First Friends by Marcia Willett Page B

towns are the end but Canterbury’s lovely. And, of course, it’s not too far from London on the train!
    â€˜Have you seen these wonderful nylon tights? No more boring old suspenders! Go and have a look in Plymouth. If you can’t find any just let me know and I’ll send you a pair. Just the job with skirts getting shorter!
    â€˜How are the twins? I’m glad they liked their presents. Just think what we were going through a year ago. I’m glad you’re seeing my dear old pa. Give him my love and tell him that Charlotte and I will be coming down to see him soon. Tom’s got to go on some course so I thought we’d pop down for a little visit! It will be wonderful to see you but I’ll probably have to stay with him.
    â€˜It’s lovely having Tom home but I do miss all the parties, etc. Never mind . . . ’
    But she did mind. For the first time she and Tom were thrown very much on each other for entertainment and they discovered that life ran along more smoothly with friends dropping in and various social events to look forward to. Tom, surprisingly, minded less than Cass. He was delighted with the year-old Charlotte and could spend hours playing with and reading to her. Cass was amused by this new aspect to his character and left him in charge now and then while she popped up to London. Their married quarter was one of a block of five houses built on the edge of a new housing estate on the outskirts of Rainham.Only two other quarters were occupied, both by General Service Lieutenants, one attached to
Pembroke
and who was, therefore, a Supply Officer, or in Naval parlance, a ‘pusser,’ and the other to a frigate in refit. The submarine service considered itself the elite branch of the Service and the surface fleet—known as ‘general service’ whilst its men were known as ‘skimmers’—to be definitely inferior.
    â€˜One “pusser” and one “skimmer,” ’ reported Tom to Cass after his first sortie. ‘Never mind. Nice enough chaps and their wives seem fun. One’s pregnant. I’m sure you’ll get on.’
    And with these and the only other young officer as yet appointed to the submarine, the Wivenhoes had to be content. Cass felt happier with a little court around her and, although she preferred to operate with larger numbers, she made the best of it. The pusser had come up through the ranks and was rather older than Tom and very free and easy. His wife Maggie, aware that Tom was ‘Officer Entry’ and Cass a real pukka memsahib, was rather deferential which Cass thought touching. Because Maggie made it clear that she knew her place, Cass never felt the need to put her in it and was able to ignore it and pretend that there was no difference in their status, thus enabling the relationship to proceed very satisfactorily. No such subterfuge was needed between the men. Tom ignored Jeff’s broad Midlands accent and his confusion on occasions as to which knife to use and they got along splendidly. Jeff flirted outrageously and publicly with Cass, accompanied by shocked remonstrances from Maggie who feared that Cass might feel that he was presuming on the growing friendship and getting above himself. Cass merely laughed and responded in kind and encouraged Maggie through her pregnancy, taking her for little trips in the car and doing her shopping for her.
    Richard and Annette were a slightly different proposition. They were a very serious couple who found it just the tiniest bit necessary to show that they felt that Jeff and Maggie weren’t quite up to scratch, managing to do it in a very tolerant and understanding way that drove Jeff mad and upset Maggie. They had two young children and at the little supper parties at the Wivenhoes’ Cass would send Maggie intofits of horrified mirth by giving huge pretend yawns behind Annette’s head whilst she droned on about the latest amazing achievements of