Sealed With a Loving Kiss (20 page)

As Jack tucked in to his plateful of food Mary discovered that she was hungry after all and had polished off her own plate. They were sitting in the kitchen with Harvey and Monty, who were drooling in anticipation by the table.

Jack mopped the last of the gravy up with a crust of bread, broke it into two and within seconds they'd disappeared down the dog's gullets. He grinned and ruffled their shaggy heads. ‘I miss having dogs about the place,' he said.

‘Your mum keeps them out of the house, so I don't know how,' said Mary fondly.

‘I know they're there, and every time you go outside, you're assured of a warm welcome.' He smiled at her as he reached for her hand. ‘It's so lovely to be here with you at last, Mary. You can have no idea of how much I've missed you.'

‘I've missed you too,' she murmured as they leaned towards one another and softly kissed.

Jack cocked his head as Bing Crosby crooned about a white Christmas from the other room. ‘Do you realise we've never danced properly together?'

‘You're forgetting all the times you stomped on my feet at the harvest barn dances,' she teased.

‘No, I meant properly.' His expression was very serious as he stood up and held out his hand. ‘Will you dance with me, Mary?'

She went into his arms and rested her head against his shoulder as he held her close and they swayed and shuffled in time to the song. It didn't matter that it was Peggy's kitchen, or that they were being watched by two puzzled dogs – or even that their dance floor was faded linoleum – for they were together, and that was all that counted.

As the music came to an end they kissed and drew apart. ‘I have to leave soon,' he said, glancing at the clock. ‘It's almost eleven and they lock the hostel doors at midnight.'

‘Then let's join the party for one more dance before you walk me back. It would be rude not to show our faces after Peggy's been so very kind.'

He grinned down at her and they hurried into the dining room, where they were met with knowing smiles and cheers. Blushing furiously, they joined in the long, snaking line of the conga, which took them back out into the hall, up to the first landing, down again and round the kitchen before returning to the dining room, where Cordelia waved her stick at them in excitement and beckoned them over.

‘I like the look of your young man, Mary,' she said, all of a twitter. ‘What's that uniform?'

‘It's the Special Service Brigade of the Com-mandos,' shouted Jack over the surrounding noise. He proudly showed her the badge on his cap and the insignia on his arm.

She eyed both with a deep frown. ‘Spectacles Service for the brocade of commodes? What a very odd thing to belong to. But I suppose you must know what you're doing.'

Jack looked utterly confused and Mary laughed. ‘She's very deaf, and although she's wearing her hearing aid, she's probably finding it difficult to hear anything with all this racket going on around her.' She leaned closer to Cordelia and loudly explained exactly what Jack had said.

Cordelia giggled. ‘Silly me.' She gripped Mary's hand and pulled her closer. ‘He looks very nice, dear, and I'm glad he's come home for Christmas.'

‘So am I,' Mary replied, giving Jack a quick grin. ‘But we've got to go now, Cordelia.'

‘Already? But you've only just arrived and I haven't had a dance with him yet.'

Mary glanced frantically at the clock. At this rate they'd have to run all the way back to Havelock Road. ‘Perhaps next time, Grandma Finch,' she said as she kissed her cheek and wished her a happy Christmas.

Grabbing Jack's hand, she pulled him across the room. ‘We'll say a quick goodbye to Peggy then we must rush, or you'll be locked out.'

Peggy made Jack promise to visit again when he was next on leave, then she shooed them out before they were held up any further.

Mary grabbed her bag, coat and gas-mask box as they hurried through the kitchen, and Jack grinned fondly at the dogs which were now sleeping peacefully in front of the fire. Hand in hand they ran down the twitten and crossed over to Camden Road.

‘Where is the YMCA? I don't remember seeing it.'

‘It's in a big house close to the station in the High Street,' he said as he loped along at a steady jogging pace. ‘The chap at the station told me where it was, and said the original place had been flattened during a fire-bomb attack.'

Mary tugged on his arm. ‘Can you slow down? I'm not as fit as you, and I'm getting a stitch in my side.'

His grin was mischievous as he came to a halt. ‘Sorry, I forgot you were just a feeble female.'

She dug him in the ribs. ‘I'll give you feeble, you rotter,' she panted.

He tipped back his head and laughed, then grabbed hold of her, slung her over his shoulder and began to run.

‘Put me down,' she squealed, half in fright, half in amusement, pummelling his back with her fists.

But he paid no attention and carried on running, to the great entertainment of those walking past.

As his boots thudded on the pavement and she was jolted up and down, her handbag and gas-mask box swung from her wrist and she found she had to cling on to his jacket. She was roaring with laughter now and could only hope that her underwear wasn't on show to all and sundry as shouts of encouragement and whistles of approval followed them down Camden Road.

He continued on over the High Street and along Havelock Road until he came to a skidding halt outside Doris's gate. ‘Uh-oh, we've been rumbled,' he groaned.

Mary twisted round and saw Doris on her doorstep saying goodbye to four of her guests. ‘Put me down, quick.'

‘What
do
you think you're doing?' snapped Doris as the gathering on the doorstep turned to stare. ‘Put that girl down immediately.'

‘He was just giving me a lift home,' giggled Mary as he carefully deposited her onto the driveway.

There were a couple of titters from the onlookers, but Doris was clearly not amused. ‘I expected rather more decorum from you, Mary Jones,' she said flatly. ‘Get indoors.'

Jack kept his arm about her. ‘We haven't said goodnight yet,' he said, and promptly swept Mary into his arms and gave her a passionate kiss.

Mary was giggling so hard she had to cling to him. ‘Stop it,' she hissed against his lips. ‘You'll get me thrown out.'

‘Stop that disgusting behaviour immediately,' stormed Doris. ‘It's an utter disgrace, and I don't know what the world's coming to.'

‘Well, there is a war on, Doris,' tittered one of the women. ‘And they probably only have a few hours together.'

‘Yes, I wouldn't be too hard on them, dear,' said another. ‘They are very young.'

‘Young or not, war or not, I will
not
abide this sort of behaviour on my doorstep, and I'm amazed that you should both condone it,' she said stiffly.

‘I've got to go,' murmured Jack as he continued to hold Mary to him. ‘Will you be all right with that old battleaxe?'

‘I'll be fine.' She kissed him quickly and stepped away. ‘I'm not working until lunchtime tomorrow, so I'll meet you by the pier at nine.'

‘Make it eight,' he pleaded. ‘We have so little time together.'

‘Eight it is. Now go, before they lock that blessed door.' She stood and watched as he ran down the road, then turned back with some trepidation towards the house.

‘Good luck, dear,' said one of the women as she patted her arm. ‘And don't fret about Doris. Her bark is often worse than her bite.'

As Doris's friends walked away, Mary realised that whatever Doris said couldn't take away the sheer magic of the time she'd spent with Jack. ‘I'm sorry you don't approve,' she said as she stepped into the hall. ‘But Jack and I are almost engaged, and he's only here for such a short time. We were having a bit of fun, that's all,' she finished lamely.

‘Bits of fun lead to other things,' said Doris waspishly. ‘I'm sure your parents wouldn't have approved of what I witnessed tonight.'

‘I don't think my father would have really minded,' she said as she thought of Gideon. ‘He knew how I feel about Jack.'

Doris glared at her. ‘That is no excuse, and if I catch you behaving in that manner again I will have no other option but to throw you out.'

Mary had borne years of listening to the same sort of threat from Emmaline, and she felt quite calm as she took off her coat and slung it over her arm. ‘I do hope it won't come to that, Mrs Williams, because it really wouldn't be at all fair. Goodnight.' She turned on her heel and ran up the stairs.

The party at Peggy's broke up soon after Mary and Jack had left. Martin, Cissy and the boys had to be back at Cliffe aerodrome by midnight, and Captain Hammond had to report in to the Cliffe Estate at the same time. Fran had already reluctantly gone to her night shift at the hospital, and Ron was walking Rosie back to the Anchor.

Peggy hugged them all and told them to go carefully before she pulled Cissy into her arms. ‘You take care of yourself, darling,' she murmured into her hair. ‘And try to come and see me more often. I miss you so much.'

‘I miss you too, Mum, but with such a busy rota, I'm never certain of when I can get enough time off to borrow a car and make the journey down here.' Her blue eyes were misty with tears. ‘Thanks for a wonderful Christmas – and for asking Randy to join in. He and the other boys don't say much, but I know how very grateful they all are.'

Peggy was too emotional to be able to reply, so she hugged and kissed her again and reluctantly let her go. As the last service truck left Beach View Close, she waved goodbye, closed the door and let her tears finally flow. They were all such lovely young people, and she'd been glad to give them a few hours of fun and laughter in these dark and very uncertain times.

‘Let's make a pot of tea, shall we?' Rita put her arm about her waist and gently steered her towards the kitchen where Jane was already putting the kettle on the hob. ‘We've all had such a wonderful time today, Auntie Peggy, so why are you crying?'

‘I hate saying goodbyes,' she said as she made a tremendous effort to dry her eyes and get composed. ‘And those boys are all so brave – risking their lives so we can sleep safely in our beds.'

‘I think you're just overtired and that it's the gin doing the talking,' teased Rita as she pressed her down into the chair by the rather feeble fire. ‘You know it always makes you maudlin.'

Peggy suddenly realised someone was missing. ‘Where's Cordelia?' she asked sharply. ‘Surely we haven't left her asleep in the dining room?'

Jane grinned as she warmed the teapot. ‘Sarah took her up when everyone was leaving. She's probably already tucked up in bed and snoring.'

Peggy sighed contentedly and lit a cigarette. She was a very lucky woman to be surrounded by such lovely, caring girls, and although she missed Jim, Anne and Cissy and her two boys dreadfully, their companionship and sweetness went a good way towards easing the pain of separation.

The dread grew with every step as Rosie leaned on Ron's arm and they approached the Anchor. If Tommy had discovered his booty was missing there would be the most frightful row, and she was too tired and too full of gin to be able to stand up to him. She'd probably acted rather foolishly by getting rid of everything, but there really hadn't been any alternative if she stood any chance of keeping her licence as well as the roof over her head.

‘Rosie, darlin', is something bothering you?' Ron came to a halt and took her hands as he looked deeply into her eyes.

‘No, of course not,' she said firmly. ‘I've just had a very long day, and probably too many gins.' She kissed him and smiled as a sudden thought came to her. ‘Why don't you come up for a nightcap?'

He was clearly tempted. ‘Won't Tommy be about? I don't fancy him playing gooseberry.'

Rosie knew she had to persuade him, for if Tommy was at home, she'd know immediately if he'd discovered what she'd done, but he wouldn't dare cause trouble in front of Ron. If that indeed was the case, then she'd have to play it by ear and make other arrangements. ‘He went out earlier, and if he's where I think he is then he probably won't be back before morning.'

Ron waggled his eyebrows and there was a glint of naughtiness in his eyes. ‘Then what are we waiting for?' He whistled to the dogs, which were watering a nearby lamp-post, and then followed Rosie down the alleyway to the side door.

Rosie's heart was pounding as she stepped into the narrow hall and the dogs dashed up the stairs. ‘Tommy?' she called. ‘Tommy, are you home?'

‘Shh, don't wake him up,' hissed Ron as he slid his arm round her waist.

Rosie tried to giggle and flirt as she would normally have done, but her heart was drumming and she was too worried about having to face Tommy to do it properly.

‘What's the matter?' Ron asked with a frown. ‘And don't tell me it's nothing. You've not been yourself all evening.'

‘Maybe that's because I'm tired of sharing my home with my brother.' She drew back from his embrace and started to climb the stairs. ‘I'm used to having my own clean, tidy space, and I'm getting sick of having to clear up after him and getting him out of bed to be on time for where he should be.'

‘Then tell him to leave,' said Ron as he reached the snug sitting room.

‘You know I can't.' She kicked off her shoes and glanced down the narrow hall to Tommy's bedroom. The door was shut and it was silent.

‘Why not?' persisted Ron as he poured out two fingers of brandy into glasses.

‘Because I made him a promise, and unlike my brother, I keep my promises.' She eyed the brandy she didn't really want. ‘I'll just go and see if he's asleep, then we can settle down to a bit of a cuddle without fear of being disturbed.'