Read Online Put Out the Fires by Maureen Lee - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Maureen Lee
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evil-smelling cooling liquid which took a good brisk scrub to get rid of at the end of the day.
“Have you had anything to eat this weekend?” she asked, suddenly aware that the table was set as she’d left it last Friday.
“No, but I’ve had plenty to drink.”
“Oh, Nick!” His back was to her. She noticed for the first time the plaster protruding out of his left shirt-cuff. She’d forgotten about his broken wrist. The white plaster contrasted sharply with his slender sunburnt hand. She shivered, remembering the sheer heaven to which those hands had sent her in the past. She no longer felt dispassionate. She wanted him! Her insides throbbed with longing. There was nothing in the world she desired more than for Nick to make love to her at that moment. If they could, if only they could, everything would be all right again. Her hand reached out to touch the little cluster of tight curls at the nape of his lean neck.
“Nick,” she whispered, just as he stood up, out of her reach,’I love you.”
His face softened as he faced her and she felt a flicker of hope in her heart. “And I love you, Eileen.” Perhaps he sensed her desire, perhaps he felt it too. He said, “Do you want us to make love?” When she nodded breathlessly, he went on, “So do I. Oh, it was great between us, wasn’t it?
Absolute magic, but,” his face changed, “it wouldn’t work.
You see, I can never trust you again, my darling. I would be forever expecting you to let me down.”
She realised it was all over. “In that case,” she said tiredly, “we’d best say goodbye, Though don’t forget, Nick, it was you who left me in the first place. You didn’t have to join up. You could have stayed in your job for the duration of the war. It’s a miracle you’re still alive and able to climb on your high horse.”
His face flushed. “That’s a different thing altogether. I had a duty to fight for my country. I couldn’t have lived with myself otherwise.”
“And I couldn’t have lived with myself if I’d walked out on Francis, but it seems you’re the only person allowed to have principles.”
“That’s not true, Eileen.”
“I think it is.” She went towards the door. “You’re not going to stay here by yourself over the next fortnight?”
Despite everything, she couldn’t help but be concerned.
“I’m catching the midnight train to London. I shall stay with friends till my leave’s up. I would have gone before, but decided to wait and see if you’d come.”
“So you could tell me where to get off?”
He had the grace to look ashamed. “I . . . It just makes me feel a little better knowing I haven’t been entirely rejected.”
“You never were rejected. I was in a right ould state when they brought Francis home and I thought I was doing what was best for you. Here’s your key.” She threw the key down on the telephone table in the hall.
“No!” He picked up the key and handed it back. “Keep it.
I’ll never return to the cottage.” He glanced upstairs. “It holds too many memories. I couldn’t bear to live here without you and Tony. But the raids are getting worse. I’d like you and your family to use it.” His lips twisted wryly.
“You can even bring Francis if you want.”
“As if I would!” she said bitterly. Nevertheless, she put the key in the pocket of her overalls and opened the door.
“Tara, Nick.”
“Goodbye, my darling girl. Give Tony my fondest love.”
From the tone of his voice she had a feeling that he’d cry when she left. He’d cried before because he was an emotional man, perhaps too much so. Someone less sensitive mightn’t have taken things so much to heart, but then that someone wouldn’t have been Nick and she wouldn’t have loved him half as much.
“I will,” she replied with a coolness anything but felt.
She was already working on her lathe when the girls came wandering in from the canteen. They looked rather subdued.
“Eh, Eileen. Have you
“Have you had anything to eat this weekend?” she asked, suddenly aware that the table was set as she’d left it last Friday.
“No, but I’ve had plenty to drink.”
“Oh, Nick!” His back was to her. She noticed for the first time the plaster protruding out of his left shirt-cuff. She’d forgotten about his broken wrist. The white plaster contrasted sharply with his slender sunburnt hand. She shivered, remembering the sheer heaven to which those hands had sent her in the past. She no longer felt dispassionate. She wanted him! Her insides throbbed with longing. There was nothing in the world she desired more than for Nick to make love to her at that moment. If they could, if only they could, everything would be all right again. Her hand reached out to touch the little cluster of tight curls at the nape of his lean neck.
“Nick,” she whispered, just as he stood up, out of her reach,’I love you.”
His face softened as he faced her and she felt a flicker of hope in her heart. “And I love you, Eileen.” Perhaps he sensed her desire, perhaps he felt it too. He said, “Do you want us to make love?” When she nodded breathlessly, he went on, “So do I. Oh, it was great between us, wasn’t it?
Absolute magic, but,” his face changed, “it wouldn’t work.
You see, I can never trust you again, my darling. I would be forever expecting you to let me down.”
She realised it was all over. “In that case,” she said tiredly, “we’d best say goodbye, Though don’t forget, Nick, it was you who left me in the first place. You didn’t have to join up. You could have stayed in your job for the duration of the war. It’s a miracle you’re still alive and able to climb on your high horse.”
His face flushed. “That’s a different thing altogether. I had a duty to fight for my country. I couldn’t have lived with myself otherwise.”
“And I couldn’t have lived with myself if I’d walked out on Francis, but it seems you’re the only person allowed to have principles.”
“That’s not true, Eileen.”
“I think it is.” She went towards the door. “You’re not going to stay here by yourself over the next fortnight?”
Despite everything, she couldn’t help but be concerned.
“I’m catching the midnight train to London. I shall stay with friends till my leave’s up. I would have gone before, but decided to wait and see if you’d come.”
“So you could tell me where to get off?”
He had the grace to look ashamed. “I . . . It just makes me feel a little better knowing I haven’t been entirely rejected.”
“You never were rejected. I was in a right ould state when they brought Francis home and I thought I was doing what was best for you. Here’s your key.” She threw the key down on the telephone table in the hall.
“No!” He picked up the key and handed it back. “Keep it.
I’ll never return to the cottage.” He glanced upstairs. “It holds too many memories. I couldn’t bear to live here without you and Tony. But the raids are getting worse. I’d like you and your family to use it.” His lips twisted wryly.
“You can even bring Francis if you want.”
“As if I would!” she said bitterly. Nevertheless, she put the key in the pocket of her overalls and opened the door.
“Tara, Nick.”
“Goodbye, my darling girl. Give Tony my fondest love.”
From the tone of his voice she had a feeling that he’d cry when she left. He’d cried before because he was an emotional man, perhaps too much so. Someone less sensitive mightn’t have taken things so much to heart, but then that someone wouldn’t have been Nick and she wouldn’t have loved him half as much.
“I will,” she replied with a coolness anything but felt.
She was already working on her lathe when the girls came wandering in from the canteen. They looked rather subdued.
“Eh, Eileen. Have you
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