Patrick George Callaghan

Episode 28…The Punisher Part Two

‘I wish you would not smoke… You know I don’t like it.’ It was a rather weak and vunerable thing for her to say and she simply could not thing of anything else at that moment, she looked at him from an addled face.

Then he laughed, laughed quite loudly and stopped abnormally and suddenly. ‘You’re so bloody prim and proper, aren’t you?’ he snapped, forcing a cough from a lungful of smoke. There was quick anger in his face. ‘You know what you are! Your a tart! I know what’s been going on behind my back with you and that Charles. You must think I’m damm stupid!’ His thoughts wandered in her silence and his eyes floated over this people less place. Then his eyes once again rested over her. A smile of almost kindness roamed over him in its wickedness. She remained quiet saying nothing.

‘A tart has to be punished!’ he announced. ‘I know how to deal with you!’ he threw the cigarette to the ground and from a trouser pocket produced a small brown envelope. Lifting the flap he sprinkled a dark grey powder on the palm of his hand, then looked at her mockingly.

As he stood there he became sallow, artful and conniving, now a fear was replacing her humbleness. She looked up to the plain white sky to avoid his stare knowing now he was intent on some horrid resolute.

Episode 27…The Punisher Part One

‘I know about Charles! Don’t try to deny it!’

His words seemed to circle around in her head like some hideous, out of control carousel. She quickly drank from her glass of wine, and swallowed heavily over her closed throat. An odd complacency had settled over his face and the thunder had suddenly gone. He was someone now in a very advantageous position, yet a strange manner occupied his eyes; very slowly and carefully he lifted and refilled his glass of wine. He had good taste which so often went with poor morality. At last, she pushed out a word, nude and deformed, pressed between unwanting lips. ‘Charles…?’ It burst upon him pointlessly.

‘Come child!… Don’t play with me. We both know who Charley boy is.’ He drew his legs, pushing up on his elbows. Then stood upright in front of her like some morose schoolmaster.

‘I’ve had you watched!’ he declared.

‘Watched.’ she echoed feebly.

‘Yes watched, and there is no need for you to repeat my words. I’m quite sure your hearing is unimpaired. Even if your morals are not!’ He was pacing her just like a quarry, looking for that one weakness. She remained silent as he lifted a crumpled packet of cigarettes and lighter from a jacket pocket, drew heavily with the smoke and stared at her curiously. ‘So you thought you could get away with it, didn’t you. Thought I was some kind of fool. Had enough of me, had you, wanted his penis did you?’

Episode 26…Hinckley Common

The air was cold on Hinckley Common. Simple-minded Gorse and tough grass lay moistened by early morning dew. A grubbing stream of undisciplined water splashed up from the rakish earth and grumbled its way awkwardly down the Heath.

He was carelessly superior. ‘I do think this is such an evoking spot!’ he grinned at her foolishly, as if looking for some support to his observation. She remained silent, suspicious of his sudden motive for their being there. He had groaned and moaned the upward climb and now he had brought her to a spot beside a large Hawthorn bush that seemed to oversee the inclining hill beneath them. He spread a thick Tartan blanket on the ground and placed a small wicker food hamper on top of it.

‘Come on… Sit down.’ It almost sounded like a command. ‘You will like it here.’ he added.

He kissed her cheek when she sat down. She moved away from him a little without really thinking about it. ‘Something wrong my child.’ His words were thoughtful, yet his eyes searched her, almost probing her it seemed for some sign of weakness.

She smiled churlishly and said nothing. Thoughtlessly she undid the straps of the wicker basket. He watched her intently, and then said: ‘I wonder what goodies Rose has packed for us.’ The remark somehow was out of character to his mood. They ate chicken sandwiches and drank half a bottle of wine. They made awkward small talk and Edward remarked on the prettiness of their situation.

‘This is grand’… he announced …’And what about Charles?’ Suddenly his face had deepened and was now as black as thunder.

Her body stiffened and her mind froze.

Episode 25…Invitation

‘We must have a sunshine day’, anounced Edward that following morning over breakfast. ‘It lifts the spirit, perhaps we should go into Surrey and I know a wonderful spot for a picnic. What do you say my dear, can you be ready by ten?’

He was not going to the office then? Had he detected something? Could he have followed her to Bayswater… Even perhaps watched her going into the photo shop? No! that was impossible she was sure of that. She had to get a grip on herself.

‘Yes… Of course’. She made her response rather weakly. She did not want to go and sit on some grassland, especially with him! Why was he doing this?

The fire in her heart was dying. His statement had settled nothing in her mind. She could not love him any longer. Soreness prevailed in her soul unsmoothed without its balm. She was married to Edward and yet she felt that she should be wed to Charles. Charles would take her… And she knew it!