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Authors: Pamela Evans
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wouldn’t tarnish his father’s memory with thoughts of that man. It was a waste of energy. Justice had been done, leave it at that, George. You’ve enough on your plate. Let it go. But he knew he wasn’t able to do that. The anger would torture him for the rest of his life.
He turned away from the grave and began to walk home, half dreading getting there. Betty’s endless prattle was very irritating to him now that he was with her so much. His heart twisted as he thought of May. She would have received his letter by now and he knew she would be disappointed in him, both for getting her friend into trouble and also for betraying her.
There had never been anything definite between them, but they had loved each other and he had thought they would be together one day after the growing-up process was complete. He still loved her and always would, but it could never be any other way than as a friend now, and all because of his damned recklessness. He’d been careful not to even hint at his dismay at marrying Betty in his letter to May. It wouldn’t be fair and it was best she didn’t know. The girls were friends so May would be loyal to her, which was more than Betty had been to May.
One thing he was certain his father would have said to him was to do right by the woman he must now be committed to and make her a good husband. He felt completely inadequate to the task but knew he must do his best and try to be a decent husband and father as his own dad had been.
As he walked home past the pub he saw a group of men going in for the midday session. The pub was sometimes known as the married men’s haven. He smiled to himself. He was soon to be a husband and father, yet he wasn’t even old enough to have a pint in a pub.
Walking home from work across Haven Green carpeted in fallen leaves, Betty decided it was time she wrote to May about what had happened. Her conscience was trying to bother her but she wasn’t going to allow it to spoil things. She hoped May didn’t mind about the turn in events. After all, she had no actual claim on George and she couldn’t expect other people to stay away from him when she wasn’t around. If it hadn’t been me it would have been some other girl, Betty told herself, so I’m blowed if I’m going to feel guilty.
She had to admit that she wasn’t keen on the pregnancy side of things; she hadn’t bargained on that. She had thought it would be all right as it had been the first time for them both and neither had really known what they were doing. It wasn’t much fun feeling sick and below par all the time. On the other hand, she had well and truly got her man, which meant she didn’t need a girlfriend to go about with and she wouldn’t have to work in that dreary store any more after the wedding. In fact she wouldn’t have to work anywhere, because George would be keeping her in future. As a married woman she’d have status and people would stop bossing her around.
So pregnancy was a small price to pay for all the benefits. As for the baby, she couldn’t even begin to imagine herself as a mother. But that was ages away yet, so there was no need even to think about it. For now, she was going to enjoy her role as George’s soon-to-be wife.
Admittedly he hadn’t seemed very happy about the prospect, but he was going to do the decent thing, as she’d known he would, so it didn’t matter. They hardly knew each other at a personal level, but that would change now that they were living together, and getting better acquainted would be fun.
There was a strong sense of victory in having bagged the best-looking bloke around, though annoyingly, this was coloured slightly by a persistent niggle of conscience about May. But her friend was like a distant memory now, having been away for so long with no talk of her coming back. Betty was determined to forget all about her and enjoy herself.
‘Well, George, it’s very good of you to come and tell us, but I can’t pretend not to be
He turned away from the grave and began to walk home, half dreading getting there. Betty’s endless prattle was very irritating to him now that he was with her so much. His heart twisted as he thought of May. She would have received his letter by now and he knew she would be disappointed in him, both for getting her friend into trouble and also for betraying her.
There had never been anything definite between them, but they had loved each other and he had thought they would be together one day after the growing-up process was complete. He still loved her and always would, but it could never be any other way than as a friend now, and all because of his damned recklessness. He’d been careful not to even hint at his dismay at marrying Betty in his letter to May. It wouldn’t be fair and it was best she didn’t know. The girls were friends so May would be loyal to her, which was more than Betty had been to May.
One thing he was certain his father would have said to him was to do right by the woman he must now be committed to and make her a good husband. He felt completely inadequate to the task but knew he must do his best and try to be a decent husband and father as his own dad had been.
As he walked home past the pub he saw a group of men going in for the midday session. The pub was sometimes known as the married men’s haven. He smiled to himself. He was soon to be a husband and father, yet he wasn’t even old enough to have a pint in a pub.
Walking home from work across Haven Green carpeted in fallen leaves, Betty decided it was time she wrote to May about what had happened. Her conscience was trying to bother her but she wasn’t going to allow it to spoil things. She hoped May didn’t mind about the turn in events. After all, she had no actual claim on George and she couldn’t expect other people to stay away from him when she wasn’t around. If it hadn’t been me it would have been some other girl, Betty told herself, so I’m blowed if I’m going to feel guilty.
She had to admit that she wasn’t keen on the pregnancy side of things; she hadn’t bargained on that. She had thought it would be all right as it had been the first time for them both and neither had really known what they were doing. It wasn’t much fun feeling sick and below par all the time. On the other hand, she had well and truly got her man, which meant she didn’t need a girlfriend to go about with and she wouldn’t have to work in that dreary store any more after the wedding. In fact she wouldn’t have to work anywhere, because George would be keeping her in future. As a married woman she’d have status and people would stop bossing her around.
So pregnancy was a small price to pay for all the benefits. As for the baby, she couldn’t even begin to imagine herself as a mother. But that was ages away yet, so there was no need even to think about it. For now, she was going to enjoy her role as George’s soon-to-be wife.
Admittedly he hadn’t seemed very happy about the prospect, but he was going to do the decent thing, as she’d known he would, so it didn’t matter. They hardly knew each other at a personal level, but that would change now that they were living together, and getting better acquainted would be fun.
There was a strong sense of victory in having bagged the best-looking bloke around, though annoyingly, this was coloured slightly by a persistent niggle of conscience about May. But her friend was like a distant memory now, having been away for so long with no talk of her coming back. Betty was determined to forget all about her and enjoy herself.
‘Well, George, it’s very good of you to come and tell us, but I can’t pretend not to be
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