Relentless Dan Fey

The following morning Penny Fey said to Dan and Trish. "Let's not wait any longer to start breakfast as it's gone half-seven. It's the first time our visitor has been out with Kip and he's probably led her on a merry chase after rabbits."

Ten minutes later they heard the thunder of hooves and Penny stood and gasped, "It's Rosina on that brute Teddy. Christ no horse should be ridden that hard; who stupidly gave her Teddy?"

"I suppose I did mum," Dan said as he stood beside his mother and sister to look out of the window above the kitchen bench. "I said she could take any horse and left her to go out and catch one to saddle."

"Rosina said yesterday she preferred strong and tall horses. Wow she's not slowing; she's going to jump the railing fence."

"Ohmigod, does Teddy jump?"

"I've seen dad jump him over a cattle trough," Dan said, pulling at his hair.

"Do something," screamed his mother.

"Like what?" Dan said as they rushed outside just in time to watch horse and rider sail over the top rail with perhaps an inch to spare.

Rosina raced Teddy right up to them, pulled him into a skidding stop, the horse laying back on his haunches a bit as if he was a trained quarter horse. Rosina flew off the slowing horse, landed on her feet into a run straight at Dan.

She was white-faced and disheveled.

"It's Kip," she screamed, thudding into Dan who'd braced himself and his arms slammed around her.

"Have you shot him?"

"No oh god no, you would have killed me," Rosina panted. "I didn't take a gun because I don't shoot from the saddle."

"What then?"

"He was chasing a hare and in the mad dash they both went over the cliff."

"Oh is that all," Dan said, and kissed Rosina on the lips, hearing the two females behind him gasp.

"How can you be so callous and uncaring," Rosina choked and failed in her efforts to pull away.

"Kip has done that before and the wind scoring of the cliff-face is deepest at the softer top and it gradually tapers out farther down. He knows how to slide down and if the tide is in full to wait to walk out when it ebbs somewhat. He'll be home in an hour or two."

"He's trapped on a ledge about thirty feet down on a near-vertical face."

"He can't be as the only vertical section for perhaps a mile either way is..."

"Ohmigod did you get as far as the stream?"

"Yes and I had just decided to turn back instead of crossing it."

"Then he's down a rock face?"

"Yes and I tried climbing down to him but loose stone and other debris tumbled down and Kip was barking as if telling me to stop. I looked down and saw a rock narrowly miss him."

"Good girl, go and have a shower and then breakfast. Mom you come with me. I'll load the backhoe on to the truck and you can operate the truck winch through a pulley that I'll attach to the end of the backhoe and it's boon should be far enough out to keep me out from the cliff-face as you lower me down."

Rosina said angrily, "No I'm coming with you and I'll be lowered down to Kip because I'm half your weight and I'm responsible for Kip getting into trouble when he was supposed to be under my control."

"Well you saucy babe from the south, lets do it your way."

"No Dan I forbid either of you going over the cliff. I'm calling the fire brigade to send in its rescue team. They possess the required skills and have the proper equipment."

"No way, it will be at least half an hour before they get that crew together and get out here," Dan said. "If he's left too long Kip will try to extricate himself and that could mean the end of him because he'll fall probably another 40 feet on to rocks."

"Mrs. Fay I agree with Dan."

"Mrs. Fey? Why have you stopped calling me Penny?"

"It's out of respect and to show humility in opposing you."

"What utter nonsense Rosina."

"Well let's go Dan, you mother's been out-voted and has conceded. Trish please call the fire chief and he'll decided what he should do. Then unsaddle Teddy and walk him around to cool off and then give him some good nourishment because he'll feel knackered after being ridden so hard. Thanks, darling."

"Dan I'll need your motorbike crash helmet in case I get hit by dislodged rock and get me something strong enough to stand on when being lowered and an empty chaff sack to put Kip in in case he panics. Okay let's go."

"Who's the team leader?"

"She is mum."

"No that's stupid; he is Penny as he'll be watching my progress down and back up and instructing you at the winch controls."

"God you're a natural-born leader darling but in this instance Dan leads."

"I could argue..."

"Shut up Dan, lead the way."

"Okay Miss Swan um how much do you weigh?"

"Shut up Dan," his mother said. "This is not a time to get personal."

The fire chief arrived at the clifftop with Trish just as Dan at the edge of the cliff called his mother to stop lowering Rosina. She had reached the side of the ledge.

More vehicles arrived including a local newspaper team in a van and a self-employed video cameraman on a motorcycle with sidecar carrying his equipment.

After a quick inspection, the fire chief said it appeared to be a well-structured rescue attempt and having checked that the handbrake of the truck was on and the wheels chocked, said and all equipment being used appeared to be more than adequate for the job.

"Um what's the lad at the end of the cable holding on to?"

"I clamped three handgrips at varying levels and she's standing on a heavy piece of timber clamped to the hook at the end of the winch wire."

"Did you say her?"

"Yes she claimed she was the lightest of us and she was supposed to have being in control of Kip at the time. She's from the South Island and mum and I considered she was expendable should things go wrong," Dan joked.

Everyone who heard that including Penny looked horrified but laughed when Dan chuckled and said the bit about her being expendable had been a piece of nervous fabrication.

"Hey guys," the female reporter who'd been chatting to Penny said to the two guys with cameras at the cliff edge, "The dog is the legendary Kip."

They signaled thanks with a wave and intensified their recording of the incident.

The rescue of Kip ended successfully.

Kip had acted more than pleased when Rosina was lowered beside him but after three unsuccessful attempts to have him step into the bag, and each time he backed away over fallen debris and almost backing off the short ledge, Rosina tried something to divert Kip.

"Dan whistle to Kip, just a brief spurt."

When Kip looked up at Dan, wagging his tail, Rosina threw the wide sack over him and talked to him softly to try to calm him. Although the dog struggled she managed to scoop the sack under his back legs and although having to keep holding onto one of the grips fasted to the hoist cable she managed to pull Kip in the sack against her chest.

As soon as Kip calmed to the softly-spoken repeated words 'Good boy Kip', she called to Dan who signaled to his mum to with an upturned hand indicating to lift Rosina and Kip slowly.

At the cliff top Dan took Kip from Rosina's grasp and the fire chief Dave Wilson signaled to Penny and she swung the boon of the digger in away from Kip and Dan and lowered Rosina to the ground.

Rosina removed her helmet and goggles and waved thanks to Penny who waved back and that exchange was captured by another photographer who'd broke away from the group focused on recording Kip being freed from the sack and being reunited with Dan.

Dan took Rosina into his arms and kissed her in front of a crowd that had grown to about forty and included the late arriving fire brigade rescue team of volunteers.

Dan whispered. "Was it okay me kissing you?"

"I didn't lash out and so it must have been," Rosina smiled.

The news media then posed Rosina and Dan squatting with Kip between them and with the digger on the truck in the background. A close-up photograph of that grouping with Kip licking Rosina on the face appeared in newspapers and magazines throughout the country.

* * *

Back at the house when the last of volunteer firemen and onlookers had departed after enjoying hot buttered pikelets topped with raspberry jam accompanied by tea or beer or wine, Penny ran a hot bath for Rosina who relaxed in the water and went to sleep.

A few minutes last she awoke to pressure on her lips and found the kisser was Dan.

"What are you doing here?" she scolded. "You are here uninvited and have seen me naked.

"What's wrong with that?" he protested. "Your body check out okay... well at least I looked at it thoroughly and couldn't see any deformity."

She smiled and pulled his head down as she said, "Well you kiss beautifully; kiss me again and then scat. Your mother would have a fit if she found you in here with me like this."

He kissed Rosina again and their tongue tips touched and Dan braced himself for the possibility of violence erupting but she remained calm and in fact smiled when telling him to "Now fuck off."

Grinning he left after smirking and saying: "Actually mum told me to come in here and you might be feeling vulnerable after what had happened today and reflecting on the risk you took being lowered to Kip and struggling to contain him and that might mean I might receive a tender kiss."

"Bullshit."

"Believe what you want."

Dan walked into the kitchen where his mother was preparing lunch asked, "Well?"

"Yeah she didn't scream or leap up and throw me out of the room and I kissed her and I guess you would have described my actions as being well-received. Now please get off my back and accept she believes I'm the wrong type for her. She probably will have written me off as not being communicative or refined enough for her; that I have a roving eye and I focus only on things I want."

"Oh yes Dan, I agree that you are relentless and rather introverted when it comes to conversation and that you are ignorant about the way some females require a man to grease up to them before they give him what he wants. But, but with Rosina you are wrong about that. You don't really know how to read a woman."

"God mum have you been smoking something."

"No you idiot, I haven't been on marijuana for almost thirty years. Fuck off you loafer and do something you are good at, working."

Grinning, Dan Fey kissed his scowling mum, slapped her on the ass and she giggled as he walked away.

Minutes later a refreshed looking Rosina walked into the room.

The women hugged and as Penny brushed the house guest's fringe to straighten it she said, "Did he get an eyeful?"

Coloring, Rosina stepped back as she said, "Pardon me?"

"I'd told Dan to go to you in the bathroom to hopefully get a real eyeful of you as nature intended. I think there should be something simmering between you two but I've seen nothing and I thought I should kick-start something."

"You what!"

"Darling I don't think you realize but perhaps a quarter of the permanent adult population of this island are people who a generation ago were commonly called hippies."

"I came to a summer camp here as a shy but inquiring girl of seventeen Camp, paid for by my grand-parents who believed my parents were too conservative and that I should spend summer in what they described as 'experiencing something of the real world' before I studied to become a librarian."

"There is a reason why I'm telling you this. Well on the third night in camp there was a dance and as two-thirds of us were females the camp director organized a 50-50 ratio by arranging through the camp's resident liaison contact to have a number young males 16 to 18 to join our group for the evening."

"Those 11 youths eyed us 11 females without a partner and as the director began to invite them to select their partner a tall, lean guy with blonde hair rushed from the ranks of the gawking lads and seized me around the waist and cupped my breast and I almost died in embarrassment, shame but mostly joy..."

"He was Dan's father!"

"Ohmigod, Dan has told you that story."

"No but somehow everything rushed into place and I believed I knew the outcome. I suppose before the camp ended you two got down to it and you lost your virginity?"

"Oh no, I lost it that night."

"What but you were boy-shy and probably half-tentative about most things. What happened?"

"I adored that guy from the moment he rushed forward expecting him to grab Sharon or Jill or perhaps both as they were very attractive and the whisper was they were virtually sex machines."

"Ohmigod how romantic."

"Yes and no. Yes, I thought it was unbelievably romantic but in contrast my mother would have been horrified that 'the lout' as she would have called him got into my panties that very night but the fact was I removed them for him."

Penny and Rosina fell into each other's arms giggling.

"Wow I need coffee," Penny said. "Reliving this is making me feel horny."

Rosina got the instant coffee jar and the milk while Penny filled the kettle.

"Returning to my story. although the guy had little to say I kept him attentive by chirping to him. My father, an elder at our church, had forbidden me to dance but two of my girl-friends had secretly taught me some of the basic steps and I'd quickly learned to mimic their movements and even to anticipate."

"Charles as he was known then before I began calling him Charlie, was a great dancer as his mother's much younger sister came to the island twice a month to take dancing classes and had given Charlie lessons at his home.

"An hour later Charles went outside the local hall for some fresh air and after ten minutes I went outside to find him. He was with three other chaps and they were passing around a sweet-smelling cigarette and I thought how unwholesome. Charlie pulled me into the group and the cigarette was handed to me. I looked at Charlie and he shook his head but I took a puff to avoid embarrassing him. He must have guessed I'd been forbidden to smoke. But I took a puff, coughed and took another and passed it on.

"To my astonishment I'd found it quite likeable and of course I was not struck down by lightning. During the next few minutes I had several more puffs of the replacement cigarette."

"As we walked back to the hall Charles squeezed my breasts and I guess I said "Ooh' and he asked should he stop and I recall I said "No it feels lovely". He said well in that case we could do more and I said okay and was walked off. I was so happy and felt I was practically floating. I guess I should stop at this point."

"Oh what a lovely story and now the morale."

"No and please don't encourage me."

"Well then, I'll guess you think I should have sex with Dan and yet you won't say that? I'm not a virgin Penny."

"Okay here's the morale and it might not be quite what you expect. Sexual relations are part of life Rosina and if you feel the need or desire then do something about it. You are here for only a short time and my message is "Seize the moment'. If your mother told you not to get close to that Fey lad because he has a reputation, then ignore it. Discussion on this matter is now closed."

"But..."

"Rosina please be a darling and go to the hen-house and gather the eggs."

"Very well on one condition."

"Which is?"

"I'd like to see the hall where that dance was held if it's still standing."

"You've seen the site. That old hall was demolished and replaced by the Community Hall financed by the extended Fey family. Saturday night's ball will be in that hall."

"I wonder which member of the family pushed for the Feys' to finance that undertaking."

"Off you go darling," Penny cooed, attempting to conceal her blush.

Next morning Penny rushed into the bedroom flushed and gasped, "Rosina wake up quickly."

"What is it; has something happened to Kip?"

"Come to the house phone; I think it's your mother and she appears very upset, almost incoherent."

"Hi mom, it's Rosina. I'm sorry I haven't called for a few days. Things have been a little busy around here."

"Damn right they have been and I want you home right now. I can't believe that fucking Fey family put you over the cliff to rescue that dog. We've just received the morning newspaper and there's a picture of that mutt licking your face."

"Now you listen to me mum, you have the wrong end of the stick. I'll explain why I demanded that I must be the one to go down to Kip. And remember while listening that you always demanded that I take full responsibility for my actions."

Two days later the bi-weekly local newspaper used one of the quotes from the couple as the over-line of its front page picture,

'Babe You Were Bloody Amazing Saving Kip'.

Of course, a that quote immediately became local gossip and would established Rosina Swan as one of the most notable visitors to the island in recent times. That gossip developed to decree the South Island girl may well become the wife Dan Fey who'd been looking for such a female without success for a long time.

After the obviously upset mother of the twins Della Delany relayed that gossip to Penny, she had to fight hard to keep her voice normal although her entire body was twitching in delight. She knew before long some mothers would call Dan and ask if the rumor was true and he'd tell Rosina because she was out with him on farm motorbikes shifting yearling cattle to fresh pasture in an area of the extensive farm where there was cellphone coverage.

An hour later the couple arrived back.

Dan burst into the kitchen, red-faced.

"Mum you've been spreading gossip."

Penny said quietly, "Dan you know I've never been one to gossip."

"All I know is you've always claimed you never contribute to gossip."

Penny said hotly, "Daniel Fey withdraw that insinuation or I'll thump you."

For a moment Dan appeared about to invite his mother to try to thump him but his shoulders dropped than he muttered, "I withdraw and apologize."

"And apologize for being so aggressive because there's a lady in the house."

In surprise, Dan said sounding a little sarcastic, "Where?"

"Behind you."

"Bullshit."

He turned and saw Rosina with a hand over her mouth as if suppressing shock or a laugh.

Dan sounded genuine when he said, "Ladies I apologize. Rosina, I hadn't expected you back so soon. I took off to confront mum and left you to shut the gate."

"Well I returned full throttle to intervene if you we too rough verbally with your mother. I'd told you after that second call that I didn't believe you mother would lie to start that silly rumor."

"Yes you did but I had no one else to blame. Um, what do you mean by describing the rumor as silly?"

"The idea of something going on between you and me is preposterous."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because you don't like me enough to touch me."

"Bullshit I kissed you when saying thanks for saving Kip."

"Agreed but that was because Kip means everything to you. Now confirm that you kissed me out of gratitude."

Dan opened his mouth, probably to lie, but then looking sheepishly said Rosina wouldn't understand.

"Bullshit Dan Fey and please accept I have a brain and feelings. How do you think I felt as a kid when my pet overfat lamb disappeared and then I remembered the truck taking drafted lambs off to the meat works had arrived at dawn that day? Furthermore, that would be the routine for several years of my early life although admittedly some of my pets did join the breeding flock."

"Rosina I apologize and of course you have a brain and feelings. The truth is I was smitten when I first saw you but thought you'd consider I was either too rough or too arrogant for you or probably both of those things. You have no idea what my feelings were and they inflamed when I saw you in the bath nude and noticed you shave down there."

"Omigod I'm out of here." Penny gasped and rushed off to the garage and drove off.