it. The old man would disapprove of Daphne for anything more than a casual fling, but to hell with Sir Phillip and his plans and aspirations.
They partook of their meal at a leisurely pace as an orchestra played in the background. “Would you like to go for a walk?” he asked.
“A walk!”
He laughed softly. “There’s a garden out back, with an artificial lake and secluded little nooks for lovers. I want to kiss you, but not in here.” The warm night air enveloped them as they wandered along arm in arm. A strong, sweetly overpowering perfume came from a clump of bushes, but she could not see what they were. This place was at Brighton, not far from the sea. And she imagined that he could smell the salt in the air?
The night was pure magic. When he drew her into a small, darkened alcove she made no demur, even though she knew she should. Gentle at first his lips were a featherweight caress against hers, but when she responded the tenor changed into a hungry, all consuming passion. Shyly at first, but gaining in confidence, she returned his kisses, tasted his mouth and got drunk on his male scent as it permeated every corner of her being.
When he finally released her mouth, she trembled so much she had to grab hold of his shirtfront for support. After catching their breath, they started walking again, following the narrow path curving around the garden beds.
“I love you, Daphne.” They stopped beside a huge tree. “You have to believe me, Sunshine, I’ve never said that to any other woman.”
“I do believe you, Paul and I love you desperately, but it’s too soon. It doesn’t seem, well decent somehow. We know so little about each other.”
“We can learn as we go along. Would you be prepared to live in England?”
“What!”
“I mean, if we got married.”
“Marriage!”
“Would you, I mean, could you leave you family, your nursing, everything and come with me?”
It would be a wrench to leave everything she held dear. To have her plans and aspirations thrown into chaos. Even with the black clouds of war hanging over Europe, Daphne knew there was only one answer she could give. She only felt truly alive now when she was with him. “Yes,” she replied firmly. “I would go anywhere, do anything for you,” she vowed. No sacrifice would be too great for Paul.
“We don’t have a lot of time, I mean a couple of months at most then I have to return home. I want to take you with me as my wife, but first I must tell you, my real...”
“You wouldn’t lie to me, would you? Everything you told me is the truth.” He detected fear in her voice, a frantic hoarseness that tore at his heart, filling it with dread.
He swallowed quickly before answering. “Yes, I’ve told you the truth about myself.” But he hadn’t, this thing between them was so new, so precious and tenuous, he dared not risk saying anything now. Why on earth had he been stupid enough to let Ian persuade him, and he must warn Jean to watch what she said. God, what a mess he had made of things.
There was still the old man to worry about. He was convinced that Hitler and his Nazis would plunge the world into war again and he wanted his only son home before it started. Sir Phillip would not be impressed with Daphne’s working class background, or his thwarted plans for a marriage with Caroline Bowater. He can cut me off without a penny. I will never give Daphne up. It would be easier to stop breathing.
He would buy them a place in the country, well away from London, so if a war did come as the old man predicted, Daphne would be safe. He could start up some business of his own completely independent of Sir Phillip.
“You’ll have to come home with me at Christmas. I want Mum and Dad and the boys to meet you.”
“Yes, I’ll have to speak with your father about us. He wouldn’t withhold his consent would he?”
“I don’t think so.”
“He mightn’t like me taking you all the way to England. You could come back once or
They partook of their meal at a leisurely pace as an orchestra played in the background. “Would you like to go for a walk?” he asked.
“A walk!”
He laughed softly. “There’s a garden out back, with an artificial lake and secluded little nooks for lovers. I want to kiss you, but not in here.” The warm night air enveloped them as they wandered along arm in arm. A strong, sweetly overpowering perfume came from a clump of bushes, but she could not see what they were. This place was at Brighton, not far from the sea. And she imagined that he could smell the salt in the air?
The night was pure magic. When he drew her into a small, darkened alcove she made no demur, even though she knew she should. Gentle at first his lips were a featherweight caress against hers, but when she responded the tenor changed into a hungry, all consuming passion. Shyly at first, but gaining in confidence, she returned his kisses, tasted his mouth and got drunk on his male scent as it permeated every corner of her being.
When he finally released her mouth, she trembled so much she had to grab hold of his shirtfront for support. After catching their breath, they started walking again, following the narrow path curving around the garden beds.
“I love you, Daphne.” They stopped beside a huge tree. “You have to believe me, Sunshine, I’ve never said that to any other woman.”
“I do believe you, Paul and I love you desperately, but it’s too soon. It doesn’t seem, well decent somehow. We know so little about each other.”
“We can learn as we go along. Would you be prepared to live in England?”
“What!”
“I mean, if we got married.”
“Marriage!”
“Would you, I mean, could you leave you family, your nursing, everything and come with me?”
It would be a wrench to leave everything she held dear. To have her plans and aspirations thrown into chaos. Even with the black clouds of war hanging over Europe, Daphne knew there was only one answer she could give. She only felt truly alive now when she was with him. “Yes,” she replied firmly. “I would go anywhere, do anything for you,” she vowed. No sacrifice would be too great for Paul.
“We don’t have a lot of time, I mean a couple of months at most then I have to return home. I want to take you with me as my wife, but first I must tell you, my real...”
“You wouldn’t lie to me, would you? Everything you told me is the truth.” He detected fear in her voice, a frantic hoarseness that tore at his heart, filling it with dread.
He swallowed quickly before answering. “Yes, I’ve told you the truth about myself.” But he hadn’t, this thing between them was so new, so precious and tenuous, he dared not risk saying anything now. Why on earth had he been stupid enough to let Ian persuade him, and he must warn Jean to watch what she said. God, what a mess he had made of things.
There was still the old man to worry about. He was convinced that Hitler and his Nazis would plunge the world into war again and he wanted his only son home before it started. Sir Phillip would not be impressed with Daphne’s working class background, or his thwarted plans for a marriage with Caroline Bowater. He can cut me off without a penny. I will never give Daphne up. It would be easier to stop breathing.
He would buy them a place in the country, well away from London, so if a war did come as the old man predicted, Daphne would be safe. He could start up some business of his own completely independent of Sir Phillip.
“You’ll have to come home with me at Christmas. I want Mum and Dad and the boys to meet you.”
“Yes, I’ll have to speak with your father about us. He wouldn’t withhold his consent would he?”
“I don’t think so.”
“He mightn’t like me taking you all the way to England. You could come back once or
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