Safely fly the stork.
7.
Harry's eyes resembled blue ice as she stared coldly at the face before her.
The face she had fallen in love with, then, just as swiftly, fell out of love with, that emotion having turned to disgust, humiliation and loathing.
Her hand found Dempsey's and held it tightly, he feeling the tension in her body, the urge to punch this smirking face before her until it was a mass of blood and torn skin, making him shake with anticipation.
The others stood stock still, wondering what the next few seconds would bring, Rupert and Hugo acutely conscious of Dempsey's mounting anger.
Harry finally spoke.
"Long time Robert?" she queried, her eyes, bitter arctic, still leveled at his. "Not long enough!"
"Still the fiery Harriet." he sneered. "Nothing changes."
"No and it never will where you're concerned!" she replied, the words as frigid as the polar expression on her face.
"Oh Heavens above Harriet." responded Robert, smirking. "Can't we let bygones be bygones? After all, we were happily married once."
Harry couldn't believe her ears, the other's mouth's, apart from Dempsey's, dropping open in astonishment at this totally bogus remark.
"You sanctimonious bloody creep!" replied Harry. "That's not even worthy of a reply. Now please leave."
"Harriet, Harriet." said Robert, his green eyes mocking. "You loved me, would do anything, and I mean anything, for me. Doesn't that count for something? Can't we be friends?"
Harry had reached the end.
With an open palm, she slapped him hard aross his face, the smack sounding like a firecracker going off, his cheek reddening immediately from the blow, but a look of triumph in his eyes.
"You've got your answer, now go and crawl back under your stone." she said, her eyes remaining glacial, contempt plain in them.
Robert didn't budge, scorn clear on his face.
Dempsey gently pulled Harry away from Robert and stood in front of him, his eyes, not ice, but blazing and boring into him!
"What parta get lost don' ya understand, buster." he said, his voice low and controlled, betraying the now boiling urge to take him apart. "The lady don' want ya, an' I sure as hell don', so I reckon ya should get that sorry butt of yours in ya hands and take a hike, huh?"
"Oh my God." snarled Robert. "Lady Harriet's got herself a bloody Yank. I thought I'd heard something, but I didnt want to believe she'd stoop that low!"
He didn't see the left hook that connected with the bridge of his nose, blood immediately coursing from his nostrils, or, through watering eyes, the right hook to his chin that followed it up. All he could remember afterwards was seeing stars and shocked faces as he dropped to the floor.
Other guests fell silent and stared, as two burly minders appeared and gripped Dempsey's arms, ready to haul him away and throw him out.
"STOP!" shouted a voice as Angela came rushing up, Ollie close on her heels. "Oh no, I knew this was going to happen!" she exclaimed, then looking at the minders, said. "Okay, let Mr Dempsey go, please. Take that creature on the ground instead. I don't care what you do with him, but just get rid!"
Then, as Robert was marched away, she went to Harry's side, taking her arm and gently walking her away, Ollie putting his arm round Dempsey's shoulder and following them out of the marquee and into the house.
Stepping into a cosy study, Harry sat down, still unnerved at the shock of seeing the hated Robert again.
"Harry I'm so sorry." said Angela, concern written across her face. "I've been looking out for you to warn you he was here. Neither of us knew he was coming until he walked in. He's apparently dating Jessica now, she's an old flame of Ollie's. I must have missed you arriving."
"Don't worry Angela." replied Harry, smiling weakly. "I know you'd have warned us, given half the chance."
"You alright James?" asked Ollie, grinning, his days as a county rugby player, fights commonplace, leaving him unfazed at the recent fracas.
"Yeah fine." grinned back Dempsey. "I've been wantin' to do that for goddamn years!"
"Thank you darling." said Harry, reaching for his hand. "Supercilious bloody bastard had that coming to him!"
"Don't leave on his account, will you?" pleaded Angela. "We'll have him thrown out."
"No, don't do that Angela." replied Harry. "There's no need. It would only give him some sort of sick pleasure. He won't come near us again, if he's got any sense!"
"You okay with that, James?" asked Ollie.
"Yeah, no probs!" replied Dempsey, smiling. "An' hey, while I got the chance. Congrats you two."
When they returned to the marquee, conversation was in full flow again, some women looking appreciatively at Dempsey as he passed by, the men jealous of the beauty on his arm.
Arabella, Rupert, Hugo and Belinda were relieved to see their four friends approach them with smiles on their faces.
"Bloody good punch, James." grinned Rupert, who'd known and disliked Robert Makepeace ever since Harry had introduced them.
"Two punches Rupert." reminded Hugo, equally loathing of Robert. "Second one was a corker!"
"I don't know! You boys!" said Belinda, chuckling. "Can't we all sit down somewhere now."
"Yes, good idea, sweetheart." said Hugo and led the group over to a vacant table, the girls taking a seat each, the boys going to the bar to get some drinks and returning with their respective orders.
"Well! That was all a bit exciting!" said Arabella, looking round at everybody, hoping to get the evening back on track as Joyce and Roger suddenly appeared and drawing up two more chairs, sat down with them.
"You okay Harry?" asked Joyce. "We'd just arrived and saw Robert talking to you. I said to Roger, if Robert doesn't watch his mouth, he'll have James to answer to. Seems I was right."
"Damned good show, old boy." remarked Roger, grinning and who'd boxed for Oxford University when a student. "Perfect one, two!"
"Thanks Rog." grinned Dempsey. "Guess I was askin' for an excuse to wipe that goddamn smirk off of his face."
"He's going to have two beautiful black eyes!" giggled Angela. "He'll look like a soppy great Panda before the night's out!"
That broke the still hovering tension, everyone bursting into laughter and settling into the evening at last.
After they'd all eaten and listened to speeches from Ollie and his parents, the DJ got to work, getting everyone up on the dance floor immediately to 'Nutbush City Limits', Ike and Tina Turner's massive, bouncing hit. Following that up with Mud's 'Tiger Feet' then Donna Summer's 'I Feel Love', Harry was exhausted and, holding Demspey's hand, pretended to stagger back to their adopted table, laughing, happy and gasping for a drink.
In the meantime, Robert had disappeared into a bathroom to stem his bleeding nose and accompanied by Jessica, who fussed about him like a concerned mother hen.
"For God's sake leave me alone!" he snapped, Jessica bursting into tears and sobbing her way back to the marquee.
While Dempsey had gone to the bar to fetch a couple of drinks, Harry spotted Jessica, upset and sitting alone.
She'd been there when ensnared in Roberts web and took pity on her.
Catching her eye and beckoning her over, she took her hand as she sat down next to her and looked into her eyes.
"He's not worth your tears, Jessica." she comforted. "I should know, I shed enough of them on his behalf."
"But I love him so much." replied Jessica, her voice beginning to break.
"I know. He has that effect on women." said Harry, sighing, then leaning forward and looking directly into Jessica's hazel eyes. "I fell for it and went the extra mile. But, believe me, Jessica, you need to be aware he'll cheat and lie to you without remorse or an ounce of guilt. I'm not going to diss him any more to you, that would be lowering myself to his level, but just so you know what you're letting yourself in for."
"Don't you think he loves me, then?" asked Jessica, her eyes pleading for her to say he did.
"He probably does in his own way." replied Harry. "But then I thought that when he married me, only to find other women thinking he loved them after he'd charmed them into bed. He all but destroyed me, Jessica, but I'm the happiest I've ever been now and found the love of my life. We're having our first baby too."
Jessica was about to offer her congratulations when they were both aware of another person's shadow falling over them. Looking up, Robert was standing there, glaring at Harry.
"Oh, so you've got a bun in the bloody oven. Well, well, I wondered why you'd got married." he sneered.
"You despicable bastard!" retorted Harry, close to tears at his inference that hers had been a shotgun wedding. As always he knew exactly what buttons to press.
Robert continued.
"And I suppose you're filling her pretty little head with all your bollocks!" he snarled, grabbing Jessica's hand and attempting to pull her to her feet.
She fiercly resisted him.
"Go away Robert." she warned eventually, snatching her hand out of his. "I need some time to myself and think."
"You really are a little bitch, aren't you, Harriet." he sneered, then looking down at Jessica. "Jess, take no notice of this scorned excuse for a woman. She's talking utter rubbish."
"GO AWAY!" shouted Jessica, angrily.
"You really have a problem with them ears a yours, huh dumbass!?" said Dempsey, who, having seen Robert hovering over Harry and Jessica, had swiftly returned to the table, flexing his fists as he went. "I guess ya oughta beat it before I really let myself go on ya!"
"Oh grow up Yank!" replied Robert, contemptuously. "You're not in the Wild West now."
If it hadn't been for Angela seeing history about to repeat itself and calling her bouncers over, heaven only knows what state Robert Makepeace would have been in if Dempsey's wrath had been given free reign.
Arriving at the table, she glared at Robert, the two powerfully built men flanking him on either side
"Not content with trying to ruin my party once, Robert, you have the disrespect to attempt it again." she growled. "Unless you leave, right now, on your own behalf, I'll have you unceremoniously dragged out of here by these two gentlemen. And if you accidentally bruise yourself in a few places on the way out, Mr Dempsey here, an off duty police officer incidentally, will testify you tripped and fell of your own accord. Do I make myself chrystal clear?"
Appearing as cool as cucumber on the outside but trembling with fear on the inside, Robert glared round at everybody, finally resting appealing eyes on Jessica.
"Are you coming?" he asked.
"No, go away." she replied, tears back in her eyes once more.
Robert shrugged and pushed his way past them all, walking briskly out of the marquee without a backward glance. Jessica broke down then, Harry and Angela comforting her.
"You're well rid of him, darling." said Angela. "Why not come with me. There are several elligible and handsome males milling about. I'm sure one of them, at least, will take your mind off that idiot Robert."
Winking at Harry and Dempsey, Angela took Jessica by the hand and led her into a throng of four guys standing on the edge of the dance floor. It wasn't long before one tall, slim and good looking young man, arm around her waist, took her dancing.
"Jeeze honey." said Dempsey, placing his hand over Harry's. "Beats me how you ever put up with that creep, Robert."
She wasn't going to tell him what Robert had inferred regarding their marriage and baby. With her emotions so close to the edge, she'd never know what prevented her from flying at him, but she knew if she told Dempsey, there was no telling what he'd do. It would send him over the edge.
Instead she took a deep mental breath.
"Thing is, darling, he's quite the opposite when you first meet him." she said, looking into his eyes. "Charm personified. He has the ability to make you feel like a Queen, nothing's too much trouble. Problem is, he loves the chase, but once he's caught you, he's achieved what he set out to do and simply moves onto the next target."
"What? An' ya didn't discover that til ya married him!?" queried Dempsey.
"No I didn't" replied Harry. "He must have proposed a dozen times before I said yes and even then I wasn't totally sure I'd done the right thing. But I had fallen for him - I suppose I loved him but didn't like him. Anyway, marrying me was his aim. By doing so, he knew he'd finally caught me. Then it was downhill all the way!"
"I can see why ya were so - er I guess - anti men when we first met." said Dempsey, a part of the jigsaw that was their romance finally falling into place, since he'd always known she'd been hurt, but never having met Robert, hadn't appreciated what he was capable of.
"And you being the over confident American didn't help." she laughed, remembering how he rubbed her up the wrong way early in their relationship.
"Yeah well, that's history now." he replied, leaning across and kissing her mouth. Her arms went round his neck automatically as she kissed him back, passion flowing as their lips played with each others.
"Get a room!" said Rupert, laughing, as he, Arabella, Hugo and Belinda joined them, panting hard from their exertions on the dance floor.
"Did I see Robert back here?" asked Arabella, a look of surprise on her face. "I'd have thought he got the hint earlier."
"Yes, you saw him." sighed Harry. "Jessica was really upset and I was giving her some friendly advice when Robert decided to invade our privacy."
"I'll bet that didn't go down too well with you James." chuckled Hugo.
"Nah, guess not." replied Dempsey, smiling. "Sonofabitch came real close, real close."
Just then Roberta Flack's 'The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face' slowed everybody down on the dance floor, Harry taking Dempsey's hand and leading him to it.
"I love this song." she whispered, sighing as his arms enveloped her, closing her eyes as the lyrics flowed in, turning her on, her desire for him mounting as she sang the final verse, softly, to him.
"And the first time, ever I lay with you,
I felt your heart so close to mine,
And I knew our joy, would fill the earth,
And last, till the end of time, my love,
And it would last, till the end of time, my love."
As the song ended and Harry stopped singing, he lifted her face to him and kissed her lips, their bodies pressed into each other, both knowing the night ahead would be sensuous, mesmerizing and deliciously erotic.
"God I wish we could go to bed right now." she said, softly. "But I think it would be a little obvious, don't you."
"Er, jus' a little, honey." replied Dempsey, smiling at her, then swaying her into the gentle rhythm of Foreigners, 'Waiting For A Girl Like You' as the cascading organ keys of the opening sequence pierced the air.
Along with their other close friends, they were staying in the ten bedroomed country mansion that night and, although they were finding it tough to keep their desire each other under wraps, still stayed the course with the rest, dancing, laughing and, in Dempsey's case, drinking until, slipping under the covers of their duvet, they finally ignited the intoxicating passion they'd kept in check most of the evening.
