Chapter 2

[1938]

“So, how did it go?” Sam’s Dad, Ronald, asked him when he returned home to their two up, two down house near the centre of town.

“They were nice, not stuck up at all,” Sam replied thoughtfully.

“Told you, you had nowt to fear,” Ronald chuckled as a rumbling on the stairs told of the arrival of Sam’s younger brother, Gregory.

“Just nerves I guess, Dad,” Sam nodded.

“Known Mr. Grainger for years, used to be the chief clerk in the payroll office of the works until he got promoted to a senior position at head office. Bit strict, but always willing to help sort out a problem with the wages.”

“He was a bit ... distant. But, the rest were nice, even got me playing the piano,” Sam grinned.

“Sam’s got a girlfriend,” Gregory began mocking in the background.

“Not quite yet, short stuff,” Sam hit back, making his brother grimace as he had yet to hit any sort of growth spurt yet, unlike Sam.

“Behave the pair of you,” Ronald warned. “Dinner’s just about ready, so go and wash.”

Sam nodded; since the death of his mother from pneumonia two years ago, his father had struggled to keep the household going and meals were basic and usually quickly made, save at weekends. He knew his Dad had yet to recover from his loss and was ignoring (or was ignorant of) the blandishments of the widow Sally Green who helped feed the boys occasionally when his Dad’s shifts got in the way.

Still, the rest of his family had also rallied round, including his Aunt Janet, his Dad’s twin sister, who, along with her husband and his two cousins, often invited the boys over during the school breaks, which was where Gregory was heading next week, though Sam was staying home to hopefully court Emily.

The meal was a family favourite, bangers and mash with thick gravy, and the boys tucked in with gusto.

“Will you be seeing Emily tomorrow?” his Dad asked.

“Yes, Dad. I got roped into planting some sort of flower beds in their garden. You should see it, it’s like Manningham Park, huge, but all for themselves.”

“Was told Mrs. Grainger had green thumbs,” his Dad nodded.

“She certainly has, I wouldn’t even know where to start.”

“Lot younger than Mr. Grainger too, isn’t she?”

“I reckon so, Dad, he’s a lot older than you and she looks more like Emily’s sister,” Sam agreed.

“Well, treat her with respect, as a young gentleman should. She’s a married woman after all,” his Dad warned, even as he reminisced slightly of his adventures with a lonely housewife at the age of fourteen, before he’d met his sadly deceased Rhona.

“I will, Dad,” Sam replied, suppressing a sudden flush of desire for Mary’s promise of some sort of ... reward for his compliments.

“And always make sure you’re welcome. There’ll be times you won’t be, family occasions and treats and the like,” Ronald added, noting Sam’s flush and thinking he knew what his son was thinking, as well as wishing him luck as well as hoping he’d be discreet if things became ... interesting.

“Girls are stupid anyway,” Gregory butted in, vying for attention.

“Speaks the voice of experience,” Ronald chuckled.

“She has two brothers, George and Ricky, George is your age,” Sam added to Gregory.

“Bet he’s a snob!” Gregory snapped obnoxiously, only to get a cuff on the head from Ronald.

“Manners!” Ronald warned sternly as Gregory subsided. “You’ve never met him and you can’t possibly know!”

“Sorry, Dad,” he apologised.

“For that you can help me with the washing up. Sam, best practice the piano, sounds like they like your talent,” Ronald stated.

“Yes, Dad,” both boys replied, Sam with far more enthusiasm than Gregory.

[1980]

“Oh, he did make me smile at times when he told me of his family,” Mary murmured in her lightly drugged state. “Not that he ever knew that his father had been involved with my mother, according to her diaries anyway, when Grandad worked away. Must be a family trait, not that I knew at the time,” Mary sighed happily as the memories delighted her. “I did think that the seduction would be slow and that I’d struggle to get him alone,” she mused to herself, “but the mix up on that Sunday morning meant that things went much faster than I’d imagined and led to a very delightful time for both of us.”

[1938]

It was Sunday morning when Sam, having attended early communion with his family, set off from the church to see if he could meet up with Emily ... and yes, Mary too. It was a beautiful day and had the promise of being a real scorcher later on with not a cloud in the sky. The walk itself took half-an-hour to get to the edge of the town where Emily’s family lived; the buildings he passed gradually changing and growing in stature and quality on his journey.

He did notice that the family’s car, a Lanchester LA Eleven Saloon, was not parked in their recently built wooden garage and he did wonder if they were at church themselves. The fact that they even had a car, demonstrating just how large a class gap there was between the two families. Though, to be honest, it only bothered Sam, not the Grainger’s. However there were windows open and signs of washing hung out to dry at the side of the house so he approached and knocked.

It took a minute for someone to answer and Sam had just been about to turn away when the door opened to reveal Mary.

“Oh, Sam, what a surprise. I’m afraid there’s no one in but me. Emily is off with the rest of them to see my Mum. Didn’t she tell you?”

“Er ... no, I don’t think so Mrs ... uh ... Mary. I was told that I could help out with planting some flowers,” Sam replied nervously as Mary was looking directly at him with a gentle smile.

“Oh, that silly girl! That’s tomorrow.”

“I’m sorry to have bothered you,” Sam replied politely. “I’d best go.”

“Oh, but you’ve walked so far. You must come in and have a drink at least.”

“Thank you,” Sam responded in relief as he was rather thirsty.

Mary let him in and carefully looked around at the front gardens with a slight smile as she could not see a sign of any of her neighbours. “Interesting,” she murmured softly to herself.

“Thank you,” Sam sighed when she poured him a large lemon squash. “It’s very warm out there.”

“Yes,” Mary nodded. “I’m sorry about Emily though. Once a month they all go up on a Sunday to see my Mum and for Bill and the boys to do some fishing and the girls to keep her company. I use the time to do my chores, a few bits of washing my cleaning lady didn’t have time to do and dusting as I see my Mum a couple of times through the week.”

“It’s alright, probably me not listening carefully,” Sam replied, beginning to feel part of himself unwillingly respond to Mary’s presence, voice and sweet scent.

“Still, there’s something you can help me with, if you’re willing?”

“Of course, Mary, anything.”

“I need some rocks moved in the garden. George and Ricky promised to do it, but they often promise and don’t deliver.”

“My pleasure. Where are they?”

Mary led Sam out into the garden and showed him a pile of rocks as well as where she wanted them. It took nearly half-an-hour of careful work as he didn’t want to get his Sunday best dirty and Mary was a little fussy where she wanted them in her new rockery, but eventually he was done.

“Thank you, Sam,” a beaming Mary praised him once it was done. “Now wash your hands and I’ll get you another juice.”

Once inside Sam quickly cleaned up and appreciated the cold drink Mary proffered.

“I’d er ... best go now,” he finally said nervously as Mary continued to study him.

“Oh, do you have to?” she asked, standing when he stood to leave.

“Unless there’s something else you want?” he replied nervously, as suddenly she was very close to him.

“Oh, I think I promised you a reward, yesterday, didn’t I?” she said in a low, teasing voice.

“Er ... yes,” he swallowed nervously, unsure as to whether to bolt for the door, a certain part of his anatomy aching and stiff from just her proximity.

“Relax, Sam. I’m not going to hurt you,” she replied with a sultry smile.

“I ... I never thought you were,” he forced out in a slightly embarrassing squeak.

“I’m making you nervous, aren’t I?”

“Y ... yes.”

“It’s understandable, your body is reacting to me and you don’t really understand why, do you?”

“No,” he got out in a whisper, his head dipping to hide a blush of embarrassment.