Aftermath

Bert looked over at Joan, as they sat in the van. "Heck of a thing," he muttered. "Lost on their honeymoon."

Joan had been checking her watch time and again for the search party had been gone a long time. "Yes," she sighed. "Quite the misadventure." Then she laughed.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

"Oh, Martin is so… as a boy, he was so cautious. Afraid of cows and sheep, chickens especially. And the beach or the ocean?" She made an exhalation like the 'psssst.'

"Not the outdoorsman, eh?"

Joan stopped what she was about to say; not wanting to give away too many secrets. "He's lived nearly his whole like in a city. I'm surprised that Louisa was able to bring him out here."

Bert could barely imagine the Doc doing anything outside his surgery, let alone here on the moor. "The moor can be a savage place. Al got lost out here with his mates once, and on this very spot." He chuckled. "Course the real reason was he and some girl were snogging down in a ravine here abouts. On the other side, I believe. But my Al was only 16, at the time. And that girl? Ha! Wouldn't give him the time of day afterwards. Broke his heart when he found out later, she'd only gone on a date as a dare from her plummy friends. The girl was out here from Southampton."

Joan chuckled. "Sounds like me and my Phil. Pretty much the same tale, except for the moor and getting lost." She sighed. "Came here with my mates…" she stopped for the wellspring of memory had a number of hard bits in it. "You know the story."

Bert nodded in the dark. "I got lucky. Me and my Mary knew one another in the village when we were little kids." He gulped. "She…"

Joan patted his arm. "You did a fine job raising your son."

"Thanks for saying that," Bert rubbed his eyes.

"And Mary would be so proud of you."

Bert took off his wool cap, twisted it in his hands and then pulled it back on his head. "I been thinkin', Mrs. Norton, that the village owes you a thank you."

"For?" She hoped that Bert would not get too mawkish.

"Well…" Bert winked at her in the dark van, "The way you had a hand in raisin', the young Doc. I mean he wasn't the Doc then, but your nephew, I mean. How many times did he visit out here? Musta made an impression on the boy; cause here he is now, and Heaven knows he's sure been a savior to a lot of folks"

"Martin was here for five summer holidays and a few other times on holiday breaks." Her voice quavered that came out. "Phil and I… quite enjoyed having him with us." The heartbreak of Christopher ending those times still stung. "As for Louisa Glasson, dragging Martin away from the village? Out here?" She pulled her coat closer about her for it was very chill. "The girl has her ways."

Bert laughed. "That's for sure. Glad that Danny feller left. I didn't like the man. He seemed… oily to me." He sniffed. "And with that one outta the way… we got to have a wedding yesterday."

"I agree, about Danny Steel being away. He wasn't always like that. He'd changed as he grew up. His mother… we'll she pretty much told me that same thing; he'd got self-centered, but maybe the city does that a person."

Bert shook his head. "Big city never held any draw fer me. London? Never been. Exeter a couple times; once with Mary."

The two oldsters sat there quietly, until they could hear people talking out in the fog.

"Are they back? That them?" Bert asked, as he cracked open his window. "Yep! I hear 'em coming!"

Joan climbed out, and in the swirling mists could see faint yellow glows coming towards the car park; like bobbing phantoms in the mist. Joe, Mike, Al and Chippy appeared walking towards her with Martin and Louisa in their midst. Joan rushed up to her nephew and Louisa and threw her arms around them. Their clothing was wet and their skin cold. "Thankfully, you're safe now! What were you thinking about coming out here, late on a November afternoon?"

"That's my fault," Louisa admitted. "I wanted Martin to see a bit more of Cornwall, and…"

Martin interrupted. "We lost track of time, that's all. Nothing more. And a storm blew in." He put his arm around Louisa. "Now if you all don't mind, we are tired, hungry and wet. Now let's get off this bloody mountain."

"Technically, Doc, it's not a mountain. More of a tall hill," replied Mike Chubb. "But the second highest point in Cornwall."

"Yeah, but Brown Willy is a bit taller," Al threw out.

"Only by 65 feet," added Chippy.

"That's 20 meters," Mike said.

Chippy laughed. "Never did hold with all that meters and kilometers stuff. Give me good old English feet and miles any day!"

Martin exploded. "Enough! You can continue this geographic folderol another time! What IS it with you people? Honestly!"

Joe puffed himself up but said sheepishly. "All the same, Doc, this rescue has been a success!"

Chippy coughed, "But you know you two are real lucky you didn't run across a wild horse out here!"

Louisa laughed while Martin scowled.

=0=0=0=

Martin at last pushed the now too helpful rescue party, including his aunt, out of his kitchen door, then closed and locked it. Louisa sat slumped at the table wrapped in a blanket and looking exhausted. Martin was as tired as he might be, but at least they'd not have to worry about cooking. Aunt Joan prevailed upon Al Large to do something so he had stopped at the restaurant and rustled a takeaway for them.

Louisa looked inside the carton of food on the table. "Hm. Grilled sole, red potatoes, beans and some salad." She plucked out a potato wedge and bit into it. "Very tasty."

Martin looked with distaste at the puddles and muddy tracks across the slate floor. "Louisa, don't you think we ought to get cleaned up and warmed up, before we eat?" He opened a cabinet and taking the carton away from her, wrapped it in kitchen foil after washing his hands. "So, off to the shower, don't you think?"

Louisa's head drooped, damp hair hanging over her face, for she'd let her pony tail out. "You are correct, as always."

Martin sensed a tenseness between them, so he put the now silver-wrapped carton down to address her. "Louisa… I am not always correct. I have… on occasion… erred."

That set her laughing. "On occasion… oh, Martin, I only meant…"

He stopped her with a held-up hand. "I know. Now, to the shower?" he suggested.

Louisa stood up, holding the blanket about her. She opened the wrap and peered down at herself. Her wet cardi and damp blouse were molded to her body like a coat of paint. Her jeans, already tight, were not much looser, but just as revealing of her curves. "Are you saying I'm dirty?" She did feel shivery, though.

Martin's mouth dropped open at her appearance. "No. No. I was merely suggesting…. that you… then I…"

Louisa released the blanket slowly, and it slithered to the floor. Then she walked around the table and stopped in front of him. "Hello… husband," she said.

"Uhm, yes. Hello," Martin told her, wondering what she was up to.

She moved closer and closer to him at a slow and measured pace, for she wanted to get this just right.

Captured by her green eyes and symmetrical face, he was taken aback as she scooted closer. Then she put her arms around his waist and pulled him against her; her chest against his. The pressure of two female secondary sexual attributes against his lower ribs made his heartbeat increase and he felt the attendant tightening of his skin and a pressure in his inner ears as his blood pressure went up as well as a tightening in his groin. "Uhm, Louisa…"

She gave him a long and gentle kiss on the lips. "Shower… you suggested?" she asked in a whisper when their lips parted. Her heart was now pounding fast and she felt a bit out of breath.

"Louisa, we are both wet and cold," he protested. But he immediately knew that any objection of his about cleaning of their persons was a waste of time, as Louisa stared dreamily into his eyes.

"So…" Louisa said, as she snuggled closer. "What say you?" She had ideas which involved a hot shower and two people.

Martin sighed. "It appears that, uhm, you appear to have other ideas?"

Louisa kissed his jaw, below his left ear. "I was the one who suggested that silly, silly hike. I was the one who didn't warn you about proper footgear. I was the one who should have taken note of the time, and that storms this time of year are likely and…" She shrugged. "I got us in trouble out on the moor."

Martin started to protest, saying, "Louisa, don't start a line of blaming."

She pushed away a little, so she could look into his face. "Out there, when Al and the rest got us back to your car, you had a perfect opportunity to, well, to blame me for everything. But you didn't, did you?"

Martin opened his mouth, but she put her hand over it.

"No Martin, right now, please don't say anything, unless it is 'yes.' Got it?"

"Yes," said Martin.

"Now…" she took his hand in hers, and pulled his arm around her shoulders. "You with me?"

"Uhm, yes."

"And I do appreciate – am thankful – that you didn't blame me in front of Joe and the rest. Understand?"

Martin was starting to understand that forgiveness can be both verbal and, he realized in a flash, physical. "Yes."

"Plus I am sure that your idea of sheltering in the old stone ring was important in keeping us warm enough to get through the storm." Louisa smiled. Finally, she thought, they could get back to a honeymoon. She pushed her pelvis against his. "So… now… about that shower?" she said as she raised on eyebrow.

Her intentions became clearer to him. Martin had taken showers with women before, but never with one who was his wife. "I see."

She grinned. "Mar-tin, you didn't say 'yes.'" But before she could tease him more, he lifted her off her feet in a hug.

Martin knew just how close they had been to really being in deep trouble on Rough Tor. Exposure and hypothermia could have put them in great danger. But now? He inhaled the aroma of Kenzo Flower. The house was warm, and they were safe even if the floor was muddy. "I can't live without you, Louisa," he said in her ear.

Louisa felt the whiskers on his cheek abrade her skin slightly as he held her tightly. "I love you too," she answered.

In short order, the sound of a running shower sounded through the cottage, while Al Large's prepared dinner was forgotten as it cooled to room temperature on their kitchen table.