Free Swansea Girls by Catrin Collier Page B

‘All right.’ Careful of her petticoat, she rose to her feet.
    ‘That’s some dress. It must have taken hours to sew on those beads.’
    ‘I don’t sew.’
    ‘I thought every woman sewed.’ He pulled her close and looked down her bodice.
    ‘Not me.’ She straightened her arms, pushing him away from her.
    ‘Funny isn’t it,’ he commented after a few minutes’ silence. ‘You and me, living so close and this is the first time we’ve danced.’
    ‘Nothing funny about that.’ She looked at him, really looked, for the first time. She knew his brother Martin better because he’d been a friend of Joe’s before Joe had won a scholarship to grammar school and Martin had been sent to the secondary modern. Jack had the same dark features, black curly hair and eyes as Martin, and was, if anything, more handsome, but there was something hard – dangerous – almost brutal about Jack that was missing in his older brother. She recalled some of the stories she’d heard, that Jack had been toughened but not broken by his two years in Borstal. That since his release he’d done nothing but get into trouble, fights, dodgy business and worse – whatever ‘worse’ was.
    ‘I could take you home.’
    ‘You could, but I’m going with the girls.’
    ‘On the bus,’ he scoffed. ‘I’d take you home on my bike.’
    ‘Push bike,’ she sneered.
    ‘Motor.’
    ‘Bought it?’
    ‘No, stole it.’
    ‘From the way people talk, I wouldn’t put it past you.’
    ‘I earn good money on the building site; I can afford to buy whatever I want. So what do you say?’
    ‘I say no thanks.’ Suddenly conscious of his hand on her naked back and his legs pressing against hers, she moved away from him again.
    ‘You all right?’
    ‘Hot.’
    ‘Then why don’t we cool down with a drink?’ Taking her hand, he led her towards the bar. ‘What’s it to be?’
    She blushed and turned away as the barman studied her cleavage. ‘Something long and cool.’
    ‘Gin and tonic and half a bitter.’
    She drew him to one side. ‘I’m not supposed to drink.’
    ‘You’re over age.’
    ‘Just.’
    ‘Then get it down you.’ Paying the barman, he handed her the gin. ‘Let’s find somewhere quiet where we can sit and talk, and I can tell you about my bike.’
    ‘Here is fine.’ Helen sat at the nearest table. Judy had returned to their table with the stranger. The orchestra was playing her current favourite, ‘Red Sails in the Sunset’, Lily was still dancing with Martin, only closer than before; Katie and Adam were behind them. As she watched, Adam moved his head down to Katie’s and kissed her on the cheek. Taking the gin and tonic, she emptied the glass in one gulp.
    ‘You were thirsty.’
    ‘Yes, I was,’ she replied defiantly.
    ‘I’ll get you another.’
    ‘The bar’s crowded and they’ll be calling last orders soon.’
    ‘I know the barman.’
    ‘In that case, thank you.’ She smiled as she looked into his eyes. ‘Tell you what, Jack, as you can’t take me home, how about we go outside for some fresh air?’
    ‘And when we want to get back in?’
    ‘After another of these, I wouldn’t want to come back in.’
    He picked up her glass. ‘I’ll meet you round the corner by the cliff.’
    ‘I’ll be waiting.’
    ‘So, Judy Hunt, you like dancing, you come here most Saturdays, you’re a trainee hairdresser and you live in Carlton Terrace.’
    ‘I can give you a rundown on my friends as well if you like. It’ll save you having to ask them to dance.’
    ‘I’m more interested in you.’ Brian gave her the full benefit of his most winning smile.
    ‘So, Brian ...’
    ‘Powell.’
    ‘Now you know all about me, what about you?’ As Judy looked up at him she wondered how she could have ever thought fair boys more attractive than dark.
    ‘I’ve come to Swansea to work.’
    ‘As what?’
    ‘Sort of civil servant.’
    ‘What sort?’
    ‘Can I take you home?’
    ‘You don’t waste time, do