragged sigh. Amie stared up at him in the moonlight, her big green eyes soft and warm with longing.
“Kiss me again Ralph.” It was the way she said his name, soft and breathy, aching with need that cracked his resolve.
He pulled away from her just long enough to remove the bottle from her hand, and place it upright against the tree. Then he freed her hair from its restraining clip, letting it fall around her shoulders, his hands tangled in the auburn curls, tilting her head back, he took her mouth with his.
Amie wrapped her arms around him and kissed him back, just as passionately as he was kissing her. Her whole body was trembling.
“God, I have wanted to do that all night,” Ralph breathed when he finally raised his head.
“Kiss me!” she demanded fiercely. She threaded her hands through his hair, and pulled his head down to hers and Ralph kissed her again.
He ran his hands over the bodice of her dress, looking for a way under its heavy beading, finally easing down the shoulder straps, finding she was not wearing a bra underneath. It had not occurred to him that she might be bare under all that beading. He told himself he would have gone crazy during dinner if he had known it.
His fingers caressed her breasts, finding her swollen nipples.
Amie moaned and pressed herself into his hand and reaching behind her, she pulled the zipper on her gown down its entire length, letting it fall around her lower body in her wantonness, exposing more of her flesh for him to explore. He removed his hands from her breasts, and stretching her out on his jacket, gently removed the crumpled gown and the rest of her clothing, all the while telling her how lovely she looked, with moonlight playing over her naked body. His lips sought hers again, before travelling down her body, planting soft sweet kisses on her neck, her breasts, stomach and inside her thighs and lingering in her secret place, before moving on down her body. Almost swooning from his kisses, she begged him to take her.
He could stand it no longer, not stopping to remove his own clothing, he unzipped his trousers, releasing his swollen manhood, and bent over her. Parting her legs with his hands, and covering her face with kisses, he entered her roughly.
Amie uttered a sharp cry of pain, and then surrendered herself to him completely, giving him the only treasure she had to give, her virginity.
They lay in each other’s arms for a while, and then Ralph eased away from her, and removed his clothing.
He made love to her again, only this time; he did it slowly, and gently, setting her whole body on fire.
CHAPTER THREE
“How could he do this to me?” Amie sobbed, as
her grandmother tried her best to comfort her. “Was that all I meant to him, just a casual fling?” She flopped onto the wooden chair beside the range, tears streaming down her face.
She was in love with him, and had put her trust in him, but he had betrayed her, taking her virginity and stealing off like a thief into the night.
She blew her nose into the handkerchief Daisy had provided.
“No man will ever get that close to me again,” she vowed through her tears.
“NO MAN!”
In the days that followed, Amie was so wrapped up in her own feelings; she had failed to notice how pale and worn Daisy looked.
She did not notice how Daisy struggled to climb the stairs, pausing halfway to catch her breath, before she was able to continue.
Amie found her one morning when she brought her, her early morning cup of tea, lying unconscious on the bedroom floor. With trembling hands, she checked to see if Daisy was breathing. Finding a pulse, she gently turned her on her side, making sure her airway was clear. Dragging a cover off the bed, she lay it over the unconscious form, before dashing back down the stairs, and out down the cobbled path to the boat, cursing the fact they did not have a telephone on the island. In her panic, she had to tug at the engine starting cord several times before it finally turned over. She opened up the throttle, and headed the boat out across the Lough towards the Nesbitt’s farm.
Leaving Joseph Nesbitt to telephone for the doctor, she headed back to the island, sick with fear of what she might find, and as the boat sped across the Lough, she leant over its side and threw up. She moored the boat and made her way hastily up the cobbled lane to the cottage, once inside she stayed cradling Daisy’s head in her lap until the arrival of the doctor.
“She has had a mild stroke,” Dr Reid told Amie, after he examined his patient, who having regained her senses was resting in her bed. Back
Downstairs, he gave her instructions for Daisy’s care. “Let her stay in bed for a couple of days, and I will call and check her again, as there may be some degree of permanent disability,” he warned Amie. “Give her two days of complete rest, then get her out of bed and encourage her to walk,” he told her looking at her over his glasses. “Consistent attempts to walk after a stroke are essential in order to recover mobility.”