Guarded Passions (28 page)

‘Oh, sorry! You should have had yours.'

‘Mark's not long finished outside. He said he'd go and get changed but he should be down any minute. If Lucy hasn't phoned by the time we've finished then probably Mark will go and look for her.'

They had finished eating and were having coffee when they heard the commotion outside. Mark sprang to his feet and went to investigate. Within seconds he was back, followed by Gary who was supporting a rather dishevelled-looking Lucy.

‘Hi, everybody!' She waved a hand in greeting, then collapsed against Gary, giggling.

‘How ever many drinks have you had?' Mark asked, frowning.

Lucy giggled louder, waved her hand dismissively and said in a slurred voice, ‘I'm OK … and I have the crisps.' She tried to focus her eyes on Sally and Anna, ‘Gary,' she said, clutching at him wildly, ‘give 'em their crisps. Go on. I promised I'd bring them some and Lucy never breaks a promise, does she, girls?'

‘They can have them in the morning. They're just on their way up to bed,' Helen said in an icy voice.

‘No we weren't …' Anna began but her grandmother silenced her with a look.

‘Go on,' Ruth urged, giving them both a gentle push. ‘I'll be up in a minute to kiss you goodnight.'

Anna hesitated, ready to argue, but Sally had seen the warning signals in her mother's eyes and hurried her younger sister away.

Helen stayed silent until Sally and Anna had left the room, then she turned on Gary, her face white and tense, her mouth a thin, hard line.

‘I'm sure you have an explanation for bringing Lucy home in this state,' she said, cuttingly, ‘but I don't want to hear it. Get out and stay away from here, I never want to see you again.'

‘Look, Mrs Woodley …'

‘Get out!' Helen hissed.

Gary paused for a moment, then with a slight lift of his shoulders turned on his heel. As the door slammed behind him, Mark went after him, calling his name, shouting to him to stop. There was a sound of a car engine being revved, of tyres spinning on the pathway and then silence. Ruth went to the window in time to see the tail of the car as it turned into the main road.

‘Mark's gone with him,' she said quietly.

‘I never want to see Gary ever again,' Helen said in a low, hard voice. ‘He's caused nothing but trouble.' She turned to Lucy who was looking at her in bewilderment. ‘And I won't have you seeing him behind my back … you understand?'

‘Why not?'

The shock of Gary's dismissal seemed to have sobered Lucy. ‘All he did was to give me a lift home!'

‘You mean he wasn't at the pub drinking with you?' Ruth asked in surprise.

‘Of course he wasn't! It was an all-girls “do”. I felt a bit queer when I came out. I knew I'd had too much to drink so I thought I would walk home.'

‘Walk!' Helen exclaimed disbelievingly. ‘It's almost four miles.'

‘Well, I did tell you I'd had too much to drink,' Lucy said, pulling a face. ‘At that moment I thought I could walk it. I'd just reached the edge of town when Gary's car pulled up. I thought you'd sent him to meet me.' She pouted.

‘Well, we'll say no more about it,' Helen said, mollified by Lucy's explanation. ‘Just remember, though. I don't want Gary here again.'

‘But he's promised to take me to the Troop Ball,' Lucy sulked. ‘Does that mean I have to meet him in London?'

‘What Troop Ball?' Ruth asked sharply. ‘Hugh hasn't mentioned there's to be one.'

‘In a fortnight's time. The Spring Ball. Gary says it lasts all night and there will be breakfast at four o'clock the next morning.' Her blue eyes were wide and excited, ‘Can you imagine it! It sounds absolutely fantastic. I've never been to a real ball. I'll need a new dress, Mum. I haven't got a long one,' she said in a wheedling tone, ‘unless, of course, Ruth has one I can borrow.' She looked appealingly at her elder sister.

‘Lucy, didn't you hear what I said? I don't want Gary here ever again and I don't want you …'

‘Then I'll go and stay with Ruth for the weekend and go from there,' Lucy said quickly before her mother could finish.

‘Why don't you both come and stay with us?' Ruth said quickly.

‘Are you going to this ball, then?' Helen asked.

‘Probably.'

‘What do you mean “probably”? Either you are or you aren't,' Helen said irritably.

‘We usually go to those sort of functions. Hugh has to pay whether he attends or not, so we might just as well go along and enjoy ourselves.'

‘But hasn't Hugh said if you're going?' Helen persisted.

‘No, he hasn't, but that's not surprising since he's away, now is it?' Ruth snapped. ‘I don't even know if he will be back from the exercise in time for it.'

She was as surprised as her mother that Hugh hadn't mentioned the ball, but she had no intention of going into it then. She wanted to face Hugh first and find out why he hadn't told her about it or checked with her if she wanted to go.

There were niggling doubts at the back of her mind. Having been away in Hong Kong for over two years, she hadn't any very close friends amongst her neighbours, so if Lucy hadn't mentioned the Troop Ball she might never have known about it until it was over. Was Hugh taking a chance on that … planning to take someone else?

The moment the thought came into her mind she felt angry. Hugh had never cheated on her in the whole of the time they'd been married so why should he start now?

‘Does Sheila know that Gary has invited you, Lucy?' she asked, in what she hoped was a casual voice.

‘I don't know,' Lucy's blue eyes widened innocently. ‘He never even mentioned if Sheila was going.'

Tight-lipped, Ruth began stacking the dirty dishes as she tried to quell the suspicions racing inside her head. As she began to pile them on a tray to take them through to the kitchen, she found her mother watching her through narrowed eyes and knew from her expression that she, too, was thinking along exactly the same lines.

Helen woke in a cold sweat, the horrifying dream still vivid in her mind. She struggled to sit up in bed and groped for the light-switch on the bedside lamp. She stared around the unfamiliar room wondering where she was and trying to collect her thoughts. Feeling exhausted, she lay back against the pillows, trying to control the rapid thumping of her heart by breathing slowly and deeply. Gradually her limbs stopped trembling, but she felt completely drained.

The mattress on the narrow bed was harder than she was used to, so probably that was what had caused her bad dream. Ruth had separated the bunk beds for her and Lucy to sleep more comfortably. Sally and Anna were using sleeping-bags in the tiny front boxroom. Helen pushed back the duvet and swung her legs over the side of the bed, groping for her slippers and dressing-gown.

As quietly as possible she made her way downstairs to the kitchen. She realised she would never get back to sleep so she decided to make herself a hot drink. Everyone should be home very soon, she thought, glancing at the clock. Breakfast at a Troop Ball was usually served around four in the morning and it was now almost half-past five.

The front door opened and Ruth and Hugh walked into the kitchen just as the kettle boiled.

‘Oh dear, couldn't you sleep?' Ruth sympathised. She kicked off her high-heeled sandals and wriggled her toes with a sigh of relief.

‘I had a bad dream. It must be coming back here. It's the first time I've slept at Pirbright since … since your father was killed.'

‘Oh, Mum!' Ruth's grey eyes glistened with tears as she went across to her mother and hugged her. ‘I never thought of that …'

‘Why on earth should you? It happened eighteen years ago,' Helen said quickly. ‘Forget I said it, I'm all right. Let's have that coffee.'

Ruth spooned instant coffee into three mugs and filled them with water. She reached for the biscuit-barrel and held it out to her mother.

‘No thanks. I'll wait till breakfast-time. I don't suppose you two will want a second breakfast?'

‘Well,
I
certainly won't!' Hugh laughed. ‘Two eggs, bacon, fried bread, kidney and two sausages. I think that should keep me going until lunch-time!'

‘I take it you both enjoyed yourselves?'

‘Very much. One of the best balls I've been to,' Ruth said enthusiastically. She bent down and rubbed her ankles. ‘My feet are killing me though. I think we must have danced every dance.'

‘Where's Lucy? Hasn't she come back with you?' Helen looked enquiringly at Hugh and Ruth.

‘Sit down Mum. We've got something to tell you,' Ruth said. ‘I'll make another drink.' She turned away and began to fill the kettle, while Hugh pulled out one of the kitchen chairs and sat down.

‘I don't want any more coffee. Just tell me what's happened. Has there been an accident … is she hurt?' Helen asked anxiously, the memory of the violent dream that had woken her still vivid in her mind.

‘No, no. Nothing like that,' Hugh said quickly. ‘Just a spot of explaining to do, and Lucy thought it might be better coming from us.'

‘Well, go on. I'm listening,' Helen said impatiently. She sensed from their attitude that whatever it was they had to say to her, was something she wasn't going to like.

Ruth and Hugh exchanged glances, each waiting for the other to speak. ‘Lucy wants to get married,' Ruth blurted out. ‘She asked us to tell you.'

Helen's face went deathly white. Even the thin, tight line of her lips was bloodless as she looked from one to the other, fear in her grey eyes. ‘Oh no! She's not … she's …'

‘No, she's not pregnant.' Ruth laughed gently, patting her mother's hand.

‘That wasn't what I was trying to say,' Helen said slowly. ‘She's not … not involved with Gary is she?'

Ruth blanched, but she shook her head. ‘No, Mum, of course she isn't.'

‘Gary?' Hugh looked puzzled, but Ruth silently signalled to him not to say anything more.

‘Who does she want to marry then?' Helen asked, as the colour slowly came back into her cheeks.

‘It's worse than her wanting to marry Gary,' Hugh said angrily. ‘She wants to marry Russell Campbell … he's one of our officers!'

Helen stared at them blankly.

‘You do understand what that means?' Hugh said sharply, his dark brown eyes blazing.

‘Of course Mum understands, Hugh. Don't forget my Dad was in the Guards, and discipline and protocol were much more strict then than they are now,' Ruth exclaimed sharply.

‘I've tried to explain to Lucy what it means, not just to her, but to the rest of us as well, if she marries him,' Hugh went on, ignoring Ruth's outburst. ‘She seems to think it won't make any difference. She's wrong, of course! For a start, she won't be able to socialise with Ruth. I won't be able to have anything to do with her either – nor for that matter will Gary. You can't keep something like that a secret when you're living and working with the same people all the time. It won't be easy for Lieutenant Campbell, but he's an arrogant bastard anyway, so he can probably handle it.'

‘How did she come to meet him? Did you introduce them, Hugh?' Helen asked in a bewildered voice.

‘Me! Good heavens no. I hardly ever speak to the man.'

‘Then who did?'

Ruth shook her head. ‘I've seen him around camp but I didn't even know his name until tonight.' She looked at Hugh. ‘How did Lucy come to meet him?'

‘Through Gary I suppose. He was dancing with Lucy early on in the evening and I saw Campbell go across and speak to them. Then a bit later on I noticed that Lucy was dancing with Campbell.'

‘I might have known Gary would be involved,' Helen said bitterly.

‘He didn't have much option if Campbell came over and spoke to them … and asked to be introduced to Lucy,' Ruth protested lamely.

‘Are you telling me that Lucy met this Russell Campbell for the very first time just a few hours ago and now she wants to marry him!' Helen exclaimed incredulously. ‘She must be out of her mind! And, for that matter, so must you to come and ask me such a question. You might know what my answer would be.'

Hugh and Ruth exchanged uneasy glances. ‘Lucy is quite serious, Mum,' Ruth told her. ‘And so is Lieutenant Campbell.'

‘It's absolute nonsense,' Helen snapped. ‘Lucy probably thinks she'll cause a sensation by aping what you did at her age. Well, I refuse to agree … not this time!' she added angrily, half to herself.

‘It worked well enough for us,' Ruth said quietly. ‘And for you,' she added, as her mother glared at her.

‘I only thought it did,' Helen reminded her acidly.

‘Look, we can't just sit here arguing about it,' Hugh said uncomfortably. ‘Lucy's outside.'

‘For goodness' sake … bring her in. I'll soon make her see sense,' Helen vowed.

‘Russell Campbell is with her.'

Helen looked at Hugh stonily, refusing to let him see how distressed she felt. ‘Well, I've got to meet him sometime. I suppose now is as good a time as any other.'

‘Mum … you will be careful what you say to him? He
is
one of Hugh's officers remember,' Ruth pleaded.

‘Ruth, I'm not a
complete
fool,' Helen said tartly.

‘I know that Mum, I only meant …'

‘I know!' Helen stood up and put an arm around Ruth's shoulder. ‘I was an Army wife for too long not to know what the consequences of all this can be.'

‘Shall I call them?' Hugh asked, moving towards the door. He wanted desperately to get the matter settled. As far as he could see, he was on the losing side whatever happened. Like Helen, he thought Lucy was being impetuous. Ruth might have been only eighteen when they married but she had been far more grown-up than Lucy was. He was fond of his little sister-in-law but he still thought of her as a child, and a very spoilt one at that. Helen was a good mother but, in his opinion, she was far too lenient with Lucy, and Mark had no authority whatsoever over her.