Chapter 9

Dan and Harry had left before Gina put in an appearance. She was awake not though she registered their departure. Despite taking the aspirin and drinking the glass of water Molly had left for her she still had a raging headache and felt rather nauseous. She had drunk even more the previous evening than she usually did. That man had kept on offering drinks to her. That man! She shuddered and groaned. She knew that he wanted to neck with her when he led her out towards the loos but he had led her into another room and had been all over her. When he tried to pull her knickers down she had managed to knee him as hard as she could in the balls and then ran to lock herself in the Ladies. Some strange woman had told her she was safe and could come out but she was not going to risk it. She might be one of his friends. Then Cass and Sue had come and they had persuaded her it was safe and led her to Dan. That was when she knew she really was safe, safe in his arms. She had never wanted to let go of him again. She wondered where he was now. He was probably furious with her. She had let him and Molly down badly. They would both say that they had warned her. She wept silently.

Her thirst became intolerable and she staggered to the basin to refill her glass which she drained. She poured another and drank that. She looked at the clock on her bedside table, gone eleven. It was time to face the family. She put on a dressing-gown, ran a comb through her hair and went unsteadily downstairs. Molly was sitting at the kitchen table with a mug of coffee and the Sunday paper.

She smiled at Gina. "I imagine you could do with some coffee," she said.

Gina nodded silently.

"Sit yourself down and I'll do it for you."

Gina did so. Having put the kettle on Molly poured her a glass of water and put that and two more aspirins in front of her.

"Thanks," Gina whispered.

Nothing was said until Gina had taken her first sip of coffee and sighed gratefully.

"Can you remember anything about last night?" Molly asked.

Gina nodded.

"Care to tell me?"

Gina told her. "You warned Dan, didn't you?" she finished.

"Yes."

"Thank you. I'm sorry I let you both down so badly. Thank God Daddy isn't alive. It would have hurt him deeply. I promise, Molly, I'll never behave like that again. I dressed like a tart, drank like a tart and behaved like a tart. I was starting to be treated like one and I deserved it." She shuddered. "Never ever again." She buried her face in her hands.

"Do you think he drugged your drinks?"

Gina's head came up again. "I ... I don't think so. All the alcopops still had the screw top properly on when he gave them to me, I think."

"I don't think so either otherwise you wouldn't have resisted him."

Gina looked at her. "I really did ask for it, didn't I?"

"Yes, sweetie, and now let's not say another word about it. I do think you need to give Cass and Sue a ring to thank them for keeping an eye out for you and then looking after you in the Ladies. Dan organised them."

"Bless him. Has he gone back to school?"

"Yes, chapel and then he'll have his hobbies and reading this afternoon and evening. I don't imagine you feel like a full blown Sunday lunch, do you?"

Gina shook her head vehemently. "Ow! No thanks."

"OK, we'll just have bread and cheese and salad and see how you feel this evening."

Gina finished her coffee and went back upstairs to get dressed. She rang both the girls from her room apologised to them and thanked them. They both said how glad they were that she was safe but Cass did say that she hoped she'd learnt her lesson. Gina assured her that she had.

Suddenly she heard Dan's voice. She flew downstairs and then stopped apprehensively in the kitchen doorway. He might be very angry. He was not. He just smiled and held out his arms. She ran into them and he held her tight and kissed the top of her head.

She looked up. "I'm sorry, Dan," she said. "I let you and Molly down and disgraced myself. I promise it will never happen again."

Dan kissed the tip of her nose.

"And thank you for being there for me. I didn't deserve it." She buried her face in his chest. Her arms tightened round his waist.

"How are you feeling? A bit hung over?"

Her head came up. "Not any more. Molly fed me more aspirin and some really strong coffee and that seems to have done the trick."

"Good."

"Why are you here?"

"I'm free until two and wanted to see how you were."

"Oh, Dan!" Her face went back into his chest and her arms tightened around him again.

Her head came up again. "Why?" she asked. "Why are you and Molly so nice to me when I've behaved so badly?"

"I'll give you one guess."

Gina shook her head.

"Because despite sometimes your being a very silly girl we both love you."

"I don't deserve it.

"We're nuts, aren't we?"

Her eyes filled with tears and her head went down again. Dan held her gently. He stroked her hair. Molly smiled at him. At length Gina let go of him and they all had a pre-lunch drink. Dan smiled inwardly at Gina drinking orange squash.

Despite her behaviour and clothes Harry had been very taken with Gina's looks and asked Dan whether it would be all right if he took her out some time. Dan was delighted with the idea. It was something to keep Gina amused if nothing else.

Harry was sensible. He did not plump for an all evening affair for a first date. There was an itinerant fair visiting Pitsbury. He took her to that on the Saturday afternoon. They had a great time: going on the roundabouts, the dodgems and the giant wheel and even eating candy floss. Harry even bought her a silly hat. They did a lot of laughing and really talked of nothing of import.

"Thank you, Harry," said Gina when he dropped her off at home. "I really enjoyed that. I don't think I've laughed so much for a long time."

Harry smiled happily. "It was fun, wasn't it? And I couldn't have asked for a better companion."

Gina bobbed a curtsey.

"Could I take you out for a pub supper sometime?" Harry asked.

"I'd like that. Yes, please."

"I'll have to check on what surprises they've sprung on me for next week and'll give you a ring. Does Friday or Saturday sound all right?"

"Very. Thank you, Harry."

Harry reported to Dan what they had done and how much they had enjoyed it. He said excitedly that Gina had agreed to have a pub supper with him. Dan was pleased.

He was at home the following Friday evening when Harry came to collect Gina. Dan thought she looked lovely in pale blue blouse and leg-hugging navy blue jeans. There was no plunging neckline or bare midriff. He told her so and she smiled radiantly at him.