Part 28 (2/2)
”I needed that . . Where did you learn how to do this?” he asked, with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.
The question was so unexpected that she blushed in spite of herself. ”I discovered it right now,” she said defensively. ”You're my first and only man!”
”I know, Helen. I was only teasing... I also love playing with all your exciting treasures... You're my treasure trove.”
”But you learned doing these things with other women!”
”I did, Helen... Would you rather that I still were the same green lover of four years ago?”
”I loved it fine then.”
”I was clumsy, though. Admit it!”
”A bit,” she conceded reluctantly and then broke into a broad smile. ”And now you're almost too clever. You set me on fire with a single touch.”
She got off the bed, wet a cloth in the water bowl and wiped his stomach and p.e.n.i.s clean, giggling as she did. When she had finished, he pulled her down onto the bed and, lying partly on her, covered her with light kisses.
”I love you,” he murmured.
A smile twinkled in her eyes. She offered him her lips.
”I want to make love to you,” he said softly.
She nodded. Her smile broadened. Her eyes became narrow, blazing slits. ”Stay inside me this time,” she whispered, as she folded her arms around his neck.
Growling stomachs finally drove them out of bed. Andrew found his clothing, clean and neatly pressed on hangers outside the door. They joined Rose in the kitchen. She was preparing the evening meal.
”I was just going to bang at your door to rouse you from your sleep,” she exclaimed. ”Or did you wake up already a while ago,” she added, winking at them.
Andrew and Helen both blushed, but Helen replied: ”Yes, Rose, we did.”
”Thanks for doing my clothing,” murmured Andrew.
”Oh, that was no trouble at all.”
”I forgot to tell you, Rose,” said Helen, ”I told Captain McGeorge to leave our saddlebags with another s.h.i.+p, and that somebody will pick them up.”
”That won't be so simple anymore. Constable Fraser-he's the fellow who arrested you-told me that they're watching the wharf... But maybe if the bags are put into a sack and taken off the boat by a sailor, we might get them past the police. Let me worry about this.”
”So they're watching the wharf,” repeated Andrew. ”Then, we can't leave by the river anymore.” He turned to Helen: ”We've to flee on horseback!”
”I guess that's the only way now,” remarked Rose. ”Where are you going?”
”South to England,” answered Andrew, while Helen said at the same time: ”Into the Western Highlands.”
The two young people looked at each other in consternation. Rose laughed spontaneously, and then, seeing their confused expressions, tried to appease them: ”I'm sure you want to go together.”
”Most boats to America leave from Liverpool. So we'll have to go south,” explained Andrew.
”But it will be easier to get away and hide from the police by going into the Western Highlands, and then catch a boat to Ireland and go to America from there,” argued Helen.
”Only small boats leave from Ireland.”
”So?” Helen countered with a defiant edge.
”Quarters on a small boat are too crammed. There's no privacy.” And then he added somewhat derisively: ”Besides, a small boat tosses you around horribly. I don't want to be sick all the time.”
”Most people survive it. It won't kill us.”
”But why go on a small boat, if we could take a comfortable big boat from Liverpool?”
”Because, it's more dangerous to go South.” Helen tone of voice was now strident. ”Lots of people live there, and it's more likely that we'll be spotted and reported to the authorities than if we went into the Western Highlands.”
”But it's a big detour. It will easily take a whole month longer.”
”That's hardly a good reason for not taking the safer route!”
”I had planned to arrive in America before the end of the summer, so that we'll be settled when winter comes.”
”You had planned to go there alone. Now you're married. So your precious plans may have to change. Anyway, a month more will hardly make much difference.”
Rose watched them argue, an amused smile playing around her mouth. ”So, the two love birds have their first little spat. I bet you'll have many more. You can take my word for it.”
”Oh, it's not our first one,” remarked Helen with a hint of sarcasm.
”Helen,” exclaimed Andrew, a mixture of indignation and hurt in his voice, and then he begged in a subdued tone: ”Let's not fight. Let's look at the pros and cons and then make a decision together, ... sensibly, logically.”
”You and your logic!”
”There's nothing wrong with good reason and logic. Any sensible person will accept logical reasoning.”
”I see, and next thing you'll tell me is that I'm not logical and sensible. If you had used your reason and common sense, you wouldn't have bought that black stallion, and we wouldn't be in this stew in the first place.”
Blazing, she stormed out of the kitchen. For several seconds Andrew stood there, dumbfounded. The remark about the horse felt like a blow below the belt. He blushed. She was right, but he resented that she brought it up in front of Rose. He didn't comprehend how that little disagreement had suddenly escalated into a major fight. But I'm right, he told himself silently. It was better and much safer to sail out of Liverpool on a big boat. He had traveled on small boats. He knew how sick everybody got. In a bad sea, even the sailors weren't spared.
”Go, young man. Talk to her. Make up,” said Rose, pus.h.i.+ng him gently to the corridor that led to their little room.
He needed little encouragement. His righteous mood had already given way to fear of having lost Helen's love, and remorse for insisting on being right. Hadn't she said 'men always need to be right'?
She sat on the bed and turned away when he entered and wanted to join her.
”I'm sorry, Helen. Please, don't be angry... I'm so grateful for all the things you did for me and should have shown more consideration. It must have been terribly distressful on you, and then Robert-”
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