The Lie (14 page)

‘Yes, of course I will, darling,' she said. ‘I love you very much and I do want to marry you.'

‘I've got a special licence in my pocket,' Simon said. ‘I bought it weeks ago just in case – will you marry me now, Emily? This afternoon if we can find someone to do it – or tomorrow?'

‘Marry you right now?' Emily was shocked. She hadn't expected it to be quite so soon. ‘I'm not sure. I would need permission, Simon – I'm not twenty-one yet. I'll have to ask Henry – and everyone will want us to wait, at least until your next leave.'

‘If we wait it might be too late,' Simon said. ‘There are men in my squadron dying every day, Emily. I know it's selfish of me, but I want you to be my wife now.'

He looked so wretched, so desperate, that she couldn't resist his plea. Besides, whirlwind marriages were happening all the time because of the war. ‘I suppose I could ring Henry, ask him if he will give us permission. We could take the train overnight to London and then  . . .'

‘I've got petrol. I can drive us down there,' Simon said. ‘If we start now we can be in London by this evening. We could stay at a hotel overnight, and then finish our journey early in the morning. All we have to do is telephone your brother and ask him to make the arrangements at his end. We don't need a fancy reception, do we – just the wedding and a blessing, that's all.'

‘Yes, of course,' Emily said, swallowing her disappointment. ‘Maura will let my landlady know that I'm with you. We can leave straight away and that will save a bit of time. And if Henry says no we shall still be together.'

‘He won't say no,' Simon told her. ‘I had a few words with him at your sister's wedding, and he said all he wanted for his sisters was that they should be happy. If you tell him we're in love he'll understand.'

‘Yes, I hope so,' Emily said. Daniel wouldn't approve of this hasty marriage, but it was Henry they had to ask. ‘I'll telephone him when we get to the hotel and let him know what we want.'

‘I've got a better idea. We'll ring him together this very minute,' Simon said. ‘There's a box up the road and I've plenty of change. From now on we'll do everything together, darling.'

Emily smiled and kissed him. He was rushing her but he was desperate and she loved him. It was impossible to say no so she didn't. She held her hand out, he grabbed it and they ran like children to where his car stood waiting. Henry was delighted that his sister was marrying a man of whom he thoroughly approved. As far as he was concerned, the young men who were keeping the Luftwaffe at bay were heroes and nothing was too good for them.

‘I'll not only give you my permission, I'll catch the train to London first thing in the morning, Emily,' he promised. ‘I'll bring Frances and as many of the family as I can muster. We'll see you married in town and that will save you wasting precious hours on the road. Besides, there are more places to get married in London.'

‘There – I knew he would come through for us,' Simon said after they had finished the call. ‘Actually, I know someone in London I can ring this evening. He could probably arrange for us to have a church service rather than a registry office. It will be plain and simple, but you won't mind that, will you?'

‘No, of course not,' she said. ‘But what do I wear? I can't get married in this  . . .' She glanced down at her navy skirt and cardigan.

‘It doesn't matter,' Simon said. ‘I've got a few pretty things in the car as presents for you. I asked my stepmother to buy them for me – and I think she came up trumps.'

‘That's another thing,' Emily said. ‘Won't your father want to be at the wedding?'

‘He won't care just as long as we're getting married. He likes you, Emily, and he knows you'll make me a good wife.'

There was something odd in his voice at that moment that made her look at him hard, but he was smiling at her and she thought that she might have imagined it.

‘Oh, well  . . .' She smothered her sigh. A part of her still wanted a wedding like her sister's, but at least she was marrying the man she loved. ‘As long as you're sure your father won't be offended.'

‘He will be delighted I've finally got married,' Simon said. ‘Besides, he wouldn't blame you, Emily. He approves of you, believe me; he told me you were exactly right.'

Right for what? Emily wondered, but let it pass. All that mattered was that Simon loved her and they were going to be married.

‘I've taken a couple of rooms for tonight,' Simon said when he joined her that evening in the reception lounge at the hotel in the West End of London. ‘Shall we go up after dinner and get some sleep? It's late and you'll want to be fresh for the morning. We've got a big day ahead of us tomorrow.'

‘Yes, we could,' she said, and hesitated. ‘Simon  . . . I know this sounds awfully forward of me – but why two rooms? We could have been together. You don't have much time and—'

‘And you are wonderful, my darling Emily,' he said, touching a finger to her lips, ‘but I want to wait until my ring is on your finger. I love you too much to take advantage. Supposing something happened and we didn't get married? Supposing you fell for a child – what then?'

‘It isn't likely, is it? Frances had a week with Marcus before he left for his unit and she hasn't fallen yet. It doesn't always happen straight away. Most women I know were married for ages before they had their first baby.'

‘But it could happen,' Simon insisted. ‘I love you, Emily. I can wait for another few hours. We're together. I know you're going to be mine tomorrow and that's enough for me.'

Emily could only hug him. There were not many men who would have refused what she'd offered. She knew that Maura and her fiancé hadn't anticipated their wedding night, because Maura had told her she'd wanted to wait, but a lot of girls did. Maura wished now that she had taken her chances, that she had fallen with child, because at least then she would have had something to remember her lover by.

‘I think you are rather wonderful, Simon,' Emily said, and kissed him in the hotel lobby. A couple passing smiled at them indulgently, though an older woman sitting by herself frowned in disapproval, as if she thought such a public display of affection unnecessary. ‘And I'm glad Henry agreed.'

Her doubts had gone. Any man who loved enough to sacrifice a night in the arms of his loved one to protect her, had to be worth a small sacrifice in return. They had the rest of their lives in front of them.

‘We shall have a couple of days,' Simon said, and grinned at her. ‘I am sure we can make up for lost time  . . .'

Six

S
imon's friend in London turned out to be a bishop, who just happened to be related by marriage to Amelia's brother. It seemed that the relationship meant strings could be pulled and Arthur, as he insisted Emily call him, really did them proud. The wedding was booked for the following afternoon in a church decked out with flowers. One of Arthur's friends performed the service, and he joined them at the reception afterwards, swelling the numbers.

The hotel manager had joined in with a will, providing an impromptu reception at short notice. Somehow they had champagne, smoked salmon and game pâté on toast, as well as chicken and salad with potatoes roasted in their skins, though no one had been able to come up with even a cardboard cake.

Henry had brought his wife, Mary, Frances and Connor with him, and Daniel was there, of course, although Clay and Dorothy had stayed at home, because their youngest child was unwell, they said.

Arthur had given them a silver coffee-pot as a wedding gift, and Henry had bought them a set of crystal glasses. Two of Simon's friends had attended the church service, but they stayed at the reception only long enough to present Emily with a silver milk jug and sugar tongs, and drink a glass of champagne before leaving.

So it was just Emily's brothers, Frances and the happy couple who sat down to the meal.

‘Not quite what you wanted,' Frances said, squeezing her sister's hand, ‘but at least you had a dress to wear.'

‘Your dress,' Emily said. ‘It was generous of you to let me borrow it, Frances.'

It hadn't quite fitted, being a little long and too loose on the waist. However, they had tacked the hem up a bit, and Frances had pinned it inside with safety pins. One of them had stuck into Emily's back all afternoon.

‘Well, I couldn't let you get married without a dress,' Frances said, and kissed her cheek. ‘It was a bit of a rush, Emily  . . .' She hesitated.

‘Yes, I know,' Emily interjected, ‘but Simon only had a couple of days and a few hours – and it was what he wanted.'

‘As long as it's what you want too  . . .'

‘Yes, of course it is,' Emily said, and smiled.

‘Only Dan thought you weren't too sure  . . .'

Of course she was sure. Frances had made her wonder for a moment if she had let herself be rushed, but she did love Simon. She had felt a surge of love when she saw him looking so weary and defeated. It had made her want to hold him, to comfort him.

Henry wanted to get off that evening so he left to catch his train just before nine. Frances and Connor went with him, and Daniel a few minutes later.

‘You'll want a bit of time together,' he said, as he hugged her. ‘Good luck, love. Simon's a decent bloke. You'll be all right with him.'

‘Yes, I know. He's wonderful,' Emily replied, and smiled. ‘Thank you for coming, Dan.'

‘I didn't get a chance to bring you a proper present, but I'll buy you something nice and visit in Liverpool – perhaps next month.'

‘Just come and see me.'

Daniel promised, then took his leave of Simon. When they were alone, Simon poured her another glass of champagne.

‘We could go dancing,' he suggested, ‘but I've ordered another bottle of bubbly in our room – well, yours actually. It was the better of the two so I thought  . . .'

‘Let's go up,' Emily said, leading him towards the lift. ‘You have to go back tomorrow afternoon.'

‘I shall have to leave about twelve actually, and I can't get you back to Liverpool.' He looked oddly guilty. ‘I suppose we should have waited until Christmas.'

‘No, I'm glad we didn't,' she said, reaching up to kiss him on the lips. ‘Let's go up now. We don't have much time to be together.'

‘You're a wonderful girl,' Simon said. ‘The only one I could ever have married. I promise I'll be good to you, Emily. I'll make you happy.'

He seemed so anxious, so desperate to make her believe him, that it sent a shiver down Emily's spine. Why was he looking at her so strangely, almost as if he were guilty of some crime?

‘I am happy, Simon. You love me – what more could I want?'

Simon hesitated for a moment, then he gave her that smile, the one that made her toes tingle. ‘I'm an idiot, aren't I? Making you uncomfortable when all I want is to be with you. I do love you, Emily – very much.'

Her doubts fled in that moment as they joined hands and walked into the lift. Simon drew her against him as the door closed and the lift began to whirr its way to the top floor. His kiss made her tingle from head to toe and neither of them moved at first when the door opened, until they became aware that someone was waiting to get in.

‘Sorry  . . .' Emily said, and giggled as she looked at Simon. ‘We just got married.'

‘Congratulations,' the woman said, smiling now. ‘I hope you will be very happy.'

Emily would have thanked her, but the door of the lift closed and Simon was urging her down the hall. Once inside their room, he shut the door and locked it, turning to take her in his arms again. They kissed again and again on their way to the bed, fumbling with buttons, buckles and zips as clothes were discarded on the floor, and tumbling to the bed in a flurry of laughter.

Emily was riding high. She didn't know whether the champagne had gone to her head or whether this feeling was simply love. Whatever, it seemed to be special and lovely, and fun as Simon kissed and teased her. He made a kind of game of their love-making, chasing her, pretending to spank her, play fighting and acting about in a way that kept her laughing, so that when they finally came together it was swift, passionate, and completely wonderful as far as Emily was concerned.

The fact that the actual consummation took hardly any time at all didn't matter. Simon had been so considerate, so thoughtful of her that she was over the moon with happiness. Afterwards, they lay in bed smoking a cigarette between them and drinking more champagne. Emily wondered if they might make love again, but then she realized that he had fallen asleep.

Poor love, she thought, as she kissed his brow and then switched off the bedside lamp. He must have been so tired, and that was hardly surprising considering what he had been through. She snuggled up against him, feeling warm and content. She had been so lucky to meet Simon, and her doubts had completely disappeared after that wonderful love-making. She hadn't expected it to be quite that way, and she was grateful to her considerate husband for taking care of her.

‘I feel awful that I can't take you back to Liverpool,' Simon said. ‘But I've had to garage the car and take a train myself, Emily. I didn't have as much petrol as I thought.'

‘It doesn't matter,' she said, and kissed him softly on the lips. ‘I wish you didn't have to leave so soon, but I knew that from the start. How long do you think it will be before you get more leave?'

‘Not for a while,' he said, and touched her cheek lightly. ‘I was lucky to get this. You're so lovely, darling. I don't want to leave you at all, but I have to.'

‘Yes, I know.' She stood back as the guard warned that the train was about to leave the station. ‘It doesn't matter, Simon. We have the rest of our lives to be happy.'