April 2000 - The Easter Holiday
The Tangled Web is a story spanning several years and is based on the complicated lives of a brother and sister and those they live with. Set in the English Midlands, the tale is told through a series of interlocking short stories. Although designed to be read in sequence, I have tried to make each chapter stand as a complete and satisfying story in itself.
A year has passed since their first weekend away. Sara and Sam are still very much together. Sam is still married to Lynn and Sara still lives with David. Their incestuous relationship is still secret and they are secure enough in their relationships to risk another holiday away as a foursome.
*****
David watched the bedroom ceiling in the early morning light, waiting for the alarm clock to ring. He was looking forward to the end of term. David liked the Easter break – the lull in routine which prepared the staff for the long hot summer term. The previous term had been long and hard work, with unexpected complications. There was Paula, of course. Her demands on him were entirely physical and welcome, if increasingly risky. But there was also now Sophie – not so much a problem, but a factor David hadn’t anticipated.
The previous February, on Valentine’s Day, he had received another card from her. 'I am still in love with you' was all it said. Since last year, David had become more and more aware of Sophie as he worked, especially as she was now in his class for two subjects. Gradually he had begun to appreciate her intellect as the lessons became more demanding, and as they worked more together, so he had found her conversation lively and her humour infectious. He would occasionally spot her gazing at him in an adoring way, which disconcerted him, and he was perhaps reading more into her intonation than was intended, but still not a thought of impropriety crossed his mind.
No, David was too concerned about the impending holiday in the countryside with Sara, her brother and his wife. The potential for trouble when they were together was always high. The last time they had been away together was the now infamous holiday in Spain where he and Sara had almost split up after she had caught him masturbating as he secretly watched Lynn swimming. Only the hours she had spent with her brother Sam had persuaded her to take him back. He must make sure he did nothing so stupid this time.
*****
A week later, Sam, Sara, Lynn and David were on holiday in the country. They were staying in an old stone cottage in a very isolated spot near the moors, where there was plenty of good walking and good bike riding.
The cottage had no mains power, relying on its own generator, and when the lights were out was very dark indeed. Like many old houses it had only small windows and heavy curtains kept out almost all the light, and of course being in England, the rain clouds allowed little moonlight anyway.
The two couples did, on the whole get on very well, despite their complicated relationships. Lynn tried hard to enjoy the outdoor life - something Sara and Sam had been brought up on, but which did not come easy to Lynn - and David made strenuous efforts not to annoy Sam. Had he but known it, this was a pointless exercise. Sam's resentment of David arose from far deeper motivations than simple annoyance.
It was Thursday night, the normal night for Sara and Sam's 'tennis' training. They had both been feeling the strain of living so close together for so long without being able to touch, to kiss as lovers and to make love, and the knowledge that this, their night, would have to be missed was proving difficult to accept.
The weather had been very good that day, and after a long walk along an old railway track, they were all hungry and thirsty. Dinner had been prepared by Sam and David, and had taken much longer than confidently predicted at the beginning. As a result, the two girls in particular had drunk much more white wine than they were accustomed to and were, as Sara put it 'quite squiffy'.
Throughout the meal, Sara had tried to touch Sam's thighs with her hands and feet under the table, trying to make some form of intimate contact. Sam had served Sara her meal standing rather closer than was strictly necessary and for a moment she thought Lynn had suspected something.
The conversation after dinner had roamed widely and, as it was prone to do when alcohol featured, had touched - but only obliquely - on sex. There was, not for the first time, a sexual frisson in the air and as the plates and cups were cleared, Sara insisted on making more coffee and on helping Sam to wash up in the kitchen. This meant leaving David and Lynn together in the lounge. Sam always felt a little uncomfortable when those two were left together. He very clearly remembered David's obsession with Lynn, which had culminated in that extraordinary night in Spain.
Sam was standing at the kitchen sink as Sara entered the room with the empty cups.
"Are they OK?" he asked.
"Deep in conversation. David's trying to flirt with Lynn but she's having none of it." Sara laughed.
Sam smiled wryly. He knew inside it was hypocritical of him to feel jealous of Lynn simply talking to David when he himself was in a long standing, passionate affair with Sara, but he wouldn't have been a man if he could have helped it.
Sara crossed to the sink and placed the cups one by one into the warm soapy water as Sam washed. Their fingers touched. They both paused and Sara slowly drew her wet index finger up Sam’s arm, leaving a shiny wet trail up to his elbow. He pressed his thigh against hers and she leaned over to whisper in his ear.
"Sam! I’m going crazy. I can’t stand being so close to you for a full week without having you."
Sam clutched her hand tightly.
"I know, Midge. I feel so frustrated too. It's impossible to live in this place with you around all day and yet not being able to touch each other. I feel like I'm going to explode."
"What can we do? We can hardly go upstairs together and leave them down here."
“Lynn won’t be left alone for long. Especially with David. She told me she thinks he’s cheating on you.” Sam said laughingly.
“If only she knew. Sam, surely we could find some way to……”
Sam thought for a minute.
"Do you think we could meet later? When they're asleep?" He asked, half joking.
