‘I think you’re right. I think we’ll go home,’ Sheila murmured as a young man, wearing the most pointy winkle-pickers she’d ever seen, spilt a glass of red wine on the new hall carpet. She’d be crying if it were her house. All those stiletto heels were gouging into the lovely rugs and carpets as well. It was a disgrace. She collected her coat from the hallstand and went to find Vincent.
‘We’re going, dear. It was a lovely party,’ she fibbed. Then indignation got the better of her. ‘It’s a shame though the way some of those . . .’ her nostrils flared as she pointed in the direction of the jiving masses ‘. . . those uncouth brats have no respect for other people’s property. Your lovely new hall carpet is ruined with drink.’
‘It will come out, Ma, don’t worry about it,’ Vincent soothed. ‘Emma,’ he called. ‘Mam and Dad are going.’
Emma disengaged herself from the horse and made her way over to them.
‘Thanks a million for coming and thanks for all the sweet things.’ Her tone was effusive. She kissed each of them on both cheeks, French style.
‘Not at all, dear. Give our regards to your parents when they arrive back.’
‘Oh I will. Cheers,’ Emma said airily and then headed back to the horse. ‘Isn’t she a dream?’ she exclaimed to another friend who was admiring the mare. ‘I think I’ll call her Cleopatra.’
Sheila was not pleased to be brushed off so casually. The least Madame could have done was to see them off the premises. Cheers indeed!
‘We’ll see you, Vincent.’ Sheila pursed her lips in a little moue of disapproval but Vincent didn’t notice her annoyance as he greeted some latecomers.
‘Young people now get things too easy,’ Sheila grumbled as she got into the car. ‘It wasn’t like our day when we had to work hard for everything we got. And we had to wait until we could afford it. Now it’s all hire purchase and the never-never. No wonder they don’t put value on what they’ve got. And I’ll tell you another thing, Mick,’ she continued as they drove slowly down the drive, ‘it would match that young madam better if she learned how to do a bit of baking rather than be off gadding about the countryside on that horse. Vincent would want to make a firm stand there.’
‘Now don’t go interfering, Sheila. It’s their business what they do,’ Mick warned. He knew his wife of old. She liked to poke her nose in. She was forever bossing Miriam around and telling her how to rear her children. Emma wasn’t one to be bossed, he thought in some amusement.
‘I have no intention of interfering,’ Sheila retorted haughtily. ‘I was merely saying the girl should learn how to bake.’
‘Mmm.’ Mick’s tone was sceptical. Sheila pursed her lips and maintained an aloof silence for the rest of the short journey home.
‘This soup is nice, isn’t it? Imagine serving soup cold,’ Miriam murmured to Ben as they sampled the buffet.
‘I think it’s called vichyssoise. There’s potatoes and leaks in it and cream. I had it once in a restaurant,’ Ben explained as he sampled a portion of egg mayonnaise.
‘There’s some spread here. Vincent and Emma certainly have expensive tastes. I don’t know how they can afford it all. New house. All mod cons. Horse and horsebox. Just look at the furniture, Ben. White leather!’
‘Vincent’s doing really well in the business,’ Ben observed as he helped himself to coleslaw. ‘Property prices have gone sky-high. There’s a huge building boom and he’s on big commission. Do you think you married the wrong brother?’
‘Never!’ Miriam reached out and gave him a hug. ‘Do you think you married the wrong girl? Here I am pregnant and getting fat again.’
‘You’re beautiful, Miriam. I know the baby was a bit of a shock but I’m happy about it.’ Ben caressed her cheek.
‘So am I but this is definitely the last one,’ Miriam declared.
‘Definitely,’ Ben agreed with a twinkle in his eye and they both burst out laughing.
Emma swanned past giggling at something Chris Wallace was saying to her. Miriam looked at her sylphlike figure enviously. She was wearing a stunning black dress that clung to every curve. No matter how hard Miriam dieted, she’d never have a figure like Emma’s. Besides it was too late for all that now, Miriam thought stoically as she helped herself to a portion of cold turkey. The dress she’d worn to the wedding no longer fitted her. Her waist had thickened noticeably and she couldn’t get into a size twelve any longer. Now that the first three months of her pregnancy were over and the dreadful nausea was gone, she might as well enjoy her food. Especially as it was food she hadn’t had to cook herself. She hadn’t bothered to have anything with Della and Sean, she’d been so put out. Now she was hungry.
‘Have some of this, it tastes nice. I don’t know what it is. It’s spicy,’ Ben suggested, pointing to an interesting dish. ‘It looks like chilli.’
‘Mmm,’ murmured Miriam. ‘This food is scrumptious. It makes our meat and two veg dinners seem so boring. I must start experimenting. The party’s fun, isn’t it? Better than being stuck with Sean and Della. I wonder how Ellen’s getting on?’ She peered around but couldn’t see any sign of her sister-in-law. She’d go looking for her as soon as she’d finished her meal, Miriam decided, as she and Ben edged their way to a corner where there were two empty chairs.
‘Why did you bother to ask me to this party if you’re going to spend the evening trying to sell insurance policies?’ Suzy Kenny snapped furiously as she cornered Chris Wallace in the hall. She took another slug of her Martini. It was her sixth this evening, but what was a girl to do when she was dropped like a hot potato by her escort, just because he wanted to flog insurance. He’d spent the past half-hour in conversation with some business associate of Vincent’s. Suzy had been left to her own devices and she didn’t like it one bit. She didn’t know a single soul at this party. It was very lively and the food was great, but she wasn’t in the humour for flying solo. She wanted Chris’s attention. She was used to men dancing attendance on her and Chris had been very attentive when she’d started dating him a few weeks ago. In fact, the more she kept him at his distance, the more eager he’d been to please her. But lately it was as if he was growing bored with her. He didn’t phone when he said he would and sometimes he even cancelled dates. It was very distressing, especially as she’d started to feel very strongly about him. She couldn’t help it. There was just something so appealing about Chris. When he turned on that little boy charm he was irresistible. Nevertheless, charm or not, she’d had enough of being on her own. If Chris didn’t start paying her some attention she was going to split. Although that would be difficult, seeing as they were stuck out in the back of beyond somewhere.
‘Dance with me,’ she demanded aggressively.
‘OK, doll.’ Chris drew her into his arms. Suzy was fairly tight, he reflected as alcohol fumes wafted past his nostrils. She’d been drinking steadily since she came to the party. He sighed. Women! They were all the same. Attention! Attention! They all craved attention and, while he was happy enough to supply it, he had to make a living. Occasions like this were ideal for making business contacts. As they danced, his eyes scanned the room to see if there were any more suitable candidates for the terrific opportunities he could put their way. Life insurance was an absolute necessity. If only people could be persuaded. He noticed a woman with a shapely figure, dressed in skintight trousers that clung to her voluptuous curves. She was dancing uninhibitedly, jiving to the sound of Buddy Holly. Very nice, thought Chris. Suzy, though sophisticated and with-it, was a bit on the skinny side. He liked curves. The woman turned and shimmied low, laughing at her partner who was trying to copy her moves. Chris looked again.
Well fancy that, he thought as he recognized her. It was Vincent’s sister. The bird he’d shifted at the wedding. Helen . . . No, Ellen. She was looking good. She knew how to enjoy herself, not like Suzy who lurched limply against him.
‘I think you’d better lie down for a while,’ Chris suggested.
‘With you?’ Suzy slurred
.
‘Who else?’ he murmured as he led her out of the room and upstairs. He eased her down onto the bed in one of the guest rooms and Suzy drew him down beside her. They kissed. Then Suzy’s eyes rolled in her head and she passed out.
‘Sweet dreams, babe.’ Chris drew the coverlet over her and left her to it. He had other fish to fry.
Downstairs, he saw Ellen chatting to the bloke she’d been dancing with. Not one to let a consideration like that stand in his way, he strode over and said with pretend surprise, ‘Ellen! Hi. It’s good to see you again. I was hoping I might bump into you. I lost your phone number and I kept meaning to ask Emma for it.’
Ellen’s heart soared as she turned and found herself staring into his vivid blue eyes. It was as if everyone in the room had faded into oblivion. She saw his lips move but couldn’t concentrate, her heart was beating so fast. She heard him say something about asking Emma for her phone number. Liar! she thought to herself as she heard his pathetic excuse. Still, he’d made a point of coming to say hello and there was no sign of the blonde bombshell. Play it cool, she warned herself. She didn’t want Chris Wallace to think that she was ready to fall into his arms after the shabby way he’d treated her.
‘Hi, Chris.’ Her voice was admirably cool. ‘Are you enjoying the party? Let me introduce Larry Ryan.’ She introduced the two men and tried to compose herself.
‘Larry, do you mind if I have a dance with Ellen? I haven’t seen her for ages,’ Chris asked smoothly.
The nerve of him! Ellen thought crossly. Swanning over to her and expecting her to drop everything to dance with him.
‘Actually, Chris, we were just going to the buffet to get something to eat,’ Ellen fibbed. ‘Maybe later.’
‘Oh! Right.’ It was clear he was taken aback.
Good enough for you, Ellen thought bitterly as she took Larry’s arm and steered him towards the dining-room.
‘I hope you don’t mind,’ she said apologetically to her partner. ‘I didn’t particularly want to dance with him.’
‘I should think not, you’re with me. Do you want to get something to eat?’
‘Yeah, sure.’ Ellen tried to keep her voice light. Food was the last thing she wanted now that she’d actually spoken to Chris. She was already beginning to regret her rejection of him. It was most annoying. Larry just wasn’t interesting in comparison. He was a bit of a geek, actually, she thought glumly as she watched him fill his plate with goodies. He seemed to think that she was with him for the evening, wherever he’d got that idea! This was the big chance she’d been waiting for and she’d got on her high horse and ruined it.
But a girl has to have some pride, she argued silently. Chris had to have some respect for her. He’d used her the day of Emma’s wedding. She couldn’t let him see how much of a doormat she was prepared to be for him. Ellen took a mouthful of salad and felt her throat close. She could barely swallow the food. Her heart filled with pain. Oh Chris, I wish I’d never met you, she thought unhappily. Why had she said no when she so badly wanted to say yes? If only she had the nerve to throw her pride to the winds and go and dance with him.
Chris watched Ellen walk away. He’d misjudged her, he thought in some surprise. He wasn’t used to being refused by women. He was sure she’d have been delighted to see him. They’d got on extremely well at the wedding. He could see no reason why Ellen should refuse to dance with him. Maybe she was just being polite because of the other guy. He’d try and catch her on her own later. In the meantime, he’d just spotted Eric Flood, who owned a building outfit. A potential candidate for life insurance, Chris thought with satisfaction.
An hour later, he spotted Ellen on her own. He made his move.
‘Where’s lover-boy?’ he murmured into her ear as he came up behind her. Ellen whirled around.
‘Oh, oh it’s you.’
‘Yeah, it’s me. Hiya, tetchy.’ Chris grinned and Ellen couldn’t resist grinning back. When he smiled at her like that she couldn’t help herself. This was another chance, to hell with it, she was going to make the most of it. She knew she’d regret it for the rest of her life if she didn’t.
‘Where’s the other guy?’
‘He’s gone to the loo. Where’s your girlfriend?’
‘Oh, she’s not my girlfriend. She’s someone I know and she wanted to come to the party. She’s flaked out upstairs.’ Chris was dismissive. ‘Are you going to dance with me now?’
‘Sure. Why not?’ Ellen said as if it was no big deal but the minute she slipped into his arms she knew she was lost. They danced to the slow number, bodies entwined. Larry arrived back, but she ignored his reproachful gaze and gave herself up to the bliss of being in Chris’s arms.
‘Let’s split,’ he murmured huskily against her ear.
‘What about the girl you came with?’
‘I told you, she just came to the party. She’s in no condition to go anywhere. Come on, let’s go back to my place.’
Ellen wavered. Chris was a swine, to leave that girl on her own. But she was very flattered that he wanted to be with her instead of the blonde Barbie. And she wanted to be with him. Swine or not, she’d fallen for him, hook, line and sinker. If she didn’t go with him now, that might be the last she’d see of him. Who knew when Emma and Vincent would throw another party.
‘Come on, let’s get away by ourselves,’ he urged. ‘There’s too many people here.’ He ran his fingers down the length of her spine and let his hand rest lightly on the top of her hip. She could feel him getting aroused as he pressed close against her. He kissed her. The pressure of his mouth firm against her own. His tongue seeking the softness of hers as he teased her with feather-light touches.
Ellen drew away, dazed. It was lovely experiencing all those sensations she remembered from their first time together. She wanted more.
‘OK,’ she whispered. ‘I’ll just get my coat.’
‘I’ll meet you outside at the car,’ Chris said as they walked towards the hall. Ellen rooted impatiently for her coat amidst the piles on the telephone seat.
‘You’re not leaving with him, are you, Ellen?’ Miriam appeared at her shoulder.
‘Oh Miriam, don’t give out to me,’ Ellen snapped.
‘Ellen, you can’t. You heard what Emma and Vincent had to say about him. He’s trouble. And what about that girl he came with?’
‘Look, Miriam, that’s her problem. I’m a big girl now, I don’t need people telling me what to do. OK?’
‘Well I think you’re mad.’
‘Fine. I’m mad. See you when I see you.’ Ellen took her coat and marched out the door. She was practically thirty, for God’s sake, she didn’t need Miriam’s advice. It was all right for her, she had someone. Ellen was lonely and panicky. Her twenties were nearly over. Thirty loomed like a dark threatening cloud on the horizon. Once she was thirty she could forget men and marriage. She’d be over the hill, facing a life of barren desolation, just like Miss Coony the postmistress, who was known to drink cooking sherry. All because she’d been let down by a man who’d broken their engagement and upped and married someone else, many years ago. Miss Coony was a crabby spinster who hadn’t a good word for anyone. Who’d want to end up like that? Ellen had to take her chance. And what was more she wanted to take her chance with Chris. The minute she’d laid eyes on him, she’d known he was the man for her. Much more so than Joseph Boring McManus, she thought viciously, remembering her ex and the trauma he’d put her through.
Chris revved the engine of his Cortina and she hurried to get into the car beside him. He leaned over and kissed her and sped off down the drive, gravel spitting in his wake.
‘I shouldn’t have eaten all that food,’ Miriam moaned. She was feeling slightly queasy. She pulled her nightdress over her head, brushed her teeth and followed Ben down the hallway. She shivered. There was still a nip in the air and the hall was cold. Not like Vincent and Emma’s house, so snug with its central heating system. She passed her bedroom door and thought enviously o
f Della and Sean ensconced in her big double bed. Ben and herself were sleeping on the bed settee in the sitting-room.
‘It was a good night, wasn’t it?’ Ben held the covers back for her.
‘I wouldn’t like to be doing the washing-up after it.’ Miriam yawned. It was much later than she usually went to bed and she was whacked. She snuggled in close to Ben. ‘Night, love,’ she murmured sleepily as Ben’s arms tightened around her. Sleeping on the settee wasn’t that bad and there was still a glow from the dying embers in the fireplace that gave the room a cosy hue. Her eyes were just closing when she heard Daniel howl.
‘Oh no.’ The groan came from the depths of her soul. Ben was already snoring. Miriam gave him a dig in the ribs. It was Friday night, he didn’t have to get up for work in the morning. She’d been up every night this week.
‘Wha—’
‘Daniel’s crying.’
‘Aw hell.’ Ben sat up groggily.
‘Thanks, Ben.’ Miriam stretched out her limbs to the four corners of the settee. She heard Ben go down the hall into the baby’s room. The crying stopped soon after. Thank God for that, she thought drowsily. All she craved was a decent night’s sleep. A fleeting thought of Ellen came to mind. Where was she, Miriam wondered. She was heading for trouble by getting involved with the likes of Chris Wallace. But Ellen was terribly stubborn and single-minded once she got an idea into her head. Nothing Miriam or anyone else said would make the slightest bit of difference. Miriam said a little prayer for her sister-in-law and fell asleep.
‘Promise you’ll pull out in time,’ Ellen urged Chris as he eased down her panties and caressed her soft curvy flesh.
‘Mmmm, don’t worry. You’ve got a great ass.’ Chris groaned with pleasure as she unzipped his trousers and slid them down over his hips. He kissed her fiercely, bruising the softness of her lips. Ellen returned his kisses and caresses ardently. This was what she’d been hungry for. The feel of him in her arms again, the joy of being held close, the power of being wanted. When he entered her she felt immense happiness. She was special to Chris, she knew it. There was a bond between them that had been there from the beginning. This was the man who was going to marry her and grow old with her. She gave herself up to the pleasure he was giving her, and touched and caressed him until his harsh breathing and frantic thrusts told her that he was near orgasm.
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