Chapter 4
The rest of the week continued in much the same fashion. When Lydia reported to Dr O'Brien on Friday morning, he announced that he had found her a cottage to live in.
"It's not much and it is right on the edge of town," he warned her. "However, it is a serviceable little cottage and I am sure that you will get used to it."
"Thank you, Dr O'Brien," she said, smiling. She hadn't had a lot to smile about that week so it was good to hear some good news at last.
"Please, call me Harry."
Harry hadn't been exaggerating about the cottage. It was very small and a bit run-down. Lydia decided that her first week's pay, along with some of the money she had brought from home, would go towards fixing the place up a bit. She went to the kitchen and turned the tap. After a few unpromising clunks, a steady stream of water began to flow.
"Well, at least the plumming is working," she told herself.
The weeks began to pass by and before she knew it, Lydia realised that she had been in Aidensfield for two months. The village-folk were at last getting to know and trust her as a vet and she had made a few good friends. She had also acquired a horse, which she kept in the tiny run-down stables behind her cottage. She figured that if the day came when she couldn't get her Landrover to start, she could at least get to her patients on horseback. He was a big horse, apparently a cross between a thoroughbred and a Clydesdale.
The weather was getting cold, as it was nearing the end of November. Lydia had grown up in Northwest Queensland, so cold weather was a new phenomenon for her. One particular Sunday afternoon, she was sitting in her living room in front of the fireplace when she noticed a lone figure walking down the road. Lydia's cottage was the last before the road dove into the woods. It was uncommon for traffic to come out this far, let alone someone on foot. It also seemed unusual that anyone would be out walking in such miserably cold weather. The sky had an ugly cast to it that Lydia had learnt to associate with snow.
Suppressing an involuntary shiver, Lydia reluctantly climbed out of her cosy lounge chair and walked to the front door. She stepped outside, bracing herself for the icy blast that met her.
"I say, isn't it a bit cold for a hike?" she called. The person stopped and turned to her. She could see that it was Sergeant Craddock and he certainly wasn't dressed for hiking in this weather.
"It is just right for hike," he snapped at her. She had only met Craddock a few times, as he worked in Ashfordly and did not frequent the Aidensfield Arms. However, from the few times that she had spoken to him, she had gotten the impression that he was a very pompous man. Pompous, but not plain rude like this. As he turned to continue his walk, Lydia felt like sticking her tongue out at his retreating back. Instead, she called to him.
"Well I'll keep my eyes out to see that you return before dark. It looks like snow."
Lydia returned to her lounge chair but kept her eyes on the road outside, waiting for the sergeant to return. The sky began to darken, as the sun drooped toward the horizon and storm clouds drew closer. By the time the first few snowflakes had begun to fall, he still hadn't returned and Lydia started to get worried. Dressed the way he had been, there was no way Sergeant Craddock would survive a night out in the snow. That was assuming he hadn't come to harm already.
Lydia made up her mind; she was going to ride her horse, Charlie, out to find the man. She dressed in the warmest clothes she owned, adding gloves and a woolly balaclava before heading out to the stable. The snow was falling thicker by now and there was a fine dusting on the ground. She strapped a thick blanket behind the saddle and then rode out into the darkness.
She sincerely hoped that Sergeant Craddock had stayed on the road – she would have no hope of finding him otherwise. As she rode, she called out, hoping to hear a reply. The snow and the darkness intensified as time drew on and still there was no sign of Craddock. She continued to call his name.
After what seemed like hours, the road emerged onto the moors. From memory, Lydia recalled that this was Black Duck Moor. It was much colder out of the shelter of the trees and the storm hit them full force. She had almost given up hope when she heard a call that was barely more than a croak.
"Help!"
She could just make out the dark shape on the edge of the road. Sergeant Craddock was curled into a ball, shivering uncontrollably. Lydia threw herself out of the saddle and hurried to his side.
"Sergeant Craddock, are you okay?"
"So cold…" he mumbled, barely audible.
"Can you stand up?" she asked him. He didn't respond so she grabbed his arm and pulled it across her shoulders, dragging him to his feet. She staggered under his weight as she glanced up at Charlie's high back. How on earth was she going to get him Craddock up there? Charlie was a good, well trained horse but he was no trick horse. He would not lie down on command like the horses in the movies.
"Sergeant Craddock!" she said loudly. "I need you to climb onto this horse. Can you do that?"
"I'll try," he rasped weakly. Lydia guided him towards Charlie, placing Craddock's hands on the gelding's wither. Making sure that he was holding on, she placed Craddock's left foot in the stirrup. Somehow, he managed to heave himself into the saddle. Lydia unstrapped the blanket from behind the saddle and draped it over Craddock's shoulders before climbing up behind him on Charlie's back. She wrapped the blanket more securely around the man before steering the horse back toward her house.
It was a long ride back and she tried to keep up a constant stream of conversation to keep Craddock conscious. At last, they arrived back at the cottage. She slithered to the ground so that she could help him dismount. After securing Charlie to the fence, Lydia led Craddock into her house. Though she had little experience with cold weather survival, Lydia was aware that the first thing to do in a situation like this was to get the person out of the clothes they were wearing in the snow because those clothes would be cold and sodden.
Blocking her mind to the awkwardness of the situation, Lydia began to undress Craddock. He was almost asleep and didn't complain. Once she had stripped the man down to his underclothes, she piled blankets onto him and offered him some whisky. He took the drink gratefully.
"Will you be alright for a few minutes?" she asked him. "I have to take care of my horse."
Charlie was still standing by the fence, his thick winter coat protecting him from the cold. Lydia led him to the stable and untacked him. She then covered him with a warm rug and filled his hay net. When she returned to the cottage, Craddock looked a little brighter.
"How are you feeling?" She asked him as she shed her coat.
"Much warmer; I must thank you for helping me."
"Do you need to call anyone? I'm sure your wife will be wondering where you are?" Lydia picked up the phone but there was no dial tone. "Oh, the phone lines must be out."
"I am sure that my wife isn't worried about me at all," Craddock replied bitterly.
Lydia was shocked by this. "Why do you say that?"
"She left me. Three days ago." Craddock's voice broke and he seemed to be fighting to hold back tears. "Apparently she has been seeing another man for months."
"I'm sorry to hear that," she told him. As she watched him, he lost control and tears began to trickle down his cheeks.
"Apparently she has had enough of me. I thought she loved me but all this time she hasn't been able to stand me."
Lydia had never felt so awkward in all her life, but somehow she felt that she wanted to comfort this man. He looked so pathetic, wrapped up in blankets and crying like a little boy. Not sure what she was doing, Lydia walked over and sat beside the Sergeant on the lounge. She tentatively wrapped her arm around his shoulders. For a moment, she thought that he would push her away but then he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer.
Before she knew what was happening, Craddock was kissing her. Lydia tensed, feeling that she ought to stop this now, before it got out of hand. However, she couldn't deny that she was enjoying kissing Craddock. He pulled Lydia onto his lap and she relaxed against him. Craddock's kisses moved along her jaw then down her neck to her collar bone. She trembled with delight as his lips brushed over the tender skin. She had never been so intimate with a man.
The breath caught in Lydia's throat as Craddock's hands moved to the buttons of her shirt. This was going too far! Yet, she didn't pull away. Craddock continued to undress her, until she was completely naked. It was as though her brain had stood frozen in place while her body rushed on with Craddock's urgent actions. She was only just realising what she was about to do.
Craddock paused to remove his own undergarments before returning to her. She pulled him down to her, welcoming his touch. He was movements were still urgent but not rough. He entered her and she quickly became accustomed to the unfamiliar sensation. They came together and then lay exhausted in each other's arms.
