Daisy's Secret (38 page)

And then one morning there came a knock at the door. Daisy hurried to answer it, curious as to who it might be since they didn’t get many visitors, living so high up on the mountain side.

It was Harry, brown hair cut shorter than ever, polished boots caked in mud from the long walk up the lane, and an ear to ear grin wreathing his face. Daisy leapt into his arms on a shriek of delight. ‘Oh, Harry, have you got some leave?’

‘Two days.’

‘Bliss!’ She hadn’t seen him for weeks, not since he was posted, and this was the first time that he’d come to the farm. It felt wonderful to have his arms around her again, to breathe in the scent of him and lose herself in the glorious power of his kisses. But he wasn’t alone.

‘Look what I’ve got here,’ he said, when they stopped hugging and kissing long enough to stand apart a little, smiling shyly into each other’s eyes. And from behind his back he drew out two small figures.

‘Megan! Trish! I don’t believe it.’ Tears of joy sprang to her eyes as Daisy gathered her two small friends into her in a fierce hug. They were positively jumping with exuberance, like a pair of puppies wriggling and yelping with glee so that they knocked Daisy over in their excitement and all three were soon rolling about on the grass while Harry stood by, laughing in delight.

Wouldn’t he do anything for his Daisy? Bringing the children to her had seemed to him the perfect way to prove that. He couldn’t quite get over his good fortune at attracting her attention in the first place, him being such a homely sort of bloke and she a real looker.
 

‘I decided it was time you three musketeers got together again,’ he explained as they sat in the kitchen and Daisy fussed about heating soup and buttering bread, saying how she wished she’d known they were coming then she would have baked something special for the children. ‘When you said in your last letter that you hadn’t heard from them in ages, I took it into my head to call and see how they were.’ He was frowning slightly as he said this, and something in his face told Daisy not to ask any more questions just then, so instead she went to him and kissed him.

‘I’m so very glad that you did.’

Megan said. ‘He just walked up the garden path bold as you please.’

‘Right into the shed, picked us up out of our camp beds and carried us away in his arms. Mrs Carter said she’d never seen such cheek in her life,’ Trish added, slapping her hand over her mouth to hold back her giggles.

Daisy listened to this in astonishment. She longed to ask what on earth the children were doing sleeping in camp beds in a garden shed, but mindful of the warning in Harry’s eyes and of Megan’s small mouth pursed into mutinous angry silence, she managed to hold her tongue.

Trish, realising she’d revealed more than she should, cast her sister an anxious, sidelong glance before adding in hushed and horrified tones, ‘She were going to send me away. To an ‘ospital. On me
own
.’

‘Hostel, for problem children,’ Megan quietly corrected her in a tight little voice.

Later, as Daisy sat cuddled beside Harry while the children played ball, he told her the full story and she was appalled to hear how they’d been treated. How could anyone put two such lovely children in a garden shed, just because they might have scabies, or some other problem which was not of their making?

Harry too had been more shocked than he could say when he’d found them like that, all huddled up together like a pair of frightened mice. He knew from his own experience, coming from a large, close-knit family, the value of a happy childhood. Didn’t he go back to Halifax to visit them whenever he could? His own mother had taken in two evacuees, despite having a house full already, and treated them as one of the family.

‘I know I’ve created a problem, broken some rules maybe, but I couldn’t just walk away and leave them like that.’

‘Course you couldn’t. The very idea.’

‘Unthinkable. I like children too much.’

‘Do you?’ Daisy gazed up at him starry-eyed. Perhaps she should tell him now, about her own baby? But then Trish fell down and started yelling and the opportunity was missed.

Once she’d been put back on her feet, bruised knees wiped and kissed better, Daisy looked on with concern as they played. Trish seemed even more jumpy and excitable, constantly crying out for attention while Megan was quieter, more withdrawn. The smiles and joy at having found each other again had quickly vanished and she’d withdrawn into some sort of shell, which Daisy didn’t wonder at. These two had spent the entire war being shifted about from pillar to post with no one prepared to take responsibility for them. It was utterly inhuman, and settled the matter once and for all so far as she was concerned. ‘They’re staying here with me now, come what may.’

‘I guessed you might say that,’ Harry grinned. ‘That’s why I brought their stuff.’

‘Oh Harry, did you really?’ Her eyes were round with surprise and delight.

‘I left their bags round the back, in the barn.’

‘Harry Driscoll, you old softy.’ Daisy leaned into his strong shoulder, curling an arm about his neck as she smiled up into his green-grey eyes and knew a moment of such all encompassing love, she felt choked with emotion.

‘I am, where you are concerned, Daisy.

‘So that’s how she found you again?’ Laura said.

‘Yes, through Harry. He was the kindest man I know. And the most patient. He adored Daisy, would do anything for her. And that was the most wonderful summer I can ever remember.’ Megan Crabtree got up from the table. ‘But I’m an old woman now and must away to my bed. That was a lovely meal, thank you. Perhaps tomorrow, I can tell you a little more.’

Laura said goodnight, had a slight tussle of wills with Chrissy but finally got her off to bed too. Which left her alone with David since she hadn’t been able to resist inviting him along to hear more of the tale, and he couldn’t resist coming. Now she turned to him with smiling eyes.

‘I’m so glad Daisy was happy with her Harry. Happiness is so important, don’t you think?’

‘You have gorgeous eyes, do you know that? So alive.’

‘I beg your pardon?’

David’s mouth twisted into that irrepressible grin. ‘Your eyes. Did anyone ever tell you how lovely they were? All dark and mysterious. A soft, velvet brown. Most inviting.’

‘David, for goodness’ sake. We’re discussing important issues here, important to me anyway.’

‘Your eyes are pretty important to me too, as a matter of fact. Hey, don’t scowl at me, it spoils the effect. OK, I find Daisy fascinating too, but . . .

‘You’re bored.’

He pulled her very gently into his arms. ‘I was only thinking that perhaps we’ve discussed family history long enough, and maybe it was time to move on to more personal concerns.’

‘So what subject would you like to discuss?’ She found she was having difficulty holding on to her scowl as it kept slipping into a smile. Could that be because of the nearness of him, the solid strength of his arms, or the mesmerising motion of his hand smoothing up and down her back?

He was kissing her nose, her throat, moving round to her ear. ‘I didn’t actually have talking in mind.’

Laura could feel herself starting to melt, rapidly losing control as a pleasurable sensation began to grow deep in the hollow pit inside her, a place more accustomed to despair and misery in recent months. His arms had tightened about her, his breathing shortened and there was an increasing intensity to his kisses. Laura slid her arms about his neck and gave herself up to them. Sensation rocked her, throwing her completely off balance. How long had it been since she’d properly loved a man? She and Felix had become distant strangers. Felix, oh heavens! What was she thinking of? She pushed David away, knowing her eyes were glazed with wanting, her face as flushed as a newly awakened girl.

‘Look, you’re a nice guy but . . .

‘I know, you’re still married. You need time and space. This is all going too fast for you.’ His voice was soft, a caress in itself.

‘So you read minds too?’ She couldn’t take her eyes off his. They were asking a question she couldn’t answer. Demanding. Compelling. Challenging her to give in to the inevitable, and filled with a quiet certainty that in the end, she would. Yet there was also in the depths of his gaze a rare understanding, a reassurance that he would tread delicately through this minefield of her emotions. Together, these produced an intoxicating combination that left her weak with need. Laura cleared her throat. ‘The fact is, I’m a bit out of my depth here, and out of practise.’

‘I could help you rehearse and get back into step.’

She giggled. ‘I’m sure you could.’

‘Perhaps I should call every day to take you through your paces. Lesson one, relax.’ He pushed her gently back onto the cushions of the sofa, smoothing his hands over her bare arms, lifting them above her head while he kissed her softly, increasing the pressure on her mouth as she made no move to resist; taking his time over the kiss, savouring it, making it last as long as possible. He slid one hand beneath the silk blouse to smooth it lightly over her breast, making her groan softly. He pulled away to look unsmiling into her eyes and it was she who pulled him back to her, begging him to kiss her some more for it was much too late to protest now. One minute her fingers were wandering of their own accord through his hair, the next tugging at the buttons of his shirt.

He slid her silk blouse from her shoulders, dropping it to the floor with barely a whisper, making no comment about how her body trembled as he lay her upon the rug with reverent care. ‘Are you sure about this?’ was all he said as she struggled with the buckle of his jeans.

Her mind in turmoil, unable to think of anything but the touch of his fingers on her over-sensitised skin, Laura had never been less sure of anything in my life. She’d set the wheels in motion for the divorce but there was months to go before she would be a free woman, and was afraid of something going wrong in the meantime. With Felix, it felt a bit like lighting the touch paper and standing back to wait for the explosion. There seemed to be plenty of explosions going on inside of her right now. ‘I’m quite certain that if you don’t take me soon, I might ravish you instead.’

‘I’ve no objection to a bit of ravishing.’

‘The only thing is,’ she murmured breathlessly through several more kisses. ‘You can’t stay too much longer. I have to be up early tomorrow to cook breakfast, and there’s still the washing up to do.’

He let out a heavy sigh of resignation and finally, reluctantly, released her, albeit with a smile. ‘OK, lead me to the dishwasher.’

‘Do you think having a love affair was any easier in World War II?’

‘You mean everything to me, Daisy. I don’t ever want us to be apart.’ Even as he said these glorious words, Harry was kissing her face, her throat, her lips which such tenderness, Daisy felt she might weep she wanted him so much. Then he pulled away and smiled very tenderly into her eyes. ‘But I mean us to do everything proper. I mean us to wed, if you’ll have me.’ He was fumbling in his pocket, pulling out a box, and Daisy could hardly believe her eyes as he opened it to reveal a tiny, solitaire diamond on a twist of gold, glittering in the sunshine. ‘I know I should ask your parents first, you being under age, but until I get the chance, we could at least get unofficially engaged. If that’s all right with you?’

‘Oh Harry. It’s lovely.’

‘I take it that’s a yes? I couldn’t bear it if it wasn’t.’

She gave a soft little chuckle and kissed his nose. ‘Silly boy, don’t you know by now how much I love you?‘

‘And I love you, Daisy. Don’t ever forget that.

‘As if I could.’

‘You and me forever girl, right?’

‘For ever and ever.’

Being together for a whole afternoon was magical, over much too soon and Daisy felt all wobbly inside at having become engaged to the most wonderful young man in the world. But she didn’t dare to wear the ring, not yet, not till everything had been made official between them and she wasn’t yet ready to confront her mother. She carefully wrapped it in a handkerchief and hid it in her undies drawer. Perhaps she wouldn’t ever need to, if Harry was prepared to wait a year or two till she was twenty-one. It would be sensible not to rush anyway, what with the war and everything. And it would give them time to save up. Daisy gave a happy little sigh and fell asleep dreaming of wedding bells and white frocks, and the scent of apple blossom in the air.

Following the intriguing information that she’d learned thus far, partly from Megan Crabtree and partly from the tapes, Laura rang her father and asked if he’d like to come and stay for a few days.

‘Why would I want to?’ he barked down the phone.

‘Lane End used to be your old home. Wouldn’t you like to see what I’ve done to it? See if you approve.’

‘You know my opinion on the matter, Laura. I certainly would not approve. If you choose to ignore my advice, on your own head be it. You’ll lose Felix, run out of money and come to regret this madness of yours in the end.’

‘I hope not. It’s hard work but I’m rather enjoying it. Guess who is here? Megan Crabtree. Do you remember her? She remembers you with great affection as a baby, so you must have been adorable once.’ Laura chuckled. ‘Sends her fond regards and hopes to meet up with you again one day. Actually, that’s partly why I rang. I was wondering - well, it crossed my mind that you might like to come now, since she’s here for the week, and the pair of you could catch up on old times. What do you say?’