Free Old Sins Long Shadows by B.D. Hawkey Page B

upset. So the arrangement was agreed and they hugged each other goodbye. She turned to see Daniel leaving too with his arm around a woman. He did not look over to her and to Janey’s surprise she felt disappointed. She concluded that to be an object of desire one minute and ignored the next was bound to confuse ones emotions, even if she was the one that had done the rejecting. The evening suddenly seemed less exciting and empty and she longed to go home too. She found Mary standing next to the hall clock.
    ‘Charlotte and Lizzy have gone home. Shall we?’
    Mary shook her head, ‘We have plenty of time, let’s stay another half hour. Did you see Daniel leave?  I know what he will be doing tonight.’
    ‘ Mr Kellow is of no importance to me,’ replied Janey. Mary looked at her.
    ‘ I think he likes you.’ 
    ‘ You don’t humiliate someone if you like them.’ Janey replied, looking at the clock. Time really was beginning to drag, she thought.
    Mary considered her words but her eyes remained narrow with suspicion.
    ‘Do you like him?’
    Janey shook her head, ‘Absolutely not,’ she replied hoping she sounded convincing. It was how she felt, but her voice rang untrue to her ears which annoyed and confused her. She took Mary’s arm, ‘Come on Mary,’ she cajoled, ‘we will be going home soon, let’s have some more fun before we leave?’
    ‘ I plan to have more fun before the evening ends, Janey, don’t you worry about that,’ Mary replied.
    Janey smiled , relieved they appeared to have made up and she gave her a hug. Mary hugged her back but unknown to Janey remained detached. She would have her revenge before the night was over, she would make sure of that.
     
    Daniel and Sally entered her home as they had done many times before. Since Daniel was a teenager he had visited the widow. She was uncomplicated, made no demands and enjoyed her single status. Married for ten years to an impotent man she made no secret that she did not plan to marry again and tie herself to one man alone. This suited Daniel as he had the comfort of a woman without the responsibility and they both knew where they stood. Tonight he was high on frustration and it showed as he reached for her before they even reached the bedroom. Taken aback, Sally soon matched his urgency and they kissed and hugged by the stairs, knocking into a side table and causing an ornament to fall to the floor. He caged her against the wall and kissed her hard trying to block out the image of a pretty face with green eyes and full pink lips. He tried to run his hands through the smooth, shiny, chestnut hair from his mind, but they were caught in Sally’s springy, curly, black locks. He tried again and ran his hands over her body, his mind flashing up images of an hour glass figure with a small waist. Yet where Janey’s curves went in at the right places Sally’s came out and no matter how Daniel tried to trick his body into believing it was Janey in his arms his body would not be fooled. He started to slow his onslaught and Sally sensed the withdrawal. Reaching for his belt she began to undo it. She enjoyed Daniel’s visits the most and didn’t want him to stop. He reached for her again but this time he pulled away her hands and held her against him, closing his eyes and feeling the full length of her body against his. He nestled into her neck and imagined Janey once more. Sally didn’t look like Janey and after tonight, knowing what he knows now, she didn’t feel like Janey. It was no good. This woman in his arms wasn’t the damn woman that plagued his dreams at night and his mind in the day. This wasn’t like him. This wasn’t the Daniel Kellow he knew. She’d messed up his mind and what he thought he wanted in life, and yet he hardly knew her. Damn the woman. Daniel moved away from her.
    ‘ What’s wrong, Daniel?’ asked Sally as she looked at Daniel resting his forehead on his forearm against the wall. He didn’t answer at first then