by June Tate
She fervently hoped there would be a next time because she’d never had so much fun and Sam was quite different from anyone she’d ever met. Certainly from John Baker. Suddenly, he didn’t seem quite so important any more.
They drove back to Southampton and to the Cowherds Hotel on the edge of the Common – an area of parkland with lakes, which had lots of paths so the public could enjoy the well-tended shrubs and greenery.
Sam, it appeared, was well-known by the staff. Several enquired as to how the race went and didn’t seem at all surprised that he was the winner. The head waiter himself tended to their needs after seating them at a table.
Sam handed Connie a menu. ‘I don’t know about you, but I’m starving!’ he said.
She realized that she was too, now that she’d calmed down. They ordered hors d’oeuvres, followed by duck, and meringue with strawberries as desert, to be washed down with a good bottle of wine. She was surprised as to how knowledgeable he was about the wine list. She hadn’t imagined that he would be, but how stupid to jump to such a conclusion! After all, she didn’t know anything about him, but after dining with John on the odd occasion she had taken it for granted only men of a certain age would know such things.
As they waited for their first course, sipping the wine that had been poured, Sam gazed at Connie and asked, ‘Did you enjoy yourself today?’
Her eyes shone as she showed her pleasure. ‘Oh, Sam, of course I did. It was so exciting! I had no idea what was going to happen. When you told me you raced cars, I had no idea what it entailed.’
‘Well, not all women are interested in the sport, you know. I didn’t want to put you off.’
She looked at him in amazement. ‘Put me off? I’ve never had such a marvellous time in my whole life!’
He burst out laughing. ‘Your whole life? All what – nineteen years, I would say?’
‘Yes, well,’ she muttered. ‘Even so, it was wonderful.’
Reaching across the table for her hand, he said, ‘I’m so pleased, because I want to see you again. But I have to warn you, you take me and the racing. Don’t be in any doubt. If you go out with me, a lot of my time is spent with my car and others I’m building. Do you mind?’
‘Not at all,’ she said firmly.
After dinner, he drove her away from the Cowherds and parked in a quiet side road off the common. He turned off the engine and took her into his arms, kissing her with fervour.
‘I’m so happy you were there today. It was lovely to have someone cheering for me in my corner.’
‘Oh, Sam, you had lots of people cheering for you as well as me.’
He stroked her cheek. ‘I know, but you were someone special, and I liked that. Would you like to come and see a film with me on Thursday? I’m sorry but I’m not free until then.’
‘I’d love to,’ she said.
‘I’ll meet you outside the Forum at six thirty and we can decide which film to see.’
‘That’ll be fine,’ she said.
He took her into his arms again and kissed her. ‘Until then, sweet Connie. Now I’d better get you home.’
When they reached their destination, she climbed out of the car and waved Sam goodbye. She felt sure the whole neighbourhood heard the roar of his motor as he drove away.
She opened the front door and entered. No doubt she would face a third degree from Madge. Well, today she didn’t care. She’d had such a good time that no one could spoil it for her!
Her parents, George and Dorothy, were sitting reading the local paper, and Madge, in her dressing gown, hair in curlers beneath a pink hairnet, was drinking cocoa. She couldn’t wait to question her granddaughter.
‘So where have you been all day then?’ She didn’t wait for an answer. ‘I saw you take off in that car … The noise it made would have woken the dead!’
Her mother looked up from the paper. ‘So tell us all about it, Connie. Your grandmother was full of it!’
‘Yes, I bet she nearly fell over herself to give you all the details,’ Connie retorted.
‘That’ll do, Connie!’ her father said sharply.
‘I’ve been out in the New Forest with Sam, who’s a racing driver! There’s a track out there where they race. Oh, it was so exciting … and he won!’ she announced with great pride.
‘Where did you meet this young man?’ her father asked.
‘At the Guildhall, and he asked me out.’
‘So you don’t know anything about him!’ snapped Madge.
‘Not as yet, Nan, but I intend to. I’m going to the pictures with him on Thursday.’ She walked towards the stairs. ‘I’m tired so I’m off to bed. Goodnight.’ And she left before she could be questioned further.
As she undressed she relived the excitement of the day and again wondered about Tom’s remark. She could see how the track racing could be dirty, but off the track too? Whatever could he mean? She would ask Sam when she saw him next.
The following morning, Monday, she regaled Betty with all the details of her day. Her friend listened avidly. ‘Bloody hell, Connie, how exciting! Do you like him, honestly?
‘Yes, he’s really nice. He introduced me to his friends too, and they seemed a nice bunch.’
‘Is he single?’ Betty looked at her with curiosity. ‘You don’t want to get mixed up with another married bloke!’
‘I don’t think he’s married,’ Connie said. ‘From the way he spoke he’s married to car racing. He told me I’d have to accept that if I wanted to go out with him again.’
Betty chuckled. ‘Well, at least a car isn’t as dangerous as a wife!’
‘You wouldn’t think that if you saw what happened on the racetrack. It was very hairy at times, I can tell you!’
On Thursday evening, Connie sat with Sam in the cinema, where he bought her chocolates and sat with his arm around her during the performance of Marty, starring Ernest Borgnine, and after took her for a drink. It was in the bar as they sat together that Connie broached the subject that had been in the back of her mind.
‘Tom told me that car racing was a dirty business. What did he mean?’
He raised his eyebrows in surprise. ‘Did he? Well, Connie, there’s a lot of money to be won for the race winners in some competitions and some of the teams aren’t too fussy about how they accomplish that goal. But you shouldn’t worry your head about such things.’
Connie, realizing that was the end of the conversation as far as he was concerned, remained silent.
‘I’d love to see you over the weekend, Connie, but I’ll be working on a car … unless you’d like to come to the garage on Sunday? I’ll have some sandwiches and a flask of tea we could share.’
‘I’d love to come,’ she said. ‘I’m really interested to see what you do.’
He seemed very pleased at her response. ‘If you are really interested, perhaps when I’ve got a bit of free time I’ll teach you to drive. Then you’ll understand what it feels like behind a wheel of a car … But no racing for you, understand? It’s far too dangerous!’
She was speechless with delight.
Two
Just before noon on Sunday morning, Connie made her way to the Chapel area of Southampton. It had always been a poorer area of the town and had been badly bombed during the Blitz in 1940, when much of Southampton had been destroyed. Indeed, apart from clearing away the debris, some places were still just a shell. The streets had an air of despair and neglect. Nevertheless, the few houses that remained sported net curtains at the windows and one or two had tried to make some semblance of a garden in the very small area in front. But two tubs of geraniums and a patch of weed-filled grass didn’t make much of an improvement.
Connie found the garage easily enough. The doors were wide open, a wireless blared out, and there was much banging and crashing from within. She stepped inside and looked around. On one wall were shelves filled with boxes, their contents marked on the outside. In the centre was a vehicle, and on the ground were several car parts, waiting to be fitt
ed. The car bonnet was up, and two bodies were bent over, working on the engine, oblivious to anything else. Connie stood, wondering what to do, when a voice behind her made her turn.
‘Hello, Connie! Come to give us a hand then?’ It was Tom.
She laughed. ‘I wouldn’t know where to begin,’ she said.
‘Well, you could help me make the tea for those two.’ He nodded towards the car. ‘It’s the only thing that will get them out.’ He walked over to the car and prodded one of the bodies. ‘Hey, Sam! Your girlfriend’s here!’
Sam uncurled himself and stood up. His face was streaked with oil, but even so when he smiled at Connie she felt her heart beat a little faster.
‘There you are! I wondered what time you’d come.’ He kissed her gingerly on the cheek. ‘Sorry, but this is a pretty messy job, as you can see.’ He took a rag and wiped his hands. ‘Where’s that bloody tea then, Tom?’
His mate grinned at him. ‘Just you be patient, my lad, it’s coming up. Here, Connie, give these cups a rinse, will you?’ He handed her three cups and pointed to a sink she’d not seen.
She willingly did as she was asked, and when she’d finished Sam and the other man, Harry, whom she’d hastily been introduced to at the race meeting, washed their hands.
‘That’s better,’ said Sam, ‘now we can stop for lunch.’
‘I’ve brought you some sandwiches,’ she told him. ‘Egg and cress. I hope that will be all right?’
‘You beauty!’ Sam cried and hugged her. ‘That’s really nice of you.’
‘Yes, you can come again,’ Tom said with a laugh, and Harry beamed his approval.
They sat on upturned boxes, and with her sandwiches, plus the ones the boys had brought with them, they sat down to a veritable feast.
Part-way through lunch the sound of a motorcycle engine made the men stop eating and watch the garage entrance. Connie immediately felt the atmosphere change. There was an air of tension, and she wondered why. None of the men spoke, they just watched as the sound grew nearer. A motorcyclist drew up outside and gazed in, but when he saw the men staring at him, he drove away. She looked over at Sam and saw his eyes narrow and his lips purse as he looked at his friends. But no one said anything, and although she was filled with curiosity, she kept quiet.
As they finished eating and drank the tea, Sam explained that the vehicle in the garage was a different racing car he was working on for forthcoming races.
‘It’s more powerful than Gracie, my other one. I’m hoping to clear the board with it,’ he said.
Tom chimed in. ‘He should be able to do so too … as long as no one interferes.’
Sam looked at him and frowned. Tom didn’t say any more.
‘You’ll be my lucky mascot,’ said Sam and leaned over and kissed her cheek.
‘Oh my word,’ she said quickly. ‘What if something goes wrong? You’ll blame me!’
His look of affection dispelled her fears. ‘I’d never do that, Connie. Any race has its chance of things going wrong. Things that happen unexpectedly – however carefully you’ve planned a race – can change everything. It’s all part and parcel of the game.’
‘Don’t you worry about Sam,’ said Tom. ‘He’s a great driver; I told you so on Sunday.’
‘Did he?’ Sam asked, looking really pleased with the compliment.
‘Yes, he did.’
‘And of course he’s right,’ Harry said. ‘Are you going to stick around, Connie, and see if Tom’s right?’
With eyes sparkling, she said, ‘I certainly am! I wouldn’t miss it for the world.’
‘That’s my girl! We’ll have to get you a pair of team overalls, I can see.’
She was delighted. But as she walked home alone after, she wondered just what was going on, because something certainly was. The motorcyclist had come for a purpose. But what?
Sam was working away the following week, and Connie felt restless, and when John Baker walked over to her counter, she greeted him with a smile.
Quietly, he said, ‘My wife’s taking our daughter away for the weekend to stay with her mother.’
Connie felt her heart thumping as she waited to hear what was coming next.
‘I thought we could go down to Bournemouth on Saturday night after work, book into a hotel, have dinner somewhere nice and come back on Sunday. What do you think?’
She felt a moment of excitement – then panic. Here was the opportunity she’d been waiting for, but now it was a reality she felt scared. So far during their clandestine meetings, she’d kept him at bay, teasing him, but in a hotel room she’d be expected to have sex with him.
Sensing her dilemma, he gazed into her eyes and said softly, ‘I can’t wait to hold you in my arms without worrying about being seen. I’ll take good care of you, Connie. I promise you’ll enjoy it as much as I will.’ He waited.
She stood looking at him, wondering what to do. This man had such a hold over her that she found it hard to resist his invitation. Then he smiled at her, and she was lost. Taking a deep breath, she said, ‘I’d love to.’
There was a look of triumph in his eyes. ‘That’s wonderful. Bring a case with your things on Saturday, and after we close go to the station, I’ll meet you there.’
She watched him walk away, now nervous but also thrilled about the prospect of the weekend ahead.
Betty sidled up to her. ‘What was all that about then?’
‘Nothing, just telling me about some stock due in tomorrow,’ she said, and she moved away.
Betty frowned. Connie was lying, she was sure. She didn’t trust John Baker one little bit, and she was concerned for her friend, but business was brisk and she didn’t have time to question Connie further. By the time she’d finished and collected her things from the staff room, Connie had already left the building.
During the following days, Connie fended off any further questions from Betty, and as Saturday loomed, she began to wish she’d refused to go to Bournemouth – yet at the same time, as she tried to sleep at night, she couldn’t help trying to visualize being in bed with John. She had already told her mother she was staying with Betty over the weekend. This didn’t raise any questions, as she’d done so many times in the past. It was a much-needed break from the unwelcome attentions of her grandmother, who loudly voiced her concerns about the lack of morals of the young people of today, which were pointedly aimed at Connie.
On Saturday morning, she picked up her small case in which she’d packed the new nightdress and underwear she’d bought during the week and a new pale green dress with a fitted bodice and full skirt. When she’d purchased these things, she couldn’t help but be thrilled, feeling she was being really risqué and grown up. She’d leave Southampton a virgin and return a woman! But at the same time, she was worried about her lack of experience in such matters. Would John Baker find her a disappointment? How dreadful that would be.
She hardly saw John during Saturday as the shop was busy, but as she walked towards the staff room at the end of the day, he passed her and winked. She put on her coat and hurried outside before Betty emerged from the ladies’ room. She didn’t want her friend to see the suitcase. Betty was a bright girl and would immediately guess what was happening.
During the walk to the station, she almost turned back, but curiosity and anticipation overcame her fears and she waited outside the station entrance for the man who was to be her lover. She thought of him as that over and over in her mind. Her lover! How sophisticated that sounded. Whilst she was thinking about this, she saw the man in question striding towards her, smiling as he came closer.
‘For one awful moment, I wondered if you’d change your mind,’ he confessed.
She lowered her head and looked up at him, coyly. ‘Why ever would I do such a thing?’ she lied.
Putting his arm around her, he led her into the station. ‘I bought the tickets yesterday,’ he said. ‘We only have ten minutes until the next train, and if there had been a queue, it would have been a rush.’
>
‘You’re well prepared,’ she observed.
He held her tighter. ‘I want you to remember this time we spend together as something very special. I didn’t want anything to spoil it.’
They made polite conversation throughout the journey, and when they arrived in Bournemouth they took a taxi to the hotel. Connie watched as he signed the register. Mr and Mrs J. Baker. She tucked her left hand into her pocket, aware of the fact she didn’t have a wedding ring. Then, taking the key to the room, he led her to the lift. As the doors closed, he took her into his arms and kissed her until she was breathless.
The lift stopped and the doors opened. Looking at the sign upon the wall, he led her along the corridor.
Connie felt the soft carpet beneath her feet as she walked with him, her heart in her mouth as he stopped. He put the key in the door, opened it and led her into the bedroom, closing the door behind him. He took her case from her and led her over to the window.
‘Look, darling, we can see the sea from here.’ As they both gazed out at the beach and beyond, he slipped the coat from her shoulders and gathered her into his arms from behind, his hands enclosing her breasts as he kissed the back of her neck.
‘Oh, Connie, I’ve longed for this moment,’ he whispered as he turned her to face him. His mouth crushed hers, and she felt the tip of his tongue slip into her mouth.
It was as if all her fears evaporated in a second as she returned his kisses.
Before long they lay on the bed together. ‘Relax darling,’ he said as he began to undress her.
He cupped her bare breast in one hand and took the nipple into his mouth. She let out an involuntary moan as his other hand caressed her. A million strange sensations seemed to invade her body, and she writhed beneath his expert hands. Never in her wildest dreams did she think sex could be like this. She no longer was worried about her lack of experience. She was being led by a man who knew his way around the female body and who knew exactly what he was doing, and when eventually he was above her she couldn’t wait and begged him to take her.
He chuckled with delight. ‘Connie! Oh, Connie, I just knew given the chance you’d be a little ball of fire. You are wonderful!’ He thrust himself inside her.