Beth saw the excitement in Frederick's eyes, and it made him seem younger, and so much more alive.  It felt good to throw a lifeline and she could see that it was just that. She hoped the little kick of answering excitement was justified, she loved it when someone could run with a ball she threw.  She also watched Vicki's response and she too seemed somehow younger, and in her case even more so.  Almost girly, excited, positively brimming with delight and playful humour.  Beth had never seen her behave in this way and it suited her Beth decided. Vicki sparkled and Beth laughed aloud as she raised her glass in reply as there seemed to be an infectious happiness in the air that made her feel almost as girly as Vicki.<br/><br/>When George came over to her and hugged her so spontaneously Beth was shocked back into silence.  She tensed automatically, but then relaxed into the heat of his body, the tang of his male scent and cologne again assaulting her senses and making her body react instantly to the call it exerted over her desires.<br/><br/>She felt a deeper stirring of regret, of wishing that George was not the man whose house she was in. She could feel the old conflicts and hurts gently coming to the boil and a question was all but on her lips when he interrupted her thoughts announcing food and even games.....