Touched (26 page)

‘Yes,’ said Tess softly. 'Actually, so do I.'

'There is one more thing,' said Susan, equally softly. 'Something you really need to know. Something I wish that I had known about Peter.'

'What? What is it?'

Susan hesitated, took a deep breath then said: 'After an angel has completed its task, it ceases to exist. The angel is, in effect, the task.’

They sat in silence for several minutes. Tess's
thought's were in turmoil but she found comfort in the older woman's presence and silence. She radiated calm.

At last Susan said; ‘We’d better be getting back, the tour will be nearly done anyway. I have a feeling that you don’t like to be apart from him for very long.’

‘Is it that obvious?’ said Tess, getting up.

‘I’m afraid so.’

They started to walk back to the Abbey.

‘How long have you been together?’ Susan said.

Tess did a little calculation.

‘I met him a whole eleven days ago.’

‘Only eleven days!’

‘I know!’

‘Peter and I had thirty years together the first time. Then another four months and three days when he was sent back to me.’

Tess smiled and they walked on.’

‘The physical side must be quite frustrating for you,’ said Susan suddenly taking Tess by surprise. This was the last thing that she expected and her shock must have been obvious.

‘Hah!’ laughed Susan, ‘The young always think they invented sex.’

‘I suppose so,’ said Tess, laughing as well, ‘I guess I just didn’t expect you to bring it up.’

‘I remember being young and a couple all too well my dear,’ Susan said, ‘and at least we had had that time. You and Dan haven’t. That must be awful for both of you. I know I missed Peter’s touch terribly.’

‘I’ve tried not to think about it too much but it’s hard not to,’ admitted Tess, ‘and if it’s hard for me it must be terrible for him.’

‘It must be terrible for both of you. The longing for the closeness.’

‘It is.’

Dan was just coming out of the Abbey when they rounded the corner the building. He was looking around, clearly looking for them. 

‘I think you have a quite remarkable young man there, Tess,’ murmured Susan.

‘Yes, I think so too.’

Dan saw them and started to walk in their direction.

‘In a way you are both lucky and unlucky.’

‘Blessed and cursed,’ whispered Tess.

‘Blessed and cursed – yes indeed, that is much more apt,’ Dan was about thirty yards from them now. ‘Tess,’ said Susan, her voice low but urgent. ‘Remember what I said; make the most of your time with him. I really believe you are here to do something for him, something big, but, once you have done it, you will go. Make the most of this gift Tess…ah Dan, how was the tour?’ she said, raising her voice to normal levels to greet him.

‘Hi, it was good, though I have to admit I wasn’t paying much attention.’

Susan was looking back at the group who had come out of the abbey. Again the Canadian women were staring at Dan.

‘I expect it would be nice to be somewhere where you were out of sight of all the prying eyes?’ she said, almost to herself. ‘How long do you have before you have to leave for the ferry?’

Dan looked at his watch.

‘About an hour,’ he said.

‘Well would you like to come back to my house and have some tea with me before you go?’

Dan looked at Tess who gave a little nod.

‘Yes, we’d love to, thanks,’ he said, ‘what did you two talk about?’

Before Tess could answer, Susan said, ‘I’ll leave it to Tess to decide whether she wants to tell you. It’s got to be her decision and she may well need to think about it.’

Dan looked at Tess who smiled and nodded.

‘Well, shall we go? It’s not too far.’

Monday evening

It was dark by the time the
harbour at Oban came into view. The mirror smooth sea of the morning was now a distant memory. The wind had got up heralding the arrival of the front with its rain clouds. Squally showers swept across the decks driving almost everyone on the ferry under cover. Only Tess and Dan stayed out on the promenade deck braving the elements.

‘You can go inside you know,’ said Tess, ‘You’ll catch your death out here.’

‘Maybe, but then I couldn’t do this,’ he was stood behind her, looking out towards the lights of Oban and put his arms around her.

‘Aren’t I too cold to do this?’

‘Not in this weather!’ he laughed. ‘and I just want to hold you. Oh!’ he said, letting go, ‘Is this uncomfortable for you?’

Tess caught hold of his arms and pulled them round her again.

‘No it’s fine. Very much so in fact.’

They stood like this for most of the twenty minutes it took for the ferry to enter the
harbour, not speaking but saying all that needed to be said, until the approach of the jetty and lights of the terminal buildings brought a handful of hardy souls out onto the deck.

As they were forced to step apart Tess whispered one line to him.

‘I love you so much,’ she said.

Dan noticed that a tear was running down her cheek.

Monday night

By the time they got back to the tent that night the rain was lashing down, sweeping across the campsite in great sheets of water.

Dan rushed around the tent, tightening the guy ropes that had slackened off in the moisture rich air, pulling the outer skin off the inner dome and trying to remove the water that was pooling on the porch extension.

Tess watched with a big grin on her face.

‘What’s tickling you?’ he said.

‘I’m not getting wet!’ she said triumphantly.

‘Very funny.’

Dan stood back to check his handiwork, playing the torch over the tent. The nylon was being buffeted so much it was hard to tell.

‘You done?’ said Tess.

‘I’m done. Maybe we should have booked in a B and B.’

‘Bit late now! Shall we go in?’

Dan unzipped the entrance and held it open to let Tess in, then crawled in behind her. Tess went through to the sleeping area whilst Dan zipped up and lit the camping lantern. He took off his dripping coat and put it on the back of the folding chair he kept in the front part of the tent. He then lit and filled the
trangia hoping that the heat would help to dry things.

‘You’re soaked, you need to get out of those wet things,’ said Tess who was lying on the sleeping bag.

Dan nodded and stripped off his trouser, jumper, base layer and socks, then hurried shivering into the sleeping area.

‘
Mmm…nice body – for an old man!’ she said.

‘Thanks,’ said Dan, trying to control his shaking and rooting in his rucksack for a dry t-shirt. ‘Pity I can’t see yours.’

‘Who says you can’t?’ she said coyly.

‘What?’

‘Well fairs fair. Tell you what, lie back on your sleeping bag.’

Dan hesitated, t-shirt in hand.

‘Go on,’ she urged, ‘before I change my mind!’

Dan opened out his bag and laid down, his eyes fixed on Tess.

‘Don’t get too excited, I’m nothing special, but here goes,’ she said and pulled her t-shirt over her head. ‘Consider yourself really special, Mr Jackson, I’ve never done a striptease for anyone before.’

‘I do feel
honoured,’ he said quietly as she pulled her shoes and socks off, then undid her jeans. She wriggled them off and threw them to one side.

‘Want me to carry on?’ she said, kneeling facing him.

‘Oh yes. Please,’ Dan said breathlessly.

‘I’m feeling quite shy now,’ she giggled and turned her back on him. She unclipped her bra and slipped it off, then hooked her fingers into the waistband of her knickers and pulled them down.

‘Ready?’ she said, looking over her shoulder,

He nodded.

She turned around, one arm across her breasts, the other hand between her legs. Then, with a shy smile, let her hands drop to her side.

‘There,’ she said.

‘Oh Tess, wow.’

‘Terrible huh?’

‘No,’ Dan shook his head, ‘wonderful.’

‘Liar!’ she said, covering her breasts again but smiling broadly.

Dan looked down, ‘I’ve proof I’m not lying,’ he said.

Tess’s eyes followed his. ‘Ooh yes!’ she giggled, ‘Hey that’s not fair, you’re still wearing something.’

Dan put that right.

‘Don’t you think it’s a bit kinky being turned on by a dead girl?’

‘No, not at all,’ he said, ‘and if it is, frankly I don’t care. So what now?’

‘Lie back. Sorry but I think I’m going to have to do everything. Please try not to touch me, I may not be able to handle it.’

He nodded and laid back, ‘If you must,’ he said.

‘Oh I must,’ she said, straddling him.

The cool of her thighs gripped him as she started to run her fingers up and down his body.

Tuesday 1 am

Much later she lay alongside him watching him sleep.

Their lovemaking had been brief but incredibly intense. When Dan had his orgasm it was like she was being filled with liquid fire. It had exhausted her though, she had struggled to stay with him. Afterwards she had wanted so much to be held by him, to rest her head on his chest, but she could not bear the lightest of touches. She had only been able to lay alongside him, not even able to speak much, and listened as he spoke to her, and looked at him as he did at her.

‘Oh Dan,’ she whispered lightly to his now sleeping form, ‘What is it I have to do for you?’

She prayed silently, praying that, whatever it was, it wouldn’t come too soon.

Chapter Eighteen

Friday, midday

‘Tess darling?’

‘Yes love.’

‘Nothing.’

She sighed.

‘We need to go back home, right?’

Dan nodded.

‘How did you know?’ he said.

‘Oh I think I know you by now, lover. You’ve been trying to break it to me for the last day and a half.’

‘Am I that obvious?’

‘Beautifully so,’ she smiled and hugged him, ‘Don’t ever change, promise?’

‘As long as you don’t.’

‘I don’t think I can!’ she said, ‘It’s Ok though, I knew this would have to end soon. I know you’re worried about money. Job hunting time?’

‘Yes. Back to reality.’

‘I guess it had to happen sometime.’

They were sat on a wall in
Aviemore, people watching. Dan kept his voice low to avoid people thinking he was talking to himself.

‘I’m sorry,’ he whispered.

‘Don’t apologise, I’ve loved every minute.’

‘Me too.’

He took a sip of the cappuccino he had bought from a nearby coffee shop.

‘Are you going to tell me what Susan said to you?’

‘You don’t give up do you?’

‘Nope.’

There were interrupted by a double bleep.

‘Aha, a text!’ she said.

‘You’re changing the subject!’

‘Yes. I am. Now is that Jenny again?’

‘Again? She’s only text me twice.’

‘Three times now.’

‘You don’t know that it’s her. I have other friends you know.’

‘Well is it from someone else?’

He pulled out his phone and looked at the screen.

‘No.’

‘Ha!’

‘Stop looking so pleased with yourself!’ he said as he opened the text to read it.

‘How is she?’

‘OK but she’s not going out with that lawyer again. She says he was a bit odd.’

Tess nodded. ‘I’m sure she was only seeing him on the rebound from you. And as for the odd bit, what does she expect? He is a lawyer after all!’

‘But you were one too!’

‘Exactly!’

Dan tried to take this in. ‘Anyway, she also asked me what I was doing.’

‘I hope you’re not going to be too honest.’

‘Why?’

‘Well necrophilia is a serious crime,’ she said in a mock serious tone.

‘Tess!’ he said loudly. This was badly timed as a pair of older ladies were just passing and they jumped and stared at him in alarm. Dan stared at them for a moment then, rather woodenly raised his mobile to his ear. ‘Good to hear from you, Tess,’ he said into it.

Alongside him, Tess was doubled over with laughter.

The ladies walked on, both giving rather worried glances back over their shoulders at Dan before turning and walking inside a gift shop.