Chapter 9

Rupert rang up his friend at the Foreign Office who said he thought there were sufficient grounds to refuse a visa and to prevent Marty's entry into the country. He undertook to contact the embassy and ensure no visa was issued. That still did not cover Marty using an agent. Rupert dismissed it.

"I doubt Marty's prepared to spend upwards of five grand plus costs on a wife who knows his secret. My guess is that he will not contest the divorce either because his secret will come out."

Rupert was right. The divorce went through. Leonard and Samantha's solicitor collected all the listed items from the house at Richmond and they were despatched to Carlton Parva.

In the meanwhile Samantha had started her new job and was thoroughly enjoying it. She and Henry were both working long hours but neither minded. They ate simple meals in the evening but did decide to treat themselves on Wednesdays by going out somewhere.

Inevitably, with her looks, intelligence and sense of fun, Samantha started to be taken out and did not go down to the country each weekend as Henry tended to do until he joined Richmond Hockey Club. He continued to see Alison but less frequently. Nevertheless he still enjoyed his evenings with her as did she with him. He introduced her to Samantha. The two of them got on well enough but Samantha was not that taken with her.

"Just as well she turned me down without you to guide me," joked Henry.

Samantha made a rude noise but on further reflection realised that there was an element of jealousy in her reaction to Alison.

"So stupid of me," she thought. "They're just friends."

All the same the thought worried her and she wondered whether Henry had felt the same when she became engaged to Marty. As usual, she shared her thoughts with Henry.

"Yes," he said cheerfully. "I was jealous. I think most brothers are who are close to their sisters but you realise that, unless they are dyed in the wool spinsters, you're going to lose them to another man in the end so you live with it."

"I suppose but I was happily married when Alison came on the scene."

"Still natural. You, possibly unknowingly, still felt that you were losing some love."

She did not pursue it. Neither was in love with someone else and they were as close as they had ever been.

After Samantha had been about a year in her job, some common friends invited them to go nightclubbing one Friday. There were an unattached male and an unattached female in the party. It was the same as when Henry and Samantha had been teenagers. They danced with the others but most of all with each other. Both enjoyed it.

"We're pretty selfish," said Henry when they got back to the flat. "I'm pretty sure that Charles and Elaine were match-making."

"Yeah sure but we preferred each other."

It might have sounded a throw-away line but Henry knew it was true.

"Is that always going to be true?"

"A lot of the time."

There was a long silence while they looked at each other and searched each other's eyes.

"All of the time?" he whispered.

She nodded, unable to speak.

He took her face in his hands. "Oh, thank God!"

He touched his lips to hers. She whimpered and put her arms round him. The kiss deepened. Their arms tightened round each other.

"Why have we waited so long?" she asked.

"Because we've been brought up to consider ourselves brother and sister."

She nodded thoughtfully. "When I said yes to Marty I half felt I was betraying you."

"I don't think my heart was fully in wooing Alison. In some ways, when she told me she'd never marry me I was relieved."

He kissed the tip of her nose. "So Charles and Elaine's matchmaking worked but not quite the way they expected."

She chuckled happily. "A very good way though."

"A very good way, my sweet Sams."

They kissed again. It was long and passionate.

"Would you like a nightcap?"Henry asked her.

"Why not? We don't have to get up with the sparrows in the morning."

"Wine?"

"Is there anything harder?"

"You are being daring. I think there's some Calvados."

He hunted in the drinks cupboard and emerged triumphant. He poured two glasses and they took them to the sofa.

"Here's to us," she said and they touched glasses. "I love you, Henry, and now I can show you just how much."

"Yum," grinned Henry. "We can have a competition."

She grinned back. "What are the rules?"

"We'll make them up as we go along."

"I'll make one up now: neither of us ever wins or loses."

"I think we'd better kiss on that."

They did so gently looking into each other's eyes.

"I think I need to put my drink down," said Henry suiting the action to the words. Samantha copied him and they clung to each other. With one hand behind her head Henry held her lips to his. With the other he gently stroked her back.

They came up for breath and picked up their drinks again.

"Are we going to sleep together?" she asked demurely.

He shook his head. "I don't know about that," he said thoughtfully.

Samantha looked both surprised and disappointed.

"I don't know whether we'll have time," he added.

"Beast! You really had me worried for a moment."

"Good! I'll have to kiss you better."

He did so without the need for them to put down their drinks.

Samantha swirled the last of hers round and drank it.

"It's past my bed time," she said coyly.

Henry leapt to his feet and picked her up off the sofa.

"Ooh you are strong," she giggled.

"Me Tarzan."

"Well I'm not Plain Jane."

"No my beautiful one, you're most certainly not."

He put her gently down in his bedroom and kissed her.

"Do you want me to get your nighty?"

She shook her head. "First one naked gets a kiss," she said and started pulling off her clothes. She won and stood there exultantly with a huge smile. Henry was still hopping about trying to get his last sock off. He succeeded and then stood there looking at her.

"You really are very, very beautiful," he whispered. "Turn round."

She did so.

"You're a goddess."

She turned back round and ran an appraising eye over him.

"You'll do too. Turn round. Very well indeed."

He turned back round and they pressed their bodies against each other. They both explored the other's back and bottom. Henry moved her slowly backwards so that she fell onto the bed. He rolled them onto their sides. He wriggled down so that they could kiss again. His hand continued to stroke her back and then her sides. She pulled away slightly so that he could get at her breast. He caressed it and then gently kneaded it. She sighed with pleasure. He bent his head and took the nipple in his mouth. He sucked it and teased it with his tongue. She moaned. She grasped his penis.