A Wedding at Mulberry Lane

by Rosie Clarke

  God bless you, my dearest girl. Know that I think of you constantly. You are the kindest, sweetest person I’ve ever met and I’m lucky to count you as my friend. Take care of yourself and write whenever you can. Love from your friend, Gordon. xxx

  Tears stung Maureen’s eyes. Gordon sounded as if he was finding it hard out there, and from what she’d read in the papers, she knew it must be terrible. The reports were conflicting, as talk of advances here and retreats there gave a confused picture as to what was going on in the rest of the world. In Britain and particularly London there had been a fresh blitz throughout the spring, culminating in the night that almost broke Londoners’ hearts, though just recently it seemed to have eased a little.

  Maureen tucked her letters away, finished her meal and rose. It was time she started work again. At least for her the next few hours would be too busy to think about the war or to worry why Rory hadn’t replied to her last two letters. Gordon’s letters came regularly and she would reply to his that evening when she’d finished her shift, telling him about something she’d found for Shirley. She’d managed to buy a skipping rope with wooden handles and a pretty hair slide, which she was sending his daughter as a gift. She smiled at the thought of the little girl’s pleasure and knew Gordon would be every bit as pleased when he heard, because he wasn’t able to send Shirley anything for the moment and she knew he worried about her.

  Maureen walked across the compound into the hospital proper, greeting several nurses that she knew by sight and exchanging a few words as she made her way to the ward.

  ‘Ah, so you’ve decided to grace us with your presence at last, Nurse Jackson?’ Sister Martin said coldly as she paused at her desk.

  ‘Am I late?’ Maureen glanced at the little silver watch pinned to her uniform and gave a little cry as she realised she was five minutes late. Sister Martin was even stricter than Sister Matthews had been and Maureen was finding it hard on her ward. ‘Sorry, Sister. The canteen was busy…’

  The excuse was futile. Sister made the expected reply and banished her to the sluice room for another morning of scrubbing bedpans. It was another black mark against her and Sister looked as if she was in one of her bad moods. For a moment Maureen wished herself back in the shop serving her customers, but then she remembered that it wouldn’t have been the same. Violet had taken over and she no longer had a place at the shop.

  Sighing, she set the scrubbed pans aside and dried her hands. Hopefully, Sister would be in a better mood now and might even give her a little time on the ward. Maureen cheered up at the thought, because those few precious times when she was able to help care for the wounded were worth all the sore hands and the scolding she got from Sister.

  *

  ‘Is that from Maureen?’ Henry asked as Violet placed some letters and cards on the table in front of him. ‘Has she remembered my birthday?’

  ‘I expect so,’ Violet replied sourly. ‘There’s one from your mother and one from me, but that’s all. I’ve bought you some new pants, vests and socks. I couldn’t find a decent pullover anywhere; the shops just don’t have anything suitable.’

  ‘Maureen always knitted me one in two-ply wool,’ Henry said. ‘She bought the wool from Mrs Tandy. You’re not much of a knitter, are you, Violet love?’

  ‘I don’t have time to waste on knitting,’ Violet said. ‘Besides, you’ve got several pullovers; it was underwear you needed.’

  ‘Yes, thank you, dear,’ Henry said meekly. He didn’t raise his eyes, because she would see his disappointment and know that underwear fell far short of what he’d been expecting; a few bottles of beer would have gone down a treat.

  He ate his toast and marmalade and drank a cup of tea, opening the cards from his mother, wife and daughter. Maureen’s was of a man sitting in a red sports car with the roof down and waving to everyone as he lifted his glass of wine; and it wished him, Happy Birthday Father. She’d enclosed two white handkerchiefs with his initials in the corners. He smiled and took up the letter she’d written. It told of her busy life as a nurse and said she hoped he was keeping well and not to eat too much fatty stuff.

  Henry grunted. Maureen didn’t change much. It was ridiculous because he’d always taken her for granted when she was here, but now that she was living at the other side of the country he missed her. She’d been a good girl to him but he hadn’t realised how much he relied on her.

  Chapter 13

  ‘I never expected this…’ Peggy looked round the lovely country cottage in delight. Able had told her he was taking her to a friend’s house for a couple of days, but she hadn’t thought it would be like this… furnished with expensive antiques in rich dark mahogany with beautiful shining surfaces set with silver, glass and porcelain; large Persian-style rugs on wooden floors, a huge inglenook fireplace in the spacious sitting room, and vases of fresh flowers everywhere – even in the bedrooms. ‘Your friends must be rich, Able?’

  ‘I guess Wilf is OK for money,’ Able shrugged his shoulders. ‘He inherited this place from his English grandfather and most of the time he lets it out to people he trusts. Not that he’s charging me a penny…’

  ‘Well, I love it,’ she smothered a sigh because it was a long-held dream of Peggy’s that one day she might have a cottage like this… when she and Laurie retired. Of course it would never have been furnished like this, but she could’ve made it nice for a lot less money. However, it wasn’t likely to happen now. Laurie hadn’t written recently, and Peggy still didn’t know whether she could ever live with him again. ‘Thank you for bringing me here, Able. I like this much better than a hotel.’

  ‘I thought you would, and I wanted you to be happy,’ he said and put his arms about her, looking into her eyes. ‘Wilf says there are a couple of decent places to eat nearby. One does really good seafood and they’re still managing to get supplies of most things…’

  ‘It’s being so close to the sea I suppose,’ Peggy said. The bedroom window was open and she could hear the sea as the waves broke against the cliffs. ‘I’ve never been to Devon before. It’s so beautiful down here, Able. I don’t know how you managed to get enough fuel to bring us here, but I’m so glad you did.’

  ‘You’re a beautiful person, Peggy,’ he said and she turned to see him looking at her in a way that made her stomach clench and her breath come faster. It was so long since a man had looked at her with so much hunger in his eyes and it was very seductive. ‘You know I love you – don’t you?’

  ‘Yes, I do,’ Peggy said without hesitation. She walked to him, smiled and leaned into his body, feeling it leap with anticipation. Her arms slid up about his neck and she moved in as he bent his head to kiss her, his mouth cool and soft at first until the kiss deepened and filled with passion. Her need and wanting overflowed and she moaned with pleasure as Able bent and lifted her effortlessly, carrying her to the bed.

  ‘You are ready to move on?’ he asked in a husky voice. ‘I want you so much, Peggy, but you can say no – we can just have a lovely visit…’

  ‘I want you to love me,’ she said and held her arms out to him. ‘Hold me, kiss me; tell me you love me again. I want to be loved, Able. I want you to make love to me…’

  ‘Peggy, hon,’ he said gruffly. ‘Never doubt it. I want you like hell, but I love you too and I always shall – you’re the woman I’ve been looking for all my life.’

  Peggy laughed softly as he joined her on the bed and they kissed hungrily, looking into each other’s eyes as if they couldn’t believe how wonderful everything was all of a sudden. War, differences in age, and the difficulties that might lie in the future were forgotten as, somehow, amidst laughter and passion, their clothes were first unbuttoned and then discarded piece by piece, each enjoying undressing the other, teasing and kissing as intimate places were revealed and worshipped in suitable fashion.

  Able seemed content to tease, touch and lavish with his mouth and tongue for what seemed to her much longer than she’d expected, and by the time they were both naked an
d lying close on the bed, she was in state of high expectation and need. When finally they came together in the slow sweet rhythm of love that gradually became urgent thrusting, ending at last in an explosion of pleasure that had Peggy pulsating with such joy, she knew that she’d never – not even once – come close to such fulfilment in her life. Afterwards, as they lay with her head on his breast, she wept gentle tears and thanked him.

  ‘I didn’t hurt you?’ He looked down at her anxiously, wiping away a tear from her cheek.

  ‘It was so good – so lovely,’ she whispered, feeling shy and rather like a young girl. ‘I’ve never felt quite like that before – thank you, Able. I didn’t know it could be like that…’

  ‘Nor me, hon,’ he said and grinned, clearly pleased with himself and with her for telling him. ‘I guess it’s because I’ve never loved a woman before. I’ve known women, not going to deny it, but none of them ever meant anything – not like this anyway…’

  Peggy wondered what she’d done to deserve this, but she didn’t say, just kissed and stroked the sprinkling of dark hair on his firm navel. He had a fantastic body, hard and supple, and a lot of stamina. The thought made her smile, especially when her touch made him begin to harden again. Her lover was young and strong and would take a lot of satisfying. He wouldn’t grunt and roll over as soon as the sex was finished, falling asleep before you had time to talk.

  She felt lucky and happy and there was no guilt or regret about coming here with Able. In fact she wished that she might stay here forever…

  Forever was a long time, even in Paradise. Peggy laughed as she felt the urgency in Able and moved to climb on top of him, looking down at him with mischief. She saw an answering leap of passion and fun in his eyes and his strong hands circled about her waist possessively as she came down on him.

  Peggy bent her head to kiss him and his hands caressed her breasts, cupping them and gently squeezing. She lowered herself so that he could kiss and lick at them and then sat back, lifting herself and coming down very slowly so that he gave a shout of pleasure and his hands encircled her waist once more, lifting her and driving so that once again they became lost in the fierce passion that engulfed them both. She laughed as he rolled her over so that they lay side by side, still entwined, and he finally had her beneath his body again as they reached an awesome climax once more.

  When they were satiated they lay still, just enjoying being close, warm and happy. Neither of them wanted to move but eventually Peggy needed the bathroom and decided on a shower to freshen herself up. When she returned, Able was smoking a cigarette, still naked and sprawled back on the bed.

  ‘Want to go out for some food?’ he asked as his eyes went over her. ‘You smell gorgeous and you look wonderful…’

  ‘I had a shower with the gel I found in the bathroom.’ Peggy moved towards him, discovering that she wasn’t in the least self-conscious of her nakedness. Able looked at her as if she were beautiful and she felt beautiful because of the way he saw her. ‘I’d love to go for a walk on the beach first,’ she said. ‘Maybe just get something light later…’

  ‘Great,’ he said and put his long legs over the side of the bed. Peggy saw a deep scar on his right thigh that she hadn’t noticed before. He saw her looking at it and grimaced. ‘It was an accident a few years back…’

  ‘It looks as if it must’ve hurt,’ Peggy said. ‘Is it OK now?’

  ‘Throbs a bit sometimes,’ he said and forced a grin. ‘Long time ago…’ He hesitated then, ‘I don’t want secrets between us, Peggy, so I’ll tell you… When I was fifteen my mother had an affair and my father discovered what was going on. He was so furious that he got his shotgun and threatened to kill her. I ran between them and in his fury he knocked me flying. I landed on the sharp edge of a plough. We were smallholders in Virginia then and this was on the property…’

  ‘Oh Able…’ Peggy looked at him in shock. ‘What happened?’

  ‘My leg was cut deep and the blood sure brought Pa to his senses. He picked me up and rushed me to the doctor’s in his truck. They thought I might die, but I recovered with just this scar to show for it.’

  ‘Thank God…’ Peggy closed her eyes briefly. ‘That was awful, Able.’

  ‘Pa thanked me later; he wept and told me he would have killed her if I hadn’t intervened. He sold the land then and bought a place in town, working as a mechanic until he died of pneumonia. I rarely see Ma now or any of my family because I chose Pa and they cut me out…’

  ‘I’m sorry you were hurt and I’m sorry your pa died,’ Peggy said. ‘Family is important.’

  Able smiled down at her. ‘You’re important to me,’ he said. ‘All I want is a future with you, hon…’

  Peggy went into his arms and let him hold her. His story had made her love him even more and her heart ached for that boy who had acted so bravely and almost died because of it. She closed her eyes, breathing in the scent of him and praying that this lovely closeness between them would last forever.

  Smiling, she held her hand out to him. ‘Let’s go for that walk. Let’s make the most of this, Able. I want to savour every moment of our time together…’

  *

  Like all good things their idyll was over too soon. Able had put their things into the car on the morning of the third day, locking the cottage after him. He put an arm around Peggy’s waist as she paused to look back at the gardens, the red-bricked cottage with its thatched roof and small leaded windows.

  ‘We’ll come back one day,’ he promised. ‘Maybe for short breaks – maybe we’ll live here when the war is over… I like your country, hon, and I’d like to make a life here with you.’

  ‘Yes, maybe we could have a pub in the country and run it together,’ she agreed, because she was still in the land of the possible where happiness lasted and love was all. Life would intrude once they were back in London, but that wouldn’t be until the following day, because they were going to drive slowly and stay at a hotel for one night. Able had wanted to make the most of their holiday, and Janet had told her to stay for as long as she wanted.

  ‘Anne, Nellie and I can manage,’ she’d said. ‘Enjoy yourself, Mum. You don’t know when you’ll be able to do it again.’

  ‘We’d better go, hon,’ Able said, his arm about her waist as he nuzzled her neck. ‘I promise it isn’t the end. We’ll have the rest of our lives together… somehow I’ll make it happen. I promise…’

  ‘Yes,’ Peggy said and hugged him, because she wanted to linger in the dream that this weekend had been. Able was sincere, she knew enough of him now to know that he meant what he said, but life had a way of mocking you and Peggy couldn’t help a slight fluttering in her stomach as they got into the car and moved away. ‘I’ve had a lovely time, Able. I’ve loved being with you here – and I want it to be like this again one day…’

  ‘It will be,’ he said and smiled, and she saw that he believed it and wished that she might too.

  For his sake, Peggy laughed and teased, making the most of every minute they spent together. They stopped several times on the long drive home, having a drink in a lovely old inn, and then lunch at a pleasant café they saw advertised from the road, following the signs down country roads and pulling into a large courtyard covered with crunchy gravel.

  The woman promised them a meal of gammon steaks, red cabbage and mashed potatoes with her own special honey sauce, followed by gooseberry crumble.

  ‘Them’s all us own grown,’ she told them with pride. ‘Reared that porker, did us from a young ’un and them berries are out of the garden, tatties too.’

  ‘It’s the best ham I’ve ever tasted,’ Able told her in his strong American accent and she looked at Peggy, puzzled.

  ‘Your husband be a Yankee I reckon, missus – don’t he know the difference between ’am and gammon?’

  Peggy hid her smile as she saw the question in Able’s eyes. He was having trouble with understanding the woman’s accent. ‘Able says a lot of his friends call fried bacon h
am – I suppose it all comes from the same source…’

  ‘Ah, thass right, my lovely,’ the woman said and laughed. ‘No tellin’ with some folk is there? Don’t know proper English like what we do, eh?’

  Peggy struggled to hold the laughter inside until they were clear of the little café and couldn’t be seen and then she almost doubled up as it came burbling out of her.

  Able grinned and caught her to him in a hug of love and happiness. ‘Taught us a proper lesson that has, my lovely…’

  ‘Yes, you really must learn to talk proper, Able.’

  Laughing, they set off again, the window down enjoying the warm sunshine and the slight breeze. Peggy turned to look at Able’s profile. She was so happy. She thought that she would never forget this time even if something happened and she never saw Able again.

  But of course she would see him again. He’d told her he might be away for ten days or so but then he would come to the pub and they’d make plans for the future. He looked so happy and so sure of his ability to make it happen and she was caught up by his enthusiasm. Peggy reached across to kiss his cheek. He shot a glance at her.

  ‘What was that for?’

  ‘Because I love you,’ Peggy said. ‘You’re a lovely man, Able. I’m so glad we met…’

  *

  Able had to get back to work, so he didn’t come in when they reached the pub. Peggy went round the back, stopping to look at the motorbike propped up against the back wall and wondering who it could belong to. As she went in, she heard the sound of voices she knew arguing and guessed it must be Pip who’d arrived on the bike.

  ‘Don’t be such a prude!’ Janet was saying as Peggy approached the door, which was opened at the top to let in the sunshine. ‘Why shouldn’t Mum go away with a friend? Grow up, Pip…’