Free I'll Get By by Janet Woods Page A

to go into a dark empty house by myself. Not after the burglar. Silly, isn’t it? I’ll be quite all right once I’ve turned the lights on, and Aunt Es and Leo will be home in a couple of hours. If you can’t stay will you just wait until I’ve turned the lights on before you drive away?’
    ‘Actually, I’d love a cup of tea.’
    She felt an enormous sense of relief when he followed her inside, and placed her basket on the kitchen table. The kitchen smelled deliciously of violets from the posy he’d given her. She held them to her nose for a moment. Afterwards she put both the kettle and the radio on.
    They were just in time to hear the newsreader say, ‘News has just come in that German troops have occupied Czechoslovakia.’
    She gazed at him. ‘Do you think there will be a war?’
    He nodded. ‘I think it’s inevitable, don’t you?’
    ‘I keep hoping it will all go away. Will you have to . . . well, you know . . .
fight?
’
    ‘I imagine I’ll be called up eventually.’
    ‘And would you go?’
    ‘It would be compulsory. But anyway, I’d probably enlist if war happens to be declared. Even if given a choice it wouldn’t be fair to leave the fighting to all the other chaps. In fact it would be rather cowardly.’
    ‘You know Rennie, if there’s a war I think I’ll forget about going to university and join one of the women’s services instead. I can type and do shorthand, so I could make myself useful. My studies could probably be deferred until a later date.’
    ‘Yes, you could. You know, Mags, becoming a lawyer isn’t all fun, especially for a woman. Promise me you’ll think carefully about it, because once you’ve committed to it you’ll discover it hard work for the most part, and without much time left over to enjoy what life has to offer.’
    ‘Like war, you mean?’ She touched his cheek, feeling a bit weepy at the thought of him being placed in danger. ‘If you’re called up you’ll take care, won’t you? Don’t do anything dangerous or heroic.’
    ‘I’m not naturally brave, so I’ll try not to.’
    ‘My father was a war hero. He died before I was born. Everyone who knew him said he was a wonderful man. I wish I’d known him too.’
    They gazed at each other for a moment, and then he drew her into his arms. When she gazed up at him in surprise he kissed her. It was unexpectedly tender and undemanding. ‘Thank you for caring about me.’
    ‘That’s the first time I’ve been kissed . . . properly, I mean. It was nice.’
    He avoided her eyes. ‘Don’t read anything into it. I shouldn’t have encouraged you. You’re much too young for me.’
    She wouldn’t have objected to an encore, but he’d probably kissed hundreds of girls, and she didn’t want him to think she was one of those fast types.
    ‘I’ll grow older.’
    A laugh choked from him. ‘I’m sure I’ll keep up with the age gap.’
    They drank their tea in the kitchen while the storm threw bolts of lightning about the sky. Thunder rumbled up through the soles of their feet as though they were part of it. Eventually the noise lost its intensity, but it left in its wake a howling gale and a heavy downpour of rain.
    ‘You’d better wait until this is over,’ she said.
    There was the sound of the key in the lock and Leo and her aunt were blown into the house on a gust of wind, laughing together. Leo called out, ‘We’re home, Meggie, and soaked through.’
    ‘I’m in the kitchen.’
    Leo’s voice got louder as he moved towards them. ‘Es started to walk home because I wasn’t there on time to pick her up, and the bus had gone. The storm got to her and beat her up before I did.’ He deposited a kiss on her cheek and gazed over her shoulder. ‘Hello . . . who’s this?’
    Rennie had already risen to his feet. He held out a hand, ‘Rainard Stone. I’m the solicitor handling Margaret’s legacy.’
    Aunt Es came in after Leo, her stocking clad feet leaving a trail of wet footprints behind her. Her