Dangerous Encounters

Chapter 13 Ruth and Liz confront the Americans, the takeover hits problems

In sparse mid-morning traffic and April sunshine, I was tantalised by how close I was to Ruth, as we passed her lay-by. I took the right turn off the A59, and we arrived at a stalled traffic queue leading to the base. 

"What's up?" asked Liz. 

With sinking heart I recognised Ruth's slight but elegant form in a fawn coat with a big collar, brown trousers, and her arms raised crucifix-like across the gateway, a pair of handcuffs on each wrist each latched to a heavy steel chain, the other end snap padlocked to the gateposts, and Amanda and Pat grinning at the embarrassment of the gate staff who had obviously been caught napping. 

I then laughed, "To hell with it. Come and meet Ruth." 

"What? Her? This is who you suffer for? Jeesus. Graham, I do not understand you." 

"You will. Come." 

With Liz looking like royalty we walked past the trucks and cars queuing to get in. Ruth recognised me. I walked to her. 

We kissed. It was just the same intense experience, except she couldn't hug me. She smiled. 

"You must be Liz. Happy to meet you. Sorry I can't shake hands." 

Liz kissed her on the cheek, and sighed, "I can see why he loves you, but you are going to be a lot of trouble to each other." 

"We are," said Ruth, "but we'll come through won't we darling?" 

"We'll give it our best shot. I didn't know you were into bondage." 

"I'm not, and if they don't cut me loose soon, I'm going to faint. I'm beginning to feel woozy now. It's a tremendous strain on the arms." 

Amanda and Pat came over, and introduced themselves to Liz after saying hello to me. 

"Don't you girls have the keys to the padlocks for the handcuffs?" 

"No," they chorused like naughty ten year olds.

"Why ever not?" I said angrily. 

"There aren't any."

"Oh, for Christ's sake." 

Ruth started to look green, and I held her to me. "How long have you been here, love?" 

"Nearly two hours, God I feel awful." she whispered. Her forehead touched my chin and it felt cold and clammy. 

"They're doing this to you to teach you a lesson. There's no reason why it should take so long to get a pair of bolt-cutters." 

A soldier approached from the guardhouse. I said to him, "Come on she's had enough, get some bolt-cutters and cut her free. She's getting ill." 

"Her problem, silly bitch is always playing some new trick. One day she'll go too far. What's she to you?" 

"A lovely woman in big trouble." 

"Graham I'm going, hold me." 

She went limp. 

Up to that moment I'd always thought of her as being light, but her lithe bony body was full of sinew and muscle. Her deadweight suddenly transferred to my arms. I blocked her knee joints with my legs so she gave some support to her own weight, and held her at her buttock level and up her spine. 

The press arrived. Liz explained in her managing way. I turned towards them to hear the hated tones of Lou Greenford from the Harrogate Advertiser telling Liz that Ruth was my bit of nookie. 

Liz's reaction was unthinkingly instant, and she put her swimmer's heavy shoulder behind a slap on his cheek which made a crack that rang out, "You aren't even able to contemplate what relationship they have. You say something like that again and I'll take you through the courts."