The Girl with the Creel by Doris Davidson Page A

was more to blame than he was, after all.
    â€˜What’s wrong, then?’
    â€˜What are we going to do, George? After this, I mean.’
    â€˜When I go back to Cullen and you go back to Buckie?’
    â€˜I still love Peter, and I can’t tell him.’
    â€˜No.’ After a pause, he said, slowly, ‘I’m still going to marry Katie, and you’ll marry Peter. What we did hasn’t changed that, but I’d better get you back …’
    â€˜Not yet. If I’m never going to see you again, give me a last night to remember.’ It was out before she knew what she was saying.
    â€˜Are you sure?’
    A twinge of conscience made her say, ‘D’you think I’m awful?’
    â€˜No, I want it as much as you.’
    Now it was as if nothing of the outside world existed for them; they were conscious only of their rising passions, of the shared thrills and heart-stopping ecstasies, then, stealthily intruding, the awful thought that their time together was coming to an end. They were reluctant to break away from each other, but the parting had to come some time, and at last they walked slowly, morosely, to the door of Lizann’s lodgings. George’s final kiss was long and tender, and her spirits leapt when he groaned, ‘Oh, God, Lizann, I think I love you.’
    â€˜I think I love you and all, George.’ She looked at him in awe for some seconds, as if trying to find some way they could have a future together, then suddenly said, ‘No, I can’t let Peter down now.’ With a strangled sob, she ran inside.
    Peggy May eyed her in concern but, to Lizann’s great relief, asked no questions – she didn’t want to speak about it. Nobody could understand how she felt; she didn’t understand it herself.
    Lizann lay in torment that night. She had been unfaithful to Peter, she had let her mother down, and she could imagine how angry her father would be if he ever found out what she had done; but she wasn’t sorry for having done it. What she did regret was that she would never see George again.
    Would Peter notice anything different about her when she went home, and what would she tell him if he did? But she didn’t need to tell him anything; it was natural that she’d be different after being away from home for the very first time. Nothing had really changed between them, and if he asked her again to get engaged, she would say yes.

Chapter Three
    On the train, in spite of the singing and joviality going on around her, Lizann Jappy remained silent, as she had been since they set off in the morning. Normally her cheeks shone with rosy good health, her mouth was turned up in a smile, but today her face was peaky and her dark eyes had lost their radiance. Slumped in her seat, she seemed to have no interest in anything, but when the singers started up again, the first few words penetrated her consciousness.
    â€˜What a friend we have in Jesus,
    All our sins and griefs to bear,
    What a privilege to carry
    Everything to God in prayer!’
    Parting with George was the worst grief she’d ever had to bear, she thought wretchedly, and not even God could help her. How could she pray after the awful sin she’d committed? It had started off with her wanting to satisfy her curiosity because Peter … no, she couldn’t blame Peter, and he was such a decent man that she couldn’t hurt him by telling him. Besides, as George had said, what they did hadn’t changed anything. When she went home she would accept Peter’s proposal and put George right out of her mind.
    â€˜What’s wrong, Lizann?’
    The voice in her ear made her jump. ‘Nothing.’
    Her friend was not to be fobbed off. ‘Why are you nae singing? Are you thinking about that Cullen man? That George Buchan?’
    â€˜I love him.’
    Peggy May’s eyes widened. ‘Does he love you?’
    â€˜He said he did.’
    â€˜Well,