Chapter 2

I held Laurel and whispered words of comfort in her ears until the sobs settled into the occasional hiccup.

"You'd better go to your bed now, my little lady," I said.

"Yes, Dad," she said and hugged me tighter. "I meant it about my virginity."

"I know, but that's not a gift I can accept," I replied.

"I'll do anything to keep my Dad," she said.

"You shouldn't have to do that," I replied kindly.

"Mum has me on the pill," she explained as if that might persuade me.

"Laurel..." I began.

"Just think about it, Dad, please," she said as she finally let go and slipped out of the room leaving me hot, bothered, aroused and utterly confused as to why my fourteen year old daughter would want her dad to deflower her ... or even have sex with her at all. I mean, what the hell could have been going on at their house to bring this on?

Sleep did not come easily to me that night, but it eventually came. As was my want, I rose at dawn, pulled on my ratty old slippers and a warm robe and quietly set up a pot of coffee in the filter machine before going out on the porch. With my mug in my hand I watched the sun rise and start to melt the layers of frost covering the forest. I'd been out five minutes when the door opened again and Nancy stepped out with a coffee of her own.

"Morning, David," she murmured.

"Morning," I replied quietly.

"It's beautiful out here," she said.

"Yes," I replied and pointed down to where a small stream bubbled through.

"What am I looking for? Ohhh!" she gasped as she caught her first sight of Ted and Bella, the otter family who inhabited the clearing. "Oh they're beautiful ... and wild too?"

"Yes, though Ted, the male, will approach to within a few feet if you have food," I replied. "Bella not so much."

"Oh, this is wonderful. I never expected anything like this," Nancy replied.

"Anything like what," Gwen said as she came through the door, coffee mug in hand.

Nancy pointed and Gwen's mouth formed a perfect O of surprise and delight.

"Oh, I wish I had a camera," Gwen said.

"I have pictures in both print and digital form you can have," I said.

"Thank you, David. I'd appreciate that," Gwen replied before taking Nancy in her arms.

"I can't apologise enough," Nancy began.

"I know. I was really pissed off with you yesterday, because you had no right to do what you did. But as David said, it was five years ago and we've had a good life. So, yes, I forgive you," Gwen said quietly.

"Thank you, I missed you last night," Nancy replied.

"Oh, I thought you kept David company, as I saw you creep into his room," Gwen said with a wink.

"Erm ... OK. I admit I was being nosey about what you and he discussed, but I didn't spend the night there. I did kiss him though," Nancy said, blushing furiously.

"He does kiss nice," Gwen giggled with a raised eyebrow, looking directly at me.

"He does, but the odd thing was, for all he's a man, I felt safe and comfortable with him and under no threat whatsoever, which has me confused as hell, because you know what I'm like," Nancy admitted.

"I do and despite your claims, I've never really considered you a lesbian. You simply don't look at other women in an appraising manner, even those whom you have admitted you had relationships in the past. I suspect you simply used it as a shield to keep men away, as you were dreadfully afraid of them ... still are really," Gwen said.

"So what do you consider me as?" Nancy asked confused.

"My sexy lover of course," Gwen replied. "Other women simply don't interest me and I'm not attracted to them at all ... but you, yes I'm attracted to."

"And other men?" asked Nancy tentatively.

"Just David here, whom despite everything, I've never really stopped loving," Gwen admitted.

"I know," said Nancy. "It's why I really thought coming here was a bad idea."

"What? In case I jump his bones and kick you out?" Gwen asked.

"Yes."

"Oh dear heart, I love you truly, madly, deeply and won't cast you aside simply because my ex has an effect on me," Gwen said, holding Nancy tightly.

"And I'm not going to ask Gwen to stay with me here or choose between us," I added.

"Pity in one sense, as this place is just so beautiful," Gwen replied to me. "But thank you for not trying to make me choose."

"Yes, thank you David," said an emotionally upset Nancy.

"Of course if I could persuade the pair of you to live here and share..." grinned Gwen wickedly just as the door opened and the girls came out leaving me shocked and Nancy blushing furiously.

Jenny and Laurel were just as thrilled to see the otters as their Mum and Nancy. The four women remained outside in the cold to simply watch as I went in to shower, shave and prepare breakfast. As my cabin and two other satellite cabins often got guests at short notice I had a goodly supply of dried foodstuff as well as cans of various meat and vegetables, though I mostly ate meat that I'd killed and dressed myself, making use of a mincer and sausage skin inserter I'd picked up cheap on eBay. Stuff like bacon was sourced via local farms and came in bulk to be jointed and frozen. Eggs were easy, the local farms produced hundreds of free range ones and so a full English was easily within reach, provided you didn't mind the sausages being venison from a culled roe deer.

Eventually they came in when I called and settled down, Laurel choosing cereal with milk, the rest going for the platters of meat, beans, tomatoes and potato patties I'd scrounged up.

After breakfast and the washing up the ladies sorted out showers and I checked over the large scale map in my office to make sure the route I was taking wouldn't be too hard on Nancy, Jenny or Laurel.

Before we left I showed Gwen how the wood burning range needed topping up occasionally and the few other idiosyncrasies of the cabin, though the main one of why the toilet didn't have a flush had been explained the night before. I also left a spare radio with Gwen in case she needed to contact us. Mostly I expected she was going to be on the PC, talking, as Jenny's parent, to her solicitors via email.

The other good thing was that Gwen had dumped the dowdy clothing and was wearing tight jeans and T-shirt, covered by a warm fleece and looked lovely again, getting compliments off the girls and Nancy too.

We set off through the woods following the eastern trail. The girls were wrapped up warm with stout boots, thermal leggings, and layered upper clothing topped with hats and scarves. Nancy was in jeans and boots but wore a thick puffed bodywarmer over a fleece along with just gloves. I was in my usual gear of waterproofed canvas trousers, boots with gaiters, thick jumper and osmotic undershirt covered by a Barbour jacket. I wore a thermal cloth hat but kept my hands free as I was also carrying my shotgun over my shoulder.

"Why the gun?" asked Nancy.

"I have to deal with occasional pests and rogue species," I replied.

"Pests?" she asked.

"Canada geese, mink, non-native species that are driving out others," I answered.

"Oh," she replied and went back to walking quietly next to me whilst I kept an eye on the girls walking ahead and tried not to admire their pert bottoms and shapely legs.

We'd gone about an hour when I called a halt and pointed out some deer tracks as well as a few droppings.

"If we go quietly we may spot a few, so watch where you tread," I said.

"Yes, dad," breathed Jenny.

I quietly led the way, wincing at the noises made by the three behind me as their idea of quiet didn't come up to my standards.

Still, with the breeze blowing into our faces, we might get a chance I mused.

I stopped and slowly raised my hand and beckoned them forward taking my binoculars out of their holder.

"Ahead and to the right," I breathed as I handed Jenny the binoculars.

"I can't see anything," she whispered back.

I stood behind her and slowly moved her head until it was pointing at the herd in the clearing across a small gully.

"Oh my God! There's loads," Jenny whispered almost bouncing in her excitement and pressing back into me causing an unfortunate reaction ... Well, I deemed it unfortunate, Jenny either didn't notice or decided to tease me by pressing back on my erection with her bottom and doing it in a manner that was excruciatingly erotic.

"Could I see?" asked Laurel who took the binoculars off a reluctant Jenny and moved her out of the way so she could lean against me too.

With Laurel I was dead certain it was deliberate. Particularly after our conversation last night, as she pushed back and almost grasped my erection with her bottom cheeks as I helped her spot the herd.

"Oh, that's lovely," she sighed as I wondered whether to pull away and let the world know what I was sporting as I really didn't want Nancy seeing it.

As it was, Nancy asked if she could have a look and Laurel grudgingly handed over the binoculars, only for Nancy to take her place too, although initially I managed to keep a little distance.

"Oh, I see them," she breathed and leaned forward pushing herself back against me, only to pause as I believe she was wondering just what she could feel.

Whatever it was, she didn't object and indeed pushed back a little harder seemingly savouring the moment until I called a halt and sent them forward and watched the herd scatter as humans intruded on their feeding. All I could do was pull my jacket down and hope no one commented. As it was, the girls led and I walked side by side with Nancy.

"I couldn't help but notice..." she began with a wicked little smile on her lips.

"Natural reaction," I said, blushing.

"Thought you didn't like me?" she kept prodding.

"Nothing wrong with your body," I replied.

"Ooh, you like my body?" she giggled quietly.

"And your kisses," I finished.

"Why thank you, David. Believe it or not that's boosted my ego no end as I rather enjoyed the feelings myself, thinking it's nice to be desired that way and not feel threatened," she said.

"I'm no threat to you, Nancy," I said.

"I know, that's what I think lets me be ... normal with you," she said blushing slightly.

"As I said last night, I don't think I'm any sort of cure," I replied.

"I know, but I know if I want male company, who to see," she said.

We walked in silence and I pointed out a few things including various sets, tracks, types of tree and the effects of all the recent rain by way of erosion, the odd landslip and fallen trees.

Soon we approached the cabin again and I led them inside to greet Gwen who had been busy and made us all lunch.

"Could I trouble you to go to the shop and get me these?" she asked handing me a list.

"No problem, but it'll take a while as although it's not too far as the crow flies with the tracks and roads it can take up to an hour each way," I said.

I checked the time and decided the other circuit could wait.

"I might need to go over the border to Jedburgh Co-op or Boots the chemist for some of these. Hell I don't even know what some of them are," I mused as I looked down the list.

"Can I go with you, Dad?" asked Laurel.

"You and Jenny will be staying here. I've booked you a session with your online tutor," said Gwen, to the girls' obvious disappointment. "Oh and I've spoken to your boss, David, and he said it's OK for us to stay so long as we don't get in the way of any scientific teams he may send our way."

"He's a good man," I replied, wondering if I should have called him rather than Gwen, before deciding he knew exactly what I was like.

"I can go with you and be your translator, David," said Nancy with a smile.

"OK," I replied. "We'd best get going, it'll take just as long," I replied as we left to pull our boots on.

The trip to Jedburgh up the A68 main road was easy enough and other than heading North from the cabin rather than South, looked no different to the other roads in the area.

"Rather remote around here," said Nancy as we passed miles and miles of trees punctuated once by Catcleugh Reservoir.

"Yep. Just the place for bumping off a love rival and burying her body where no one will ever find it," I replied utterly deadpan.

"Or him," added Nancy in similar tones.

"True," I chuckled seeing her trying to hide a grin too.

"What did you make of Gwen's proposal?" Nancy asked.

"Proposal?" I enquired.

"About us sharing her," Nancy said bluntly.

"Can't see it working," I replied.

"Why not?" she asked.

"Well I can't imagine you or I liking any schedule or situation where she hops from one bed to another, it might lead to jealousy and other associated risks, it's not like we've got a good history of getting along until yesterday," I replied.

"Until yesterday I hadn't kissed or touched a man deliberately for over ten years," Nancy admitted.

"I can't say I blame you. As a gender, men can be truly diabolical at times," I said.

"Yes, but I don't get that with you. No revulsion, no fear, despite you being armed to the teeth at times and I honestly feel ... God alone knows why, that, if anything happened whilst I was with you, that you'd step in to defend me," she said quietly.

"As my guest, yes I would and I know our history, but feel as if I've only really gotten to know you over the last day or so," I admitted in return.

"Thing is though is that if you were to share Gwen's and my bed, I don't think I'd have a problem with that," Nancy said, her cheeks glowing bright red.

"What with me making love to Gwen whilst you watched?" I said amazed.

"Possibly not just watching," she murmured.

"Sorry?" I wondered.

"We could both enjoy bringing Gwen off at the same time and ... perhaps if it felt right we could..." Nancy floundered.

"I'd be nervous about trying, Nancy," I acknowledged. "It's not like you've had good experiences in the past is it?"

"No, but other than the odd nightmare I can't even remember being raped," she said. "So in many ways I'm a virgin when it comes to men."

"I have to admit I did get aroused with you this morning ... and last night too," I confessed.

"I got aroused too, David. If the girls hadn't been there I think I'd have liked to see where it went," Nancy said with a little smile of remembrance.

"You're 31 and don't know where it goes yet?" I joked, getting a slap on my upper arm and a giggle from Nancy.