Swansea Summer Read online

  ‘You’ve a one-track mind, Jack Clay.’ She laughed, evading his touch.

  ‘Only when you’re around.’

  As he twined his fingers gently in her hair and pulled her head to his again, Adam shouted from the other side of the wall.

  ‘If you’re not over here in sixty seconds, Jack, we’re going down the Rose without you.’

  Ignoring Adam, Jack kissed Helen again.

  ‘The girls are here.’ Helen broke free as voices drifted in from the basement living room.

  ‘Send them away. We’ll have a quiet night in and christen that new mattress.’

  ‘On your stag night?’

  ‘I know exactly how I want to celebrate and it isn’t getting drunk with the boys.’ He slid his hands beneath her sweater.

  ‘It’s tradition.’ She tried to push past him, but he cornered her against the wall.

  ‘To hell with tradition.’ His fingers slipped the hooks at the back of her brassiere.

  ‘Just as it’s tradition the bride spend the night before her wedding with her girlfriends.’ She trembled as he succeeded in freeing her breasts and closed his hands round them.

  ‘You want to?’ His dark eyes glittered with a look she was becoming familiar with.

  Just as she was about to say ‘no’ Judy’s laughter rang out from the living room. ‘They’re already here. Please, Jack.’ Twisting her hands behind her back, she struggled to refasten the hooks.

  ‘Every married man I know complains his wife won’t let him go down the pub. You’re throwing me out before we’re even married.’

  ‘Stag nights are different.’

  He rehooked her bra. ‘I’ll go, but only because I’ll have you all to myself from two o’clock tomorrow.’ Seeing dirt on his suitcase, he lifted it towards the light and brushed it down. ‘Shall I leave this in the bedroom?’

  ‘Please.’ Helen felt suddenly and inexplicably shy as she followed him in through the back door and down the passage to the bedroom.

  He dropped his case on the rug at the foot of the bed and looked around. ‘You’ve put the eiderdown Brian and Judy gave us on the bed.’

  ‘You like it?’

  ‘Even I can see it goes great with the lamps and wallpaper.’

  ‘I mentioned the colour scheme to Judy in one of my letters, but she sent a sample to Lily before buying it, just to be sure.’ She glanced at his case. ‘Do you want me to unpack for you?’

  ‘There’s only a couple of shirts, trousers and some underclothes. I can do it.’

  ‘The boys are waiting.’

  ‘I meant when we come back from honeymoon.’

  ‘Everything will be creased by then, silly.’ The thought of his clothes hanging next to hers in the wardrobe and his presence in the intimacy of the bedroom she had expended so much thought and time on brought the realisation just how close their lives would be from tomorrow on.

  ‘Happy?’ he questioned, concerned by the preoccupied expression on her face.

  ‘I’ll be happier tomorrow night.’

  Gathering her in his arms, he tickled the soft skin at the base of her ear. ‘Everything’s going to be perfect. I’m going to take good care of you and’ – he patted her stomach – ‘little Jack.’

  ‘I thought we’d settled on Dirk after Dirk Bogarde.’

  ‘You settled on Dirk, I settled on Jack. We have another six and a half months to argue about it.’

  ‘I didn’t agree to that.’

  ‘I only settled it with myself.’ Hearing laughter, he glanced behind him to see Judy, Lily and his sister in the passage.

  ‘The honeymoon’s supposed to start after the wedding, Jack,’ Judy reminded him tactlessly.

  ‘What have you girls planned for tonight?’

  ‘Babycham, sherry…’ Helen began.

  ‘Beauty treatments, girl talk – and peace from all men,’ Judy added tartly.

  Jack gave Helen a last hug before releasing her. ‘Take it steady with the drink, love.’

  ‘That’s great advice coming from someone on their way to the Rose,’ Judy retorted. ‘I bet a penny to a pound none of you will be sober an hour from now.’

  ‘You’re on,’ he agreed.

  ‘How would we know?’

  ‘You can check with Brian.’

  ‘He’ll be the first to get legless.’

  Sensing an edge to Judy’s voice, Jack turned back to Helen. ‘Bye, sweetheart. See you tomorrow.’

  ‘I’ll be there.’ As he kissed her again, Helen wished she had the courage to defy convention and do as he suggested, send the girls away and spend not only the evening but also the night with him.

  ‘If you’re giving out beauty advice, Judy, I’d be grateful for some,’ Lily followed the other two up the stairs to the ground floor as Helen locked the basement.

  ‘With your skin and hair, you don’t need any. What’s this?’ Judy asked as Helen’s brother, Joe, wheeled a trolley loaded with plates and bottles out of the dining room.

  ‘Surprise for the bride.’ He pushed it into the living room. ‘Thought you girls might be peckish.’ He said ‘you girls’ but Judy, Helen and Katie noticed he only had eyes for Lily. They also noticed that she refused to meet his gaze.

  ‘You made us sandwiches?’ Helen asked suspiciously.

  ‘Actually … no. I asked Mrs Jones to cut them, but I did buy the sausage rolls and pasties in the baker’s and I picked up some extra Babychams and cocktail cherries in case you ran out.’

  ‘This is a girls’ night in, Joe,’ Helen said ungraciously.

  ‘Which is why I’m meeting Robin in ten minutes. We may even call in on my soon-to-be brother-in-law’s bachelor party.’

  ‘The two of you?’ Helen was amazed. Joe and his friend Robin were final-year university students, ‘stuck-up snobs’ in the eyes of Jack and his friends who saw condescension and arrogance in every overture they made, in her opinion with some reason. Bolstered by mid-course examination successes and the publication of his poetry in local magazines, Joe’s belief in his own social and intellectual superiority had grown to an irritating level.

  ‘Why not? We can’t study all the time and the finals are weeks away.’ Checking his pocket to make sure he had his keys, he opened the front door. ‘Enjoy your last night of freedom, sis.’

  ‘Pints of best all round, a drink for yourself and one of your specials for the bridegroom.’ Adam winked at the brassy middle-aged barmaid, as he thrust his hand in his pocket and pulled out a handful of change.

  ‘Bit early to start on the shorts,’ Brian cautioned, as he watched Lettie pour three measures of vodka into one of the beer mugs.

  ‘Can’t send a condemned man to the gallows sober.’

  ‘After one of those, Jack won’t be capable of standing upright,’ Brian demurred.

  ‘Jack can outdrink any of us.’

  ‘Only if he sticks to beer. Here, I’ll give you a hand.’ Taking two of the glasses, Brian returned to the table that Jack, Martin and Sam had commandeered.

  ‘Pint, Jack.’ John Griffiths set a full glass in front of him.

  ‘Cheers and thank you, Mr Griffiths. Why don’t you join us?’ Jack moved his chair to make room for John to sit at the table.

  ‘I’m with a party in the lounge bar, but thank you for the invitation.’

  ‘Maybe later?’ Jack not only respected but had grown fond of John Griffiths during the past few weeks. Instead of being outraged when he’d broken the news of Helen’s pregnancy, John had welcomed him as a prospective son-in-law, conjuring solutions for all the practical problems like finding them somewhere to live and giving him a reasonably paid permanent job in his warehouse, so he’d be able to support Helen and the baby.

  ‘If I can, Jack,’ John replied. ‘Enjoy your night.’

  ‘His scars are even worse close up,’ Sam whispered to Jack, as John limped away. ‘How did he get them?’

  ‘He was burned in a fire.’

  ‘Recently?’

  ‘Wh
en he was a kid.’

  ‘It’s made one hell of a mess of his face and hand.’

  ‘His leg too,’ Jack revealed, ‘that’s why he’s lame.’

  ‘I’d hate to have people staring at me wherever I went,’ Sam murmured, seeing a few heads turn as John left the room.

  ‘Since I’ve got to know him, I don’t even notice Mr Griffiths’ scars any more.’

  ‘You call your father-in-law Mr Griffiths?’ Brian set the pints he was holding in front of Martin and Sam.

  ‘I thought it best to keep it formal lest the others in the warehouse think I was taking advantage,’ Jack explained.

  ‘How’s that going?’

  ‘After the last couple of weeks I’m not sure he did me any favours. At least I could skive off from the building site for the odd half-hour without feeling guilty.’

  ‘But now he’s finding out what work is really like.’ Martin sipped his pint.

  ‘And in another’ – Adam glanced at the clock, as he set a tray holding three pints on the table – ‘sixteen hours, give or take a few minutes, he’ll find out what married life is like. All bliss, home cooking and romps between the sheets, as women would have us believe, or the shouting matches, burned messes and “Not tonight, I’ve a headache” that every shackled man makes it out to be.’ Placing the spiked glass in front of Jack, he lifted his own pint and toasted, ‘To Jack and Helen. Make the most of tonight, Jack, it may be the last time you’ve a life and loose change to call your own.’

  ‘Jealous, Adam?’ Jack suspected Adam was still smarting from his sister Katie’s rejection.

  ‘Jack and Helen,’ Brian interrupted smoothly, touching his glass to Jack’s.

  To Adam’s annoyance, he realised Jack had left the pint he’d bought him on the tray and was drinking another. ‘Come on, get it down you.’ He pushed the spiked drink towards him.

  ‘It’s only eight o’clock,’ Martin warned.

  ‘And that leaves just two and a half hours of drinking time.’ As Adam returned the tray to the bar, Jack switched the spiked pint with Adam’s.

  ‘I was about to tip you off.’ Brian moved his chair so Adam couldn’t see what Jack was doing.

  ‘I saw Lifebuoy Lettie pour in the vodka.’

  ‘This is a new one; sensible Jack.’

  ‘Too sensible to get pissed the night before my wedding. Anyone want to take bets on how many pints Adam will go after that one? My money’s on two.’

  ‘I thought the cutlery set was from you as well as Mr Williams, Mrs Hunt.’ Helen took the beautifully wrapped box Judy’s mother handed her.

  ‘We’re not married yet.’ Joy Hunt smiled self-consciously.

  ‘But soon, Mam,’ Judy reminded her.

  ‘July most probably.’

  ‘And I’m going to be bridesmaid …’

  ‘That’s July, Judy. Helen’s big day is tomorrow and we should concentrate on that.’

  ‘Oh, Mrs Hunt, you shouldn’t have. It’s wonderful and so thoughtful. How did you know we didn’t have one?’ Helen opened the box and lifted out a camera.

  ‘Your father happened to mention that you were borrowing his for your honeymoon. And with’ – Joy faltered as she realised she’d been about to mention the baby – ‘you just starting out on married life, there’ll be a lot more occasions when you’ll be wanting mementoes, so I thought it might be useful.’

  ‘It will be, I promise you.’ Helen hugged her.

  ‘There are four films in the box so you don’t have to go dashing off in the middle of your wedding tomorrow to buy one.’

  ‘I’ve just been showing the girls my outfit.’ Setting the camera down carefully on top of the cocktail cabinet, Helen lifted her costume from the sofa and peeled back the cotton dust cover.

  ‘Isn’t it beautiful.’ Judy smoothed the textured silk as Helen held the full-skirted blue-and-white costume in front of her.

  ‘Very. You’re going to look stunning, Helen. I wish I could be there but you know how busy the salon is on Saturday and I dare not risk losing my regulars by letting them down.’

  ‘I understand, Mrs Hunt. I’ll save you a piece of the cake.’

  ‘Auntie Norah used to say that if you put a piece of wedding cake under your pillow you’ll dream of your future husband.’ Lily took the costume from Helen.

  ‘There’s no point in you doing that, Mam, you know who he’s going to be. Now Katie, Lily and I are different, so be sure to put at least three pieces in boxes strong enough to slip under pillows, Helen. Otherwise we’ll make right messes of our beds.’

  ‘You’re welcome to stay and have a Babycham and some sandwiches with us, Mrs Hunt.’

  Joy was touched by Helen’s invitation but she also knew it had been given from politeness, not the heart. A middle-aged chaperone was the last thing Helen needed the night before her wedding. ‘Thank you, but I’m meeting Roy in ten minutes. He has tickets for a concert.’

  ‘See you later, Mam.’ Judy turned back to Helen’s outfit as Helen showed her mother out. ‘I’m so envious.’ Judy replaced the cover as Helen closed the door.

  ‘It’s hardly a white wedding dress but I put paid to my chances of wearing one of those.’ Helen faced her friends. ‘I’m not getting at your mother, Judy, but I’d rather you didn’t pretend this is a normal wedding. Everyone in Carlton Terrace and half of Swansea knows my father would never have given his consent if it weren’t for “my condition”, as Mrs Jordan so coyly puts it. And, as Jack says, it’s better to tell everyone I’m pregnant, so they can say whatever they want to our faces, instead of whispering it behind our backs.’

  ‘But you do want to marry Jack?’ Katie asked anxiously.

  ‘I’ve never wanted anything more in my whole life. I just wish people would stop pretending I’m not having a baby when Jack and I are looking forward to his arrival.’

  ‘Not just Jack and you.’ Katie smiled. ‘I can’t wait to be Auntie Katie.’

  ‘You’re going to make a great one.’

  ‘I’ve often wondered …’ Judy began tentatively.

  ‘What’s it like to be an aunt?’ Helen broke in. ‘You’ll soon find out because Jack and I intend to make you and Lily honorary ones.’

  ‘Not that – but I’d love to be an aunt – I was thinking about what it’s like to go all the way with a boy.’

  ‘You and Brian are the sophisticated ones.’ Helen took four glasses from her father’s cocktail cabinet. ‘Living in London …’

  ‘In hostels where we aren’t allowed visitors of the opposite sex in our rooms, only the common rooms which are cold, dreary and public.’

  ‘You mean, you and Brian haven’t …’ Helen looked at her in surprise.

  ‘We were able to get up to more when he lived with Martin and Jack. Then we could sneak into his bedroom for the odd half-hour, not that we did that much. Well, not as much as you and Jack,’ Judy qualified. ‘So, what is it like?’

  ‘You don’t really expect me to answer that.’ Helen handed out the glasses and bottles of Babycham.

  ‘Why not?’

  ‘Because it’s something private that you have to find out for yourself.’

  ‘At least tell us if it hurt,’ Judy pressed, ‘and how you felt afterwards. And did Jack think any the less of you …’

  ‘It’s like nothing else that’s ever happened to me,’ Helen broke in hastily. More open than Lily and Katie, she had tended to discuss everything with her friends but not this. It belonged to her and Jack and no one else.

  ‘It must have been embarrassing to undress in front of Jack for the first time.’ Lily blushed as they turned to her. ‘I didn’t mean to put it quite like that, but I’ve often wondered how any girl could …’

  ‘You and Joe were practically engaged.’ Judy passed her the bottle opener.

  ‘We never got as far as undressing and not much beyond kissing,’ Lily confessed.

  ‘That doesn’t surprise me after the lecture Joe gave me when he walked in on me and Jack.�
�

  ‘He caught you?’ Judy’s eyes widened as she stared at Helen.

  ‘Not actually. We were dressed – sort of – but Jack was holding my underclothes.’ Helen busied herself with the bottle opener and Babycham.

  ‘Did Joe and Jack …’

  ‘Joe didn’t say a word to Jack but he said plenty to me. You should have heard him. He carried on worse than any maiden aunt. You were right to give him his ring back, Lily. I pity any girl daft enough to marry him. And as for it being embarrassing, it wasn’t. Jack did most of the undressing and it seemed right at the time.’

  ‘So?’ Judy poured her Babycham and settled back in a chair.

  ‘You’re not going to give up, are you?’ Helen asked.

  ‘If I had been the first, I would have told you what it’s like.’

  ‘I don’t know what it’ll be like for you, only Jack and me, and it was magical – and personal.’

  ‘Was it painful?’

  ‘A bit, but like the undressing it didn’t seem to matter.’

  ‘And?’

  ‘And I’m looking forward to married life. You want to know any more, talk to Brian,’ Helen said firmly.

  ‘In the common room.’

  ‘You’re staying until Sunday. Why don’t you ask Brian to borrow Marty’s bedroom?’ Helen pushed the coffee table aside and wheeled the trolley Joe had brought in into its place.

  ‘I’m not sure I want him to.’

  ‘That’s the difference between us, I wanted to.’ Hoping to change the subject, Helen opened a carrier bag and pulled out a blue satin net and cream lace layered petticoat. ‘What do you think of this?’ As Judy took it from her, she glanced at Katie and realised she had been very quiet, but then Katie never had liked talking about sex. Not even when they were twelve and had first found out about it. She wondered if she’d embarrassed Katie by saying the little she had about herself and Jack. She wouldn’t have minded a girl talking about Joe that way. At least it would prove he was human underneath the coating of self-righteous prig.

  ‘It’s gorgeous.’ Judy turned back the layers.

  ‘Matching bra and suspenders.’ Helen lifted them out and held them up for inspection.

  ‘They for you or Jack?’ Judy queried artfully.