acknowledged him with a nod of her head.
When Hortense came back into the house she took Binnie’s hand. ‘Mom’s angry, seems Daddy’s off with one of the girls again.’ She looked up at her husband. ‘Thank the good Lord you are not like Daddy, spending your energy on other women.’
She was referring to Dan McCabe’s habit of visiting his own houseful of girls; nubile dark-skinned girls whom he kept in style on McCabe land. The girls remained in the house for only a few years and then Dan would pension them off, giving each one enough money to make them rich beyond their wildest dreams.
‘Even now he’s past fifty, my father still acts like an old goat.’ Hortense was disapproving and Binnie laughed out loud.
‘Come on, now, Hortense, be sensible,’ he said. ‘Dan is a vigorous man and your mammy, she doesn’t like – well, you know what I mean.’
‘I know.’ Hortense was suddenly flushed. ‘And I am a different kettle of fish to Mammy, so why don’t we take advantage of the fact that the boys are visiting with their grandmother and we have the afternoon free?’
‘I thought John and Josephine were supposed to be coming for tea.’
‘So? We have time enough, honey, come on.’ She tugged at his hand, leading him towards the bedroom.
Quickly, she stripped off her clothes and stood before him naked. Her waist had thickened a little since the birth of their last child but her breasts were full and her hips rounded and she was everything he would ever want in a woman.
It was wonderful to make love to his wife with the sun warming his back and splashing her face with light. She was a passionate responsive woman and he loved her so much that every time he made love to her was as good as the first time.
Afterwards, when they lay together in the large bed, naked as innocent babies, he reached for her hand. ‘Never stop loving me, will you, Hortense?’
‘Honey, while I’ve got breath in my body, I will love you, you can depend on that. As sure as the sun rises in the morning, I am yours until I die.’
Once showered and changed into a sparkling fresh shirt, Binnie prepared chilled cordial for the expected guests. Then he sat outside, rocking in the swing on the porch. The sun was high, the shadows of the trees deep and black. It was a good life, a better life than he had ever dared hope for.
He closed his eyes; perhaps there was time for a nap before John and Josephine arrived. They were a good couple and even though John, a Cornishman, had married one of the McCabe girls more from expediency than love, they had certainly made a go of it. John had worked hard and now, like Binnie, was a partner in the McCabe family potting business.
Binnie was drowsing, half-asleep when he heard the rumble of wagon wheels. He opened his eyes reluctantly and saw Jo waving at him, her bonnet hanging over her back, her hair ruffled by the breeze. She was a beautiful woman and had grown more beautiful since her marriage to John but she did not come anywhere near Hortense when it came to looks and sensuality.
‘Our guests are here, Hortense!’ he called. ‘Get the maid to bring the drinks on to the porch, will you, honey?’
Josephine sat beside him on the swing, her skirts flowing from her slim waist. The couple had no children, even though they had been married for more than two years. But that did not seem to bother either of them. Perhaps it was the sort of life they had chosen for themselves, travelling about the country, seeking out the best potters as well as possible sites for new pottery buildings.
‘How was the trip up country?’ Binnie asked and John, who had settled himself in the rocking chair, looked up at him.
‘I saw Joe, you know, the Indian fellow.’
Binnie felt his gut shrink. Joe, the husband Llinos had chosen for herself, knew of Binnie’s past. He was aware that back on British shores Binnie had a wife, had once had a child. Had he spoken of it to John?
‘Not much of a one for
When Hortense came back into the house she took Binnie’s hand. ‘Mom’s angry, seems Daddy’s off with one of the girls again.’ She looked up at her husband. ‘Thank the good Lord you are not like Daddy, spending your energy on other women.’
She was referring to Dan McCabe’s habit of visiting his own houseful of girls; nubile dark-skinned girls whom he kept in style on McCabe land. The girls remained in the house for only a few years and then Dan would pension them off, giving each one enough money to make them rich beyond their wildest dreams.
‘Even now he’s past fifty, my father still acts like an old goat.’ Hortense was disapproving and Binnie laughed out loud.
‘Come on, now, Hortense, be sensible,’ he said. ‘Dan is a vigorous man and your mammy, she doesn’t like – well, you know what I mean.’
‘I know.’ Hortense was suddenly flushed. ‘And I am a different kettle of fish to Mammy, so why don’t we take advantage of the fact that the boys are visiting with their grandmother and we have the afternoon free?’
‘I thought John and Josephine were supposed to be coming for tea.’
‘So? We have time enough, honey, come on.’ She tugged at his hand, leading him towards the bedroom.
Quickly, she stripped off her clothes and stood before him naked. Her waist had thickened a little since the birth of their last child but her breasts were full and her hips rounded and she was everything he would ever want in a woman.
It was wonderful to make love to his wife with the sun warming his back and splashing her face with light. She was a passionate responsive woman and he loved her so much that every time he made love to her was as good as the first time.
Afterwards, when they lay together in the large bed, naked as innocent babies, he reached for her hand. ‘Never stop loving me, will you, Hortense?’
‘Honey, while I’ve got breath in my body, I will love you, you can depend on that. As sure as the sun rises in the morning, I am yours until I die.’
Once showered and changed into a sparkling fresh shirt, Binnie prepared chilled cordial for the expected guests. Then he sat outside, rocking in the swing on the porch. The sun was high, the shadows of the trees deep and black. It was a good life, a better life than he had ever dared hope for.
He closed his eyes; perhaps there was time for a nap before John and Josephine arrived. They were a good couple and even though John, a Cornishman, had married one of the McCabe girls more from expediency than love, they had certainly made a go of it. John had worked hard and now, like Binnie, was a partner in the McCabe family potting business.
Binnie was drowsing, half-asleep when he heard the rumble of wagon wheels. He opened his eyes reluctantly and saw Jo waving at him, her bonnet hanging over her back, her hair ruffled by the breeze. She was a beautiful woman and had grown more beautiful since her marriage to John but she did not come anywhere near Hortense when it came to looks and sensuality.
‘Our guests are here, Hortense!’ he called. ‘Get the maid to bring the drinks on to the porch, will you, honey?’
Josephine sat beside him on the swing, her skirts flowing from her slim waist. The couple had no children, even though they had been married for more than two years. But that did not seem to bother either of them. Perhaps it was the sort of life they had chosen for themselves, travelling about the country, seeking out the best potters as well as possible sites for new pottery buildings.
‘How was the trip up country?’ Binnie asked and John, who had settled himself in the rocking chair, looked up at him.
‘I saw Joe, you know, the Indian fellow.’
Binnie felt his gut shrink. Joe, the husband Llinos had chosen for herself, knew of Binnie’s past. He was aware that back on British shores Binnie had a wife, had once had a child. Had he spoken of it to John?
‘Not much of a one for
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