Emma

by Rosie Clarke

  ‘Do you need me?’ I asked, still not looking at him. ‘Only I ought to enter some bills into the accounts.’

  ‘You get on,’ he said. ‘I’ll call you if I need help.’

  ‘All right.’

  ‘Emma?’

  I stopped at the door leading to the back stairs. ‘Yes, Father?’

  ‘There will be an extra half a crown in your wages this week.’

  ‘Thank you.’

  I went upstairs. At least I could pay Mrs Henty some more on my costume. It would have been nice to wear it for the social, but I had a pretty dress Mother had made me: that would do.

  I was halfway to Gran’s the next Wednesday afternoon when the blast of a car horn made me jump half out of my skin. Glancing over my shoulder I saw it was Paul and my heart began to beat wildly. I hadn’t truly expected him to come.

  ‘You made me jump,’ I said, half accusing.

  ‘Sorry.’ He leaned across and opened the passenger-side door. ‘Jump in. I’ll give you a lift to your grandmother’s.’

  ‘Thank you.’ I obeyed eagerly, without hesitation. At that moment I didn’t care who saw me or what my father would say if he heard about it. I was overjoyed that Paul had sought me out once more.

  ‘I shan’t be able to fetch you today,’ he said, ‘but I’ve bought a few things for Mrs Jacobs – a tin of biscuits, some tea and sugar. Tell her I’ll call one day this week. I’d like to have a little chat with her.’

  ‘What about?’ I looked at him curiously. ‘It was kind of you to buy her these things, Paul.’

  ‘I’m trying to soften her up,’ he said and grinned disarmingly. ‘Maybe she can tell me how I can get through that briar hedge your father has built around you.’

  Did he really mean that? I looked at him shyly. ‘Is that why you spent some time talking to him the other day?’

  ‘What do you think?’

  ‘I think he respects you. He said you were interesting.’

  ‘That’s something.’ Paul stopped the car. We were a few yards from my grandmother’s cottage, which was isolated out here by the line. I would have hated to live in such a place, but she liked it. There was no one around to see us. ‘I’ve got to find a way of seeing you properly.’ Paul looked at me intently. ‘I can’t get you out of my head, Emma. I’m not a complete rogue. Surely there’s something I can do to make your father see that?’

  ‘Gran is the one to ask,’ I replied, cheeks flushed. ‘She is the only person Father ever listens to, and that’s only because she is so stubborn. She makes such a fuss that in the end he gives in to make her keep quiet.’

  Paul laughed, then leaned towards me. He ran his fingers down my cheek, then gave me a long, lingering kiss on the lips.

  ‘I’ll find time to see Mrs Jacobs tomorrow,’ he promised. ‘Tell her I’ll come about noon.’

  His words caused my heart to take a little skip of joy. There was no mistaking the expression in his eyes. He really did like me. He must do to go to all this trouble for my sake.

  ‘I’ll tell her to expect you,’ I said. ‘Goodbye, Paul – and thank you.’

  ‘My pleasure,’ he said and smiled.

  I couldn’t help showing my excitement as I got out of the car, waved to Paul and then watched as he drove away. If he was really serious about seeing me, it might just be possible to persuade Father. After all, he’d agreed to my going to the church social with Richard Gillows.

  My spirits lifted as I ran the last few yards to Gran’s house. Perhaps things were about to change for the better.

  I was on thorns wondering if Paul would come to the shop after he’d talked to my grandmother the next day. Every time the shop bell went my head jerked up expectantly, my heart beginning to race in anticipation, but he didn’t come. Nor the next day either.

  By Saturday I had almost given up hope of seeing him, but then, at five to six that evening, he came into the shop and bought several expensive items from Father. He spent a few minutes asking his advice about various brands of cigars, explaining that he wanted the best as a gift for his own father.

  ‘Decent chap that,’ Father remarked after he’d gone. ‘Seems to think a lot of his father. Wanted only the best for him. Too many young people have too little respect for their parents these days.’

  I was glowing as I listened to Father’s praise of Paul. He had given me one meaningful look before he left, which I was sure meant this was all part of the plan for gaining Father’s confidence. And it did seem to be working!

  I went to bed happily that night, clutching an Ethel M. Dell novel I had not previously read and a small bar of milk chocolate.

  Perhaps, just now and then, dreams did come true.

  Chapter Three

  When I attended church with my mother the next morning, I was wearing a full-skirted light blue summer dress, a hip-length white jacket with a belt and a pretty straw hat I’d trimmed with ribbons myself. Paul was sitting in the pew we usually occupied. My heart jerked giddily as I saw him, and I was glad I’d taken so much trouble with my appearance.

  My mother took her place next to him. He smiled a friendly greeting and offered her a hymn book.

  I was trembling with excitement, though trying not to let it show. Throughout the service I was acutely conscious of Paul sitting there. The sermon seemed to go on and on endlessly, causing me to fidget. Would it never end?

  At last it was over, but my nervousness increased as Paul followed us out into the brilliant sunshine. The vicar was waiting in the porch to speak with his parishioners and – wonder of wonders! – he seemed to know Paul. I held my breath. He was actually going to introduce him to my mother.

  ‘Have you met Mr Greenslade?’ he asked, smiling in his gentle manner. ‘This is Mrs Robinson and her daughter, Emma. Both of them regularly attend my services, I’m pleased to say. Mr Robinson owns the newsagent and tobacconist in the High Street.’

  ‘I’ve met Mr Robinson several times,’ Paul said, looking with interest at my mother. ‘And I believe I’ve seen Emma before …’

  My heart was racing wildly as Mother looked at him, eyes narrowing. I held my breath lest she disapprove of him, but I need not have worried. She was no more proof against his charm than Gran and I had been. She was soon smiling, accepting a lift for us both in his car – me sitting in the back behind them – and issuing an invitation for tea that afternoon.

  ‘We’re just simple people, Mr Greenslade, but you would be welcome,’ she said. ‘There’s not much to do here at weekends, unless you have friends.’

  ‘You are so kind, Mrs Robinson,’ he said. His manner was so easy, so pleasant. I was not surprised my mother had succumbed. ‘I hardly know anyone in town, but was obliged to stay over for business reasons. I accept your hospitality gladly.’

  ‘Then we shall expect you at half past three, Mr Greenslade.’

  ‘Please do call me Paul. All my friends do. It was a pleasure meeting you, Mrs Robinson – and Emma, of course.’

  I was barely able to suppress the laughter bubbling up inside me. I’d hardly spoken a word the whole time, but it didn’t matter. Paul obviously knew exactly what he was about, and I was afraid of spoiling the effect by saying something out of place.

  How clever he was to get himself introduced by the vicar! Surely Father could not object to my knowing him now.

  ‘Well,’ Mother said later, when we were back in the house. ‘So that’s your Paul Greenslade, Emma. I must admit I did like him. An educated man. Respectable.’

  ‘What will Father say when he knows you’ve invited him to tea?’

  ‘We’ll worry about that afterwards. He won’t make a fuss while we’ve got company, and I can put up with his grumbles afterwards. If I were you, I should pop round to Mary Baker’s and ask if she and her father can come to tea. It won’t look so obvious if we have other guests.’

  ‘Oh, Mum!’ We smiled naughtily at each other. ‘How clever you are. I’ll go straight away.’

  Slipping out of th
e back door so that Father wouldn’t see me, I managed to get away without being questioned. When I knocked at Mary’s house my friend invited me in at once. Mary was a quiet, dark-haired girl, but that morning she was looking excited and animated.

  ‘I’m glad you’ve come, Emma,’ she said. ‘I wanted you to be the first to know. Joe Edwards has asked me to marry him, and I’ve said yes. He’s going to live here and help Dad out the back – which means I shan’t have to do so much and my father won’t be left on his own when I marry.’

  ‘I’m so pleased for you.’ I gave her a quick hug. ‘I was going to ask you and your father for tea, but I expect you have plans of your own?’

  ‘We should like to come – if I can bring Joe? He’s from Chatteris and it will be nice for him to meet our friends.’

  ‘Of course you can.’ The more the better, I thought. ‘That would be lovely. I’ll tell Mum to expect all of you then?’

  I felt a surge of happiness as I walked home. Mary’s engagement could not have come at a better time. My father liked Mr Baker, and when he heard the news he might start thinking about my future. It might make him realize I was no longer a child.

  ‘Hello, Emma.’ The man’s deep voice broke into my thoughts. I sighed and stopped walking, turning to look at Richard Gillows as he came up to me. ‘I missed you this Wednesday. Didn’t you go to your grandmother’s?’

  ‘I went earlier,’ I lied, feeling guilty as he looked at me hard. ‘How are you, Richard?’

  ‘Same as usual. You haven’t forgotten you’re going to the church social with me next week?’

  ‘No, I haven’t forgotten.’ My heart sank as I saw the expression on his face. He looked so pleased with himself! ‘Me and my mother,’ I reminded him.

  A chill had begun to form at the nape of my neck. I didn’t know why but there was something in the way Richard looked at me that made me feel very nervous.

  ‘That’s right. You and your Mum. I’ll pick you up at a quarter past six. Your father will have had his dinner by then. Be ready.’

  I didn’t answer. It was obvious from the confident way he looked at me that he considered the outing a sign that I was willing to be courted. I wished Father hadn’t accepted the invitation for me. If only I dare change my mind! But it would cause too much fuss in the house.

  Why let it bother me? It didn’t matter. I dismissed the uneasiness I always felt when Richard made a point of walking with me. Paul was coming to tea. Surely he would find a way of persuading Father to let him take me out!

  Father accepted his unexpected guests with surprising graciousness that afternoon. Mother had set the table with the best linen, a bone china tea service which usually lived in the sideboard, and some silver spoons she’d been given as a wedding present but seldom used because they were too precious.

  Paul spent most of the time discussing cricket and politics with my father. I was spoken to only a couple of times by either of them, and talked mainly to Mary and her fiancé.

  It was only towards the end of the visit that Paul mentioned a film he was interested in seeing the next week.

  ‘I don’t suppose you would care to come as my guests?’ he asked. ‘You and Mrs Robinson – and Emma, of course.’ He smiled in Mother’s direction.

  ‘I’ve no time for going to the cinema,’ Father replied, ‘but I dare say Mrs Robinson and Emma might enjoy it.’

  ‘That’s settled, then,’ Paul said before he could change his mind. ‘Shall we say tomorrow? I’ll be here at six-thirty – if that’s convenient, sir?’

  Afterwards, I thought it must have been the way he called my father sir that made him agree. I could hardly believe he had and found it difficult not to let my excitement show.

  ‘I ought to be going,’ Paul said, glancing at his watch. ‘This has been such a pleasure. Mrs Robinson, thank you so much for the excellent tea. I shall look forward to seeing you tomorrow.’

  ‘See Mr Greenslade out, Emma,’ my mother said. ‘There’s a good girl.’

  I got to my feet at once, only too eager to obey. A few minutes alone with Paul was more than I had dared to hope for.

  Downstairs in the shop, Paul reached out for me, giving me a swift kiss on the mouth. He looked triumphant as he let me go.

  ‘There – that wasn’t so difficult, was it?’

  ‘I don’t know how you managed it.’ I was dazzled by his cleverness. I could never have believed it would be so easy, but then, I had never met anyone like Paul before.

  ‘Mrs Jacobs gave me a few hints.’ He smiled to himself. ‘She’s a wise old bird, that grandmother of yours. Next time, I’ll get your father to let us go out on our own.’

  ‘I don’t mind Mum coming.’

  ‘I do …’ The expression in his eyes made me tingle all over. I almost had to pinch myself to make sure this was really happening. ‘I want you to myself, Emma – but this is better than not seeing you at all.’

  ‘Yes. Much better.’ I felt suddenly alive, full of expectation as I gazed up at him. ‘Oh, Paul! You’ve no idea how much this means to me.’

  ‘Haven’t I?’ His mouth quirked at the corners. ‘You show your feelings, Emma – but I feel just the same. I would like …’

  I was eager to hear what else he had to say, but, hearing the clatter of feet on the stairs, I knew that Mary and her fiancé were coming down. I moved away from him quickly.

  ‘I’ll see you tomorrow, Paul.’

  ‘You’ll see me in my dreams before that,’ he whispered and went out just as Mary came into the shop.

  ‘Dad has stopped for a chat with your father,’ she said and came to kiss me goodbye. ‘It was lovely having tea with you.’ The happiness seemed to shine out of her as she looked at Joe. ‘We’re going to the social on Wednesday. We’ll probably see you there. Mrs Robinson said you were going with Richard Gillows.’

  ‘Mum and me,’ I agreed with a giggle. ‘That’s twice we’re going out in one week. Wonders will never cease!’

  ‘It’s different with Richard, though, isn’t it?’ Mary said, arching her brows. ‘He’s been sweet on you for a long time.’ She glanced at the pretty amethyst ring on her left hand. ‘You’ll be wearing one of these soon.’

  I shook my head as my friend went out, but Mary only smiled mysteriously, as if she knew something I didn’t.

  She couldn’t think I wanted to marry Richard? I shuddered inwardly. I couldn’t think of anything I wanted less.

  The visit to the cinema the following evening was even better than I had expected. Paul bought chocolates for me and my mother from the shop, then came upstairs to wait while we finished getting ready.

  ‘Don’t worry, sir,’ Paul said to my father as he escorted us from the shop. ‘I’ll have them both safely home by ten at the latest.’

  ‘I’ll have locked up by then.’ Father frowned at my mother. ‘You’ve got your back door key, Greta?’

  ‘Yes, Harold. Don’t forget to take your medicine at nine.’

  He grunted assent, declining to answer and staring moodily after us as we went out.

  ‘Is Father ill?’ I asked my mother as Paul opened the car doors for us to get in. ‘He hasn’t mentioned anything to me.’

  ‘It’s just his usual trouble,’ she replied. ‘I suggested he visit the doctor, but he insists a good dose of syrup of figs will see him right.’

  It was cheaper than visiting the doctor, of course. I was thoughtful. I recalled Father rubbing his chest a couple of times that afternoon but hadn’t taken much notice. He suffered with indigestion and stomach trouble periodically, though he usually made little of it.

  ‘Isn’t this exciting?’ I said to my mother, pushing Father and his health problems from my mind. ‘I’m looking forward to it, aren’t you?’

  The film showing that night was Morning Glory and starred Katherine Hepburn. She had been voted the best actress of 1932 for her part in it and I’d wanted to see it the first time it had come to town. I hadn’t been allowed to go and hadn’t really ex
pected to see it this time either.

  ‘Paul, I want you to take me to my mother’s,’ Mother said, surprising me as he started the car. ‘You can fetch me afterwards if you will.’

  ‘Mum?’ I stared at her. ‘Do you mean it?’

  ‘I’ve no interest in playing gooseberry. Besides, it’s ages since I spent time with your grandmother. You can tell me about the film on the way home. Harold will be bound to ask.’

  ‘This is awfully good of you, Mrs Robinson,’ Paul said, glancing at her. ‘Are you sure you don’t mind?’

  ‘All I ask is that you look after Emma. I’m trusting you to take care of her.’

  ‘And I shall. Believe me.’

  It took only a few minutes to deliver Mother to the little cottage by the line, and a few more to reach the cinema. Paul bought three tickets and gave the stubs to me.

  ‘Keep them in case your father wants proof.’

  He seemed to think of everything. I slipped them into my coat pocket. It was very wrong of us to deceive Father like this, but I couldn’t feel guilty. If he had been more reasonable, this wouldn’t have been necessary.

  I was thrilled as we slipped into the very back row of the cinema. The programme had just begun with the Pathe News and the lights were down. No one even looked at us.

  After a few minutes, Paul put his arm about my shoulders. I turned to him at once and he kissed me. It was a long, lingering kiss this time and my head swam. I felt slightly dizzy and breathless. I was falling in love with him. I must be!

  We sat close together throughout the film, drawing apart only when the lights went up in the interval. I hardly knew what was happening on the screen. It was heaven just sitting there in the dark with Paul. He smelled so good. I wasn’t sure whether it was the expensive hair oil he had used, but something had an intoxicating effect on me.

  I wanted to stay there forever, sitting with him in the dark, but all too soon it was over and we had to leave. Paul kissed me again in the car, just before we fetched my mother. He held me so close that I felt as if I were a part of him – I wanted to be. My skin went hot all over as I realized what I was thinking.