Chapter 14 Anna’s last trip

Friday was even hotter. There was no wind, not even a breeze, and the air was still. Stephen and Anna had a swim before breakfast, then stood in their front garden with their coffee, looking around them. They were both thinking that this view was going to be theirs - forever, if they wanted.

There would be days in the future when everything looked as calm and beautiful as today, and other times, in the winter, when storms would hit and the sea would become frightening.

Tristan came round at eleven. Anna was out walking.

She and Stephen had already decided that she would go back to London by train that weekend to start work again on Monday morning - but Stephen would stay on another week to sort some things out with Tristan.

'You're not having second thoughts about selling the cottage, are you?' asked Stephen.

'No, not really. It's a big step, though, selling a family house, isn't it?' Tristan drank his coffee thoughtfully. 'But what about you two? Are you OK about it all? It's an even bigger step for you — a complete change of life, really'.

'I personally can't wait to say goodbye to the big city world of advertising,' said Stephen. 'I don't know how I've managed to do it for so long.'

Anna came back in to the cottage looking hot.

'I think I need another swim to cool down. There's no wind today.'

'Mm, I hate to say it but I think the weather is going to change,' said Tristan. 'The forecast says that there'll be a thunderstorm tonight.'

'Just at the right moment, at the end of our holiday!' laughed Anna. 'Perhaps it's trying to tell us something.'

'What,' said Stephen with a smile, 'like there'll be stormy times ahead in our lives?'

'Yeah. Just like in the movies,' Anna said. 'A good storm is the director's way of telling the audience that something terrible is going to happen.'

'Well, I'm going fishing this afternoon before the weather changes,' said Tristan. 'Anyone want to come?' But he was thinking, not anyone, just Anna . . . please.

'I won't,' replied Stephen. 'I want to make some phone calls to the office to see what the latest news is. You go, Anna. It might be cooler on the water - and it'll be your last chance before you go back.'

At three that afternoon, Anna and Tristan left the harbour and went in the direction of the western rocks.

Anna was happy that Stephen had suggested she came with Tristan. She wanted to be alone with him and think things through before she went back to London. The sea was flat and calm as they fished near the rocks.

'Did you have a good time last night at Gino's?' asked Anna. It was no good, she had to know. She was furious with herself, but she realised that she was jealous.

'We didn't go to Gino's, but yes, thanks, we had a nice evening,' he said.

Anna looked at him and found him looking at her.

'Jill went back this morning, to London,' said Tristan.

'She came to say goodbye. She's got a job in Singapore, starting next month.'

'Oh. How do you feel about that?' she asked.

'A bit sad, in some ways. But we'd already accepted that we had no future together, so it wasn't a big surprise. I'll miss her, though.'

Anna felt good. She had been a little bit jealous of Jill. She took Tristan's hand and said, 'I thought she was nice - and you two seemed to get on really well together. I thought she might be coming back to live here.'

Tristan pulled her close. 'Would you have liked that?'

'No, I'm sorry to say, I wouldn't.'

All her mixed-up feelings of the last couple of days were near the surface now. They began kissing. Neither of them wanted to stop. They lay on the floor of the boat, pulling off each other's clothes, and made love eagerly. All the things that they'd been holding back, trying to forget, were set free. Being responsible, being strong-minded, Stephen,

Jill, everything - it was all gone from their minds. It was wonderful - a powerful and completely selfish act.

After lying there next to each other for a while, Anna turned over to face him. 'Oh hell! What have we done?'

'Changed the rules of the game a bit, I'm afraid,' replied Tristan kissing her gently, and feeling very loving towards her.

'I think it was my fault. I'm embarrassed to say it. I was jealous, seeing you with Jill,' Anna admitted.

'I was going to say "Now you know how I feel when you're with Stephen", but it's not the same. I surprise myself sometimes. I don't actually feel jealous of Stephen.

‘Funny, isn't it? But we didn't make love just because of Jill, did we?' he asked anxiously.

'No,' replied Anna, with a smile. 'Because of us.'

Tristan slowly got up, looked around to make sure nobody was near, and jumped over the side of the boat.

'Brrrr, that's fresh!' he said, shaking the water from his hair.

'Why don't you come in?' he said to Anna who was still sitting on the floor of the boat, looking over the side at him. She got into the water and swam with Tristan. The water was cold and took the heat from her body. Tristan climbed back into the boat and watched Anna as she swam towards him. 'You're beautiful, you know,' he said as he pulled her on board. Their cold bodies touched.

'Here.' Tristan passed her a towel from his bag. They dried quickly and put their clothes on. 'Now what?' he said, but was afraid to hear her answer.

'Stephen must never know,' said Anna. 'We must never do that again. We can't! There's no way we can have an affair. Can you imagine, in a place this size — everyone would know about it. In fact, some bird probably saw us and is already spreading the news - to Mrs Lennox, no doubt!'

'Do you really think you can just switch off all your feelings, just like a tap? I'm not sure I can.'

'Well, we've got to.' Reality was hitting Anna, and she was beginning to worry. Had they ruined everything? Would she be able to hide it from Stephen? Should she tell him and make him come back to London and forget about buying the cottage? Tonight was the last night of their holidays, it would be natural for them to make love – could she do it?

'Anna, listen. I know the situation as well as you do. You're probably thinking it's not going to work, the three of us living in such a small place, and you may be right.'

Tristan started the engine. He was feeling very confused.

He didn't want this to be the only time that they made love. But he knew the next move was Anna's. So he continued. 'You've got a choice. Go back to London and take Stephen with you and forget all about Polreath and living here. Or leave things as they are and see what happens. You're going back to London tomorrow anyway. We won't see each other again until you come back. Maybe a bit of time and distance will help. I don't want to ruin everything for you - or for me, either. But I want you in my life.'

'Sounds simple, doesn't it?' said Anna. Tristan had his arm round Anna’s waist. But now she moved gently away.

'You're right, though. When we get back, I think it'd be better if we just said goodbye for now. It'll be less complicated if all I have to do is think about behaving normally until I get on the train tomorrow.'

As the boat came into the harbour, Anna looked up at the cottage and waved to Stephen sitting in the front.

Anna,' said Tristan quietly. 'I'm not sorry about what happened this afternoon, are you?'

'No. But I want to shut it away in a box, and not let it escape. Please, Tristan, can we try and pretend nothing has happened.'

Tristan kissed her. 'Bye, Anna,' he said sadly. 'I don't know how it'll be when we see each other again. But I'm glad you came to Polreath this summer.' He got into his car and drove off leaving Anna to walk home alone.

***

Date: 2015-04-20; view: 704