The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

by Cheryl Mildenhall

  Alicia and Chloe had obviously heard the screech of brakes because they came tottering out, dressed once again as though they were about to attend a cocktail party. For a few minutes the air was filled with the sound of false gaiety. Hillary counted over twenty exclamations of ‘darling’ and watched amazed as both couples managed to kiss without actually touching.

  Then Gus had her in a bear hug. ‘Come on, Hilly, tell us what our ever-loving other halves have been up to all week.’ He urged her towards the house with Clive, Alicia and Chloe following close behind.

  She looked pleadingly over her shoulder at Theo and Odile but they were laughing.

  ‘We’ll leave you to play happy families for a little while and catch up with you later,’ Odile called out, winking at Hillary who looked suitably horrified at being abandoned.

  Still, there was nothing she could do, her weak protests were drowned out by the loud chatter of the others. They all went inside the Hall and she made straight for the sitting room where she poured herself a stiff drink. Clive and Gus were suitably impressed by their surroundings.

  ‘The chap who owns this must be absolutely rolling in it,’ Gus said, rapping his knuckles on the wall as though he knew the difference between a building that was structurally sound and one built of twigs.

  Hillary giggled to herself. Gus had filled out a little since the last time she met him and, with his stomach already visibly protruding over his waistband, he was well on his way to becoming porcine.

  ‘What did you say this chap is called, Alix?’ Gus asked.

  ‘Darius Harwood,’ Hillary interrupted, feeling a slight flutter in the pit of her stomach at the mere mention of his name.

  After a couple of drinks she decided that it was quite pleasant having Gus and Clive there as well, particularly as she was unattached. It meant she could sit back and enjoy the floorshow without having to pander to someone else’s whims herself. Despite being out all afternoon, Alicia and Chloe had managed to concoct a delicious supper. As she walked into the dining room and surveyed the table laden with fresh salads, cold cuts and a variety of seafood, Hillary realised that she hadn’t eaten all day and was now starving.

  ‘We found this marvellous little deli just a few miles from here and the seafood is fresh from the quay,’ Alicia explained.

  Breaking a crab claw with a decisive ‘crack’ Hillary immediately thought of Haldane. He was the only person who could take her mind off Darius, but even then she couldn’t help wondering what both men were doing right at that moment. She glanced down the table at the two couples; thanks to a combination of good food and a few drinks they had mellowed considerably and were becoming distinctly amorous towards their respective partners. Alicia was sitting pertly on Clive’s knee, dropping fresh prawns into his open mouth one by one, while Chloe was suggestively peeling a banana for her spellbound husband.

  Since they had begun eating, Clive and Gus had done most of the talking. Apparently they had just invested in a racehorse, each taking a quarter share. Clive explained that a business contact of his had successfully bid for the yearling colt at auction. Then a few months later he found he couldn’t really afford it – a couple of friends of his had already expressed an interest in part-ownership so he’d offered to sell the other half to anyone who was interested. After a quick conflab with Gus, Clive had jumped at the chance. ‘At the moment he’s at a training yard near Newmarket. We’re hoping to go down there and take a look at him next week if we can,’ Clive said.

  ‘Well I hope we’re invited,’ said Alicia stiffly. ‘I always like to see first hand whatever you’ve been wasting our money on.’

  Clive looked genuinely hurt. ‘It’s a good investment, Alix, honest. And just think how proud you’ll feel standing in the owner’s enclosure.’

  Hillary couldn’t help smothering a smile. He certainly knew how to hit the right note with her sister – Alicia began to glow as the implications of his remark began to sink in.

  ‘We could end up meeting the royal family!’ She smirked. ‘And we could make a packet. Oh! Clive, you are clever.’ She kissed him long and hard, just to show her appreciation.

  Chloe was similarly impressed, although less demonstrative than her friend. ‘I’ll need some new clothes, especially hats,’ she warned Gus.

  He laughed and patted her hand indulgently. ‘That’s okay by me, sweetheart, you get whatever you want.’ He winked at Clive who smiled back.

  Hillary sighed inwardly. Well there were four people who were going to enjoy the next couple of days at any rate; and the nights.

  Deciding this was her cue to leave, Hillary pushed her chair back and stood up. ‘I promised to meet Odile and Theo at the pub; I’m sure you don’t need me around playing gooseberry.’

  Gus looked up at her and leered. ‘The more the merrier I always say. Ouch! What did you do that for?’ Chloe had elbowed him hard in the ribs.

  ‘Don’t mind him,’ she said to an embarrassed Hillary, a patently false smile fixed to her face, ‘you go and enjoy yourself.’

  Hillary walked out of the room, grabbed her short tan suede jacket from the coat stand in the hall and let herself out into the cool evening air. Under the porch light she glanced at her watch, already nine-thirty; if she didn’t hurry the pub would be closing by the time she got there. Fortunately it was only a short walk to the village across the grounds surrounding the Hall, and for as long as it lasted she found herself relaxing in the luxury of solitude in such picturesque surroundings. As pleasant as her walk was, she was pleased to see the welcoming sight of the Baker’s Arms pub, its uneven half-timbered walls bulging outwards over the narrow pavement.

  She pushed open the heavy oak door, stooping automatically as she crossed the threshold. Her eyes immediately alighted on Odile, seated directly opposite the doorway. She glanced around and saw Theo standing at the bar, his closely cropped head grazing the low ceiling. He spotted Hillary and pointed to the row of bottles behind the bar. Not wishing to play charades or shout across the crowded room, Hillary walked up to him and leaned her elbows on the bar, staring for a while at the rows of bottles.

  ‘I think I’ll just have half a lager, thanks.’ She smiled up at Theo but her expression froze as she noticed a familiar figure seated alone in the farthest corner of the pub. ‘Excuse me a moment, I’ve just seen someone I know.’

  Trying to appear a good deal more casual than she felt, Hillary sauntered across the room. ‘Hello, Haldane, isn’t it, from the chandlery at the quay?’ Of course she knew full well who he was but she couldn’t be sure if he would remember her. She needn’t have worried.

  ‘Oh yes, I remember,’ Haldane said. ‘You are Hillary?’

  She nodded, excitement bubbling up within her.

  He gestured to the chair opposite his own. ‘Please, join me.’

  She sat hesitantly, glancing at Theo who was still standing by the bar holding her glass.

  Haldane followed her eyes with his own. ‘Oh, I am sorry, you are with someone else. I didn’t realise.’

  ‘Yes, no, I mean –’ Hillary stumbled over her words, feeling as gauche as a teenager.

  They were interrupted by Theo who placed her glass of lager in front of her. ‘Odile and I are going after this drink but perhaps you would prefer to stay with your friend?’

  Hillary nodded. ‘Thanks, Theo, I’ll catch up with you later.’

  She raised the glass to Odile who was grinning from ear to ear. ‘They are friends of mine,’ she explained to Haldane, ‘we’re all staying at Harwood Hall.’

  ‘Ah, yes, the great Hall. I am impressed.’

  Hillary thought he looked anything but impressed, but let the remark pass. Now they were alone she found she had already run out of conversation. For a while they sipped their drinks in silence and before they knew it the bell was being rung for last orders.

  ‘Would you like another?’ Haldane gestured towards her empty glass.

  Hillary shook her head. ‘No thanks, I’ve already had a co
uple of drinks and some wine with supper.’

  ‘And you don’t trust yourself to have another?’

  Hillary thought there was more than a hint of interest in his voice. ‘Perhaps,’ she said.

  ‘In that case I’ll get you a double.’

  He stood up, his large frame dominating the small room. Before she could protest he had walked over to the bar and was ordering another round of drinks. He returned with two small glasses filled with colourless liquid. She looked enquiringly at him as he set them down on the table.

  ‘It’s Schnapps,’ he explained, ‘you drink it down in one go, like so.’

  He threw his head back and tossed the liquid down his throat in one swift movement. For a second Hillary hesitated, then followed suit. The fiery liquid quickly burned its way down to the pit of her stomach. For a second her body felt weak and she gripped the edge of the table with one hand to steady herself. Haldane reached out and pulled her to her feet, prising her fingers from the table and enfolding them in one large hard. ‘Come on, we’ll go for a walk.’

  It wasn’t exactly an invitation, more a command. Hillary didn’t feel she could refuse even if she wanted to, which she didn’t. Hand in hand they set off in the direction of the coast road, their pace slow and steady, no more than a casual saunter. Every so often Haldane would stop abruptly and point out a particular star or constellation.

  ‘See that star there, the really bright one?’ Hillary followed the direction of his index finger, to where one star glowed much more brightly than the rest.

  ‘Mmm, I see it.’ Pretending to crane her neck, she used the opportunity to lean a little closer into the side of his body. Haldane didn’t back off.

  ‘Well, that is the dog star – wherever they are in the world sailors can rely on that star to guide them.’

  Hillary nodded sagely. ‘Have you sailed much, to many different places, I mean?’

  ‘No, not really.’ She thought he looked wistful. ‘I was a fisherman not a sailor. I haven’t sailed outside the North Sea.’

  ‘I get the feeling you’re not very happy working on dry land?’

  Without knowing it Hillary had touched upon a raw nerve and Haldane dropped her hand and began to walk off down the road, his head down. Panicking, she ran forward to catch up with him.

  ‘I’m sorry, what did I say?’

  He stopped and turned to look at her. ‘I think maybe I will go back.’

  Hillary wasn’t sure what he meant. ‘Go back? To being a fisherman, you mean?’

  Haldane nodded. ‘Yes, that too. But mostly I miss my home. I want to go back to Norway.’

  She didn’t know how to respond. It was typical really, no sooner did she meet a man she really liked than he wanted to leave the country. What was it about her? She reached out and took his hand again. ‘Come on,’ she said simply.

  They seemed to have reached a mutual understanding. After they resumed their walk Haldane’s pace quickened, becoming more deliberate. In no time at all they had reached the quay; it seemed very strange to be there at night, almost eerie. Haldane took a huge bunch of keys from the pocket in his jacket and unlocked the door to the boathouse behind the chandlery. Inside it was pitch black and Hillary groped around blindly for a few seconds until Haldane lit an old oil lamp.

  ‘I have electric lights of course but this is more, more . . .’

  ‘Romantic?’ Hillary ventured.

  Haldane snorted. ‘If it is romance you want then you are with the wrong man, Hillary. I am just a coarse fishermen, remember.’

  Hillary laughed at the unintentional pun. ‘I think you’re an exceptional man, Haldane. Quite wonderful in fact.’

  He looked straight at her then, his expression displaying a mixture of emotions. In one swift movement he was standing in front of her and bending forwards he kissed her tenderly on the lips. ‘Thank you, Hillary.’

  She reached upwards and clasped her arms around his neck, returning the kiss with slightly more fervour. He tasted of cherry schnapps and smelled of the sea which was an irresistible combination. She could feel her heart pounding hard behind her ribs. She felt engulfed by this man, both body and mind. He held her gently but firmly, one hand in the small of her back, the other cradling her head; despite his size he was so tender, so thoughtful in his demeanour.

  Even his tongue was temperate as it explored her open mouth, flickering lightly against her teeth and gums and then sliding gingerly across the inside of her upper lip. Hillary felt her stomach contract as he did this, amazed that he seemed to have discovered an erogenous zone that she never knew she possessed until that moment. She moved her body ever closer to his, clutching his hair in handfuls as her passion for him increased. Her nipples swelled and she could feel them straining to escape the confines of her thin cotton shirt; surely he could feel them too, digging into his chest like two hard little bullets.

  Evidently he could. No sooner had the thought left her mind than he ran his hand up her back and around to cup her breast, teasing the nipple between his fingers and thumb. Hillary heard herself groan with pleasure. Tentatively she ran her hands over his shoulders, marvelling at the sheer breadth of the man, the tops of his arms were surely wider and more muscular than her thighs! She could feel the contours of his musculature beneath his thick chambray shirt – oh, God, she fancied she could come just through feeling his body beneath her hands. Now he was massaging both her breasts, although he hadn’t attempted to unbutton her shirt. It was exquisite agony, her nipples sending small currents of desire directly to her clitoris. She could feel it swelling and throbbing with pent-up desire.

  Her legs suddenly felt weak and her body sagged a little; swiftly he caught her and held her until she regained her composure. As soon as he was sure she was okay, Haldane released her and turned to the boat behind him – a small cabin cruiser he had recently started to repair. He climbed on board then held out his hand to her and in seconds they were down below in the cabin seated next to each other on a comfortable double bunk. Haldane pulled her to him once again and kissed her, harder this time, with more passion. With one hand he began to undo the buttons on her shirt. Anxious to reveal herself to him Hillary unfastened the last two buttons herself then shrugged the shirt from her shoulders. She sat before Haldane, naked from the waist up, enjoying the look of appreciation on his face as he feasted his eyes on her bronzed naked breasts with the dark-pink tips so hard and swollen.

  He covered her breasts with his hands, kneading them with skilful fingers, then he bent his head and dropped a kiss on each nipple. Hillary moaned, she wanted him so badly yet she didn’t want the moment to end. With trembling fingers she unbuttoned his shirt, placing her palms flat on his chest and just enjoying the sensation of his bare skin beneath her hands. Then she allowed herself to explore the upper part of his body, stroking and squeezing each new portion of flesh as she encountered it with her fingers.

  The tension within her was mounting rapidly, her breathing was shallow, her mind devoid of any thought other than the tumultuous sensations Haldane’s deft touch wreaked upon her rapturous body. He rubbed her through the thick denim of her jeans, his large hands pressing the seamed crotch mercilessly against her urgent flesh. Again she fought to release herself quickly from the strictures of her clothing but he stopped her, purposefully removing her trembling hands. There was no possibility of her rushing the moment towards its natural conclusion; Haldane was in control, he made that very clear and, in a strange way, this only served to add to her excitement.

  Desperately she massaged his chest with her breasts, almost fainting at the initial sensation of skin against slick perspiring skin. Still he held her firmly, one large capable hand spanning her naked back, the other grinding rhythmically against her crotch. She threw her head back, her mouth moving in a silent scream, she was going to come. Wordlessly he watched her, his face devoid of expression as hers portrayed a whole realm of emotion.

  Gradually her orgasm subsided and she felt herself regain some
vestige of composure. She glanced at him and he nodded as though to indicate his satisfaction at her gratification. Now he allowed her to remove her jeans, moving slightly to one side so that he could also remove his own.

  For a few minutes they sat side by side, completely naked, not saying a word. Each eyed the other, their eyes feasting on every contour. Almost shyly Hillary allowed her eyes to drift down over his chest and stomach before coming to rest between his legs. She had almost expected his penis to seem small compared with the rest of his body but it was entirely in proportion, just like the rest of him it appeared large and solid and perfectly formed. She sucked in her breath, wondering how it would feel inside her.

  He obviously wondered the same thing and had no intention of waiting another second to find out. With one swift movement he reached out and grabbed her, lifting her and turning her around so that she straddled him. The sudden change of pace took her by surprise and she cried out as he pulled her close to him and plunged into her. Wrapping her legs tightly around his waist, Hillary rocked her hips as she tried in vain to maintain some vestige of control but she was no match for Haldane and after a few seconds she conceded, allowing him to raise and lower her as though she were a doll, a lifeless thing incapable of independent movement.

  Liberated from the effort of having to think about her own performance, Hillary found herself carried along on the crest of a gigantic wave. Her whole being was consumed in the fire ignited by the golden god whose manhood filled her to capacity. Her hands grappled weakly on his shoulders as he rammed into her, his thigh muscles quivering under her buttocks as he raised his pelvis to thrust ever deeper into her.

  From somewhere she heard a sound that was only vaguely human, a deep moaning that could have been the wind if only it hadn’t been such a still balmy night outside. Her throat hurt and Hillary realised, with amazement, that she was the one making all the noise but she was past caring, past everything except drowning in the most monumental orgasm she had ever experienced.