Chapter 48

The letter expected was already in the post. It arrived at Lyney House two days later, the Doctor's receptionist being frugal with her employers expenses had used a second class stamp. It dropped through the door, and James collected it with his other post. Realising immediately what this was, he called Abby on her mobile straight away.

"It's here."

"What does it say?"

"I haven't opened it yet. I think as it concerns you as much as me, we should open it together."

"I'm on my way." Abby rarely drove her car quickly, but on this occasion an uncharacteristic turn of speed got Abby to Lyney House in no time at all. James had put the kettle on, using the electric kettle rather than using the Aga. They would need coffee post haste. Not bothering to knock, Abby charged straight into the Breakfast room. The letter sat in the middle of the table. James put coffee down for them both, and sat beside Abby. For a moment neither dared to pick it up and open the envelope. Eventually Abby could not wait any longer; she grabbed the letter and ripped it open, feverishly scanning the contents.

"I do not understand this." She handed the paper to James, who read it more slowly. He looked at her. His first impulse was to tease her, but better sense told him that that would not go down well. Abby was impatient.

"Well! What does it say?"

"Hang on; I am trying to make sense of it." With little concealed anxiety, Abby waited.

"Well?" James had finished reading the report.

"I don't understand why Civil Servants and Doctors cannot use simple language. There is the usual gobbledegook but it would seem there is no match at all in the DNA. We are not related!"

For a while Abby sat there taking this in. Then a serene smile came to her face, and she leaned over and kissed James in the way that she had wanted to for ages. Eventually their lips parted, only for James to bring her face to his again for another kiss.

"What are you doing this weekend coming?" James enquired of her.

"Whatever you tell me to do." Abby replied happily.

"Ok, consider yourself booked from Friday afternoon until Monday morning." Abby nodded vigorously.

"Where are we going?"

"You'll find that out when I pick you up, although as I suppose you will not want to be seen dead in my Land Rover, shall we take your car?"

"Of course, if we are going somewhere posh."

"Well it's as posh as my budget will allow. But as it's out of season most places are offering deals. I am sure that we will have the best caravan on the site." Abby looked at him suspiciously, uncertain if he was joking. James maintained his calm exterior for a while until he could sustain it no longer.

"Oh Abby! The look on your face." He blurted out with fits of laughter. She joined in, hiding the chagrin she felt at being so easily duped.

"Well Mr. Comberford. I am quite certain that that would be your usual idea of a weekend of seduction." She grabbed the front of his jacket.

"But I require a classier environment." She pulled him forwards and planted a kiss on his lips. "Anything less than classy, you won't even get so much as a kiss."

Abby and James slipped away from the Combe Inn at three fifteen that Friday. The only observer was Mary from the same vantage point that she had seen Abby and James kiss after the Ball. The significance of the suitcases was not lost on her, and within minutes she was on the telephone to Mavis. So engrossed were they in their conversation that Mavis neglected to listen out for Sam. He gathered the gist of their gossip within seconds, and exploded. Mavis had never seen him so angry in all their years together, and for the first time in her married life was very afraid of his temper. Mary on the end of the line could hear all that Sam was saying, and was at first inclined to put the phone down. She was about to do so, when Sam took the receiver from Mavis and made his displeasure very clear to Mary. Although Abby had not said anything to him, it was proof positive to him that the test had proved negative. James would not behave this way unless he was certain, not just certain of their patronage, but certain as well of his feelings towards Abby. He wished them well wherever they were heading.

The two people who were at the heart of this eruption were blissfully unaware, and were well away from the valley heading for Torquay. The hotel was very much to Abby's taste.

Abby, for the second time in recent months wondered why she could not remember the weekend in complete detail. She felt that the emotions and passions her two nights with James had stirred would have given her enough memories to write a book, yet just as she had after the Ball, only small vignettes came to her mind as she lay in bed that Sunday evening. She hadn't really known what to expect. Yes, she had encouraged James, possibly giving him the impression that she was knowledgeable in these matters, but when it came down to it, she could only let James take the lead and follow him. The overriding memory was of tenderness. James was considerate and gentle. She contemplated her wakening on Saturday. She had slept very well for the few hours that were available to her, and awoke still tingling throughout her body. She stretched like a cat even the soft cotton sheets were sensual against her skin and sparked her flesh, a reminder of the excitement of last night. She was naked. Looking across the bed her gaze took in the still slumbering James, his hair tousled and with a slight growth of beard on his cheeks. During the night the bedclothes had slipped so an arm, most of his chest, and a leg were exposed. His lips fluttered gently with his breathing, and occasionally a soft snore eased gently in his sleep. He was also nude. Abby snuggled closer, and pulled the bedclothes over him to share his warmth, although her body seemed to be superheated anyway. She had never been loved so tenderly and gently before. Previous encounters had been swift with little care shown to her as if her participation was merely that of a body to be used. James had never seemed in a hurry, and explored her body with his hands, fingers and tongue, slowly, softly guiding her with love. Abby had gradually been brought to a high plateau, where her whole body seemed alive under his hands, every plane of her flesh, supersensitive to his touch. His kisses, that she enjoyed so much since the Ball were now deeper, holding more passion and far more intimate. He took control of her and carried them both to Nirvana.