Christmas Wishes (41 page)

‘And ended up arse over tip in a snowdrift,’ Keith jeered. ‘Now when I took dear little Joy for a ride on my wonderful sledge, we arrived at the bottom without turning over once.’

‘And very boring it was too,’ Joy whispered, her mouth very near Edward’s ear. ‘I like excitement, I do. I don’t even mind slogging up the hill in order to come whizzing down. Oh, I wish today could go on for ever!’

‘It isn’t today any more, it’s tonight,’ Edward observed. ‘And even if
you
could go on all night, my little plum, the rest of us want to get our teeth into those baked potatoes.’ He looped an arm around her shoulders and guided her, she presumed, towards the farmhouse. ‘Mind you don’t burn your mouth on the spud or you won’t be able to enjoy Mrs White’s mince pies.’

Joy was promising to be careful just as Gillian came up, demanding to know whether her twin had managed to escape serious injury when earlier in the evening she had seen her rocketing down the hillside and stopping only when she, her companion and their conveyance had met the hedge.

Joy laughed. ‘I dare say I’ll have a few bruises by morning,’ she admitted. ‘But so will everyone else. Irene came a cropper when Chalky decided he could steer round some fir tree or other; she told me her blood ran cold but I take it that the said blood remained in her veins since she was laughing when I saw her. But what about you, Gillian? I know Keith claims to be the safest sledger on the slopes, but surely he must have upset you at least once.’

Gillian chuckled. ‘You make it sound as though getting thrown off a sledge is the greatest fun imaginable, and if you mean it, I can’t say I agree. And Keith, bless him, didn’t upset ours once. But each to his own, I suppose; and now it’s time for mince pies and punch in the farmhouse kitchen.’ She had been addressing Joy, but turned her head to speak to Edward. ‘Shall I take Joy up to the farm while you help Keith and Chalky and the other fellows to put out the fire?’

‘No, that won’t be necessary,’ Edward said quickly. ‘What are firemen for if not to put out fires? I dare say Chalky could douse the embers unaided, but the rest of Blue Watch will doubtless want to get in on the act and show off to all the pretty girls.’

Gillian sighed. ‘I thought it would be nice to have a word with my twin. Oh well, I’ll go back and get Keith; he’s getting the chaps to clean the snow off the sledges, otherwise they probably won’t let us on the bus. I’ll join you in a minute.’

Edward looped an arm round Joy’s waist as they walked, saying as he did so: ‘Better hang on to each other; it’s no use pretending I can warn you of every obstacle in our path because the snow hides things. I wonder what your sister was going to say to you? Something she didn’t want anyone else to hear, I’d guess.’

Joy sighed and rubbed her face against Edward’s shoulder. ‘I don’t know. I know you won’t tell anyone, Edward, but she’s been really difficult for the last couple of weeks; ever since before Christmas, in fact. And yesterday she crowned it all by saying – no, I won’t tell you because it wouldn’t be fair. She lost her temper and said something I’m sure she didn’t mean. It made me feel that she found me a confounded nuisance at times, so I told her she wasn’t to come near me today.’ She tightened her arm round Edward’s waist for a moment. ‘I knew I could rely on you to see I was safe and make sure I enjoyed myself, so if she tries to winkle me away from you,
please
don’t let her!’

She turned towards him, a question trembling on her lips. She longed to ask him if he thought her a burden, if she had spoiled his fun, because she guessed he had not attempted the more dangerous runs whilst he was with her. But what was the point in asking the question when she knew what his answer would be? They had been bezzies since shortly after their first meeting and she knew Edward would have died rather than let her down, would never admit she was a responsibility even if she was one which secretly he would be glad to shed.

‘Well? I can see you’re dying to ask me something, so get it off your chest before we reach the kitchen,’ Edward said. ‘It’s not far now, I should say about twenty paces, so you’d better get a move on.’

‘Oh, it was nothing much,’ Joy said vaguely. ‘It’s a bit mean of me actually, but I was going to ask you to be sure to sit next to me in the bus. I know Gillian, and she’s quite likely to try to get me to herself for the journey home, and I’m still cross with her. If she wants to apologise she can jolly well do so when we’re back in our own home, getting ready for bed.’

‘Miss Lawrence, you are a minx,’ Edward said gravely. ‘But I’m damned if I see why I should give up my place beside the prettiest girl on the bus just so her twin can say she’s sorry.’

Joy heard the sounds of excited chatter, muted by the closed door, as Edward drew her gently to a halt, heard the sounds intensify with the opening of the door. ‘In you go; no steps, march straight ahead and the table’s right in front of you. I’ll pull out a chair and sit you down, but first I’ll help you out of that coat or you won’t …’

‘… feel the benefit when you go outside again,’ they finished in chorus and Joy let Edward unwind her scarf, pull off her woolly hat and take off her coat, then settled herself on what she realised was a ladder-backed kitchen chair, whilst her hostess folded her chilly hands round a mug of something hot and told her that the plate before her held two mince pies and to bite into them with care, since ‘they’s only just out of oven, my duck’.

Joy thanked her politely and carried the mug to her mouth. She expected tea or coffee but her first sip told her that it was the punch and she took a cautious swallow. ‘That’ll warm the cockles of your heart,’ Edward’s voice said in her ear. ‘Shove up; there aren’t enough chairs to go round so you can jolly well share. I say, this punch has quite a punch, ha ha ha. It’s all right for me; us blokes are used to strong drink, but namby-pamby little girls like you will probably end up under the table after half a glass.’

‘You cheeky beast,’ Joy said wrathfully. She pinched Edward’s arm but moved up so that they could share the chair. Then she bit into a mince pie and gasped. ‘Hot is an understatement, but so is delicious! Oh, Edward, isn’t this fun?’

It had been around half past eight, Edward told her, when they had entered the kitchen and at quarter past nine Chalky began to marshal his troops for the return journey. They tumbled out of the kitchen into the snow-covered yard, shouting back their gratitude to the Whites in somewhat slurred accents. ‘There isn’t a cloud in the sky and the moon’s at the full, so provided you hang on to me and neither of us slip, we should reach the bus in safety,’ Edward said. ‘Have you enjoyed yourself, queen?’

‘Oh, so much!’ Joy breathed. She could feel a dampness on her lips and cheeks and guessed that it was her breath steaming out into the frosty air. ‘Tell me about it, Edward.’

Nothing loth, Edward described the scene. ‘The sky is full of stars, and, as I’ve already said, it’s a full moon,’ he said dreamily. ‘We are just entering the lane, everyone talking and laughing, as you can hear, and there’s quite a lot of kissing and cuddling going on. The lane slopes down and at this level there are no banks – they come later – but there are plenty of trees which look wonderful against the moon. Can you smell the snow, queen? And the pine needles?’

‘Yes, I smell the snow and the pine needles; and I remember how moonlight leaches colour so that everything becomes black and white,’ Joy said. She cuddled Edward’s hand in both of hers. ‘You make me remember the things I once saw with my own eyes, kind Edward.’

To her surprise, Edward promptly freed his hand and gave her a very small admonitory shove. ‘Don’t call me that; I’m not kind,’ he said sharply, then slid his arm round her waist and sighed. ‘Sorry, sorry, I shouldn’t have said that. It’s just I couldn’t help thinking that for two pins you’d have said you love me like a brother.’ He drew her to a halt. ‘We’ve reached Cutten’s Corner in good time; the bus will be here in a few minutes and our lovely party will be over.’

Chalky’s voice rose above the rest. ‘Five more minutes and we’ll be climbing aboard that nice warm bus! In the meantime, why doesn’t everyone follow my example and give the lady of their choice a kiss and a hug?’

‘Good idea; only why limit it to one lady when there are so many of us to choose from?’ Irene cried. ‘Wharrabout playin’ postman’s knock in the snow, eh? C’mon, fellers, make the most of it ’cos this may be your last chance to snog the prettiest gals in Liverpool.’

‘You’re drunk,’ someone shouted; Joy thought it was Keith, but could not be sure. She hung grimly on to Edward’s arm, but he laughed and sat her down on the bench which had been erected to identify the bus stop, first brushing the loose snow away. Then he detached himself from her hold. ‘Can’t insult the newly betrothed,’ he said gaily. ‘Just going to give the lady a kiss; shan’t be a mo, chuck!’

Joy expected to remain alone on her seat until the bus arrived, but it was not to be. Within seconds of Edward’s leaving her, she found herself being grabbed and kissed, sometimes gently, sometimes not. She could smell the alcohol on the lads’ breaths and tried to push them away, giggling, but her pushes were half-hearted, for once more she was feeling the sheer bliss of belonging to the normal world, of being kissed and cuddled because she was a pretty girl, and not merely from kindness.

It was not until she heard the roar of the bus’s engine approaching – from a distance, for sound travels far on a cold and snowy night – that she stood up, knowing Edward must be near, because he would never let her down. She bent to pick up her handbag, and as she straightened someone caught her in his arms and this time there was no doubt about the kiss. It began gently enough, then deepened and strengthened until she was giddy with pleasure, though this was mixed with a little apprehension. Could one have a baby from a kiss? She did not think so, but could not ask anyone without giving away the fact that she was so ignorant. The boy, whoever he was, broke away, presumably scared off by the approach of Edward, who said interrogatively: ‘Joy? The bus is here, queen. Are you going to sit wi’ your sister, or …’

‘I’m sitting with you, whether you like it or not,’ Joy said. ‘I told you earlier …’

‘Right,’ Edward said. He seized her arm. ‘Three paces, then the step up, turn to your left and take your place on the first seat; I told the conductor to keep it vacant for you.’ He laughed as he helped Joy to negotiate the step. ‘Your sister is sitting right at the front, with Keith of course, so she must have anticipated that you’d not want to swap partners at this stage. And besides, look what twerps me and Keith would look, sitting together on the love bus with all the crumpet surrounding us.’

Joy agreed, and the bus jerked into motion as the last passenger climbed aboard. Joy rested her head against Edward’s shoulder. ‘Oh, I’m so tired – and so happy! Did you kiss all the pretty girls, Edward? I bet poor old Keith didn’t dare.’

‘I didn’t do badly for a green-eyed student with carroty hair and a squint,’ Edward said, and then a thought seemed to strike him. ‘I suppose Gillian has described me to you many a time? Only I’ve changed quite a bit since I was a pupil at the Bold Street school.’

Joy was so surprised that she jerked upright. How odd that Edward of all people should ask that particular question! But she answered it honestly: ‘No, she’s never said a word. Oh, when you first started walking me to school, she said – well, that you were a bit of a weed. Then when I came back from the LSB, you said you had spots, freckles and a squint. Were you joking, then? Are you really dark-haired, blue-eyed and irresistible?’

Edward laughed. ‘I’m whatever you want me to be,’ he said. ‘Aren’t I the lucky one, then? One day, a golden-haired Greek god, the next a dead ringer for John Gregson or Kenneth More.’

‘Oh, shut up, you,’ Joy said, settling herself comfortably against his shoulder once more. ‘You didn’t ask me whether I was kissed. But of course you must know I was because it was your voice asking me if I was ready to leave which made the last fellow stop. I suppose – I suppose you didn’t notice who it was?’

‘Haven’t a clue,’ Edward said cheerfully. ‘Everyone looks the same by moonlight, especially when they’re all wrapped up in coats and scarves and hats. Why? Was it nice?’

‘Very nice. This has been the happiest day of my life,’ Joy said sleepily. ‘I hope I didn’t spoil it for you, Edward.’

‘Spoil it? You made it,’ Edward said, though Joy thought he was merely being kind, despite what he had said earlier. Presently, they both fell asleep and had to be roused when the bus reached their stop.

Despite her protests – and Gillian’s – that the Lawrence twins were quite capable of making their way to their own home, Edward and Keith insisted upon accompanying them to their very door. In fact it was quite a good thing, because when they entered the kitchen Alex was sitting on one of the fireside chairs, his eyes on the clock above the mantel, and Auntie Clarke, already coated and hatted, was fastening Dilly’s lead to her smart red collar. As the four of them entered, the older woman turned and beamed at them. ‘I don’t need to ask if you had a good time; one look at your pink cheeks and bright eyes tells its own story,’ she said. ‘And you’re just in time to stop Alex here sending out a search party.’ She bustled over to the back door, dragging a reluctant and growling Dilly behind her. ‘You’re quite capable of making yourselves a mug of cocoa and a jam butty, so I’ll leave you to it.’

There was a chorus of goodnights and then Gillian hurried over to the stove, giving her father a pat on the head in passing. ‘Dear old Dad,’ she said affectionately. ‘Did
you
have a nice evening? I know you meant to take Auntie Clarke to the flicks.’

‘We had a grand time, thanks, queen, but I’m bushed,’ her father said. He turned to Keith and Edward. ‘I don’t want to hurry you, chaps, especially as tomorrow’s Sunday and we can all have a lie-in, but I for one am pretty well whacked, so if you want jam butties you’d better start cutting them whilst Gillian makes the cocoa.’

The boys did not remove their coats, and said goodnight politely as Alex, yawning widely, headed for the stairs. ‘Glad you had a grand time,’ he called over his shoulder, ‘and don’t regard what Auntie Clarke said. I wasn’t a bit worried – well, only a bit – but now I’ll hit the hay. See you in the morning.’