Gracie's Sin (37 page)

‘It’s never too late,’ Rose whispered, edging closer to him on the wooden settle.

Adam fell silent for a long moment, staring into the fire as he considered the problem from all angles, as was his wont. Even if he managed to explain his change of heart to Gracie, which would be embarrassing; there was also his mother to consider. He’d have to talk her round, and she wouldn’t like it. His mam had set her heart on having Gracie as a daughter- in-law, even to the extent of offering to give up the front bedroom so the pair of them could move in, once they were wed. Adam doubted she’d be so ready to give up her bed for Rose, who she still insisted on calling, ‘that little madam’. Yet what did his mother know? She wasn’t the one getting wed, was she?

Rose rubbed her cheek gently against his shoulder, reminding him she was still there, and he felt a surge of excitement spear his loins. He could actually feel the blood pounding in his member. By heck, but he’d never felt this way about anyone, certainly not quiet, dreamy Gracie who’d always seemed to be streets above him somehow. Cupping Rose’s face with one hand, relishing the softness of her skin against the hardness of his, he put his mouth to hers and kissed her. She didn’t cringe away, or stiffen, as Gracie had once done. She seemed to melt against him. He could feel her pert little breasts pressing up against his chest and himself growing shamefully hard. He let her go as if she’d scolded him and, breathing hard, looked earnestly into her eyes. ‘What d’you reckon I should do about it?’

Rose said, ‘I think you should tell her how you really feel.’

‘I can’t do that. She’d be insulted.’

‘No, I don’t think so.’ Rose thought quickly, then added. ‘It’s true that Gracie might be a bit disappointed, but you’d just have to let her down lightly, wouldn’t you? Use a bit of tact which wouldn’t be too difficult, not for a nice, kind chap such as yourself. You’d just have to tell her, Adam, that we’ve fallen in love, you and me. And there’s nothing we can do about that, now is there?’

‘Oh Rose. It’s true. I do love you. I do.’

‘And I love you,’ Rose said, lifting her mouth readily to his again as she slid her hands beneath his sensible tweed jacket so she could run them over his chest. ‘We’ll have to get married quickly, don’t you think?’

‘Why?’ He couldn’t leave her mouth alone, those soft pouting lips opening like a flower, the little pink tongue flickering against his. Christ, he could feel the reason they needed to get wed by the way excitement was firing up in him like a furnace, and that was before she’d slid open one or two of his shirt buttons and began surreptitiously kissing the bare skin she discovered there. ‘Rose, give over. You’ll have me all undone in a minute.’

Chuckling softly, she murmured, ‘Why don’t we go for a walk, then you can undo me. That would be even more fun, don’t you think?’

Adam let out a groan. ‘I wouldn’t take advantage of you Rose. Never. I’m not like Dexter flippin’ Mulligan.’ He was panting now, desperate to get her alone and yet afraid of doing so, for fear of losing control. ‘I’ll talk to Gracie first thing tomorrow, when she gets home from work. How would that do?’

Rose laid her cheek against his rough lapel with a blissful sigh. ‘And you’ll speak to your mam?’

‘Aye, her an’ all. Then I’ll go and see the vicar. Put up the banns. We don’t have to wait long, Rose lass. We’ve somewhere to live, after all. You can move in with me. Mam’ll give us the front room.’

‘Lovely. Then Gracie and Lou can move in here, at the Eagle’s Head, and Irma could go and live with Madge, her best friend,’ Rose decided. ‘That would be perfect, don’t you think?’

He was so dazed by the notion that this pretty young woman actually loved him and wanted to marry him, his loins aching with lust, that Adam would have agreed to anything. ‘Aye, happen that’d be for t’best. I’ll have a word with her. Don’t you worry. I’ll make it right, Rose. I promise.’

And as Rose kissed him again, she let him slide his hand very slowly up her skirt. It was as far as he was prepared to go but she’d got his promise. She knew he wouldn’t go back on his word. What if he wasn’t her lovely Josh, at least he was sweet and kind, and her baby would be born in wedlock, with a father, a roof over it’s head, and good prospects ahead.

‘Is your mother in?’ Rose faced the solemn-faced child behind the counter. ‘I'd like a word. Young Matthew turned and yelled through the door that led into the house behind the shop and the plump figure of Madge emerged through the bead curtain.

Rose said, ‘I hope you don’t think I’m interfering but I’m concerned about Irma.’

‘Oh?’ A flash of curiosity, then as she noticed the interested group of children gathering about her Madge shooed them all away, closing the door on their cheeky faces. ‘Drive me mad, they do. So, what’s up with Irma?’

‘I think she gets very lonely living out in the forest, all on her own.’

‘She isn’t on her own.’

‘Well, I mean with Adam working all day on the farm, and the girls out in the forest, it isn’t easy for her.’

The eyes narrowed, turning into soft black raisins in the folds of doughy flesh. ‘So what are you saying?’

Rose smiled her angelic smile. ‘It’s none of my business, of course, but I know how much she loves children and I wondered if - well - if you don’t mind my saying so, you look in need of a helping hand here, with all your brood. Could she perhaps work in the shop? It would do her so much good to get out of that cottage a bit more.’

Madge’s face cleared. ‘Oh aye, she was always one for gadding was Irma. In her day, that is.’

‘Really?’

‘Oh aye. Allus enjoyed a good time, her and that lovely husband of hers. He died far too soon, poor man. Losing him so sudden made her rely too much on young Adam. Always a mistake. She’s a bitter woman now. Eeh, but you’re right, I'd be glad of a bit more help round here, with this lot round me feet all day. Tell her to call in any time and we’ll fix it up.’

Rose beamed. ‘Thanks, that’d be lovely. I’m sure it would do her a power of good.’

As she made for the door Madge stopped her, a clump of fat fingers on her arm. ‘How come she didn’t ask me herself? We’ve been friends for years.’

Caught off guard Rose floundered for a moment. She’d got what she came for, somewhere to send Irma for a good part of each day in order to leave the field clear for herself and Adam to get better aquainted. The next step was to oust the old battle-axe out of the cottage altogether. She knew Adam wouldn’t find it easy to persuade his mother to leave. Rose believed that getting Madge on her side might help. But how to achieve that? Rose decided that honesty was the best policy in this instance. She allowed a small smile to curl the corners of her lovely mouth, and glanced shyly at Madge from beneath her lashes. ‘The truth is, Adam and me, we’re walking out.’

Madge’s plump face broke into a wreath of smiles. ‘So that’s the way the land lies. You don’t want Irma to queer your pitch.’

Rose laughed. ‘Something of the sort.’

A plump fist thumped her in the shoulder. ‘By heck. You should’ve said. Send her round. I’ll keep her out of your hair. Everyone deserves a bit of fun in this bloomin’ war,’ and before she could launch into her latest concerns over her son, Rose thanked her, made her excuses and fled.

Adam was pleased, if a little nonplussed, by how well Gracie took the news that he was retracting his proposal. She didn’t seem in the least surprised, even confessed that she’d guessed there was something between him and Rose, and wished them both every happiness. That made him feel better, as it eased his sense of guilt.

‘You’ll come to the wedding then?’

Gracie laughed. ‘That’s quick. Is it all arranged?’

‘It will be, just as soon as I’ve spoken to the vicar. There’s no reason to wait, not with the war on, and me already set up here.’

‘Well, I’m delighted for you both, really I am,’ and she kissed his cheek. Just a friendly peck but it confirmed to Adam that he’d made the right decision. He felt no surge of excitement with Gracie as he did for Rose.

‘Thanks for being so understanding.’ In fact, the whole interview had gone much easier than he’d hoped. His mother was another matter.

‘
You’ve what?
’ Irma gazed upon her son as if he’d suddenly grown two heads. ‘You’ve asked that little madam to be your wife instead of lovely Gracie? Have you lost your reason? She’ll run rings round you, great gormless lump that you are.’

‘It’s no good you talking like that, Mam. I love her.’

‘Love!’ Irma said the word on a loud snort. ‘Remember Tim Benson, poor man. He thought himself in love with that Dora what came over from Barrow. Right piece of fancy goods she was. Ruined his life, she did.’

‘Oh, Mam, don’t start. I’m not Tim Benson, and Rose isn’t Dora, or a ‘piece of fancy goods’. She’s not what you think. She’s not a city girl at all. She used to grow tomatoes and cucumbers, all sorts of vegetables on a big estate in Cornwall. Even fruit for her own jam. She’ll settle on the farm grand, I know she will. Anyroad, like it or not, we’re getting wed, and there’s an end of the matter.’

‘Well!’ said Irma. ‘Well, I never did.’ It was the first time, the only time in her recollection, that he’d ever defied her. She pursed her crimson mouth to show her disapproval, but when that failed to move him, wagged an admonishing finger. ‘Don’t come crying to me when it all goes wrong. You’ll rue the day, m’lad. See if you don’t. You’ll rue the day you ever clapped eyes on that little hussy.’

‘Don’t call her that!’ Adam’s patience snapped, his tone one which brooked no argument. ‘I’ll not hear another word against her. She’s to be my wife, and I’ll have her treated with proper respect. If you upset her, you upset me, remember that, Mam.’

Irma’s eyes filled with a rush of quickly manufactured tears as she realised she’d overstepped an invisible mark. ‘Eeh, I’m sorry love. I'd not fall out with you, not for the world. You’re me only son, after all. All right, I’ll admit it, she’s not what I would’ve chosen for you but if she’s who you want, I’ll not stand in your way, lad. I want you to be happy.’

‘We will be happy. I just don’t want any trouble, that’s all.’

‘There won’t be. I promise.’

Adam nodded, appeased by what he saw as contrition. ‘And I shall expect you at the wedding. We both will.’

‘I wouldn’t miss it for the world,’ Irma dryly remarked.

He felt satisfied that he’d made his point; really quite pleased he’d dealt with an emotionally tricky situation so well. In his heart Adam knew that without the prospect of Rose’s love to look forward to, it would have been quite beyond his ken to stand up to his mother in this way. Whistling softly to himself, he went happily off to see the vicar, quite forgetting to mention that his new bride expected his mother to move out.

Gracie was heartily relieved to be free of the responsibility of Irma’s match-making, as well as Adam’s painfully awkward courtship, but she felt desperate to see Karl. The PoWs hadn’t worked with them for a week or two and she was in an agony of frustration. Her mind was in a turmoil of emotion, filled with questions, busily devising persuasive arguments against why he must not get involved in any reckless escape plan. She had to make him see that waiting patiently for the war to end was their only hope. If only they could have the chance to talk, like other couples do. How simple life would be. But then if they were like ordinary couples they wouldn’t have this problem.

Whenever she and Lou wheeled their bicycles along the lane to post their letters, Gracie would be constantly scanning the prisoners on their exercise drill, searching for a glimpse of his familiar figure. She was so fearful that Karl might simply have gone, without even a goodbye.

At last he came, with Erich beside him as usual. The pair simply turned up One day, with their guard, and got on with their work. Gracie struggled not to reveal the rush of pleasure that lit up her face at sight of him, yet felt oddly conspicuous, as if people must be watching her. She was almost sure she saw Rose glance curiously at her and make some remark to Lena but no, it was probably only her fraught imagination.

She couldn’t take her eyes off him and almost didn’t care if they did notice. A part of her wanted the world to know of their love, as if in some way it might protect him. Desperate to snatch a few moments alone with Karl she was thwarted by Alf, who kept the two men working with him on the felling. There was no opportunity for a single moment alone. Only once, when Gracie was handing out cheese sandwiches, did she risk a comment, as bland and inconspicuous as she could make it since the others were sitting close by and could easily hear.

‘I was in a terrible rush this morning and chose boring old cheese yet again. Always a mistake to take the easy option. One should never make decisions in a hurry, don’t you agree?’ Gracie stared hard at him as she held out the sandwich, willing him to understand that she wasn’t talking about choosing her lunch.

He glanced up at her, the love that shone from his eyes carefully hooded by half drawn lids. He grunted something noncommittal as he politely took the sandwich from her, though she saw he’d brought his favourite black bread with him, which his mother sent him from home. ‘
Dankerschon.’

Only once after that did he glance across in her direction, his eyes telling her to have faith and courage, to believe in his love. Blinded by a sudden rush of tears, Gracie got the crosscut saw caught in a knot on the wood and wrenched at it with impatience. Blood spurted and she looked blankly at her hand, stunned by the sight of an open wound where the blade had cut deep.