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Fold in the Hills 4
foldint4.txt
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mf, mmf, ff, novel

CHAPTER FOUR

Later, that same evening, the two sat together on the large settee in Penmawr
cottage having enjoyed a light meal in the fading sunlight. They had seen Mark
Tolmey leave and watched, with some regret, as his car negotiated the steep
track from the ruined cottage to the narrow lane which led to the main coast
road and east towards Lancashire.

Sarah had helped Olwen remove all traces of their short occupancy of the cottage
and, as they left and looked round to see if they were being observed, Sarah
smiled as three sheep ran from the open hillside and reoccupied what had, until
that afternoon, been their escape from the hot sun.

Once back in Penmawr Cottage the girls showered and changed into jeans and light
tops and, while Olwen had dozed on the settee, Sarah rested on top of her bed
and slept for a short while to recover from all the stress and exertions of her
extraordinary summer afternoon.

Later they watched the TV news and Olwen declared herself ready for home, but
when she saw and mixture of disappointment and anxiety cross her friend's face
she picked up the telephone and told Dylis where she was and asked her to lock
up the house and set the security alarm and promised that she'd be home early
the next morning to start things moving for the new week. Sarah smiled
gratefully, for her mind was such a whirl of emotions that she couldn't even
contemplate being alone tonight of all nights.

Olwen went up to bed first while Sarah took their cups to the kitchen and saw to
the low fire in the hearth and, after she had locked the door and seen to the
lights, she found her friend already in bed. Olwen lay there with the duvet
carelessly thrown back so that one large, red tipped breast lay almost totally
exposed.

Sarah undressed completely and, glancing shyly at Olwen, turned off the light,
leapt beneath the duvet and lay back with her arm across her eyes and for a
while there was a deep silence in the bedroom, and their breathing was barely
audible above the sound of the stream somewhere below them.

Sarah strained her ears, trying to sense whether her companion was already
asleep and, as she relaxed into a more comfortable position, her mind went back
to the ruined cottage and the jumbled, but oh so vivid memories of her afternoon
with Olwen and Mark.

She watched the light fade from the two small windows and heard the sharp call
of a bird from the trees above the stream and then she sneaked a glance at
Olwen, but it was now too dark to tell whether or not her eyes were open, and
she was suddenly afraid to speak out and break the quiet of the room.

When Olwen spoke, Sarah nearly leapt from her skin, for the voice was so
unexpected.

"Well, what did you think?"

Sarah's mouth was so dry that she couldn't immediately reply.

"Are you angry? Was it so terrible?" asked Olwen quietly.

Sarah coughed, swallowed hard and took a deep breath.

"It was wonderful. I'd forgotten how wonderful it could be."

"What did you think of Mark?"

"He was very expert, but I'm not sure I actually liked him."

"Were you very scared, Sarah? You looked absolutely terrified when you came
through the door to join us."

"You'll never know how frightened I was Olwen. I was just about to run when he
caught hold of me. God when you told him I was there and I knew there was no
escape I....I was paralyzed with fear and couldn't move a muscle, or speak, even
to say no."

"I thought you'd have been desperate to join us after what you'd just seen
through the wall. Weren't you excited by it all?"

"Of course I was. I was absolutely wet through with desire, but it was seeing
what you and Mark had been doing which seemed so detached from what I was doing.
Do you understand?"

"I suppose so, but I know I couldn't have controlled myself so well if it had
been the other way around."

There was a lull as both thought their own thoughts.

"Was the view good?" Olwen asked.

"Wonderful," confessed Sarah, her breasts beginning to swell as the images of
the two on the sunlit bed began to invade her thoughts.

"Were you too afraid to really enjoy it?"

"At first I was, but once the pair of you were naked I was so wrapped up in what
you were doing to be afraid for long."

"How did it look to you?"

"You looked so beautiful, and it seemed so right when I saw the way you acted
and the things did."

"You weren't too disgusted with me then?"

"God, no! I wished I could have been like you! It all seemed so natural."

Sarah's cheeks burned as the images returned and she tried to tell Olwen what
had transfixed her so.

She turned to her companion and, grateful for the darkness, lay her head on
Olwen's breast and the soft cushion felt warm and comfortable and when she
blinked she felt her eye lash brush across the stubby nipple.

"Were you afraid, Olwen?" she asked softly.

"A little, I suppose, but I was too excited to let it effect me. He'd a lovely
body hadn't he, and he wasn't the least bit shy, the arrogant sod."

Sarah laughed aloud.

"But that's what you wanted, wasn't it?" she asked.

"Of course, silly, but he was still arrogant. I bet he's strutting like a
cockerel at this very moment."

"I'll bet he's too tired to do any strutting tonight," laughed Sarah.

"What excited you the most, Sarah.?"

"Everything did, honestly. I thought you were really brave when you knelt down
in front of him though."

"Why?"

"Well to me it looked so enormous. I thought he was going to choke you!"

Olwen giggled to herself.

"He was the one who nearly choked though, wasn't he? When I pulled away at the
last minute he was on the very edge, and that's when I got control and made him
do what I wanted him to do. It's like I said when you first came here, you have
to be a good shepherdess, see."

Sarah nuzzled at Olwen's breast and mover her arm beneath the sheet to caress a
plump thigh.

"How did I do, Olwen?" she asked, quietly.

"You did fine, Sarah Thomas, honestly. It's like riding a bike isn't it? You
never really forget."

Sarah laughed quietly at both the comparison and Olwen's surprising use of her
maiden name.

"It was certainly a man's bike we rode, I'll give you that, Olwen Powell, seeing
as we're using our maiden names tonight. God, didn't the bike have a thick cross
bar though?"

"You looked well on it, Sarah," giggled Olwen, "in fact watching the two of you
together made me all hot and bothered again, and I was a but disappointed at the
end when he said he'd had enough of us."

"You're insatiable. Anyway it was your own fault. If you'd not insisted on my
being there, you'd have had him all to yourself and wouldn't have been
disappointed, so you've no one else to blame."

"Ah! But then you'd have still been moping about and worrying whether you were
still attractive to other men, or whether your husband was right, wouldn't you?
And now you know that he's the one who's wrong and hasn't a clue what a hot
little piece you are, especially when an expert pushed the right buttons, see?"

Sarah thought about that for a while and suddenly realised what she'd done.

"I'm no better than him now, am I?"

"Don't know about that Sarah. I've only seen you in action. Tim's never shown me
what he can do, has he?"

Sarah sat up and squeezed Olwen's breasts.

"You cheeky devil. You've no shame at all, have you?"

"Not much," agreed Olwen and they wrestled for a while and then Olwen pushed
Sarah aside and straddled her heaving body. Bending towards her she captured her
wrists before squeezing the thighs together so that Sarah was trapped then,
leaning over, she kissed her on the lips.

Sarah gasped for breath when Olwen at last lifted her face from hers and her
mind whirled at the open passion flowing through her body and she relaxed so
that, as Olwen released her wrists, she raised her hands and began to caress the
ripe and heavy breasts above her and soon the two began a dizzying round of love
play and very soon the slippery tongues and urgent fingers gave way to the newly
acquired phallus which Sarah kept in her bedside drawer.

Before sleep, the two had each experienced the steep ascent of passion, and the
intensity of their games, along with the memories of their afternoon in the
ruined cottage, brought each such satisfying climaxes that by midnight they were
completely exhausted and slept the sleep of the dead.

The next morning they drove both cars to Bryn Aber farm and planned the week
over breakfast.

Sarah caught Olwen looking at her and smiled, somewhat embarrassed at what she
imagined Olwen might be thinking of her now for she had mixed feelings about
what had taken place the previous day, but reasoned that she'd done no one any
harm and herself a great deal of good.

Her body was alive once more and a weight had been lifted from her head so that
she felt very different. She tried to analyse the difference and failed, but had
no doubt that she was a young woman still and life had suddenly become exciting
once again.

As Olwen left to ensure that Ewan had remembered to see to the broken fence and
gate in the lower pasture, Sarah worried about what might happen next. She
certainly didn't want to make a habit of being promiscuous and wondered how she
might react if Olwen tried to involve her with other men, or even with herself.

She actually felt more guilt when she thought of her two nights with Olwen for,
though they had been very enjoyable, she had vague doubts about where it might
lead and felt that she needed to be firm about any future advances.

When Olwen returned she sensed a change in Sarah and began to sort out the mail
and dictate her replies while Sarah worked at the farm office for the rest of
the morning, and at lunch time she refused the offer of food and made her way
back to her cottage.

She changed the bedding, cleaned the bedroom and living room, subconsciously
bringing both her home and her life to order and, that evening she rang Tim and
told him that she needed to come home for the rest of her things. He told her
that she'd received some letters from the Education Department and offered to
forward them to her. All at once he appeared to want to talk to her, and asked
her what she was doing to occupy herself. He appeared rather hurt when she told
him how busy she was with the running of the farm office, and a bit put out when
she said that it looked like becoming a more permanent position and that she
might give up the idea of supply teaching altogether.

She enquired about his work and he told her of his recent promotion in the
planning office which might, in fact, take him to other areas from time to time.

"What does your little friend think to that?" she asked.

There was a long silence before he said,

"It's not that serious, Sarah. In fact I've not discussed it with her yet."

"Who is she, Tim? I'm sure I know the voice."

There was another pause and Sarah was about to say goodbye, when he asked,

"Have you met anyone, Sarah?"

"You mean me? The Ice Maiden? God, you've soon changed your tune!"

"I'm sorry, Sarah. I didn't mean all that you know. It was just things you say
when you're angry."

"We'll they hurt me, Tim, and whether I've met anyone or not is none of your
business is it? You decided that I wasn't what you wanted in a woman and didn't
say one word to stop me leaving and remember, you were the one to bring someone
else into our bed and now you have the cheek to ask me if I've met someone new.
Well, you'll never know. Maybe I have! But I'll tell you this Tim Brooke, I've
no immediate plans to come back to that house or to that bed, so there!"

Again there was a pause and she waited for the insult she was certain would
follow.

"Goodnight, Sarah. Take care," he said softly.

The phone went dead and she was left somewhat in the air.

"Why the change?" she wondered. "Had he been left on his own? Perhaps he was
hinting about her returning to him. Well he could hint away for she'd been too
badly hurt to give way at this moment in time and besides, she wasn't even sure
that she would ever return to him after the way he'd treated her."

She replaced the phone and turned on the television, then made herself a hot
drink and sat, only half listening to the voice from the set. She suddenly
realised that the voice was talking about York and the cameras were showing the
Shambles and York Minster.

She leaned forward, recognising not only the views of her home town, but even
some of the people as they strolled through the narrow streets and the tiny
market square of the beautiful city, and she suddenly felt an ache to walk those
streets again, and yet she knew that it would mean seeing Tim and others who
might know that she had been replaced in her home, and suddenly she felt a soft
tear running down her cheeks, but she wiped it away and determined not to give
in to her emotions.

She stood up and turned off the television and carried her drink up to the
bedroom. The fresh sheets felt cool and clean and she lay awake for some time as
the moon appeared in the first window. She thought of Mark Tolmey and the feel
of his hands, the strength in his arms and the hardness of his weapon and
squeezed herself and closed her eyes and decided there and then to do what she
thought was best for herself and refused to feel any guilt for the way her
husband was feeling.

The sound of the stream below lulled her into a sense of contentment and soon
she was asleep.

One evening, some time later, she was asked to come down to Bryn Aber farm for
an hour or so. Olwen had sounded rather guarded on the phone when Sarah had
asked what the problem was, so she put away her book, got into the Golf and
arrived at the house just after 7.00pm.

Olwen took her through to the lounge and poured her a small brandy and Sarah
noticed the air mail letter on the small occasional table by her arm and
instantly recognised William's handwriting.

"Is William well?" she asked.

"Yes, bless him," replied Olwen. "He tells me he's had a few days rest as it's
been one of the Moslem national holidays and there was nothing to do so he'd
spent a long weekend by the sea with a Scottish family he knows quite well."

"Good for him," said Sarah, "he's getting too old for all this rushing about
don't you think?"

"He's getting too old for a lot of what he does and I do so hope he gets the
promotion he's after and then others will have to do the travelling and he'll be
based in Queensferry and London will be the farthest he'll need to visit.

"How old is he now, Olwen?"

"Fifty six," she answered, "and when he's on the move he certainly shows his
age. All he wants to do when he's home is sleep so it's not much fun for either
of us when he's so tired."

Sarah thought for a while, wondering if Olwen wanted to talk about it.

"Do you still get on with each other, Olwen? Sorry, it's none of my business,
forget I said anything."

"No, it's all right. I'm not offended. Yes we do as a matter of fact; we get on
very well. Of course we have an understanding; have had for some time now."

"Understanding?" asked Sarah.

"Yes. He doesn't object to my little flings as he calls them, and I don't ask
him too much of what goes on when he's abroad."

"Oh," said Sarah.

"Of course he relies on me to be discreet, and I actually tell him if I've been
naughty. We really trust each other and I can't imagine life without William by
my side."

Sarah listened without comment, and watched as Olwen twirled the glass of golden
liquid in her hands.

"You see, I love William. I love him very deeply and all the other stuff with
Mark Tolmey and, I suppose you've guessed about Martyn Peters, and there have
been others ... well, they're something else. It's not love, I can tell you
that. It's the way I am. I need the excitement, but I can soon get enough of
that and I'd never want to stay with any of them too long. I seem to have a need
for fresh adventures, but never for fresh love. My William gives me that and
understands all my other needs. Does it make sense to you Sarah?"

"In a way I suppose it does. And you say William knows about Martyn and Mark?"

"No, not Mark. That was just a one off, mainly for you. He's not really worth
mentioning, honestly."

"Will you tell him about Mark and me?" asked Sarah.

"No, of course not. That's between the three of us and William won't expect me
to tell him about you."

"How does he feel about Martyn, then?"

"He likes Martyn and approves of him. He's part of our circle and understands
the rules and, to be fair, Martyn can be trusted. You see he's not married so it
had nothing to do with anyone else, has it?"

Sarah was puzzled by the casualness of it all and felt that she was very naïve
in comparison.

"Haven't I led a sheltered life?" she asked. "I can just imagine Tim's reaction
if I suggested any such arrangement."

"Ah, but you and Tim are of a similar age, aren't you? William is nearly twice
my age and we sorted all that side of things out before we committed ourselves
to becoming man and wife. It's quite different, believe me."

"Have you ever been with anyone he'd disapprove of, Olwen?"

"Sometimes, but then again I know he'd disapprove so I don't tell him. Mind you,
I make damn sure it'll never get back to him."

"I don't really know what to say," said Sarah and her forehead had lines of
puzzlement across it which made Olwen laugh.

"Well don't worry yourself about it. We're really happy and we're still together
and loving each other despite everything."

"That's right," agreed Sarah, "which is more than Tim and I are."

Olwen poured them another drink and sat opposite Sarah in the other deep arm
chair.

"Actually, I need to ask a favour of you which isn't too disconnected with what
we've been talking about.."

"Oh?"

"Well, Martyn is having his home decorated this weekend and has asked if I can
put him up for a couple of nights. I'm quite happy to do this, but too many folk
know that William's away and it would cause a stir if Martyn and I were found to
be living together, without chaperoned, as it were."

"So you want me to stay here with you, is that it?"

"Not really, Sarah. Dylis would soon suspect something even if you were with us.
No, I wondered if you would put Martyn up and Penmawr Cottage over the weekend
and then I could visit him there?"

"But what about my reputation?" asked Sarah quietly, "or doesn't that matter?"

"Well, it would be the weekend and no one knows who's up there. You're quite
isolated aren't you, and it would be natural for me to call to see you as I do
that all the time."

"How would he get there without being seen?"

"He'd come up by the old track that Mark Tolmey used, leave his car by the ruins
and walk down over the bridge. He'd come some time on Saturday afternoon and
leave again on Monday morning. He's quite happy to stay in your spare room, and
I'm more than happy to join him there so please Sarah, help us out."

Sarah thought about it for a while, but could see no real objection to the
arrangement, after all Olwen had been a true friend in her time of need.

"You will be careful, won't you Olwen? I wouldn't want Bob Roberts or Ewan to
get the wrong idea, and think that I'm anybody's for the asking."

"There's no danger, Sarah, I promise. You're a love. You'll not even know he's
there, honestly. We'll be as quiet as mice, you see."

"You! A mouse? That'll be worth experiencing!" said Sarah laughing at the very
idea.

"I can be a real lady when I have to be," said Olwen with a twinkle in her eye.

"Now that would be something worth travelling to see."

As Sarah pushed the ancient lawn mower across the large, triangular shaped lawn
to the front of Penmawr Cottage, she paused occasionally, and strained her ears
for any sound of a car coming from the ruined building over the hill on the
other side of the stream.

She wasn't too sure about putting Martyn Peters up for the two nights of the
weekend, but could think of no valid reason for refusing that wouldn't appear
churlish or ungrateful.

The truth was that she hardly knew Martyn, and the brief contact she'd had with
him had been little more than an introduction and polite conversation about her
connection with Olwen, William and Bryn Aber farm.

She also felt uncomfortable in herself for having observed Martyn and Olwen when
she had secretly observed the pair indulging in a quite lascivious farewell one
early morning outside the farm door on the morning following the party and she
still felt guilty about the incident, but had been in no position to move or
walk away without announcing the fact that she was there. She realised that the
two had spent the night together and that their affair had been going on for
some time, with the approval, apparently of Olwen's husband, William.

Sarah felt that it could well be a very awkward weekend for her as she had no
idea how long Olwen would stay at the cottage or how she would make herself
scarce so that the lovers could be alone. She had deliberately left the garden
chores to be done and had left her pile of wood stock low, so that she would
have plenty of activities with which to occupy herself over the two days.

She even thought of going to the cinema in Conway or nearby Colwyn Bay or
Llandudno, but the prospect of going out alone at night didn't really appeal and
the thought of sitting alone in a darkened cinema with the Saturday night
courting or married couples had little appeal.

She resolved to take a walk if the weather stayed as warm as it was and she had
some application forms and letters in support to write, if she decided to apply
for a teaching post in the York area.

After resting a moment she walked over to the bottles standing on the flat top
of the small stone garden wall by the side of her house and, adding some half
melted ice cubes to a tall glass, poured herself a large measure of home made
lemonade. Smiling in anticipation she shook the glass and the ice cubes chinked
making a pleasant sound in the still of the day.

It was a beautiful afternoon and she enjoyed the heat from the sun and the
pleasant tiredness from her exertions. She lifted her shirt away from her body,
allowing the heat to escape and took a large handkerchief from the pocket of her
jeans, removed her old straw hat and wiped her brow.

"Now that looks as though it's been hard work, Sarah," said a voice from the
track that led down from the bridge.

Sarah looked up, startled for the moment, and then lifted her hand to her eyes
and saw Martyn, holding a small grip and standing beneath the wild damson tree.
She smiled at him, taking in the tall frame, rather long hair and dark
complexion, made darker by the fact that the sun was directly above and behind
him, and his face was in deep shadow.

"You startled me!" she said, replacing her hat. "I didn't hear you at all."

"Too busy with your thoughts I expect," he said, and his voice had a slight
Welsh burr to it, which made it sound musical and pleasant to the ear. "All on
your own?" he asked, jumping from the track onto the freshly mown grassed area.

"Yes, but I'm expecting Olwen any moment."

"It's very good of you to accommodate me. My home's in chaos. You wouldn't
believe all the upheaval. Glad to be out of it until Monday."

"Will it be finished by then?"

"They've promised that I can have my bedroom and kitchen back, but they'll be at
the rest of the place until the weekend after next at the very earliest."

Sarah watched as he examined the small raised bed by the door. She had built it
using rock form the stream below and had planted it with aubrietia, erigeron,
geranium, sedum and scented nicotine plants. She had a lovely honeysuckle
trained onto thin climbing wires which she had set into the wall and the heady
perfume spilled out and scented the area around the doorway.

"Would you like a drink?" she offered, "there's some lemonade and ice, or I can
make you something else if you'd prefer."

"No lemon would be fine. It's so hot and you look a perfect picture of coolness
standing there," and he put his grip inside the open door of the cottage and
moved towards her.

"Do I? I feel anything but cool, I assure you."

"Am I being such a nuisance?" he asked. "I suppose I am intruding rather on your
weekend."

"No. Not at all. Olwen told me all about your decorating, and I can understand
why you don't want to stay at the farm....." and she broke off, realising how it
sounded.

Martyn smiled and chuckled.

"I see I have no secrets from you. Olwen must trust you very much indeed."

"Sorry," said Sarah, blushing. "I didn't mean it to sound that way."

"No problem at all. Olwen and I go back a long way and the last thing we want is
to start gossip or create a scandal."

"Of course. It's nothing to do with..... Oh there's Olwen's car by the sound of
it. I thought she wouldn't be long."

Sarah handed Martyn a drink and they stood together as the grey Volvo estate
negotiated the narrow track, forded the almost dry drainage stream and came to a
halt by the cottage and the Olwen leapt out and cried,

"Sorry I wasn't here, but Dylis was a bit late and wanted to tell me all about
her aches and pains."

Olwen moved to Martyn and kissed him on the lips and then he held her by the
waist and Sarah eventually looked away, embarrassed.

"There!" declared Olwen. "That's what I needed to put my world right. What are
you doing this afternoon, Sarah?"

"I've quite a good deal of gardening that needs doing, there's wood to organise
and other things need my attention."

"That's you sorted," said Olwen taking the glass form Martyn. "I think I'd
better show Martyn to his room and get him settled in if that meets with your
approval?"

"Of course," said Sarah, "as you wish. Make yourselves at home and don't mind
me, I've plenty to be getting on with."

She watched as Martyn caught Olwen's hand and the pair moved to her car. Olwen
raised the boot lid and removed a weekend case and a carrier bag and the two
kissed again and, without a glance at Sarah, walked into the cottage and entered
the cool of the main room.

Sarah was a little uneasy and as she heard laughter from the upstairs bedroom
went back to her mowing, and concentrated on her work.

When she had finished the front area she remembered that there were a couple of
strips to mow around the back of the cottage. This was a very narrow area before
the land dropped steeply to the stream below the tree line and, against the back
wall of the cottage Tim had earlier built a crude seat using a broad plank and
two piles of flat stones and had constructed the stone supports using a little
cement which had held quite satisfactorily for a number of years.

The sun had moved round the cottage and, having finished the mowing, she sat on
the seat and began to brush the grass from the mower's blades and drum. She bent
to her task and then walked round to the front for an oily rag and fresh glass
of lemonade.

Back on the seat she rested herself against the warm cottage walls and closed
her eyes and, as she lifted the glass to her mouth she heard a giggle from the
smaller bedroom directly above her. The sounds increased until she was in no
doubt as to what her guests were up to then, just as she took a deep drink, a
cry of passion escaped from above and Sarah was so startled that she jumped and
spilled some of the cold liquid down her front.

She leapt up as it ran between her breasts and quickly unbuttoned her blouse
then, seeing the stain it was leaving she removed it completely and used it to
stem the flow of juice and wipe herself dry.

As she sat back on the seat she knocked over the tall glass and sent it rolling
away down the hill and, without pausing to think, she scrambled after it, and
managed to retrieve it before it reached the tree line and dashed itself on the
sharp rocks of the stream. Turning quickly she tried to scramble her way back up
to the cottage.

Suddenly, a voice sounded from above.

"Now there's a sight worth travelling a long way to see!"

There was a giggle and, as Sarah raised her head she saw her two guests, naked
as far as she could tell, and squeezed together through the open bedroom window.
She was amazed to see Olwen's exposed breasts and Martyn's hand about her
shoulder. Realising that she was dressed only in her small brassiere, and that
her position while climbing the steep bank exposed a deep cleavage to the pair
above, she blushed deeply and, in the process of hurrying to reach level ground
and the cottage wall with some degree of respectability, her foot slipped and
she went rolling backwards towards the trees and the stream.

She yelled, more in shock that in pain, and managed to grab a small branch which
stopped her slide and she lay there for a moment fighting to regain her breath
and, as she got to her knees and began to crawl back up the bank, she was
dismayed to see Martyn, dressed only in a pair of skimpy blue briefs, come round
the end of the cottage and make his way down to where she was kneeling.

When he reached her she heard Olwen's voice from the window.

"Don't move her until you're sure nothing's broken!."

"Of course," he answered.

He asked her if she was hurting anywhere and she assured him that only her pride
was suffering and he smiled down at her and held out his hand so that she
grabbed it and struggled to her feet, still clutching the unbroken runaway
glass.

She saw the leaves and soil on her jeans and rubbed dirt from her shoulder. Her
brassiere and half exposed breasts were also covered with grass and other
vegetation as was her hair and he smiled and gently stroked some debris from her
arms and back and his hands swept down her jeans in an effort to clean them..

"Not too bad, eh Sarah?" he grinned at her. "I'd better let you clean off your
own titty bottles or you might get the wrong idea!"

Sarah was so struck by her predicament and the use of the term 'titty bottles'
that she began to giggle and this soon turned into hysterical laughter until she
was shrieking helplessly as Martyn stood there, amazed by her reaction, dressed
only in tiny blue briefs, and struggling to stop both of them falling over,
crashing into the trees and tumbling into the stream below.

"Sarah Thompson, you're a mad woman!" shouted Olwen from above. "Get yourself up
here where you'll be safe, and stop behaving like a crazy ewe!"

Sarah looked up through tear-filled eyes as he laughter continued.

"And you, Martyn Peters, get your bloody nose out of her cleavage and help her.
My God! What a friend! Anything to draw attention to yourself!" mocked Olwen.

When they finally reached level ground, Sarah picked up her stained blouse and
followed Martyn round to the door of the cottage and then stood at the foot of
the stairs intending to shower and change, but she heard the bathroom door close
and the splash of the shower, and she must have frowned with annoyance for
Martyn chuckled and said,

"We are in the way, aren't we Sarah?"

"No, of course not. Olwen will soon be ready and I can......" and she began to
giggle again, feeling rather awkward to be standing in her cottage without a top
on and having a conversation with a virtual stranger dressed only in his
underpants.

Martyn too saw the humour of it and said,

"Not many of my colleagues or the office staff at the 'Min, of Ag' have seen me
like this, you know," and drawing himself upright he struck a mock heroic pose.

Soon they were both helpless and when Olwen came downstairs, respectably dressed
in a dressing gown with her hair wrapped in a towel, she too saw how ridiculous
the situation had become and joined in.

When they had calmed down again, Olwen mentioned that both the bath and sink
cold water taps were dripping and needed attention and Sarah told her that it
had been like that for some time and she had meant to see to them.

Olwen said that she would try to remember to tell Bob Roberts about the problem
as he was good at fixing things and she told Martyn that he ought to be able to
do things like that but, when he offered to have a go. Olwen told him to forget
it as he'd not come here on a plumbing errand and that he needed all his
strength for the jobs she had in mind for him.

Sarah was quite embarrassed by the rapport between the two and as Martyn
advanced on Olwen she thankfully tore herself away and retreated to the
bathroom.

Later, fresh and in clean clothes, she joined the others and they enjoyed a
salad and strawberry tea by the western side of Penmawr in the warm evening
sunshine and, when they finally retreated indoors Sarah declared herself too
tired to stay awake and longer and left Olwen and Martyn watching television.

She went to sleep almost immediately and heard nothing until she was awakened by
the sounds of noisy love making from the next bedroom. Both she and Tim had
threatened to throw out the old spare bed on a number of occasions, but neither
had carried out the threats. The fault lay in the loose head frame where the
screw hole had collapsed with the constant attempts to adjust and repair it so
that, when anyone moved the thing rocked noisily.

The luminous dials of her clock showed that it was just after midnight and, as a
low moan of release sounded above the rhythmic thumping and rocking, a male
voice urged his companion to greater efforts. Sarah pulled her pillow round her
ears, closed he eyes and before long the erotic images of what was happening on
the other side of the wall were blocked out and soon, trapped in her world of
silence, she fell, asleep and didn't wake until the alarm bleeped at 7.30am the
next bright morning already warmed buy the morning sun.

Olwen and Martyn joined her as the kettle boiled and they all had cereal and
toast and chatted about the unique isolation of the cottage and its history.
Martyn was fascinated by the clever way the two dwellings had been converted
into one building and suggested ways to improve things, even further. He thought
Penmawr Cottage had great potential and made Sarah promise that if ever she
wanted to sell it she must give him the first refusal.

After breakfast, Sarah excused herself and said that she wanted to go for a walk
in the Sunday morning sunshine, and that there was food and drink in the kitchen
and they were to help themselves to anything they wanted.

She walked over the bridge and up by the old ruined cottage and saw Martyn's red
Saab parked in the lee of the cottage and hidden from the casual hiker who might
wish to climb up from the road far below her. She turned onto a footpath which
led her up the hill and as she reached the summit she sat and looked out west
over the tree covered hills towards the Snowdonia range which appeared blue in
the humid haze of the late morning.

She wondered briefly what Olwen and Martyn were up to in her home and smiled to
think how happy they seemed together and then her thoughts drifted to Tim. She
frowned automatically, for she was both hurt and annoyed that he was with
someone and she was here alone with no one to share such stunning views.

Much later she reached another narrow track and followed it down through the
conifer belt and picked up a new footpath which led her to a tiny rivulet which
she reckoned must be one of the tiny headwaters of her own stream.

The descent was tricky in places, but she enjoyed the moist heat of the day, the
sounds of insects and the soft cries of sheep as they made their endless search
for fresh grass and, as she crossed the stream at a narrow point, a weasel
rushed out from the undergrowth of ferns and made its humpbacked run across the
patch of sparse bracken towards a hillock of fallen branches and moss covered
rocks.

Tired, but happy, she reached the bridge once more and walked back to the
cottage and whistled cheerily to warn them of her approach and the purposely
opened the door noisily.

The sitting room was silent and cool and she wondered where they were and
searched the kitchen before pouring herself a glass of lemonade and settling on
a high stool puzzled as to why the cottage seemed so empty.

She glanced out of the window and suddenly realised that Olwen's car was no
longer there and looked round for a note. Finding nothing she climbed the stairs
and peered through the open bedroom door of her spare room and, seeing it empty,
she pushed the door further.

"Funny," she thought, "their clothes are still here. Wonder what they're up to
now?"

Suddenly the door to the cottage opened and she leapt back guiltily and stood on
the landing at the top of the stairs. She saw Martyn enter below and shut the
door behind him.

"Hello," she called. "Wondered where you'd got to."

He looked up at her and smiled and she waited for the door to open and Olwen to
appear, but it didn't.

"Where's Olwen? Have you been for a ride?"

"No. I was looking for you, actually."

"Me. Why? Has something happened?"

"I'm afraid Olwen's had a phone call from her cleaning lady. Apparently Olwen's
aunt's been taken into hospital and, as Olwen is her only relative, they
telephoned to let her know."

"Of dear. How serious is it?"

"No idea. Olwen left and promised to phone when she has some definite news."

"I see," said Sarah.

"It's all got a bit complicated hasn't it? I'm really sorry Sarah, we never
thought of this, did we?"

"Never mind. I just hope that Aunt Rene's all right. Olwen's really fond of her
you know," and for a moment or two they had nothing to say and then Martyn
coughed nervously and said,

"What do you think we should do now?"

"Well I'm for a shower. We can't really decide anything until we know what Olwen
wants, can we? I'll be down in a jiff. Make yourself comfortable."

Later, she joined him in the sitting room and found him reading one of her books
she'd had chosen during her ride down to the cottage when she called in at
Colwyn Bay; the one about the pirate captain and the defenseless young captive
girl which had stirred her passions so on her first night at Penmawr Cottage.
She blushed as she recalled the steamy scenes in the Captain's cabin and her
passionate reactions to them.

She made a pot of tea and buttered some scones she'd made earlier and Martyn ate
gratefully, and it was then she realised that he'd probably not eaten since
breakfast.

"You must be ravenous," she said. "Didn't you make something for the two of
you?"

"Well Olwen shot off and told me to see to myself and that you wouldn't mind,
but I didn't like to go poking around on my own."

"I'll make us both something when you've had your drink," she promised and they
chatted for a while and later, in the cool of the evening and over a proper
meal, they began to ask questions about each other's lives.

Martyn was both surprised and concerned when she confessed the reason why she'd
come to live at Penmawr Cottage and told her that he thought Tim was an absolute
idiot and needed his brains seeing to.

She found out that Martyn had been engaged a couple of times, but had never
truly had the commitment to meet either of them at the alter. Later Olwen
telephoned from Chester and told Sarah that her Aunt Rene had apparently passed
out and had a fall and had actually cracked a bone in her wrist. There was some
severe bruising to her hips and back, but she was in no immediate danger. The
hospital wanted to keep her under observation for a while to try and ascertain
the reason for her fainting so she felt that she ought to hang on there for at
least 24 hours until the tests were complete and she could decide what was best
for her elderly aunt.

Martyn had a word with Olwen and then handed the phone back to Sarah who
promised that she would go down to Bryn Aber in the morning and see to things
until Olwen got in touch with her.

Martyn helped Sarah to clear and wash the dishes and then told her he'd go and
pack and get off before it got too dark ands after a little thought Sarah said,

"You don't have to go, Martyn. I invited the pair of you up for the weekend
because you needed somewhere to stay for a while. Olwen's gone, but my
invitation still stands, and you're welcome to stay on until you can return
home."

"But won't I be in the way? It's kind of you to ask me and kind of you to
pretend that my decorations were the only reason Olwen and I needed a room. I
can go to one of the local hotels and stay there, honestly."

She looked at him and he stared back with a steady gaze which made her lower her
eyes. She didn't know what to say to him now without sounding stupid.

"You don't want me hanging around now do you? Besides it might be awkward if
your husband found out we'd spent the night together, alone under the same
roof."

"That's the last thing that worries me," she said bitterly and looked up at him
once more, puzzled by his hypnotic gaze.

The tension was so strong that they both jumped when a roll of thunder sounded
from behind the cottage and a streak of lightning flashed. It broke the barrier
between them, and as she brought her hands up to her neck with the shock of the
sudden flash of light which filled the darkened room, she laughed with relief
and Martyn moved to her and held her shoulders.

"That's what the Gods think of my plan," he laughed.

Sarah looked into his smiling face and relaxed, grateful that the sparring was
at an end.

"Well, do I go or stay?" he asked directly.

"Stay. Honestly it'll be fine."

They turned to the large window and listened as the thunder seemed to roll away
towards the sea and Martyn asked if he could take a shower and she told him to
wait until she called and then the bathroom would be free.

A few minutes later she had brushed her teeth and called down to him.

"All clear, Martyn. Good night."

She heard the light click off and hurried to her room and then a far off rumble
of thunder sounded and the sky lit up once more.

"Another storm," she thought and, as the lightning flashed very brightly, she
abandoned the idea of night clothes as it was stiflingly hot and, completely
naked, leapt under the cover and stared anxiously at the widow.

She heard Martyn climb the stairs and then the sound of thunder covered all
other sounds and her heart began to beat for she was afraid of the gathering
storm.

The rain began, slowly at first, and then as the stream began to fill the rain
quickened and the rolls of thunder gathered strength. The centre of the storm
was in the hills behind the cottage, and the sound o the storm, amplified by the
undulating surfaces of the rounded hill and soft valleys, echoed repeatedly so
that it was difficult to tell from where the sounds originated.

The blue flashes of lightning zigzagged above, briefly illuminating the bedroom
with its dazzling light. She tried to squeeze her eyes shut, but the flashes
seemed to burn through her eyelids and into her terrified mind. Suddenly there
was one tremendous crack overhead, followed by a rolling and crashing thunder
and, as she turned from the widow she saw a naked blue streaked man framed at
the open doorway to her bedroom.

This time she screamed aloud, but the sound was lost in the echoes of the last
thunder roll and then Martyn strode to her bedside, lay on the covering duvet
and held her in his arms. She quietened as a sense of security returned and
raised her arms from the cover and held on to him tightly.

With each flash and crash the two grasped the other fiercely and, after a long
while, the sounds began to ease and were replaced by the noisy downpour of rain
on the slate roof and the swollen, rushing stream below the cottage.

At last Martyn released her and sat up, rubbing the tension from his aching arm
and Sarah lay back, trying to control her beating heart by taking deep breaths.
She watched as he sat there; a dark figure, barely distinguishable until
lightning lit up his naked back and bowed head. She was grateful; for alone she
would have been terrified and knew that his strength had carried her through the
worst of it.

"All that humid air, I suppose," said Martyn softly. "It was bound to happen."

Sarah didn't reply for she was aware of his nakedness, his strength and his
closeness.

"Sorry if I frightened you, Sarah. I was passing your door and thought I heard a
scream. Were you screaming?"

"Yes. I was so frightened by the noise. You've no idea how loud it seemed in
here. I was........"

"It's going now. Listen."

The thunder was still rumbling, and though it was less intense the dazzling
flashes repeatedly lit the bedroom with their incandescent light.

"Will that be the last of it, do you think?"

"Can't tell, Sarah," said Martyn, "this time of year when the weather's so hot,
we sometimes get a series of storms, for these deep valleys hold so much warm
air that the generate their own climate, so to speak."

"I really hope that's it," laughed Sarah. "I don't think my heart would stand
another one like that."

As if on cue and other rumble sounded, louder and nearer and she looked at the
small window anxiously and felt Martyn leave the bed and she uttered a small
cry.

"Only shutting the door, Sarah."

She saw his dark shape return and breathed a sigh of relief and then she felt
the covers pulled back and his naked legs next to hers. She knew she should say
something, but another crash of thunder sounded and she lay back against the
pillow. She lifted her head as she felt his arm encircle her body and, as he
pulled her towards him. she trembled as she felt her naked breasts against him.

As the storm continued she felt his lips on her forehead and his tender hands
stroking her back and buttocks. She was soothed by his attention and in the
frequent flashes of lightning saw his smiling face looking lovingly at her. He
pulled at a shoulder and she embraced him in return, feeling the muscles of his
back and the strength of his hip and then she was on her back and he was kissing
her lips until they parted and next she was aware of his tongue making soft
darting excursions into her hot mouth.

She moaned, trying to say that this was all wrong, but she was powerless to
speak and was soon lifting her head to meet his burning kisses. Then his lips
were at her breasts, sucking the rigid nipples while his hands teased the soft
hair below her belly.

She was lost and the thunder disappeared to be replaced by the pounding of her
heart and a rhythmic pulse at her temple. His hands were everywhere, and soon
the questing fingers found the soft and slippery groove of her vagina and she
almost leapt as they slid over the nub of her clitoris. He was an expert and,
when his fingers lifted they were replaced by his skillful tongue and Sarah was
beyond control, and being swept along on her own storm of passion.

Soon he was above her and her hand located and then circled his slender manhood
which she directed to her centre and let it slide the greasy channel before
guiding it to the opening and holding her breath.

The invasion was warm, long and very welcome, and she held his buttocks as he
slowly withdrew before plunging forward once more. Her head began to spin as he
settled to a steady rhythm and soon she began to respond and bucked her own hips
to meet his charging lust.

She opened her eyes and a flash of lightning lit up his face, beaded with sweat
and rigid with concentration. She felt the joy of their union and closed her
mind to everything except the rising passion within her.

Too soon she felt herself on the edge of control and felt the thrusting cock
begin a series of jerks which warned her that he too was near.

"I can't hold.......!" she gasped.

"I'm there too darling," he cried. "Let go!"

She quickened to meet his new pace and as the two reached the very pinnacle of
sensation she cried out, and felt the hot bolts of semen shower the deepest part
of her. She pulled him even closer and wrapped her slender legs about his
bucking hips, afraid that his crazy thrusting would dislodge him from her.

Their passion raged for some time and when they finally stopped they lay
together, wet with perspiration, and let their heartbeats slow and their minds
refocus on reality.

Later, side by side they listened, as the far off thunder rumbled its way out to
sea. The window square lightened as the dark clouds cleared from the pale moon
and neither spoke for a long time as they basked in the afterglow of sex.

Sarah left to visit the bathroom and when she returned she went to the window
and looked out over the dark trees edged with watery moonlight.

"Come back to bed," he said, softly.

"I don't know whether I should," she answered.

"Don't you want to?"

"Of course I do. But it's not right, is it?"

"We're both over eighteen and free enough, aren't we?"

"That's hardly the point is it? What about Olwen? What would she say?"

"She'd be delighted, I assure you."

"Why? How? I don't understand."

"She planned all this. You know what she's like. There was no emergency. As far
as I know her Aunt's fine. She set this whole thing up......."

"Do you mean she knows about all of this? But why?"

"For you," he said, gently. "She knew I fancied you, I'd told her so, and she
thought you were feeling insecure about your own worth. She was trying to help,
honestly. Olwen hasn't done this out of badness I assure you, she is genuinely
concerned about you."

"So, I'm one of her lost causes am I? A charity case for her friends to help.
Well you've certainly done your bit Martyn. You can tell her what a good boy you
are - mission accomplished and all that. It'll certainly be something to tell
all your friends about at next year's party won't it? My God. The arrogance of
it all! I........"

Martyn leapt from the bed and held her tightly to him before she could protest
further.

"Stop it! It's not like that, and you know it! I wanted you very much, not
because I felt sorry and wanted to help you, but because I've fancied you since
that night at the party, and told Olwen so. She told me that you were very
vulnerable at present and that I had to leave you be until you'd got your
confidence back. This weekend was planned, I admit, but something's gone wrong.
Olwen was to return tonight, but I suppose the storm spoilt her plans for a
threesome. I honestly came in to see if you were all right and I stayed with you
because you seemed to need me, and I made love t you because I wanted you and I
thought you wanted me."

Sarah listened to what he was saying and her feelings became mixed and she was
less certain than before.

"But why the lies? Why didn't Olwen ask me?"

"Because she likes to be in control. Because she has a vivid imagination.
Because she thinks she knows best. Because........"

Sarah stopped him and began to giggle at his onslaught of words.

"He certainly knows Olwen," she thought and she felt that he was as much a
victim as she and he held her from him and looked dolefully at her.

"Don't be angry, Cariad. I loved every minute of our love making, and it's a
night I'll always remember and one I promise never to talk about with another
soul."

He lifted her face to him and asked,

"Didn't you enjoy it? too?"

"Of course I did, idiot. But it shouldn't have happened this way. Maybe we'd
have made our own decision, given the chance."

"But you know nothing about me, Sarah."

"I know what a sexy man you are. I saw you taking your leave of Olwen the
morning after the party."

"When? How?"

You pulled her dressing gown down and exposed her breasts at the door to the
farm didn't you? Then you kissed her nipple and got her all fired up and left
her, half naked in the farm yard."

"Where were you?" he asked, amazed.

"Never you mind about me."

"Were you excited, Sarah?" he asked.

"I might have been."

"Did you fancy me a little?"

"I'm not saying," she teased.

He kissed her softly and led her towards the low chair near the window then,
sitting on it he pulled her towards him and, pressing his face into her soft
belly, he grasped her to him.

Sarah caressed his hair gently and squeezed his face into her, loving the feel
of his stubbled cheek against here warm and silky flesh. As she felt his knees
between her legs she parted them and then gasped and sighed as his tongue teased
her cunney and sought the centre once more.

Her heart began to beat faster as she leaned over to stroke his back until his
tongue slithered over her sensitive clitoris and she reared up and clasped her
arms about her body. He lifted his face, fording her disappointment, and led her
to the bed before reversing their positions, so that she was sitting before him
and his slender cock was pointing directly at her face. he pushed it towards her
and she gripped it with one hand, feeling the silky smoothness and the rigid
power beneath the warm skin.

"Do it, Sarah." he urged, gently.

Her mind seemed to explode at the seeming enormity of what he was asking, and a
picture of Olwen, kneeling before Mark Tolmey in the sunlit cottage came into
her mind.

She closed her eyes and bent her head towards the weapon and then it was inside
and the heat of her mouth caused it to twitch and swell. She teased it with her
tongue and then enclosed it with her burning lips

Martyn moved closer and then stopped before Sarah could give way to her
apprehension and pull her head back and the two struck up a rhythm and soon
Martyn's shaft was slick and wet as Sarah warmed to her task. She held the base
of it with her fingers, afraid that if her partner lost control he might push
too vigorously and choke her, but Martyn was aware of her fear and stayed in
control.

Later he withdrew and pushed her back across the width of the high bed and then
stood between her outstretched thighs and slid into her wet pussy like a hot
knife into butter.

Their lovemaking was different this time, for they were more aware of their
pleasures; frequently pausing in order to control their rising passions, and
soon Martyn raised himself on one arm, stroking her lovely breasts with his free
hand, and watching the rising excitement in her face. Then he lowered himself
completely and kissed her, tonguing her mouth and whispering breathless word of
passion into her hot gasps.

The joint climax was perfect and they both uttered desperate cries of pleasure
and release and then finally they rolled apart quite exhausted, and slept until
morning.