Playing With Fire Page 11

  ‘That’s a wonderful idea - you’ll be more comfortable there than in the spare room. In the circumstances, it’s very kind of you to offer, Donald.’

  In the kitchen Edith and Margaret stood silently throughout this discourse. At last Edith whispered, ‘Do you want to face him now or later?’

  ‘It’s best to get it over with.’ Slowly Margaret dried her hands and headed for the door.

  Donald felt his heart contract at the sight of her. Pregnancy obviously agreed with her. Light-coloured hair framed her head like a golden halo, her white skin gleamed like thick buttermilk and her sensual lips needed no make-up to enhance them. She positively bloomed. How come he hadn’t noticed the way the wind was blowing and had allowed Jack to walk off with her?

  ‘Hello, Donald, how are you?’

  ‘I’m very well, Margaret.’ He was glad that his voice sounded strong and confident. ‘Susan here is going to stay next door for a few days. I’ve come to help her move in her bits and pieces.’

  Jack hastened to introduce the two girls. ‘Margaret, you’ve never met my cousin. Susan, this is my wife.’

  ‘I’m very pleased to meet you,’ Susan said formally. She could understand both men lusting after this girl. She had that spark that would always turn men’s heads. ‘I’ve heard all about you.’

  ‘I’ll bet you have.’

  Taken unawares by the bitter note in the other girl’s voice, Susan turned abruptly to Donald. ‘Is there any bedding next door?’

  ‘Plenty of blankets, but you’ll need some sheets and pillowcases.’

  Glad to escape the tension that was building up, Edith headed for the stairs. ‘That’s no problem. I’ll fetch some.’

  Remembering her promise to help Donald over this awkward situation, Susan said, ‘Donald, if you come up I’ll show you what I want moved.’ And she followed her aunt upstairs.

  Tentatively Jack offered, ‘Can I be of any assistance?’

  ‘No, no, you’re all right. We’ll manage.’

  When Donald had followed the women, Jack went to his wife and took her in his arms. ‘Don’t you distress yourself,’ he warned. ‘Think of the baby.’

  Fighting back tears, Margaret released herself from his embrace. ‘I’ll finish the washing up.’

  ‘I’ll help you.’

  Left alone, Billy sank down on to the settee and buried his head in his hands. He was delighted to have his son home, but felt uncomfortable in the presence of Margaret. No matter how often he told himself it took two, he could find no fault in Jack. He was convinced that his son would not have seduced her behind his friend’s back if he hadn’t had plenty of encouragement from her. He placed all the blame firmly at Margaret’s door. Donald was a good man, and she shouldn’t have two-timed him. She should have been honest with both men. However, for Jack’s sake he would do all in his power to make her welcome.

  With a deep sigh, he rose to his feet and climbed the stairs to give Donald a helping hand.

  Upstairs, Edith looked around the small room she had done her best to make comfortable. ‘I got the impression that you were all right here, Susan,’ she said accusingly. ‘You should have said, and I would have found somewhere else for you to stay.’

  ‘Oh, Aunt Edith, please don’t be annoyed,’ Susan cried in alarm. ‘It is comfortable. Honestly! But can’t you see? I’d be in the way. You need time alone with your daughter-in-law to get to know her. This way, we won’t be falling over each other. You will have more time with your own family and won’t be worrying about me.’

  Edith remained tight-lipped and, going over to her, Susan whispered, ‘Please understand. I wouldn’t offend you for the world.’

  Her aunt’s expression relaxed. ‘Promise me you’ll come in for all your meals.’

  ‘All except breakfast. I can manage to make that myself,’ Susan teased. ‘I will also be able to have a lie-in, if I feel like it.’

  Edith frowned in Donald’s direction. ‘I know it’s none of my business, but will he be staying there with you?’

  ‘You can rest assured, I won’t, Edith. I’ll not sully your niece’s good name.’

  ‘Well then, let’s move her stuff in next door.’

  An hour later they smiled at each other across the pub table. ‘That wasn’t too bad, now was it, Donald?’

  ‘No. As you said, it’s better to get it over with. But . . . I’ll tell you something. I’m glad she wasn’t there when we went in to say farewell. I was all tied up in knots.’ Susan remained silent and he eyed her covertly. ‘What did you think of her?’

  ‘She’s very pretty.’

  ‘Did you like her?’

  ‘Ah, come off it, Donald! How can I tell? I only exchanged a couple of words with her.’

  ‘I fell for her the first time I saw her.’

  ‘Well, I’m not you. Whether or not she and I become friends remains to be seen.’

  Last orders were called, and Donald appraised her. ‘Do you fancy another one?’

  ‘No, thank you. I’ve an early start in the morning.’

  ‘Fine. I want to go back with you and make sure that fire I lit is okay.’

  ‘There’s no need for you to come back, Donald. I’m sure the fire will be fine.’

  ‘I’m coming back.’ His tone brooked no argument and she silently followed him from the pub.

  The house was much warmer than it had been earlier on. ‘It’s lovely and cosy. Thank you, Donald.’ Edith had insisted that Susan bring tea, sugar and milk in with her and now she said, ‘I’ll make a cup of tea and then we’ll discuss the rent.’

  ‘Get away with you! I don’t want any money from you.’

  ‘All the same, I’ll feel better if I pay my way.’

  ‘How about you making me a meal on Boxing Night before we go to the dance?’

  ‘So you still want me to go with you?’

  ‘Of course I do, Susan. I know how it must have looked to you last week. As if I was sitting in judgement. I didn’t mean to. I promise to mind my own business in future. Can you forgive me? I need a friend more than ever now, especially if they decide to remain in Darlington.’

  ‘Do you think there’s any chance of that happening?’ Susan asked in dismay.

  ‘To be truthful, I can’t see Jack staying in London. It’s not his scene. I think they’ll be back in the not-too-distant future. Margaret will want the baby born here.’

  Handing him a cup of tea, Susan sat down on an armchair at the side of the fire. Donald took the only other chair in the room, facing her, and waved a hand vaguely around. ‘As you can see, there’s not much furniture. When my aunt died I got rid of most of her old stuff. I knew Margaret wouldn’t want an old woman’s bits and pieces. Mind you, I had plans. I would have worked my fingers to the bone to make it nice for her.’

  ‘It could be made very comfortable indeed,’ Susan agreed.

  To her dismay, his head sank on to his chest and she knew he was fighting back tears. ‘How am I going to get through this, Susan? I thought I was getting over her. Now look at me! A right bundle of nerves.’

  Going to him, she put an arm across his shoulders in sympathy. ‘You’ll get over her. Just wait and see. I’ll help you all I can.’

  Turning, he put his arms around her waist and sank his head on to her breast. ‘I’m glad you’re here, Susan.’

  Gently she edged away from him. It would be so easy to become involved. She was also at a low ebb at the moment, but it wasn’t a lover she needed - it was a friend. ‘We’ll help each other, Donald. Now it’s time you were leaving, or Aunt Edith will be getting worried. She’s probably taken up sentry duty behind the blinds,’ she laughed.

  Reluctantly he rose to his feet and reached for his coat. At the door she gave in to the temptation to give him a hug of comfort. Too late, she saw Jack unloading the car he had arrived in. He nodded in their direction and his eyes were full of speculation. Ah well, it would give him and Margaret something to talk about, she lamented.

 
At work the following morning Edith gave Susan a handful of mail. She smiled as she opened it. There were last-minute cards from her family and friends who had expected her home at Christmas. Ruth’s contained a short letter explaining about her meeting with Jim Brady at the Club Orchid. The market doors were opening to the public and Susan put all her mail carefully under the counter to be enjoyed later, but Ruth’s note played on her mind as she attended to her customers.

  What could Jim possibly want to write to her about? It would be a waste of time corresponding with him. They could never meet again. He wouldn’t want her now, in any case, if the truth ever came out.

  Jack and Margaret stopped by the stall while doing some last-minute shopping and were greeted excitedly by Vera. ‘Oh, it’s lovely to see you again, Jack. Mind you, you were a naughty boy.’ Releasing him from her bear hug, she turned to Margaret. ‘You too, young lady. You know you broke poor Donald Murphy’s heart when you ran away with this scallywag.’

  Jack gave Susan a sly look. ‘I wouldn’t worry too much about Donald if I were you, Vera. He’s already found consolation.’ He drew Margaret towards him. ‘You haven’t been introduced to my wife, have you?’

  ‘No, I haven’t had that pleasure. And a bonny girl she is. I wish you all the very best, love.’

  ‘Thank you. You’re very kind.’

  ‘Where’s Mam?’

  ‘She’s just nipped out to get something for her lunch,’ Vera informed him. ‘And your dad has run out of tomatoes, so he’s away to get some more. Here’s your mother now.’

  ‘Jack, Margaret! What are you doing here?’

  ‘Just dropped in to say hello to Vera. We’ve been doing some shopping. Now we’re off for something to eat.’

  ‘I say. Excuse me,’ Vera interrupted. ‘Would you take Susan with you, please? She must be starving. She’s been working like a trooper all morning.’

  ‘Oh no, I couldn’t,’ protested Susan. ‘We’re too busy.’

  ‘This is our slack time. I’m ordering you to take a break,’ Vera insisted.

  Susan threw an imploring look at her aunt, but no help was forthcoming from that quarter. Reluctantly she slipped her arms into her coat, which Vera held ready for her. ‘I hope you don’t mind, Jack? I don’t want to impose.’

  ‘Not in the slightest. We’ll be delighted to have you join us, won’t we, Margaret?’ But his wife had already moved away from the stall and her reply was muffled.

  They had lunch in a small café in the Market Square. Conversation consisted mostly of Margaret trying to find out all about Susan’s background and her relationship with Donald. Susan answered as best she could without giving away any secrets, but her patience was sorely tried and it took all her willpower not to tell this inquisitive girl to mind her own business.

  When Jack left them for a short time, she made a point of turning the tables on Margaret. Pretending sympathy, she quizzed the girl on her own relationship with Donald.

  ‘It must have been very upsetting for you to have had to choose between Jack and Donald?’

  ‘Yes. It was. I was in an awful pickle at the time. Donald was so upset. I suppose you heard all about the big fight between them?’

  ‘I did. But you can’t blame him for being angry. After all, weren’t you engaged to him? It must have come as an awful shock to discover that you were two-timing him.’

  ‘It wasn’t like that! It wasn’t like that, at all. He shouldn’t have taken me so much for granted. Had he paid more attention, we’d be getting married on Boxing Day.’

  Susan was taken aback. ‘I didn’t realise a date had been set.’

  ‘Huh! Donald will only tell you what he wants you to know. Are you in love with him?’

  ‘I beg your pardon?’

  ‘I suppose you are. He’s hard to resist when he turns on the charm.’

  Susan leant across the table. ‘It sounds to me as if you’re still in love with him?’

  A dark flush covered Margaret’s face. ‘What gives you that idea?’

  Susan remained silent, and just sat scrutinising the girl’s embarrassed face. Jack, coming back to the table, put an end to the conversation, but Susan was convinced that this girl did indeed still carry a torch for Donald. So how come she had married Jack?

  Quickly Susan finished her meal and rose to her feet. ‘That was lovely. I enjoyed it. Thank you both for treating me, but you do realise I must hurry back, don’t you?’

  Her cousin waved her off. ‘Away you go, Susan. We know you’re busy. See you at dinner tonight.’

  Smiling brightly, Susan hurried off. She had plenty to think about. If Donald found out that Margaret was still in love with him, it could cause all sorts of problems. What would he do? Would he try to win her back, or would he see her for the fickle person she was?

  Jack and Margaret decided to go to midnight Mass with his parents on Christmas Eve and, wishing them a happy Christmas and promising to come in early the next morning, Susan retired to the house next door. Making herself a cup of tea, she carried it upstairs and, once snug in bed, settled down to read her mail.

  In her letter Ruth didn’t give any reason why Jim Brady suddenly wanted to contact her. But then, she probably didn’t know his reason. Jim was the type of person to confide only in close friends. Should she write to him? No. There would be no point. It would just prolong the agony. They certainly had no future together. To take her mind off Jim, she recalled the conversation she’d had with Margaret. Was Jack aware of the risk he was taking in coming home? It was obvious that he loved his wife very much.

  A loud knock on the door brought her slowly from her bed. Pulling the curtains slightly away from the window, she peered down into the darkness. It was Donald. What did he want at this time of night?

  When she opened the door she could see that he was the worse for drink.

  ‘Can I come in for a while, Susan?’

  ‘It’s very late, Donald. We don’t want to start any gossip, do we?’ she warned.

  ‘I’ll not stay long. I was on my way to midnight Mass when I realised that I was in no fit state to go.’

  ‘Ten minutes! No longer, mind. Sit down and I’ll make you a strong cup of coffee. It will help sober you up.’

  He removed his coat and shivered slightly. ‘It’s cold in here. Did you not light the fire?’

  ‘There was no need. I’ve been next door all evening. I was nice and warm in bed when you came.’

  ‘I’m sorry, Susan. I shouldn’t have come here, but I needed someone to talk to.’

  ‘What about? As if I didn’t know!’ Susan said drily as she spooned instant coffee into the cup.

  ‘I can’t help myself. I can’t stop thinking about her.’

  The kettle boiled and she handed him the steaming mug of coffee. Sitting on the armchair, she pulled her legs up underneath her and wrapped her candlewick dressing gown tightly around her to capture some warmth. ‘Remember, she’s married now, Donald. And the Catholic Church forbids divorce, so don’t start something you can’t finish.’

  ‘I know all that. And if she wouldn’t have me before, why should she want me now, eh?’ He looked blankly at her empty hands. ‘Are you not having one?’

  ‘I’ve just finished a cup upstairs. I don’t really know much about what happened between you and Margaret. Why did she turn to Jack in the first place?’

  He shook his head in despair. ‘I honestly don’t know! I thought we were so well suited. And . . . I respected her, mind! Never made a wrong move. Never once touched her up, if you know what I mean.’

  Thinking of how she had longed for Jim Brady to touch her, Susan said, ‘Perhaps she wanted you to touch her, show how much you cared?’

  He looked scandalised. ‘There was no need for that! She knew I loved her.’

  Susan shrugged. ‘Well then, why did she turn to Jack?’

  ‘I wish I knew.’ Putting his cup on the hearth, he moved over and knelt in front of her chair. Placing his hands on her thighs, he looke
d beseechingly at her. ‘I want to ask you a favour, Susan.’

  She could feel the heat of his hands through the towelling material and was filled with a longing for close bodily contact. Not sex, just contact with a strong male body. Pushing his hands away, she cried, ‘Well? What do you want to ask me?’

  He looked at the hands she had pushed away and was at a loss as to what to do with them. Steepling them as if in prayer, he said, ‘While Margaret is here could we pretend we have something going between us?’

  His nearness was unsettling her and, unfurling her legs, she sprang from the chair and moved restlessly about the room. ‘That’s impossible. For a start, no one would believe it.’

  He moved to stand in front of her, his head bent so he could look into her eyes. ‘I wouldn’t take advantage. Just subtly give out the idea that we’re seeing each other. Please? It won’t cost you anything.’

  ‘I can’t do it. It wouldn’t work.’

  He put his hands on her shoulders. ‘Why not? Who knows, we might even learn to care for each other.’

  She gazed up at him, little knowing how vulnerable and appealing she looked. His mouth hovered over hers, but before he could claim her lips, she found the courage to push him away. ‘It’s time you were going. They’ll be coming home from Mass soon and I don’t want Aunt Edith to see you leave and get any wrong ideas.’ She lifted his coat from where he had hung it on the floor and, thrusting it at him, pushed him none too gently towards the door. ‘Remember, Aunt Edith has invited you to join us tomorrow night. Are you up to it, or shall I make excuses for you?’

  He shrugged into his coat. ‘I’ll be there. Thanks for the coffee.’

  ‘Happy Christmas. See you tomorrow.’

  She closed the door on him and leant against it, trembling like a leaf in a storm. It had been too close for comfort. He must never realise just how close, otherwise he’d never be away from her doorstep. Tense and irritable now, she climbed the stairs, but her Christmas mail failed to hold her attention. She was remembering the great longing and need he had aroused in her. Was she forever to be unfulfilled?