Cast No Shadow by Peter Sharp (books recommended by bts .txt) 📗

you I did not enjoy it. At last, I was in a bed with a handsome man who genuinely desired me and wanted to please me. It wasn’t the ideal circumstances, but it was better than anything I have ever known before.”

Sybilla finished her story, quietly sobbing in Kelly’s arms. He held her closer and kissed her gently on the forehead, she responded by muzzling her head into his neck.

They sat for some time like this until Kelly stirred. Almost reluctantly he said, “We had better get a move on. It’s really dark now.”

“No,” Sybilla responded. “I couldn’t lead you in the dark. Hansy could, but I don’t have his experience. We will stay here tonight. Hansy will have found us by morning and he will continue the journey with you. I will go over the ridge and down the valley to my sister. Hans will catch me up before I reach her house.”

Kelly felt a pang at the thought of her leaving but said nothing.

Instead Sybilla said lightly, “We had better bed down for the night. Did you bring Hansy’s large sleeping bag?”

“Yes.” Kelly hauled it out of his bergen. “I have it here.”

“Good.” Sybilla hesitated. “I hope you won’t think me forward, but in the interests of staying warm and comfortable, can I suggest we use my sleeping bag as a base to soften these benches and both crawl into Hansy’s bag?”

“In the interest of warmth, that sounds like a good idea,” said Kelly, trying not to sound too eager.

Sybilla started to strip off her outer clothing and Kelly followed suit. She went as far as the full-length skin-tight thermal underwear, much favoured by Norwegian skiers and climbers. She had undressed in front of the window and the backlight had turned her figure into a black silhouette. As she stood there clad only in her underwear, the silhouette gave the impression of her standing naked before him.

Kelly marvelled at her statuesque beauty portrayed in profile. She was quite simply perfect. Then the moment was gone. She turned and made her way to the sleeping bag.

After some fumbling, a little muted giggling and some “shhhs”, they manoeuvred themselves into the sleeping bag. It was a snug fit. Of necessity they were in effect embracing. Feeling her so close to him, Kelly knew what he wanted to do, and he knew that Sybilla felt the same.

He lowered his lips to hers.

Russia

As the sun crept across the floor of the cabin the lovers lay passionately entwined. They had made the night last as long as they could, sleeping intermittently and embracing closely when awake. Reluctantly, and without either speaking it, they knew the time had come to rise. There was some scrambling in the bottom of the bag to find discarded underwear before both emerged. They dressed quickly, then, after a hug and a lingering kiss, they began to collect their kit together, ready to move.

“Hallooo?” The gentle call from the door startled them both. They reeled in unison to see Hans in the doorway.

“Are we ready?” he asked jauntily. “Dan and I have some way to go yet. We have to walk to Russia!”

The attempt at mirth was lost on the two lovers, who nevertheless tried to appear upbeat.

“I’ll just walk up the treeline a few hundred metres,” said Hans. “I need to check we are not being observed.”

The other two grunted a response and Hans shrugged, moving away. Once Hans was out of sight the two embraced fondly, kissing and caressing. Sybilla began to cry.

“Sybilla—” Kelly started.

“Don’t say anything Dan. Just promise me one thing.”

“Anything.” He wiped the tears from her cheek.

“After this is all over, please come and find me. Please!”

“I promise,” Kelly nodded.

Sybilla disengaged herself from him, hoisted up her bergen and walked out of the cabin without a backward glance.

Kelly remained in the doorway for a long moment, watching her progress towards the ridge, before he too stepped out, turned, and walked along the treeline until he met up with Hans.

After a cursory nod, they set out together. Neither spoke for a while. Kelly was glad to be alone with his thoughts.

Until Hans spoke. “I thought you two were never going to get up!”

Kelly’s head spun round to look at Hans. Hans didn’t meet his surprised stare, he merely resolutely watched where he was going.

“You saw us together?” Kelly inquired.

“Hell, yes!” Hans responded. “I’ve been outside since four this morning. I was absolutely freezing. I had to go for a walk to warm up.”

“Why didn’t you wake us?” asked Kelly.

“You were awake!” answered Hans and now he did turn his head and look directly at Kelly. “I didn’t like to interrupt.”

Kelly didn’t speak for a moment, then asked, “You didn’t mind?”

“Mind you sleeping with my big sister? No, I didn’t mind. Gunnar is a good man, but she is a special person and deserves love and attention. If you can give her that, then why would I mind? God knows she’s been deprived of it for long enough.”

Hans paused for just a moment then went on, “However, you using my sleeping bag! That I mind!”

Kelly looked at him to see if he was serious, but there was a smile on his face. “You know about Gunnar’s—” Kelly wasn’t sure how to finish the sentence.

“About Gunnar’s problem, you mean? Yes, I’ve known about that for a long time. I imagine big sisters are the same the world over. Even though I’m only a year younger, Sybilla assumes that she knows everything, and I know nothing.”

“She tried to hide it from you?” Kelly asked.

“Of course,” answered Hans in a matter-of-fact way. “She was the most beautiful teenager in Norway and could have had the pick of any young man in the area. How could she come to terms with the fact that the man she had chosen couldn’t satisfy her?”

Kelly realised that Hans’s description of his sister was brotherly hyperbole, but he wouldn’t have disputed it.

They left the treeline and walked across tundra for about an hour