Swansea Summer (45 page)

‘Four women in a house with only one bathroom.’ Joe almost smiled. ‘There is justice after all.’

‘For what?’ She pushed a couple of pieces of bread under the grill.

‘All the times you’ve locked me out of ours.’

‘There were only three of us this morning. Lily has the day off. Katie, Judy and I had to run down the hill and even then Katie and I only just made the train, so breakfast was apples and bananas eaten on the way.’

‘Judy and Katie work Saturdays?’ Joe checked.

‘Katie works every other, but when did you see a hairdresser closed on a Saturday?’

‘I’ve never thought about it.’

‘You’re in the real world now, Joe, it’s time to start thinking.’

‘Run that by me again.’

‘It’s a well-known fact that students don’t work.’ Helen was too concerned with turning the toast to pick up the nuances in Joe’s questions. ‘So what do you have lined up for me today, Dad?’

‘Planning meeting for the fashion show starts at eleven. The date’s fixed and the invitations have gone out but we need to organise the refreshments, choose the models and decide which outfits from our autumn collection should be modelled and which should be placed on mannequins around the store.’

‘And before that?’

‘There’s a couple of catalogues I’d like you to look at.’

Helen took the toast from under the grill, handed one piece to her father and spread hers thickly with butter and strawberry jam before holding it up to Joe. ‘Want some?’

‘Absolutely not.’ He almost retched at the sight.

‘Grumps.’ Turning to John, she continued their conversation, leaving Joe to his hangover – and thoughts.

As Katie, Judy and Helen were going to be out all day, the chances were he’d find Lily alone, if not in the house then on the beach, and tonight was the summer ball. Informal, nowhere near as grand as the graduate ball, it was still a social event to be reckoned with. If he could persuade her to accompany him to that …

He might have to drive her down to the warehouse so she could buy a new frock and from there he’d take her to Judy or Judy’s mother. They would definitely fit in an appointment for Lily, if she asked them to.

‘Can I borrow the car, Dad?’

‘For how long?’

Joe glanced at his watch. ‘About an hour from now, until mid-afternoon.’

‘You’ll have to walk down to the warehouse to fetch it and make sure you get it back to me by half past five at the latest.’

‘Will do.’ Joe tweaked Helen’s ear.

‘Why the big grin?’

‘I’ve just remembered that I can go upstairs, run a bath and soak in it for hours – and hours – and hours without anyone banging on the door and telling me to hurry up. While you, poor old thing, have to make do with whatever time the girls leave you.’

Helen stuck out her tongue at him. ‘It’s worth coming back from the warehouse in ten minutes to hammer on the door for old times’ sake.’

‘You’ll find it locked,’ he gloated.

Martin shaded his eyes as he parked his bike next to the house. A short, dark-haired girl wearing a crimson two-piece swimsuit was waving to him from the beach and there couldn’t be two girls with that figure or swimsuit … Five minutes later he was standing beside her. ‘You couldn’t wait for me,’ he reproached.

‘I cleared up after the others, did their washing as well as my own, hung it out, cleaned the house, laid the breakfast table and as there didn’t seem to be anything else to do and I couldn’t sit still, I came down here to see what the water’s like.’

‘And what is it like?’ He wrapped her towel high round her shoulders as she shivered.

‘Freezing.’ She picked at the buttons on his shirt. ‘I need you to keep me warm.’

‘Give me two minutes to change and I’ll be with you.’

‘I’ll go in the sea. It’s cold but warmer than standing out here.’ Lily had spent most of the previous night tossing and turning, unable to close her eyes for thinking of what the morning would bring. Now it had actually arrived, she felt oddly shy and embarrassed, both peculiar emotions when she considered how close she had grown to Martin during the past few months.

‘No splashing,’ he warned, as he joined her in the water.

‘You’re actually admitting you’re cold.’

‘You’re the one who said it was freezing. One quick swim out to the rocks and back.’

‘Do we have to go all the way?’ she asked, as they reached the halfway point.

‘Chicken.’

‘It’ll be warmer this afternoon and in the meantime we could go up to the house. Have you eaten?’

‘You told me to come before breakfast.’

‘I’ll make you bacon and eggs.’

‘I’d prefer toast and cereal.’

‘Really prefer,’ she asked earnestly, ‘or you’ve become used to them because they’re easier to make?’

‘It probably started out that way, but now I really would prefer them.’

‘Just as well we have a box of Grape Nuts and a pot of strawberry jam, then.’

‘I hate Grape Nuts.’

‘There may be some Puffed Wheat.’

‘No cornflakes or marmalade?’

‘No cornflakes, no marmalade,’ she confirmed.

‘I can see I am going to have to teach you how to eat.’

‘Or I’ll teach you.’ As soon as she was in her depth she waded up the beach to the shallows. Wrapping her towel round her bust, she tucked in the top so it would stay up and slipped her feet into her rubber beach shoes. ‘Let’s change in the house. If I use the bathroom first, I’ll make the food while you change.’

‘And there’s so much to make for toast and cereal.’

‘I have to cut the bread.’

‘And that’s such hard work,’ he teased.

‘You’re asking for it.’

‘This?’ Pulling her close, he kissed her.

‘Not this, trouble,’ she threatened, as he released her.

‘I love trouble when it comes in a package your shape.’

Martin was standing on the landing when Lily left the bathroom, carrying her two-piece and wearing only a bath towel. She looked into his eyes and he held the look for a moment, before following her into her bedroom and closing the door. Taking her into his arms he kissed her again, and she allowed the damp towel and swimsuit to fall to the floor. His breath caught in his throat as he saw her naked for the first time. Lowering his head, he kissed each of her breasts in turn. Stepping back from him, she turned down the bed and slid between the sheets, watching as he stripped off his towel and bathing suit.

She drew her breath in sharply as the full length of his naked body came into contact with her own.

‘If you’re not sure about this …’

‘I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life, Marty.’ She moved even closer, revelling in the feel of his bare legs against hers. She hadn’t known quite what to expect, but this intense, sensuous intimacy was wholly new and overwhelming, engendering emotions she hadn’t dreamed she possessed. ‘I love you and whatever happens between us afterwards, I want my first time to be with you.’

Lowering his head to hers, he kissed her gently on the lips, and suddenly there was no need for any more words.

Joe parked his father’s car in his sister’s drive and stepped out. It was a fine, clear day but the wind was keen, bringing a coolness to the air that belied the sunshine. He looked down over the beach. A mother sat on a deckchair, three small children playing with pebbles and sand at her feet. An elderly couple walked arm in arm down to the sea, preceded by a Pekinese dog. A line of young boys were climbing the cliff path but there was no sign of Lily, which meant she’d be in the house – unless she had gone into town.

Trembling with barely suppressed excitement, he tried the front door. To his delight he found it unlocked. He stepped lightly into the hall, walking on the balls of his feet, hoping to surprise her, but the living and dining rooms were empty. He went into the kitchen. The table was laid for two. Could she possibly be expecting him?

Running as quietly as he could up the stairs, he called her name and opened the door of the bedroom Helen had proudly shown him after it had been decorated, telling him it was to be Lily’s.

‘Mr Davies to see you, Mr Griffiths. Shall I put him in your office?’

‘You can show him into my office, Miss Richards,’ John corrected his new secretary, who never failed to irritate, simply because she wasn’t Katie. He turned to Helen and the buyer. ‘I shouldn’t be long.’

‘Take as long as you like, Mr Griffiths, Helen and I are doing just fine.’ The senior Ladies Wear buyer nodded in approval as Helen picked out a nylon dress overall that the manufacturers were using Anne Shelton to advertise.

‘In other words, you two will do better without me.’

‘Not at all, Dad.’ Helen smiled. To her surprise, she didn’t even have to force the smile. Choosing clothes for a fashion show was even more fun than she had hoped it would be and a task she would never have classed as work. As far removed from the drudgery of a junior’s life in Richard Thomas’s office as a formal ball in the Mackworth was from a church youth club hop.

‘Coffee for two, please, Miss Richards,’ John prompted, as he passed her desk in the outer office.

‘Yes, Mr Griffiths,’ she answered, sensing she had earned herself yet another black mark for not offering.

‘John.’ Mark Davies rose from a chair and held out his hand as John walked in.

‘This is a pleasant surprise. Since when do solicitors work Saturdays?’

‘When they spend all Friday in court and don’t have time to read important documents until the following day. I thought you’d like to know that we’ve had everything back from Esme via Richard Thomas. The decree nisi should be made absolute at the end of next month.’

‘You’re serious?’

‘You knew all along that the bulk of the work had been done. The delay was only down to Esme being difficult.’

‘The end of next month,’ John repeated slowly.

‘You could buy me lunch to celebrate.’

‘Anywhere you want.’

‘The Mackworth.’

‘Fine,’ John murmured absently.

‘You look shell-shocked. What’s the matter? You can’t believe you’ll be a free man in six weeks unless, that is, you can’t wait for someone else to bolt the shackles on to you,’ he joked.

‘If she’ll still have me.’

Mark stared at John, uncertain he’d heard him correctly, as John’s secretary knocked on the door.

‘Coffee, Mr Griffiths.’

‘Forget it, Miss Richards.’ John beamed, as the significance of Mark’s news finally sank in. ‘Mr Davies and I are going out to celebrate. Tell the senior buyer and my daughter to go ahead with whatever decisions they want to make. I won’t be in again until late this afternoon.’

Martin and Lily looked up from the rumpled sheets as the bedroom door opened and swung back on its hinges. Joe stood, pale-faced and wild-eyed, in the doorway.

Martin was the first to recover from the shock. ‘Get out, Joe.’

‘Lily, you love me … why …’ Joe continued to stand, fixed and immobile, staring at her.

‘Please go, Joe …’

‘You love me,’ he repeated dully, as if he hadn’t heard her. Then suddenly, without warning, he dived towards the bed. ‘I love you …’ Grabbing Lily’s hair, he locked his fingers into the roots and tried to drag her from the bed.

Lily screamed as the pain grew unbearable. All she could think of was the conversation she’d had with Martin after he’d fought with Adam.

I’ll never hit anyone again.

Even if they’re trying to hit you?

Especially if they’re trying to hit me.

Martin leaped out of bed. Clenching his hand tightly round Joe’s wrist he squeezed, using all the strength he could muster until he forced him to relinquish his grip on Lily’s hair. ‘Don’t you dare touch her ever again,’ he cried, forgetting he was naked as he stepped between Lily, who fell back sobbing on to the bed, and Joe.

Raising his fists, Joe lashed out. Martin ducked, head-butting Joe in the stomach, he took him unawares. As Joe staggered back, Martin punched him on the jaw, following it up with one to his eye, and pushed him out of the room. He slammed the door and leaned on it, locking him out. ‘Are you all right, Lily?’

‘I think so.’ She touched her head, her scalp was tingling so much she was surprised to feel her hair. She was convinced that Joe had pulled it out by the roots.

Still leaning on the door, Martin stooped and picked up his towel from the floor; tying it around his waist he listened, before opening it gingerly and looking out. As far as he could see the stairs and hall were empty.

‘Don’t leave me, Marty.’

‘I have to make sure he’s out of the house.’ He checked the bathroom and other bedrooms, and ran down the stairs in time to see Joe drive off along the road. Locking and bolting the front and back doors, he closed all the downstairs windows before returning upstairs.

He sat on the bed beside Lily and gently smoothed her hair from her face. ‘I’m sorry, darling. Did I hurt you?’ he asked as she winced at his touch.

‘Joe did. I’m glad you hit him, Marty. I didn’t think you were going to … if you hadn’t …’

‘Ssh.’ Cradling her against his chest, he stroked the side of her face. ‘I won’t ever let him hurt you again.’ He kicked his feet on to the bed and slid between the sheets next to her.

‘He must have been watching me to know I was here … he must have thought I’d be alone …’

‘He could tell people we were in bed. Your uncle …’

‘Uncle Roy would understand and I don’t care about anyone else.’ She clung to him fiercely.

He folded his arms round her. ‘I love you, Lily Sullivan, and I’ve just discovered how much.’

‘And I love you, and nothing else matters. Does it?’ She lifted a defiant face to his.

‘No, it doesn’t.’ All of a sudden he realised he meant it.

‘I see you’ve decorated your face for the summer ball,’ Robin quipped, as Joe walked through the Watkin Morgan house and out on to the pool side patio where Robin, Angela and Emily were sunbathing.

‘You look as though you’ve gone a couple of rounds with a professional boxer.’ Angela left her steamer chair and ran her fingers lightly from the bruise on Joe’s jaw to his swollen eye. ‘I’ll ask Pops to take look at you.’

‘Don’t bother.’ Joe sat on the nearest chair.