Games Lovers Play (2 page)

He eventually pulled off the road and wound his way through the numerous parked cars and on to a piece of land beside a racetrack. Connie was amazed at the scene before her, having been unaware that such a place existed. Various makes of racing cars were being scrutinized by officials, engines being attended to by their drivers. There was a noisy buzz about the place, and she felt her excitement quicken.

She and Sam got out of the car, and he put on a pair of racing overalls. He was immediately surrounded by onlookers and two men who quickly lifted the bonnet of the car to inspect the engine. Sam hurriedly introduced her to his friends. They muttered a quick hello before burying their heads beneath the bonnet.

Eventually, the vehicle was deemed to be in order and the first race began. Sam took her to the side of the track to explain what was going on.

‘There are several heats, Connie, and the winners of each heat race against each other in the final one.' He put an arm around her as he pointed out the tactics of the drivers, who seemed to her to be driving like mad men.

‘They look as if they're trying to push each other off the track!' she exclaimed.

He laughed. ‘They are! It's the quick and the dead out there, Connie.'

She was horrified as one car tipped over on its side, at speed, and she clutched hold of him in fear.

‘Don't worry,' he said. ‘When you're racing you're well strapped in, and we wear helmets to protect our heads.' They watched the next two heats and then Sam said, ‘I have to leave you now, Connie. I'm racing in this one.'

She cast a worried glance in his direction.

‘Tom!' he called to one of his friends. ‘Take care of Connie, will you? Try and assure her that I'm not facing certain death.' He kissed her on the cheek. ‘Don't worry. I'll be fine and I'm going to win!'

As she watched him walk towards his car, he strapped a helmet on to his head. Then he climbed into the vehicle, started the engine and with a wave drove on to the track and made his way to the starting line.

His friend Tom stood beside her. ‘Don't you worry about Sam,' he told her, ‘he's one of the best drivers around. That boy's got talent. He could go a long way in this sport. Honestly. Watch and learn!'

With her heart thumping, Connie felt tense as she watched for the starting flag. The sound of revving engines was deafening, and the smell of petrol fumes filled the air. Then the flag dropped and they were off!

Connie lost count of the number of laps around the circuit; her gaze was glued to Sam and his car. She held her breath as he weaved in and out, moving up the field. Several cars came to grief and withdrew from the race, after being shunted off the track by oncoming fast-moving vehicles! She cried out as another driver purposely edged his car towards Sam, but with clever steering he moved quickly away from the danger.

She was outraged. Turning to Tom she said, ‘Did you see what that driver tried to do? He was trying to drive Sam off the track. That's dangerous!'

He laughed. ‘It's all part of the game, but as you saw, Sam was ready for him. He has a nose for such things. It takes a clever driver to better him. Don't worry!'

‘But that's playing dirty!' she protested.

‘This is a dirty game, Connie, on and off the track.'

She wondered just what he meant, but the excitement of the race made her forget his strange remark. Exhausted but pepped up by adrenalin and excitement she cheered as Sam eventually drove over the winning line into first place.

Tom grinned at her. ‘What did I tell you?' he said.

Her hand clasped her chest. ‘I can hardly breathe,' she gasped.

‘You'd better get used to all this if you're going to keep seeing Sam. This is his life.'

They waited for Sam to drive off the track and park his car. He alighted and took off his helmet and goggles, grinning broadly at her.

‘There you are, Connie. I told you I was going to win!'

She flung her arms around him in her excitement. ‘I nearly died with worry!' she blurted out, then realizing what she'd done she let go and stepped back, blushing with embarrassment.

He reached for her hand. ‘Don't go away, I liked that.' And he leaned forward and kissed her soundly. ‘Winner takes all,' he said as he released her.

His friends looked on with amusement.

The day was the most thrilling of her life she decided. True to his word, Sam won the final race, and as he stood on the podium to take the trophy, she was thrilled to be with him. As he stepped down he searched her out and gave her a quick smile and a wink, then he went into the gents to wash the grime from the track off his face and remove his overalls and change into a clean shirt he'd brought with him.

Walking back to Connie, he said, ‘The boys and I always go for a beer after a race, then we can go to dinner. All right with you?'

‘Of course,' she said. ‘Now I'm ready for anything.'

The men gathered in a nearby pub and over a couple of pints ran over the details of the race together, and afterwards they talked about Stirling Moss, the first Briton to win the Mille Miglia road race in Italy, which to Connie meant nothing. She listened with great interest, nevertheless. This was a new world to her and one that she found thrilling.

When eventually the men left, they said goodbye to Connie, and Tom said, ‘See you again, Connie. Next time you'll know what to expect.'

She fervently hoped there would be a next time because she'd never had so much fun and Sam was quite different from anyone she'd ever met. Certainly from John Baker. Suddenly, he didn't seem quite so important any more.

They drove back to Southampton and to the Cowherds Hotel on the edge of the Common – an area of parkland with lakes, which had lots of paths so the public could enjoy the well-tended shrubs and greenery.

Sam, it appeared, was well-known by the staff. Several enquired as to how the race went and didn't seem at all surprised that he was the winner. The head waiter himself tended to their needs after seating them at a table.

Sam handed Connie a menu. ‘I don't know about you, but I'm starving!' he said.

She realized that she was too, now that she'd calmed down. They ordered hors d'oeuvres, followed by duck, and meringue with strawberries as desert, to be washed down with a good bottle of wine. She was surprised as to how knowledgeable he was about the wine list. She hadn't imagined that he would be, but how stupid to jump to such a conclusion! After all, she didn't know anything about him, but after dining with John on the odd occasion she had taken it for granted only men of a certain age would know such things.

As they waited for their first course, sipping the wine that had been poured, Sam gazed at Connie and asked, ‘Did you enjoy yourself today?'

Her eyes shone as she showed her pleasure. ‘Oh, Sam, of course I did. It was so exciting! I had no idea what was going to happen. When you told me you raced cars, I had no idea what it entailed.'

‘Well, not all women are interested in the sport, you know. I didn't want to put you off.'

She looked at him in amazement. ‘Put me off? I've never had such a marvellous time in my whole life!'

He burst out laughing. ‘Your whole life? All what – nineteen years, I would say?'

‘Yes, well,' she muttered. ‘Even so, it was wonderful.'

Reaching across the table for her hand, he said, ‘I'm so pleased, because I want to see you again. But I have to warn you, you take me
and
the racing. Don't be in any doubt. If you go out with me, a lot of my time is spent with my car and others I'm building. Do you mind?'

‘Not at all,' she said firmly.

After dinner, he drove her away from the Cowherds and parked in a quiet side road off the common. He turned off the engine and took her into his arms, kissing her with fervour.

‘I'm so happy you were there today. It was lovely to have someone cheering for me in my corner.'

‘Oh, Sam, you had lots of people cheering for you as well as me.'

He stroked her cheek. ‘I know, but you were someone special, and I liked that. Would you like to come and see a film with me on Thursday? I'm sorry but I'm not free until then.'

‘I'd love to,' she said.

‘I'll meet you outside the Forum at six thirty and we can decide which film to see.'

‘That'll be fine,' she said.

He took her into his arms again and kissed her. ‘Until then, sweet Connie. Now I'd better get you home.'

When they reached their destination, she climbed out of the car and waved Sam goodbye. She felt sure the whole neighbourhood heard the roar of his motor as he drove away.

She opened the front door and entered. No doubt she would face a third degree from Madge. Well, today she didn't care. She'd had such a good time that no one could spoil it for her!

Her parents, George and Dorothy, were sitting reading the local paper, and Madge, in her dressing gown, hair in curlers beneath a pink hairnet, was drinking cocoa. She couldn't wait to question her granddaughter.

‘So where have you been all day then?' She didn't wait for an answer. ‘I saw you take off in that car … The noise it made would have woken the dead!'

Her mother looked up from the paper. ‘So tell us all about it, Connie. Your grandmother was full of it!'

‘Yes, I bet she nearly fell over herself to give you all the details,' Connie retorted.

‘That'll do, Connie!' her father said sharply.

‘I've been out in the New Forest with Sam, who's a racing driver! There's a track out there where they race. Oh, it was so exciting … and he won!' she announced with great pride.

‘Where did you meet this young man?' her father asked.

‘At the Guildhall, and he asked me out.'

‘So you don't know anything about him!' snapped Madge.

‘Not as yet, Nan, but I intend to. I'm going to the pictures with him on Thursday.' She walked towards the stairs. ‘I'm tired so I'm off to bed. Goodnight.' And she left before she could be questioned further.

As she undressed she relived the excitement of the day and again wondered about Tom's remark. She could see how the track racing could be dirty, but off the track too? Whatever could he mean? She would ask Sam when she saw him next.

The following morning, Monday, she regaled Betty with all the details of her day. Her friend listened avidly. ‘Bloody hell, Connie, how exciting! Do you like him, honestly?

‘Yes, he's really nice. He introduced me to his friends too, and they seemed a nice bunch.'

‘Is he single?' Betty looked at her with curiosity. ‘You don't want to get mixed up with another married bloke!'

‘I don't think he's married,' Connie said. ‘From the way he spoke he's married to car racing. He told me I'd have to accept that if I wanted to go out with him again.'

Betty chuckled. ‘Well, at least a car isn't as dangerous as a wife!'

‘You wouldn't think that if you saw what happened on the racetrack. It was very hairy at times, I can tell you!'

On Thursday evening, Connie sat with Sam in the cinema, where he bought her chocolates and sat with his arm around her during the performance of
Marty,
starring Ernest Borgnine,
and after took her for a drink. It was in the bar as they sat together that Connie broached the subject that had been in the back of her mind.

‘Tom told me that car racing was a dirty business. What did he mean?'

He raised his eyebrows in surprise. ‘Did he? Well, Connie, there's a lot of money to be won for the race winners in some competitions and some of the teams aren't too fussy about how they accomplish that goal. But you shouldn't worry your head about such things.'

Connie, realizing that was the end of the conversation as far as he was concerned, remained silent.

‘I'd love to see you over the weekend, Connie, but I'll be working on a car … unless you'd like to come to the garage on Sunday? I'll have some sandwiches and a flask of tea we could share.'

‘I'd love to come,' she said. ‘I'm really interested to see what you do.'

He seemed very pleased at her response. ‘If you
are
really interested, perhaps when I've got a bit of free time I'll teach you to drive. Then you'll understand what it feels like behind a wheel of a car … But no racing for you, understand? It's far too dangerous!'

She was speechless with delight.

Just before noon on Sunday morning, Connie made her way to the Chapel area of Southampton. It had always been a poorer area of the town and had been badly bombed during the Blitz in 1940, when much of Southampton had been destroyed. Indeed, apart from clearing away the debris, some places were still just a shell. The streets had an air of despair and neglect. Nevertheless, the few houses that remained sported net curtains at the windows and one or two had tried to make some semblance of a garden in the very small area in front. But two tubs of geraniums and a patch of weed-filled grass didn't make much of an improvement.

Connie found the garage easily enough. The doors were wide open, a wireless blared out, and there was much banging and crashing from within. She stepped inside and looked around. On one wall were shelves filled with boxes, their contents marked on the outside. In the centre was a vehicle, and on the ground were several car parts, waiting to be fitted. The car bonnet was up, and two bodies were bent over, working on the engine, oblivious to anything else. Connie stood, wondering what to do, when a voice behind her made her turn.

‘Hello, Connie! Come to give us a hand then?' It was Tom.

She laughed. ‘I wouldn't know where to begin,' she said.

‘Well, you could help me make the tea for those two.' He nodded towards the car. ‘It's the only thing that will get them out.' He walked over to the car and prodded one of the bodies. ‘Hey, Sam! Your girlfriend's here!'