The Knapthorne Conspiracy

by Malcolm Ballard

  “What on earth am I going to about Ubix?” There appeared to be no other option than locking the cat out given his adverse reaction to Kyle’s presence. Bella didn’t want to do it but couldn’t see that she had any other choice. Unless they went off to a hotel for the weekend and left the cat in charge of Willow Cottage. For a brief moment she seriously considered the idea, the thought of indulging herself in four or five-star luxury beckoning temptingly. But then reality kicked in as she realised she’d be more relaxed in the cottage and, for another thing, she wasn’t prepared to put up with all the hassle of sorting out things to wear and packing them. She consoled herself with the thought that Kyle wouldn’t be expecting such a change of plan anyway, so that put an end to the matter. So, a lock-out it would be until Kyle had gone. Bella made a mental note to talk to Ubix and let the cat know what was happening, and why, just so’s Ubix wouldn’t hold it against her. With that matter settled she readied herself to go out, confident that she’d covered most of the important things she needed by making the list. Firmly closing the door behind her she felt, in some strange way, relieved to be out in the fresh air. It seemed to lessen the feeling of tension that accompanied the excitement generated by the prospect of Kyle’s visit, or maybe it was just her imagination. Driving into the village, Bella succumbed to a feeling of complete relaxation now that she’d left the Cottage. It was, she realised, helped by a sense of at last belonging somewhere, a totally new experience for her. However she may be regarded by others in the community, albeit the few of them she knew, Bella was now enjoying a degree of happiness that she had rarely known before. She only hoped, as she pulled up outside the general store, that it would continue now that Kyle had arrived on the scene.

  Once back from her shopping trip Bella busied herself in the kitchen for no other reason than if she did some preparation now it would save having to do it later. This way she and Kyle could spend more time together. It also gave her an excuse to have a couple of glasses of wine. After all, it was a day off and she did need something to settle her down. It was impossible, of course, not to look at the clock as the hands wound their way through the afternoon on their relentless journey through time. She was expecting a phone call first to say that he was on his way and then things would really start to hot up. It hadn’t been like this with Ben but Ben hadn’t been invited to stay, with all that that implied. Bella realised she was perspiring and wiped the back of an arm across her forehead.

  “Christ, I’m like a virgin bride!” she muttered. “I’m sure it’s only the heat of the oven doing this.” For good luck she took another swig from her glass, reminding herself to go easy in case he should turn up to find her pissed and unconscious on the kitchen floor. Opening the kitchen door which led out into the garden allowed a gentle breeze to find its way inside, cooling her down in more ways than one. With most of that evening’s dinner taken care of Bella now started on the meal she had planned for Saturday night. Planned so that it would require the least possible effort on the day yet still look and taste a little special. She was surprised to find how long it had taken to prepare everything, for it was gone two-o-clock by the time she had finished and she felt exhausted. It was a combination of the effect of the wine and the initial heat in the kitchen and Bella felt that she just had to sit down and put her feet up. Two hours later the phone woke her from a deep sleep and she jerked awake somewhat startled and disorientated. The first thing she did, even before answering the phone was check the time. Just after twenty past four. Surely it couldn’t be Kyle already, she wondered, beginning to panic. She hadn’t had a shower or anything and she felt terrible.

  “Hello, Bella Foxton,” she said, tentatively.

  “Kyle Lucas,” a familiar male voice answered. “How are you? Looking forward to the weekend?” Bella chose to avoid answering the question.

  “Kyle. Hi. Where are you? Not ten minutes away, I hope?” She could imagine the look on his face.

  “Why, what’s the matter?”

  “I’ve just woken up, that’s what’s the matter. I sat down to put my feet up for ten minutes and promptly fell asleep!” Her confession was greeted with a laugh.

  “Is that all? Well, don’t worry, you can doze off again because I’m calling to say that I’m not likely to be there until at least 7.30, maybe eight-o-clock.”

  “Phew! Thank goodness for that. It’s not a problem because….”

  “Look, sorry to interrupt, but I’ve just managed to call during a break in filming and I’ve got to go. I just wanted to say I’ve found out something else which I think you’re going to find very interesting. See you as soon as I can get there.” His revelation served to shake her out of her lassitude instantly but he was gone before she could question him.

  “How dare you, Kyle Lucas!” she yelled at the redundant instrument in her hand. “How could you say something like that, then ring off?” Fuming at her caller because she knew he’d done it on purpose, Bella put the phone down and took herself upstairs to get ready, talking to herself in an animated fashion as she berated Kyle Lucas. A shower was out of the question now, she knew. Only a long soak in the bath would serve to pacify her and soothe away the feeling of exasperation.

  “Men!” The word exploded from her, echoing round the confines of the bathroom, as she turned the taps on. “Makes you wonder if they really are necessary!”

  Fortunately she had calmed down considerably by the time he arrived and the large bouquet of flowers he was holding insured that anything she had been tempted to say was conveniently forgotten.

  “By way of an apology,” he explained, as he handed them to her on the doorstep. Kyle had forgotten how attractive she was. No. Attractive was the wrong word. It was much more than simply attractive. She was one of the most sensual women he had ever come across. Even at the time of her accident when she was in so much distress it had struck him but tonight even more so. Her face, her hair, her body, her perfume. Everything about her combined to stimulate his libido in a way that he had rarely experienced and the thought of taking her to bed consumed him.

  “An apology for what?” Having been anxiously waiting for him to arrive for the best part of an hour she found it difficult to appear poised and cool let alone look as though his arrival had taken her by surprise. His closeness brought home to her the sheer physicality of him. His solid, muscular body with its aura of suppressed energy. She forced herself to close her mind to the effect it was having on her, as he answered her question.

  “For being late when you must be dying to know what it is that I’ve found out…” His reply was cut short.

  “You’re kidding!” she teased. “Hadn’t even given it another thought. Well I suppose you’d better come in,” she added, holding the door open for him. Stepping forward, he kissed her lightly on the cheek before continuing on into the lounge.

  “Can I get you a beer,” she asked, as she went in search of a vase.

  “When you’re ready. No rush. It’s just good to finally be here and have the chance to unwind.”

  “Ok, be with you in a minute.” Bella returned shortly with a can of beer and a glass, for Kyle, and a glass of wine for herself.

  “Cheers!” Kyle raised his glass.

  “Here’s to a nice weekend,” Bella proposed. “The meal’s ready whenever you are. Just let me know.” He smiled in acknowledgement and took a long drink from his glass.

  “I shouldn’t really be telling you this but I can’t remember the last time that something like this happened….” She had to stop, feeling the colour come to her cheeks. Kyle chose to ignore the comment, unable to handle displays of emotion or sentimentality by any female but Bella took his reaction as an attempt to rescue her from her embarrassment.

  “Don’t you want to know what else it was I’ve found out for you then?” Regaining her composure but unsure why she had even started to tell him such a thing, Bella responded with a smile and a nod.

  “I don’t know whether it’s of any significance or not but
has anyone here ever spoken of any other members of the Flint family?” The look on Bella’s face gave him the answer so he carried on.

  “Cora’s never mentioned her sister when she’s talked about Alfie?”

  “Her sister?” He gathered by the tone of her reply that Cora hadn’t.

  “Ruth Flint was born, in Knapthorne, on the twenty-fourth of April 1968.” Kyle looked very pleased with himself as Bella studied his face. Maybe she was missing something but it didn’t seem that startling a revelation to her.

  “That’s a big deal then, Kyle, is it? The fact that Alfie & Cora have got a sister?”

  Bella’s comment was obviously not what he had been expecting and she could tell that he appeared to be quite put out by it.

  “Given that you didn’t know about her,” Kyle retorted, “I thought your reaction to the discovery might have been a bit different. Surprise? Excitement, maybe?” She didn’t reply immediately, looking thoughtful for a moment instead. When she spoke there was an earnest sincerity in her voice, not wishing to disappoint him or get their weekend off on the wrong foot.

  “I’ve been thinking about the whole thing. You know, Alfie, my dream and everything.” She sat down opposite him with a glass of wine. “And seeing how I like it so much down here I thought to myself, ‘So what if there are some things that don’t seem quite right and some odd people around? Should I really worry about it?” Bella was about to continue but he spoke out before she had a chance.

  “So you’re saying that everything you told me, about how you had this feeling about the place and, correct me if I’m wrong, how you were more than a little concerned about it, has changed and now you’ve decided that you’re not going to be concerned about it at all. It doesn’t make sense!” Bella sighed and looked slightly anguished. How, she wondered, could she try and put him off without either appearing rude or a bit odd. There was no denying what he was saying was right but she could hardly tell him straight out that she rather he didn’t dig around any more. To try and haul Kyle back in now, once he’d been unleashed, would only make him more determined to carry on, she was sure.

  “You know what it’s like Kyle, surely? There must have been times when you’ve told someone about something that’s been bothering you and then had second thoughts about having told them? Just the act of telling someone else makes things seem better sometimes, and that’s how I feel now. Sure, it’s interesting to discover the Flint’s have a sister but I’m certain it’s no more than that. If you want to try and prove me wrong, then go ahead but I don’t want it to spoil our weekend. Can you understand that?” Kyle’s face was like a blank screen and it was difficult to read what was going through his mind. There was nothing in his look, in response to her words, that gave any indication as to what course he would pursue but she knew he would have made a decision before he replied.

  “And neither do I. I’ve been looking forward to it so much.”

  The subject was forgotten as Kyle indicated he was ready to eat, not realising until he had finally relaxed just how hungry he was.

  “Ok!” Bella replied, brightly and finished off her wine before getting up. “If you’d like to sit yourself at the table, it’ll be about five minutes.” As she started for the kitchen, Kyle called after her.

  “It certainly smells good, whatever it is!” The fact that she hadn’t found his news of interest annoyed him, particularly as she had got him interested in the first place and he’d pulled one of the researchers off another job to look into it. It was not in his nature to stop something he had begun and Bella’s attitude made certain that he’d carry on and see if he could turn up anything else, making sure to keep her happy in the meantime by keeping Bella’s name out of it. Only a considerable amount of will power, on his part, had prevented an argument but he was not going to destroy the opportunity of sharing Bella Foxton’s bed. At that moment he would have sworn black was white, if that was what she wanted. Why did women always have to be so up front about their emotions he wondered, mystified. It was so easy to tell them what they wanted to hear, especially if it made them happy. And it usually did, he conceded, with a grin.

  “What are you smiling about?” Bella asked, as she came from the kitchen carrying a plate in each hand, her hands protected by oven gloves.

  “Oh, nothing really. Just thinking who would have thought we’d have ended up like this after the way we met…”

  “Accidentally, you mean?” Bella put in, and they both laughed, as she put the plates down. “Be careful, the plates are hot,” she warned him before returning to the kitchen. In no time at all their meal was on the table and she had poured wine for both Kyle and herself. As they began to eat, the conversation was light-hearted and easy at first, a casual smokescreen for the slight nervousness and unmistakable undercurrent of sexual tension that both of them were experiencing. But it wasn’t long before the alcohol started to work its magic, relaxing nerves, easing tension, and stimulating the appetite of desire. Whereas each of their faces had been open and friendly at the start of the meal, giving no indication of their innermost feelings, by the time they had reached dessert, it was a different matter. The mood had changed perceptibly and their eyes met frequently now. Eyes with looks full of promise. Eyes that asked, and answered, unspoken questions of each other. They talked softly now, sometimes intensely, all the time knowing where the evening was leading them and getting closer and closer to that moment as time ticked by. It was after ten when Bella looked at her watch.

  “Coffee and brandy, ok with you?” Kyle nodded, in response to her question. “The meal was excellent, thanks. Do you want a hand with those things?” he asked, as she began to clear the table.

  “No, it’s alright, thanks. “It’s actually nice to be able to do it for someone. Makes a change. You go into the lounge and make yourself comfortable.”

  “Now I know that wasn’t the cat you served up for dinner, so what have you done with it?” He was looking around the room as she put the tray down on the coffee table.

  “Kyle! As if I’d even think of doing such a thing! If you must know,” she said, passing him his coffee, then a brandy, “I’ve shut Ubix out of the house so you’ve nothing to worry about.” Kyle gave a genuine sigh of relief as she seated herself alongside him on the sofa.

  “And Cora Flint doesn’t have a spare key? She’s not liable to suddenly appear at any minute?” Bella turned to him, a look of exasperation on her face.

  “Kyle Lucas…” The words died on her lips as he kissed her, softly, and she responded, leaning into him. Kyle turned slightly, his hand going to the small of her back, feeling the hollow there. With his pulse beginning to race, he brought his hand around slowly, exploring the base of her rib cage under the soft, silky material of her shirt and their embrace took on a new intensity, their mouths locked in feverish endeavour until Bella pulled away. Flicking her head and brushing her hair back, she sought to catch her breath, running her tongue across her lips as she did so. A look of concern crossed Kyle’s face as he wondered what was happening.

  “Finish your coffee and the brandy,” she instructed him with a sultry smile. “We might not get another chance.” He returned the smile and downed the brandy, leaving the coffee, and waited until Bella had finished. As she put the empty glass down he took her hand and pulled her towards him. Their mouths met and he tasted the brandy on her lips then on her tongue as they kissed with the tenderness and intensity of prospective lovers, sharing the fierce passion usually only enjoyed by the young. It had been so long since Bella had been with a man that she wanted to savour every moment but there was an urgency within her that she couldn’t deny. They were locked together, leaning back on the sofa and she felt his hand on her hip, pressing down on the bone, forcing her round, til her legs parted slightly. Bella reached out, breathing heavily as they kissed, found his thigh and began running her hand up and down, increasing the pressure. Urged on by her response, Kyle tugged Bella’s shirt from her slacks and his fingers moved to her
bare flesh and she shivered at his touch. She pulled back to look at him and their eyes locked, each of them aware they were about to pass the point of no return. He held her gaze as he ran his fingers over her flat stomach, along the waistband of her slacks, then edged them down, feeling the delicate lace of her underwear. Quickly, she reached her own hand down in haste to free her belt and undo the zip, to make it easier for him. Now his hand had found the freedom it needed and Bella’s breathing grew ragged with the expectation of unparalleled pleasure from his probing fingers. With an uncontrollable gasp, she reacted to the shock of his finding the most intimate, secret part of her, and she forced her mouth on his. In the grip of excitement and anticipation, her hand was trembling as she struggled to free the belt at Kyle’s waist as the most exquisite of sensations coursed through her.