Chapter 7

The train was due at six thirty-five and the station was only yards from the docks. They wandered round the town, sometimes the three, sometimes the girls on their own as Ted investigated a second-hand bookshop or chandlery. They bought kippers from the smoke-house, salad makings, fresh milk and bread from a supermarket.

"I want to meet the train," Cherry said, "do you mind?"

Linnet took her hand. "Do you mean you want to meet the train on your own, or that you want us all to meet the train?"

"I meant, on my own..." Cherry said, "but perhaps you could come with me, Linnet? Just give me a little space to say hello to Dad?"

The train was late. Oh, not much, just five minutes, but Linnet could feel the tension in the younger girl as they waited. Linnet didn't recognise the man amongst the others who alighted from the DMU train, but Cherry did, ran to him and clung to him. The two just clung to each other for an age as Linnet watched. Then Cherry tucked herself under her father's arm and they walked slowly towards her.

He looked as though he'd aged twenty years since they'd last seen each other.

"Miss Masters," he greeted her, "thank you for coming with Cherry to meet me."

"Linnet," she said.

He smiled, a tired smile, but still a smile. "Linnet, then. And I'm Dennis. You may as well know ... it may help to know ... that my wife and I are divorcing. At the moment she's agreeing that Cherry shall stay with me. But ... shall we get back to Serendipity?"

She nodded and with Cherry still clinging to her father, they set off the small distance back to the yacht basin.

They ate a late tea of kippers, crusty bread and salad without saying very much, but afterwards, "Skipper," Dennis began, "perhaps I could prevail upon you for a glass of that Bushmills you have tucked away?"

Ted raised his eyebrows. "Certainly ... perhaps the ladies would like a glass of wine while we indulge."

"Good idea. If they wish?"

"Yes, please, Daddy," Cherry said, looking at Linnet, who nodded. "Linnet, too."

Once they were all settled, "Baby," Dennis began, looking at Cherry, "at the end of this week I will need to go back to work. You'll be on your own. I was wondering, if you like the idea, if Linnet and Ted would be willing to keep you here."

Cherry gasped. "But, won't you be lonely in the evenings?"

"I won't be there enough to be lonely for a few weeks anyway. This holiday ... well, I just grabbed an opportunity and squeezed it in. You know why. But you like the idea?"

"Oh, yes. But ... is it possible?"

Linnet and Ted looked at each other. "Linnet," Ted said, "it's up to you as much as me. I'd ship her as third hand if she wants, but she'll be your charge day to day."

Cherry's eyes were darting from one to the other. "Please ... I'll work hard..."

"I believe you, Cherry," Ted commented.

"Okay..." Linnet began slowly, "Cherry, this won't be us letting you do things, this'll be us telling you to do things. It's fun, yes, but it's also hard work and often dirty. You can't stay in your cabin if the rain is pelting down. You'll be tired, you'll ache, you'll be wet. You'll get shouted at, sometimes when you've done nothing wrong. You won't have a cabin to yourself, you'll share the fo'c'sle with me. The decks over the fo'c'sle bunks aren't always waterproof. On Reminder, one of the fo'c'sle bunks has a leak over it. But from what I've seen, you can take it."

"Please! I want to!"

"Very well, Baby," Dennis said, "tomorrow we'll buy you some serious waterproofs and a sleeping bag. But in the meantime, we've got until Sunday, and it's your birthday tomorrow. What would you like to do?"

Linnet noticed an expression she could only describe as 'predatory' pass over Cherry's pretty face before she schooled it into something more polite. "There's a bowling alley. Could we do that in the afternoon and have a nice dinner in the evening? Back to sea on Thursday? If there's no bowling, perhaps a film?"

"Sounds like a plan," Dennis said, looking slightly less worn than when he'd arrived. "I don't know about you people, but I'm worn out and there's a bed calling for me forward of here." He stood, paused to kiss his daughter on the cheek, and left the saloon.

"Can I have a word, Linnet?" Cherry asked, moments later.

"Of course." Linnet looked at Ted, "If you don't mind, Skipper? I'll wash up in a minute."

"Don't worry. Look after Cherry. You prepared the meal, I'll clear up. Then I'm for bed, too."

In Cherry's little cabin, the girls sat side by side on the bunk, skewed slightly to face one another. Cherry's head was down.

"Okay, Cherry. Want to talk?"

The girl looked up. "I ... erm..." her head dropped again.

"Go on. I won't judge."

"Really? It's just ... I'm sixteen tomorrow..."

"Ah. And you ... want to lose your virginity? I don't think Ted will be willing. Though I know he does think you're sexy."

"Really? He does? No. Actually, I want my father."

There was a very long pause as Linnet assimilated that, but then she nodded. "I get that. He's an attractive man and he obviously cares for you – loves you – deeply. But you've got a problem unless he can get past the incest thing."

"I know. I was going to do what I did with Ted. I'd be happy just to spend the night, even without the sex. But I think he needs me as much as I want him."

"It's worth a try, I suppose. If he creates a fuss, tell him to talk to Ted."

A little later, Linnet and Ted were so involved that they were taking no interest in anything outside their cabin, not that they'd have heard the low-voiced conversation in the double cabin forward.

"Baby, you mustn't sleep here with me..."

"Daddy? I need to cuddle with you ... please don't push me away..."

"But..."

Not for the first time, Linnet and Ted slept with his penis deeply embedded in her pussy. If there were limits to their emotional satisfaction, physically they were wholly content. They both slept well and on waking Linnet initiated another round. There being no sign of Thornton père et la fille, they walked along to the showers before breakfast. In fact they were sitting with bacon sandwiches and coffee when an embarrassed Dennis Thornton followed his daughter to the saloon.

"Sit and finish your breakfast, Linnet," Dennis said as she half rose, "I think my daughter is quite able to get us some breakfast. She seems to think so, anyway." A wry smile appeared on his face.

"Happy birthday, Cherry," Linnet chirped, closely followed by Ted.

She coloured and smiled, dipping her head. "Thank you, Skipper, Linnet."

As Cherry was grilling bacon and brewing fresh coffee, Dennis coughed before asking Ted, "I gather there's a maritime museum in the town. I was hoping you'd keep me company on a walk round there. I think Linnet and my daughter will be able to occupy themselves until lunch time. There's an Italian restaurant not far from the bowling alley – Adriano's – I thought we could meet there for lunch. Cherry..."