“This is very unlike her,” Jenny said to Gareth.
“She’s a typical sixteen year-old. It’ll pass.”
Jenny knew that Amber was many things, but never typical. They continued their meal in near silence.
Matthew enjoyed Sally’s company more than he had anticipated. Amber was exciting, but she was also very young. There was more to life than an exciting sex-life, as she herself had observed. Sally was a mature and intelligent woman, who was desperately lonely and vulnerable. Matthew was re-evaluating his priorities.
Amber was on the raft. The stars glinted in the heavens and she sat hugging her knees. She’d fled from the dining room, changed into her still damp swimsuit and immediately made for the raft.
Her mind was upside down. She was bright enough to see what was happening, but emotionally too immature to accept it. Anger, frustration and jealously are not a healthy combination. In a girl who held unknown power, it was potentially lethal!
Thoughts of killing Sally and Matthew flitted in and out of her mind. These made her angrier and frustrated, for she now realised the awesome responsibility she carried.
“Why can’t I be normal?” she shouted at the sea.
The sea didn’t reply.
“I want him!” she said, petulantly.
The sea lapped gently against the side of the raft.
“I do, I want him, and I shall have him.”
She sat for an age, unaware of time.
The rocking of the raft broke her reverie. Matthew climbed aboard.
“I thought I might find you here. Your parents are worried about you,” he said.
“They’re not my parents,” she said, petulantly.
“Do you remember a conversation we once had in the car?”
“What?”
“I told you that if I was your father, I’d give you a spank, remember?”
“So?”
“Well, you are behaving like a spoiled child, it doesn’t become you.”
“Well, you’re cavorting with that, that woman.”
“I had dinner with a lonely and vulnerable woman, what would you have me do?”
“But you’re mine!”
He stared at this girl he was so bewitched by.
“No Amber, you don’t own people, you should know that.”
“I love you!” she wailed, reaching out for him.
He held her hands.
“Then behave as if you do, instead of this juvenile performance.”
“Why should I?”
Before she could react, he grabbed her, turned her across his knees and spanked her with the flat of his hand. It only took one strike, but she burst into tears. He cradled her in his arms as she sobbed her heart out.
Eventually, the sobs subsided.
“Matthew?”
“Yes, Amber?”
“I’m sorry.”
“I know.”
“I just felt frightened, that’s all.”
“I know.”
They sat in silence, the noise of the sea almost hypnotic.
“Matthew?” she said after some time.
“What?”
“Do you think she’s pretty?”
“Yes, she’s a very attractive woman.”
“Is she prettier than me?”
“She’s different to you, Amber.”
“But she’s old.”
“So am I.”
She lapsed into silence again.
“What will I do?”
“How do you mean?”
“If you marry her, what will I do?”
“Amber, I’ve only known her for a few hours, so stop marrying me off to the first woman I speak to.”
“I think it best we stop,” she said.
“Stop what?”
“Anything, everything. Matthew, I know I’m a silly little girl, but even I can see this is not going to work. I’d rather have you as a friend. But I still love you.”
Matthew understood how hard this was for her. It was hard for him, but he knew what made sense.
“Amber, everyone who meets you, loves you.”
“That’s silly.”
“Maybe, but you’re a very special person.”
“I don’t want to be special. I just want to be like everyone else!”
“I’m sorry Amber, but you aren’t.”
She cried a little more.
“Matthew?”
“Yes?”
“Kiss me one last time?”
He bent over and kissed her. The tenderness of the kiss made him cry.
“I’m sorry, Matthew, you can go back to her now.”
“No, I’m taking you back first.”
“But Mummy knows you.”
“Then I’ll explain. Trust me, I can lie beautifully.”
“….and that’s why she was upset, Mrs Lowe,” he concluded.
Jenny stared at Matthew as she sat on the settee with one arm around her daughter. Amber was wrapped up in her dressing gown and felt a real fool.
“Oh, thank you so much, Major. I’m so grateful for you. I think it best that my husband doesn’t know about this, we’ll say she was upset about a boy back home, or something.”
“You could always blame hormones, they seem to be at the root of most things,” Matthew said with a smile.
“I’ll let you get back to your wife, I’m sure she’s worried about you.”
Matthew almost laughed, and then realised how it must have looked in the dining room. He decided not to explain, as it was all too complicated.
“Goodnight, Mrs Lowe, goodnight Amber.”
“G’night,” said the miserable girl.
Matthew took his leave and found Sally in the bar.
“Did you find the silly strumpet?”
“Yes. She’s reunited with her family.”
“You are wonderful, and how clever of you to remember that she liked the raft. I think your wife is an incredibly silly woman.”
“Someone else said that to me quite recently,” he said with a smile.
“You’ll need a drink, what can I get you?”
“A large whisky would slip down beautifully,” he said, sitting on the bar stool next to her.
Sally smiled and waved at the barman.
The following day, Matthew came face to face with Amber as he arrived for breakfast.
He had a moment of disquiet, as he didn’t know how she would react.
“Morning Matthew, are you swimming today?”
“Hello, Amber, yes, probably.”
“Good, I’ll give you a race to the raft.” She smiled and walked off.
Matthew joined Sally at the table, as a waiter appeared to take his order.
“Just coffee and some croissants, thanks.”
“Did you sleep well, Matthew?” Sally asked.
“Yes, surprisingly well, thanks. Did you?”
“Not brilliantly. Carol was sleep talking again.”
“Is she still in bed?”
“God no, she was up ages ago. She’s in the pool already. She’s playing with a couple of girls who come from Essex, I do hope she doesn’t pick up their accent.”
“Ah, the wonders of youth. She’ll become a teenager soon and you’ll be hard pushed to extricate her from her bed by noon.”
Sally laughed. “Talking of teenagers, the strumpet from last night was in with her family. It was as if nothing had happened, so I can’t imagine what it was all about.”
“She’s actually a nice kid, but it was probably hormones,” said Matthew with a grin.
“Probably, they are a curse, that’s for sure.”
The waiter appeared with his coffee and food. Matthew set to and felt amazingly relaxed. He reflected that he must have been mad to have done what he had. Then he realised that the experience was one of the most wonderful he remembered, so he cherished the memories and moved on.
“What are you planning today?”
“Absolutely nothing. That’s the joy of being on holiday.”
“How about a trip to Bagur?”
“What’s there?”
“I don’t know, but I’m told it’s a pretty fishing village.”
“Why not?”
Amber hadn’t slept well. Meeting Matthew by the dining room door was hard, but she managed to smile and pretend everything was fine. It wasn’t, but she was beginning to understand what self-control was all about.