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

sure you never intended to get married,’ her mother complained as November arrived. ‘Too content living in sin! It’s shameful, selfish and wicked! You’ve no care how I feel, the pair of you!’

Julia might have protested, but she was tired of her mother insisting on seeing it her way. She merely turned away, leaving Victoria to her whining. Her love for Simon wasn’t wicked or selfish. More than anything she wanted to be his wife but circumstances seemed always to prevent it.

‘Couldn’t we manage a Christmas wedding?’ she asked. They were sitting up in bed together just like an already married couple, he reading a few brochures, she a novel before they turned out the light and snuggled down together.

He put the brochures down on the counterpane and pursed his lips thoughtfully, then nodded. ‘I don’t see why not. There’s little going on until New Year when it all starts up again. Yes, it would be just right. And this time, my love, nothing is going to stand in our way – I mean, nothing!’

The words were hardly out of his mouth before Julia dropped her novel and threw herself into his arms. ‘Oh, darling, yes, this time, yes!’ she squealed. ‘My dearest, I do love you so.’

It was the most glorious night, making love, falling asleep exhausted in each other’s arms, neither of them having thought to wind up the bedside alarm clock. Julia awoke next morning to find that they’d overslept. Calling him awake, she washed, cleaned her teeth, dressed, combed her short hair and applied a little make-up all in the space of ten minutes. There was no time for breakfast, she could eat later. While Simon shaved she went down to open the shop. No one would come this early but it would not look good if they didn’t open on time. She had just come away from the unlocked door when its bell tinkled.

Turning back she saw Stephanie standing in the open doorway, her face pale and drawn, her lips working, her eyes brimming over with tears.

Julia stared at her. ‘Whatever is the matter?’

Stephanie came forward, moving slowly, her eyes fixed on her sister. But before she came too close she stopped as though there were a glass barrier in her way.

‘What is it, Stephanie? What’s the matter?’ Julia repeated, now fearful that something terrible must have happened. Her thoughts flew instantly to her mother. Had she collapsed, had a heart attack, a stroke, maybe fallen down the outside stairs? All sorts of dreads flooded her mind in that split second. ‘What’s happened?’

At her words, Stephanie ran forward and almost collapsed into her arms.

‘Oh, Julia, I’m in such trouble! I don’t know what to do.’

Despite the girl’s anguish, Julia felt a surge of relief. It was only to do with Stephanie, who was always in anguish over something. She had the capacity to make a big thing out of nothing – a bit like her mother, only Stephanie was more forceful.

‘What trouble? Who’s upset you now?’

Stephanie had drawn away from her. ‘I don’t know how to tell you. I can’t tell Mummy. I had to come to you.’

There was a long pause and then Stephanie burst out, ‘I think I’m pregnant.’ As she spoke the last word her voice gave way, ending in a high squeak.

She stood in the centre of the shop, a forlorn figure. She was now beyond distress, appearing resigned to whatever fate awaited her.

Julia repeated incredulously, ‘Pregnant?’

Her sister nodded dumbly.

‘Stephanie, how can you be?’

Stephanie hung her head. ‘Don’t tell Mummy,’ was all she said.

‘No, listen! I asked you, how can you be pregnant? What makes you think you are?’

‘I’ve not seen my periods for three months.’

That didn’t mean much. Julia knew some girls were like that. Perhaps Stephanie was ill and hadn’t realized it. ‘Have you seen a doctor about it?’

When Stephanie shook her head, she hesitated before saying disbelieving, ‘Have you been with someone?’

It came out so crudely that she half expected her sister to burst into tears of outrage. Instead, Stephanie threw herself back into Julia’s arms, sobbing as if her heart would break. Moments later she was pouring out the whole story of how she had met Jimmy Waring, how wonderfully he’d treated her, what a marvellous time he’d given her, introducing her to such interesting people and taking her to all sorts of crazy parties.

Endlessly repeating herself she told how considerate Jimmy had been, respecting her decent morals and not taking advantage of her.

‘If he’s never taken advantage of you,’ Julia said, growing angrier by the minute, ‘how can you be pregnant?’

The anger in her tone made Stephanie tear herself free of Julia’s hold. ‘If you’re going to be like that, I wish I’d never come to you for help.’

‘Well, you have, and now you’ve started you’d better tell me the rest of it or I won’t be able to help you. You’ve obviously let him make love to you. How often? How long have you been seeing each other?’

‘Don’t say it like that!’ Stephanie stormed, suddenly defiant again. ‘We’ve been together since last Christmas. We loved each other.’

‘Loved?’ Julia noted her sister’s use of the past tense. Her worst fear hung on that single word.

‘I love him. And I thought he loved me. He was always so attentive.’

Julia ignored that. ‘Since Christmas you say. Has he ever proposed marriage, mentioned engagement or taking you to meet his family?’

To each question Stephanie’s replies were a sullen ‘No’. Her attitude became increasingly defensive and indignant. But when Julia asked if they’d taken precautions Stephanie’s lips began to quiver again. ‘He was always careful with me.’

‘Careful with you,’ Julia echoed. ‘Did he use anything?’

‘He did for a while. But then he began to say that he knew how to look after me without that. He said we needed to be free, that using things was restricting our love and he wanted our love to be perfect.’

Julia bit back the anger that was building up inside her. She was furious