by June Tate
She so wanted to believe him, but she was still uncertain.
Seeing this uncertainty in her expression, Johnny leaned forward and kissed her softly. ‘Feeling the way I do about you, Victoria, why would I do anything to hurt you?’
She had no answer.
‘Come on, I need a drink. I feel as if I’ve been through the third degree and I’m sure you could do with one too.’ He stood up and held out his hand.
Victoria hesitated but eventually she took it and they walked together to the Cowherds Inn where they sat quietly in a corner.
‘I meant what I said about the way I feel about you, you know. That wasn’t a load of bull.’ He looked earnestly at her realizing that indeed he spoke the truth. He’d never felt like this about any of the many women who’d wandered through his life. It wasn’t only lust with him, now it was much deeper and that made things very difficult. He had to stop his father from pulling any more jobs in Southampton. But how was he going to do it? It would be like trying to move a mountain.
Victoria was nonplussed by his declaration. She was still uncertain about this young man who was a complete enigma, but she knew he’d got into her blood and it would be difficult to keep away from him.
‘Don’t you feel anything for me, Victoria? Have I been getting the wrong signals?’
‘To be honest I don’t know. Let’s leave it at that for now.’
‘All right if that’s the way you want it.’
They drank up and left the Inn. He walked her to his car, drew her into his arms and kissed her with a longing that he felt in his loins. He couldn’t lose this girl. He wanted her in his life, but first he’d have to sort out his father.
He drove her back to the club, then returned to his office.
The next day, Johnny took a train to London and caught a taxi to his father’s home, where he’d asked to meet him.
Pat Daniels was curious. His son usually met him at his local so what was going on in the boy’s head? He hoped he wasn’t going to try and cause a problem with his organization. No, the lad knew better than to try to interfere. Perhaps he needed money for his business.
He looked up as Johnny walked into the living room. ‘Hello, son, what’s on your mind?’
Johnny sat down and faced his father. ‘I’m sorry, Dad, but you have to cancel any plans you have to turn over the other two addresses I gave you in Southampton.’
Pat looked coldly at his son. ‘Really! And why’s that?’
‘Because I want out. I want to be legitimate from now on.’
This was the last thing the older man was expecting and he started to laugh derisively.
‘Bloody hell! What’s got into you? Have you found God or something?’
‘No, but I’ve found a girl and I’m doing well in business, I’m able to make a good living and I don’t need to be part of your world any more. I want to be able to live my life without having to watch my back all the time, wondering when I’m going to feel the strong arm of the law on my shoulder.’
‘You going soft or what?’ Pat was furious.
‘No, Dad, but I want to settle down in the future, have a family, and not have them worry, as Mum has done all these years.’
‘Your mother has never complained and neither have you, my boy! Since you were old enough, you were happy to come along with me and reap the benefits, as I recall.’ He looked his son up and down. ‘How could you afford to dress so well in these austere days if you didn’t have the money to pay a good tailor for the clothing coupons you didn’t have. The cars you ran with the extra petrol I found – at a price. The money you earned from the profits to tempt the women you liked so much!’
But Johnny was determined. ‘You’re right and I admit all that, but now I want a different kind of life. If you turn those two places over, my position in Southampton will be jeopardized and I could lose my girl. What’s more, if she thinks I have anything to do with it, she’ll shop me to the police.’
Pat looked perturbed. ‘What do you mean?’
Johnny told him about his conversation with Victoria.
‘Ah, the Teglia girl, I should have known. Strange, don’t you think, her father was as big a villain as me and as hard, I’d have thought she’d be up for our sort of business.’
‘Don’t be bloody ridiculous! Her father died when she was a baby, she’s never been part of our world!’
Pat’s face flushed with anger. ‘Don’t you use that tone with me, boy! You show a bit more respect!’ He sat back in his chair wondering just how to handle this unexpected situation. His son was as stubborn as he was and he knew that if Johnny wanted out, there was no way he could persuade him otherwise, but he had no intention of losing two such prize jobs.
‘Very well. I’ll give you six months leeway. If at the end of that time, you feel the same, we’ll shake hands and part company. Until then, you keep away from me. After all, I can’t have you hanging around listening to my plans, can I?’
Johnny looked across the table at his father. ‘Isn’t it time you retired, Dad, and just ran the construction business? I don’t want to see you end up behind bars.’
Pat looked coldly at him. ‘Don’t preach to me, son. You want to live your life your way, then I suggest you leave me to live mine!’ He rose from his seat. 'We’re done here.’ He left the house, slamming the door behind him.
Johnny let out a sigh of relief. This had been the hardest thing he’d ever done and it had gone better than he’d hoped. No one ever crossed his father, he’d seen what had happened to those who’d tried and he’d had no way of knowing how Pat would react. Never the less, he knew his father well and knew if he’d lined up the jobs in Southampton, nothing he could say would change his mind, but he’d had to try. Now he’d have to ensure that the two victims he’d lined up for his father were safeguarded, which was going to be very tricky for him to organize without causing suspicion.
Ten
Two days later, Daniels made his way to Roger Bentley’s house to check on the men working on the roof at a time when he knew his client would be home. They walked round the opulent building together, discussing the work, after which Roger invited Johnny inside for a coffee to discuss another job he wanted doing.
They sat in the large drawing room and Johnny admired the beautiful antique furniture. ‘After the bad experience your friend Mr Charterhouse had, aren’t you worried about being burgled too?’
Bentley smiled. ‘I have a very good alarm system and it’s wired straight through to the local police station. And my staff have orders not to let anyone into the house on any pretence unless I’m here. It’s worked very well up until now.’
‘How long has this system been installed, if you don’t mind me asking?’
‘Two years.’
Johnny’s heart sank knowing that his father and his gang would have full knowledge of such a system. ‘May I make a suggestion, Mr Bentley?’
‘Of course.’
Johnny had a friend who was a genius at electronics and before he left London he’d called on him only to be shown his latest invention . . . a new alarm system. ‘I deny anyone to beat it, Johnny,’ his friend had told him. ‘It’s been patented and the first ones have just been produced.’ Johnny had bought two.
He told Roger Bentley about it and suggested he had it installed as well as the old one. ‘Then you have absolute protection against intruders! Give it a try, you have nothing to lose by it and it will give you that extra edge. It’s so new that anyone trying to break in will not be familiar with it, whereas they might know the workings of the other. What do you say?’
‘As long as I keep the old one, I’m prepared to give it a try, why not?’
‘You might mention it to your friend who lives in Romsey, too. It’s too late for poor Mr Charterhouse but not for him, and if you are pleased it will help my friend sell his invention.’
‘You on some sort of commission, Daniels?’ The barrister laughed.
‘No, sir, just helping out
an old friend, that’s all. He has such an amazing brain but you know these clever devils, they are not business minded and I offered to help him get established, that’s all.’
The alarm was installed that day.
Whilst Johnny was trying to protect his position, Victoria was in London with Bruce. He’d called and asked her to spend the weekend with him in the metropolis, to get away from his work and hers. She, in a state of flux about her feelings for the young man who’d so upset her equilibrium, knew she needed to sort out her own feelings. After all, she had planned a future with Bruce in her own mind and now she needed to make a decision. She and Bruce had been lovers for a long time and she felt it wouldn’t be fair to him to be so undecided. This weekend with him would get things into perspective, she hoped.
Bruce had booked them into the Ritz Hotel and had tickets for them to see a show. Apart from which they would be able to spend time together to recapture their relationship which he felt was wavering – and he didn’t know why.
They were shown to their room on the first floor and Bruce suggested they find a restaurant and have lunch. ‘Then we can decide what you’d like to do, darling,’ he said.
Victoria looked around the beautifully furnished room and breathed a deep sigh.
Bruce took her into his arms. ‘Good heavens, that came from your boots! What’s wrong, tiger?’
She looked up at the face she knew so well and felt a pang of guilt. ‘I was just thinking how wonderful it was being away from Southampton and work. Come on, let’s eat, I’m famished.’
They found a small, sophisticated restaurant where they enjoyed fresh salmon served with a selection of vegetables, followed by a delicious gateau. After drinking a decent bottle of Chablis, followed by coffee, Victoria found she had totally relaxed. Bruce as always was a perfect companion. He regaled her with tales of his time in the navy that made her laugh. They reminisced about shared past experiences and she wondered how on earth she could ever have doubted her feelings for this man.
After, they wandered around the streets of London, window shopping, stopped later for tea and eventually wandered back to the hotel, to change for the evening show, after which Bruce planned for them to finish the night in a club he knew.
Once inside the room, Bruce took Victoria into his arms and kissed her.
‘How long will it take you to get changed?’ he asked.
‘About half an hour,’ she murmured, her face buried into his chest.
‘Then we have plenty of time,’ he said quietly and undid the zip at the back of her dress, slipping it off her shoulders. He nuzzled her neck, removed her bra and kissed her breasts, his hands caressing her back, sending shivers of anticipation down her spine. Lifting her he carried her to the bed, laid her down gently and removed his clothes.
She looked at his taught frame which she knew so well, knowing what pleasure was to be hers as he lay beside her and took her into his arms.
Their love making was slow and unhurried, giving each other time to respond to every caress, every intimate touch, every kiss, until neither could hold back any longer . . .
After, they lay in each other’s arms, breathless and happy.
Bruce glanced at his watch. ‘Much as I hate to break this up,’ he murmured, ‘we had better get dressed or we’ll miss the show.’
Victoria raised herself reluctantly and kissed him. ‘I won’t be long,’ she said and went to the bathroom.
Bruce sat on the end of the bed and lit a cigarette. Away from the club, Victoria seemed like the girl he once knew. Was he wrong to think something had changed between them? When he’d spoken to her lately on the telephone he’d felt she was distracted. Had that young man who’d come up to them when they were dining at the Cowherds Inn anything to do with it? There had definitely been a frisson of something between them, he’d thought. But just now, in his arms, Victoria had been as sensual with him as she’d always been. Nothing had changed there.
The West End debut of An Inspector Calls was a great success. Bruce and Victoria emerged from the theatre delighted with the play and caught a taxi to The Coconut Grove nightclub where Edmundo Ros and his orchestra were playing.
After dancing the rumba, they returned to their table. ‘Oh, Bruce, that was such fun!’ said Victoria as she sat down. ‘I love Edmundo Ros’s music. I have some of his records at home, not that I’ve had any time to play them lately.’
‘Neither of us have had time to do anything but work, darling. It was time to relax, I’m glad you’re happy.’ He reached across the table and held her hand. ‘You are happy aren’t you, Victoria?’
She saw the uncertainty in his eyes and was angry with herself because she knew she was the cause. ‘Of course I am, how could you think differently?’
Bruce decided not to push his luck as things seemed to be going so well. He topped up her glass from the bottle on the table. Picking up his glass he said, ‘To us.’
She picked up hers. ‘To us, Bruce darling!’
On Sunday, the following day, they took a boat up the Thames, walked along the Embankment and visited St Paul’s Cathedral, climbing the stairs to the whispering gallery. Like an excited boy, Bruce walked to the other side and, leaning against the wall, asked, ‘Can you hear me?’
Chuckling, Victoria said she could. She watched him go down on one knee and wondered what on earth he was doing. ‘Victoria, darling, will you marry me?’
She didn’t know what to say and hesitated.
‘Say something, darling, I’m getting cramp here and I’m getting strange looks from a woman nearby who thinks I’ve lost my marbles . . . it isn’t good for my credibility as a man!’
She burst out laughing. ‘Yes, you fool, I will!’ She watched him get to his feet, nod and smile to the woman who moved quickly away. Bruce gazed across the gallery and shrugged as if to say, I told you so.
As she waited for her lover to make his way back, Victoria thought, well, that’s it. Problem solved. She did love Bruce, they were good together. He was someone she could rely on, would never let her down – and he made her laugh, which in this life was essential to survival, she always thought. She knew Lily, her mother would be delighted . . . and it did put everything into perspective which had been her reason for this break. Johnny Daniels would have no further place in her life other than as a member at the club. He was just a moment of madness, which every girl was entitled to. After all, they hadn’t done anything more than exchanged a passionate kiss or two.
Bruce had returned and he took her into his arms, to the amusement of those few people standing near. ‘Congratulations, darling, we’ve just got engaged! I’ll buy you a ring when we get back to Southampton!’
There was a small round of applause from a small group who had overheard him.
He beamed at them. ‘Thank you very much. She is such a lucky girl don’t you think?’ They all laughed, including Victoria.
That evening they went out to celebrate. Bruce ordered champagne and when it was poured, he held up his glass. ‘You have made me a very happy man, tiger. To our future.’
‘To our future,’ she responded.
‘I’ll have to find out what plans the navy has for me before we can make a date for the wedding,’ he told her.
‘That’s fine, Bruce, after all, there’s no rush.’
He raised a quizzical eyebrow. ‘I don’t want us to hang around, darling. I want us to settle a date as soon as possible. We’ve wasted too much time as it is. You disappeared from my life once before, I don’t want you to do that again!’
Smiling, she said, ‘Why would I? Where would I go? I have a business to run.’
‘Oh, thanks very much! I was expecting a more personal reason for you staying.’
Although his reproach was said with humour, she saw the hurt in his eyes.
‘I didn’t mean it quite as it sounded, I’m sorry.’
‘It’s all right. Besides, it will be good for you to have something to occupy you because when I get my o
wn command I’ll be away and that’s another reason not to wait.’
Victoria felt as if she’d spoiled this precious moment, but she made up for it later that night when they were in bed together.
When they returned to Southampton they took a taxi to the Langford Hotel to pass on their news to a delighted Lily and Luke, who were thrilled and broke out a bottle of champagne to celebrate.
Lily hugged her daughter. ‘I’m so very happy for you, darling. Bruce is perfect for you; I know you’ll be very happy with him. He’s such a lovely man.’
The next day, Bruce picked Victoria up at her flat and took her to Parkhouse and Wyatt, the jewellers, where she chose a half hoop of emerald and diamonds.
Holding out her hand she was delighted as the diamonds sparkled under the shop lights.
‘Oh, Bruce, it’s lovely. Thank you.’
‘Are you sure it’s the one that you really like?’
She assured him that it was and reluctantly took it off for the assistant to place it in the small velvet box.
Later, in her flat, Bruce took the ring from the box and placed it on her finger and kissed her. ‘There, now it’s official.’
They sat and had a quick sandwich and a cup of coffee when Bruce looked at his watch.
‘I’m sorry, darling, but I’ve got to rush back to the office. I’ll come to the club tonight and we’ll have dinner together. Come on, I’ll drop you off.’
Having arrived, the first person Victoria encountered at the club was Sandy, sitting reading the paper whilst drinking a cup of coffee. He looked up and grinned broadly at her.
‘Nice weekend?’
She nodded and asked the waiter to bring more coffee, then she sat beside her old friend. ‘I had a lovely time thanks.’
He studied her face. ‘Well, darling, you certainly look wonderful. Good sex is always a tonic I always say!’
She slapped him playfully. ‘Now don’t be naughty!’
Sandy caught hold of her left hand. ‘Well! It was a good weekend. Congratulations! What a fabulous ring! Hey, George, come and see what Victoria is wearing.’