Baines was indeed pleased with the news Timothy had to tell him and let the boy go. This was going to be so much better than the original wager and he set about devising his little scheme. Timothy was just glad to get away, just in time to see John and Rose come out of the school, talking.
John had been waiting as patiently as he could, acknowledging matron leaving by herself to go to the store before walking to her friend's house, whom she intended pouring out her troubles to when she got there as her friend's advice about her giving him time to ask her to the dance, which was now only a week away and now it seemed extremely unlikely she would be going at all, let alone with the history teacher.
Last year, she and her friend had decided to go, there were still a few single males living in the village, a couple of widowed ones but nothing had come of it. Her friend had left early since another friend was watching the boys for her but it turned out they could have gone as well, Lucy Cartwright had been there with her parents, complete with the red balloon she carried everywhere with her, her father buying her a new one every Saturday afternoon and spending ages inflating it.
As she carried on to the village, she thought of John, standing in the hallway, showing signs he was nervous over something, probably the fact he was blatantly going to walk out of the school, in broad daylight and in front of staff and boys alike, with Rose. Still, she had offered her assistant advice of not to hide the fact so she only had herself to blame that he wasn't walking out with her.
She would have to have a serious think about herself, did she appear too stuffy for him? Rose wore her hair in a fashionable shoulder length bob while she herself wore it fastened up, Rose was very outspoken, she was quiet, not too opinionated and knew her place, Rose obviously showed signs she had grown up in a poor part of a city, London from what she'd said so Joan supposed people grew up faster there as opposed to rural areas.
Getting what she wanted in the store, as she came out, Rose and John were standing at the bus stop, Rose was laughing at something and John had a smile on his face. She thought how happy they looked, Rose touching his arm now and then, probably innocent on her part, the younger woman didn't seem to be bothered about it and John seemed content to let her keep doing it. Joan carried on the way to her friend's house, knocking on the door when she arrived.
"Hello Joan, you're a bit early today, is there anything wrong?"
"No, not unless you count the fact John Smith has taken up with my assistant and they are no longer hiding it, it's been going on for about a week, well from what I can gather, almost since his arrival and now I believe that night he invited me out to the village pub, he was just doing it for show, to throw anyone off thinking he was already chasing after Rose, who was then still his maid. I honestly don't know what he sees in her, albeit she's young but what's wrong with me? Why couldn't he be interested in me?"
All her friend could do was pat Joan's shoulder and go make some tea. She couldn't offer her friend any advice that she would want to hear. She'd heard herself that the new history teacher had been seen on several occasions sitting outside the village pub with Joan's assistant and a maid from the school and this morning while in the village store herself, she'd heard some of the women saying they'd been sat in the tearooms yesterday afternoon and the boys from the school had several wagers going about them.
No wonder poor Joan was upset but such was life, half of the married women in the village thought he was most attractive and they knew Rose was very lucky to have caught his attention. Joan was obviously not one of those who wished her luck with him, he seemed a bit of a lady-killer and she would surely have her heart broken.
"So Joan, I take it you won't be buying any tickets for the village dance, on the off-chance he'll change his mind?"
Joan felt sickly and excused herself to the bathroom she had to face it, Rose Tyler had won so far but she'd see just how far John Smith was going to take this, if the headmaster himself didn't get involved and ban them from seeing each other, at least in the school but what then? Would they go out of the school as soon as possible to continue their new liaison? She'd seen them at the bus stop not that long ago, where were they going and more importantly, were they already planning something in case the headmaster did try to put a stop to it?
While John had been waiting, not so patiently for Rose, he'd gone over his little scheme for getting into the town, locating the small discreet hotel on the other side, close to where they had been to the piano recital last Sunday and he would introduce himself and book in, under Mr and Mrs J Smith, a bold measure for the times they lived in but he expected half the single men of the town and beyond had done that on numerous occasions but it was necessary if he wanted a repeat and more of last night with Rose, she was more than worth it.
They had walked out of the school together, he'd acknowledge matron briefly as she'd gone out, not looking too happy he'd noted and on the way, Martha had passed them, walking at the side of her bicycle up the main driveway. Rose had stopped to say hello, avoiding being asked what did she think she was doing, walking in full view of everyone with him, Rose had seen it in her friend's eyes, she didn't have to say anything and when she did get back, Martha would be livid with her. There would be no way Rose could talk herself out of being absent for the night, she just hoped Martha wouldn't find out John was missing as well.
They'd got to the bus stop with five minutes to spare, John had seen the matron passing, Rose had been holding onto his arm as she'd pointed out Martha would be insufferable when they got back to the school, which she'd thought was amusing. He saw the funny side himself.
"So, Rose, what are you going to tell her, when she questions you?" he asked, her hand on his arm and he wanting to take hold of it, even though she was wearing red woollen mittens.
"Oh, maybe that you swept me off my feet, dragged me to a cheap hotel and held me captive all night?"
John smiled. "Oh, I never thought of that, do I have to drag you there and keep you against your will?"
"Mmm, no, I don't think so, do you? Maybe I'll have to claim that if I'm questioned though but it could get you into serious trouble so no, I'll have to say I complied with your wishes, won't I?"
John wanted to take her hand but thought better of it, the boys would have more than enough fuel for their fire without adding to it.
"Ah but are you willing to comply Rose? Or need I not ask that question?"
The bus pulled up, people were getting off, one instantly recognisable to Rose.
"Jenny! Where have you been? I've been worried about you."
"Hello Rose, sorry, I got an urgent message, my mother was taken ill, I had to go look after her, the housekeeper knew about it."
"Well she made me believe she didn't know, did she keep your job for you?"
"I don't know, I'm going back there now. What about you?"
"Got a promotion, to matron's assistant. Oh, this is Doctor Smith, the new history teacher."
"Hello Jenny, nice to meet you finally, well more than nice, brilliant, since you're a friend of Rose. You'll have to excuse us, we have to catch the bus."
"Yeah, of course, don't let me stop you, we'll catch up Rose, when you get back, I'm sure I'll get my job back somehow."
"Don't worry I'm sure you will but I'm surprised when I asked about you, no-one knew where you'd gone."
They got on the bus, sitting at the back again which got them a few questionable looks from others already seated as they passed the few rows of seats.
"I wonder if she will get her job back, it was all a bit sudden, her going off without telling me. She looked a bit off herself but if she's been looking after her mother, she's probably just tired. Did you speak to the housekeeper about her for me?" Rose asked as the noise of the engine drowned out their voices as they kept them low.
John was miles away, having taken off Rose's mitten and was playing with her fingers, entwining them with his own long ones and Rose never even noticing his hands were warm, despite the cold weather.
"What? Oh, you mean about your friend? I don't think I actually got around to it, I have had other things on my mind after all Rose."
"Such as?" Rose teased, now doing battle with his fingers.
"I think you know the answer to that, don't you? Why do you constantly tease me?"
"S'more fun that way, I have to keep you interested, don't I?"
"It's too late for that Rose, I'm already far too interested in you and you know it. How could I possibly be more interested in you than I already am? It's not a game, I don't want to play games any more, when we get back, we're not going to pretend any more, do you agree?"
Rose went quiet, letting him take off her other mitten as she put her arm through his, laying her head on his shoulder. He already knew the answer, Rose was also tired of playing games but they were only doing so for appearances sake but he decided no longer and if certain people didn't like it then too bad.
Once in the town, they had time to spare before the next showing at the picture palace so John located the 'Cedar Court Hotel' behind the Town Hall and keeping Rose behind him, with her shoulder bag stuffed with a few articles of clothing and other necessities and her mittens on, John went up to the small reception desk. He wished society didn't frown so much on men and woman wanting to spend some time away from prying eyes in a school. He'd already telephoned while the school secretary was having a mid-morning break but he knew he'd get questioned about the call when the quarterly bill arrived, even though he'd sought permission to make a call.
"Ah, good afternoon, I made a telephone reservation for tonight, for my wife and myself, Doctor John Smith?"
The man behind the desk looked at John, then Rose, who was trying her best to keep a straight face and not blurt out she was not his wife, well not yet anyway and what his plans were in that department, she had no idea, he'd not even told her yet outright that he loved her though he had implied it last night. He constantly called her his love but he'd never yet said he loved her, maybe tonight, he actually would.
After looking at his reservations book, the man reached for a blank card and pen, sliding them over to John.
"Sign the card for you and your wife Sir, I've put you in room 201 on the second floor, do you have any luggage?"
"No, we're just out for the weekend, to visit the picture palace actually and my wife wanted to visit your rather magnificent park, didn't you dear?"
Rose could only smile and nod before she burst out laughing, he was taking this seriously and she didn't want to spoil the little performance he was putting on for the hotelier. John signed the card, hoping the man at the desk wouldn't check since he'd put the school down as he couldn't very well put his home address down and handed it back, took the large keyfob from the man and thanked him.
"Will you be requiring dinner Sir, it's charged extra but the wife does a good meal."
They'd agree to try and eat out so as not to show Rose did not wear a ring of any kind, like John had said, they could get away with breakfast.
"Well actually, we don't know what time we will be back so we'll decline and just take breakfast, thank you all the same."
Rose was still dying to laugh, holding back until they walked up two flights of stairs and John unlocked the door to find a small but homely room with a neatly made double bed, complete with a red satin quilt and matching red curtains at the small window and a small sink in the corner, the bathroom, they had already passed at the top of the stairs, Rose thankful it was on the same floor and not on the one above or below.
Rose flung her shoulder bag onto the wooden padded chair by the small dressing table and put her arms around John.
"I can't believe we actually got away with that but I think he might have suspected something."
John let out a short laugh. "Well just hope he doesn't ring the school to ask if I've got a wife, then matron will have something to say. Still, he doesn't know your real name so what can he ask anyway? Well my love, we're all alone at last, are you sure you want to go to the picture palace this afternoon, they have an evening showing at seven, we could eat then go."
"Mmm, well if we're not going this afternoon, what do you have planned?"
John gave her a wicked smile and helped her off with her coat then fingered the buttons on the dress she'd changed into earlier.
"Oh, I'm sure we can think of something my lovely rosebud, in fact I'm sure we can find something to do. I hope you're wearing your new underwear my love?"
"Yeah, I managed to wash it quickly this morning and luckily it was dry, I'm gonna have to buy some more at this rate though, I can't keep up with you, you're wicked John Smith."
"Have you only just discover that? Now let me help you out of that dress, we have a few hours before we should seek somewhere to dine and go to the venue. Since you had to leave early this morning to avoid Martha discovering you, I've done nothing but think about what would have happened had you not had to depart so hastily but I think I will tease you, the way you tease me and save the rest for later."
"Yeah, I bet you will but let me just run to the bathroom first yeah? I won't be long."
She left the room door open slightly and ran back along the hallway, wondering if what he had in mind was a repeat of last night or if it was something else. Well if not this afternoon, something else would surely happen tonight? He wouldn't want to wait much longer, not according to what she'd read in those magazines but was she ready for more? She had shuddered at all the feelings he'd given her last night, they were wonderful and she was sure she was ready for more of the same but should she let him go any further?
