Georgia

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Book: Georgia by Lesley Pearse Read Free Book Online
Authors: Lesley Pearse
Tags: Fiction
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and Celia gave up nursing and became a children’s officer in South London. They learned to compromise. She tried harder to please Brian, he didn’t press her so often. When Georgia arrived, new happiness and purpose made her more loving, at times their lovemaking was tender, if not passionate. But Brian didn’t seem to understand that she found it impossible now Georgia was older. Suppose she heard them? Somehow it seemed indecent at their age!
    ‘I want Georgia to marry for love,’ Celia said to herself in the darkness. ‘Just liking someone and sharing a home isn’t enough for anyone.’
    *
    Strains of the Everly Brothers wafted down the stairs.
    The door bell had been ringing constantly since eight that evening. Trudging feet, peals of laughter, shouts and giggles made them feel the playroom must now be packed to capacity.
    ‘Do you think I ought to go up there?’ Brian looked up from his book. His round, plump face seemed more irritated than anxious, but his eyes held suspicion.
    ‘No,’ Celia frowned. She had put on a new turquoise wool dress, her hair had been set that afternoon, just in case Georgia asked them to come up later. ‘She won’t get up to anything bad, and she knows where we are if anyone else does. This is her first grown-up party, don’t spoil it for her.’
    ‘Who said anything about spoiling it?’ His look was surly. He too had put on a clean shirt and his best suit and it felt rather silly being dressed up with nowhere to go. ‘But they could be necking up there. We hardly know any of them! As for that dress!’
    ‘There’s nothing much wrong with a bit of kissing,’ Celia snapped. ‘And she looks lovely in the dress.’
    ‘It’s too adult,’ he snapped at her. ‘What are you trying to turn her into?’
    Georgia had come into the sitting room to show it off, her hair put up in an elaborate French plait, tiny kiss-curls on her forehead. Toffee-coloured shoulders, her waist no bigger than a handspan and small breasts peeping out of the tight bodice.
    ‘She looks beautiful,’ Celia retorted. ‘I know it’s sad to see her leave behind little white socks and pigtails. But she’s a young woman now. We can’t hold her back.’
    ‘I don’t like her seeing so much of Peter either,’ Brian snapped. ‘After tonight I’m clamping down. He’s been here almost every day since that time he took her to the pictures.’
    ‘Term starts again on Monday,’ Celia said gently. ‘He’ll have homework and exams to think about. Georgia will be back to her dancing and singing lessons. What is it Brian,’ she got up and went over to his chair, perching on the arm. ‘You’ve been grumpy for days. Is it just the party? Or is there something else?’
    ‘Nothing you’d understand.’
    ‘Let’s have a drink?’ Celia ignored his cryptic reply. She got up and went over to the drinks cabinet.
    ‘Is that a good idea?’ Brian raised one eyebrow.
    ‘Of course we can!’ Celia looked over her shoulder, amused by his worried expression. ‘It’s our home, our daughter’s birthday. I wasn’t suggesting we got plastered.’
    She poured herself a small gin and tonic, but gave Brian a larger one, hoping it would make him relax.
    ‘I don’t like Georgia wearing so much eye makeup,’ he snapped. ‘It makes her look cheap.’
    ‘Don’t be such a wet blanket,’ Celia returned to her seat by the fire. Any other time she would have found his attitude rather touching, a father afraid that his little girl was turning into a woman. But now it merely irritated her.
    ‘Put a record on,’ Celia said. The overhead light was swinging with the dancing going on overhead. They couldn’t actually hear the music, just the thumping vibration of the bass notes.
    Brian got up slowly. He had put on some weight recently, although his good dark suit covered it well. As he bent down by the radiogram she could see he was getting a paunch which hung over his trousers. Yet even the extra pounds added

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