A New Dream by Maggie Ford (world of reading .TXT) 📕

the worry of how to afford paying back the bank loan; the unceasing hard work ever since. Now, with two days to go to October, and Christmas once again on the horizon, she knew they’d probably be too occupied getting ready for the busy season to speak of personal matters.

Watching the cinema screen that evening, Julia could barely concentrate on the story or what the actors were doing. She could think of nothing but the end of their evening; of not going upstairs for once, instead letting him draw her into his bedroom, of lying in his bed, his hands gently, tenderly exploring her naked body, the heat of his kisses, she and he becoming one. But she knew it wouldn’t happen. She might stay for a nightcap, maybe even longer, but as soon as she had finished her drink she would say she must go, that her mother would be wondering where she was. What if she didn’t though?

With these thoughts going round and round in her head she returned home with Simon. They crossed the stockroom together, he with his hand in hers, she with her heart thumping in anticipation of what could be if she allowed love to take its course.

At the door he paused before opening it, turning to look at her. ‘You’ll have a drink before you go?’

Why did he always say it in that tone of voice, as if he thought she might turn and run for her life?

‘Yes,’ she said simply.

Already her heart had calmed for she knew what would happen. He would put his finished whisky glass on the little sideboard, take her almost empty glass and put that too to one side, then kiss her. Gently and lovingly at first, but as the kiss became a little more urgent, making her want to melt into his arms, she would feel her muscles stiffen and he would feel them too, and let go of her. Then she would move away from him, saying it was late, her mother would be worrying. Excuses, excuses!

For something to say to combat her unease as they stood in his lounge with their drinks, she said, ‘I think Virginia is enjoying modelling dresses. I think that as it’s only in the salon and for lady customers she feels safe. And she is so pretty and graceful and so slim that she attracts clients to buy…’

Realizing she was gabbling on, she let her words tail off.

He didn’t respond. He hadn’t even smiled. He stood gazing silently at her for so long that she laughed nervously. ‘What is it?’

‘I was just wondering when you were going to say that in a moment you’ll have to be going upstairs, that your mother will be worrying again.’

It was said so slowly and deliberately that it sounded more like a taunt, leaving her at a loss.

‘I… wasn’t…’ she faltered, frowning at the brusque way he’d spoken to her.

But he wasn’t finished. ‘Only your mother may be wondering where you are if you stay too long,’ he went on in the same tone.

Taken aback, and hurt by his accusatory tone, Julia found her voice. ‘It’s not that…’ she began, then stopped, confused.

He still hadn’t smiled, but his tone had softened. ‘Come and sit down for a moment,’ he said quietly. Wordlessly she followed him over to the little two-seater sofa and they sat down together.

‘We’ve known each other for nearly eighteen months,’ he began.

‘July 1922,’ she interrupted. ‘Nearly fifteen months.’ To her relief she saw him smile at last.

‘Then don’t you think it’s about time we got married?’

Julia found herself holding her breath. It had come right out of the blue and for a second she thought she had misheard him. But in the next second her breath returned with a gasp as she realized that she had heard him correctly.

He was still looking at her and it seemed to her an age had passed since he’d said the words. Now he took her hands between his and as she remained staring at him, he looked steadily into her eyes.

‘Julia, will you marry me?’

‘Yes,’ she said in a small voice. And then, breathless with sudden, overwhelming happiness, she burst out, ‘Oh, yes, Simon, oh, yes, yes!’

The next moment she was in his arms, all thoughts of leaving forgotten. Tonight she would not leave; tonight she would stay with the man she loved – and upstairs they could think what they damn well liked!

‘It’s disgusting!’ Stephanie stalked back and forth across the large, well-furnished living room, her fists clenched, her pretty features tight. It didn’t occur to her to feel glad for her sister, to feel gratitude for the lovely flat that they now lived in, provided for them by her sister, whose good fortune had been so generously shared with them.

‘And you!’ She turned on Virginia with a sneer. ‘Surely you won’t be going on working for her still, knowing what’s been going on.’

Ginny bristled. ‘What’s been going on, as you put it, is no business of mine.’

‘It’s all our business,’ Stephanie raged on. ‘She’s our sister, and your daughter, Mummy.’ She turned to her mother, who sat with clasped hands in the lovely brocade armchair that was part of the suite Julia had bought for them. ‘And I certainly don’t think it proper for Ginny to go on modelling for her, knowing what those two have obviously been up to.’

They’d been concerned when Julia hadn’t come back upstairs after her evening out and Stephanie had been all for going down to Simon’s rooms to find out what was going on.

‘For all we know she might have been knocked down on her way home and taken into hospital,’ she’d said.

Her mother had said quietly, ‘We would have been told. We were told straightaway when your poor father…’ she’d broken off, unable to say any more.

Refusing to be silenced, Stephanie had gone down the iron stairs outside to the back yard, returning a couple of minutes later with lips as tight as if