by Bill Kitson
After she went upstairs for her much-needed sleep, Eve and I discussed the position. ‘I can’t leave her, the way things are,’ Eve said. ‘I know I was going to visit you, but I’d never forgive myself if anything happened to her that I could prevent.’
She looked at me, as if expecting resistance, but I hadn’t even considered the notion. ‘Of course you can’t desert her, I understand that. Even if it means you don’t get to come to Dene Cottage at all, it would be selfish of me to insist in the circumstances.’
‘It might not mean cancelling the visit altogether. I said I would go back to work next week, but that was purely my decision. As I get paid on commission only, I can choose my working schedule to suit, all it means is that I don’t get paid.’
Later, when Barbara returned downstairs, we explained the change in Eve’s plans and I could see that the trainer was relieved that she would not be left alone. I set off home for Laithbrigg, having been thanked profusely by Barbara and kissed gratefully by Eve.
Although I was comforted by the knowledge that I was doing the right thing, I felt sure that the memory of that kiss would make Dene Cottage seem a cold and lonelier place over the coming days.
I drove slowly, turning over the bizarre events in my mind. After driving through Rowandale village and out on the other side, the woodland that comprised Rowandale Forest gave way to moorland as I climbed up the dale. I negotiated a particularly tricky bend and was surprised to see two cars parked by the roadside where the heather almost encroaches onto the narrow grass verge. The vehicles were dissimilar in many ways. One was a Mercedes sports car that looked as if it had emerged from the dealer’s showroom only minutes earlier, the other a Land Rover that had the appearance of being very long in the tooth, and having led a very tough life.
Neither driver was in their car, they were standing close to the Mercedes, deep in conversation. I wondered if there had been some sort of accident, as the conversation was clearly heated, being accompanied by much arm-waving and finger-pointing. The men reflected their vehicles in both clothing and demeanour. One wore an expensive-looking suit with highly polished shoes. He looked as if he would have been more at home in a city centre than on a country lane in North Yorkshire. He was clearly the Mercedes owner. The other man, by contrast, was clad in moleskin plus fours and wearing an olive green sweater, apt attire when driving a Land Rover. They gave me no more than a cursory glance as I passed, and apart from wondering briefly who they were, and what two such dissimilar characters could have been arguing about, I soon forgot them.
I’d asked Eve to phone each day to reassure me that everything was OK at Linden House. She did so, with no startling developments to report over the next three days. When she called on Friday morning, she told me she and Barbara had discussed the situation, and that as things appeared to have returned to normal Barbara had said she would be quite content on her own. Would I please go and collect her so we could spend the next few days together as planned.
I resisted the temptation to put the phone down, snatch the car keys and set off for Rowandale immediately. ‘Are you certain that’s wise?’ I asked.
‘Barbara is sure, so will you come for me this afternoon, if it’s convenient?’
‘Of course I will.’
I reached Linden House soon after 3 p.m., not wanting to appear over eager. As I was putting Eve’s cases in the car, Barbara, who had joined us by the vehicle, asked me a very strange question. ‘When that man recited the rhyme about the children, can you remember his exact words? I asked Eve, but she isn’t sure, but she said you’d know because you were trained to recall such minute details.’
I thought for a moment; then repeated the rhyme as requested. Barbara looked at me keenly. ‘Are you absolutely certain you’ve got the wording one hundred per cent accurate?’ she asked.
‘I am, because it was so bizarre. I committed it to memory there and then.’
Barbara looked puzzled. ‘You are sure?’
‘Of course.’ Now I was puzzled. ‘Is everything OK, Barbara?’
‘Yes, er, yes. Thank you,’ she replied, doing little to quell my curiosity.
I was still puzzling over her reaction when Eve and I drove out of the yard. Why should my repetition of the rhyme cause such interest, I wondered?
Chapter Three
Over dinner that evening I decided to test a theory held by Eve’s older sister, Harriet. Harriet had been my ardent supporter and confidante during the months since Eve and I had met, encouraging me to continue my pursuit of her.
I was by no means confident enough to adopt the technique suggested by Harriet. ‘Adam, for goodness’ sake, stop messing about. Tell Eve how much you love her; then take her to bed and prove it.’
‘I’m not at all sure that would work,’ I told her doubtfully.
‘Why not? It did for me.’
Years earlier, when we had been students at Leeds University, Harriet and I had been lovers. Even after all these years, I still found it bizarre that she was encouraging me to seduce her sister.
I took a deep breath and dived in. ‘Eve, I was hoping this visit might persuade you to take things a little further,’ I suggested.
Eve’s reply, although non-committal, was more promising than I’d hoped for. ‘Let’s see how things develop, shall we? Spending a few days alone together will be an interesting test. If you can still bear the sight of me at the other side of the weekend, who knows?’
‘Does that mean you might be prepared to reconsider your earlier decision?’
‘You’re very sharp, Adam. Sometimes too sharp for your own good. It can get you into trouble, as you should remember.’
I winced, recognizing her allusion. It had been a bright idea of mine that had almost got us both killed a year ago.
Later, as I escorted her upstairs, she stopped on the landing outside her room and turned to face me. ‘It’s good to be here, Adam. You’ve a lovely house, in a delightful setting.’
Then she leaned forward and kissed me, lighting the fires of passion that had been smouldering for months. ‘I’d forgotten how nice that was,’ she whispered. ‘And the best part of being here is seeing you again.’ She pushed me gently towards my room. ‘Now, go to sleep and dream of me.’
I was already sure I would be a good husband for Eve. That night merely reinforced my certainty, because I did exactly as she instructed.
The following morning I was up and about early, but it was only minutes later that Eve joined me in the kitchen. I offered her tea or coffee. She opted for tea, and as we sat at the small table with our drinks I asked how she’d slept. ‘I had a really good night,’ she told me. ‘I didn’t wake up until I heard you going downstairs.’ She grinned wickedly. ‘How about you?’
‘I did as I was told. I had a great time. How was it for you?’
Eve blushed and changed the subject abruptly. She turned her head away as if to look out of the window. ‘I envy you living here. It’s so quiet and peaceful, even more so than at Linden House. Such a contrast to London.’
We spent a long, lazy morning chatting, and for a large time I answered Eve’s searching questions about the plot for the current novel I was working on. Shortly after lunchtime I suggested we go for a walk. It felt good to be out in the open air. It felt even better to stroll down the hill towards the village with Eve alongside me. The village was deserted, a fact which puzzled Eve. ‘Where is everyone? Have they all been abducted by Martians?’
‘I don’t think so. There are reports of little green men having been seen in the village, but usually by one of the locals who has staggered out of the pub after closing time. At a guess, I’d say everyone is at the football field.’
‘Are they so keen on football?’
‘No, but everyone is keen on beer, and it’s a good excuse to get an early start because the landlord of the local pub sponsors the soccer team and opens up as soon as the match is over.’
‘And there I was thinking we had the place to ourselve
s.’ Eve slipped her hand into the crook of my elbow. It felt so good that I decided not to protest.
‘Why choose here?’ she asked suddenly.
‘I was brought up near here and I’ve always loved this area. When I was looking for somewhere to live I saw Dene Cottage in an estate agent’s window and that was it. My mind was made up.’
‘What does Laithbrigg mean? There are a lot of strange place names around here.’
‘It means a barn or shed close to a bridge.’
‘How very prosaic. I was hoping for something far more romantic.’
‘Well, you can have that with Rowandale, if you want? The rowan tree was said to ward off witches and afford protection.’
We reached the bottom of the hill and without conscious thought turned left to go over the bridge that spanned Thorsgill Beck. Eve pointed to the stone barn alongside the riverbank. ‘Is that your agricultural building by a bridge?’
‘Possibly, although I don’t think it’s the original one. Laithbrigg is mentioned in the Domesday Book, and that barn looks a lot more recent than 1086 AD.’
‘You’re a mine of useful information. Is that really when it was written?’
‘Yes, although recorded would probably be a more accurate description. I suppose you could describe it as the forerunner of the modern census.’
We stopped in the middle of the bridge, where Eve looked down into the sparkling clear water of the beck, before lifting her head and staring upstream towards the head of the dale. She listened for a moment. ‘Can you hear that?’
‘Hear what? All I can hear is the sound of the stream and a curlew somewhere up on the moors calling to his mate.’
‘Exactly, it’s so peaceful here. A tonic for eardrums battered by the sound of London traffic, jet planes, and the like. You have such beautiful scenery and so tranquil a lifestyle. I envy you it. Have I said that before?’
‘A couple of times.’ I couldn’t resist teasing her. ‘I can see I had a narrow escape. If you’d accepted my proposal I would have always wondered if you’d only married me for my scenery.’
I got a gentle slap for my cheeky remark. It was more of a caress, given the power with which I knew Eve could hit. I’d had firsthand experience of Eve’s punching power. ‘I don’t think you need to worry.’
‘Because you’ve no intention of marrying me?’
‘That’s not what I meant at all, Adam. If I do change my mind, it certainly won’t be because I love the scenery or the tranquillity of where you live.’
I was at a loss, not for the first time, by Eve’s sudden change of mood. Being at a disadvantage, I changed the topic of conversation. ‘Do you want to walk over to watch the football for a while? The view is even better there.’
The football ground at Laithbrigg is at the end of a long farm track. We had almost reached the turning when the first sign of trouble came. There was a sudden stirring among the few leaves still clinging to the trees, and at the same time I felt something cold and wet splash on the back of my hand. We glanced back, to see that where only minutes before there had been clear blue skies, the horizon was filled with dirty-looking black clouds, etched at the leading edge into shapes that always remind me of giant cauliflower florets.
‘Trouble,’ I muttered. ‘It looks as if we’re in for a storm.’
‘Those clouds appeared from nowhere,’ Eve said. ‘I can’t believe the change since we were at the bridge. What shall we do?’
I thought for a moment. ‘I think we should set off home. We don’t know how long this storm will last. If we’re lucky we might get indoors before it starts raining.’
My theory was good, but it failed to take into account how fast the storm was travelling. We had only just reached the bridge when I felt further heavy splashes of rain or sleet on my arms and head. ‘Here it comes. We’d better hurry.’
The sky was darker now, and the rain was falling heavier. We were both wearing trainers, ideal for jogging, which became more necessary as the rain started to come down heavier. I glanced at Eve and took her hand. ‘Come on, Evie, let’s run for it.’ By the time we reached the cottage we were both absolutely soaked through; even our trainers squelched with every step we took. Eve’s beautiful red-gold hair was a dripping tangle of matted, flattened curls that clung to her face and head. I felt raindrops coursing down my nose, my cheeks, and dripping from my ears. I fumbled with the key under the partial shelter of the lintel before opening the front door. As I ushered Eve inside, I noticed two puddles where we had been standing, albeit momentarily.
Once inside, we kicked our footwear off and peeled off our socks. ‘Upstairs, and let’s get out of these sodden clothes.’
Eve looked at me for a moment before smiling. It was that secretive smile I loved so much. On this occasion, the reason for her smile didn’t remain secret for long. I had just removed my clothes and was standing holding them, deciding where to put them when my bedroom door opened. ‘Give those to me; I’ll dump them in the bath with mine for now.’
I handed Eve the clothing, momentarily embarrassed, until I remembered that she had seen me naked before. I was still standing there, bemused, when she returned. She handed me a towel. ‘Dry my hair for me please, Adam. I can’t reach the back properly.’
I took the towel, my brain dizzy from this unexpected development. Eve seemed totally unconcerned by the fact that we were both naked. I began to rub her hair with the towel, and after a few seconds she leaned back against me. The touch of her skin against mine had an electrifying effect that was as powerful as the storm raging outside. My rubbing turned into a caress, which Eve was obviously enjoying, to go by the contented purr that issued from her throat. I was about to tell her that her hair was dry when she turned suddenly and put her hand on the middle of my chest, pushing me gently away. I backed off until my legs came into contact with the end of the bed. Eve pushed hard, and I was forced to sit down. She stood directly in front of me, her breasts inches away from my face. She put her arm around my neck and pulled me gently forward. For one brief, glorious moment she held my head between her breasts. Then, in what seemed like one movement, she thrust me back onto the bed. As soon as I was in a prone position, she climbed astride me. ‘I can think of a better way to get warm and dry than messing about with towels, can’t you?’
A long time later, Eve sat up, propping herself with one elbow. The sheet dropped away, I felt desire rekindling. I thought of looking away; then dismissed the idea as stupid. ‘Are you hungry?’ I asked.
‘Not very, although we haven’t eaten since breakfast. Perhaps a snack just to keep our strength up.’ Eve gave me a salacious grin that promised much.
‘I’ve bought one of those gizmos that makes toasted sandwiches. How about a cheese and ham toastie?’
‘That sounds ideal; then we can come back to bed.’
After we ate, we talked, whispering our thoughts to one another. Why we whispered, I’ve never figured out. The nearest house was half a mile away. However, it seemed right at the time.
‘I still can’t believe my luck. Did I dream it, or did this really happen.’
Eve tightened her grip on me. ‘It happened. So, no more landlord’s daughter from now on.’
‘What are you talking about? What landlord’s daughter?’
‘You know well enough. The one from the village pub.’
‘You mean the Admiral Nelson?’
‘Whatever it’s called, yes.’
‘Who told you about the landlord’s daughter?’ Realization began to dawn. ‘Was it Harriet, by any chance?’
‘Yes, she said you’d told her you’d taken this girl to the pictures a couple of times. A “luscious blonde” is how she told me you described her. That was when she advised me to get myself up here and seduce you before it was too late. She said if I didn’t make a move I’d lose you, because you’re too much of a gentleman to take advantage of me.’
‘A couple of hundred years ago your sister would have been burned at the stake
as a witch. The landlord of the Admiral Nelson has two children. Both of them are blond, but I wouldn’t describe either of them as luscious. They’re both good footballers, and if it hadn’t been for the rain we’d have seen both boys playing this afternoon. Whilst Harriet was making up the fictitious account of my behaviour, she was advising me to take you to bed the minute you got here and make love to you, tell you how much I adore you, and make you promise to marry me. In other words, Harriet has been playing both of us for suckers.’
Eve seemed far from unhappy at the news of her sister’s duplicity. She stretched; a languorous movement that brought her foot into contact with my shin. At the same time her breast brushed against my arm. It might have been accidental, but I doubt it.
I had a sudden, belated, and worrying thought. ‘Evie, darling, I’m sorry, I never realized. What about protection?’
Eve began to caress me. ‘It doesn’t matter, Adam. Not to me, anyway. Does it worry you?’
I hadn’t given any thought to the possibility. ‘No, I don’t think so.’
‘Then we’ll let nature take its course, shall we?’
Chapter Four
It was late Sunday morning before we got up and even then I was reluctant to break the spell. I knew that before long we would have to discuss the future, but for the moment I was deliriously happy that Eve had demonstrated her love for me.
The soaking we’d received the previous afternoon meant that both of us required a complete change of clothing. In the haste of our need for one another, any thought of the sodden garments Eve had dumped in the bath had been completely ignored. It was only when Eve opened her suitcase to select replacement items that she discovered a snag. ‘Damn!’ she exclaimed.
I was still in bed, resting on one elbow, taking in the view as Eve rummaged inside the case. ‘What’s wrong?’
‘I put my underwear in Barbara’s washing machine along with her stuff. When I was packing on Friday I forgot them. The only pair I have is those that got drenched and I can’t put them on.’