surprised her with his announcement Rachel felt vulnerable to his advances. He would be away for some time before his first leave and if war broke out he might be sent away to fight and maybe get killed or maimed before they had experienced full love together.
Jamie watched Rachel nibbling away at her bottom lip as she sat deep in thought. When he had mustered up enough courage, he put down his pen and turned towards her. ‘Is there anyfink wrong?’ he asked, a nervous tone to his voice.
Rachel was shaken from her reverie. ‘No, I was jus’ finkin’,’ she said quickly, giving him a smile.
Jamie tried to appear fatherly. ‘It’s an uncertain time, but I’m not worryin’ unduly,’ he said, leaning back in his chair. ‘There’s nuffink we can do about it anyway.’
Rachel nodded. ‘My boy friend’s volunteered fer the navy,’ she said turning to face him. ‘’E felt it was better than waitin’ ter be called up.’
Jamie’s heart dropped. He had cherished the thought that one day he would pluck up enough courage to ask her out and now she had a boy friend it was no use. Maybe there was hope, though, he told himself quickly. ‘If yer ever need somebody ter talk to, I’m ’ere,’ he said suddenly, feeling his face going red.
Rachel smiled kindly. ‘Fanks, Jamie. I’ll remember what yer said,’ she replied.
The young man lowered his head over the ledger once more. He was pleased with himself for planting the seed there in Rachel’s mind but he felt he should have been more bold. Maybe she secretly liked him, enough to go out with him. Perhaps she was only waiting for him to ask her, despite the fact that she had a boy friend at the moment. He would be very proper if she did agree to a date with him, Jamie dreamed to himself. He would shake her hand when he said goodnight on the first date and then he would give her a gentle kiss the next time. Later of course she would become passionate towards him and he would be the gentleman and not take advantage of her maidenly desires. There would come a time, however, when she would expect him to make love to her and Jamie started to sweat as he thought about it. He would be very gentle and try not to hurt her. She would lie in his arms and sigh contentedly, then vow her undying love. God, the thoughts were making him feel shaky.
Rachel, too, was dreaming of love as she sat a few yards away from Jamie Robins watching the young man’s Adam’s apple moving up and down his neck. Derek was going to be very pleasantly surprised on their next date, when she would not attempt to remove his hand when they were in a passionate embrace. God, she thought, he had better not let her down or, worse still, get her pregnant . . .
Across the quiet, sunny yard Carrie was sitting in the parlour with Joe and her mother. Her face was set hard. ‘Yer know ’ow much I love those ’orses, Mum, that’s the reason I’ve decided ter let ’em go,’ she said forcibly.
‘Is it?’ Nellie responded with a disbelieving look. ‘I fink it’s the old feelin’s showin’. It’s yer ’atred fer Galloway what’s swayed yer finkin’. I know you, gel. Yer won’t rest until yer put that man out o’ business. It’s bin yer aim ever since yer went inter the transport game. Galloway’s got rid of ’is ’orses an’ now yer followin’ ’im. It’ll turn yer, Carrie. It’ll make yer bitter an’’ard if yer don’t ease orf. Let it be, there’s bin enough grief over the years an’ nobody’s got reason ter detest the man more than me, but I’ve come ter terms wiv it. There’s little room fer revenge inside me any more.’
Carrie felt the emotion in her mother’s voice and she went to her and sat on the edge of her armchair, putting her arm round her shoulders. ‘I can’t ’elp the way I’m made, Mum,’ she said softly, ‘but I promised that one day I’d see George Galloway out o’ business. I can never change
Jamie watched Rachel nibbling away at her bottom lip as she sat deep in thought. When he had mustered up enough courage, he put down his pen and turned towards her. ‘Is there anyfink wrong?’ he asked, a nervous tone to his voice.
Rachel was shaken from her reverie. ‘No, I was jus’ finkin’,’ she said quickly, giving him a smile.
Jamie tried to appear fatherly. ‘It’s an uncertain time, but I’m not worryin’ unduly,’ he said, leaning back in his chair. ‘There’s nuffink we can do about it anyway.’
Rachel nodded. ‘My boy friend’s volunteered fer the navy,’ she said turning to face him. ‘’E felt it was better than waitin’ ter be called up.’
Jamie’s heart dropped. He had cherished the thought that one day he would pluck up enough courage to ask her out and now she had a boy friend it was no use. Maybe there was hope, though, he told himself quickly. ‘If yer ever need somebody ter talk to, I’m ’ere,’ he said suddenly, feeling his face going red.
Rachel smiled kindly. ‘Fanks, Jamie. I’ll remember what yer said,’ she replied.
The young man lowered his head over the ledger once more. He was pleased with himself for planting the seed there in Rachel’s mind but he felt he should have been more bold. Maybe she secretly liked him, enough to go out with him. Perhaps she was only waiting for him to ask her, despite the fact that she had a boy friend at the moment. He would be very proper if she did agree to a date with him, Jamie dreamed to himself. He would shake her hand when he said goodnight on the first date and then he would give her a gentle kiss the next time. Later of course she would become passionate towards him and he would be the gentleman and not take advantage of her maidenly desires. There would come a time, however, when she would expect him to make love to her and Jamie started to sweat as he thought about it. He would be very gentle and try not to hurt her. She would lie in his arms and sigh contentedly, then vow her undying love. God, the thoughts were making him feel shaky.
Rachel, too, was dreaming of love as she sat a few yards away from Jamie Robins watching the young man’s Adam’s apple moving up and down his neck. Derek was going to be very pleasantly surprised on their next date, when she would not attempt to remove his hand when they were in a passionate embrace. God, she thought, he had better not let her down or, worse still, get her pregnant . . .
Across the quiet, sunny yard Carrie was sitting in the parlour with Joe and her mother. Her face was set hard. ‘Yer know ’ow much I love those ’orses, Mum, that’s the reason I’ve decided ter let ’em go,’ she said forcibly.
‘Is it?’ Nellie responded with a disbelieving look. ‘I fink it’s the old feelin’s showin’. It’s yer ’atred fer Galloway what’s swayed yer finkin’. I know you, gel. Yer won’t rest until yer put that man out o’ business. It’s bin yer aim ever since yer went inter the transport game. Galloway’s got rid of ’is ’orses an’ now yer followin’ ’im. It’ll turn yer, Carrie. It’ll make yer bitter an’’ard if yer don’t ease orf. Let it be, there’s bin enough grief over the years an’ nobody’s got reason ter detest the man more than me, but I’ve come ter terms wiv it. There’s little room fer revenge inside me any more.’
Carrie felt the emotion in her mother’s voice and she went to her and sat on the edge of her armchair, putting her arm round her shoulders. ‘I can’t ’elp the way I’m made, Mum,’ she said softly, ‘but I promised that one day I’d see George Galloway out o’ business. I can never change
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