Their Guilty Pleasures
Page 10
That evening, Ethel Brown was surprised to hear a knock at her door. She frowned and looked at the clock. Who on earth would be calling now? She walked to the door.
Standing outside, wet and bedraggled from the rain, was Sarah, clutching a suitcase.
Without hesitation, Ethel ushered her inside. ‘My goodness, you’re soaked. Now sit by the fire, I’ll go and get a dressing gown for you, then you must get out of those wet clothes. It’s not good for you or the baby.’ And she rushed out of the room. She returned and helped Sarah shed her clothes, gave her a towel and wrapped her in a dressing gown, and then sped into the kitchen to make a pot of tea.
When she returned with it all on a tray, Sarah looked at her in amazement. ‘You are an extraordinary woman. Not once have you asked me why I’m here!’
Ethel poured the tea. ‘It’s fairly obvious, love. I imagine that your family have kicked you out once they discovered you were pregnant.’ She looked up at Sarah. ‘I’m right, aren’t I?’
‘Sadly, you are.’
‘To be honest, Sarah, it’s no more than I expected. I’m just so sorry that I was correct. Here, drink this tea, it’ll warm you.’ Ethel didn’t question her, knowing that once Sarah had settled, she’d tell her what had happened.
After a while, she sat and listened to the sad story and was inwardly furious with Sarah’s parents for their heartless attitude towards their daughter. She could see that the young girl was upset.
‘Now, you listen to me. Gunter’s room is all ready. This is your home for as long as you like. Until you leave to get married, if that’s how it works out.’
‘You believe that Gunter will keep his word?’
‘Of course I do. Don’t you?’
‘Yes, but after listening to my mother, I couldn’t help wondering if she was right about him and I was wrong.’ She was fighting back the tears.
Ethel leaned forward and took her hand. ‘That man idolizes you, and don’t you ever doubt him – not for a minute!’
At that moment Arthur Brown walked in. He looked at Sarah and his wife and knew instinctively what had happened. ‘Hello, Sarah dear. Moving in, are you?’
‘If that’s all right with you, Mr Brown?’
‘You are more than welcome, girl. Now, how about a cup of tea? It’s bloody miserable out there, and I’ve just delivered a calf.’ He grinned at Sarah. ‘If when it’s your time you get caught out, don’t you worry, I’ll deliver your calf too!’
It was Christmas Day, and Jenny had invited Brad and Rusty to join her and Chad. The two Americans had both given Jenny food from the PX stores to help with the Christmas dinner, plus some champagne and wine.
The day was dry and crisp with a hoar frost in the morning. Jenny lit a fire in the drawing room, with a stack of logs at the ready which Chad had chopped a few days earlier. He arrived early to help her prepare.
As Jenny stood at the kitchen sink, washing the vegetables, he came behind her and encircled her waist with his arms. The scent of his aftershave drifted over her shoulder.
‘How’s my girl?’ he whispered.
She turned within his hold and put her arms around his neck. ‘I’m fine now that you’re here.’
He gave her a long lingering kiss. ‘Mmm, that’s nice,’ he said and kissed her again.
She reluctantly broke free. ‘Now stop that!’ she chided. ‘Or we’ll never be ready when the others arrive.’
‘We have lots of time, honey. What’s the rush?’ he teased.
‘Chad, behave yourself! Here, you can peel the carrots and parsnips.’ She handed him a knife.
He pulled a face at her. ‘Slave-driver!’
The aroma from the turkey cooking in the oven filled the room. ‘That smells real good,’ he said as he worked away. ‘Thank goodness I’ve found a woman who can cook.’
‘And if I couldn’t?’
‘I’d have to look elsewhere. After all, I need a woman who can cook when I’m out working the range.’ He smiled softly to himself and said, ‘I’ll have to teach you how to use a rifle, just in case some marauding Indians arrive at the ranch when I’m out working.’
Jenny looked at him with horror. ‘Indians?’
He laughed until his sides ached. ‘I’m only kidding! They’re all on reservations these days, but you should have seen the look on your face!’
At that moment the front doorbell went, and Jenny left him still laughing. As she let Brad and Rusty in she said, ‘You’re just in time to save Chad from being murdered.’
‘Oh my God, why?’ asked Rusty.
‘He’s been teasing me unmercifully.’ And she explained.
The day was one of the happiest either woman could remember. For Jenny, it was being without the constant demands from Adam and the stress of entertaining a room full of people she neither knew nor liked. Of now being held in the arms of the man she loved whilst they all sat enjoying the festivities, eating, and listening to records, and then dancing.
For Rusty, it was being in a nice home, away from the seedy side of Southampton, the pubs and the half-drunken men who were alone and would want to buy her body as a means of bringing some form of comfort to celebrate Christmas. Instead of such a sordid day, she was with a man who loved her for herself. She still lived in fear of being found out, so enjoyed every second she could, with her captain. The man she now knew she loved back and who would break her heart when he left these shores.
At Cherry Tree Farm, Sarah settled down to Christmas dinner with the Browns. It was good to see Arthur Brown sitting enjoying himself, thought Sarah, knowing how long his day was normally. A farmer’s life was not easy, but these two lovely people seemed to thrive on it, and Sarah admired their tenacity and enthusiasm.
In her pocket was a long letter from Gunter. He now knew that she was living there permanently. He’d written to say how sorry he was that he was the cause of the break-up of her family, but he’d told her to just think of the family they were starting, together.
I love you with all my heart, liebling. Just think of our future together and of our baby. I just wish I could be with you, but one day we will all be together.
These words would sustain her in the days ahead.
Thirteen
Winter had passed, and the spring of 1944 was upon them. Jenny wondered how the time could have gone so quickly. She heard infrequently from Adam, but so far he was fine. Like so many serving men, all he prayed for was the war to be over so he could return home to normality.
But life was far from normal. Troops and tanks poured into Southampton in preparation for the invasion of Normandy. Code name Overlord. June the sixth the designated day. Men, landing craft and war machines filled every available space. Bulldozers cleared bombed sites to make way for the ever increasing armoury.
Brad was busy, keeping the welfare of the troops in check. Not an easy task, as by now they all felt that something big would happen soon, and they were determined to have a last wild fling whenever they could. Fights broke out in bars between men fuelled with alcohol, wondering if soon they would be dead – and once again, Joe Kowalski, with three other GIs, was up before the Captain. They had been involved in a fracas in a pub with some British soldiers, ending when one of the Brits was thrown through a window.
First up was Kowalski, marched in by Chad and a military policeman.
Brad glowered at the GI. ‘I’d hoped I’d seen the last of you, soldier! I see the time in the glasshouse didn’t teach you a thing.’
Joe didn’t answer, but stared defiantly at the captain. He hated being disciplined; he’d had enough of that in Pennsylvania from his father.
‘For Gods sake, Kowalski, you’ll be facing the enemy soon enough, why the hell can’t you wait until then?’
Joe straightened his stance. ‘I wasn’t going to take that crap from no Limey! He was calling us all cowards for not coming into the war before Pearl Harbour. He said we were a shower of layabouts, without discipline, only interested in booze and women.’
‘There were a couple of whores, yes, sir. They wanted to be with us, and the British soldiers didn’t like it.’ With a sly smile he added, ‘You know what it’s like, sir. The broads love us Americans, just like your dame. Now she’s really hot – and very popular.’
Brad froze. ‘What are you implying, Kowalski?’
The GI suddenly realized that the captain was unaware that Rusty was a prostitute – this man who’d put him in the glasshouse. What a perfect opportunity to get back at him. ‘You mean you get her services for free, when I had to pay? But then you being an officer and all, I expect she gets paid in other ways.’
Chad saw Brad’s knuckles clench until they showed white as he fought to keep control.
‘Get him out of here until I decide what to do with him!’
As the men marched out of the room, escorted by Chad, Brad took a cigarette out of a pack and lit it. Kowalski must be lying, surely? He couldn’t conceive that he was speaking the truth. Not his Rusty . . . and yet, there had been a certain ring of truth in the man’s voice.
Chad returned to the room. ‘Are you ready for the next man, sir?’
‘Give me ten minutes, Corporal, then bring him in.’
Outside, Chad took a deep breath. Jesus, he thought, if that GI was right . . . But he couldn’t quite get his head around the fact. He liked Rusty. Could she really be a prostitute? He knew that she and the Captain were real close, he had seen the way they had looked at each other. Whatever would Brad do? He couldn’t let the matter rest there; he’d have to find the truth.
How he got through the day, Brad didn’t know. He was a professional, so he kept it together, but all the time in the back of his mind was the awful question: was the GI right?
Was Rusty a whore? Had Kowalski paid her for sex? The very idea sickened him. If the man was speaking the truth, how many other men had shared her bed, stroked her body and caressed her – as he had done, but with so much love. This was the woman he’d hoped to spend the rest of his life with if he was spared. Had she lied to him about being a typist? Had everything she’d told him been a lie? Surely not! It was driving him crazy. Well, this evening he was taking her out to dinner; tonight he’d search for the truth.
Unaware of the situation, Rusty dressed in readiness for her date. She hummed a tune as she did so. She was deliriously happy. She loved Brad, and he said he loved her too. Never had she thought she’d be lucky enough to meet such a man, and although war was a dreadful time, without it she’d never have met the good-looking captain. Secretly, she wondered if perhaps after the war she and Brad could be together. He had hinted as much without actually committing himself. As he had said, war was full of uncertainties; until it was over it would be foolish to make plans. She lived in hope, almost too scared to believe it was a possibility. After all, he came from a different class than her, he was a doctor, had been well educated, but happily that didn’t seem to make a difference when they were together.
Brad waited for Rusty outside the restaurant where he’d booked a table. His shoulders and neck ached, he was so tense. He lit a cigarette and drew deeply on it to try and bring some kind of relief. He had to find out if Kowalski was speaking the truth, but how on earth was he going to broach the subject? He could hardly ask outright: ‘Are you a whore?’ Besides, he didn’t really believe it, not his Rusty . . . but he couldn’t rid himself of that vague feeling of doubt.
He saw her approaching, saw her face light up as she spied him waiting.
She ran into his arms and kissed him. ‘Hello, darling, I’m so happy to see you. Have you had a busy day?’
He answered briefly and ushered her into the restaurant.
As they sat reading the menu, Rusty looked at Brad. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but something was different. Brad wasn’t smiling, he looked so serious. Perhaps something had happened during his working day. She knew that sometimes he had to make decisions that caused him great concern. That was probably it.
They ordered from the menu, and Brad asked the waiter to bring the wine and pour it whilst they waited.
When he had done so, Rusty picked up her glass. ‘To us, darling.’
Brad clinked his glass with hers and drank. ‘How was your day?’ he asked.
She shrugged. ‘Same old same old. Letters to be typed, files to be filed.’
‘Just where is your office?’ he asked. ‘You’ve never told me.’
This took her by surprise. ‘Down by the docks,’ she said.
‘What sort of firm is it that you work for?’
She had to think quickly. ‘One of the shipping lines.’ She quickly changed the subject. ‘How was your day?’
Brad paused for a moment as the waiter served the first course. ‘To be honest it was a hell of a day one way and another! Some of my men were involved in a fight at a pub, and one of the British soldiers was thrown through a window.’
‘Oh my God! Is he all right?’
‘He’ll be fine, though he had a few cuts from the glass. He’s in hospital with a few stitches. He was lucky. Unfortunately, one of the men involved is always in trouble. A big guy called Kowalski.’ He looked at her, waiting to see her reaction. There was none.
Rusty only knew the GI as Joe, so his surname didn’t mean a thing.
Brad began to relax. ‘The men are all under a great deal of stress, knowing that they’ll soon be in the fighting line. All they want is to get drunk and get laid. Business is good for the whores of the town. They must be making a fortune.’
Rusty choked on her food.
Brad stood up and thumped her hard on her back, and then handed her a glass of water. ‘Here, drink this.’
She did so, then with some difficulty said, ‘It went down the wrong way.’ And took another drink of water.
Brad just watched her as she recovered. Was it guilt that had made her choke? He still didn’t want to believe that she had been lying to him all this time. He couldn’t bring himself to question her further, but neither could he behave normally. His suspicions made conversation stilted, no matter how he tried to be himself . . . and Rusty couldn’t help but feel the tension between them.
After the meal, Brad made an excuse that he had to return to camp and catch up with some paperwork. He kissed her briefly, put her into a taxi and told her he’d be tied up for the rest of the week so she should call him on Friday evening – and then he went to the nearest pub for a beer.
As she sat in the taxi, Rusty tried to understand Brad’s mood during the evening. Yes, he’d had a bad day, but there was more to it than that – his attitude towards her was different. She’d been with him before when his day had been difficult, but he’d always treated her with the same tenderness that had grown between them. Tonight, that warmth had been missing. It was almost like being with a stranger, not a lover. And why all the questions about her work? He’d never been bothered about that before. She just couldn’t understand it.
The next morning Brad called Chad into the office. Although they met socially at the stables and at Jenny’s, when they were in the office, before other ranks, they maintained a professional outward appearance. Now, however, Chad was the only person who Brad could trust to help him.
‘Sit down,’ said Brad. ‘You heard what Kowalski said yesterday about Rusty?’
‘Yes, I did.’ Chad wondered what was coming next.
‘I want you to find out where he goes usually, what pubs he uses, his general movements when he’s on the town.’
Now Chad knew what was wanted of him and why. ‘Are you really sure you want to go down this road?’ he asked softly.
With a deep sigh, Brad said, ‘I have no option. I have to find out the truth or I’ll be wondering a
ll the time I’m with Rusty.’
‘Look, Brad, you love the girl, it’s obvious to everyone when you’re together. What if Kowalski is right? How will you feel about Rusty then? The girl is crazy about you, surely you know that?’
‘Frankly, at this moment I’m not even sure of my own name!’ He shook his head. ‘This has thrown me completely. Yes, I do love Rusty; in fact, I had hoped that after the war she’d marry me and move to the States.’
‘And now?’
‘And now, I’m going crazy.’ He looked at the other man, his face grim with worry. ‘Could it possibly be true?’
Chad was filled with sympathy. What if it was true, he wondered. It would be terrible. His captain had been so happy with the vibrant woman, and she with him. They looked so right together, and he was filled with trepidation about the task in front of him. ‘OK, if that’s what you really want, I’ll do what I can. But be very sure, because once I leave the room, you’ll have started something you may live to regret.’
‘No, do it! I won’t be able to rest until I know, one way or another.’
Chad rose from the chair. ‘Very well. I’ll start tonight.’
But, once sitting at his own desk, Chad prayed that Kowalski was wrong. Could he have mistaken Rusty for another woman? No, she was very distinct, with her hair and her exuberance. He couldn’t shake the feeling that the GI had sounded genuine. He wasn’t just being a smart Alec, and when Brad had queried his comment about Rusty, the soldier had looked surprised. Chad had a bad feeling about what he was about to do. But there was no way he could get out of it. Brad was his friend and had asked a favour of him, so he’d have to do as he was asked. No matter what.
Fourteen
Sarah had just another month to go before the birth of her baby. By now she was feeling heavy and had difficulty sleeping, as the baby seemed to be a night owl and kicked her as she lay in bed. Mrs Brown had advised her to give up work, and when Sarah had said she needed to earn money, the farmer’s wife had dismissed her concerns.
‘Rubbish! You’ve been saving, and the baby has a layette all ready. Your stay here and your food doesn’t require money; no, lass, you take it easy during these final weeks. The baby will surely benefit, and so will you. You need the rest now, because after you’ve given birth, you’ll be up during the night feeding your child. Anyway, I’ll be glad of the company, and you can do little jobs for me in the house.’