Dory's Avengers (22 page)

‘I know,' was all Louis would say in reply. Lysander drove on, hoping that Louis's mood would lift once they were passing Morecombe Bay and the Lake District fells rose into view on the horizon. However, if anything Louis's mood became more and more sombre the closer to home he got. Eventually, it was once again Lysander who broke the silence as they left the M6 at Penrith to drive the last bit of their journey home.

‘I thought you'd be beside yourself with excitement by now, Louis. What's the matter?'

Louis balled his hand into a fist and tapped it on his lower lip, unconsciously mimicking a gesture Lysander often used when he too was uneasy. This time, Louis decided to reply.

‘Before I left for London, Abi Farrell told me she loves me.'

‘Oh,' said Lysander, totally taken aback and not quite sure how to proceed. ‘That's good, isn't it?'

‘Yes, if she meant it,' began Louis, then the whole lot came out in a rush. ‘But what if she was only saying it to make me feel better about going to London? She knew I was scared. I'm not going to tell you what I was doing in London, Dad, just accept I had to do it. Anyway, what if she didn't really mean it? What if it's really Max she wants …' Louis's voice trailed off miserably.

‘Do you love her?' asked Lysander

‘Oh yes!'

‘Did you tell her?'

‘Yes,' said Louis in a small voice.

‘Well,' said Lysander, ‘my experience of the Farrells is that they're people of their word. If Abilene Farrell told you she loves you, I'm confident that means that she loves you.'

‘You really think so?'

‘I really think so. Look, home,' said Lysander, turning off the main road on to the narrow lane leading through the
hills to Applethwaite. Louis, infinitely comforted by his father's words, was all of a sudden as high spirited as Lysander had expected him to be, and the final ten minutes of their journey were raucous, loud and immensely good fun.

There was quite a gathering on the main street as Lysander drove with Louis into Applethwaite, Louis's heart rejoicing at the familiar sights of his home. People were milling around outside The White Lion, chatting earnestly in small groups. Parking up in the inn's car park, Lysander looked around him for Jess Donatelli, anxious for news about Nicola. So preoccupied was he that the scream of joy as his son emerged from the car made him physically jump with surprise.

‘LOUIS!' A petite figure raced through the crowd and flung herself bodily into Louis's arms. Watching Abi Farrell kissing his son passionately, Lysander realised that he'd been correct about the Farrells being true to their word.

‘Louis, I'm so glad you're home,' said Abi finally. ‘What happened? I need to know everything!'

‘You will, Abi my love. I'll let everyone know all at once if we can get them all together and that's OK with you?'

‘That's fine with me, darling Louis; it's so good to see you again!'

‘The feeling's mutual, Abi,' replied Louis, kissing her again. Eventually he raised his head and squinted at the people gathered outside The White Lion Inn. ‘What's going on, Abi?'

‘Oh,' replied Abi, her face dropping. ‘Poor Al took one evil beating this morning.'

‘Oh no, it's all my fault. If only I'd got a warning to him earlier…'

‘It's not your fault, Louis,' said Matilda Santiago, passing by at that moment. ‘It's not your fault; it's not Dex's fault for refusing to get the inn endorsed; it's not Dad's fault for
going for a run alone. It's nobody's fault but the Sponsor SCUM, and if anyone else tells me it's
their
fault I may just SCREAM!'

Suddenly grinning warmly, Matilda added, ‘By the way, Louis, welcome home! I would give you a hug, but you two don't look ready to be prised apart just yet.'

‘How is your dad?' asked Louis, returning Matilda's grin. ‘Is he conscious? Would it be OK to see him?'

‘Yes, he came round about ten minutes ago; and yes, I'm sure he'd love to see you. Be warned, though; all he's done since he woke up is moan about his ruined looks.' Matilda laughed for a second, then her face darkened into a scowl.

‘Dad's asking to see…
him
!' Her face full of contempt, Matilda strode over to Max who was sitting alone on The White Lion's wall, isolated from the animated crowd.

‘Sponsor Scum, my dad wants to speak to you. Now!'

Without arguing, without even raising his head, Max followed Matilda back inside the inn. On the way past Louis and Abi, Matilda invited them to come along too, and the four of them entered Alan and Dex's bedroom a couple of minutes later. Louis was shocked at the sight of Alan's battered face, and gasped before he could stop himself.

‘I look that good, eh Louis?' said Alan, smiling painfully. ‘Good to see you home safe.'

‘Alan, I'm sorry. It's just…that must hurt.'

‘I've felt better, I must admit.'

‘I could have prevented this, if only I'd warned you in time…'

Matilda screamed.

‘I DID warn you,' she said, grinning at the shocked faces turning her way.

‘Matilda, please,' groaned her father. ‘Headache.'

‘Sorry, Dad,' said Matilda, sitting on the side of Alan's bed and taking his hand. ‘I brought the Sponsors' worm to see you, as requested.'

‘Max,' said Alan, turning his attention to Barrington. ‘Thank you for coming up to see me. I've no doubt my daughter's invitation wasn't very politely worded.'

‘He helped beat you up, Dad…'

‘He also risked a lot to lead Dex to me. I may have drowned otherwise. I wanted to thank you in person, Max.'

For the first time since entering the room, Max raised his eyes to look at Alan.

‘No problem,' he managed to reply eventually.

When Stephen Dyer had found out that Max had helped Dexter find Alan, he'd been furious and had promptly broken Max's already painful nose. In contrast, here was a man who had earlier taken a terrible beating from a group of thugs, a group of which Max had been a part, and who was now thanking Max for his feeble attempt to make amends.

‘Looks like that nose is painful, Max,' said Alan, genuinely concerned for the misguided young man in front of him despite being in a lot of pain himself. ‘Best see Jess and get it sorted out.'

It was an unusually thoughtful Max Barrington who left The White Lion Inn a few minutes later. So much had happened that morning to make him question his loyalties for the first time in his life. The Sponsors gave him nothing but grief; he spent his whole time trying to please them with nothing ever being good enough. Then there was that creep Dyer – did Max really want to end up like him? Max shuddered in revulsion as he remembered Dyer continuing to kick Alan's body over and over again, long after the poor man had lost consciousness. The Sponsors never seemed at ease in each other's company, always trying to score points off one another, always careful not to say the wrong thing. Compare that to the friendly, relaxed atmosphere Max had just left at Alan's bedside; the obvious love and concern shown by Alan's partner and daughter. Comparing Dyer's
snarling anger to Alan's gratitude, Max felt an unfamiliar emotion – he felt humility.

It was the new, humble Max who took a call from Lord William St Benedict a few moments later.

‘Barrington,' snapped His Lordship, ‘Stephen Dyer tells me you went against orders this morning. Explain yourself!'

‘Your Lordship, I believe I actually carried out orders. I helped in the beating of Alan Santiago, but I was under the impression it was only supposed to teach Montfiore a lesson. With respect, Your Lordship, I thought Mr Dyer had killed him. I thought he could drown, and it would cause unnecessary trouble for the Scheme if he died. That's why I showed Montfiore where to find Santiago.'

‘So,' said Lord William from the other end of the phone, ‘it was concern for the Sponsorship Scheme, not for Santiago and his boyfriend, that motivated you?'

‘Absolutely,' lied Max. ‘Why would I care about some poof?'

Lord William was silent for a couple of moments, then he said, ‘Very well, Barrington. I shall drop the matter this time. However, remember Mr Dyer is your superior and I don't ever want to hear that you've gone against his orders again. Understood?'

‘Yes, Your Lordship. Thank you.'

‘Now, Mr Dyer and his men have completed their tasks in the north for the time being, and are returning to London. I'm a reasonable man, Barrington, and I'm going to give you one more chance to prove yourself. You will stay in Applethwaite. Watch, observe, report back. Not just on Trevelyan, I want you to report on the lot of them: Wallis, the Farrells, Montfiore, Santiago. There are too many loose cannons in that village. Are you up to it?'

‘Yes, Your Lordship,' replied Max, finding himself very relieved not to have to return to the Sponsors' lair in London.

‘Fab to see you home safely, Louis; just totally fab,' said Alan, turning his attention to Louis as soon as Max had left.

‘It's good to be back,' replied Louis, beaming and holding Abi close to his side. ‘I just wish you hadn't…'

‘It's OK, I'll mend,' said Alan, laughing, then wincing as pain shot through his broken ribs. ‘If one more person alludes to the fact I'm currently an invalid, I may just join my daughter in a scream.'

‘Now,' said Alan once the laughter had died down, ‘we're waiting to hear everything, Louis!'

‘I know you are, but as I said to Abi earlier I'd rather tell everyone at the same time. Then we can discuss what to do next all together. Al, if you're up to it we could get everyone together in here later on?'

‘Fine with me, Louis sweetie, but what about getting Gideon up those stairs?'

‘Leave Gideon to me,' said Louis, grinning. ‘I'll get him up the stairs.'

‘OK, if you're sure. Matty darling, could you round everyone up? Say seven o'clock? Make it later if St Benedict's thugs are still about, but I'm hoping he'll want them back in London as soon as poss.'

‘I'd rather stay with you, Dad,' replied Matilda.

‘And I'd like some time alone with Dex. OK, my love?'

‘Ok, Dad. See you later,' said Matilda, kissing her father and hugging everyone else in the room before clattering down the stairs at top speed.

‘Why does my daughter have to do everything at full speed and full volume?' asked Alan, reaching out to take Dex's hand.

‘Bit like her dad, then,' replied Dex, grinning at Abi and Louis as they left to let Alan get some much needed rest.

‘What are you going to do now?' asked Abi as she and Louis emerged into the village street once more.

‘I hadn't given it much though. I suppose I ought to
catch up with Gideon, Sarah and Jen; and also I need to check on Mam. But what I really want to do is spend some time with you. Preferably alone.'

‘Right answer, Louis. Any ideas where we can go to get away from these crowds?'

‘I have indeed,' replied Louis, putting his arm round Abi's shoulders and leading her the familiar route to Gideon's studio.

‘This is where you train,' said Abi delightedly as Louis unlocked to door and disabled the alarms. ‘My dad bought this place.'

‘I know he did,' replied Louis, locking the doors once more. ‘Do you mind if we don't put the lights on?' he added, despite the fact it was, as usual, very gloomy in Gideon's studio. Abi replied that she didn't mind at all, and Louis took off his dark glasses.

‘Louis, your eyes are beautiful!' she exclaimed. ‘They're so blue, I thought they'd be…'

‘Red?' Louis finished for her, laughing.

‘Yeah, sorry, stereotyping…' Abi's voice trailed off and she blushed.

‘It's OK, Abi. As long as you like what you see, it's fine.'

Suddenly shy as the realisation hit him that he finally had some time alone with the woman of his dreams, Louis dropped his eyes to the floor until Abi lifted his chin with her finger.

‘We'll take things as slowly as you need, Louis my love. This is your first time, isn't it?'

It was Louis's turn to blush as he looked into Abi's eyes and nodded. For a moment they stared at each other, then Abi leant forward and started to kiss him. Wrapping his arms around Abi, Louis pulled her hard against him and their kissing became more frantically passionate by the moment. Abi pushed Louis's shirt from his arms; as it dropped to the floor her hands were already inside his T-shirt,
enjoying the feel of his muscular body. Breaking off their kiss in order to lift Louis's T-shirt over his head, Abi said his name huskily.

‘Louis, you're so fit.'

‘I'm a bit white…'

‘You're gorgeous, Louis. Your skin's beautiful and you're so…damn…fit…'

As they resumed their kissing, Abi took hold of Louis's hands and guided them under her own T-shirt, encouraging him to enjoy her body too. Only too happy to oblige, Louis slid Abi's T-shirt off, then stopped to gaze at her as she undid her bra and let it drop to the floor.

‘You can touch as well as look,' said Abi, smiling as Louis stared at her body. Taking Louis's hands once more, Abi placed them on her breasts and sighed with delight as he caressed them with his fingers. Bending his head, Louis kissed Abi's breasts gently, taking the hardening nipples in his mouth as her breathing became faster and faster.

‘Better get those jeans off, Louis,' she said eventually. ‘Before you burst out of them.'

Louis and Abi lay on Louis's gymnastics mat a couple of hours later, naked and wrapped in each other's arms. It had turned out that Louis didn't want to take things slowly at all, and he'd gladly surrendered his virginity to Abi on that very same mat. In the quiet time that followed their frantic lovemaking, Louis had made coffee, which they had to drink black as the milk in Gideon's fridge had turned solid. They had then made love again, more slowly this time; both revelling in every intimate sensation as the afternoon progressed towards evening. Looking up at the clock above the door, Abi was surprised to see that it was already ten minutes past six.