Highland Fling

by Anna Larner

  Eve sat next to her, the edge of her knee just touching Moira’s. She said softly, “I can’t even begin to imagine how painful that would have been, losing her.”

  Moira nodded, pulling at a stray thread at the edge of the sofa. She took a deep breath and said, “Eve, I want you to know that I’ve never done this before—cheated.” Moira changed the subject with a deftness of touch that suggested she had guided conversations away from Iris many times before.

  “So I’m not another notch on your bedpost of random holidaymakers.” Eve quickly shut up at Moira’s unimpressed expression. “No. I was joking, obviously. I’ve never thought I was.” Eve quickly looked down. Oh my God, I can’t believe I just said that.

  “No, just you, Eve.” Moira sounded tired; at least Eve hoped it was tiredness not exasperation.

  “I would never have thought myself capable of it,” Moira said, burying her face in her hands.

  “Yeah, I know what you mean,” Eve said with a nod. “I always thought that people who slept with other people’s partners lacked any self-control or common decency. And they always have an excuse—it’s somehow never their fault. I mean, look at Esther—she’s devastated.” Eve’s cheeks flushed with feeling.

  “Remember, you didn’t know, Eve.” Moira reassured her with a shake of her head. “And don’t forget, I could have said no.”

  Eve said in earnest, “I’m so glad you didn’t. You don’t regret it, do you?”

  Moira had felt every emotion since meeting Eve. Regret wasn’t one of them. “No.”

  Eve kissed Moira. It was a tired, gentle kiss that tingled on Moira’s lips. Eve then nestled into Moira, who wrapped her arms around her as Eve closed her eyes.

  “You must be hungry.” Moira’s voice caught in her throat. She had tried so hard not to think of Eve that she couldn’t quite believe Eve was there, in her arms, real and true.

  Eve mumbled, “No, I’m too tired. I just need a minute.”

  “You need to eat something, Eve. I’ve some stew—it won’t take a minute to heat.”

  Somewhere between stew and heat, Eve had fallen asleep.

  Moira rested her lips on Eve’s forehead, brushing them gently against Eve’s skin, fearing a kiss would wake her.

  *

  She hadn’t meant to hold Eve all that night, their bodies pressed close, warm upon the sofa. She just found that she couldn’t quite let go.

  Moira woke to the sound of the dawn chorus, immediately feeling the soft weight of Eve against her. Eve’s arm was wrapped around Moira’s waist, her head rested against her chest, and Moira could feel Eve breathing in the soft rhythm of sleep.

  Moira gently freed herself, placing a throw over Eve. She stood looking at her, still not quite believing that Eve had come all this way. She’d told Moira that she wanted to try to understand. The truth was Moira wasn’t entirely sure she understood herself. And then Eve hadn’t said anything about forgiving her. But then why would she? Why would she forgive someone who lied to her? After all, Eve had said that she felt betrayed by her. Moira heard herself ask out loud, “Why are you here?”

  “What?” Eve sleepily asked.

  Moira said quickly, “Nothing, sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you.”

  “It’s okay. I need a wee anyway.” Eve smiled and stood with a yawn. She nodded in the direction of the stairs. “That way?”

  “Yes. Upstairs on the left, opposite the bedroom.” Moira smiled broadly. She had forgotten that this incredibly sweet woman could always lighten her heart with a smile.

  When Eve emerged from the bathroom, Moira was pulling back the covers to her bed.

  Eve stood on the threshold of Moira’s bedroom. “I love this room,” Eve said, looking out towards the window, to the views of loch and mountains.

  “I sometimes wonder whether I should brighten it a little.” Moira looked around her. Each piece of furniture had belonged to her father. The surface of the bedside table by the window had faded slightly, and the pastel blue of the wardrobe had become chalky and cracked a little at the handle. Her curtains were plain cream, except for a border of tiny flowers, and her bedspread was made up of a patchwork medley of quilt squares.

  “Don’t change it,” Eve said, stepping into the room. “Unless you want to, obviously. It’s lovely.”

  Moira looked down. She had no idea why Eve could still think anything related to her was lovely. “I thought you might want to rest here. I’ve made you tea and toast. There’s no hurry, come to in your own time.” Moira walked towards the door.

  Eve stopped Moira in her tracks when she said, “You wanted to know why I was here. Just a minute ago.” Moira turned round. “I’m here because just like you said to me at the restaurant, that you couldn’t rest or work without seeing me again, well, it’s been the same for me. I couldn’t seem to think, and at times”—Eve’s voice broke—“I’ve thought I couldn’t breathe.” Eve wiped at her tears.

  Moira moved to her and held her tight.

  “I know I should be cross with you,” Eve continued, speaking into Moira. “And I have been. I haven’t been able to understand how you could hurt me like that.” Eve moved away slightly. “But I know you care for me. I can tell you do. Not by what you’ve said, but because I can feel it—in here.” Eve looked down to her heart, pressing her hand against her chest.

  Moira lifted Eve’s face. “Sometimes your heart isn’t the best thing to trust.”

  “Why not? Isn’t the head too clever to be honest?” Eve said with a shrug.

  Eve’s question had such a simple wisdom to it that Moira found she had no answer. After all, she too had listened to her heart, not her head. And she knew that right now that’s all she could rely on too.

  “Try and rest, Eve. I’ll just be downstairs.”

  Eve nodded.

  Returning to her sitting room, Moira sat in her armchair, and as she stared out through the sunroom window towards the loch, being forgiven no longer seemed that important.

  Chapter Twenty-one

  It was midmorning before Eve joined Moira in the garden. She had lain down on Moira’s bed just for forty winks. Five hours later she had woken and her heart had surged with the realization she was here, here with Moira.

  “Wow. I bet you never get used to that view.” Eve shaded her eyes with the edge of her hand as the mountains, bustling forests, and gleaming loch bid her a welcome return.

  “No.” Moira cleared her throat. “I suspect a lifetime of looking wouldn’t feel enough. Morning.”

  “Hi.” Eve could feel herself blush at the sight of Moira. She sat dreamily on the veranda steps and watched as the hens scurried and pecked. The loch was still, calm, peaceful.

  Moira sat next to Eve and asked, “You okay?”

  “Very okay. Thank you.” Without thinking, Eve went to kiss Moira, only for Moira to pull away. Confused, Eve said, “I’m sorry. I—”

  “No, Eve, it’s okay. It’s just we’re not very private, that’s all.”

  Eve looked across to the main house. It seemed empty. She couldn’t quite believe that she hadn’t given Alice or John a thought. She had woken with Moira on her mind—only Moira.

  Eve tentatively said, “You said in your letter that he’d gone.”

  Moira nodded. “Yes. He left soon after I got back.”

  “Because you told him about us?” Eve almost dared not ask the question.

  Moira looked away towards the loch as she said, “I didn’t know if I would see you again or what it meant for me, so I didn’t know what to say to him.”

  “But you told him, right?”

  Moira slowly nodded. “When I returned home, I was a mess. Alice was a mess—”

  “Alice knows about me?” Eve raised her eyebrows at the thought of what Alice’s reaction might have been. It filled her with dread.

  “Yes. Understandably, she’s been finding things hard, what with her father leaving and…and everything. I’ve been trying to give her some space.” Moira shook her head. �
�I told her you were here earlier this morning, though. I couldn’t allow her just to bump into you.” Moira gave a heavy sigh. “She thinks that I’m making a complete fool of myself.”

  “Right. Well, I hope you told her where to stick her thoughts.” Eve pulled roughly at the grasses at her feet.

  “I didn’t say anything, Eve—I couldn’t. She’s hurting—”

  “Yes, but that’s no excuse to hurt you.” Eve looked across again to the main house. “I’m sorry, Moira. That you’re going through this. If there’s anything I can do, I mean, I could talk to Alice or—”

  Moira turned to Eve, her hand resting on her arm. “There’s nothing for you to do, really. It’s probably best that Alice and I try and work this out together. And if we can’t…But there’s no need for you to feel sorry for me. Okay?”

  “It’s not that—I care about you. I care about what has happened to you, what is happening to you.”

  Moira’s voice broke as she said, “I care about you too.”

  Eve rested her head against Moira’s shoulder, her arm tucked around Moira’s arm. “And John? When you told him, was it really bad too?”

  A wave of agony washed over Moira’s face. It was clear that the memory of her last conversation with John still burnt painfully bright for her.

  Speaking softly, Eve asked, “Do you think he’ll come back?”

  Moira put her arm around Eve, holding her tight. “No. No, I don’t.”

  Reassured, Eve asked, with compassion, “Will you miss him?”

  “Yes, his friendship—the familiarity of our lives, maybe.”

  Eve cuddled close to Moira, her gaze resting upon the crests of the distant hills, as she said, “Right, of course. I get that.”

  Eve’s phone burred in her pocket. She pulled it out and looked at it. “I should take this. I won’t be a moment.” Eve stood.

  Moira nodded. Eve’s cheeks had gone red, and she seemed to hesitate as if she did not want to answer her phone. “You okay?” Moira asked, as the phone stopped ringing.

  “Yes, I’m just going to go to the loo.”

  “I’ll see you inside then.” Moira watched Eve walk to the croft, her phone tightly gripped in her hand. Moira heard the phone ring once more and Eve’s reply as she disappeared inside.

  “Hi, Rox.”

  *

  Eve was still talking on the phone when Moira joined her five minutes later.

  “No, I don’t know…No, we haven’t worked anything out yet…A few days maybe. I don’t know…Yes, I’ll let you know…Yes, of course I will…” Eve bit her lip. “Look, I’m sorry…sure. Bye, Rox.”

  Moira stood leaning against the sunroom door, looking at Eve, wondering why she seemed so sad and concerned. “Everything okay?”

  “Yeah, I think so.” Eve gave a heavy sigh. “I should have rung her last night, when I got here. She worries about me.” Eve shrugged.

  “She obviously cares a lot about you.”

  “Yep, we’ve known each other since we were kids.” Eve shrugged again.

  “So what did she say? Did she know you were coming up?”

  Eve gave a guilty shake of the head. “I’ve only just told her. I didn’t think she’d approve and would try and talk me out of seeing you again. I was right. She thinks I’m crazy being here and that I shouldn’t trust you.”

  Moira didn’t blame Roxanne for mistrusting her and warning Eve to stay away, but she couldn’t help but feel angry at Roxanne’s continued interference. But at the end of the day, Eve was still here, in her sitting room, smiling at her, with eyes shining with affection and feeling. Nothing Roxanne had said had been able to change Eve’s mind.

  “I rang my work on the way up here,” Eve explained with a guilty smile. “I did fake coughing. I was meant to be working today. Is it wrong that I don’t feel bad?”

  “Very wrong.”

  “I stopped myself from saying it was contagious.”

  Moira laughed and pulled Eve tight against her, and Eve, in turn, pressed her body into hers.

  “I’ll probably have to ring them again Monday,” Eve mumbled into Moira. “I could maybe take some holiday. I’ve a few days owing me.”

  Moira replied, her lips brushing against Eve’s neck, “August is a busy time for me, but I guess I could ask Alice to cover at the centre. I will have to go in at some point.”

  “Yes, of course.”

  Moira whispered into Eve’s ear, her breath teasing against Eve’s skin, “I’ll make time for us.”

  “Yes, that would be…”

  Moira kissed Eve’s neck. “A plan?” Moira offered, her hands exploring their way down Eve’s body to rest against Eve’s bottom.

  “What? Yes, a…a plan.”

  Moira smiled at Eve, at the sight of her struggling to form thoughts let alone words. It never ceased to fill Moira with wonder at how she was able to make Eve feel, and how, in turn, Eve made her want her so desperately.

  Moira kissed Eve, a full kiss that spoke of her passion, her overwhelming need. Urged by intense desire, she leant Eve against the trestle table in the sunroom. Pots were pushed aside. Soil spilt.

  She wrestled with Eve’s trousers, the button, the zip, and Eve took a sharp intake of breath as Moira slipped her fingers, her palm, down Eve’s knickers.

  Finding breath to speak, Moira urged, “Let’s go upstairs.”

  “What? No, please don’t stop.” Eve pulled open Moira’s shirt, kissing her chest.

  Moira breathlessly released herself from Eve. “I won’t stop. I promise.” Moira grasped Eve’s hand and led her upstairs.

  Barely reaching Moira’s bedroom, Eve pulled her buttoned-up shirt over her head. She bent down and pulled at the laces of her shoes, releasing the shoes from her feet.

  Moira sat on the bed, watching Eve.

  “The first time I fantasized about you”—Eve stood before Moira in her bra, bare feet, and open jeans—“you were watching me undress, like you are now.”

  Moira looked at Eve’s newly exposed body. She swallowed and said, “Come here.”

  Moira held the warm denim against her palms, leant in, and kissed the soft skin above Eve’s knickers. With her chin touching Eve’s stomach, she smiled. “So what happens next in your fantasy?”

  “This.” Eve took a deep breath, reaching behind her, unclasping her bra, and letting it fall.

  Moira reached up and cupped Eve’s naked breasts in her hands.

  Eve closed her eyes as Moira’s mouth teased, licked, and kissed at each nipple. Eve’s breath caught as Moira’s tongue traced its way down Eve’s body. Moira could feel the warmth of Eve against her as she eased Eve’s jeans down her thighs.

  Eve held the sides of Moira’s head, running her fingers through her soft curls, massaging, soothing with her touch. Pressing Moira against her, she whispered, her voice grazing against her throat, “I want to be close to you.”

  “We couldn’t get much closer, Eve.” Moira looked up and smiled.

  Eve looked down at herself and back at Moira. “Kiss me again.”

  Moira held Eve’s bottom, her touch familiar, easy.

  “I mean kiss me here,” Eve said, blushing deeply, looking down to between her legs, slipping her knickers over her hips, down her thighs.

  “What have you done to me?” Moira mouthed quietly between her kisses, as her lips explored the soft curves of Eve’s body.

  Moira felt her body on fire, her appetite for Eve overwhelming her senses. She pulled Eve into her, enjoying the soft warmth of her, her hands supporting the small of Eve’s back.

  The wet of Moira’s lips formed a kiss as her tongue licked and probed, moving in and out of Eve.

  Eve kept swallowing, her cheeks flushed with feeling.

  “Moira,” Eve managed.

  Moira could feel Eve shaking.

  Eve shook her head. “I can’t keep it in.”

  Moira guided Eve onto the bed, moving on top of Eve as she reassured, “I don’t want you to.”

 
; Moira’s chest lay against Eve, her lower torso between her legs.

  Moira could feel the tension in Eve’s body, as if Eve was struggling to control the sensations rushing through her. “You don’t need to fight it, Eve. Let yourself enjoy how you feel.”

  In one impulsive action, Eve rolled Moira over, moving on top of her.

  “Eve?”

  Eve sat naked astride Moira. Leaning forward, she kissed and caressed Moira’s breasts, swollen, aroused under the delicate material of her bra.

  Moira stroked Eve’s bottom, the inside of her legs.

  Eve groaned as Moira’s fingers entered her.

  Moira reached forward and kissed Eve’s neck, her mouth sucking hard at Eve’s skin.

  Eve pulled Moira into her, rocking her hips rhythmically in time with Moira’s fingers.

  Moira could feel Eve relax, open up, her muscles giving in to pleasure. She breathlessly asked, “Deeper?”

  Eve nodded, her eyes firmly closed.

  “Eve?” Moira felt Eve bite her shoulder. “You okay?”

  “Yes. Oh my God, Yes!”

  Chapter Twenty-two

  Clouds misted the early Sunday morning sun and the heat of yesterday’s passion faded as a cool air nipped in Moira’s croft. Moira brushed away the rubble in the grate, adding new kindling. Her phone was tucked between the edge of her jaw and her lifted shoulder, the receiver against her ear. She let the phone slip into her hand. “Please don’t go to too much trouble, Betty.”

  “It’s no trouble. So see you both at midday then, Moira.”

  “Yes, see you then.” Moira stared at the phone before placing it back in its holder.

  Eve was sitting on the last but one step at the foot of Moira’s stairs wearing just her knickers and Moira’s jumper. Her hair was wet from showering and a toothbrush stuck out of her mouth.

  Briefly removing the brush, Eve said, “Are Angus and Elizabeth well?”

  “Yes, they’re fine,” Moira said, with a distracted tone. “In fact, they’ve invited us to lunch. Sorry—I heard myself tell them you were here. I was due to go over. I can’t believe I was so stupid.”