A New Dawn
Chapter 14
They were very lucky with the ship they were taking home. It was an old cruise ship rather than cargo so they did get their own cabins. The route home was the same route that Jackie and Molly had made when they went to Singapore in 1941. This time though she had Charles with her.
When they docked in Cape Town he organised a trip up Table Mountain, the views over the Atlantic and surrounding country was stunning. He hired a car to take them round the Cape to Hermanus. Bits of it she had to shut her eyes the cliff was so close to her side of the car and the drop to the ocean was terrifying. They parked and walked round the coastline to a rocky outcrop looking out to sea. All of a sudden this great creature jumped out of the sea and flopped back in causing the spray to dampen their clothes. Molly grabbed hold of Charles arm.
"What the heck was that?"
"Not sure of the species but it looked like a whale" There was a man standing near them who heard their conversation and realising they were British started to speak
"Sorry to interrupt" he said in a broad South African accent "I couldn't help overhearing your conversation" he pointed out to sea "That is the Southern Right Whale, they come here from June to November to breed before going back to feed in the waters of the Antarctic. They are leaving now"
"So are there baby whales out there as well" asked Molly full of excitement and the man laughed
"Yes, probably if you watch long enough"
"Let's sit and watch for a bit" said Molly looking up at Charles smiling with happiness at seeing something new. So, they sat for a bit Molly holding his arm tightly as they looked out to sea hoping to see more Whales. Charles looked down at her expectant face, knowing exactly where he wanted to be; by her side forever.
-OG-
They hadn't spent a lot of time together as a married couple before war tore them apart. Rather than spend too much time talking of what they had been through in the intervening years, they spoke of some funny and some sad things that had happened to them while they were apart neither ready to divulge all they had seen, even to each other. Now they had both grown a little bit stronger and healthier with the improved diet they were able to wear their wedding rings again.
During the day they filled their time with walks, chatting with their friends, sitting on the deck and watching the ship steam towards home. At night they made love, held each other and woke entwined around each other's bodies. Neither had ever been this happy.
"Charlie?" Molly started to ask one night when they were nearly home
"Mmmm? He responded sleepily.
"I know the doctor in Singapore said that we would all go back to normal and that" she blushed "you know be women again" and Charles suddenly got alert not quite sure where Molly was taking this conversation in the middle of the night.
"What happens if, you know the treatment we got means I can't have kids". She was wrapped round him after a heated coupling, he could barely concentrate and she brings this up now. "I'd understand, if you didn't want me anymore and be with someone who could give you children."
He pulled her on top of him so that she was looking down into his eyes "I'll adore you for always, whether you can or can't have kids as you put it" and kissed her nose
"If you can't then one of your siblings will have to have one we can borrow from time to time like Edna borrows you" and smiled up at her
"You noticed that then?"
"Of course, I did"
"You wouldn't mind then" she asked hesitantly "I understand if you would want to leave me" and as he looked into her wide and watery green eyes he felt his stomach turn over at the thought of losing her. He smiled up at her and waggled his eyebrows drawing in his bottom lip.
"Well why don't we worry about that if it happens and keep practising in the meantime" and he was rewarded with one of her smiles that he liked to think was just for him, her eyes sparkling with humour and she lowered her head to kiss him.
-OG-
They docked on a cold December day in Southampton towards the end of 1945. The dock wasn't crowded like they expected welcoming the returning soldiers and civilians after all these years away. In fact, they were handed letters of silence explaining it would cause unnecessary unhappiness to the relatives and friends of those that had sadly not returned. It was also to save their own families and friends from being burdened with the lurid details in the sensational press. Apparently arrangements had been made that any story they had to tell was to only be told to the interrogating officers. The celebrations from May and VE day long over, they had spent so long getting them home even the celebrations in August marking the end of the war had finished as people moved on with their normal lives.
The three women had very little luggage having lost it all when their ship was torpedoed, the men being serving soldiers had been given full kit. RAPWI however had come up trumps and managed to find coats for most of the women and children on board knowing they were coming from the Tropics to a cold December morning. They walked down the gang planks to Southampton harbour and out into the afternoon sun.
Jackie and Brian were offered train tickets back to London, Molly hugged her and cried that she was leaving her best friend promising to come to London to see them soon. Edna also held onto her tightly, promising that she would see her soon and bring Molly with her. Molly held onto Edna's hand with a vice like grip. They were home, they were safe but there was a sadness in her that it was the end of what held them together.
They waved them off as they got into the hackney cab that would take them to the train station for the last leg of their journey back to London. To see Jacqui's parents in East Ham.
There was the toot of a horn, then two very well dressed elegant people got out and spoke with Charles, patting him on the back, shaking his hand to welcome him back telling him how pleased they were to see him before moving to Edna and Roger and welcoming them home. Molly was struck by the fact that there was no hugging or kissing in welcome. She had worked out that they were Charles parents but if it was her mum and dad they would have clung to her and kissed her. The woman turned to Edna
"So glad you are back safe and sound" she giggled "Don't know what I would have done if you had not come back to join me on the committee." Molly just stood there in awe and looked at Charles with a weak smile as he held her hand smiling back
"Mother, Father this is Molly I wrote to you about" he said proudly looking at her "We met in Singapore and she did me the honour of becoming my wife" their eyes never left each other as he said it so they didn't see the raised eyebrows of his father or the way his mother looked at Molly up and down. But Edna did and looked at Roger who shrugged his shoulders.
"Well nice to meet you Molly, come on" said Peter and shook her hand "Let's get out of this cold and get back to Bath" he smiled at Roger and Edna "You will see that we have Christmas all laid on again for this year"
Molly looked across to Edna, her eyes were wide, she wasn't brought up in the East End not to know that they weren't pleased to see that Charles had come back with a wife. Edna patted her on her hand and smiled encouragingly. She sat in the back of the car with Roger and Edna either side of her while Charles sat with his parents and they relayed stories and gossip at what he had missed in the five years he had been away. Telling him of their friends and more than once mentioned a woman called Rebecca who was the daughter of one of their closest friends and neighbours. Molly let her hand slide across the seat and hold onto Edna's. She knew she wasn't welcome and felt sadness overwhelm her.
-O-
"Edna, I don't think I need to show you and Roger to your room you have been here so many times for Christmas" gushed Charles mother Frances "We have had the hot water on so there should be plenty if you want to take a bath before dinner."
"We kept it casual as we assumed that you wouldn't have much luggage and wouldn't be able to dress for a formal dinner so it's only us" said Peter jovially.
Molly still clutched Edna's hand not knowing how to fit in, in fact she didn't think she had said a single word since they had been picked up from Southampton only tried to smile and not give them any reason to dislike her. Edna looked across to Molly knowing that they had to go to their rooms to freshen up and she could see the terror in her eyes, she hoped that Charles would notice and look after her. It would appear that her husband had noticed more about her friend than she ever had in the 30 odd years that she had known her.
Dinner was tense to say the least. Peter had asked what Molly's father did and when she had told him he was the chief engineer at a brewery in Streatham he raised an eyebrow and remarked that it was a useful trade as they all liked a beer from time to time. Even Roger sucked in his lips, while he came across a characters like Dave Dawes in his normal walk of life he had found him to be a very affable man in the time he spent with him in camp. Maybe the camp had changed them all in some way.
"So, whereabouts in London do you come from Molly" asked Frances
"Plaistow" replied Molly "It's in West Ham"
"How are your parents" she continued
"I 'avent seen them yet" she looked at Charles "I 'ope I can get up there and see what it's like since the bombing and that" she put her hand on his knee under the table "I 'ope I can get me job back at the London Hospital" she smiled across at his mother
"Well you won't be working now dear" his mother responded "there will be plenty for you to do here as a Captain's wife and if he gets his promotion after this then you will need to be organising events with the other officers' wives to support him. I'm sure we can find you something to do with one of the charities here if you feel you have any spare time." Molly looked across at Charles who seemed to be concentrating on his food and she turned looking horror struck towards Edna for support. The evening was getting worse as far as Molly was concerned. Again, they brought up some woman called Rebecca who would be calling with her parents on Christmas Eve. Apparently she was a lovely woman who was the daughter of a Brigadier Charles had known since childhood and lived in Royal Crescent too.
Finally, the evening came to an end and as far as Molly was concerned wasn't soon enough and she was a little disappointed that Charles didn't come to her aid when she was having to deal with all those questions from his parents and how dare they tell her what she could do for a living.
When they were lying in bed that night she asked him where they would be living when Christmas was over.
"Well I live here Molly" he said, "When I'm not in barracks or sent somewhere."
"We are going to 'ave our own 'ome ain't we Charlie?" she whispered to him.
"I want you to be looked after and my parents can do that while I am away."
"I don't need looking after" she said while putting her arm across his chest "I can look after meself, always have."
"This is our home now Molly" he replied kissing her forehead and her heart sunk. Ok so it was a big house and if she was really clever she could avoid the pair of them, but she had a bad feeling that they wouldn't allow themselves to be avoided.
-OG-
In another room across the landing Edna was having a similar conversation with Roger.
"She won't be happy here." she said
"Well if Charles doesn't want to move away there is not much you can do about it is there Edna."
"I couldn't believe they could talk to her in that manner, almost ignored her then cast aspersions on her family and work" she wailed to him.
"She might not have noticed."
"She did, didn't you see the light go out of her eyes" she said sadly "I've seen that girl take a child away from his dead mother, watched while she dug their graves, held her while she sobbed at some of the things she had to do and you think she didn't notice" he held his wife tightly knowing her heart was sad for Molly.
"Charles will just have to step up and stand up to his mother" she held his hand remembering the time Molly skipped across the camp smiling as she went off to work in that god awful factory "I can't believe they are still trying to pair him off with Rebecca, do they think the marriage is fake?"
"Probably since it was done in the colonies."
"Well she will just have to come back to Guildford with us in the New Year" and he closed his eyes thinking that Charles was a Captain in his regiment yet he was being forced to get involved in something he felt was down to Molly and Charles to sort out.
-OG-
Morning came soon enough and it was the day before Christmas Eve. Molly couldn't help but think of her family in Plaistow, what would they be doing. All the kids excited with their stockings all lined up by the chimney. She was homesick for them, wanted to know how her Dad was doing since he got back and what about Jacqui and Brian she wanted to see them too and know they had settled back in.
She waited for Charles to get dressed so that she could go down to breakfast with him, she didn't want to be dealing with his parents on her own. It's not that they were openly hostile to her but she just knew that she wasn't what they were expecting. She really did try to make a good impression, felt she hadn't said one of her silly things or let her mouth run away with her, engaged her brain before she spoke. Perhaps she just needed to try a bit harder.
They walked into the dining room and there was a table at the end with cereals, toast and one had to guess that the scrambled eggs were powdered. His father was sat at the head of the table with a broad sheet paper and a cup of coffee and barely looked up as they came into the room. She took a slice of toast, a cup of tea and sat down opposite his mother. Charles took a cup of coffee, some toast and some of the scrambled eggs. He smiled at her as he sat next to her.
Frances lowered and folded her paper when they were both seated and was about to speak as Roger and Edna came into the room for breakfast.
"Well Molly" sniffed Frances "There will be a number of parties going on over Christmas and I am a little busy today with all the organizing but I have telephoned a personal dresser at Harvey Nichols in Bristol who will provide you with suitable clothing. The driver will take you there to pick up everything you need."
She looked at Charles who was just putting in the last mouthful of his toast and Egg "Will you come with me" he laughed before saying
"No point in me being there Molly I don't know anything about women's clothes"
"Don't worry Molly I'll keep you company" intervened Edna
"I thought we would have time to go for afternoon tea as it has been so long since we have seen you" said Frances looking across at her friend. Molly thought that if she had time to go out for tea then she couldn't really be that busy then could she.
"We can go another time Frances" smiled Edna "I could also do with a bit of retail therapy as I have no clothes that fit me at the moment and certainly nothing for this weather having been in the tropics for so long." Molly breathed in a sigh of relief and looked across at Edna with a big grin.
"Well then" said Peter folding his newspaper "If the girls are organised for the day, perhaps us chaps can get in a round of 9 holes at the club?"
Roger looked across to Edna and rolled his eyes, he didn't really like golf but he could hardly say he would rather go shopping.
"We'd better check my Tux before you go Edna make sure it still fits"
"That's the plan for the day then, I'll see you down here in 30 minutes Molly and I can show you Bristol."
Molly smiled at her again and almost went to hug her as she almost skipped out of the room with happiness that she would be spending some time with Edna. Charles watched as she left the room smiling at her happiness before turning back to Edna and noticed a fleeting look that resembled a glare before her face masked her thoughts.
Molly went up to their room, put on a bit of makeup found her hat and gloves and took her handbag and coat. She looked in her purse and she didn't have more than a few coppers in there and hoped that she wouldn't need to much money and didn't want to have to go and ask Charles for any while his mother was there.
Charles came into the room before she had time to leave, he also needed to change as he was playing golf with his father and Roger.
"Charlie" she whispered "Will I need much money, I've only got about a shilling in change" he laughed "No Molly" he kissed her on the nose "Just charge it to the James account and I'll pay the bill when it comes in at the end of the month"
"When we get back later, can we have a chat" she looked up into his eyes hers looking worried.
"What about" he cupped her face in his hands he could see that this was all overwhelming for her but wasn't sure how to make it easier, he knew this life was so different to what she knew in London or Singapore. More stifled perhaps and it shocked him to realise that perhaps he too had been changed by the camp and Molly's influence.
"I wanna be a nurse, I like being a nurse and I'm good at it" she started. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close, kissed the top of her head. She wrapped her arms around his waist "and I wanna see me Mum and Dad…..make sure he's alright. He ain't got no one to talk to about what happened unless Brian and Jacqui go see him…. I need to know he's alright and he needs to know I am too."
He pulled her away from him and looked down at her sad face, he was so pleased to be home and with her, he had completely forgotten about Dave and the rest of her family. He should have thought, remembered the closeness she had with her Father and her friends.
"We'll talk when you get back but we can go after boxing day, stay a couple of days if you like" and her face lit up with happiness and she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him hard on the lips.
Charles took hold of her hands from around his neck and brought them to his lips and kissed them, his soft brown eyes twinkling down at her. "Go now before Edna wonders where you are and comes bursting in" and he gave her final kiss before moving across to the wardrobe.
-OG-
Molly raced down the stairs her happy smile restored to Edna who was waiting for her in the hall. She put on her coat, hat and gloves before linking arms with Edna and they went off on their excursion to Bristol. It only took about 40 minutes, the driver said he could come back in a couple of hours for them.
They arrived at the women's clothing department, considering there had been a war on and rationing was still in place there were plenty of choice.
What caught Molly's eye were the trousers, she loved trousers. Wide legged and high waisted and she thought they looked very elegant especially teamed with a jumper. She had missed so much changing fashion. Edna was fascinated by her, she was like a small child in sweet shop. The woman who Frances had organised as a personal shopper came over.
"I think Mrs James had in mind these evening dresses for the parties you will be attending over Christmas and New Year and maybe these dresses for your daytime wear. Molly looked at all of it with horror. Those wide ball gowns wouldn't suit someone so short, she would look like a bloody tea cosy or one of those crochet doll things her Nan hide the toilet roll in. She looked to Edna, who shrugged and patted her hand.
"I think we want to look around and I don't think that is what the young Mrs James would want to wear", she saw Molly shaking her head out the corner of her eye. Molly was wide eyed and looking round the store at the mannequins and posters when she spotted one from Hollywood of Kay Nelson and Carole Lombard.
"Like that" she said smiling. The personal dresser raised her eyebrows but then smiled broadly, it was not often they got someone Molly's age in here that wanted to dress in a more modern way, they usually just wanted traditional clothing for their debutant year.
So, with a smile on her face she went off to find the high waisted wide leg trousers, a couple of bolero jackets, blouses and jumpers and skirts that nipped the waist. They were pleated and flared slightly to just below the knee.
The two evening dresses one was a duck egg lace outer layer with silk under to give it depth, was off the shoulder nipped at the waist and clung to her returning curves. Edna knew that Charles would be delighted when he saw Molly in this one. The second was black and nipped tight at the waist showing how slim she was and again off the shoulder and showing a small amount of cleavage, it started flaring just below the hip and had dark grey silk panels making it swing with every step.
"Look Edna" Molly almost screamed grabbing her arm and dragging her to the hosiery section "Look they've got nylons" Edna laughed at her happiness "I suppose while we are here you had better get some new underwear and nightdress" She had to smirk behind her hand at the things that Molly was picking, she had a distinct feeling that Charles might get a bit of a shock when he realised just how modern and independent his Molly was turning out to be. But after having watched her and Jacqui and their friendship with Blanche, she really wasn't surprised. She knew that Molly was a good girl and only had eyes for Charles and she was so pleased that she was with her today, her happiness infectious.
Edna had also got her few bits and after sorting out a new dress shirt for Roger they made their way to the coffee room laden with packages. Molly beaming from ear to ear struggling to contain her excitement.
"Which one should I wear Christmas Eve Edna?" she asked her smile not having left her face for hours.
"They are both beautiful dear, I'm sure that either will be perfect."
"I don't really do perfect" she nodded "I'll ask Charles when we get 'ome."
"I've heard you call him Charlie many times dear" she put her hand over Molly's "Why you are calling him Charles now?" Molly looked down at the hand over hers and shrugged.
"I don't think she likes me much" she sighed "I don't want to annoy her any more than I already have and call him Charlie by mistake, so I better get used to calling him Charles" and she lifted her green eyes to Edna's dark blue ones.
-OG-
It was one of those cold crisp winter days, the men hired their clubs for the round of golf. They would only make a very brief stop to the club house afterwards as they had to be back and ready for cocktails at 6.
"So how many people has Frances invited to the Christmas Eve party this year Peter?" Roger enquired
Peter laughed, "You know her, just about all the neighbours, friends, a couple of our old army Generals and their wives and I think half the charity committee" he turned to look at his son "Rebecca will be there, how long has it been since you've seen her son?"
"Not sure" he shook his head "about six years I think"
"Lovely girl Roger, I think you've met her a few times over the years" he gushed "Still not married, we always thought she was waiting for our Charles to come back from the war."
"I hope not father, I'm already married" laughed Charles but could feel himself straightening up at the direction of the conversation.
"Really" stuttered his father "We weren't sure if you actually married her, what with you being in Singapore."
"Yes father, I actually married her" a stern expression on his face. At last thought Roger he is finally getting a tongue in his head.
"Is it legal, can you annul it" queried Peter shocked that his son should speak to him in that manor.
Charles actually laughed at his father's question, "Yes its legal, no it can't be annulled and neither would I want it to be" his eyes narrowing and a frown appearing "I think I will leave you two to play golf, I'll go home and see if Molly is back from Bristol" with that he marched off in the direction of his car. Thank god Roger and his father came in one car and he had brought his own.
Peter was staring after him open mouthed with disbelief "What's got into the boy?" to no one in particular.
"I think, no I know he loves his wife very much Peter"
"When Edna wrote to Frances saying that Charles had found someone out there, we had our doubts about her suitability, how is she going to be an asset to his career in the army" he admonished "Why didn't you put a stop to it?"
"That's if Charles wants a career in the army" and remembering Alex and smiling "He might want to be a sheep farmer."
"Don't be so bloody ridiculous Roger" huffed Peter "All the James men go into the army"
"Come on Peter, let's play this damn game of golf" and rolled his eyes "But you might want to consider that we are nearly in 1946 and things are changing, people are going to want different things now after this war."
Peter just raised his eyebrows in scepticism and tee'd off for the first hole.
-OG-
It didn't take long to get back to Royal Crescent and he had calmed down quite a bit. He wandered into the kitchen to ask the maid if she wouldn't mind making him a coffee which he then took up to their room and sat on the bottom of the bed.
Looks like his chat with Molly later would be a bit more complicated now. He would have to tell her about Rebecca before she came face to face with her. While she had been to the best schools and was a beautiful woman, he had seen her many times during her deb year and always with a different man, in fact he had seen her in a very promiscuous position in the gardens at one of the many parties. At the last party of the year and just before he was due to leave for Singapore they had had their own dalliance. While she was tall, blonde and very beautiful she is certainly not someone he would trust enough to marry. He snorted a laugh, his Molly was more of a lady than Rebecca.
He felt a bit grubby and stiff so thought he may as well have a bath and soak it away. Walking across to the en-suite he undressed before getting into a hot bath. He shut his eyes.
-OG-
Edna and Molly were talking enthusiastically as they arrived back at Royal Crescent. "I'll see you later Edna, I wanna hang all this up and keep it nice" she kissed her on the cheek "Thanks for coming with me and helping me with this stuff" she beamed at her before turning and running up the stairs as fast as she could. She started to unpack the new dresses, hang them in the wardrobe and put the new underwear in the drawers. She couldn't wait to show Charles everything she got and hoped he liked it and it didn't cost too much.
Perhaps she should freshen up with a bath before he got back from golf and pushed open the bathroom door to see Charles leap forward to cover himself. She closed the door and locked it grinning at him
"You ain't got nothing I haven't seen before Charlie" she laughed
"Sorry wasn't sure who it was at first" he smiled back at her
"Is the water still hot" she asked as she started peeling off her clothes "Shift up a bit and I'll do your back", he let out a bit of the water to top up with more hot water as she finished undressing and got in the bath behind him. She pulled his shoulders back so he was laying on her chest, his head on her shoulder and she wrapped her legs around his thighs. She put her arms round his chest rubbing soap into it with one hand and the other squeezing the sponge to rinse it and he closed his eyes thinking this is one of the most sensual things he had ever experienced. The feeling of Molly's legs wrapped round him her breasts pressing into his back and the feel of warm water running down his chest were sending very strong messages to his groin. His hands running up and down her legs.
There was a sudden noise in their room and he heard his mother calling for Molly.
"Shush" he whispered to her and glad that she had locked the door.
"What are you doing in here Frances?" they heard Edna ask, "I wanted to check that Molly had got the dresses I organised for her, where is she?"
"I don't know she came up here to hang them up" and Frances opened the wardrobe doors.
"What are these, that's not what I ordered" barked Frances "They're not suitable at all"
"It's what young people are wearing now Frances" she thought she heard a splash in the bathroom a giggle followed by a deeper whisper and she smiled glad that Frances had already moved to the other side of the room and clearly hadn't heard.
"Well we still have tomorrow to get them changed before the party" and Edna guided her out of the room closing the door to their bedroom
Inside the bathroom they had both heard every word.
"I'm sorry" Charles whispered
"Don't be, not your fault" she kissed his cheek "if you don't like em I'll change them, but the ones your mum picked were just so…I looked like a bleedin tea cosy." Charles laughed really laughed
"You will never look like a tea cosy Molly" and they carried on from where they left off before the interruption
"Do you want me to do your back" she giggled as it was still pressed against her
"In a bit" he whispered "I wouldn't mind staying like this for a bit ….. So, pleased you came up with this idea" she giggled again
"Well it weren't really my idea" and he turned his head slightly to look into her eyes that were shining with happiness again
"It was Blanche"
"Blanche? The…" and Molly threw her head back laughing at him.
"Yeah! She got some hooch …. Don't know where from but we was all drinking it and were talking about what we missed" she faltered and held him a bit tighter. He rubbed her legs knowing that although this was probably a happy memory it was tinged with sadness at the loss of her friend. "She told us stuff…. you know….. how to make a man happy and this is one of them."
Charles just stared at her, he had to admit he had been enjoying the closeness and the sensations it created
"What did you think we were gonna do for 3 years Charlie ….. talk about the bleedin weather" and she burst into peals of laughter and he joined in laughing more and more.
"Well I shall look forward to the other things she may have told you" and burst out laughing again.
"Edna thought it was funny too" she said in all seriousness
"What she was there too" he asked incredulously
"Course she was, where else would she go and she liked the hooch an all" now he really laughed then shivered all over at the thought that Edna was picking up tips from a lady of the night and wondered how Roger was going to cope. He just couldn't stop laughing and Molly was trying to shush him in case anyone heard them putting her hand over his mouth which he then started to kiss.
"I love you Molly"
"I love you too Charlie" she whispered back.
Edna had been having tea with Frances in the drawing room when the men had come back from golf and she had heard Charles had stormed off before even starting to play. She decided to go up to her room and have a bath herself. She heard their happy laughter as she crossed the landing and it sounded like Charles was making his choice.