Harkett's Haven Read online

  ‘Eric, I’m feeling the effects of .....my earlier swim. I’m exhausted and I don’t think I can stay awake much longer. Could you show me where I’ll be sleeping?’

  ‘I meant it when I said that you’ll be with Esme. I’ll be on the chair in the corner. It’s very important that you are both monitored for the first night after something like this.’

  ‘I’m too tired to protest...and I do understand,’ she shrugged resignedly and stood up. She had to hold on to the corner of the sofa, dizziness overtaking her again.

  Eric stood up and scooped her into his arms.

  ‘It’s easier this way.’ He lifted her effortlessly and Rachel was happy to be carried. His strong arms held her tight and she laid her head against his chest. He smelled of fresh linen, his aftershave woody and subtle. The room he took her to was dimly lit, Esme just visible tucked under the blanket. The only sound was the rain and wind howling outside.

  Eric placed her carefully on the opposite side of the bed from Esme and grateful, she tucked under the cotton sheets and sank into the soft pillow.

  Eric bent over her,

  ‘Goodnight Rachel.’ and softly kissed her forehead, ‘Thank you.’

  He went to a large high backed chair in the corner of the room and pulled a blanket over himself. Rachel couldn’t keep her eyes open any longer and the wind and rain hammering on the window, scary and life-threatening before, soothed her to sleep.

  She knew nothing more until a small pair of arms crept round her. She took a moment to remember where she was and what had happened. The early morning sunrise cast a warm glow into the bedroom where they all now slept. Eric was asleep in the chair in the corner and Esme had moved over to Rachel’s side of the bed and cuddled into her. Rachel held her small warm arms, delighted and touched by the little girl’s gesture of affection. Warm and comfortable, Rachel fell asleep once again and didn’t wake until she felt someone touching her hair. Esme had sat up beside her and was plaiting her hair. Eric was no longer in the room.

  ‘Hi Esme. My name’s Rachel. This is kind of a strange way to meet isn’t it?’

  The girl remained silent for a moment.

  ‘You’re very pretty.’

  ‘That’s a lovely thing to say. Thank you. So are you.’

  Esme continued to plait Rachel’s long hair.

  ‘Can you wait here until I get a ribbon from my room?’

  ‘Sure. I won’t move a muscle.’

  Esme jumped off the bed and ran out the room.

  A moment later she was back and tying Rachel’s plait.

  ‘There!’ she said triumphantly.

  ‘Thanks Esme. Great job. Now, how about some breakfast?’

  ‘Yes. I’m starving.’

  ‘Me too. Come on then. Show me where to go.’

  Esme bounded off the bed. Rachel was delighted to see that the girl seemed to have suffered no ill-effects from the previous day. She on the other hand, felt like she had been through a clothes wringer. Her arm throbbed and every muscle in her body protested when she moved to stand up.

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  She got up slowly and walked to the window. Pulling the blinds aside, the view that met her was dazzling. The storm had passed and the day was serene and beautiful, the sea tranquil and sparkling. A gentle breeze pushed cotton clouds across the pale blue sky. The place was deserted and beautiful but, out of place in this wilderness, a smartly dressed woman was walking fast and with purpose towards the house.

  ‘Rachel.....Rachel...’

  Esme was shouting on her from downstairs.

  ‘Coming.’ She called back.

  She made her way slowly to the door and down the stairs. Eric was in the kitchen and smiled at her as she made her way gingerly down the wooden steps.

  ‘Esme. Look who turned up last night.’ He nodded to a basket in the corner of the room in which a small Jack Russell terrier was nestled, fast asleep.

  ‘Jack!’ Esme shouted ecstatically.

  Eric smiled apologetically at Rachel and shrugged, ‘Not the most original of names for a terrier, I know.’

  The little dog woke at the sound of Esme’s voice and danced and bounced around her legs. The girl was overwhelmed with emotion, picking up the little dog and hugging it tight, letting it lick her face.

  ‘How about some egg and toast? Speciality in this house....’

  ‘Sounds great......’

  She noticed him glance up at her again as she walked down the stair, this time his eyes lingering on her breasts. It was a brief but telling look which left Rachel with mixed feelings. She had vowed to not get involved with anyone after Tom but she felt the stirrings of attraction to Eric that was hard to ignore.

  A bell rang.

  Esme and Jack ran to the door.

  ‘I’ll get it Dad.’

  Eric could not keep his eyes off Rachel, smiling at her as she made her way to the kitchen.

  ‘You look incredible Rachel. I mean.... considering what you went through yesterday. Come and sit down.’

  She sat down at one of the chairs at the huge oak table.

  ‘Claire’s here Dad,’ Esme called over.

  Rachel turned to see the smartly dressed woman she had seen from the upstairs window.

  The look of disgust on the woman’s face when she saw Rachel was instant.

  ‘I came here to check you were OK. I can see that you’re more than OK.’ Her voice rose, bitter and accusatory, and she choked back a sob.

  Esmen> ran to Rachel’s side, oblivious to the charged, tense atmosphere.

  ‘Look Claire. I plaited Rachel’s hair.’

  Tears started to stream down the woman’s face. She was a pretty blonde, late twenties to early thirties by Rachel’s estimation. She wore a dark trouser suit and heels.

  ‘For God’s sake Claire......Meet Rachel. Esme nearly drowned yesterday. Rachel saved her life. She nearly drowned herself. She was hypothermic, lost a lot of blood. You know yourself that the roads were closed last night. She had to stay here.’

  Claire raked in her bag for something, fishing out a tissue and dabbing at her tears. Rachel could see that her presence here was causing Claire a great deal of distress.

  ‘Eric. I’ll take Esme upstairs. She can show me her room..... Come on Esme.’

  Rachel turned to Claire as she left, ‘Please. You’ve nothing to worry about. It’s just as Eric’s said. It’s the truth. I’ll be leaving shortly.’

  Esme was delighted and ran to the stairs to wait for her.

  ‘Rachel, there’s no need for you.....’ Eric’s voice was low and angry.

  ‘Really. It’s OK.’ She smiled.

  Esme took her hand and guided her up the stairs. She could hear raised voices from below her.

  ‘Esme. I need to pee. I’ll just be a minute.’

  Esme pointed to her bedroom door, ‘This is my room.’

  ‘I’ll remember. Don’t worry,’ Rachel laughed.

  She closed the door to the huge bathroom, went to the sink and splashed her face. By some quirk of acoustics, the voices in the kitchen below could be heard clearly in the bathroom.

  Rachel felt guilty listening to this private conversation but couldn’t help overhear.

  Eric’s voice was low and derisory. ‘Don’t ever come here claiming some kind of right to me. That woman saved my daughter yesterday and here you are, making unfounded accusations without thinking to check the facts.’

  Rachel could hear Claire sob and Eric pause briefly.

  ‘Let’s be clear about this....go over a few facts to make things clear between us. I told you from the start that I only wanted a physical relationship. I thought you understood that it was only ever sex for me Claire. I was always straight with you about this.’

  ‘I thought.....I thought I meant more to you that just a .....just a..fumble when you felt the urge.’

  Rachel could hear her sob.

  ‘You’ve read more into our relationship than there was.’ His voice was angry and frustrated.
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  ‘It’s all just sex for you isn’t it Eric. Your last conquest warned me that’s all I was. I wish I’d bloody well listened to her. And now you’re moving on with that... that...... upstairs. I saw the way you looked at her.’

  ‘I think you should leave. Your jealousy disgusts me.’ His voice was hard.

  Rachel could hear her sob again.

  ‘I love you Eric.’

  ‘You’ve got it wrong. I thought.....’

  ‘You thought wrong.’ There was another pause. ‘I love you Eric.’

  ‘What a bloody mess..... Do I have to spell it out? I don’t love you Claire. I have no feelings for you. None. Please...... please just leave.’ His voice was dismissive and angry.

  Rachel found herself holding her breath and decided that she had already heard too much. She splashed her face with water and found herself wondering about Eric. He intrigued her and she wanted to find out more about him. The man, the widower, the doctor, the father, the user. After all she had been through, her head told her that she should not enquire further, to leave Eric Harkett as soon as possible and not look back. And yet she was curious.

  She went to Esme’s room.

  Rachel expected to see a blaze of pink but was surprised to find a tranquil white and pale blue colour scheme. Paintings and pastel drawings of the sea hung on the walls; Esme was an accomplished artist for such a young girl. There was only one toy, a soft brown bear, on the bed.

  ‘Wow. This is a great room.’

  Esme blushed and went back to sketching something in a little book.

  Rachel walked over to Esme’s bed and picked up the bear.

  ‘Who’s this then?’

  ‘My Mum gave him to me.’

  ‘Well, he’s a lovely bear.’

  ‘Mum’s dead.’

  Esme said this matter of factly, still concentrating on what she was sketching. Rachel’s heart went out to the small, motherless girl sitting on the bed.

  ‘I’m so sorry Esme.’

  ‘I’m not. She wasn’t a nice lady.’

  Rachel didn’t know what to say. She was shocked by the little girl’s statement.

  She sat on the bed.

  ‘How are my girls doing?’ Eric had appeared by the door, leaning on the door post, watching them both.

  ‘We’re fine Dad. Can we have breakfast now?’

  p>

‘It’s ready. Come and get it.’

  Esme bounded up and ran past her Dad.

  Eric walked towards Rachel and took her hand, pulling her gently up off the bed.

  He stood very close to her.

  ‘You’re very beautiful Rachel.’ He pushed a stray strand of hair back from her face.

  ‘I’m so hungry and toast smells great.’ She smiled, walked past him and out of the room. Her heart was beating furiously, and she felt suddenly vulnerable and uncomfortable.

  Rachel had come to this remote peninsula to escape. She needed to get back to the simple life she had built for herself in the months since she had arrived. She needed to leave this beautiful house and Eric Harkett as soon as possible. The complications any kind of relationship with Eric and his daughter would bring would be too much to cope with at this vulnerable moment in her life.

  2.

  Rachel made her way back down the stairs and joined Esme at the kitchen table.

  ‘You had me worried yesterday kiddo,’ she winked at Esme.

  Esme beamed at her and shuffled her chair closer to Rachel’s.

  Eric plated up the food and brought it to them.

  ‘Ladies, please tuck in to the house special.’

  He had stacked a plate with thick, cut brown toast and eggs in cups. They all filled their plates and a comfortable silence ensued as they all ate. Esme slipped some toast off her plate trying to give Jack a secret treat as he begged for food under the table but Jack’s snapping jaws gave the game away and they all laughed.

  Esme shrugged apologetically,

  ‘He deserves a treat after yesterday.’

  ‘I can’t argue with that.’ Eric nudged her and winked.

  ‘So Esme, how long have you had Jack?’ Rachel asked.

  Esme glanced at her father, who continued to eat, pointedly avoiding his daughter’s eyes.

  ‘We got Jack after Mum died.’

  ‘Esme, I’m sorry. I really don’t mean to keep bringing back memories of what must’ve been a really difficult time for you and your Dad.’

  Rachel wished the ground would open up and swallow her.

  Sensing her discomfort, Eric touched her arm. ‘It’s OK Rachel, really. You’re not to know what .....what happened.’

  Esme slipped another piece of toast to Jack and the tension was broken by Jack’s snapping jaws. They all laughed again.

  ‘Do you work in the locally Eric?’ Rachel asked, sure that she mr aust be on safer territory with this question.

  ‘Yes, there’s just the three of us at the medical practice here and we service the peninsula and a lot of the smaller islands. It can get very...well...interesting at times.’

  ‘I can imagine. You must have a great repertoire of after dinner stories to tell.’

  He laughed and nodded, ‘That’s for sure.’

  ‘So how long have you been at Ariskaig?’

  Esme chipped in, ‘Since Mum died. Two years ago.’

  Rachel held her head in her hands and sighed.

  ‘I’m not doing so great here, am I?’ Lifting her head she smiled at Esme.

  ‘Well, I’ve eaten more that I should’ve and it’s time I made my way back home.’

  She stood up from the table.

  ‘Please stay.’ There was an element of panic in Esme’s voice and she held on to Rachel’s hand.

  Rachel sat down again, put her arms round the small girl and hugged her close.

  ‘We’ve had a real adventure, you and I. Haven’t we?’

  The small voice came back, ‘Yes.’ Barely more than a whisper.

  ‘You can come and visit me anytime...if it’s OK with Dad of course. I live just a couple of miles up the coast.’ Rachel cast a glance at Eric who was watching them closely.

  Eric stood up.

  ‘Rachel. Please stay a little longer. You saved my daughter but I.....we hardly know anything about you.’

  Rachel hesitated. ‘I have to...’

  Eric placed his finger on her lips.

  ‘Please.’

  ‘Please Rachel?’ begged Esme.

  Struggling to think of a reason strong enough to walk out the door and concerned about Esme’s reaction to her departure, she said,

  ‘I guess another coffee wouldn’t hurt.’

  Esme jumped up and hugged her. Rachel hugged her back and then the girl skipped off to the sofas and the living room area, calling Jack to follow her. As soon as Rachel said she was going to stay, Esme’s fear of seeing her leave had evaporated like a puddle of water on a hot day.

  ‘I meant what I said Eric. Esme’s more than welcome to visit any time.’

  ‘I know she’d love that.....she’s taken a real shine to you.’ He lifted the percolator and refilled her mug.

  ‘I’m sure it has everything to do with the way we met yesterday. I think her feelings of ......attachment will pass in a few days.’

  ‘Possibly....so tell me a bit more abont bit morut you Rachel. I don’t even know your full name.’

  She smiled at him, heart beating fast, wondering how much to tell.

  ‘Well there’s not much to say really. My name’s Rachel Somerville and I live a couple of miles down the coast.’

  ‘Are you married?’

  Wooa, she thought That was right in there.

  ‘No......no I’m not,’ she kept her eyes lowered, unable to meet his steady gaze.

  ‘Anyone else in your life?’

  ‘You’re very direct Eric.’ She met his gaze this time challenging his questioning.

  ‘I’ve found that as I’ve got older....and especially sinc
e my wife died....that I see little point in too much small talk.’

  ‘Makes a refreshing change I guess.’ She shrugged and smiled at him.

  ‘So anyone else in your life?’

  ‘No!’ She gave a small sigh of exasperation.

  ‘I’m very attracted to you Rachel. I’d like to see you again....’

  Rachel couldn’t help laugh.

  ‘What’s so funny?’ He smiled at her.

  ‘I feel bad even admitting this but when Claire came round and I went upstairs with Esme, I had to go to the loo.’

  Eric covered his eyes with his hands and then rubbed his temples, a pained expression on his face.

  ‘You heard then.’

  ‘Sorry, I couldn’t help but hear your conversation.....’

  He paused for a moment, composing is words.

  ‘Rachel, I lost my wife just over two years ago..and well... Esme and I went through a lot leading up to her death. It was after that that I....that I slept with a few women. It was a release for me. Nothing more. And I never once lead these women up the garden path. I always told them that I wasn’t ready for anything more than a physical relationship. Claire read more into it than she should’ve and I had to tell her straight. It’s the only way to get through to her. I know it might have sounded cruel ........’

  ‘I’m really sorry about your wife Eric but I’m not ready to be the next in line of your ‘just physical’ relationships if that’s what you’re getting at..... I have my own battle scars to deal with and sex isn’t what I’m looking for.’

  Standing, she turned from Eric and watched Esme, who had now settled on the sofa, Jack in her arms, watching a cartoon on the television.

  ‘I have to go now.’

  ‘You’re running from something.’

  His words were like ice poured down her back.

  She turned to face him, fear written over her face.

  ‘You know nothing about me,’ she whispered.

  ‘Your reaction says it all.’ He crossed to stand in front of her and took her in his arms. She tried to push him from her but he held her tight.

  ‘It’s OK Rachel. You’re safe with me....with us.’