Loves moves in mysterious ways

Chapter 13

He's so well qualified he could work anywhere.Bavaria is his home,Kirstin, her Mom, told her gently.

His father and his grandfather both practised here.Well I can't see Jessa setting down to live in Bavaria.

She said it crossly ,not wanting to admit even to herself how much she envied Frau Samantha's Auntie.

She was far too sensible to deceive herself that if Jessa hadn't been around, James might have.

Might have what ?

Fallen in love with her?

Shw grimaced slightly to herself.Sexaully she might be able to arouse him, but emotionally James felt nothing for her..nothing for her at all.

When the receptionist rang through later in the evening to that James would not be able to come and visit in the house until the following day,Kirstin told herself that it was a good thing that she had an appointment with the florist that would take her out of the house.

She didn't want to see James.So why the feeling of disappointment and pain gathering inside her? Because he was to foolish to be able to stop himself from loving him and yearning after like a stupid adolescent,Kirstin derided herself bitterly.

Four days before the Night ball they had snow. Kirstin was in a sick and cold when she woke up and saw the ominous colour of her the clouds,and the pink blanket already lying inches deep outside.

Don't worry, her mother consoled her when she confided to her dread that the ball would be poorly attended because of the weather.

Folks around here are tough.They won't let a little thing like a snowfall put them off.

Although she was normally a good patient, over the last few days her Mama had been extremely restless.

The locum who had called to see her in James's stead had pronounced that this was a good sign which showed that she was recovering well,

but he had still counselled plenty of rest and no excitement.

It's not fair, she grumbled slightly now.

I'm missing out on all the fun.The fun to her Mom,meant the organisation, Kristin recognised, suppressing a small smile,inwardly sympathising with her parent even while outwardly she reminded abdurate about allowing her to do anything.

Already a brainwave of her Mom, earlier in the week had resulted in Kirstin haring off to Rarecastle with her Dad,to buy as many heart-shaped tins moulds as she could get her hands on.

Members of the (KQ) had been exhorted to search through their cupboards for these receptacles,so that the variety of heart-shape desserts could be provided in tune the theme of the evening.

Frau Samantha had very generously made the enormous kitchen at the Manor available to those members of the local community who were responsible for preparing the buffet, and Kirstin knew that her Mom,positively ached to be down here among them.

The colour scheme for the evening was red and gold against a background of emerald green.

An inspired and totally unexpected, not to say generous, present of a hundred metallic gold diamond-shaped and heart shaped of balloons had arrived by post from Carol earlier in the weeks-she had spotted them in one of the Glamorous gift shops,she had informed Kirstin over the telephone, and had promptly bought their entire stock.

Carol sounded so happy and bubbling over with self confidence that Kristin felt it was safe to ask her how things were.

Fabulous,she had told her promptly. The news that he's to be a father once more has stunned John.

He's thrilled of course,but he insists on treating me like fragile diamond.

And you're complaining? Not really. Which reminds me,when junior does arrive, I shall require you to be godmother.

Luckily snow stop falling just before evening.

I'm supposed to be meeting the florist at the Manor this evening,Kristin told her Mom, as they shared the vegetables salad she had made. I don't know whether to cancel it.

Just as long as you aren't contemplating driving yourself you should be alright.

Why don't you give the florist a ring, and it they're still keen to go,oder a cab.

Kristin took her Mommy's advice.The lady who owned and ran the flower shop confirmed that she was prepared to drive out to the Manor, and as they arranged tomorrow that lunch Kirstin's father arrived home to sit with the invalid.

Precisely, you don't need to do this now, Grace Smith protested.

Nothing's is going to happen to me.No,it isn't, Kirstin agreed firmly, because we won't let it.

Dad and I both know what would happen if we left you alone...

You'd be out of bed and down in the kitchen in no time at all....

Because the snow fresh the taxi had no difficulty in getting through to the Manor.

Kristin got got out and paid the taxi driver, tensing as she saw James's car draw up and park.

She had to wait for change, and she saw James get out, his dark head bare,his hair ruffle by fresh breeze.

He looked at her without smiling, his expression almost brooding in intensity.

She longed to go up to him and touch him, just touch him nothing else.Who are you kidding?

she asked herself bitterly, nothing but knowing that he loved her with the the same direct intensity with which she loved him would ever be enough to satisfy the ache inside her.

You look nervous.' Are you alright all okay?She hadn't seen him move, and she swung round, feeling vulnerable and shaky, her fear of revealing her vulnerability to him making her sound terse and mute.

I'm good...

You don't look it.It must be the strain of loving a man who is belong to someone else.

She was too shocked to conceal her expression from him.Her face went pale,her eyes enormous pools of agonised dull ache.

Kirstin I.'He spoke almost roughly, his own eyes darkening, his voice harsh as he demanded thickly, Is it really worth it? Why don't you give him up?Let his wife ' She almost sagged with relief as she realised what he meant.

For one awful moment there she had thought he had guessed.

That he had known how she felt about him.A small bumping down the lane towards them, and she pulled away, just as the front door of the Manor opened and Jessa came out.

She was wearing a Gucci floral dress that emphasised the skinny of her legs and the full curves of her breasts and body.

Mentally comparing her elegant appearance with her own cord sexy body.

Kirstin only just managed to suppress a faint sigh.No

wonder James was hurrying towards the other woman.She wandered if he realised yet that Jessa wanted more than the same sort of casual affair he had offered her.

Or probably where Jessa was concerned he was prepared to more than that.

Sorry if I'm very late i got a traffic....

Wrenching her attention away from the couple walking ahead of them in the building, Kirstin turned to greet the woman hurrying to join her.

The front door had been firmly closed behind James and Jessa, and Kirstin wondered if Jessa had simply not realised that they were there or was deliberately trying to be rude.

Frau Samantha herself showed them up to the hallroom, rather to Kirstin's surprise.

She moved a little awkwardly, no doubt beacuse of her legs pain,but it was still possible to see traces of the girl she must once have been.

Anna Young from the flower shop nodded her approval when she saw the room.

She and Kirstin had already discussed what she intended to do, and Kirstin had shown her the balloons that Carol had received.

You know, it's a real challenge to do something like this. And what a nice room.

She went on to discuss how she intended to the decorate it while Kirstin and Frau Samantha listened.

The last ball held here was for my husband's twenty-second, Frau Samantha told them.

For a moment a sad expression haunted her eyes. He was killed at the beginning of the war.

Yes,so the General told me, Kirstin reaction.

Almost instantly Frau Samantha withdraw into herself, her expression hardening.

My father told him he was never to set foot in this house again.

Kirstin and Anne exchange surprised looks.Had he and your father had a quarrel,then Frau Samantha?Kirstin asked gently, not sure whether or not she would be rebuffed.In a way.

However, you haven't come here to talk about the past.Taking her hint that the topic was not one she wanted to pursue, Kirstin stood to one side while Anne studied the room.

They were just discussing the mass of banked plants and flowers Anne intended to place in front of the raised stage which would hold the small band when Jessa walked in,her arm tucked proprietorially through James's.

Ah ,there you are, my darling.We were just discussing the flowers.

Jessa managed to look both bored and supercilious at the same time.

Mom, always uses Kate Winslet,she says that no one else possibly compared with them.

Kirstin, who knew the top people's florist's quite well through John, who always used them to supply flowers for his panties, flushed a little uncomfortably at Jessa's lack of tact,but Anne seemed perfectly calm and at ease.

Yes,they are good, aren't they, she agreed gratefully.I was lucky enough to go on one of their courses a couple of years ago, and I certainly learned a lot.

Kirstin nearly cheered at the pleasure way that Anne had put the other woman in her place, especially when Anne didn't linger over her victory but instead went on quietly to explain to them all just what she had in mind.

New and fresh flowers are very expensive at this time of year, so I'm hoping to get away with plenty of greenery and only the minimal penny amount of flowers.

Red and yellow of course, to tone in with everything else.'There were several rather tarnished mirrors hanging on the wall,and Anne explained how she hoped to provide floral frames for them.

Even Jessa looked reluctantly expressed. it was going dark before Anne was done.

Kirstin glanced at her watch and asked Frau Samantha if she could possibly use her phone to call for a taxi driver.

There's no need for that James told her in a clipped, almost strained sound.

I'll drive drive you back. Oh,but my love ,I wanted you stay for dinner.

you just have a little time spent with us.I'm sorry,Jessa but I've promised to have supper with the General.

He gets rather lonely, you know,James seemed to be looking at Frau Samantha as he spoke, and an incredibly farfetched and surely impossible suspicion suddenly crossed Kirstin's mind.

Could the General and Frau Samantha possibly have been romantically involved at one time?

It seemed impossible, and yet.Telling herself that she was letting her imagination get the better of her,Kirstin tried to decline James's offer of a lift, but he wouldn't let her.A cold east wind was blowing when they go out.

Kristin huddled deeper into her leather jacket. She hadn't worn her for since that last occasion, but now she wished that she had put it on.

It made no difference her knowing that Carol had chosen it for her; James's remarks still pain.

Come in."

James unlocked the door and opened it for her. The inside of his car smelled of strong scent and some indefinable masculine odour that her body recognised as a being part of James herself.

It was shaming how readily her self responded to such minimal stimulation, and if she hadn't known herself better she might almost have described her reaction as malicious.It was hard not to give in to the temptation to remember what it had felt like to be held in his arms, to be kissed and embraced.

She tensed as James settled herself beside her and started the car.

As he back the car round skilfully she looked through the side mirror.

They were half hour down the lane before he spoke, his terse, I haven't thanked you yet for all the hard work you've put in for this night ball,Kirstin, making her say equally curtly.

There's nothing to thank me for, after all.

I'm not doing it for you personally, am I? After that he made no further attempts to engage her in concentration, and she told herself that she was happy.

As he stopped the car for her to step out, she made one more attempt to dissuade him from driving her to the ba,but to her consternation, instead of agreeing with her that his giving her a lift wasn't necessary, he said dreadfully, Oh, my Jesus Christ Kirstin! What are you trying to say? Make everyone else as aware as I am how much you loathe me? You know quite well that your parents will worry about your if."...Okay, all right.

She slammed his car door childishly as she walked away from him,giving strength to her temper.

He was right, of course her parents would worry, and her father wouldn't understand her insistence on getting a cab when James and volunteered to bring her home.

Come on and let me have a look at you when you're ready,if she ever managed to get ready, Kirstin though fatalistically.It seemed as though the phone hadn't stopped ringing all day long with one query or anything.

She wasn't even sure that she could summon the energy to go to the Night ball event.

No,it wasn't that that was making her so reluctant to get ready, she acknowledged.

It was the knowledge that she would have to watch James with Jessa watch them dancing together watch them.

So stop....stop it she urged herself, clenching her hands.She deliberately tormenting herself.