Free Tuppence to Tooley Street by Harry Bowling Page B

wasn’t fer ’im.’
    The two reached the end of Dock Street and turned into Dockhead. Although the night was dark, the half-hidden moon seemed to bathe the streets in a faint light. They approached Shad Thames, a narrow turning where wharves and warehouses loomed high and sombre. Danny chuckled, and Kathy pulled on his arm. ‘What’s wrong?’
    ‘Jus’ somefing I thought of,’ Danny said, still chuckling.
    ‘C’mon then, let us in on the joke.’
    ‘All right,’ Danny said, leaning his head in her direction, ‘when the lads used ter pull the birds–sorry, girls–they used ter say to ’em, “’Ow would yer like ter see Butler’s new crane?” They’d tell ’em all about ’ow big an’ tall it was, an’ they’d take ’em down ter Butler’s Wharf in Shad Thames.’
    ‘I see,’ Kathy grinned, shaking her head in mock disgust. ‘All those dark alleyways an’ dark doorways, I see. An’ I s’pose you took quite a few girls down there?’
    ‘Not many,’ Danny smiled.
    ‘Were they disappointed they never got to see the new crane?’
    ‘You’ll ’ave ter ask them,’ Danny said with a shrug of his shoulders.
    Kathy was quiet for a second or two, then she pulled on his arm again. ‘I s’pose you was finkin’ about askin’ me ter come down an’ see the crane?’
    Danny put on his innocent look. ‘No. But it is a short-cut that way.’
    The two veered off and walked down the deserted Shad Thames. High wharves towered above them as they walked the cobbled lane. Various smells hung in the night air–the aroma of spices and the eye-watering tang of pepper mingled with other more obscure odours. Shad Thames was full of pungent, exotic wares, and the loneliness of the place made them shiver. Kathy clung tightly onto Danny and he could feel her body pressing onto his arm. He looked at her and in the half-light could just make out her dark hair, pale complexion, and her full lips, and he shivered.
    Half-way along the lane Danny stopped, took his hands from his pockets and turned to face Kathy. Without saying a word he moved in close to her and clasped her shoulders. She did not resist as he pulled her to him and kissed her on the lips. Her mouth opened beneath his as the kiss became more urgent. For some time they stayed locked in an embrace, then when they moved apart Danny took her hand and led her the few paces into a doorway.
    The night was silent and they could hear their own heartbeats. Kathy put both arms around his neck and Danny could feel her slim body against his chest, and her thighs touching his. His hands sought her, opening her coat, and moved gently over her soft, smooth breasts. He bent to kiss her neck, and Kathy shuddered, her head held back as his lips moved over her throat. She could no longer think clearly, there was only the urge to meet his caresses and feel his passion. She needed him to love her more than anything in the world.
    Together they drew back into the deepest shadows of the doorway, and their breathing became a rhythmic panting.
    ‘Love me, Danny! Please!’ she whispered harshly in his ear.
     
    For a while neither of them spoke. Then finally Kathy moved away from his embrace. She buttoned up her coat and took his arm. ‘I’ve wanted you to do that ever since that Saturday night before you went away, Danny,’ she said.
    The young man looked at the girl who stood with him in the dark recess and his face relaxed into a smile. ‘You don’t know ’ow many times I thought about that night since I left,’ he said quietly.
    They started walking again, their footsteps echoing along the silent and deserted lane. They were silent as they turned from Shad Thames into a side road and continued on past the huge brewery. The smell of hops hung in the air, and as they came out once again into Tooley Street rain started to fall. Each was thinking about the suddenness and the fantasy of the experience they had shared only a few minutes ago. Danny could not get the picture of