The South West Series Box Set

by Rebecca Paulinyi

  “My dad left when I was little,” Beth admitted over the main course. “Ran off with his secretary, if you can believe the cliche. We’ve barely seen him since - to be honest, I don’t even remember him that much. I think my sister does, a little more.”

  “So it was just you, your mum, and your sister?”

  Beth nodded. “We’re close, although like I said last time, mum can be hard work. She means well… But Lee, my sister, and I - we’ve always been close. Never argued too much. Although maybe if mum had someone else, she wouldn’t feel the need to comment on every decision we make so heavily!”

  Caspian smiled. “At least she cares.”

  “Oh, I know - I do try to remind myself of that regularly. Your mum sounds a little less forceful!”

  “She has her moments, especially when grilling me about when I’m going to settle down and have a family.”

  “That one sounds familiar!”

  “But it’s just been the two of us for so long that we haven’t ever really fallen out.”

  Beth swirled the pasta on her fork, debating asking why there had only been the two of them; Cas carried on speaking without her needing to form the question that was hovering on her lips.

  “Dad died when I was six,” he said, a trace of emotion flickering through his eyes, although his voice remained steady. “Cancer. So then it was just me and mum.”

  “I’m sorry, Caspian,” she said, reaching out without thinking and laying her hand across his.

  “Like you said, it’s hard to remember from that long ago, isn’t it? But he was the love of mum’s life, and she’s never moved on. Maybe that’s why she’s always grilling me about my romantic life!”

  Beth smiled. “It’s nice you’re still so close; I’m not sure I could do Sunday lunch every week with my mum, I have to say!”

  The sky was turning a shade of violet by the time they had finished their dessert, polished off a second bottle of wine and been serenaded by a man and a guitar who had appeared in their carriage. Stars were just visible between clouds which strayed across the moon, and as the train pulled into the station at Paignton, Beth felt as though the whole evening had been a dream.

  Caspian took her hand as they stood up, and headed into the slightly cooler night air. The clock on the station told them it was just after nine; and as it was a Sunday evening the town around them was fairly quiet.

  “That was amazing,” Beth said, stood beneath the archway that led into the station, one hand joined to Caspian’s. “The best date I’ve ever been on.”

  “I aim to please,” he said, that grin back on his face, his black hair catching the moon’s light.

  “You’ve definitely succeeded,” she said, standing on tiptoes to press a brief kiss to his lips, a kiss that promised so much more, a kiss that merely hinted to the passion she knew they shared. “How do we get home?” she whispered, millimetres away from his lips.

  Chapter 20

  Caspian grinned. “I booked a taxi - didn’t think you’d fancy running back to Dartmouth…”

  Beth laughed and their hands swung gently between them, clasped, as they began to walk in the direction of a waiting taxi. “You thought right,” Beth agreed. “Amazing date or not, expecting me to run home from it might have ruined the effect somewhat.”

  “Not even I would fancy running home tonight, I promise,” he said, opening the back door of the navy taxi that was waiting for them, before joining her in the back. He greeted the taxi driver as if he knew him, but didn’t say a destination; the driver began travelling down the dark roads that led back to Dartmouth without needing direction.

  Caspian glanced at his watch. “See,” he said, turning to face Beth. “I told you I’d have you home for a respectable time. You can be in bed by ten at this rate.”

  Beth blushed a little, although he gave no hint whether he meant his words to have the suggestive tone that she was reading into them.

  “You do stick to your word,” she said, moistening her lips a little and feeling his eyes on her in the dark rear of the car.

  “Always.”

  They were silent for a few moments, just the quiet noise from the radio breaking the crackle of tension that seemed to build between them whenever they were close to one another.

  “Where are you jetting off to this week, then?” Beth finally asked, as they started down the hill that led into Dartmouth.

  “London, for most of the week,” he said, “I have to leave first thing in the morning. Sometimes I go Sunday night…”

  Beth smiled into the darkness. “Thanks for staying.”

  “It really is my pleasure.”

  “So you need an early night yourself, then?” she asked, feeling like it had been far too long since she had felt his lips on hers, felt the fireworks course through her veins.

  “I can survive on very little sleep,” he said.

  “That’s good to know. Can I see where you live?” She didn’t know if it was the darkness, the desire, or the wine that was making her bold, but she felt like with Caspian she could be straight; she was sure he could feel the energy between them as much as she could.

  A brief word to the driver and they changed their destination to the neighbouring village of Strete. Beth gasped slightly as she felt Caspian’s fingers trail lightly across her knee; even through the black denim, there was just something about his touch. Barely there, and yet so full of promise…

  ***

  The journey to Caspian’s felt like an eternity, despite the fact that it only took a few minutes. Strete was only small, and she knew they had to drive past the beach where they’d first met to get there, although the dark skies stopped her seeing much of the view.

  It was a little white house that they pulled up outside, semi-detached with four very symmetrical looking windows. Caspian paid the driver as Beth got out, glancing down the street at the very neat, ordered little row of houses.

  “Home sweet home,” Caspian said, putting his key in the lock and opening the door to let Beth inside first. “Not quite as exciting as living above a chip shop, I’m afraid…”

  He flicked the light on and she saw him smile; there was clearly no offence meant. “No, this is very you,” she said, wandering through to the room on the right which looked to be a living room. There was a neat stack of magazines on the coffee table; a white sofa with a black throw folded across one arm; and a large bookshelf in the corner. Not a stray mug or glass to be seen!

  “What does very ‘me’ mean?” he asked.

  “Oh, you know,” Beth said with a grin on her face. “Ordered. Organised. Set in its ways…”

  “Think you’ve got me all figured out, do you?” he asked as he moved to the kitchen in the next room, getting out a bottle of red and two glasses. “Think I’m so predictable?”

  “I think you’re anything but predictable, Caspian,” she said with a sultry smile, enjoying feel of the name on her tongue. “And you are still quite an enigma.” She took a glass of wine from him without a word and sipped it before finishing her thought. “But I do think that you like things to be organised, planned…”

  Caspian smiled, a slight redness to his lips from where the wine had touched them, and gave a half nod. “I suppose you’re right, although where you and I fit into that normally rigid pattern, I don’t know - Elizabeth.” It seemed he enjoyed using her given name as much as she did his.

  Beth couldn’t resist. She leaned in and kissed that wine from his lips - only a brief kiss at first, a brushing of her lips to his, the touch of her tongue against the fruitiness of the red wine - and then it wasn’t so brief. Wine glasses somehow made it to the counter top without toppling all over the floor, and hands were in hair, lips were pressed together, bodies that been thrumming with energy throughout the evening finally touching.

  “I like the spontaneity,” Beth said, breathless, when for a moment their lips pulled apart.

  “Me too,” Caspian said, his chest rising and falling as rapidly as hers. An
d then his lips were against her neck, and everything seemed to become a haze of clothes, limbs and those delicious fireworks…

  ***

  The alarm went off at an ungodly hour, and when Beth opened her eyes from what felt like a night of no sleep - something which wasn’t too far from the truth, in fact - she could see through the un-closed curtains that it wasn’t even properly light yet. She glanced over at Caspian’s dark-haired form sprawled on the pillow next to her, his eyes still closed, for a few seconds - when she realised the sound was coming from her own phone, and not Capsian’s alarm clock. (Who even had an actual alarm clock these days? She was sure she hadn’t seen one since she was a kid.) Beth leant over the side of the bed and rooted around in the clothes on the floor to find her bag, where her phone languished on 6% battery. It was far too early for her alarm - and far too early for the call that she realised was creating the noise to be good news.

  Lee’s name flashed up on the screen and Beth felt a lump in her throat.

  “Hello? Lee?” she said, regardless of the sleeping body next to her.

  “Beth-” came Lee’s frantic voice through the speaker. “Beth, we’re on our way to the hospital.” Beth could hear the panic bubbling through her sister’s normally calm and measured voice. “Holly’s hit her head, there’s a massive lump - they’re worried about concussion. Oh god, Beth, I only turned my back for a second-”

  “It’s not your fault. It’s going to be okay.” Beth could hear James’ voice in the background, sounding calmer than she suspected he was.

  “I’ll meet you there,” Beth said, getting out of bed and throwing her clothes on as best as she could with one hand, not even noticing Caspian watching her. “I’ll be as quick as I can.”

  “You don’t have to Beth, I don’t even know why I called you, I just-” Beth could hear tears cutting off her sister’s words.

  “Lee. I’m coming. It’ll be okay, I’m sure. Kids are tough. Look, my phone’s going to die - let me ring work and I’ll be straight down there. I love you.”

  “Love you Beth.” The line was disconnected, and Beth looked in dismay at the screen - 2%. That wasn’t going to get her very far. Never mind the fact that she didn’t have a car there, and she had a headache from the wine and the lack of sleep, and that she needed to get hold of work…

  “Is everything okay?” Caspian asked, cutting through her panicked brain rambling.

  “No, that was my sister - my niece has had an accident, they’re having to go to the hospital, I need to meet her there - but I need to call work, and get home, and-”

  Caspian began to pull on his own clothes. “Why don’t I take you to the hospital? It’ll be quicker, and you can get home with your sister, right?”

  Beth nodded. “But you’ve got to dash off…”

  “I can juggle things, don’t worry. Besides - this is earlier than even my alarm goes off.” He reached across the bed and took her hand, giving a half smile. “It’ll be okay. They’re always overly cautious with kids, but like you said, they’re tough. Let’s get you there so you can help your sister, and I’m sure by this afternoon you’ll all be home and catching up on sleep.”

  “I hope so,” Beth said. “Thanks, Cas, I really appreciate it. You don’t have to…” She suddenly felt like things were a little formal - the news was so far out of their little bubble of fireworks, dates and great spontaneous sex that she didn’t really know how to act. There was a moment’s silence, then he reached out his hand.

  “Let me charge your phone. I just need to throw a few things in a bag for work - use mine to call your work, then we can get going.”

  “Mr. Practical,” she said with a small smile, and then did as she was told.

  ***

  “I feel bad just dashing off,” Caspian said as they pulled up outside the hospital, the sky finally light, filled with a cheery sunshine that didn’t feel like it fitted in.

  “Cas, you didn’t even need to drive me here - honestly, I completely understand you need to get to London.”

  “Will you let me know how she is?”

  Beth was touched that he cared. “Of course. Now you go - I’ll be in touch.”

  “Me too . Beth, as much as I love the spontaneity, I also really need to know I’m going to see you again.”

  His eyes met hers and there was a rawness there she hadn’t seen before; like he was admitting something he found very difficult to voice. For a second she pressed her lips to his, and then pulled away. “You will. I promise. Have a good trip - don’t forget about me while you’re gone.”

  “Not possible,” he said, and then she was gone, disappearing through the hospital doors, and he was on the road once more.

  ***

  It didn’t take Beth long to find them; the A&E department was small and thankfully not too busy. Lee was sat on the bed, Holly sat in her crossed legs, a sizeable bump on her head and looking a little sorry for herself. James paced the small curtained area, but found a smile for Beth as he saw her approaching.

  “Beth, you didn’t have to come,” he said, giving his sister—in-law to-be a brief hug.

  “Benefits of living so close,” she said, reaching Lee for a hug. “I can come and support you if you need it. What happened? What are they saying?”

  “They want to monitor her for a while - they called us in because she was throwing up,” James answered. “But that seems to have stopped now. They don’t seem overly panicked, but with her being so young, and the size of the bump…”

  “We were in kitchen,” Lee cut over her husband. “She was crawling on the floor, I turned round to grab a glass of water and the next thing I knew she was screaming. Somehow she’d rolled over while crawling and hit her head on corner of the kitchen island.” Tears began rolling down her cheeks. “And then she was sick, and I called 111 and they wanted us to get straight down here. I’m sorry, Beth, I shouldn’t have rung, I just panicked, and you’re missing work and-”

  “Shirley Davis,” Beth said, knowing her use of her full name would at least get her sister’s attention. “It’s fine. I’m here, and if it’s absolutely nothing and little Holly is just a bit grumpy for a few days - which I’m sure is all it will be — then all the better. You never need to feel bad about ringing me.”

  Lee gently stroked her daughter’s hair, avoiding the bump. “When did you get to be so wise and commanding?” she asked.

  “Always have been, sis - you were just too busy being the responsible one to notice!”

  ***

  She’s being monitored at home but seems like she’s fine :) x Beth text Caspian once she was at home and had been able to charge her phone to a decent percentage. There was a message from work telling her not to worry and just to let them know about the next day, and one from Caspian, checking in that everything was all right.

  It was dinner time when Beth eventually got back to her little flat, dropped off by her sister and almost-brother-in-law (who were thankfully, and understandably, too preoccupied with their daughter’s wellbeing to ask how she had got to the hospital without her car). Still in her clothes from their date the night before, and suffering from a serious lack of sleep, she grabbed fish and chips from the shop - ignoring Sam’s jibes about her being out all night - and took them to bed to eat. With a quick message to Lee, telling her to let her know if anything changed, and one to work to say she would be in tomorrow, she got into her comfiest pyjamas and, not caring how early it was, sunk into her bed for some much-need beauty sleep.

  Chapter 21

  Can you be spontaneous this weekend? I’ll have you back in time for Sunday lunch with your mum - promise. Beth x

  She bit her lip as she pressed send. In the two weeks since Holly’s thankfully long-forgotten trip to the hospital, she and Caspian had exchanged texts but had not seen each other. He’d not made it back from London the previous weekend, and so they had a vague plan to go on a date this weekend - although after the romantic steam train ride, Beth had decided she ought to
make a plan. And that she was going to go all out…

  You know me, Mr Spontaneous. Does this mean I need to pack my pyjamas? X

  She grinned at the quick response, and couldn’t resist a cheeky one in return.

  Not sure you’ll need them… but yes, overnight stay. I’ll pick you up Saturday morning, 9ish? X

  You’ve got me very intrigued…

  Beth laughed, and checked her watch - nearly the end of her lunch break, and she needed to make sure everything was organised for the weekend as soon as possible. With the yearly Dartmouth Regatta in full swing, the whole area was teeming with even more holiday-makes than normal, and she knew she had a packed afternoon of tours around the house and the gardens.