Secret Reflection (27 page)

‘But what business can you do at this time of night? Why not stay and get going early in the morning?’

He glanced across at her bedside clock. It was after eight. He could make it back to the coach house and dig out the journal ready to tempt Kelly in the morning. And on the way he might also pay a visit to Will Montgomery to find out what he’d told the police. Yes – he needed to know exactly what Will had said.

‘I have to get back tonight and that is that.’ He turned away from her and gathered his keys and mobile phone before buttoning his shirt. ‘I’m not sure when I’ll see you next … I might need to take a trip to New York. I’ll let you know.’

‘New York?’ she bounded off the bed, her full breasts swaying as she came up beside him. ‘Can I come, Ricky, please … pretty please?’

He cast her a look of disdain before sitting on the side of the bed to concentrate on his shoes. ‘Sorry, Sonnie, this trip is purely business … you’d just be in the way.’

She circled around him and smiled sweetly, rubbing herself against him like a cat. ‘No I wouldn’t, Ricky, I promise I wouldn’t.’

Without warning he swung his hand and clipped her on the cheek for the second time. She fell to the floor and gazed up at him, her eyes wide with shock.

‘I said NO and I mean it,’ he growled in a low, satisfied voice knowing she’d have a whopper of a bruise come morning. He didn’t help her up, just stepped around her and headed for the door.

By the time his Jaguar neared the turn-off to Garford, Richard had planned his attack. Even though Will needed to be at the stables by dawn he knew the man would still be up watching cable. He played the ponies all around the world and had a reputation for switching from one hemisphere to the other to place his bets. At this time of night he’d probably be watching the races in South Africa or Australia or somewhere else on the other side of the world.

The phone calls from the police meant Will hadn’t been bluffing. Richard knew they were probably on the lookout for him so he decided to park down the road from Will’s house and jog up the rear lane to the back entrance. He knew Will’s place well, having been there many times to settle up, or on the odd occasion, collect his winnings from the day’s punting.

As he suspected, the kitchen blazed with light and he could hear the television going in the background. He knocked.

Less than a minute later young Eithne came to the door. She’d grown somewhat since he’d last been by, her legs had slimmed down and she had a coltish look about her. She wore bright blue shorts and a semi-transparent blouse, and he could see she was just beginning to come to full womanhood. Her eyes, so like Dee’s, widened as she recognised who stood at the door.

‘He ain’t ’ere, Mr Ditchley,’ she said without bothering to greet him, ‘he’s gone to the stables.’

‘Do you think he’ll be long? I need to speak to him.’

She shrugged and turned. As she walked away he watched the gentle sway of her hips. When she reached the other side of the kitchen she half-turned. ‘If you want to come in and wait, y’can.’

He wasn’t sure that was such a good idea after his last few run-ins with Will, but then again he couldn’t just stand around the back door all night and he did need to know what
trouble Will might have got him into. Cautiously, he opened the screen and let it shut with a squeak behind him.

‘Close the door after ya,’ Eithne bellowed from the adjacent room.

In the doorway to the parlour he found her sitting cross-legged on the couch opposite a large-screen TV.

‘What’s on?’ he asked as he sidled in, catching a glimpse of her bright red panties beneath the leg of her shorts.

She shrugged again. ‘Nothin’ much.’

He sat in an armchair where he could see both the girl and the back door, ready to jump to attention the minute Will showed up.

After several minutes silence, during which she ignored him completely, he said, ‘I’m sorry about Dee.’

Eithne’s eyes flashed to his then back at the television. She showed no emotion.

‘Do you know when the funeral will be?’ he tried again.

She shook her head but didn’t answer. Instead she took a cushion from the corner of the couch and lay sideways, though she kept one leg propped, which meant he could still see down the leg of her shorts and, though he tried not to look, his eyes kept being drawn there. He felt his groin hardening and decided that this was a bad move right now, what with the accusations Will might have made.

Rising, he said, ‘Perhaps I ought to wait outside for your dad.’

‘If that’s what you want,’ she lifted one shoulder in a careless shrug.

When he reached the back door, he heard her behind him and turned. ‘Hey, Mr Ditchley … have you found anyone to take over Dee’s job at the manor? I’m pretty good at cleaning cars and I’ve taken care of the horse’s tack for Dad.’

‘How old are you, Eithne?’ he asked, wondering if God had just smiled on him again. He shifted from one leg to the other in an attempt to lessen the tightness of his jeans.

‘Nearly fourteen. I’d work real hard, Mr Ditchley. Me dad, he don’t believe in pocket-money and a girl needs stuff, y’know.’ She smiled in that innocent way that Dee had all those years ago.

He nodded sagely thinking how delightful it would be to teach Eithne all the skills he’d taught her sister. ‘Come see me after the funeral, Eithne, and I’ll see what we can sort out.’

A car door slammed behind him and he spun about to see Will Montgomery, covered in dirt, glowering at him.

‘You get away from my little girl!’ he yelled.

Richard held up his hands to show they were empty. ‘I was just waiting to talk to you, Will. I’ve only been here a minute.’

Will’s eyes narrowed, first at Richard and then at his daughter. ‘Go to bed now, Eithne.’

‘Fine,’ she snarled before dissolving into the shadows of the parlour.

‘What do you want?’ Will demanded, hands on hips.

Will was shorter than Richard but far stockier and after the punch he delivered the other night, Richard was certain he didn’t want to mix it with him again.

‘I want to know what you told the cops.’

Will bore down on him and crowded his space. Richard backed up against the screen door. ‘I told ‘em what my Deanna told me – that you’ve been doin’ her for years.’

Richard felt the heat rising up his neck.
She wouldn’t have told him, surely!
His heart began to beat harder and he slid sideways to gain a little distance.

‘C’mon, Will, you didn’t believe her, did you?’

‘Of course I believed her. She was pregnant with your brat and it weren’t the first time!’

Again Richard backed up a step and shook his head slowly. He didn’t know whether he was denying it to Will or himself but it didn’t matter.

‘You can’t be serious. She must have had half a dozen boys in the village panting after her.’

Will raised his fists and Richard took another step backward. The rosebush behind him stabbed his legs but he ignored the prickling sensation.

‘Dee might have been a cheap little whore but she always told me the truth. I’m willing to bet all you owe Denny that when the police do their tests, they’ll find out you were going to be a daddy.’

Oh God, please, let the kid belong to someone else!

He swallowed. Hard. ‘I really don’t know what you’re talking about, Will.’

With that he turned and headed for the lane, trying hard to quell the panic that rose in his chest. When he reached the car he chanced a look back at the house. Will stood there, haloed by the porch light, just staring at him.

By the time he pulled the Jag into the garage of the coach house Richard had calmed a little. As far as he knew the police could not compel him to give his blood for a paternity test and unless they had some kind of evidence … all they had was Will’s word against his. The first thing he needed to do above all else was convince Kelly that he was falling in love with her. If he could make her do the same, then she wouldn’t believe any of Will’s lies. The next thing would be to contact his lawyer – just in case.

Glancing at his watch he considered his next move. It was late – after eleven. Did he dare go over to the manor and pay Kelly a visit? Maybe he could seduce her tonight and put his plans into motion. The lord knew that Eithne’s little display had made him horny as hell and sating himself with Kelly did have a lot of appeal.

Yes, a quick shower and a midnight rendezvous sounded very romantic.

Kelly’s eyes fluttered open as a warm breeze flowed over her bare skin in a sweet caress. She’d left the window ajar – the evening had grown balmy. In the back of her mind she knew that she had slept long past the time she had wanted, but her tired limbs were so languid after her bath, she just couldn’t force herself to move
.

At some point, under the cover of the darkness, she’d stripped off her t-shirt and pushed down the bedding so she could let the gentle wisps of air cool her bare breasts
.

Although she couldn’t see John in the mirror, she knew that he watched her – she felt him; he’d become part of her awareness. A stab of guilt assailed her for displaying herself almost naked before him. Yet she secretly wanted him to see all of her, to know all of her, even if only by sight. She belonged to him now, in spirit at least, and she wanted them to join in whatever way possible
.

Closing her eyes she imagined what it would be like if he could touch her. Goosebumps rose on her skin at the mere thought of his hands upon her. She smiled to herself and drifted off as the scent of her own arousal rose into the air
.

The warm press of his hands lingered in her mind and the bed dipped slightly. She rolled into him and felt his hand sweep up her back, making every nerve tingle
.

Soft lips grazed her neck, whispering words of love that were beyond her hearing. But she answered them with her own nonetheless. She wove her hands into his hair. The cool strands were silky and smelled of sandalwood
.

His mouth made a meandering course up her neck and over her cheek then across to finally capture her lips. Again he didn’t force, but coaxed with wet nips at her lower lip until she couldn’t help but open her mouth on a satisfied sigh. He didn’t enter immediately, but played with her lips, sucking gently – first the top, then the bottom – before tasting more deeply with his tongue
.

Heat fired through her, pooling in all the places she so wished he could touch. She could feel her nipples puckering, rising towards him, begging for his hands, his mouth
.

As his tongue finally claimed her mouth he drew slow circles with his fingertips, inching ever so slowly downward until his hand cupped one breast. A shuddering breath burst from her lungs as the sensation of his large hand on her skin sent darts of pleasure firing down to her loins. She could feel herself swelling and moistening, her hips wanted to arch against him, so strong was her need
.

One fingertip slid back and forth across her nipple with agonising slowness and she wrenched her mouth from his to allow a low moan to escape her throat. Her breathing quickened and her heart stepped up its beat as it pumped heated blood through her. Each touch made her quiver
.

A soft chuckle whispered in her ear as his lips began a journey downward. He spread wet, open-mouthed kisses along her collarbone, then, without warning, his hot mouth covered her breast and sucked hard. Her body shuddered on a gasp as he gently dragged his teeth across her swollen nipple sending a torturous ache right to the base of her spine. Lost in the heat of him, she was barely aware that his hand ventured downward but when his fingers slid into her warm folds, she nearly bucked off the bed. A startled moan burst from her lips
.

Please! she silently begged, wanting him inside her, filling her
.

He moved his fingers in a languid rhythm, parting her and then dipping inside before sliding upward again
.

‘Please!’ she said out loud. He was pushing her to the edge and she needed all of him
.

‘Not yet,’ he murmured
.

She wanted to cry out in frustration, but his fingers still moved and desire compelled her. She felt it mounting, the tension growing to a painful pitch, and just as she was about to beg one last time, her body erupted
.

Kelly spasmed into an upright position, her whole body tensing and shuddering as the orgasm continued to sweep through her. She panted for breath even as the waves continued to echo inside her. Her eyes sprang open to see John staring at her in utter amazement. His eyes were pools of blackness: his face pale but beatific while he watched her in the final throes of her passion.

As her heart continued to hammer in her chest, she saw herself in reflection alongside him. Her cheeks were flushed and her hair was tousled around her face. Her eyes looked gigantic.

Stunned, she didn’t know what to do. She was alone and though the man in her dream could not have been real, the climax she felt was the most powerful she’d ever had; her clitoris still throbbed even now.

‘Omigod!’ she said breathlessly. ‘That’s never—’ she broke off, not certain what to say. She knew she should have been mortified that it happened in front of him but she didn’t feel embarrassed … rather, she felt liberated.

Gazing at his face she saw utter astonishment written there. Like her, his cheeks were flushed and sweat beaded his brow.

‘I’m so sorry—’ she began, but the smile he gave her silenced any regrets.

‘Do not be sorry.’ His eyes glittered with desire. ‘What I have just witnessed is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. It was as if I could see into your mind, feel what you felt – just as if I was laying there beside you as the passion swept you away.’

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. As she let it out and glanced at him she grinned sheepishly. ‘But you
were
there.’

The look of male satisfaction he sent her warmed her all the way down to her toes.

A light tap on the door brought her up short. The t-shirt had fallen to the floor so she simply dragged the bedclothes higher. The scent of her arousal still seemed to fill the room but there was little she could do about that. At this time of night the only person it could possibly be was Nancy and she knew her friend would likely understand.