by Mary Wood
Music filled the room as Billy switched on the wireless – a big brown box with a golden latticework speaker at the front. It stood on the edge of a shelf holding dainty knick-knacks. And it looked like an intrusion from outer space. The screeching and whining it emitted made it sound as though it objected to Billy turning its dials. ‘I were hoping to tune into the news, but we don’t seem to have much of a signal. I were wondering how the war is progressing, as I need to keep up with it all.’
‘Oh, I’d forget it for a couple of days, love. There’s time enough. Look, I know we said we’d have no contact, but how about I give your mam and me dad a ring – let them know we’re all right and happy, like?’
‘Aye, I was thinking the same. A good idea. In fact I might walk over there while you finish getting dinner. Get out from under your feet, eh?’
‘Ha, you’re not under me feet. But, yes, if you like. And call in at the pub and bring a couple of bottles of brown ale. It’ll be nice to have them with our meal. Like a celebration.’
His kiss as he went to leave wasn’t what Sarah expected. ‘Hey, you’d think we were an old married couple, instead of newly-weds. Give me a proper kiss.’ It was good to feel this relaxed – like everything was going to be right between them. And good, too, to be in Billy’s strong arms and to feel his lips on hers, and to experience the tickle of quieted muscles jumping to attention, in anticipation of what might happen later. ‘Eeh, Billy, I do love you.’
And she did. A good love – one that she could live with – would help her to cope with the other, more vibrant emotions that she held for Richard. Oh God, will I ever have an intimate moment with Billy without thinking of Richard?
16
Billy & Theresa
A Fateful Tryst
‘I thought you would come. And you haven’t kept me waiting long. So, what was it that brought you to me? Little wifey not satisfying enough? Or you are sorely tempted by what I might have to offer? Which one is it, Armitage?’
‘Keep me wife out of this. And who’s to say I’m here to see you, anyroad?’
Theresa fascinated Billy, but also irritated him; what with her being who she was, he had to watch what he said to her. Though, inside, he felt he could smack her smug mouth.
Standing under a tree, with her horse tethered nearby, Theresa snapped her riding crop against the bark. ‘So, am I to take it you are going to remain faithful and are here because you wanted to stretch your legs? Funny you should need to, just at the time I am out riding . . . Oh!’
Striding towards Theresa and grabbing her in his arms seemed the only way to shut up Her Hoity-Toity High-and-Mightiness. Once he was there, she looked him in the eyes. Billy realized she was taller than him, but luckily she’d placed herself where the uneven ground dipped a little. He stared back at her, registering her breath coming in small gasps. It had a sweet scent to it. A heady feeling seized him and connected with the muscles clenching his groin, as the musky perfume she wore assaulted his senses. The shadow of fear left her face, but before she could start talking again, he covered her mouth with his.
Her response shocked him: a hunger and frantic need that he could almost taste turned the kiss into a frenzy of touching, grabbing and thrusting of her body towards his. Taking his lips from hers, breathless and out of his depth, Billy saw a raw passion that he’d never experienced. ‘Eeh, lass, what am I to do about you? You’re a lot for a man to handle.’
Caressing him through his trousers, she whispered, ‘I think you are more than up to the challenge.’
Lost in the pleasure she gave, he could only croak, ‘Where?’
Taking his hand, she turned and ran. His mind registered the old mineshaft as they passed it, but he didn’t give a thought to the memory it should have evoked, as the thicket became denser. Branches pulled at his shirt as if they’d not have him go any further or complete his mission, but he ignored the scratching and tearing at his clothes as the demands of his body freed him of all sense of guilt or the need for caution.
They came into a clearing. A large sign declared ‘Private, Keep Out’. Though he’d played around these parts as a young ’un, he’d never been in this neck of the woods, as far as he could remember. And he’d definitely never seen this field. He’d heard tell of a place as the Harveys used for picnics a few years back, and assumed this must be it. The field stretched long and narrow, and in one corner stood a shed-like building. At the far side he could see a gate – the normal entrance, he assumed. Did he imagine it, or had he seen a figure disappearing through it? He could have sworn he’d seen that tasty bitch who had been at his wedding. One of them Land Girls. Well, if she was a Peeping Tom she’d see a good show and would likely be after some of it herself in the near future. The thought excited him.
‘I have a key.’ Theresa pointed to the shed as she said this.
The interior further surprised him. It was equipped with a stove, ready-laid with kindling, and there was a pile of logs in one corner, one of those sofas with only half a back along the rear wall, and a thick rug on the floor. It looked cosy, though crowded with stuff in the near corner: cricket bats, balls and a stack of deckchairs and folded rugs, creating little room to move around.
‘Well, will this do? Do you think you can handle me here?’
Watching her sitting on the sofa, patting the seat next to her with one hand and undoing the front buttons of her blouse with the other, further fired the feelings inside Billy. ‘Aye, it’ll do.’
Before this, he’d only had two kinds of women: one was the halfwit at the institute, but she was no more than someone to slake his need on and had sickened him most of the time; and the one he loved, Sarah, who’d no experience and he still wasn’t sure of. This upper-crust woman was an eye-opener to him. There was no simply taking her, or having what he wanted; Theresa had needs and demanded that he satisfy them. She had him doing things he had never imagined – things he’d have thought repulsive, if anyone had told him of them, but which he found held intense pleasure and heightened his experience. This wasn’t the coupling he’d known before. This was a ravaging of him, and he found himself wanting – no, needing – more. Aye, and he was glad he’d already had it twice in the last few hours, because otherwise he’d not have been able to last long enough to give a good show of himself.
But all that changed when he knew she was satisfied and he took his fill. His moment was upon him, when suddenly shock ripped away the feeling as Theresa pummelled him with her fists. ‘No, no, you stupid bastard! Pull out – pull out!’
Her body writhed in an attempt to escape him, but he couldn’t do as she asked as the strength of him ebbed into her.
Standing now, Theresa expressed greater fury with every garment that she fastened herself back into. ‘You idiot, don’t you know anything? How dare you come inside me! If you’ve made me pregnant, I’ll have you imprisoned for rape, you . . . you imbecile!’
Grabbing her arm, Billy forced her to face him. She cowered against his raised hand. ‘No whore calls me names, reet? You had what you asked for. You’re a man-sucking bitch. You just try telling police as I forced you and I’ll do for you. Aye, and for all your toffee-nosed family an’ all!’
‘No. No, I’m sorry. I’m sorry, don’t hurt me. I won’t, I promise, but please don’t hurt me . . . Please!’
Billy threw her like she was nothing. She landed half on the sofa and half on the floor. Her screams filled the shed, bringing the walls crowding in on him. Everything had a red hue to it, like he was boiling inside. And this . . . this bitch had done that to him. Her flesh yielded to his vicious kick. His hand, without him knowing how, clenched the rough binding of a cricket bat. He raised it above his head.
A crack resounded around him, stopping his actions and bringing him back from the nightmare world that held him. Someone was nearby. That was a shot from a rifle, and a powerful one an’ all.
Looking down on her crumpled, sobbing body, he sought to make his way out. As he stepped over her and gra
bbed his clothes, he told Theresa, ‘You’re done for. D’yer hear me? You’re a dead woman. And so is the rest of your family, if owt comes from this. I’m telling yer, I’ll do for the lot of yer.’
‘Just go. Please, just go. I – I’ll cover up. I’ll get back to my horse and . . . tell everyone he threw me. Please, please, I beg of you. No one will ever know. Please believe me.’
Uncertainty clothed him as he clipped his belt into place and pulled on his coat. The hushed, fearful sobs of the posh bitch muffled any approaching sounds. ‘Shut your rattle, woman. I need to hear if me coast is clear.’
She fell silent. He listened. Nothing.
Opening the door let in the cold air. Still and alert, Billy tried to decipher all of the sounds around him, but nothing indicated there was a soul about – not that Rita girl, or the shooter. Whoever that had been must have bagged his prey.
Running like he had a pack of wolves after him, he made it to the edge of the thicket. Not having taken note of his direction, he found himself on the lane leading to Breckton. He’d run there in minutes and pick up the ale that Sarah had asked for, then he’d not call into his mam’s as he’d said he would. Sarah could phone her.
As Billy entered the smoke-filled room of the pub, the clanging of a bell warned that last orders were being taken as it prepared to close for the afternoon. He’d only just made it. He’d have a quick jug, and excuse his lateness to Sarah with the fact that others had wanted to congratulate him and buy him some drinks.
Rita was sat on one of the benches, her eyes looking at him over her glass. He had to find out if she’d stayed around the shed and seen anything.
‘Been out for a walk then?’ he asked her.
‘What’s it to you?’
‘Did you stay to see the fireworks? You’d have enjoyed that.’
‘No. And don’t tell anyone I were in that field, please, mate. I’ll get bleedin’ sent back home. That place is out of bounds, but I were curious to see it. I left the moment I saw you and Theresa arrive.’
‘You didn’t follow us then?’
‘Nah, why should I? Everyone to his own is my motto. I don’t interfere in anyone’s business.’
‘Good, and you’d better keep it that way.’
Lacking the patience to talk to her any more, Billy moved away, satisfied she’d not seen anything. No one else spoke to him, but that suited him, as he’d nothing to say to anyone. He’d too much to think about, and needed to calm his turmoil.
Sarah mustn’t suspect. No one must. He’d make up some story about taking a shortcut through the thicket and feeling fear overcome him; as his past flashed before his eyes, he’d ran and caught his shirt on some brambles, and hadn’t wanted to go to his mam’s in that state. Sarah would understand, even if it gave her memories of Billy murdering her sister. She’d forgiven him for that – knew his mind had been unbalanced by all he’d gone through. It was worth the risk anyroad, as he had no other story he could come up with for the state he was in.
‘By, you look happy, Megan, lass! That’s first smile I’ve seen on your face in days. Who were that on the telephone?’
‘It was Sarah. Oh, Jack, she sounded that happy. I couldn’t believe it. She were wondering if Billy were still here. He’d left her two hours since, on a mission to come here to tell us as they were all right and to pick up a couple of bottles of ale from the pub in Breckton for them to celebrate with. Anyroad, he opened the door while she were on. He’d been held up at the pub.’
‘See, I told you not to worry. What did she say?’
‘It were more how she sounded, but she said they were very happy and everything was fine. I’m more than relieved, I can tell you.’
‘I can understand that, Megan,’ Issy chipped in. ‘I were reet worried an’ all. Billy seemed in a mood most of the day, yesterday.’
‘It were natural, Ma. He ain’t used to crowds and social occasions. Sarah knows how to handle him. Anyroad, we’ll keep an eye on the situation.’
Something in Jack’s glance towards Issy as he said this, and how Issy acknowledged her understanding with a knowing nod, made Megan realize that for all Jack’s bravado, it seemed he was of the same mind as them after all. Well, it was comforting to know that at least he wouldn’t think she and Issy were being silly, if they feared for Sarah.
‘Reet, I’m going in search of a pot of tea. Does everyone wan—’
‘Ma!’
‘Issy, love! Oh God! Jack . . . Issy, what’s wrong? Issy, oh, Issy. Come on, love.’
Issy’s body had sunk back into the chair that she’d been in the process of lifting herself out of. Her eyes stared in fear. Her mouth hung slack on one side. Her arm swung limply down towards the floor.
Megan’s mouth dried with the horror of the knowledge that was hitting her. She’d seen this before. Oh no. No, Issy . . . Dearest, dearest Issy . . . Please, God, don’t let this mean she is having a stroke.
17
Theresa
Facing the Consequences
‘Oh, for goodness’ sake, Theresa, what the hell is the matter with you? You’ve moped around for weeks. Are you missing your rough boy?’
‘No. I can’t wait for the bloody telegram to drop onto his mat, telling his wife he’s copped it, to tell the truth.’
‘I see. Well, unlucky you. Me, I’m getting on very well with Louise. In fact I am looking on her as marriageable.’
‘No, Terence!’
‘I think yes. The more I get to know her, the more I know she’s everything I’m looking for. I’m going to get Mater to ask her to dinner and—’
‘I won’t let you. I need you – all of you. You won’t marry, Terence, you won’t!’
‘Good God, are you serious? For heaven’s sake, old thing, you can’t mean that. Why?’
‘I do. I – I’m pregnant; at least I have missed a monthly and I have other signs. Yesterday and today I was sick as soon as I lifted my head off the pillow.’
‘What? No! Oh, come on now, don’t cry. How did it happen? Don’t say . . . You really did have him then? Bloody hell, Theresa.’
‘I know. Oh, Terence, what are we going to do?’
‘To tell the truth, darling, I don’t know. We’ll have to tell Mater . . . no, Pater. Yes, Pater will be best. This kind of news could send Mater over the edge. Pater will know what to do.’
‘I can’t let him know who it was.’
‘No. No, of course not. Um, whom shall we say?’
‘I was raped? Yes, and I don’t know who by. That day when I fe – fell off my horse. We’ll say that’s when it happened. Say I didn’t want to hurt Mater, didn’t want to have her suffer, and thought, hoped and prayed it would come to nothing, but it has.’
‘You’ve thought all of this through, haven’t you? Wait a minute. Theresa, he didn’t . . . Good God!’
She was in his arms. He could feel fear shaking her limbs as sobs racked her. Oh my God, that brute hit her! He caused the massive bruise that covered her thigh. Theresa’s fear conveyed itself to him. The man had murdered before. Was he still capable of doing so? At this moment he could only thank the war that had taken that bastard away from them.
Stroking her hair away from her face brought to the fore the love Terence felt for her. ‘My poor darling. Pater will sort it out, he will. We’ll talk to him tonight.’
‘So, you won’t ask Louise over?’
‘But why not? How can that have any bearing on all of this?’
‘Because Pater may send me away, and I would want you to come with me.’
‘No, Theresa, that’s impossible. I can’t. I’m only exempt from call-up because I’m a farm—’
‘But you must – you must. I couldn’t bear it; I couldn’t go through it all without you. We could go to America. Pass ourselves off as man and wife.’
‘For God’s sake, Theresa, are you mad?’
Standing up out of his arms Theresa squared up to him. She looked formidable as she said, ‘You won’t let me down, T
erence, you won’t. If you do, I will tell everything. Everything!’
‘Theresa, no! What are you saying? You’re not yourself, old thing. Think about it. Theresa?’
Moving towards the door, she did not stop at his plea, but used what she thought might yet persuade him. ‘I’m going to talk to Pater right now. I’ll get Watson to drive me over to his office.’
‘Oh no you’re not! Theresa, for God’s sake.’ Angry as hell at her, Terence knew he had to calm down, to save this disaster from happening. ‘Darling, my love, please don’t. Don’t leave me with this shocking news that you have given me. Come back into my arms. Let’s talk it out some more. There will be a solution.’
He watched her hesitate, then turn back to him.
They were in his bedroom. He’d bathed and been about to dress for the evening when she’d barged in. It was early to be dressing, at only three p.m., but he’d had enough of the drudgery of the farm for one day. Besides, he’d bedded the ravishing Rita just before he’d come in and had felt unclean. Rita filled a need in him at the moment. Her raw sexuality satisfied him beyond anything he’d ever dreamed of having, but he feared her intentions. Her resistance to him pulling out of her when he ejaculated had nearly caused an accident and had unnerved him. He’d almost had to use brute force to disentangle himself.