‘Well, if she won’t do it, then will you?’
‘I’ll jump that when I get to it. Just go and call her,’ he instructed. Hester walked out into the hall and shouted for Bea. Federica followed sheepishly behind her not wanting to be left in the room with Sam. While Hester called for Bea, Federica watched Sam through the crack in the door. He was so handsome she wished she were fifteen too, then he would notice her.
When Bea trotted down the stairs she looked completely different to the scruffy nanny who had helped Federica out of her clothes that winter day when she had fallen through the ice. She was dressed to go out in a very tight black dress with high stiletto shoes and a froth of wild blonde curls that bounced as she walked. Her face was painted like a doll with thick black eyelashes and shiny red lipstick. ‘What do you want, Hester?’ she asked, leaning over the banisters. ‘I’m about to go out.’
‘We wanted you to light a fire for us,’ said Hester.
‘Well, I can hardly do it dressed like this, can I?’ she replied and smiled sympathetically.
‘Sam won’t do it.’
‘Why not?’
‘Because he’s reading.’
‘For goodness’ sake, he’s been reading all day. Where is he?’
‘In the sitting room,’ said Hester, watching as Bea tottered passed them to confront Sam.
Sam sighed and raised his eyes above his book with impatience. When he saw Bea towering over him with her long naked legs strapped into shiny black stilettos he put the book down and sat up in amazement. ‘Sam, can’t you tear yourself away from your book for five minutes and light the girls a fire?’ she said, but Sam wasn’t listening. He was watching her scarlet lips and imagining what they could do for him.
‘Sorry?’ he stammered, shaking his head in order to shatter the image he had conjured up.
‘I said, please can you light the girls a fire?’ Bea repeated impatiently.
‘Yes, of course,’ he replied beneficently.
Bea straightened up. That was easy, she thought to herself in surprise. Usually it was impossible to get Sam to do anything he didn’t want to do. ‘Thank you, Sam,’ she said, selfconsciously pulling her skirt down her thighs as Sam’s eyes crept up it.
‘My pleasure, Bea,’ he replied, regaining his composure. ‘You look very nice
tonight, where are you going?’
To the pub with friends,’ she replied unsteadily.
‘Well, you’ll outshine them all,’ he mused appreciatively.
Thank you.'
‘Make sure you’re escorted, I wouldn’t trust any man to keep his hands to himself with a dress like that,’ he said and smirked at her. Her face flushed.
‘Really, Sam,’ she muttered, pulling it down again. ‘Is it too short?’
‘Not too short, Bea. In fact, it’s too long,’ he replied, imagining what she would look like without a dress on at all.
‘You’re too young to make comments like that.’ She laughed and walked out of the room with faltering steps. There you go, girls, Sam will light your fire,’ she said.
Sam overheard and chuckled to himself. Given half the chance he’d light her fire.
Chapter 14
It was late when Bea crept across the shadows and into her bedroom. She didn’t want to wake the children by turning on the light on the landing so she let the moonlight guide her. She had drunk too much wine and flirted too much with the strange men in the pub. It didn’t matter, weekends were for having fun. After all, the rest of the week she was tied to the nursery and all girls needed to let their hair down every now and then. She closed the door quietly and slipped out of her heels, kicking them across the room.
‘Ouch!’ came a voice in the corner as one of the flying shoes met with flesh. Bea caught her breath and stood as rigid as a dog that has just smelt danger. With a trembling hand she felt across the wall for the light switch. ‘Don’t turn on the light,’ continued the voice, now so close she could feel his breath on her neck.
‘Sam!’ she gasped in relief. ‘What are you doing in here?’
‘I had a nightmare,’ he said and she could detect a grin sweep across his face.
‘Go back to bed,’ she stammered, trying to blink herself back to sobriety.
Sam ran a finger up her neck. She shrugged him off. ‘For God’s sake, Sam. What are you doing?’
‘Don’t pretend you don’t know,’ he whispered.
‘You’re a child,’ she protested.
‘Well, teach me then.’
‘I can’t,’ she said and giggled at the absurdity of their conversation.
‘Why not?’