Chapter 8

The day had been spent visiting the nearby town and taking lunch at a Bistro near the town centre. It was relaxing almost as much as the last few days had been. Bobbie and Meg shopped for provisions, Bobbie's fluent French and the fact that she was a regular visitor to the area meant that they were treated as locals, getting good service and not being ripped off as the tourists would have been. Getting back to the Villa was a relief though. Interesting as the town had been, it had been hot and dusty, the pool at the Villa offering a sanctuary of coolness and calm. Kate looked forward to the evening. She had discovered an area close to the pool but out of direct sight from the patio, where she was certain that she could entice Sef for a while. Their evening meal was more a finger buffet, salads of great red juicy tomatoes and Brie soaked in an aromatic Caesar dressing, fresh fish baked with just sufficient garlic to taste, but not sour the breath, Brioche and sticks of French bread. The food was laid out a number of tables allowing anyone to wander by and select whatever tempted their taste buds. As the gloom of evening deepened, Charles lit candles stuck in tall glass vases sufficient to chase away the dark, but still keep secrets. Dress was chosen to suit the warmth of the evening. The men wore shorts and the girls either shorts or sarongs. Bobbie and Julie were topless, a state in which Kate soon joined them. Reasoning that there was little point in covering that which Sef, she hoped, would soon uncover. Meg and Jillian wore T shirts.

It was getting close to nine o' clock when Kate and Sef wandered off hand in hand watched with amusement by their friends.

"I'll give you ten to one that in twenty minutes Kate's legs will be around his waist." Murmured Jillian.

"Ten to one?" Meg was scornful. "I'd give evens." They exchanged knowing glances. Bobbie had a big smile as she said.

"I have never known my cousin to be that eager." Charles laughed.

"Not even when he went to bed with you?" Bobbie was shocked. She hadn't realised that her husband had known about that.

"How did... ?" Charles took her hand.

"My darling Bobbie. You have been bouncing on him since he was seventeen. Did you not think that I would cotton on to that after ten years? Give me credit my sweet."

"Oh Charlie. I didn't mean to hurt you."

"I know that Bobbie. Nor did I when I had your sister." If Bobbie was shocked before now she was dumbstruck. Julie and Gid were rolling about laughing.

"Saffron?" Asked Bobbie. He nodded.

"And I always thought that Saffron would die a virgin." Charles chuckled.

"That would be 'virgin' on the ridiculous. I can tell you I wasn't the first and that she loves a good swiving."

"Swiving? " Jillian queried.

"It's an archaic word meaning sexual congress. " Gid explained. "You should understand Jill that Charles lives in the past, given his advanced age and all that." Charles took exception to that.

"Gid, I will not remind the assembled company that you are in fact seven months older than me. So if I am at an advanced age, you must be in your dotage." The two friends grinned at each other, they frequently would rib each other about their ages. Alistair joined the conversation.

"Are there any more secrets? My ears are eager for more news of dark secrets and illicit liaisons."

"Bobbie thought it was illicit, but how could it be so when I was aware of Bobbie's peccadillo?" Charles bantered.

"Well yours was illicit husband dear. My sister! Was she good?"

"No darling. She was very, very bad." The laughter was interrupted by the sound of tyres on the gravel at the front of the Villa. Bobbie looked puzzled.

"I wonder who that could be." Charles offered to go, as he was wearing clothes more suitable for answering the door. He came back after a few minutes and gestured for Bobbie to join him. Bobbie wrapped a large scarf around her shoulders and went with him.

In the vestibule of the Villa Charles was talking with a lady. He turned to Bobbie.

Bobbie, this is Mrs. Garner." Bobbie's face showed utter surprise.

"Mrs. Garner. I wasn't expecting you now."

"You did tell Adrienne that I should arrive about nine-thirty."

"Yes, but I meant tomorrow morning."

"Oh!" the simple word spoke of a misunderstanding. "Oh dear. How will I get back? Robert and Adrienne have gone on to see some friends." Bobbie took a pragmatic view.

"Well you here now, so do come and join us. We are relaxing casually, very casually I should say. Give me a moment and I'll make sure that our friends are more suitably dressed."

"Please don't bother on my account. Let me guess. Minimal clothing?" Bobbie opened the scarf she had wrapped around her exposing her topless state.