Unforgettable (Gloria Cook) - By Gloria Cook Page 0,61
I made myself from bits and pieces. It goes like the wind, so fast in fact I gave dear Mrs R a bit of a fright.’
‘Sam said you were working on a bike,’ Belle said when they were seated. Finn was as close as he could get to her. He took a long secret sniff of her perfume, a gentle whisper of lemony jasmine, which he now loved so much. He had asked her recently what it was called, adding that his mother might like it as a present sometime.
‘It’s called Wings of Love,’ she had replied. ‘Charlie bought it for me on our fifth anniversary and I’ve worn it ever since. I don’t really think the title is right for a son to give his mother. I’ll always be glad to advise you any time on suitable gifts for Fiona.’
‘That would be brilliant,’ he had replied enthusiastically. He lay in his bed that night picturing a shopping trip into town with Belle, having her all to himself. Standing close to her looking in shop windows, taking coffee with her in a quiet side-street cafe. Then he had taken them to a desert island, with him in just a pair of shorts and Belle in a soft floral sleeveless dress. The sand was warm and golden-white, the sky pale and calm and the sea impossibly blue with balmy cresting surf. In his daydream, he did not waste time in running towards Belle on the shore. They took each other in eager arms and whispering words of love had gently fallen down on a soft blanket on the sand, amid lush green tropical leaves, where they kissed and made love again and again. And there they would stay forever, with Eloise, and watch her grow up. No one else existed.
When he got the chance he would cycle to Wadebridge and find out how much Wings of Love cost then he would save up and buy some to secretly sniff and pretend Belle was with him.
Slowly, he spread marmalade on a slice of toast. ‘This is a treat.’
‘You’re welcome,’ Belle smiled.
Her smile melted his entire insides and he felt light and insubstantial. He smiled back, kept smiling. Today she was in a home-made pale blue blouse with a cardigan casually thrown on top. To Finn, she looked blissfully feminine, sexy and steamy. His eyes trawled down to her decently covered breasts, for a moment only, so the ravenous glint he knew must be there in his eyes would not betray him. In his imagination he had touched and kissed those breasts. He had kissed her lips, her eyes, and the tip of her nose, her neck and shoulders. He had trailed his mouth all over her, even to her forbidden places. He could almost taste her now.
He panicked. He should not be doing this. Another moment and it would be more than his eyes that would betray him. If he offended or disgusted Belle she would never allow him near her again. If she told Charlie, the blasted nuisance who was always winking at her and was far too tactile with her, even as her husband, Charlie would thump his lights out. And Finn wanted to stay with Belle and just enjoy the experience of being alone with her – he got little chance to be. Trying not to let his hand shake in his ardour he took a gulp of tea. He had to think of something conversational.
‘So the verdict on the two women from the Stores was accidental death?’
‘Yes, a tragedy for both women. Mrs Mitchelmore was most put out, says it quite spoiled the Summer Fair, but that’s an uncharitable way to look at it. I wish you the best of British, Finn, having to poke about in her cellars. Shouldn’t think she’s got much in the way of fine wines or concealed treasures she can send to auction to help her keep up that ugly old place. To get back to the deaths, it’s assumed Delia struggled out of bed for the bathroom. Lorna arrived home, Delia’s footing failed her and she plunged down the stairs, then in a terrible trick of fate her hand or something sent the umbrella stand to crash down on poor Lorna’s head. I feel sorry for Soames Newton. It must have been a dreadful shock to have discovered the bodies of his wife and her cousin slumped at the foot of the stairs.’
‘I shouldn’t think he’ll be too long getting over it,’