Firestarter (15 page)

'OK. Thanks. Actually maybe I will stay here, just until I go to Wales.' That was only two days; she could survive being fussed over and force-fed cake for that long. She'd be sleeping in Kate's room so it wasn't as though she was regressing to childhood.

Miles called to ask how she was.

'I'm fine now, thank you.'

'That's good, but obviously it was a horrible shock. You needn't come in to work until after your holiday if you don't feel up to it.'

'Thank you. I...' She nearly said she was fine again, but knew if she went in to work the others would keep talking about the incident and the other hoaxes, plus it was daft to turn down a couple of free days off when they were offered. 'That's nice of you, Miles. It might be better not to be reminded just yet.'

'Alice... the police have been in contact and would like a statement. I said having them turn up at your parents' home this afternoon might be upsetting and I'd let you know.'

'Thank you. That was thoughtful.'

He gave her the details of how to contact the police and who to ask for, then added, 'Have a nice time, wherever it is you're going.'

'I will, thank you.' She was glad she hadn't told anyone, other than Kate and her parents, where exactly she was spending her week off.

Alice's mum drove her to the police station the next day and sat with her while she gave the statement. The police woman guided her through the procedure, prompting her to mention each hoax call she could remember, starting with the one to her flat. Alice was asked if she had any ideas who might be responsible.

'Not really.'

'The first one was made by your ex-boyfriend, Tony Salmon wasn't it?'

'Yes.'

'Have you had any contact with him since?'

'No, well he's called me a few times.'

'How many?'

A lot of times and he'd called her parents and Kate. Lying to the police wasn't going to help anyone. 'I didn't keep a record, but he rang quite often to start with and tried my family too. He's stopped that now though, hasn't he?'

Alice's mum nodded her agreement.

'He's been harassing you in fact?'

Alice shrugged. She supposed he had.

'And he's visited you at work?'

'Yes.'

'And would he have known anything about the warehouse, that there was metal shelving for instance?'

'He came with me to a Christmas party.'

The police seemed convinced Tony was responsible for all the hoaxes and she had to admit they were probably right. It wasn't a nice thought at all, but at least now they'd be able to stop him.

It was such a relief to get away, that part felt almost as important as the fact she'd be alone with Hamish for days, and nights, on end. No one would know where she was and Hamish would look after her.

When he'd seen her after the latest hoax she'd still been shaky and told him she didn't know who she could trust. He'd shown her his work rota and compared it with the times of the hoaxes. Hamish had been at work when three of the calls were made and cutting someone out of a car for one of them. Although she'd never suspected him it was nice there was proof.

On the journey up to Wales they didn't discuss the calls or work. Instead he told her about his previous visits to the cottage they'd be staying in. It had been derelict when his cousin had bought it and Hamish and his brother Donald had helped renovate it. As payment they got to use it pretty much whenever they wanted.

'Do you do that often?'

'Yes. I've never spent a whole week there before though, not since we finished the work. Interesting as the birds are, I've usually had enough of just them for company after a few days.'

Ah, so she was the first girlfriend he'd brought here? And the first he'd taken to the sanctuary in Beaulieu. Even though Louise had made it clear he'd had plenty of girlfriends it did seem that he wasn't treating her as just the next one in a long line. That thought put a smile on her face.

'Wales is half a mile ahead, Alice. I want you to take a big breath, then blow out all your worries and leave them this side of the border. Right, go.'

Obediently she took a deep breath. 'I think that worked! It's just you me and the birdies now.'

'And maybe seals.'

'Really? I'd love to see a seal.'

'Then I'll do my best to find you one. In return you can find me a chuff.'

At least, that's what she thought he said. Presumably it was a bird, but it wasn't one she'd heard of or seen in a book. She'd not done a lot of research, but it was such a daft sounding name she thought she'd have remembered. Still, if he wanted to see one, she was happy to help him look. 'Deal.'

Hamish pulled up outside a fabulously rugged stone cottage.

'Here we are. Home sweet home.'

'Sweet is right. It's lovely.'

'Shall we dump our stuff and go for a walk round?'

'OK.' He'd driven for over four hours with just a quick break for coffee and a sandwich, so she could understand him wanting to do that. And of course bird watching was one of the reasons they were there. Not the only one, but it would get dark around seven each evening, which gave them plenty of time for indoor activities, and as this was Wales there was a good chance they'd get rained in at least some of the time.

She took the bag with the fresh herbs her dad had potted up for her from the back seat and asked where the kitchen was.

'First left.'

The kitchen had a terracotta tiled floor, wooden beams and plain white walls. The furniture was all wood too, possibly antique, but the cooker and fridge were gleaming modern brushed aluminium.

Hamish brought in the cool box. 'Can I get you to deal with this?'

'No problem.'

She unloaded the contents into the fridge as he carted in everything else they'd brought with them. He clearly liked bacon and sausages! There was a good choice of other savoury ingredients though and a chocolate cheesecake, pots of strawberry mousse and a big tub of clotted cream.

Alice had brought food too, including the ingredients for cakes and cookies; she'd noticed he had quite a sweet tooth. She'd not started to unpack that box when he reappeared to see if she was ready to go.

'Yep, almost. The bathroom is where?'

'First door through there.'

'Thanks. Could you grab my coat and boots?'

'They're in the hallway.'

At the end of the hallway was a very short flight of stairs which presumably led to the bedrooms; the cottage seemed to have been built into the hillside. The massive bathroom was just before the steps and had a huge free-standing bath. Alice hoped she'd get the chance to use it. As she rejoined Hamish she caught sight of the living room. That too was painted white and furnished with wooden cupboards and tables. The sofa, in a deep cream which matched all the curtains she'd seen so far, looked very comfortable. So did the fluffy rug laid invitingly in front of a proper fireplace. The cottage was warm and she'd seen radiators, but hopefully they'd light the fire too. Alice very much liked the look of everything she'd seen.

She liked the sight of his coat hanging next to hers too. She wondered if her suitcase was also nestled against his in a bedroom. There was presumably more than one of those if Hamish, his brother and cousin all stayed there together.

During the walk Hamish pointed out the various habitats which meant they had a good chance of seeing a wide range of birds and other creatures. Alice learned 'chuffs' were very rare.

'How will I know it when I see it?'

'They're corvids.'

'You're not helping.'

'Crows with red beak and legs.'

'Sounds like an oyster catcher on steroids.'

Hamish laughed and pulled her close. 'I so love that description! Show me an oyster catcher on steroids and you'll be rewarded.'

'How?'

'I'm pretty good at massage.' The grin and raised eyebrows told her it wasn't just her shoulders he was promising to get his hands on.

'Give me those binoculars now. I've got red footed corvids to hunt down,' she said.

Chapter 15

There was a cold wind blowing up over the cliff, which whipped Alice's hair back off her face and gave her a feeling that she too were held up by it, soaring as effortlessly as the seabirds. There was no danger of her joining them though, Hamish took care she stayed to proper paths and away from the crumbling cliff edges.

They didn't spot any steroid enhanced birds of any species, nor any seals that first afternoon, but the sight of gannets circling overhead then swooping down the cliff face and plunging into the sea delighted Alice. Like the oyster catchers they were smart looking birds; mostly white with neat black tips to their wings. Hamish pointed out the differences between them and the similar fulmars and herring gulls. Fulmars were grey across almost the whole of their topsides, the gulls had grey wings, pink legs and dark tails. Neither of those birds had the yellow head, clearly visible through binoculars, of the gannet. Even without that clue, Alice was soon able to distinguish the gannets by their distinctive, incredibly fast, dives for food.

'How many fish do they eat each?' she asked.

'I don't know. Depends on the size I suppose.'

'I was wondering if they got one every time... they do have a reputation for eating a lot.'

'I shouldn't think they get one every time.'

They watched, trying to determine if any gannets definitely caught a fish. It was difficult to tell as they travelled some distance under the water before emerging. A small fish could probably be swallowed without them noticing.

'There. That one did, I think,' Alice said when a bird appeared to swallow a couple of times as it surfaced.

They stayed out until darkness and hunger drove them back to the cottage.

'I'll get the fire going,' Hamish said as they removed their boots.

'I'll put the rest of the food away.' Alice did that, then started making plans for a meal. Between them they had everything needed for a fish stew. She assembled the ingredients on the sturdy kitchen table, noticing as she did that the fridge now held several bottles of wine, including one of champagne. She found a suitable pan, chopping board and knife and began work on an onion.

'Can I help?' Hamish asked.

'If you can peel potatoes.'

'I can.' He demonstrated by deftly preparing a large quantity of them.

Alice sautéed the onion as he skinned and chopped the fish.

'What do you want done with the... what is that thing, a chorizo?'

'It is.' She'd brought a couple with her; they were one of her current favourite ingredients. 'Do you like it with fish?'

'Never tried it, but I'm willing to give it a go.'

'Slice it thinly then, the rest won't need much cooking.'

He did as she asked and then slid the pieces into the pan. Alice cut a carrot into thin strips and added that, the potatoes, a can of butter beans and plenty of seasoning.

'Is there any wine or anything I can add to this?'

'I'll open a bottle, any preference?'

'Not the champagne.'

'You don't like it?'

'I do, but it seems a waste to put it in a stew.'

He removed a bottle from the fridge. 'We'll use this then, it was on special offer.' He opened it and poured some into a glass. 'Want to try it?'

'Yep.' She took a sip. 'Not bad at all.'

Hamish took the glass and tried it. 'No, it's OK. How much shall we put in?'

'We need enough liquid to cover everything, but we can make it up with water.'

He poured in enough to just cover the vegetables, which was almost half the bottle. 'What's next?'

'We give that fifteen minutes or so, just till the potatoes are soft, then add the fish and some fennel if you like that. Another five minutes and it'll be done.'

'Is this the fennel?' He picked up the pot of fennel seedlings and when she nodded, nibbled a feathery leaf. 'Hmmm, aniseed. Shall I chop it?'

'I usually just snip it in with scissors.'

'Nothing for me to do but pour us a drink then.' He found two flutes and opened the champagne. As they clinked glasses he said, 'To the start of things.' His eyes sparkled brighter than the wine.

When she put down her glass to stir the stew, Hamish placed his next to it, moved behind her and put his arms around her. She leaned back against him and they stayed like that until she'd added the fish. Then he cleared away the things they'd used to prepare the meal and laid the table for them to eat.

The food was good and as neither of them had eaten properly all day it was soon gone. They didn't say much. Not because she was worried about saying the wrong thing, but because they didn't seem to need words to express their pleasure in being together. Alice guessed that like hers, Hamish's mind was mostly focussed on what was to come next.

When they'd finished the stew, Hamish offered dessert.

The cheesecake looked nice, but if she ate anything else now she'd feel uncomfortable if things started to get steamy. 'Maybe later.'

'Coffee?' His grin warmed parts of her the hot drink wouldn't reach and looking into the depths of his almost sea green eyes sent shivers through the rest of her body.

Unsure that she'd actually be able to speak she just nodded and pointed to her champagne, hoping he'd work out what she was saying yes too.

He picked up both glasses and took them into the living room. Alice joined him on the sofa in front of the fire. She took a large gulp of wine, just as well because she almost knocked it over when she put it back down. He hadn't actually said anything about sharing a bedroom; he did want that, didn't he? Yes he must do. There was no doubting he was attracted to her and nothing he'd said indicated he hadn't expected her to jump to the obvious conclusion about his invitation to share a week in a remote cottage with him.

Hamish put his arm around her shoulder. 'Comfy?'

'Hmm.' She snuggled up to him and tried to relax.

Would she be a disappointment? He'd seen her in her most revealing dresses and had his arms around her... his hands on her... so he knew she wasn't skinny but he'd never seen her without dresses cut in a flattering style and curve enhancing underwear. She wasn't even wearing a particularly nice set as she'd dressed for comfort during the drive. And she'd had it on all day. What Alice needed was a shower. That'd leave her sweet smelling, dressed to be undressed and knowing if he'd put her suitcase in the same room as his own bag.

'After eating like a gannet, I don't exactly want to jump into the sea, but I could do with a shower,' she said.

'Sorry, no shower.' Hamish said. 'There is a bath. It's big enough for two.'

'Better go fill it then, hadn't you?'

'Yes, Ma'am.'

She followed him.

'I've put your stuff in here,' he went up three steps, pushed open the bedroom door and then headed back down to the bathroom.

Alice stepped into the room, which was also painted white and had wooden beams. There was a carved wardrobe and chest of drawers in the same warm brown wood as all the other furniture in the cottage. The room though was almost completely filled by the double bed. On that lay both their bags. So far so good. She extracted her wash bag, tiny silk nightie she'd bought the day before and her dressing gown, then quickly put her clothes away. Should she unpack for him? Hearing the water stop running made her mind up about that and she went down to the bathroom.

Candles gave the room a soft light and gentle vanilla fragrance. Hamish was waiting for her, still dressed and holding their wine glasses.

'Want me to scrub your back?' he asked.

'Yes please.'

'I'll just go and make sure the fire's safe to leave.' He put the glasses where they'd be in reach once the bath was occupied.

Alice quickly undressed and climbed into the enormous bath.

Hamish returned and picked up a loofah. 'It'd be easier if I got in there with you.'

'Like you said, there's plenty of room for two.'

When Hamish began undressing, Alice suddenly felt shy and ducked under the water. When she surfaced he was in. As well as back scrubbing, they washed each other's hair, rinsing it with the shower over the bath. She didn't point out he'd got her in there under false pretences.

It was relaxing to lie back against him in the warm water and enjoy the last few sips of champagne. Well relaxing-ish. He might be behaving patiently, but part of him was clearly eager to move on from the getting clean stage to something more exciting. That seemed a pretty good idea, but then so did taking things slowly and enjoying a gradual build up.

Hamish got out first. He wrapped a towel round his waist and fetched a bigger one he'd put to warm, for Alice. He draped it around her shoulders, then used a smaller one to squeeze some of the water from her hair. He let it fall to the floor and his arms drop to her side. He slid them inside her towel and pulled her close. Slowly, he bent his mouth to hers. Far too slowing. She stood on tip-toes to reach him. He kissed her incredibly gently until she was shaking with desire for him.

'It's warmer in the other room,' he said. 'Let's dry off in front of the fire.'

Alice secured her towel to give the effect of a very short mini dress and went into the living room where the crackling logs provided light as well as warmth. She smiled as she heard him blowing out the candles in the bathroom before following her.

'How are your feet after all that walking in your new boots?' he asked.

They were just a little tender in places, but she didn't intend to be on them much longer. 'They're OK. I've been wearing them in at home.'

She tried for another kiss, but he shook his head. 'I'd better take a look.'

Alice sank down onto the fluffy rug and extended a foot for his inspection. How long did he intend to keep her waiting?

'Hmm, bit red here. Have you got any moisturiser?'

'Yes.' She scrambled up and fetched it.

Hamish worked body lotion into her feet and as promised was pretty good at massage. As she'd hoped, he didn't stick to just one area of her body. He rotated her ankles and massaged the spots where the cuffs of her boots had made contact. Then he squirted lotion onto one shin, smoothed it over her lower leg and kneaded her tired calf muscles.

'That feels good,' she whispered.

He repeated the operation on the other leg, then his hands travelled up past her knees to her thighs. Just when she was positive the sensual movements were about to become definite foreplay he stopped and moved so he was behind her. She was sure she heard him chuckle at her groan of frustration.

'You seem a bit tense,' he said, his breath warm against her neck.

'Something like that.'

'I know what will help.' He began working on her shoulders

It was wonderful, but she needed more.

'Hamish, please!'

'Something you want?'

'You.'

'I'm all yours.' He eased her shoulders back until she was lying flat out on the soft rug. He knelt alongside her and unfolded her towel as through unwrapping a precious and fragile object, even though by then it wasn't covering much anyway.

'Alice, you're beautiful.' He stroked her cheek then slid his hand down her throat and onto a breast. He caressed it gently, then moved his hand lower.

She reached for him, pulling his mouth onto hers. His kisses started gently, but became ever more intense until she pulled her mouth away to insist, 'Now, Hamish. Now.'

He released her. Was he going to make her beg? No, just putting on a condom.

They made love in the flickering firelight. It wasn't like her fireman fantasy. It was better. So much better.

Afterwards they shared a wedge of chocolate cheesecake, eating it naked in front of the fire. Hamish's fine blond hair was already dry and the way the flames backlit it made his curls glow almost like a halo. If he let it grow any longer, he'd look almost like an oversized cherub. She tried to suppress the giggle that thought created.

'Would you like coffee now, or shall we go straight to bed?' he asked.

'What do you think?'

'That you'll want the bathroom first.'

'Of course.'

'Get on with you, then.'

As she left the room, she heard him pulling the fire guard away so he could attend to the dying embers. Hamish would keep her safe.

She was as quick as she could be in the bathroom and took her nightie with her to the bedroom. She slipped into it, gave her hair a blast with the hair dryer and combed it through. As she arranged herself on top of the bed in what was hopefully an enticing manner, Hamish came in; still naked.

He lay on the bed next to her and slipped a finger under the delicate shoulder strap of her nightie. 'Playing hard to get now, are we?'

'No. And I hope you're not going to either.'

'Well I'm hard.' He was too. 'And willing to play. Come get me if you like.' He rolled onto his back, put his hands behind his head and closed his eyes.

Alice just looked at him for a moment. He was gorgeous, he'd said he was all hers and it looked as though she had permission to do whatever she liked to him. She straddled his hips and took him inside her. For a few seconds his only reaction was to open his eyes wide and grin even more wickedly, but soon it became a game for two players.