by Jenny Frame
She sighed in relief as all the people started to drift over to the respective desks. Finn grabbed a bottle of water and took a seat on the edge of the stage. She took out her iPad and started scrolling through the brief notes she had made for the show so far.
I wish Bridge was here. She controlled these sorts of things with military precision.
Once some of the children were signed up for the various parts of the show, they started to gravitate over to Finn. She was fast becoming a Pied Piper with the children. It was a good reminder for Finn of what magic was all about—childlike wonder. That was the feeling she wanted to capture, wonder and joy. It occurred to her that was something she could get the kids to help her with.
She asked Mrs. Peters if there were any art supplies, and luckily, they had what she needed in the Sunday School room.
Finn handed out the pens and paper and said, “Okay, kids, I want you to draw and write everything that you think is magical about winter, and we’ll incorporate it into the show.”
The assembled kids were very excited about this and set to work.
A short time later the church hall door opened and a blond-haired woman came in with a child, four plastic boxes piled high in their arms. Some of the kids got up and ran over to them. Finn heard some of the adults exclaim, “It’s Lady Annie.”
Mrs. Peters and quite a few others went to greet them warmly. Lady Annie? Must be the famous Lady Harry’s wife. Bridge didn’t mention they were due to come back home. Annie was everything she’d imagined her to be—beautiful, warm and friendly.
She and the girl who must have been her daughter Riley started giving out cookies. Mrs. Peters guided Annie over to her, and Finn suddenly got very nervous.
“Finn?” Mrs. Peters said. “This is Lady Annie, Lady Harry’s wife.”
Annie was warm and smiling. “Please, it’s Annie. I’m happy to meet you, Finn. We’ve heard so much about you.”
She shook Annie’s hand and felt her cheeks heat up. It was easy to see why Lady Harry loved her. “Hi, nice to meet you.”
“This is my daughter, Riley,” Annie said.
“Hi, Finn, I’ve got every one of your DVDs. Your show is so cool,” Riley said excitedly.
“Thanks. Are you going to sign up for the show, Riley?” Finn said.
“Yeah, I’d love that. I’m going to put my name down for magic. Mum, take this?” Riley placed her box of cookies on top of Annie’s and rushed off.
Annie laughed. “You’ll have to excuse Riley—she’s very excitable today. We just got back from Rome, and she’s been high as a kite since we landed. She’s going to crash any time now and sleep for three days, I think.”
“She seems like a great kid. Bridge talks about her a lot,” Finn said.
“Is Bridge around? I was hoping we’d see her here.” Annie looked around the hall. “She’s usually at the centre of these village events.”
Finn didn’t know what to say. This was Bridge’s friend, and she didn’t want to lie to her. “Uh…this was kind of a last-minute thing. Mr. Butterstone just put up the posters for it yesterday. I’m not sure she knows yet.”
Annie gazed at her carefully, as if trying to work out what exactly was going on here. Annie put down her boxes on the stage and brought out a large cookie. “Why don’t we sit and have a cup of tea and a chat? You can fill me in on everything that’s happening, and about your friendship with Bridge. I have super-duper cookies or Harry’s favourite, fudgie-wudgies. All freshly baked this afternoon.”
“Okay,” Finn said slowly. For some reason, she had the impression Lady Annie was about to psych her out.
Finn went to the refreshment table and returned with two cups of tea. They sat on the stage, and Annie gave her a choice of treat.
“I’ll take a fudgie-wudgie.” When Finn bit into it, she moaned in pleasure, it tasted so good. “This tastes amazing.”
Annie took a sip of tea and smiled. “I have been told fudgie-wudgies can mend a broken heart. So tell me…you’ve gotten close to Bridge?”
Finn stopped mid-chew. Is this woman clairvoyant? She had been right. She was getting manipulated in the nicest way. Lady Annie used her cakes and sweet treats as a form of distraction, exactly the kind of thing she did when doing sleight of hand.
* * *
Finn was given the most delightful form of interrogation from Annie, but their conversation was cut short when Mrs. Peters gave her a message that the vicar would like to see her in the back office.
She made her way to Bridge’s office, and as she got near the door, her heart started to beat faster. It was so long since she’d seen Bridge, and she was aching to see her, to touch her. But what if Bridge wanted to tell her it was over?
She took a breath and knocked.
Bridge’s voice came from behind the door. “Come in.”
Finn opened the door and found Bridge standing against the front of her desk, arms crossed, and looking like the epitome of female sexual power. She fought the urge to drop to her knees right now and crawl across the floor to her.
“Hi,” Finn said.
“Come here.” Bridge beckoned her over with a finger.
It was like this woman had some magical power over Finn. A look or a few words could set her on fire. Her skin, her heart all burned, and her sex throbbed with unquenchable want.
Finn walked over, her focus on Bridge’s legs the whole way. When she arrived in front of Bridge, she felt Bridge’s finger under her chin pushing her head up.
“Eyes up, Magician,” Bridge said.
“Sorry. I’ve tried to give you your space like you asked, but I missed you,” Finn said.
Bridge reached out and caressed her cheek. “I know, and I missed you too.”
Finn couldn’t stop herself taking a step closer, but Bridge put a palm on her chest to keep her at arm’s length.
“Why are you doing this, Finn. The show? I need to understand.”
“To show you that I want to make a future here, get involved with the community,” Finn said.
“What about your career?”
Finn shrugged. “I haven’t decided if I ever want to perform again, but if I did I would just do a select number of shows, but base myself here if—”
“If what?” Bridge said.
“If you wanted me to. If you gave us a chance.”
Finn saw Bridge’s emotional side rise to the surface, the part of her that was still scared her heart could be broken.
She took Finn’s hands and rested her forehead against hers. “I want to.”
“I’ll do whatever you need me to, Bridge, I just want to be with you. You’ve given my life meaning again. Every day I wake up, and I don’t think of the bad times with Carrie, I think of the good times. I’m not angry at God and the world any more. All I think about is being with you and the happiness it brings. Please give us a chance.”
Bridge sighed and said, “I’ve spoken to Aunt Gertie, and she tells me to follow my heart and my conscience. So I prayed long and hard, and I know in my heart that God wants me to love you, but we have to be discreet.”
Finn’s heart soared with happiness. “I’ll follow your lead. As long as I can be with you.”
“I won’t deny our love ever again, if pushed, but I would rather avoid questions altogether,” Bridge said.
“Whatever you say,” Finn said. “You’re the mistress of my heart and my body.”
“And what about your soul, boy?” Bridge smiled, half joking.
“Because of you I think I believe in the soul again, so you are most certainly mistress of it. Thank you for giving us a chance. I—” Finn hesitated. She knew she loved Bridge, but she was frightened of scaring her off, so she said, “Just like your favourite song, ‘Can’t Help Falling In Love.’”
Bridge smiled. “Neither can I, my beautiful boy. Kiss me.”
The kiss turned from loving to passionate in seconds since they hadn’t touched each other for so long. Finn’s hands went straight to the hem
of Bridge’s skirt and she slid her hand up to her thigh, massaging and grasping the flesh she found there.
Bridge pushed her back and said, “Uh-uh. Calm your little trickster hands, not in the house of God.”
“Then let’s go to mine after we’re finished here. I need you so much, Bridge.”
Bridge pushed one finger into the centre of Finn’s chest, and moved it down her stomach slowly. “I think you are getting a bit presumptuous and above yourself,” Bridge said.
She then traced her finger over Finn’s belt buckle, lingering there and enjoying Finn’s breath hitching, before grasping her crotch through her jeans.
“Oh dear, oh dear. You aren’t ready for me. That is a punishable offence.” Bridge chuckled internally at the look on Finn’s face.
“But…but we weren’t together for a whole week. You weren’t even talking to me.”
Bridge leaned forward and whispered in her ear. “If we are going to be together, you must understand the most important thing is to follow my rules, no matter what is going on around us. I need to know you’re ready for me, and you need to know that wherever we are or whatever we are doing, you belong to me, boy.”
Finn groaned. Bridge knew Finn loved it when she talked to her like that. Bridge took Finn’s hand and placed it on her own thigh. “That is, if you want this.”
“God, yes, I want it. Say my magic words, Mistress.”
Bridge laughed and pushed her hand away. “Oh no, that is a reward. The second thing you’re going to learn is about punishment. I don’t have my riding crop to whip that muscled little backside of yours into shape, so instead you can learn about abstinence.” Bridge walked to the office door. “Let’s go and finish up your show’s sign-up.”
“I’m going to explode, Bridge.” Finn sighed and stuffed her hands in her pockets.
As she walked past her through the door, Bridge gave her a swat on the backside. “That’s the point. Now go and be a good little magician.”
Chapter Twenty-one
The next few days were torture for Finn. Bridge was consuming her every thought, and yet they’d done nothing more than kiss since the night in her office. What made things harder was that the press had finally found her. Finn woke up on Sunday morning with a few paparazzi sitting across the road from her cottage. But she wasn’t going to panic. It didn’t matter, as long as they couldn’t connect her with Bridge and embarrass her.
Finn called her publicist Allegra and walked to her living room window.
“Finn? Are you all right? I’m sorry about the press. How are you coping?”
“It’s fine. It was going to happen sooner or later,” Finn said.
There was a silence on the other end of the phone and then Allegra said, “You sound awfully calm. You were dreading them finding you.”
Finn looked out at the photographers sitting across the street, and did feel calm, because she knew Bridge loved her, and she had found a place of safety here in Axedale.
“Yeah, well, maybe it’s the country air, but I am not concerned. Let them post pictures of me walking to the post office and back. What’s the worst they can do?”
She knew they would do worse if they found out about her relationship with Bridge, but that was not going to happen.
Finn heard Allegra sigh. “If you’re sure. You do sound so much better. Country life must suit you. Let me know when you want to get back to work.”
That was one thing she didn’t want to contemplate at the moment. In Axedale and Bridge she had found safety, and she didn’t want to change that now.
“I’ll call you. Thanks, Ally. Bye.”
As soon as that was done, Finn called Bridge. She was supposed to be going to church this morning then up to Axedale Hall with Bridge and Martha for Sunday lunch. Although Annie was delightful and welcoming, she sensed Lady Harry was more cynical and wanted to give her best friend’s new girlfriend a proper talking to.
Finn sneaked another look outside. There were now four people with cameras standing around and drinking coffee. You’ll soon get bored.
She phoned Bridge, who greeted her with, “Hello, darling, I hope you’re not phoning to weasel out of going to church.”
“Morning, I’m sorry but I am, but it’s not my doing. The paparazzi have finally found me. I’ve got four across the street just now. I think me going to your church on a Sunday would give them a story and cause you unnecessary problems.”
Bridge sighed. “You’re right, I suppose. I wrote a sermon for you. I wanted you to hear it.”
“Tell me what verse it was based on and I’ll read it here,” Finn said.
“You have a Bible?” Bridge said sceptically.
“Of course. Atheists or former atheists always have a Bible. It’s part of knowing thine enemy better than you know yourself, or checking for inconsistencies to throw like hand grenades at sexy vicars.”
Bridge laughed. “Very true, Magician. It was taken from 1 John 4:18. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.”
“That is perfect. Do you know how much I want to kiss you right now, Bridge?”
“Probably as much as I want to kiss you, but it is a Sunday.”
“You have some reason to stop me touching you every day. I got more kisses before we were together than I do now.”
“Don’t pout, boy. We can spend some time together tonight,” Bridge promised.
“But what about the cameras? They’ll follow me whether we’re at the vicarage or here. They can’t see me with you like that.”
“Let me work something out. Just make sure you bring an overnight bag to lunch at Axedale. I’ll get Quade to pick me and Martha up, and we’ll see you there. They can’t follow you past the Axedale estate’s gates. It’s private property.”
Finn felt excitement start to gather in her stomach already. “You are clever, Mistress.”
Bridge laughed and then said, “I know. I better run, I have a sermon to deliver, but I’ll see you at Axedale later. Oh, and do something interesting with your hair. You know how much your mistress loves it.”
Finn shivered and looked over at her strap-on waiting for her beside her clothes. “Oh, I know. See you later.”
* * *
Finn couldn’t wait to see Bridge. She could feel her in every cell in her body, even when they were apart. She needed to connect with her soon—abstinence really did work as a punishment, but a good punishment. When Bridge did allow Finn to touch her, their separation would make it so good.
She put her overnight bag over her shoulder and checked her hair in the mirror. She’s going to love it.
Finn didn’t take her bike so she wouldn’t ruin her hair with her helmet, so she had to walk past the photographers waiting for her to appear. She had dealt with the paparazzi many times over the years, so she was no stranger to ignoring them. She would have found them difficult to deal with when she first came to Axedale, when she was torn up inside about Carrie, but now knowing that Bridge cared for her, wanted her, and she had a place to call home, she felt strong.
The village roads were busy, because Axedale was a favourite Sunday outing for tourists. The paparazzi snapped their pictures as she walked down the road to the post office, and when the tourists turned to watch and realized who she was, then the smartphones came out to video her.
She tried to keep calm and keep walking. A few of the photographers said a few things to try to get a reaction from her stoic mask. Instead of reacting, she said, “You’re all going to get really bored following me around the village.”
One taller man said, “I wouldn’t count on it.”
Finn ignored that comment and noticed Mrs. Peters standing outside the post office. “Good morning, Finn, in you come.”
As soon as she walked in, Mrs. Peters shut the door on the photographer’s face, and turned the shop sign to Closed.
“Thank you, Mrs. Peters. You’re a lifesaver.”
&
nbsp; “Don’t you worry—you’re one of us now. They won’t get past me,” Mrs. Peters said.
“That means a lot. Thank you. I wondered if I could get something to take to Axedale. I’m having lunch there, and I think I should take Lady Annie something.”
Mrs. Peters smiled and clapped her hands together. “You’ve come to the right place. I happen to have Lady Annie’s favourite chocolates. She does have a sweet tooth.”
“Perfect.”
The postmistress went over to a shelf and held up two boxes of chocolates. “The smaller or the larger one, Finn?”
“Large, please—oh, could you make it three large? Mrs. Castle and the vicar will be there.”
“Of course.” When she brought them over, Finn remembered Riley.
“You wouldn’t happen to know Riley’s favourite sweets, do you?”
“I know just the thing.” When she was done packing up the sweets, Mrs. Peters leaned over the counter and said in a low voice, “Why don’t you go out my back door, and then you can leave these buffoons behind.”
“You are a treasure, Mrs. Peters.”
* * *
Archie Winchester watched from a distance with a grin on his face as the photographers waited for Finn to come out of the village shop and post office. It’s all going to fall around your ears, Vicar, once your immoral love affair is exposed.
Thee he noticed one of the photographers packing up by his car and preparing to leave. He walked over to him and said, “You’re not leaving, are you? There’s much more to this story. I’m the one that called your newspaper.”
The photographer patted him on the shoulder. “Don’t you worry, mate. I’ve got more than enough. These idiots”—he pointed over to the other photographers—“they’re too late. I have everything we need.”
Archie rubbed his hands together with glee. “I can’t wait to see her deviant face all over the newspapers.”
* * *
Harry, Bridge, and Finn sat in front of the fire in the blue drawing room. They had spent a wonderful afternoon together with Martha, Quade, and Riley, enjoying Annie’s food and warm hospitality.
