Audra, also lost in her private musings, felt as though she was floating, so buoyed up was she. For two months she had held onto the belief that they would meet again one day, but when he had walked into the pet shop she had been completely taken aback. Initially. And then, within minutes, it had all seemed so natural. She knew it was meant to be. The awkwardness she had experienced at the dance was no longer in evidence, and she did not feel in the least shy with him. Quite the contrary, in fact.
He was even more handsome than she remembered, immaculate in his appearance, and as well dressed as he had been at the dance. He was a charming young man with a pleasant personality, and the way he had behaved with the child had only made her like him all the more. Audra smiled. Like was a funny word to use. It hardly described her feelings. She had fallen in love with him in the pet shop.
She looked up at him through the corner of her eye. He was the only man for her. The only man she would ever want.
Vincent glanced down as she was looking up.
Their eyes met and held for a brief moment. He smiled at her, lovingly. She smiled back, a little tremulously. A very intimate communication passed between them at this precise moment, and they both caught their breath, staring at each other. And then fully understanding what had been conveyed without benefit of words, they instantly averted their faces, stared ahead, walked on in silence.
After a short while, Vincent finally spoke. He said, ‘I hope you don’t think I’m being nosy, but how long have you worked for the Bells then?’
‘A year,’ Audra replied. ‘As a matter of fact, Mr Crowther, it’s exactly one year ago today that I started my job at Calpher House. That’s why I bought Theo the bird. As an anniversary gift.’
‘They should be giving you presents,’ he said gruffly before he could stop himself. And then for a reason he could not fathom he experienced a small stab of resentment towards the Bell family.
Audra had caught the odd, disgruntled tone, and she eyed him curiously, for a moment puzzled. But then she smiled at him prettily and said, ‘They did, Mr Crowther. At breakfast this morning.’
‘Well, that’s good then, isn’t it. I’m glad.’ He cleared his throat rather loudly and went on, ‘You don’t come from these parts, I can tell that by your voice. You don’t speak with a Leeds accent. So where are you from?’
‘Ripon’s my home town, and that’s where I lived until last year. Have you ever been there, Mr Crowther?’
‘Yes, I have, to the races. It’s a lovely spot.’ His green-eyes gleamed with mischief. ‘And lucky for me, I don’t mind telling you. I’ve always managed to win a bob or two at Ripon races, and there are some nice pubs there too.’
Audra nodded. ‘Yes. And you’re from this area, aren’t you, Mr Crowther?’
‘Oh aye, I am that. Armley born and bred, that’s me. And listen a minute, would you mind calling me Vincent? I keep thinking you’re addressing me dad every time you say Mr Crowther.’
Audra laughed. ‘Of course I will, and you must call me Audra.’
‘Done,’ he cried and came to a sudden and abrupt stop. He took hold of her arm and gently broke her stride.
She stared up at him, frowning.
Vincent said, in a rush of words, ‘Will you go out with me tonight, Audra? I’d like to take you somewhere nice. Maybe into Leeds, to go dancing. Say you will. Please.’ He flashed her his most winning smile and held her with his eyes.
She said, ‘I’m afraid I can’t. You see I have—’
‘You don’t have to bother explaining,’ he cut in, sounding huffy and hurt. ‘I understand.’ A tinge of pink crept up into his face.
‘No, you don’t understand, Vincent,’ Audra said firmly. ‘I was about to say that I’m working tonight. But I would like to go out with you on my next evening off. Really I would.’
‘Oh,’ he said, momentarily thrown off balance. He recovered himself instantly, beamed at her. ‘That’s all right then. And when is your next night off?’
‘This coming Wednesday.’
His face fell. ‘Not ’til then. Oh dear. Well, never mind. But it’ll have to be the church dance that night. How do you feel about going there?’
‘I’ll enjoy it… with you.’ She offered him a small smile, suddenly feeling shy.
Vincent gave her a long, knowing look. ‘Yes,’ he said, ‘so will I, Audra.’
They began to walk again.
Within seconds they were at the gates of Calpher House where Theo stood waiting for them. When they came to a standstill, Vincent turned to Audra and said, ‘I’ll meet you here at the gates on Wednesday, at seven sharp.’
‘But you don’t have to trouble yourself, Vincent. Really. I can find my own way to the Parish Hall.’
‘No. I wouldn’t want you walking down there alone.’
‘Very well then,’ she said.
He handed her the birdcage.
Theophilus said, ‘Goodbye, Mr Crowther. I hope I see you soon. Then you can tell me if Danny liked his budgie.’
‘I’ll do that, Theo. Ta’rar, lad.’
Vincent swung to Audra. With a faint smile he raised his hat and was gone.
Audra watched him walk down the hill in long, brisk strides. He turned once, saw her and waved. She waved back. And then she took hold of Theo’s hand and led him up the drive, only vaguely listening to the child as he chattered away.
As they drew closer to the house, Audra lifted her eyes and looked at it, thinking of the happy times she had spent here in the past year. And then some deep instinct told her she would not be living at Calpher House for much longer.
Today is the beginning, she thought. The beginning of my life with Vincent Crowther.
He is my destiny. I am his.
***
They were married five months later.
Some people were astonished; others were not.
The wedding took place at Christ Church in Upper Armley on a sunny June Saturday, a couple of days after Audra’s birthday and one week before Vincent would celebrate his.
The bride wore blue. It was a simple yet elegant afternoon dress of crêpe de Chine, which she had designed herself, cut and sewn with the help of a seamstress from Paris Modes, Mrs Bell’s exclusive gown shop in Leeds. Her cloche was of blue silk swathed in chiffon, her court shoes with Louis heels were of grey suede as were her elbow-length gloves. She carried a bouquet of pink roses, lily-of-the-valley and stephanotis.
Gwen Thornton was Audra’s bridesmaid and Laurette Crowther her matron of honour.
They were dressed in identical frocks of dove-grey crêpe georgette overprinted with yellow roses, cloche hats of stitched grey silk and their posies were of yellow roses.
As they fussed and hovered around her in the entrance hall of Calpher House, Audra thought how truly lovely they looked, both so tall and fair, so young and fresh, and she was proud to have them as her attendants.
Mr Bell had graciously offered to give her away, and so it was on his arm that Audra walked down the aisle of the beautiful old Anglican church with its Norman architecture and magnificent stained-glass windows.
It was when the organ music swelled and the strains of the hymn ‘O Perfect Love’ reverberated through the high rafters that Audra’s throat tightened. Her eyes filled with tears and she ached for her brothers. But knowing she could not let herself break down, she took control of herself, blinked hard. She lifted her head higher, looked towards the altar where Vincent was waiting with his brother Frank, who was his best man.
The love illuminating his face, the genuine admiration in his eyes, were comforting, reassuring, and she thought how wonderful he looked in his dark blue suit, which was brand new, the crisp white shirt and silver-grey silk tie.
Within seconds of drawing to a standstill at the altar, Mr Bell stepped aside. Vincent took his place. His presence and the vicar’s kindly expression instantly dispelled the feelings of loneliness she had experienced a second before.
The Reverend Baxter’s words see
med to wash over Audra… for better or for worse… for richer or for poorer… in sickness and in health… forsaking all others. Of course she forsook all others. How could she ever want anyone but Vincent. The idea was quite unthinkable.
Before she realized it the ceremony was over.
They were married. She was Mrs Vincent Crowther.
She walked back down the aisle, this time clinging to the arm of her husband as the organist pumped away enthusiastically and Mendelssohn’s wedding march, joyful, thunderous, filled the church.
She and Vincent lingered on the church steps for only a few minutes, to have their photographs taken, greet his family, friends, the Bells, and Matron Lennox, who had travelled over from Ripon for the occasion.
And then, amidst lots of laughter and a deluge of confetti and rice, they dashed to the car waiting at the church gates. Vincent’s Uncle Phil drove them to Calpher House, where the champagne wedding breakfast was being given by Mr and Mrs Thomas Bell.
Sitting very close to him in the back of the motor car, Audra smiled up at her young husband and then glanced down at the gold band on her finger. She had not thought it possible she could ever be so happy.
CHAPTER 11
The moonlight had transformed her into a silver statue.
She stood near the window, motionless, staring out towards the sea, one arm resting on the sill, her body held at an oblique angle, turned inward to the room, her face in profile. It was the white satin nightgown, a mere wisp of a thing, that caught and held the light from the full moon, and in the duskiness of the room it had taken on the sheen and colour of pure silver.
There was something ethereal and illusory about her as she stood there, so still and unmoving. Unobserved, Vincent regarded her from the doorway, unable to tear his eyes away from her, wanting to prolong this moment, to etch this image of her on his mind and his memory.
She did not seem real to him at all; it was as if she was part of some dream he had dreamed long ago and was dreaming again. He felt that if he moved, or spoke, the scene would shatter and then evaporate, as all dreams did, and that she would be lost to him for all time.
As he gazed at her his longing shot through him, and in the same sharp and urgent way that it always did when she was near him. He had never wanted a woman as much as he wanted her. When they had arrived here at the Victoria Hotel in Robin Hood’s Bay late on Saturday afternoon he had been unable to restrain himself. The pent up emotions, the desire constantly suppressed and held in check for the past five months, had exploded the minute they were alone in the suite. He had taken her to bed at once, before they had even unpacked.
In five days they had hardly left the suite.
He had become the inspired and skilful teacher, enjoying and revelling in this role, she the attentive and ardent pupil, eager, so ready to please. After the first couple of days she had begun to overcome her modesty and her shyness with him, and now she was very much at ease with him in their lovemaking. She accepted everything without question, her adoration of him written all over her face. He had been overjoyed to discover that his tender and blushing virgin had a deeply ingrained sensuality, just as he did himself, was thrilled that her ardour was now beginning to match his.
Oh how he loved her, this warm, loving, willing young woman who was his now… and forever. His woman. His lover. His wife.
The knowledge that he possessed her in every way was like an aphrodisiac, and just looking at her brought him to searing heat. He fastened his eyes on her slender yet shapely figure, so fully revealed to him through the flimsy texture of the satin that clung to her body in such a provocative way. She was small boned and finely wrought—but beautifully curvaceous. Her breasts were young, high, taut under the satin. He could see her nipples standing out sharply.
Heat raged through his loins, and in his groin there was a dull ache. Suddenly he had an enormous erection. He could not remember being as hard as this ever before, not even in the past five days and nights with her, she who charged him up more than any other woman ever had.
He took a step forward. His movement disturbed the air.
She swung her head towards the door, saw him, faintly smiled.
When he reached her side, Vincent took her face in his hands tenderly, looked deeply into her eyes. They were inky black in the dim light. He bent forward, kissed her brow, her eyes, her cheeks and tasted the salt of her tears.
Startled, he drew back, stared at her in bafflement. ‘Audra, whatever is it, love? Aren’t you happy with me?’ His erection went down.
‘Oh Vincent, yes, I am. Of course I am.’ She drew closer to him, put her arms around his back, rested her head against his smooth, bare chest. A deep sigh rippled through her.
‘Then what is it? Why are you so upset?’
‘I’m not upset, truly I’m not.’ She nestled closer, hoping her body movements would reassure him. She loved this man so very much, with all of her heart and soul and mind. She did not want him to misunderstand her tears.
Slowly, she said, ‘I was standing here, waiting for you, admiring the beauty of the sea in the moonlight, when all at once I thought of the endless, endless miles of ocean stretching from here to Australia. And quite suddenly I did miss William and Frederick so, it was like a tight pain in my chest, a terrible constriction. I felt very sad, and I longed for them to be here in England. Somewhere. Anywhere. It didn’t really matter where, so long as they were under the same sky as me… and then I thought of my wedding, and that’s when I started to cry. Oh I do wish they’d been there, Vincent, that they had seen us get married.’ She sighed again, but it was a light sigh and one that was barely audible. ‘There was a moment in the church, just before the vicar married us, that I felt utterly and completely alone. It was awful.’
‘Yes, I understand,’ he murmured gently, stroking her hair, pressing her closer to him. ‘Of course you missed your brothers, wanted them at your wedding, it’s only natural.’ He kissed the top of her head. ‘But the instant we were married you were no longer alone, Audra. And you’ll never be alone again. You have me now.’
‘I know I do, Vincent. And you have me.’
‘I’ll never forget the way you looked on Saturday morning in the church, Audra. Not as long as I live, I won’t. You were so bonny in your blue frock. You should always wear blue, it does suit you, love.’
He felt her smile against his chest. He knew that her sadness was trickling away, and he was glad of that.
She said, ‘Vincent… tell me again… you know, the things you said last night.’
He chuckled softly. ‘I said a lot of things last night. What things in particular do you mean?’
‘Why you married me.’
‘Because I love you.’
‘And why do you love me?’
‘Fishing, are we?’ He laughed, very quietly.
‘Tell me,’ she persisted in a low, whispery voice, and she trailed her fingers across his shoulder blades.
This made him shiver. Instantly he wanted her.
‘Because I love the look of you, the sound of you, the touch of your hands. I love the way you feel under my hands. I love every part of you. Oh Audra… love.’ He tilted her head back, kissed her throat, her soft yielding mouth. The blood rushed through him. His desire for her was rampant.
She responded to his kisses ardently. When he moved his lips against hers she opened her mouth slightly so that his warm, loving, probing tongue could enter, rest against hers. His embrace tightened perceptibly and he kissed her more deeply, passionately, and their teeth grazed.
Audra shifted slightly so that their bodies melded together. Moving closer to him, she felt his hardness against her stomach through the thin fabric of the satin nightgown and she shivered involuntarily. A fierce and sudden heat began to throb at the core of her, and the shivering intensified as she anticipated what would happen next, thought of the way it felt when he took her to him. The first time they had made love, on their wedding night, she had been apprehensive
when she had seen him standing naked before her. But he had loved her with such care and tenderness, and so exquisitely, the pain had only been a few moments of sharp discomfort; now they fitted each other perfectly.
Unexpectedly his kisses ceased.
Stepping back, Vincent slipped the thin straps of her nightgown over her shoulders, pulled it down past her breasts. It slithered to the floor unaided, lay like a gleaming pool at her feet.
Again Vincent gazed deeply into Audra’s eyes, his love for her spilling out. He lifted his hand, stroked her cheek. After a long moment he dropped his eyes and kneeling down in front of her, he rested his head against her stomach and his arms went around her. Pressing his hands into the small of her back, he slowly smoothed them over her buttocks, moved her body slightly, adjusted her stance to suit him.
She trembled under his touch, and her desire for him swept through her. Her blood raced, her heart beat rapidly and her skin tingled in anticipation. Reaching out, she stroked his hair, then let her hands fall onto his shoulders, where they rested.
Covering her stomach with light, fluttering kisses, he continued to stroke her back, her buttocks and her thighs. Then he leaned away from her ever so slightly, rested on his heels, brought his hands around onto her stomach, still smoothing and stroking her skin. Finally, his hands came to a stop in the soft silky coils of fair hair that covered the mound between her legs. Slowly, with infinite care, he parted the tender petals, touched the tiny folds of warm, moist skin that protected her womanhood.
He kissed her navel and her stomach. They were long, slow, lingering kisses, and all the while his hands played amongst the musky folds, touching and seeking. At last he brought his tongue to join the quest. He began to nuzzle her, kiss her, and as he did he heard the soft moans in her throat. She gripped his shoulders, straining towards him, and he brought her to the edge of ecstasy.
He stopped abruptly, pulled away from her.
She caught her breath. Her eyes flew open. She gaped at him.
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