The train moved slowly out of Haslemere station gaining momentum as we headed towards Portsmouth. I had been joined by India and China, the daughters of my good friends. They attended school in the Haslemere area and this was them returning for the weekend. They’d bounded towards me, both still in uniform and hugged me with girlish enthusiasm. I hadn’t seen them in some time and they had grown.
India had developed into a very striking young lady. Her looks were her mothers, eyes of dark hazel, olive skin and long silken black hair betrayed her eastern origin. China on the other hand was the totally opposite, her fathers daughter, long blonde hair, blue eyes and a fresh complexion, showed her Scandinavian roots.
The change in both of them was unmistakable. Both had stretched and filled out faster than I’d thought possible. Although hidden beneath regimented school uniforms, one could still tell that what lay beneath were bodies honed by exercise and inherited shapely figures. I thought, their were guys out there, who didn’t know how lucky they were going to be.
This was emphasised as they pressed against me in greeting. I could feel the warmth of them penetrate my defences. A shudder ran through me as a flash of what could be, broke into my thoughts, naked flesh, young bodies and a lot of writhing. I shook my head to dispel it of these thoughts and with difficulty, brought myself to my senses.
I kissed both on the cheek and took their bags whilst they settled into the seats opposite me. Involuntarily I glanced down at bare legs as they manoeuvred themselves into place. They looked so smooth and unblemished. I checked myself again.
As the train moved on, countryside swishing past, we talked and caught up with some news. Before long though, the conversation waned and India took to staring out of the window, whilst China drew a book from her small bag and I returned to my newspaper.
I remember looking out of the train’s window at the a large moon. It sat low on the horizon, a sort of pale cream colour. It would dodge behind clouds as we travelled along, as we would dodge behind hedgerows and into dark tunnels. The countryside passed by in a blur of grey-green as the light of the evening faded.
I looked over at India, her eyes were now closed, hypnotised by the movement of the train, she had fallen asleep. China on the other hand was more than awake, as I looked at her, her eyes rose from the book which she had been studying intently throughout the journey. A thin leather volume, it looked a little dog-eared, it had no obvious title and I hadn’t asked what it was.
She smiled at me, holding my gaze. There has always been for me, something about the ability of a woman to do that and excite me. I felt uncomfortable under her scrutiny. To break the spell I asked. “What are you reading?”
Her smile widened, somehow, this made me even more uncomfortable. The expression across her face I likened to the cat that was about to eat the mouse.
“The Story of O. Have you heard of it?”
I think I managed successfully to contain my initial surprise at the answer she had given. She was teasing, surely. But nothing in her manner was a joke, yet I had the feeling I was being laughed at.
I wanted to call her bluff.
“Yes, I have. I read it some years ago. But should that be the sort of literature for a young lady to be reading?” I returned her smile, hoping it would give an outward sign of indifference.