Yorkshire Lady

Yorkshire Lady part 7

Part 7

Christmas was approaching. Andy had announced that he was taking Rebecca skiing to Gstaad over Christmas and New Year.

Caroline was delighted. She invited John, Rick ( with his Biology teacher girlfriend Simone and her son Henry) and Phyllis to join her, her boys and her parents for the festive season.

Phyllis said with happy anticipation that her daughter and her family were coming over from Australia to stay with her. Caroline invited them too and Phyllis was delighted to accept.

She was planning to take Freddy and Charlie to see a Pantomime ( Cinderella it was this year) in Halifax. ' I need to get the tickets booked', she told Phyllis. ' Would your daughters little ones be interested in joining us do you think?' Phyllis thought it would be a nice surprise for her 2 granddaughters and agreed. 8 year old Henry was keen to go too and Rick was delighted to take him.

On the 20th December Andy and Rebecca left for Gstaad and would not be back until after New Year.

On the 21st A by now considerable party set off from Sparthwaite Manor in a hired minibus to see the Pantomime. Caroline had hit it off very well with Phyllis's daughter Leanne while Rick and John found a new friend in her husband Kyle. 6 year old Penny

and 4 year old Susie had been shy at first with the boys but were chatting and playing happily now. They were looking forward to the pantomime since their 'Gran' had explained the concept to them.

Rick hadn't been to a panto since Ben had been small and John had never been to one in his life. The 5 children had such a wonderful evening that the adults couldn't fail to enjoy themselves too and Caroline got votes of thanks all round for organising the trip.

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In Andy's absence, he was with another woman and they wouldn't be having separate beds that was for certain, Caroline saw no shame in inviting John to stay at Sparthwaite with her.

She had begun to feel differently since John had become her lover. She was realising at last that she had been a fool to agree to Andy's 'business deal' and that he and his friends had no right to treat her as they did. In the new year she was going to be different.

For the present her concern was Freddy and Charlie and how they might feel regarding her relationship with John and her lack of one with their father.

She talked to John about it. ' Freddy will ask sooner or later, he's as sharp as a nail.

I want to be honest with them without hurting them'.

John took her hands. ' You can tell them that I love you and them too and I want your happiness and security because I've never been so happy myself as I have been since I came to your house. I won't try to take you away from here though until I have somewhere suitable to offer you. It won't be on this scale I'm afraid but I want it to be comfortable'.

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Freddy's question came on Christmas Eve morning. John had gone to White gate farm 2 miles away to collect the goose that Caroline had ordered for Christmas Lunch.

Mother and children were decorating the Christmas tree. ' Mummy', Freddy's voice was thoughtful. ' Yes darling?'

'Mummy, Why do you and Daddy not sleep in the same bed like you do with John and Daddy does with Rebecca?' It was a relief that it was finally out.

Caroline drew her boys over to the sofa and cuddled the closely to her. She told them about herself as she would a bedtime story........................

'So you see, Daddy didn't marry me because he loves me and wants to make me happy but because he wanted me to look after him, like a Mummy really and I didn't say yes because I really wanted to marry him. I thought that no one else would ever want to ask me so I decided I'd better say yes that time. It was a silly thing for me to do'.

Freddy was in the grip of deep thoughts and Charlie was all wide eyed in wonder.

' Does Daddy want Rebecca to be his Mummy and does John want you to be his Mummy too ?'

Caroline smiled. ' No, to both questions darling. If Rebecca would look after Daddy then Mummy wouldn't be here and John loves me in a way that Daddy doesn't. He loves you boys as well, just like I do. He wants to make me happy and he knows that having you 2 happy is one of the most important things for me'.

Freddy jumped down from the sofa and began decorating the tree again followed by his brother who dragged his Mummy in his wake. ' I like John', Freddy remarked. ' You smile with John, makes you look pretty'. He thought some more.

 ' You sometimes cry when Daddy's here,  it makes me sad '.

It was the sort of breathtaking statement that only a small child makes.

' Who's going to sit on the top of the tree then?' It was the cheerful welcome voice of a returning John.

Charlie ran over to him waving the fairy. ' Silly John', he scolded,

' Lady' and reprovingly thrust the fairy into his hand.

John picked him up, winking at Caroline. ' Well I'm a right muffin aren't I ? Are you going to put the 'Lady' up there then?'

He put Charlie onto his shoulders and the child placed the fairy on the tree top with avid concentration. Freddy had a small basket in his hand containing several decorations that he wanted to put near the top, so he had a turn on John's shoulders too'.

The boys wanted to play outside for a while. 'Lunch time in half an hour, so don't go far' Caroline told them.

John grinned playfully and took her to the kitchen. He indicated the utility room door.

'Mistletoe !' Caroline smiled. John stood under it. ' Well?' He said. ' I can't do much here on my own'.

Caroline walked into his arms and discovered that kisses can be a knee trembling, erotic experience in their own right'.

John took the boys out to play that afternoon while Caroline got beds ready upstairs and cleaned round generally ( Phyllis and Rick were with their families today).

Her parents were staying over that evening and Caroline had offered hospitality to their other guests for the night of Christmas Day so that drivers didn't need to avoid drinking for once.

John got a take away for supper that evening and then Caroline's parents arrived. Caroline had explained her situation with John to them. She understood their wariness, after all they would be concerned for their grandsons' welfare but Caroline was adamant that she would not be parted from him.

Once the 2 boys were in bed Mr and Mrs Boulton were told the full story of what was going on at Sparthwaite by their daughter. ' Andy just sees me as one of the staff but John loves me, so if anyone has a problem with the situation they'll just have to ' lump it' ' she stated firmly.

By bed time the Boultons were feeling a little more settled. John looked like a 'decent lad'.

Caroline was glowing and the boys seemed happy enough with the situation.

In the early hours. Caroline and John brought the boys presents to put under the tree then John pulled Caroline back to the utility room to 'use' the mistletoe again.

Caroline giggled and began to sing ' I saw Mummy kissing Santa Claus underneath the mistletoe last night...........................'

She got no further before John lifted her onto the kitchen table, she let her hands and then her lips trail slowly over his delectable naked upper body. ' Excuse me Madam,' Caroline loved the way that John's voice sounded anything but shy when he was turned on..........

' I thought that I was doing the seducing here '.

TBC