by Carl Leckey
“Yvette is a very naughty young lady sometimes. She falls in and out of love with Jean it is a very rocky romance. I believe she leads him on. I have had words with her in the past he is a nice boy and deserves better treatment.” As Denise appears upset discussing her sister’s love life I hurriedly change the subject. “Do you think the Marquis will cause much fuss about the three of you disappearing?” Denise stretches and replies. “Who cares, I am a married woman and I have more things to do with my life than worry about that evil man. As a matter of fact I have a good idea right now.” She reaches over and fondles my flaccid penis, when it begins to harden she chuckles triumphantly. “I think I will enjoy being married to you my love.” She giggles and adds. “It looks as if I have the ability to train the beast already?” A night of wild passion follows until close to dawn I fall into an exhausted sleep. In my excitement to get to bed Denise and I had left the coach house doors wide open. I awoke from a sound sleep to hear Jean calling our names from down below.
Denise is already up I can hear her in the kitchen. I drag on some trousers and go out onto the landing to greet him. He evidently understood by my appearance I had just awoken he asks me “Que dois-je faire alors?” I think he is asking me for a job. I notice he is still dressed in his best clothes. I am about to explain when Denise appears she speaks to him in rapid French then turns to me. “He has had his breakfast Jean wants you to give him a job while you have yours. He is a good worker my cousin and does not like to be idle.” She smiles. I reply. “Tell him there are tools on the bench. Pull the boards off the windows and doors of the other stable block I shall join him shortly when I have eaten. We shall have to find him some working clothes.” A rapid exchange between them follows he departs with a wheel barrow full of tools. I am about to head into the kitchen to eat when Denise grasps my hand and leads me into the bedroom. “One more time Cheri then I shall feed my handsome husband.” We make love yet again. As we lay together on the bed afterwards Denise suddenly says. “I love this house I feel so happy here.” “That’s good my love but that’s a strange thing to say after we have made love.” Denise answers slowly as if considering her words. “Although I do have strange feelings it’s hard to explain.” She pauses for a moment as she searches for an explanation. “It is as if I am acting out a role in a play.” “How do you mean?” I enquire. “Well take last night for example? I never thought in my wildest dreams I would ever expose my naked body to a man, not even my husband.
Yet I did so without feeling ashamed. I even enjoyed the experience, I have to admit it even it gave me a kind of thrill.” I reply with a little laugh.
“It was a vision of loveliness it certainly gave me a thrill.” Denise tries to explain her dilemma. “You have to understand Adam. I was brought up a convent girl. The rules about modesty are very strict. Do you know we weren’t even allowed to look on our own naked bodies?” “That’s sounds daft, how were you supposed to have a bath?” I ask incredulously. “We had to wear a full length shift when we bathed.” She responds. “Whew! What a life you led my poor love? What a waste covering this lovely body?” I run my hand across her breasts admiringly and add. “Mind you I had to suffer the same kind of weird idiots in the orphanage.” She cuddles closer. Denise continues looking for answers to questions regarding her behaviour. Her strict catholic upbringing is still plaguing her mind. “Then there was the manner I behaved in bed. I acted like a wanton hussy. The nuns would say the devil possessed me.” “What do you think you were supposed to do? Lie still with your eyes shut thinking of France or England?” She considers my response for a moment then informs me. “They told us that if a man even kisses a girl on the lips or touches her on the leg or here.” Denise points at her breasts. “We could have a baby.”
I smile kiss her lovely breasts in turn then assure her. “Don’t believe that load of tripe. Do you remember when I kissed you for the first time years ago at the chateau when it was snowing?” “Of course I do how could a girl forget her first kiss?” I point out. “Well you didn’t get pregnant then did you?” “Ha! That is because I kept my legs pressed together and had a clove of garlic in my pocket.” Denise counters.
I respond a little cynically. “I suppose that was it then. Well you didn’t have your legs pressed together last night and you certainly didn’t have any pockets to conceal garlic.”
“Oooh!” she responds. “Then I am most probably having a baby? I wonder will our baby be a girl or boy?”
This conversation is too deep for me I can’t cope. “Denise please don’t believe those old wives tales, but my love promise me you won’t change. As for acting like a wanton hussy you have French blood coursing through your veins. The French nature is well known for its passion. What do dried up frustrated old nuns know about love making anyway?
I bet given the chance they would have changed places with you.” Denise is shocked. “You are naughty Adam saying those things about nuns. God himself tells them what to say.” I find myself losing patience, how many lives have these lunatics ruined with their nonsense.
I reply angrily and immediately regret it.
“Denise I am glad you are as you are sweetheart. You gave me the most wonderful night any man could wish for with his bride, We are married now we cannot be sinning,” I try another angle by pointing out. “Didn’t Father Gregory and Father Peter both bless our union?” My reasoning appears to satisfy her, however the questions continue.
“Do you feel anything Adam, in the house I mean? Remember all those beautiful old dresses that were here. I wonder where they are now? Do you think Alec has thrown them out?” I hastily answer. “I hope he has, we want a fresh start without sad memories. I feel only happiness because I am with you my love.” Denise runs her hand down her stomach. “Cheri, do you think I will really be pregnant now we have made love properly?” Her question startles me as I thought we had settled the matter.
To be truthful I had not considered that aspect of our love making. “Er I don’t know much about things like that my love, maybe it takes time. Why not ask Alec’s wife? Er do you want to have a baby right away?” “Oh yes. Father Gregory told us to go forth and multiply when we were married. I suppose you missed that because he spoke in French. I want lots of children I think about ten will be nice do you?” “Oh er of course, that will be lovely.” I reply hurriedly. What else should I say? I have no idea where we will house these hoards of children she desires. We will have to deal with that problem, if and when it happens. I believe it is time to end this complicated conversation. “Come on Denise.”
I stretch and swing my legs off the bed. “I am starving I will have to keep my strength up if I am to perform the baby making ceremony every night.” I must have a word with Alec and see if his wife will educate Denise in the ways of the world especially the reproduction of the human species. Cousin Jean will be looking for me if I don’t shape up. After I have had breakfast a wash and shave. Denise heads for the market to purchase food and working clothes for Jean, and I explore the courtyard before joining him at the stable block. I discover the rear of the big house is now sealed off from the coach house separated by a newly constructed wall. Many pieces of furniture and Oscars belongings are stacked under covers in the corner of the coach house. The small door previously blocked by a tree is now clear making our flat accessible through the wash house. This will save us using the big double doors. Jean has already ripped many of the boards from the stable windows, he is about to tackle the doors when I arrive. Together we gain entrance into the main door, inside is a small hall and a staircase. Before we climb these we unblock the rest of the windows allowing light to penetrate.
The stairs are thick with pigeon droppings and other accumulated rubbish as we ascend to a small landing.
It is exactly the same lay out as the flat Denise and I now occupy except a door leads off to the hay loft situated above the stalls the flat is devoid of furniture. The rest of the stable block on the ground floor consists of six separate stalls and a groom’s st
orage room. I am quite proud of my ability to communicate with Jean albeit slowly in his own language although he doesn’t say much as we work. Denise returns and we break for coffee. She has purchased enough working clothes for Jean and myself, I ask Jean to check out the coaches and harness tackle while I take the truck back to the depot. Denise has already begun altering the clothes to fit us when I leave the flat. The lads are surprised to see me and greet me warmly with a few ribald comments about married life. One of the fitters is out driving because the depot is still short of drivers. Seven of the trucks are out working with the one I have returned we have three in reserve. I deliver the truck to the maintenance shed and retire to the office. Immediately the kettle goes onto the stove for a brew. I give Alec a run down on the retrieval of the vehicle and my plans for the stable and coaches. Alec joins in enthusiastically and informs me he knows where we are able to purchase army horses cheap before they are taken by the slaughter houses. All business settled I volunteer to operate a truck until we are able to find some more drivers. My offer reminds him of a couple of letter he has received. Three envelopes with English stamps and one which is strange to me, I open that one first. Thank goodness it is from Oscar but not bearing the best of news. He is under arrest in his home town accused of desertion in the face of the enemy during the war.
It seems when he was presumed killed a distant relative had taken over all his estate and property holdings, When Oscar showed up without record of being registered as a prisoner of war his relative and a lawyer had engineered charges against him. If I would verify he had been a POW and had escaped he should be released and what remained of his property etc would be returned to him. I immediately write him a long letter verifying his story and explaining my part in his escape hoping it has no repercussions for me. The three letters from England come next. One is from Billy telling me he had contacted Toot and is heading to France to see me. There is good news from Toot in the next letter. He informs me he has left the army and secured the post as chauffeur with my Mother. Toot is obviously very happy there. He and his family now live in the house on the estate. The third letter is from my old pal Sandy. He is now well on with his recovery and remembering more and more about his past life as days go by.
However he fears it will be a long time before he is back to normal.
He praises the family looking after him and assures me he is very content in the village of Acton Bridge. The part of the letter that draws my attention however, Sandy has met a widow and is working part time for her organising her orchards. In the manner he describes her I detect something more than an employer and employee. I wonder do I detect some romance there? Sandy deserves some happiness after what he has suffered during the war, if he is able to find it with a good woman, so much the better? Still I would dearly like to see him face to face.
I am about to reply to the letters when at that moment one of the trucks appears suffering with tyre trouble, the cobbled roads appear to be breaking them up. I have read about replacement pneumatic tyres we must look into them The English driver reports to Alec who allocates one of the spare vehicles. I ask him. “How are things going George?” He answers. “We are working none stop we sure could do with a few more drivers.” This is all the invitation I need to get back behind a steering wheel. When he sets off with his replacement truck I follow in the other. For the rest of the week it is early start and late finish as we shift goods and building material all around the area. On Sunday we have a day off and I am able to spend the time with Denise. She hasn’t complained once about my neglecting her on our honeymoon. Although I am tired out we still make passionate love every night. One thing that is beginning to concern me Denise is becoming obsessed with getting pregnant. Every time we make love she is she asks the same question. “Do you think you have put a baby inside me this time?” Marguerite, Yvette and Denise have become great friends. When I next see Marguerite I ask her to have a talk with Denise about the facts of life as Denise has adopted her as more or less a Mother figure.
The friendship has taken a great deal of worry off my mind. I feared Denise would be lonely away from her family in the chateau village. Jean has established himself in the flat above the stables living quite roughly sleeping on one of Oscars beds. He is sharing meals with us until he sorts out furniture and the cooking stove. Alec and I have agreed to pay him a weekly wage based on a drivers pay. He insisted on living over the stable block Denise fears her sister has something to do with his departure from Alec’s house. Jean has done a fantastic job in the short time he has been with us.
The courtyard has been completely tidied, and all the weeds cleared. Paul has mended almost everything. I congratulate him as the place looks a picture. He has even cleared the abandoned vegetable patch and Denise planted vegetables and flowers.
Denise attends morning service in the local church.
Jean informs me on Monday he proposes removing the wheels off the coaches. I offer to take them to a wheelwright for refurbishment in one of the trucks when I have time. Later in the day we help Jean install furniture curtains etc into his flat, it looks very comfortable by the time we part in the evening. Yvette has not visited us since she left to live with Marguerite. When Denise met her at the church she has the opinion there is something wrong between herself and Jean.
Monday morning back to another day of nonstop driving, this continues all week. The days are lengthening and we are working longer and longer hours. There is still no reply from Oscar. I am very worried about him but have no idea what I can do to help. Alec suggests I write to the Colonel to confirm the information I have forwarded to Oscar. I write the letter with Alec’s help and post it immediately. Two weeks after I arrived back at Le Havre my mate Billy turns up. He appears at the depot as I am about to leave with one of the trucks. I can’t delay so I take him with me on the run. As I drive we speak excitedly about what we have been up to since demob. It seems Billy had found employment as a bus driver. He enjoyed the job at first but soon got bored covering the same routes day after day. After a couple of weeks he handed in his notice and went in search of Toot in Kent.” “I am very restless Scouse My old mate.” He confesses. “I hate to admit it but I miss the war. I never thought I would admit it but I do. Not the killing and all that shit, but I miss me mates and living on the edge. Life is as dull as dishwater in civvystreet. You know I even considered re enlisting imagine me signing on again? That shows you how pissed off I was eh? “I thought you were going to drive for the Colonel?” I enquire. “Oh!Dear,” Billy replies “That’s a long story. I wrote to the Colonel at the address he gave us when we got demobbed and had no answer When I got offered the job on the buses I thought I better check if he was wanting me to drive for him.
I had no reply to my letter. Anyway I borrowed a motor bike from a mate of mine and went up to see him, You know Scouse he had done nothing about setting his transport company up I found him eventually propping up a bar pissed as a fart and that was in the morning. He looks a mess. The good Colonel is a lush and is drinking himself to death if you ask me.
He hardly recognised me. The barman told me he spends his days boozing and talking about the good old days and the good friends he lost in the war. The locals treat him as a joke it really upset me and I left” He adds thoughtfully. “I couldn’t wait to get away from him to be honest.”
Billy’s description of my friend the Colonel saddens me.
I wonder is there any way I can help him I owe him a great deal.
God! I find it hard to believe such a good man reduced to a drunk. Will the effects of the war never end?
Billy carries on with his story. “When I got home I took the bus drivers job in my local town right away I know now it was a big mistake. Do you remember how much I wanted to be a bus driver when I got demobbed?” “Yes Bill I do recall you were always on about it. You wanted to show off in front of your mates. You bored the pants off us.” “Well I bored the pants off myself you will be glad to hear. Going around and arou
nd I was bloody dizzy by the time I finished a day’s work. The only good thing was they had some tasty clippies. I tried punching a few of their tickets, but I had no joy. Ha. Ha.” “Trust you Bill I see you haven’t changed?”
I deliver the load and return to the depot where I introduce him to Alec. “This is the lad I told you about he’s a good driver but a bit bored with civvy life.” Alec shakes his hand and says. “Right Billy you take the truck parked on the end it’s just been serviced follow Adam. It’s just local stuff today. I have some long runs on the agenda you can handle them ok. You will be establishing our long distance service have you had anything to eat?” Billy is gobsmaked for a moment then grins when he recovers. “Righto Alec is she fuelled up?” He tosses his bag into the cab cranks the engine he is behind the wheel in a flash following my vehicle out of the gate. We stop off at the café for a meal and Billy reveals how he got to France. When he received my letter informing him of my involvement with the trucks he made up his mind to come back to France. “I wrote to Toot and he told me you had recommended him for a chauffeur’s job. By the time I had made it down to Kent he had finished with the army. Toot and his family had moved to the house on the estate. You will be glad to hear he loves the job and his wife and kids have settled in. I had a few pints and a game of darts in the local pub with Toot and a few of his new mates. Tell you something Scouse I wouldn’t mind working there myself. Wow! It’s some place eh, and the two women that own the place, bit tasty them eh? I wouldn’t mind getting my feet under their table? Eh! Scouse, Toot told me the one called Angelique is always asking him about you.
I think she must fancy you my old lad she would be quite a catch for you if you wasn’t married.
Mind you she is a bit old for you Scouse. Now take me for instance? Age doesn’t matter to me as long as they are goers. I’ve never been with a posh bird I mean a real posh one like her I bet they are quite a rumble.” Billy has that silly look on his face I remember very well as he fantasises. The conversation is getting too close to home for me.
