Chapter 66

Emma felt good, and it was not only Emma who was thinking this. Archie was absorbing her breath on his neck. Drinking in her body, her curves, her warmth. She felt cosy. She fitted into him. She helped to make him feel complete.

At the same moment, as the van had rapidly escaped from the Student Union car park with his former team mate, the murderer Betts behind the wheel, stirred enormous emotion within him.

After being taken off the mission by Commander Edgar Bennett, Malcolm had sought to push the whole episode in the Alps from his mind. Try as he might, he was unable to hide and temper his feelings from Emma. She asked him what was wrong. Archie shrugged. He could not put into words what was building up inside him. Instead, Archie remained aloof and stated that he could not explain but that it was nothing to do with her.

Archie suggested they go inside out of the cold. Emma had cooled down so immediately agreed.

“I could do with a hot drink, Archie, as well as a hot man!”

Archie was taken aback. Here was this beautiful, gorgeous, lovely girl who had just jokingly complimented him and was clearly enjoying his company.

He chuckled “I don’t know about the last bit, but let’s get out of here; I’ll show you where I live.” He hastily added, “There’s no compulsion to come in but I do have a very comfortable sofa, so you can have my bedroom and I’ll sleep in the lounge.”

“OK, you’ve twisted my arm,” laughed Emma.

Archie and Emma walked hand in hand down to the Hard and continued past the seafront and the Portsmouth fortifications to the entrance of Archie’s block of flats. Archie was on a high. The alcohol he had consumed gave him a rosy glow, but the main reason for his high spirits was Emma. Their early relationship seemed to be blossoming. Yes, he wanted to know her more in every way, but he did not want to lose her or rush becoming acquainted with her. By understanding her and knowing her properly, he would treasure the unravelling of this special girl.

Once in his flat, Archie made them both hot chocolates and Emma remained shy and observant and told Archie how she had ended up studying geography at Portsmouth University. The darkness of the night could not hide the glinting masts of the yachts moored up in Haslar Marina, their hulls quietly floating on the opposite side of the Portsmouth Harbour entrance.

Whilst enjoying the coastal location of Portsmouth, Emma was not a great seafarer. Time spent in her youth with her family crossing the Channel on one of the many ferries had always caused her to react to the up and down motion of the waves and tides. Despite attempting different tactics of eating or not eating prior to the crossings, taking sea sickness pills and seeking the fresh-air of the deck, the travelling by boat element of those holidays had never been much fun. Archie was amused that she always felt seasick on the water that they were both gazing at.

Emma made a point of not going on boats anymore, in her holiday time or otherwise. She was in her element jogging along the sea-front on her weekly run to Eastney and back. The wind never seemed to be completely calm and the number of watercraft off the shore always meant that the view across to the Isle of Wight was filled with activity and interest. Passing Southsea Pier there would be the amusements, candy floss and rock sellers. The fish and chip shops would come next before watching the putters on the seafront golf course. She enjoyed these times, not having to worry about her coursework or the next assignment as she was taking in the comings and goings of the sea-craft and the seafront, and the distance would fly under her running shoes.

As Emma opened up, Archie was impressed by her get up and go. It matched his. Archie and Emma had much in common and this was especially apparent when she turned to winter sports. When Emma told Archie of her recent family holiday and how she and her two brothers had come to be within an orange winter survival bag on the side of the mountain below the Glacier de Bellecote, Archie did not know where to put himself or how to respond. He did what he knew best, he listened. He took in every word, the shape of her lips, the truthful and open eyes, the warmth and love for her family, the fighting spirit.

Emma was absorbing this wonderful man concentrating immensely on her every word. She knew there was more, and she had been waiting to find a moment to understand fully what had happened that night.

“You were there, Archie, weren’t you?”

It was not a rhetorical question and Emma continued to wait for a response. Archie just remained calm and attempted to mask his face. It had been such a wonderful evening. Everything had been perfect and now this. What was he to say? Did he compromise his position for the girl that he had fallen madly in love with? Was it love? Was that really what he felt? He had never had emotions like this about anybody before. Could he trust her?

“I think we both need another hot chocolate, Emma,” Archie began hesitantly and then picked up his voice. “Or perhaps we should have something a little stronger. There’s been much that I’ve wanted to say to you and seeing that I’m away from it all and I trust you, Emma, let me share with you what I’ve been doing over the last nine months.”