by Sharon Booth
Honey looked around, rather nervously. 'Look, Teddy, that's lovely of you, but I don't know you and, quite honestly, you don't know me. I have to go. He'll be awake any time now and we're setting off as soon as he's up. It's an awfully long drive. Take care of yourself.'
She gave him a quick peck on the cheek, but he grabbed her and pressed his lips to hers. Honey tensed for a moment, not sure what to make of this intensity, but within seconds she found she was responding to him. There was something about him, something familiar, and something comforting. Not to mention something incredibly sexy. He wasn't her usual type but, really, he had a most peculiar effect on her. She clung to him and their kiss become more urgent, their bodies pressing hard against each other. Eventually, she pulled away, breathless.
'That was — gosh.'
'Well. Crikey.'
They stared at each other, seemingly in awe, and then Honey shook her head. 'I have to go.' She sounded regretful, even to her own ears.
Teddy smiled at her and kissed her hand. 'I know. Take care of yourself, Eden.'
She swallowed hard. 'I will. You, too, Teddy.'
He nodded and walked away. She watched him go and wondered why she was feeling a sudden desperate urge to follow him. The sea air must have been sending her mad. She tutted, impatient with herself, and headed back to the cottage.
****
'It's not raining!' Ophelia bounced into the kitchen, wearing her new jodhpurs, clean shirt, tie and jacket.
Eden, Eliot and Mickey exchanged amused glances. 'Don't you think you've got ready a bit early?' said Eliot, buttering his toast. 'It's not seven yet.'
'But I wanted to see how good I looked in my new clothes, and I do look good, don't I?'
'You do,' he confirmed. 'Not so sure how good you'll look when you've dripped butter down your jacket, mind. Not to mention the little matter of having to groom Flora yet. Or were you planning on leaving all that to Libby?'
'Oh, pooh.' She screwed up her nose and sighed. 'I suppose I'll have to get changed again.' She leaned forward and grabbed a piece of her father's toast. 'Cheers, Dad.'
'Oy! Cheeky madam.' He shook his head and looked up at Eden, his eyes wide. 'See what I have to put up with? Any more toast on the go?'
'Coming right up.' She smiled at him and handed him another plate of toast. Beneath the plate, his fingers touched hers, and her smile was obliterated at the sudden physical contact and the fleeting expression in his eyes as he obviously registered the same shock.
Thankfully, Ophelia didn't seem to notice. 'Shouldn't you be cleaning the sheep's bums?' she said, chewing her toast thoughtfully.
Eliot bit his lip, shaking his head. 'You're a little charmer, aren't you? Me and Mickey have been in the barn for ages, I'll have you know. Gideon and the others are looking superb. I reckon we've got a good chance with a couple of the ewes and lambs, too.'
'I'm thinking that young ram lamb has the makings of a champion,' said Mickey, nodding his appreciation at Eden when she handed him a plate of toast. 'Reckon we should hang onto him.'
'I hope Gideon pulls this off,' said Eliot. 'If we can get a good price for him, we can get a couple of decent new rams at the market and put aside a nice little nest egg for investment.'
'You're confident, though?' Eden collected two further slices of toast from the toaster and sat down at the table opposite him.
'You can never be sure,' said Ophelia. 'Judges can be very fickle.'
'Tha's been ear-wigging again.' Mickey gave her a stern look. 'Funnily enough, I said that to Adey just last night — word for word. Tha's got reet flappy lugs.'
Ophelia tutted. 'Does it matter? I have to learn, somehow, don't I? And it's hardly a secret, is it?'
'She's got a good point,' said Eden laughing. 'Though, I sometimes think she's got the mind of a forty-year-old.'
'Don't I know it,' said Eliot. 'Anyway, Gideon's a bloody good tup. Comes from champion stock, and he's big and solid, got good teeth, good legs. Just how the judges like them. I think he's been fattened up and groomed to perfection. It's in the lap of the gods now.'
'I didn't realise there was so much to it,' Eden admitted.
'Oh, aye. That's why the ones we're taking with us have been kept indoors for the last couple of weeks. They have to look their absolute best.'
'Dad looks very smart on show day, too,' said Ophelia. 'Wait 'til you see him in his tie and his white coat.'
'White coat?' Eden raised an eyebrow. 'And just why would you be wearing one of those?'
'Rules are rules,' he said. 'Have to wear a coat while I'm showing the stock. What did you think I'd be doing in it? Playing doctors and nurses?'
Eden's stomach decided to practice a gymnastics display. 'Maybe,' she croaked.
She took a huge gulp of tea as Eliot surveyed her, a hint of amusement in his eyes. She would have thought she'd be an expert at deceiving him by now, but she was finding it increasingly impossible to hide her attraction to him. She wondered if he was aware of the effect he had on her. Did he find it funny? Inconvenient? Or was there a remote possibility that he was equally attracted to her? If only he'd said something about their kiss, but he hadn't referred to it again, acting as if it had never happened, and she hadn't dared mention it to him, in case he dismissed it. She wasn't sure she could pretend for much longer that it didn't matter.
'Right.' He pushed away his plate and stood up. 'This won't buy the baby his bonnet. Got to get on. Ophelia, go upstairs and change, and then you'd better wake Libby up. You need to get Flora groomed and clean the tack. Me, Mickey and Adey will be taking the sheep to the showground in a few minutes, and Mickey's going to come back and take you lot and Flora at around dinnertime. Judging starts at half-past nine, so I've got to get a shifty on. Honey, have you got your cakes all ready?'
Eden pointed to the cake tins on the top of the dresser. 'One carrot cake and one Victoria sponge sandwich. I doubt I can compete with the local W.I., but it's fun to take part. My first agricultural show!'
'Dunno 'bout the W.I., but I've tasted your cakes, and I reckon you'll walk it,' said Eliot. 'Mrs Edwards, or no Mrs Edwards.'
'Me, an' all,' said Mickey.
'Why, thank you kindly.' Eden laughed. 'I should think an outsider won't get a look in, though.'
'I hope you're not suggesting these things are fixed,' said Eliot, his eyes twinkling. 'Honey, can you make sure the girls get a good breakfast inside them? Especially Libby. I know how nervous she gets, but they need to eat.'
'Of course. You get on with the sheep,' she said, 'and leave the kids to me. Teamwork.'
He smiled down at her. 'Aye, teamwork. Thank you.'
He and Mickey left the house, which was a good thing, as Eden had a feeling she'd begun melting into a giant puddle and would soon be dripping off the chair onto the floor.
Noticing Ophelia grinning at her, she coughed nervously and examined her toast. 'Well, go on, then. You heard your dad. Chop-chop.'
****
Gregorio was almost purple with effort. Not surprising, really, thought Lavinia. He'd been pounding away at her for simply ages and it was a total waste of time. He was having no effect on her, whatsoever, except to make her feel vaguely nauseous. She thought how odd it was that someone who looked so divine when lounging by a pool in skimpy trunks, tanned and toned body oiled up and gleaming, could look so repugnant when on top of her, squinting with the physical toll of trying desperately to bring her to orgasm. He didn't like failure, and it would be a source of great shame to him that he was failing pretty regularly lately. She wasn't happy about it, either. Sex was the ultimate distraction, and the one thing she'd pinned her hopes on for taking her mind off her husband's betrayal. Robbed of even that pleasure, she was in danger of wallowing, and that would never do.
She tried to concentrate, making a few encouraging noises to give Gregorio some hope.
'You come now, yes?'
Dear God, if she'd been in any danger of reaching orgasm, he'd just made sure that threat
was headed off. She sighed and closed her eyes. Gregorio obviously mistook that as a signal that she was at the point of no return, and finally succumbed — his theatrical groans and squeaks being the final nail in that particular coffin. Lavinia knew there would be no repeat performance. She was done with Gregorio.
'That was perfect, no?'
'No.'
His beaming face turned into a frown. 'You mean yes, yes?'
'No. I mean no.' She summoned all her strength and physically pushed him off her, struggling to sit up and swatting away his outstretched hand in disgust. 'Never again. You've quite lost your charm. Sorry.'
'But you enjoy?' He obviously hadn't a clue.
'No, I didn't bloody enjoy,' she snapped. 'I haven't enjoyed for ages. I think it's time you went home.'
Gregorio looked astonished. 'I do not understand. You and me, we make the sweet music together.'
'A set of bagpipes with a puncture and an asthmatic piper could make sweeter music, chum,' she informed him, climbing out of bed and throwing on her robe. 'I'm sorry, but that's the way it is.'
He threw himself back on the bed, his mouth set in a sulky pout. 'Maybe I need a better instrument to play with,' he told her.
'I'll buy you a fucking mouth organ. Now piss off and leave me alone.'
She headed into the en suite, keen to get out of his sight before the tears came and wondered what the hell was wrong with her. Crispin had played away before, and she'd never let it get to her like this. She'd always played him at his own game, and it had worked. Her lovers were always discreet, and a pleasant way of taking her mind off what would otherwise be an intolerable situation. Now she wondered if she'd gone about everything all wrong. Maybe she should have been firm with her husband from the start, instead of trying to give him his freedom. Maybe she should have told him that, if he had any more affairs, she would end the marriage. She wondered if he was aware that she knew about his dalliances, or was he blissfully ignorant? She wasn't sure which hurt her the most — Crispin thinking her that stupid, that gullible, or Crispin knowing she was aware of his behaviour and not caring that he was hurting her.
She splashed her face with cold water and stared at her reflection in the mirror. Was that another wrinkle? She peered closely and recoiled. Too close. She was thirty-four now and it showed. How could she possibly compete with a twenty-two-year-old who looked as stunning as Honey Carmichael?
Maybe the time had come to confront them, after all. Maybe she should head to Dorset and tell Crispin that, not only did she know about their affair, but she knew something he didn't — that he wasn't the only one bouncing around in Honey's bed. Would he finish with Honey then? Or would they work things out, leaving her well and truly in the cold? Would his career survive the affair? Would he care, even if it didn't?
She gripped the edge of the sink, wondering what to do. It wasn't like her to feel so unsure of everything. It was an unnerving experience.
Her phone rang in the other room, and she wrapped her arms around her body, trying to suppress the trembling. Let it ring. She didn't care anymore. Then she remembered Gregorio was in the bedroom and wasn't exactly happy with her. He could easily answer it, just for spite, and that would blow everything apart.
She threw open the bathroom door and lunged forward, grabbing the mobile from Gregorio's hand, just as he was about to answer the call. 'Daddy?'
'You all right, sweetheart? You sound a bit breathless.'
'I was in the shower.' She scowled at Gregorio, who glared at her, and retreated back into the en suite, locking the door behind her. 'What's up?'
'Ah, well, that's the thing.' He sounded nervous suddenly.
Lavinia perched on the edge of the bath, frowning. 'What's the thing? What's happened?'
'You mustn't blame me, sweetheart.' His voice was wheedling. She knew that tone of old. It was his I've totally fucked up but it's not really my fault, so you can't get angry voice. She remembered it all too well from her childhood. It was used a lot on her mother before she'd had the sense to leave him.
'For God's sake!' She gripped the phone. 'What is it?'
'I've lost them.'
'Lost them? What do you mean, lost them! How can you lose two people?'
'They've gone. Left the cottage, I mean. I thought, maybe, they'd gone out, but it's been a whole day now, and there's definitely no sign —'
'What have you been doing?'
'Now, Lavinia, you can't expect me to camp outside the bloody place. I went to a spa, if you must know. A soothing Jacuzzi and a decent massage. Bear in mind, my back's been giving me hell ever since I arrived here, and the hotel does have lovely facilities, and —'
'I thought it was your hip?' She was almost in tears. 'How could you let this happen? They could be anywhere. If they're seen, if this gets out —'
'I know. His career will be over.'
Sod his career, thought Lavinia. He'd be forced to choose, and who would he pick? A thirty-four-year-old with her first grey hair and fine lines around her eyes, or a glamorous blonde with bouncy boobs, endless legs, and a cool, rock star, multi-millionaire father, who was happy to donate huge sums to the Party? She wouldn't have a prayer.
'I'm coming home,' she said.
'Well, about time,' said her father. 'Enough's enough. He's gone too far, now. Go to the papers. Get your side of the story out there first. We'll destroy him, Lavinia. He'll be damn sorry he crossed us.'
'Oh, shut up, Daddy.' Lavinia nibbled her thumbnail, her mind whirling. 'We have to find him. Don't breathe a word of this 'til I get home, understand? You leave it to me now.'
'Well, I must say, you could show some gratitude. I've been stuck out here ...'
But Lavinia wasn't listening. She was already mentally confronting her husband, seeing him put a protective arm around that bimbo, watching Honey's smug smile turn to horror when she informed Crispin about the man in the café. He would have to believe her, wouldn't he? And he surely wouldn't want Honey after that?
There was only one way to find out, she supposed. Now, she just had to find them.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Arriving at the showground, three miles outside Kirkby Skimmer, Eden could see immediately that this was no small, local event. The place was huge and was packed with people.
While Mickey carefully parked his old, battered Land Rover, mindful of the trailer behind which carried Flora, Eden's stomach churned. How had Eliot got on? Had Gideon lived up to expectations?
'Tha looks more nervous than the lad did, lass,' Mickey observed shrewdly. 'Anyone would think it was important to thee. Not your problem, is it?' His eyes twinkled, and Eden flushed.
'Well, I know there's not much money in sheep farming, and this could make all the difference to Fleetsthorpe.'
'Tha's not wrong there. Glad tha's taking an interest. Wasn't sure it would matter to thee. Happen I was wrong. Reckon it all matters. Reckon it matters a lot.'
Eden didn't know how to answer that one.
Mickey cackled and patted her arm. 'Tha's not a bad 'un. Happen he could do worse.'
She stared at him in amazement, but he was already unbuckling his seatbelt, ordering the girls to stay by the car and wait for their father.
As Mickey waited for Eliot and Adey to appear, Eden, at his suggestion, left the children with him while she rushed over to the competition tent and placed her cakes on the table, ready to be judged.
'They look lovely,' said the woman who was filling out the entry cards. 'Have you entered before?'
'First time ever,' said Eden brightly. 'I'm a competition virgin.'
The woman looked a bit startled. 'Oh, er, I see. Jolly good.'
Well, if she's judging, thought Eden, I've just blown my chances there. She headed back to the trailer, thinking how embarrassing it would be to come last. She hoped they didn't mark every entry and merely revealed the top three. She'd no idea what went on in these shows, but she'd seen The Great British Bake-Off enough times, and didn't want her cake point
ed at in front of everyone and revealed to be a culinary catastrophe. It looked good, but would it taste okay?
Her heart skipped when she saw Eliot standing by the trailer, as Adey unloaded Flora.
'All done?' Eliot winked at her, which made her forget all about her baking worries immediately.
She nodded. 'How did it go?'
'Bloody marvellous,' he said, grinning at her. 'Gideon won his classes, and the shearling ram came second in his. My ram lamb came first, and my gimmer came third. I'm in the best of show classes this afternoon. I'm that relieved, I can't tell you.'
'That's wonderful,' she said. 'I'm so pleased for you.'
'It's been years in the making,' he said. 'Couldn't have done any of it without Mickey, here.'
'Bugger off,' said Mickey. 'Tha'll have me crying, daft lad.'
'Can we have a look around?' asked Libby. 'There are rabbits. I'd love to see those.'
'Oh, aye,' said Mickey. 'Not like we've got hundreds of flaming rabbits all over t' dale, is it?'
'Those are wild rabbits,' said Libby. 'It's different.'
'What about Flora?' said Eden.
'I'll stay with Flora,' said Mickey. 'Gunna sit meself down here and have me sandwiches and me shandy. Get tha selves off and enjoy tha selves. As long as tha's all back in time for your events, 'cos I can't walk them bloody sheep and ride that little pony at the same time.'
Ophelia and Libby obviously found the idea of Mickey sitting on Flora's back highly amusing. Eliot shook his head as they giggled and gently guided them away.
'Where do we start?' said Eden. 'I had no idea there'd be so much here.'
'Oh, aye, the Skimmerdale Show is the highlight of the area,' said Adey. 'Just about everyone who lives here is competing, or demonstrating, or visiting here. Mickey did his shearing demonstration this morning, and very popular it was, too. There's a drystone walling demo going on, sheepdog displays, cattle, poultry and horse classes —'
'Rabbit and guinea pig shows,' added Libby.
