The Golden Anklet

by Beverly Hansford

  ‘That would be super. We can go out for a meal. I know a lovely place. I’ll book a table.’

  ‘Sounds great. I’ll look forward to that.’

  So far, so good. Now for the difficult bit. This was new territory for Jane. There was an anxious element in her voice as she spoke. ‘And, Bob, you can stay over if you’d like to.’

  She waited anxiously for his reply.

  ‘That sounds a great idea. I’ll pack my overnight gear.’

  It was a relieved Jane who answered. ‘Oh, that’s super. I’m going to look forward to Saturday.’ The relief prompted her to add a bit of humour. ‘But there’s just one thing…’ She hesitated deliberately. ‘Unfortunately, my spare bedroom hasn’t got a lock on the door.’ She was being mischievous, and she knew it.

  Bob clearly got the message. He gave a little laugh. ‘OK. It’s no problem,’ he said.

  It was Jane who changed the subject. ‘Will you come by car, or train?’ she asked, resuming a more serious tone.

  ‘Train, I think. I don’t trust my old banger on long trips. I really must get some better transport.’

  ‘That’s fine. There’s a good train service. Can I give you directions to find me?’

  ‘That would be useful. Hang on a second – I think my pen’s run out. I’ll just fetch another one.’

  Jane waited until Bob was ready and then gave detailed instructions for getting to her apartment.

  When she had finished, Bob remarked, ‘Terrific. I should be able to find you now. I guess I’ll be with you around five. Would that be OK?’

  ‘That would be super. I’m really looking forward to it.’

  They continued the conversation for a few minutes and then Jane tactfully suggested that Bob might want to relax after his long day. After they had said their goodbyes, she settled back down on the sofa. She was pleased with how well everything had gone, and now all she had to do was to make the final arrangements for Saturday. She already had a plan. On the floor below her lived Mario, who ran a really nice restaurant overlooking the river. She had taken guests there on several occasions. Very often she encountered Mario when she went to work, but tomorrow if she failed to see him early she would call at the restaurant on her way home. She knew how to handle Mario, who tended to be a bit of a flirt with attractive women, and she would persuade him to let her book one of the prestige tables. When Saturday came, she would spend the day making everything ready.

  Chapter 7

  Jane was looking forward to the trip to Great Wishington immensely, partly because her revised thinking had worked out so well. Originally it had been her intention to invite Bob over for a visit that particular weekend, but when the option to visit Great Wishington had come up it had taken precedence. Then her concern and spontaneity had resulted in both events being planned.

  Her preparations for the first weekend had not gone quite to schedule. She had intended to set to and clean her apartment on the Friday evening, but she was late home from work and then as she opened her front door she discovered a note from Gerald asking whether he could have another look at her parents’ marriage certificate. After a quick bite to eat, she made her way to Gerald and Anna’s apartment with her documents. That was the end of her plans for the evening.

  Anna invited Jane to come in and have a coffee, and the three of them spent a leisurely time chatting. After that, Gerald insisted that she come into his ‘workroom’, as he termed it, so that he could show her the program he thought she should buy for her computer. They left Anna in the lounge watching television while they went into the second bedroom, where Gerald worked.

  Before showing Jane the program, he scrutinised her parents’ marriage certificate. ‘I just wanted to see who the witnesses to the wedding were,’ he explained. ‘Witnesses can often provide valuable clues in family history,’ he announced, looking up at a wondering Jane.

  ‘In what way?’ Jane asked.

  Gerald went into great detail about family histories he had researched where the name of a witness had resolved a question.

  While Gerald copied down the information he needed from her certificate, Jane’s attention was focused on his workroom. It was full of shelves crammed with books and files, all, as far as she could see, dealing with family history. Clearly for Gerald the subject was no passing phase.

  When Gerald showed her the computer program he thought might be suitable for her, Jane was excited and intrigued. Here on the tiny screen in front of her were records similar to the big books she and Bob had looked through at the Family Records Centre.

  ‘You mean you can view all the birth, marriage and death records on a computer just like this?’ she asked in amazement.

  Gerald smiled. ‘Absolutely,’ he replied. ‘Provided you buy the right program, you will also have the census records. Census records are a keystone in family history,’ he added.

  He then suggested that he help Jane download and set up the program over the weekend, and she tactfully said she was doing something else. The event was duly postponed until the following week.

  The evening was well advanced when at last Jane indicated that she had to go. After saying goodnight to Gerald and Anna, she retreated to her own apartment. Once there she realised that any cleaning that evening was out. It was already close to ten o’clock.

  *

  Jane was late up on the Saturday morning. She woke from a sound sleep to realise that it was close to half past seven, half an hour past her normal rising time. At the same time she suddenly remembered that she had an appointment at the hairdresser’s at eight-thirty. After a quick shower and a rushed breakfast she managed her appointment in time. When she left the hairdresser’s, there was some weekly shopping to do. It was while she was passing the shop where a few weeks previously she had bought her new bathrobe that she had an idea. She went into the shop and was pleased to see they still had stocks of the same item. She hurriedly searched through the rack. Bob was about the same build as Graham had been. A medium size should fit perfectly. ‘Why not?’ she thought. She took the robe to the till and left the shop with her purchase in a bag.

  Back home she set to and did the weekly cleaning. Lunch was just a cup of coffee and a cheese sandwich. While she was finishing her coffee she wandered, mug in hand, into her second bedroom. Everything was ready for Bob’s visit. A clean white bath towel lay on the bed, and beside it Jane’s latest purchase, the white bathrobe, with the labels removed. She hoped Bob wouldn’t mind a robe the same dazzling white as her own, but she didn’t think he would.

  By two-thirty she had retreated into the bathroom and was enjoying a relaxing bath. After that, all she had to do was finish getting ready. She had already decided on the dress she would wear. She had bought it for a friend’s wedding a year or so previously and it would suit the evening just fine. It was in a blue floral material and had a deep vee neck, and she had the necklace with the deep blue stone to go with it.

  When she took out the shoes that matched the dress, she was a bit dismayed to discover that they looked decidedly shabby. She had worn them frequently and the heels were scuffed from driving in them. Suddenly she had an idea. Rummaging in the bottom of her wardrobe, she pulled out a shoebox and took out a pair of shoes, scrutinising them carefully before dropping them on the floor at her feet and trying them on. She hadn’t worn them for years, but they fitted perfectly. They were medium-heeled mules with thin, soft brown leather straps. Skimpy, but enchanting to look at. She held them against the dress and that made up her mind. They would be perfect for the evening, and she had a soft brown leather shoulder bag that would go with them. Now she just had to get changed and wait for Bob to arrive.

  *

  It was just after half past five when Bob stepped off the train at Kew Gardens. Though he had travelled through London, the journey had been good, without any hold-ups, and he was slightly earlier than he had intended to be. He had phoned Jane a few evenings before to confirm their arrangements and she had told him that she had booke
d a table at the restaurant for seven o’clock. He had intended to get to Kew around six, and he hoped he wasn’t too early for her. The last thing he wanted to do was arrive when she was getting ready.

  He pulled from his pocket the crumpled bit of paper on which he had scribbled Jane’s directions. The walk was easy to follow and he soon arrived in the tree-lined road where Jane’s apartment was located. It was a very nice area and decidedly a bit upmarket, and it reflected the air of affluence that sometimes surrounded Jane. Despite being an orphan and having had a tough upbringing, she appeared now to have a comfortable lifestyle.

  He walked up to the front door and pressed the buzzer next to the label marked ‘J CARROLL’. Jane’s voice answered almost immediately.

  ‘Hello.’

  ‘Jane, it’s Bob. I’ve found you.’

  ‘Come on up. I’m all ready.’ There was an element of excitement in her voice.

  There was the unmistakable sound of the door catch being released, and Bob pushed the door open and stepped into the entrance hall. He scorned the lift and walked slowly up the carpeted stairs to the top floor. Jane was waiting at the open door. She was beautifully dressed, but shoeless.

  ‘Bob, it’s lovely to see you. Welcome to my home.’

  She offered her lips for a kiss and then stepped aside, holding the door wide open.

  Bob entered the apartment. He glanced down at Jane’s feet and then at his own. ‘I’ve got some house shoes somewhere,’ he said, lowering the weekend bag he carried over his shoulder to the floor.

  His comment and glance downwards prompted Jane to blush slightly. ‘Oh, Bob, I’m sorry. You don’t mind me being like this, do you? It’s a habit of mine to walk about in the flat without shoes.’

  Bob grinned at her. ‘I don’t mind one bit. I do the same quite often at home.’

  Jane took control. ‘Put your bag in here and then come into the lounge and relax.’ As she spoke she was already making for the spare bedroom and pushing open the door.

  Bob deposited his bag and opened it to take out his comfortable shoes. He glanced quickly around the room, noting the items set out on the bed, and then he joined Jane in the lounge. She was already seated on one of the settees.

  ‘What about some refreshment?’ she asked, smiling breezily. ‘Tea, coffee, a cold drink?’

  Bob thought for a second. It was a warm evening. ‘I’d love a cold drink,’ he replied.

  Jane immediately jumped up. ‘Orange or apple juice?’

  ‘Apple would be nice,’ he replied, smiling at her.

  She disappeared in the direction of the kitchen. Bob watched her go. She was, he thought, looking very attractive this evening. The figure-hugging dress she was wearing suited her, and for the first time since he had known her she was allowing her light brown hair to fall around her shoulders instead of wearing it pinned up in a practical fashion. It made her look even more feminine, he thought. He had also been pleased to see when she greeted him at the door that she was showing her legs for the first time in his company – legs that were quite shapely. Her appearance made him glad he had taken more care with his own outfit, exchanging his usual jeans for a pair of smarter cotton trousers and adding a lightweight jacket. He had even remembered to put a spare shirt and tie in his bag, just in case they were needed.

  He was looking around the room as he heard Jane returning. It was pleasant, light and airy, enhanced by the white decoration enlivened with a spot of colour here and there. The window opened up onto a balcony, and in the faint evening breeze the curtains moved slowly. His eyes had just fixed on a photograph when Jane returned carrying a tray with two glasses of juice.

  ‘My wedding photograph,’ she remarked, her eyes following his.

  She offered him a glass of juice from the tray. ‘We got married in the village where Graham’s parents live. They have this beautiful manor house in Oxfordshire. It’s a fabulous place. I still go to see them from time to time.’

  ‘Did you have a honeymoon?’ Bob asked. He was interested in Jane’s life.

  Jane put the tray on the coffee table and, taking her own glass, she sat down opposite Bob as she replied to his question. ‘Yes, we did. We had a marvellous time in Venice.’ She paused for a second, thinking, holding her glass with both hands, then continued. ‘We always enjoyed our holidays together, because Graham was away from me so much due to his job.’

  Bob was about to respond, but she continued almost immediately. ‘Graham was very good for me, because he took me out of myself. We did things together I’d never have dreamed of doing alone. We used to do quite mad things.’

  She took a sip of her drink. It gave Bob the opportunity to ask another question. He was becoming quite fascinated by Jane’s revelations. ‘That sounds interesting. What sort of things?’ he asked.

  Jane gave a little smile. ‘We went bungee jumping once. I screamed all the way down.’ she burst into laughter.

  ‘Good for you!’ Bob joined in her mirth.

  He suddenly noticed a second wedding photograph. It intrigued him. Whilst the first photograph depicted a formal wedding group, with Jane and her husband surrounded by family, this one featured just the two of them. Graham had Jane in his arms and, though she was in her wedding dress, she was barefoot.

  Jane watched Bob’s interest in the photograph. When he turned to her, she was smiling as she answered his silent query. ‘That was taken on our first wedding anniversary.’

  She guessed that he would not be satisfied with her simple explanation. His enquiring look confirmed it. She usually had the photograph out of sight when she had guests, but somehow she didn’t mind Bob seeing it, or elaborating on her first explanation.

  ‘Graham and I decided that each year we would confirm our marriage vows in a different way. I had this mad idea that I wanted to be married barefoot on a beach somewhere, so we packed my wedding dress in a suitcase and off we went to Florida.’

  ‘It looks as if everything went well. You look very happy.’ Bob felt he had to say it.

  Jane nodded. ‘It was fabulous. Every bit as good as I wanted it to be.’

  Bob was captivated by Jane’s revelations. This was a side of her he had not encountered before. He rather liked it and was eager to learn more.

  ‘What about the second anniversary?’ he asked. ‘What did you do then?’

  Jane looked at him and made a face. The conversation was going further then she had intended, but so what? Why shouldn’t Bob know about her past?

  ‘Do you really want to know?’ she asked, knowing perfectly well that he would say yes.

  Bob grinned at her. ‘Of course,’ he replied.

  She made another face at him and then continued. ‘Graham arranged everything and kept it as a big secret. All I knew was we were going to America and I didn’t need my wedding dress. We arrived at the airport and then had to drive quite a few miles to a place up in the mountains.’

  She paused for a second, looking at Bob.

  ‘What happened then?’ he prompted.

  Jane felt she wanted to finish quickly. She had never talked to anybody about this experience before. She continued, studying Bob’s reaction all the time.

  ‘Within a few minutes of our arrival, the penny dropped…’ She hesitated, but Bob’s enquiring look made her complete the sentence. ‘It was a naturist settlement.’

  Bob was surprised and amused. ‘You mean everybody was… naked?’

  She nodded. For a few seconds she avoided his look of surprise and spoke more slowly. ‘Absolutely. Or most of them. I was furious with Graham and refused there and then to do what he had in mind.’

  ‘You mean a nude ceremony?’

  Jane blushed slightly. ‘Yes,’ she replied simply.

  Bob felt great compassion for her. She was relating to him something most women would have kept to themselves, unless they were extroverts. Jane certainly wasn’t one, and he could see that she had been reluctant to disclose this experience. He had practically forced her to tell hi
m. He spoke more softly. ‘Tell me what happened then.’

  Jane suddenly brightened up and became more cheerful. ‘Well, I was grumpy all evening, but everybody was so kind and friendly that by the time we went to bed I was beginning to soften. The next morning I woke up and thought, why not? Nobody knows me here and none of our friends need to know. I’m going to do it.’

  ‘So you went through with it?’

  Jane nodded. ‘I did. Two of the women helped me get ready.’

  ‘Were you completely naked?’

  Jane gave him a coy grin and hesitated before continuing. ‘I just had a tiny apron of flowers and that’s all. I had a flower in my hair and a garland of flowers round my neck.’

  ‘Was Graham the same?’ asked Bob.

  ‘More or less,’ she replied, with a slight smile.

  ‘What about the actual ceremony? How did you cope?’

  Jane’s expression took on a serious note. She thought for a few seconds before answering. ‘That’s the odd thing. There were three other couples getting married. We were second. The fact that everybody else looked the same made all the difference. After the first appearance I became quite relaxed about the whole thing.’

  She suddenly laughed quite breezily. ‘In fact, the main concern I had was that I could feel that the soles of my feet were almost burning on the hot surface we stood on for the ceremony.’

  Bob joined her laughter. ‘I hope the parson was fully dressed,’ he said.

  Jane gave an amused smile. ‘He was,’ she replied. ‘He was really quite sweet and afterwards everybody had a fabulous celebration party. There must have been sixty or seventy people there, all in their birthday suits.’

  ‘I hope you’ve got a photograph,’ Bob butted in.

  Jane gave him a fake disapproving scowl. ‘Yes, I have, and I’m not showing it to you.’

  Bob laughed. ‘Spoilsport!’ he joked.

  Jane’s response was to hurl a cushion at him.

  As he recovered, Bob observed that Jane now had a more serious look about her. He was about to say something, but she spoke first.