Rejection Runs Deep (The Canleigh Series, book 1: A chilling psychological family drama) by Carole Williams (uplifting novels TXT) 📕

in trying to have a serious chat with him tonight.  Still, there was a fortnight to go before the wedding.  Perhaps some earth-shattering event would occur before his fate was sealed.  Now, why had he just thought such a thing?  He glanced around again for Sue and saw her … sitting at a corner table with a friend.  She looked up and smiled.  Philip’s heart flipped over.

*   *   *

Delia had a quick shower and got into bed.  She put out a hand and touched the silver framed photo of Demon, on the bedside table beside her.  She smiled.  Goodness, he was a handful but how she loved him.  Spirited she called him.  Mad and dangerous were the words Father, Philip and Perkins used but then they didn’t ride him.  They didn’t experience the thrill of galloping furiously across the fields with him.  It was like flying.  Pure magic and the height of exhilaration.  Delia had never experienced such complete harmony with any other horse and couldn’t imagine the world without him.  Delia had loved him with a frightening intensity since the day he was born and was wholeheartedly relieved when her father had agreed she could have him for her own.  However, Charles had made it plain she would be responsible for Demon’s welfare and would have to school him under the supervision of Ralph.  He would also remain at Tangles until he was old enough to be moved to Canleigh.  Delia obliged willingly and spent hundreds of happy hours caring for Demon and training him.  They formed an incredible bond that would never be broken and with Delia on his back, streaking across the countryside, they merged into one, leaving onlookers with a deep sense of awe and respect for such perfect harmony.

Delia looked at the bedside clock.  It was ten thirty.  She certainly felt better than she had all day but just to make sure she took two more painkillers with a drink of water before quickly eating the bowl of cornflakes Hardy had kindly left by her bed with a jug of milk.  Kissing Demon’s photo she turned off the light and snuggled down, feeling a huge surge of excitement.  In a fortnight she was going to have all she wanted.  Demon, Philip, Tangles … and now Dick Joyce was retiring and the position of estate manager was up for grabs, who better to fill it than her?  Her father, knowing how she had studied so hard and how passionate she was about Canleigh, would have to agree.  She was positive he would.  She was the perfect person for the position after all and her father wasn’t stupid.  He would consent.  She just knew he would.  How simply wonderful life was going to be!

CHAPTER 14 YORKSHIRE – MAY 1972

 

Philip woke and looked at the blonde head of hair beside him.  For a second he wondered if he was dreaming.  Had Delia changed her hair colour overnight?  Then it all came back, flooding his brain, the events of last night, clear and precise.  Supreme happiness engulfed him.  He’d never felt like this in his life … and it was all due to the girl beside him.  She was fast asleep and he lay still so as not to disturb her and thought about the momentous happenings of the night before.  The village hall with Sue, chatting, dancing, holding her close.  It had seemed so easy, so normal; right from the moment she appeared at his side at the bar.

Philip had bought her a drink and events progressed from there with the evening passing like a flash, Jim sensing something was going on and keeping out of their way.  Their conversation didn’t falter, flowing naturally and Philip found it so refreshing.  Sue actually listened to him.  They talked about horses, her business, Tangles and his business, and his comments were listened to with respect and consideration.  It was a novelty.  He hadn’t realised before but Delia talked at him and for him, seldom allowing his ideas and opinions to hold much sway.

Delia didn’t dance either and nor had he until last night … to a slow one … near the end of the evening.  The softness of Sue’s hair against his cheek and the sweetness of her perfume had done something to him.  Holding her was delightful and he pulled her closer, willing the dance to go on and on, realising she desired him as much as he did her.  Then she had looked up at him and smiled, a look of pure adoration in her eyes and he had known instantly that he could never let her go.  Delia faded into insignificance as he bent his head, placed his lips over Sue’s and kissed her, uncaring of who saw.

When they left together, a number of people including Jim, his girlfriend, Maddy, and Sue’s friend Dorothy, saw them go and wondered how Lady Delia was going to react at this turn of events and so close to the wedding too.  They all knew what a temper she possessed.

Philip had taken Sue back to Tangles, dispensed with coffee and made straight for the bedroom.  There they made love …  beautifully … slowly … tenderly.  Sue made him feel like a real man, letting him take the lead and now, afterwards, he felt powerful, with self-confidence and self-esteem at an all-time high.  So different from when he was with Delia.  It was always her who initiated sex and now he could see why.  He wasn’t interested in just the act alone.  He wanted to make proper love and last night, for the first time in his life, he had … and it had been pure joy.

Sue stirred beside him, opened her eyes, looked at him and smiled.  Philip wrapped her in his arms, not ever wanting to let her go.  The strength of his feelings surprised him.

“I wish we could stay like this forever.”

“You’re getting married in a fortnight,”