Third Time Lucky

by Croft, Pippa

  Immy swirls her cocktail with the swizzle stick. ‘I guess Rupert’s off Alexander’s Christmas card list too?’

  I shrug. ‘I have no idea. Alexander’s said nothing to me but I know he’s seen Rupert. He went to some family thing at the de Courceys last week, which I managed to avoid because I went to a bachelor party for one of the girls from dance class. I’m not sure if he had a chance to say anything to Rupert then, or even if he wanted to.’

  ‘Hmm. It must be tricky for him with Rupert being family.’

  ‘Mmm,’ I agree. ‘Alexander won’t want to upset his aunt and uncle now they’re pretty much his closest relations. I really like Letty, by the way; she took Emma and me for tea at the Ritz last week.’

  ‘Wow, did she? I’m impressed. And what does Rupert think of you being friendly with his mother? He really loves his mummy, you know,’ she laughs.

  ‘I gathered. Letty didn’t talk too much about him, with Emma around. I think she wanted us just to have a lovely time for a change, without any stress, but she did ask me if I thought Rupert was happy at Wyckham. Apparently, she thinks he’s got in with a bad bunch since he joined his latest drinking club. I don’t think she has any real idea of what he does get up to, poor woman.’

  Immy rolls her eyes. ‘If you do join a bunch called The Hellfire Society, it’s kind of asking for trouble. What did you say to her?’

  ‘I couldn’t bring myself to tell her that I didn’t give a fuck if Rupert was happy or not, after the trouble he’s caused us, so I tried to skirt the issue. I’m getting good at that these days …’ I toy with the stem of my glass. ‘However, I’m not looking forward to college dinners much next term, that’s for sure. The atmosphere could be a little awkward.’

  ‘I’m not looking forward to this last term at all, and I can’t believe it’s coming around so fast. Only a week of the vac left.’ Immy wrinkles her nose. ‘But I’ve no choice, with Finals looming. I’ve started some revision and sort of finished my dissertation but I think it’s going to be awful.’ Immy takes solace in her cocktail.

  ‘I’ve been working on my take-home essays because I have to hand them in at the start of next term. I don’t want to give Professor Rafe the slightest excuse to have a go.’

  ‘It’ll be a bit of a come down to be back in college after Falconbury, won’t it?’ Immy asks, with mock innocence.

  ‘Of course,’ I laugh. ‘Do you know, living at Falconbury is a little surreal and at first I thought it was a gloomy Gothic pile, but it does grow on you. I’ve been happier there than I thought I ever could be. What about you? Have you heard from the Blues rower again?’

  She shrugs. ‘Nope, it was a one-night stand and I don’t mind too much. Like I told you, he was gorgeous but not much of a shag as it happens, although admittedly that might have been because he’d just won the Boat Race and had a magnum of Moet. He did text me a couple of times but I haven’t tried to contact him …’ In front of us, two scullers are lifting their boats out on to the slipway. Immy sips her drink, then says, ‘Have you heard from the lovely Scott recently?’

  ‘Not since we had a picnic in the Parks, but I think he’s gone back to Washington for a while.’

  ‘And Lia?’

  ‘I assume that’s still on, but I don’t know how serious it is.’

  ‘Oh well,’ she sighs. ‘Whatever’s going on there, I still think he has a thing for you.’

  I smile. ‘Immy, you’re very loyal, and I’m flattered, but I think we’ve had our moment. Wrong time, wrong place, I reckon.’

  ‘Maybe,’ she says, doubtfully. ‘Well anyway, let’s just hope we can all get through next term free of any drama, at least until after our exams.’

  ‘Drama? I don’t seem to be able to stay away from that, but I’ll do my best,’ I promise. My stomach tightens a little as I think of Alexander.

  ‘Are your parents still planning on coming over?’ she asks.

  ‘Yes, they’ve arranged to come at the start of term. My mother called yesterday to say she’d booked the flights so I’ve got a week to prepare myself.’

  ‘So will they be visiting Falconbury?’

  ‘Not if I can help it. I’d far rather deal with them in Oxford, on my own territory, than have them hit by the full Falconbury experience.’

  ‘Probably best,’ says Immy. She smirks and picks up the menu. ‘Look, I was conned into going on a horrendously long bike ride with some girls from my old school today and now I could eat a horse. Let’s order before I keel over.’

  Even while we’re scanning the menu, the knot won’t unravel. This last term is short. Once our exams are over, it’s the Wyckham Summer Ball, and then it’ll be the end of term before I know it. Immy will leave; everyone will go their separate ways, including Alexander and me, most likely. I feel shocked at how awful this thought feels. With everything that’s been going on, I haven’t given any real thought to what I will do when term finishes.

  Even if this term does turn out to be calm and uneventful, we both have to face the fact that our futures after Wyckham might separate us. Alexander has no idea what will happen – whether he’ll be well enough to return to the military, or whether he’ll have to devote more time to Falconbury. It’s all so up in the air, and my immediate future is too.

  I have to start thinking about my career – what am I going to do next? Where in the world am I going to do it? I probably should have already started making contacts and looking for a place in a museum or gallery … OK, I know I could use my parents’ and friends’ network to get my foot in the door somewhere, and that’s what they’ll be expecting me to do, but that’s not me any more. Since I came to Oxford, I’ve changed. This feeling has snuck up on me during my time here but I know it’s become more important to me now to make my own way in the world.

  It’s late by the time I arrive back at Falconbury in a cab. Immy’s brother, George, who’s just passed his driving test, gave her a lift home. I know she was dreading being driven by him and I smile to myself as I picture her face when he screeched to a halt outside the bistro, like he was in a cop series. Even as I get out my bag to pay the cab driver, her text beeps on my screen:

  God help me, I need Valium.

  Helen lets me in – Falconbury’s not the kind of place where you have your own front door key – and tells me Alexander has gone to bed, looking ‘washed out’ after he’d done his physio, so I creep in beside him and soon I’m out cold too.

  In the morning, I wake to see him sitting fully dressed next to me on the bed.

  ‘Morning,’ he says.

  I rub sleep from my eyes. ‘Hi, sorry I was late last night. I didn’t want to wake you.’

  ‘That’s OK. I needed to get some sleep, according to Helen.’

  ‘Does she blame me for wearing you out?’ I tease.

  He lifts the covers with his free hand and raises his eyebrows. ‘If you insist on coming to bed looking like that, what do you expect?’

  I glance down. ‘I did have my cami and shorts on but it got a little warm in here.’

  He sighs heavily, drops the cover reluctantly and stands up. ‘If I don’t leave now, I’ll be late for my appointment. Hard as it is to tear myself away from that delectable body of yours.’

  I flush, wishing too that he didn’t have to go. ‘Do you want me to come with you to the hospital?’

  ‘Thanks, but no. Brandon’s taking me in the Range Rover in case I get the all clear to drive home.’

  I spend the morning studying in the garden, Benny snoozing at my feet, and when Alexander arrives home, his arm is still in the sling and he looks subdued. Benny hurtles forward and I trot up to him at a more sedate pace.

  ‘Hello,’ Alexander kisses me while Brandon takes the car to the garages.

  ‘How did it go?’

  ‘OK.’

  ‘But you still have to rest the arm?’

  He pulls a face. ‘It seems like it.’

  ‘That’s too bad.’

  Alexander seems th
oughtful and quiet as we take a walk round the estate. I guess he must be frustrated at having to keep the arm in a sling but he’s taking it stoically enough. He points out various improvements that are being made to the parkland and when we reach the house, Benny runs off to the stable yard to visit Talia.

  In the boot room, I take off my Barbour and hang it on a peg before doing the same for Alexander who has his coat draped over one shoulder. While I’m sitting on the monk’s bench to pull off my Hunters, I hear the key scrape in the outer lock.

  ‘What are you doing?’

  ‘Locking the door.’ He turns the key in the inside door, effectively trapping us in the boot room. ‘I need to finish off what we should have started this morning, and besides, I need cheering up …’ His pupils darken with desire.

  ‘Sure you do, but in here?’ I laugh.

  Even as I say it, a shiver of excitement ripples through me. The prospect of having sex somewhere we could be caught or overheard is intoxicating and I am incredibly turned on. I need no more encouragement and unbutton his jeans, pulling them down along with his boxers. ‘Oh God.’

  ‘Told you I needed this.’ He slips his hand inside my jeans and underwear. ‘You too.’

  ‘Oh, sweet Jesus,’ I moan, closing my eyes and leaning against him, utterly helpless. I hadn’t realized how ready I was, and continue to be shocked every time at how amazing it feels to be touched by him, to have his fingers inside me.

  Outside the back door, I hear Benny barking as if he can sense – hear – that we’re in here. Alexander ignores him, turning me around and reaching under my top as I yank down my jeans and lace panties, stepping out of them neatly, nearly passing out as he continues to drive me crazy with those amazing fingers on my skin, my belly, my breasts. I brace my hands on the back of the monk’s bench and press my bottom against him as he grasps my hips firmly.

  With both hands, I register, with shock.

  I twist around to see the sling hanging around his neck. He grins wickedly.

  ‘You … oh God, Alexander,’ I moan as he pushes up inside me, making me cry out. Oh Jesus, it feels so good it almost hurts. ‘Your arm is fine,’ I manage to stutter.

  ‘Not fine, exactly, but it’s on the mend,’ he murmurs, in between kissing my neck, his hands everywhere again.

  I cry out again. I want him deeper in me, so I push myself back on him, grinding against him and making it clear I need more. ‘Shhh,’ he laughs, ‘someone will hear us.’ Then he almost lifts me off my feet and tightens his grip on my hips.

  The glass on the outer door must be steaming up, we’re going at it so hard, but it’s wonderful to just let go and not worry about hurting him. Actually, this probably is hurting him but neither of us seems to care as he drives in and out of me. My fingers cling to the wooden bench as his thrusts get faster. It’s almost impossible not to make some noise, breathing hard and gasping with the effort and the sheer fucking wonderfulness of it. And the fact someone might hear – that’s only making it more fun.

  Alexander comes so hard the bench bangs the wall. I tighten my grip on the wood, letting my orgasm pulse through me. The moment I come to my senses – while my heart is thumping away and I’m still shaky with the aftermath – Alexander puts his arms around me, equally spent. It feels amazing to be held by him, by his two arms, and I breathe in the smell of him. Who cares what we do at the end of term, I think to myself. I’m just going to enjoy the here and the now if it’s as good as this.

  Then I hear voices on the other side of the door, outside the staff offices.

  ‘Have you seen Lauren and Alexander lately?’ It’s Robert’s voice. ‘Brandon brought his lordship back from the hospital but said he disappeared off round to the stables with her.’

  ‘Shit,’ I mouth but Alexander goes, ‘Shh,’ then smiles.

  ‘Well, I haven’t seen Lauren since she took Benny out for a walk, so don’t ask me.’ Helen sounds impatient.

  ‘He’s probably giving her one in the woods somewhere.’ There’s a chuckle. ‘Again.’

  ‘Robert! Shh!’ But Helen doesn’t sound that shocked, and then there’s a pause, during which Alexander has to put his hand over my mouth to stop me from giggling.

  ‘Well, we’ll have to try and find them, no matter what they’re up to, because I can’t keep her parents waiting in the sitting room any longer.’

  It takes a second or two for that bit of news to sink in, and then my stomach truly hits the floor. I look at Alexander, who seems as shocked as me. ‘What?!’

  Alexander puts his hand over my mouth.

  I remove it. ‘My parents?’ I mouth frantically.

  He holds up his hands in a helpless gesture and, in the next moment, we’re both frantically trying to get dressed.

  ‘Did you invite them here?’ I hiss in his ear while I shove my feet back into my Hunters.

  ‘Of course not!’ He looks as horrified at me and points at the back door. ‘We’ll go out this way and try not to look as if we’ve just shagged each other senseless.’ He grins, then sees my stricken face. ‘Relax, Lauren! Come on, I can handle this.’

  ‘But why didn’t they tell me they were coming? They must have changed their flight. I’d have met them at the airport,’ I gabble as we walk around to the front of the house.

  ‘Hoping to give you a nice surprise, I should think,’ says Alexander with amusement. He whistles. ‘Benny! Here, boy!’

  Hearing his master, the dog races up to us.

  ‘If anyone asks, we’ve been for a walk in the woods,’ he says.

  ‘In the woods? Robert will definitely think you’ve been “giving me one”, as he so elegantly puts it. Remind me again how I ended up having sex in the boot room?’

  ‘You didn’t take much persuasion,’ he says archly.

  ‘I know, but I didn’t realize Mom and Daddy were going to turn up when we started this!’

  He takes me by the shoulders. ‘Look, I know you weren’t expecting them to land on you like this but they have, and it isn’t so bad, is it?’

  ‘No, but I wanted time to … prepare them.’

  ‘For the house or for me?’

  ‘Both.’

  He takes my hand and virtually drags me towards the house, still seeming amused by the whole situation. ‘Well, it’s too late now. They’re going to have to face the full horror.’

  So now I have around thirty seconds to compose myself and deal with the transit from post-orgasmic lover to demure and surprised daughter. Why has there been no warning?

  As if he understands, Alexander squeezes my hand as we walk through the door to find Helen on the phone. The relief in her face when she spots us is obvious.

  ‘Oh, I’m so glad you’re here. I’ve been trying both your mobiles but got no answer. Lauren, your parents are here.’

  I try to look surprised. ‘Oh my gosh. My parents? I wasn’t expecting them!’

  ‘I think they wanted to surprise you.’ Helen looks as baffled as I feel. ‘They’re in the sitting room, having coffee.’

  ‘Thanks,’ Alexander replies. ‘Sorry we’ve been unavailable. I didn’t take my phone to the hospital.’

  ‘I’ve been out for a walk,’ I say, still struggling to process the fact they’re actually here.

  ‘Come on.’ Alexander grips my hand tightly and we’re off down the corridor. Even before we walk in, I think my parents must have heard us, because the moment we get inside, my father and mother are already on their feet.

  ‘Lauren!’

  ‘Hi, Mom.’ My throat tightens with emotion. Oh God, I hope I’m not going to cry. It’s been three months since I last saw them and the kick of happiness I experience reminds me that I have really missed them, despite all the excitement and drama here. They still represent normality and stability; my other life. My real life … It strikes me that I’ve lost my grip on what ‘real’ is while I’ve been away.

  When I finally let my mother go, I manage a pretty convincing: ‘Mom, this is such a surprise.’r />
  ‘A nice one, I hope?’ Mom looks elegant in her smart pants and jacket, her hair freshly highlighted.

  ‘Of course … but I had no idea you were coming so soon – I thought you were coming next week.’

  ‘We changed our minds and I’m glad. It is so wonderful to see you, honey.’ My mother hugs me tightly and then Daddy puts his arm around me and murmurs, ‘You’ve been missed.’ His sweater is soft against my skin as he embraces me and the fact he’s in his favourite ‘vacation’ outfit of chinos and a golfing sweater makes me smile. I love them both so much but they look so odd in this setting, like a modern sculpture amid the antique furniture.

  ‘Is everything all right at home?’

  My mother cuts in. ‘It’s a long story.’

  I frown at her, intrigued by what this ‘long story’ might be, but my mom steamrollers on. ‘Aren’t you going to introduce us to your host first?’

  ‘Oh, yes. Mom, Daddy – this is Alexander.’

  Alexander steps forward, seeming completely at ease with the arrival of two strangers in his house without any warning or invitation.

  He kisses my mom. ‘As Lauren seems too overcome to mention it, I’m Blythe Cusack,’ she says. The mischievous glint in her eye and her comment are very worrying. She is going to want to know everything about Alexander.

  ‘I’m Bill.’ Daddy smiles and gives Alexander the full political handshake.

  ‘Very pleased to meet you both. Lauren’s told me so much about you.’

  I frown. ‘Have I?’

  ‘Uh-huh,’ he says, bringing a wry smile to my father’s lips, and a horrible suspicion the two of them may try to gang up on me.

  My mother cuts in. ‘Alexander, we must apologize for turning up at your beautiful home like this but we wanted to surprise Lauren. I hope you don’t think we’re being rude or pushy?’

  ‘Not at all. Can you stay for dinner?’

  ‘We wouldn’t put you to the trouble,’ Daddy says firmly.

  ‘It’s no trouble, I assure you.’ Alexander is equally firm. Under other circumstances I’d be fascinated by their desperate need to outdo each other in politeness and establish position, but these are my parents – and Alexander – so I just feel disorientated.