THE COMPLETE TRILOGY, COMPENDIUM OF THE HEART: An epic love story

by RJ Hunter

  "I know how you can repay me, Pauline." She then pulled the younger woman towards her and kissed her passionately on the lips. Pauline did nothing to stop her, and found herself responding.

  "I'll see you up here, when we close tonight." Said Claire, releasing her prey.

  Pauline was breathing in gasps, as she straightened her uniform, and opened the door.

  "Yes, Mrs. Lake." She replied, in a hushed whisper.

  Pauline chose to take the stairs, rather than the lift, thinking it gave her more time to change her mind about what she was about to do. It was as if, someone else had possessed her mind and body, and was making decisions on her behalf, willing her to submit to a yearning she never knew existed. Her mouth was dry and she was trembling, as at last she reached Claire's office. The door was ajar, and she heard laughter coming from within.

  Now, her nerve was deserting her, and she was about to run back downstairs, and get the taxi home that the club provided. As she turned to flee, she heard Claire's voice calling out her name.

  "Pauline, there you are. I'm glad you didn't change your mind." Smiled Claire, clutching a flute of champagne in one hand, and one of Yvette's cigarettes in the other. "Come in, we've been expecting you!"

  Yvette was sitting like a curled-up cat on the leather sofa. She had changed out of her glitzy stage dress, and was now wearing a long, satin robe.

  "How wonderful of you to join us, Pauline. Did you enjoy the rest of the show?"

  "Yes, I thought you were brilliant, Yvette," replied Pauline, overawed by the French singer.

  "Thank-you, how sweet. Come and sit here, next to me, while Claire fixes you a drink."

  Pauline did as she was told, and took her place next to Yvette. The atmosphere was soft and relaxed, but Pauline was tense, and at a loss for words.

  "Our Pauline is a very shy girl, Yvette. We'll have to be gentle with her at first." Laughed Claire, eyeing Pauline like a hunter watching its prey.

  "Yes, but only at first!" Replied Yvette, placing her hand on Pauline's thigh. "I can't believe you are that shy Pauline?"

  She let Yvette's hand run up to her stocking tops, where she stroked the tantalising expanse of bare flesh.

  Claire, brought Pauline's champagne over, and sat the other side of her. Within moments, she was caressing Pauline's breasts through her white blouse.

  "I designed these uniforms, just for my girls. They're so erotic aren't they?"

  Pauline could only nod, she was speechless, and at the same time, longing to be kissed again by Claire. She could feel her nipples hardening beneath her bra, and slid down the sofa, slightly parting her legs, intuitively knowing where Yvette's hand was going to go next.

  Claire began to undo Pauline's buttons, as Yvette slid her hand across the girl's lap, and began to gently stoke the inside of her thighs.

  Claire reached the final button, and pulled Pauline's blouse open. She kissed her deeply, never taking her hand off the younger woman's, firm breasts. Pulling the blouse off Pauline's shoulders, Claire indicated with her eyes that she wanted the bra off.

  Pauline reached around behind her and undid the hooks, before slowly peeling the straps, down along her arms.

  Claire gasped with pleasure, as Pauline's size 36C breasts were finally unfettered, and were hers for the taking. She took each one in her hands, running her fingers over the hard olive nipples, before moving her mouth down to hungrily devour them.

  Yvette then slid her hand down into Pauline's knickers, sensing the damp patch on the gusset. She had a soft, silky mound, that was wet and yielding, and Yvette's fingers eased purposely inside her.

  "Claire, this little minx is drenched, I want to taste her!" Exclaimed Yvette, fingering Pauline more vigorously.

  "You can after me, Yvette, she's mine, remember!" Garbled Claire, riled at having to take her mouth away from Pauline's nipple.

  "She is so inexperienced!" Laughed Yvette.

  "In that case, we had better show her how to satisfy a woman." Was Claire's reply, as she moved across towards Yvette.

  The singer removed her fingers from Pauline, licking each one, before undoing her robe, and reclining back on the sofa. She was naked underneath, and beckoned Claire to come between her parted legs.

  "Eat me!" She begged, offering her womanhood to the nightclub boss. Claire needed no further encouragement, and delved her tongue into Yvette's waiting dampness. Both women moaned with pleasure, and Pauline watched with a mixture of shock and pure elation.

  Within moments, Yvette was on the edge of climaxing, and began bucking her hips, as Claire's lapping tongue showed no mercy.

  Pauline could take no more, and put her hand down to feel herself. She, too was on the verge of exploding.

  Yvette, let out a loud gasp, then a long moan, as she came hard on Claire's tongue, then lay back panting, as the older woman now turned her attention back to Pauline.

  "I think you'll come quicker than Yvette!" She drawled, stripping off her clothes, to reveal a lithe, unblemished body.

  Pauline pulled off her knickers, wriggled out of her short skirt, and waited expectantly on the leather sofa, clad only in her stockings and suspenders. When Claire's tongue found its way inside her, fresh from Yvette, it took her by surprise. To be consumed and enjoyed like this by another woman was exquisite, and Pauline found herself pulling down hard on Claire's head, and wrapping her legs tightly around her.

  "She's delicious!" Uttered Claire, coming up to breathe, as Pauline squirmed and writhed in ecstasy.

  Yvette came across, and joined them. She sat astride Pauline, giving her the first ever experience of tasting another woman. Pauline was an eager student, and went about her work with amazing enthusiasm. She felt Yvette's juices oozing into her mouth, and in seconds, both women came simultaneously.

  Pauline was flowing like never before. Claire was possessing her, devouring her, swallowing her essence. She came hard, and screamed as the powerful orgasm ripped through her body. It was mind shattering and all-engulfing, and she knew she'd now chosen a route, she'd never return from.

  13. THREE KINGS

  SPRING 1968

  Sally, to her delight, had finally lost her baby weight, and was once again able to wear some of her favourite clothes. However, caring for the three children was still not getting any easier. Penny had milk teeth coming through, and her continual crying throughout the night was taking its toll on both Sally, and William. Jonathan and Laura didn't seem to have suffered too much, although Jonathan was prone to ear infections, which kept him up on many an occasion. Penny, however, had the loudest cry out of all of the children, and demanded attention immediately.

  It was a pleasant, mild and sunny Saturday morning. Sally had got Jonathan and Laura washed and dressed, and was about to give them their breakfast. Penny was thankfully in a deep sleep, after getting some relief from the small amount of painkiller the doctor has prescribed for her. Sally had put this in her feed, having recently given up breast-feeding. The two older children were sitting at the table drinking milky tea, when there was a knock at the front door. William was still sleeping, and Sally hoped it hadn't disturbed him. She was used to the postman calling, what with deliveries of dress-making materials and samples, and just assumed it would be him. She was still in her dressing gown, and didn't have any make-up on, when she opened the door to David.

  It had been over four years since that Christmas, when William had seen them kissing at the bench beneath the tree in Falcondale. David had guiltily slunk off to his room, William and David's girlfriend, Jenny had stormed off, and Sally had packed her things and moved out, back into Lloyd-Evans Hall. David had later gone on a sabbatical from his studies, and no-one had seen or heard from him since. Now he was here, on Sally's doorstep, looking like nothing had ever happened.

  He looked lean and tanned, his hair was much longer than Sally remembered, and seemed fairer.

  "Hello, Sally."

  "David!" She gasped, feeling a tingle run up her spine.

>   "I hope I haven't surprised you too much?" He said, breaking into that same mischievous smile that always set her heart a flutter.

  "No, no, not at all," she replied totally in shock, pulling her gown together, and trying to bring her hair under control. "It's so wonderful to see you again. I just wasn't expecting you, that's all!"

  "That's understandable, I was going to write, but you know, I just never got around to it!"

  "You look well, David, and so tanned, but please, you must come in." She smiled, leading him into the hallway.

  "Thank-you, and you look no different to the last time I saw you. I understand you have three children now?"

  "Yes, we do, and it's very hard work I can tell you. In fact, you're just in time to have breakfast with them, I hope you like scrambled eggs?"

  "Sally, there's two things I can never forget about you, and one of those is your fantastic cooking!"

  "I wont ask what the other thing is," she laughed, taking him through to the large kitchen, where Jonathan and Laura were seated at a breakfast bar, making a huge mess.

  "Children, this is your Uncle!"

  David was quite overcome, and immediately went over to the two little ones and started pulling funny faces and acting silly.

  "They're wonderful Sally, and Laura is a mini version of you! It must have been tough studying and taking your finals, being pregnant?"

  "It was more than tough, but we had plenty of help. A girl from town helped me, she used to be a cleaner at the university, then worked at the hotel, her name's Carol.

  "Yes, I think I remember her. I imagine you needed all the help you could get." He grinned, helping to cut Laura's toast. He then glanced up to Sally, who was bringing over his breakfast. Their eyes met, and locked on to each other for perhaps, a little too long.

  "William is upstairs, he's sleeping," added Sally, not wanting David to say anything that might incriminate them. Penny, our youngest has been keeping us awake at night. But I'll go and wake him, he'll want to see you."

  "No, please don't do that on my behalf, Sally. I don't want to be an inconvenience." He replied, looking a little uncomfortable.

  No sooner had he finished his sentence, when William walked in, all puffy-eyed. Sally became anxious, she didn't know how this unexpected meeting would turn out. William and David had always been close, but the kissing incident had obviously caused a massive rift between them. She needn't have been too concerned. William broke into a huge smile, and went across to hug his brother fondly. The two of them then sat together and ate breakfast, while Sally attended to the children. David spoke of how he'd returned to Falcondale and had managed to complete the rest of his theology degree, after spending time in the states, drinking, gambling and doing menial jobs. He apparently needed this time in his life to try and come to terms with the torment of his youth.

  "So where did you stay in Falcondale, David, I thought mother had rented the house out?" Asked William, intrigued, as he took a sip from his coffee.

  "I stayed in the Old Building - I probably had Frank's old room!"

  "Please don't go there, David." Replied William, not appreciating his brother's sense of humour. "Sally still has the most awful nightmares about that night."

  "I'm sorry, I wont mention it again," said David, touching his brother on the shoulder affectionately.

  William sat back, deep in thought. The events of that night, when Frank came to the house had disturbed him too, and like Sally, he tried to bury them deep in his sub-conscious, where he hoped they would remain.

  "Listen, David, about that Christmas we spent together." He said eventually, his face still serious.

  "What, you mean, Sally and I at the bench?"

  "Yes, that's exactly what I mean," continued William, a little awkwardly. "It was just something innocent, we all over-reacted. let's just forget it, and start over, after all it was over five years ago."

  "Thank-you, William, it's been eating away at me. That's why I told mother not to tell you I was back at Falcondale, I felt so ashamed, like I'd hurt you so bad."

  "David, you're too sensitive," replied William, with a hint of a smile on his face. "So that explains why mother's been quiet, she knew more than she was letting on."

  "William, perhaps we could go out tonight, the three of us and have a few drinks and a meal?"

  "Sounds great, but only if we can find someone daft enough to baby-sit three young children!"

  The meal was a welcome relief to both Sally and William, they hadn't been out for such a long time. Sally looked absolutely ravishing, in a flower-patterned mini-dress, with her blue eyes sparkling, and her glorious, blonde hair loose about her shoulders. Both brothers were mesmerised, but David had to hide his admiration, not wanting to destroy all the good work that had just been done.

  If Sally did give David the odd glance it was very discreet, and she certainly didn't give anything away, she was a happily married woman who was in love with her husband, and that's how things had to stay. They drove across the river into Richmond, after Sally had eventually found a baby sitter. William had booked a table at a charming Italian-themed, riverside restaurant he'd always wanted to try, called Vesuvius. They opted for the three-course menu, William was ravenous, and soon got through his Parma ham and melon starter, before demolishing a sirloin steak. Sally and David both had minestrone soup, followed by chicken breast stuffed with stilton, and wrapped in bacon. To follow, they all had home-made Italian ice cream sundaes.

  It was during the dessert, when the wine was flowing freely between William and David, that the latter, released his bombshell.

  "So what are you planning to do now, David, will you move to London?" Asked William, wiping his lips with a serviette.

  David waited until the waiter had replenished their glasses.

  "Well, no - not exactly, I'm going out to the far east."

  "How exciting," exclaimed Sally, "Is it relief work, to do with your theology studies?"

  "No, Sally, it's nothing like that. I've been accepted by the US army, I'm going to Vietnam."

  Sally's face dropped as much as William's, and there was a loud clatter as she dropped her spoon onto her plate. But it was William who spoke first.

  "David, you're a Canadian citizen, I'm sure it's illegal to join a foreign army and fight against a friendly nation."

  "Yes, you're right, William, but the US have found a loophole, and hundreds of Canadians are joining already."

  Sally then interrupted, "But why? I thought you were a man of peace?" She pleaded, her eyes full of emotion. "There were demonstrations at Grosvenor Square last year about Vietnam. Lots of police got injured and there were many arrests. The people don't want it, David."

  "It's a question of standing for what you believe is right. I can't abide oppression, and I want to do my duty. We have to stand alongside America on this."

  "But Canada still views North Vietnam as a friendly nation, David." Remarked William.

  "Canada has been secretly supporting and supplying the US, not directly to South Vietnam, but via America itself. How can that be right?" Continued David, getting animated. "Anyway, the US is taking foreign volunteers, and I've been accepted. I report for training in two weeks."

  Sally was motionless, and deep in thought.

  "It sounds as if it's all finalised, like you've already made up your mind to go?"

  "I have Sally," stated David, resolutely.

  Both William and Sally glanced at each other, aware that David saw this as an ideal opportunity to die with honour, and find release from the wounds to his troubled mind. Neither of them, however, made these views known to him.

  "Why can't you come and work with me in interior design, or maybe, Sally and Lizzie could find something for you in the rag trade?" William knew he was wasting his breath, he had come up against the stubborn trait present in all Peddlescoombe's. They just couldn't sit back and watch what they perceived as an injustice being done.

  David stayed over that night in one of t
he spare rooms, but the light-heartedness, and the joy of seeing him soon evaporated, as the realisation that the war in Vietnam was escalating, came home to both William and Sally, in different ways.

  Sally was up just after 5 am. Penny was crying and wanting her milk. She scooped the baby up in her arms and carried her downstairs to the kitchen. Although it wasn't cold, she felt a draft, and noticed the back door was open and the kitchen light was already on. Sally guessed it was David and strapped Penny into her high chair, before warming up her feed. Poking her head out into the garden, she noticed David sitting on one of the patio chairs, smoking a cigarette and drinking coffee. He didn't notice her, and she was able to enjoy a few precious moments, simply admiring him. She loved William with a passion, and would happily marry him again, if that were to be the case, but with David, she saw a troubled soul, an unknown entity. He was a free spirit, she couldn't obtain. He was like her, the forbidden fruit.

  Penny began to cry and David looked around and saw Sally standing in the doorway. She looked so sensual, her hair all in a mess, and still wearing the remnants of last night's make-up. He wanted to tell her how much he loved her, and how he had longed for her, and how he envied his brother, and how it could never be. She smiled warmly at him, and he saw her beautiful white teeth, the sensual eyes, the passion, and the love in the heart of the woman, who was the mother of his brother's children.

  "David, why are you up so early?"

  It took him a moment to stop marvelling at her beauty, and try to construct a sentence.

  "I like being up this early, it gives me time to think," was his reply, as he took a long pull on his cigarette.

  "Same old David, I see," she sighed, "Perhaps, you do a little too much thinking?"

  "Yes, maybe you're right Sally, but much of my thinking is about you."

  "Please stop it, David. I'm married to your brother, and I love him."

  "I'm sorry, but can I just say one thing?"

  "Of course you can, but please don't torture yourself," she said, sitting down next to him.