Megan of Merseyside (15 page)

Chapter Fifteen

MEGAN STARED IN
awe at the gilded, deckle-edged card, turning it over in a bemused way before passing it across the breakfast table so that Lynn and her mother could look at it.

It was the first wedding invitation she had ever received and she felt strangely excited. For the past month, ever since Valerie Pearce had announced the date of her wedding, there had been talk of little else at work, but Megan had never expected to be invited.

‘So the wedding is to be at St Hilary’s Church. That’s in Wallasey, isn’t it?’ Lynn commented.

‘That’s right, and the reception is at the bride’s home in Rolleston Drive,’ added her mother. ‘It sounds rather grand, luv!’

‘That’s what I thought,’ Megan agreed. ‘I suppose I’ll have to buy something new to wear.’

‘Yeah, go on, treat yourself. You can afford it now you’ve had a rise,’ Lynn told her.

‘It should be quite warm by the end of April so I could buy something that I could wear for best all through the summer.’

‘And you must have a hat,’ insisted her mother.

‘Yeah, a little straw cloche, shaped so that it frames your face and has a tiny curved brim,’ prompted Lynn.

‘It depends on what sort of dress she picks,’ argued Kathy. ‘Have you anything in mind, Megan?’

‘Not really. Do you want to come shopping with me and help to chose it?’

‘Oh yes!’ Kathy’s eyes lit up. ‘We could make a day of it. What about next Saturday?’

‘I can’t, I’m working,’ Lynn said, ‘but somebody ought to go with you or you’ll end up looking a complete frump.’

‘Thank you very much!’ Angrily, Megan snatched back the invitation and slid it into its envelope.

‘I didn’t mean it quite like that,’ Lynn muttered. ‘I only meant that other people can see what something looks like on you better than you can yourself. You know what it’s like, the assistant wants to make a sale and will tell you it looks good even if it doesn’t fit properly.’

‘Well, there’s no hurry, the wedding is over a month away so I could leave it until you have a Saturday off.’

The shopping trip turned out to be a tremendous success. Megan and Kathy had been window-shopping the previous Saturday afternoon and decided on the sort of outfit that was most suitable. The pretty blue and white floral dress had a straight skirt that was draped round the hips and gathered into a decorative buckle. Lynn helped her to choose a white hat and accessories to go with it.

As she set out for the wedding, although she was confident she looked her best, Megan still felt nervous. She had driven her T-Ford a number of times on her own, but it would be the first time
she’d
taken it onto a ferry boat and she felt scared about doing so.

‘I could drive it onto the boat for you, if you like,’ her dad offered.

Wallasey sparkled in spring sunshine as she reached the Cheshire side of the Mersey, and she arrived at St Hilary’s Church with plenty of time to spare. As the church filled up she took a seat in a pew near the back.

Her heart raced when Miles and his parents arrived. He looked so handsome in a light grey morning suit with draped lapels, a white fancy-weave shirt, grey and white striped tie and a grey top hat. Mr Walker was also wearing a grey morning suit, but his was in a darker shade.

It was the first time Megan had seen Mrs Walker. She was of average height but very slim. Her elegantly styled navy silk dress had a matching wrap-over coat and looked very expensive. With it she wore a white and navy hat.

As the Walkers were ushered into one of the front pews, Miles looked round the church, nodding and smiling to various people. As he looked in her direction, Megan smiled eagerly as their gaze momentarily locked. When there was no answering smile and his eyes remained blank as he refused to recognise her, she felt her colour rising, flooding her face and neck in embarrassment.

Megan’s joy in the day vanished. She felt numb.

Only two nights ago, she’d lain in his arms in the gathering dusk of the early spring evening, his kisses arousing tremors of physical craving in both of them. He had been so passionate that she had
felt
her last shreds of resistance melting. Her own desire had been so great that she’d almost given in to his demands.

Was that why Miles was ignoring her? she wondered. How could she agree they should go all the way, though, when she was not really certain of his feelings. If he loved her, as he claimed, why did their meetings have to be so secretive? And why did he cut her dead when he came into the office?

When they were alone, he was a different person. Then he was warm and full of fun. His overpowering, irresistible vitality seemed to make the air around them crackle with excitement and her heart would thunder crazily.

He knew exactly the right moment to become serious. His vivid blue gaze would linger on her face before his firm lips took possession of her mouth. As he cradled the swelling fullness of her breasts, an inner glow seemed to radiate through her, leaving her weak with desire.

A lump rose in her throat at the memory. Why didn’t he admit openly that they were in love? He couldn’t be that scared of his father!

Megan tried to dismiss the jumble of conflicting thoughts from her mind and centre her attention on what was happening. There was a hushed expectancy as the strains from the organ changed, signalling the bride’s arrival.

Valerie Pearce looked radiant as she entered the church and made her way down the aisle on the arm of her elderly father.

At work she was always so restrained in her
manner
and in the way she dressed. Now, in her cream wedding dress of embroidered tulle and lace, she looked poised and beautiful.

The bridegroom half turned and his face became wreathed in smiles as Valerie approached. Megan thought how wonderful it would be if she was the bride and it was Miles waiting there at the altar for her.

During the reception at the bride’s home, the reason for the unsatisfactory state of affairs between her and Miles came to her with blinding clarity. Miles was ashamed of her background! She couldn’t understand why she hadn’t realised it before. She had only to look round the beautifully appointed house and compare it with her own home to be aware of the gulf that divided them. The Walkers’ magnificent home in Warren Drive was probably even more luxuriously furnished.

She was so engrossed in studying the contents of the room, so intent on remembering every detail, that she was taken by surprise when Mr Walker came over and spoke to her.

‘Hello, Megan, are you enjoying yourself?’

‘Yes, very much … thank you,’ she stammered, slightly flustered.

‘Good! Come with me, I’d like you to meet Mrs Walker,’ he told her.

His wife smiled non-committally as she shook hands with Megan. Her eyes, the same brilliant blue as Miles’, were sharp and critical.

‘I had no idea you were quite so young,’ Mrs Walker pronounced in a disapproving voice. ‘You musn’t let my husband work you too hard. My
son
tells me he can be quite a slave-driver.’

‘Nonsense!’ Mr Walker laughed heartily. ‘We’re like one big happy family, aren’t we, Megan? The length of time Valerie has worked for us proves that,’ he went on without waiting for a response. ‘Megan has fitted in excellently,’ he added. ‘She’s going to make a first-rate secretary.’

Megan smiled gratefully at Mr Walker. His words of praise helped to restore her self-confidence. As she looked up and saw the warmth in his eyes she wondered if he knew about her friendship with Miles and that he was trying to tell her that he approved.

As Miles sauntered over to join them her heart thudded as she waited for him to greet her. Instead he gave her a warning look, as if willing her to be careful what she said.

For one wild moment, she was tempted to tell them about their relationship. To disclose that they had been going out together for almost a year even though, at this moment, he was acting as though he barely knew her.

The opportunity passed. The best man announced that the newly-weds were about to leave, and the Walkers moved away to join the crowd wishing Valerie and her new husband good luck.

As everyone gathered outside, crowding round the happy couple to wave them off on their honeymoon, Megan made her escape. She felt out of place. She might be as well-dressed as anybody else there, but she was an outsider. Their jokes and repartee were all above her head.

What made her even more uncomfortable was
that
she didn’t know how to handle Miles’ hostility. Surely, by persistently avoiding her in such an obvious way, he was only drawing attention to the fact that they were more than just working colleagues?

Tears blinded her as she unlocked her car door. For several minutes she simply sat behind the wheel trying to regain her composure. The hurt deep inside her was like a physical pain as she remembered the intimate caresses she and Miles had shared.

She knew that if she had any pride at all she wouldn’t speak to him ever again. She also knew that he had only to smile at her to set her heart racing. And if he suggested they should meet then she would be waiting for him whenever and wherever he said.

As she drove away along Rolleston Drive in the direction of New Brighton she was fired by a sudden desire to drive by the Walkers’ house. She headed for Warren Drive and parked outside the wrought iron gates. From there she could see the magnificent turreted house at the end of the gravelled driveway.

Knowing the Walkers might return at any moment, she stayed for only a few minutes then she drove off, taking the first road that led down to the sea-front. King’s Parade promenade was almost deserted so she parked, switched off the engine and sat gazing out to sea, thinking over the events of the afternoon.

In her heart she could understand the dilemma that faced Miles. With his background he was
bound
to find it difficult to explain to his family and friends that the girl he was in love with lived in a poky flat in the Scottie Road area.

Mrs Walker would certainly take it very badly! Especially since her son’s future father-in-law worked for their company as a lorry driver!

Having analysed the problem, Megan began scheming for the future. When she finally headed for home her mind was made up. Regardless of what happened between her and Miles, it was important that her family moved to the Cheshire side of the Mersey.

Persuading her father to do so would be no problem, she reasoned. Several times he had mentioned finding a house over there. It might be difficult convincing Lynn because she spent so much time at the Copper Kettle, or the Stork Club, that she wouldn’t like the idea of moving out of Liverpool. Unless I can persuade her to change her job, Megan reasoned.

She wouldn’t say a word about it to Miles, she decided. From now on she intended to treat him merely as an office colleague. There would be no more secretive meetings. If he couldn’t accept her for what she was then she didn’t want to have anything to do with him.

Back at work on the following Monday, Megan was grimly determined to keep the promises that she’d made to herself. As it happened she found it surprisingly easy. Miles, she learned, had gone to London on a three-month business course.

She heard the news with mixed feelings. She felt angry that he hadn’t mentioned it to her, but
relieved
that she wouldn’t have to put her strength of will to the test.

Over the next couple of months Megan subtly campaigned in favour of them going to live on the other side of the Mersey. Whenever it was a nice weekend she persuaded her mother, and Lynn as well if she wasn’t working, to pay a visit to New Brighton. Lynn usually turned up her nose at the idea of going to listen to the band playing in Vale Park, but she was always eager to go to the fun fair at New Brighton or to see a show at the Pavilion Theatre.

Megan made the most of the situation by taking them there in her car. When they reached the other side she would take a different route each time, commenting on how nice the houses were until even Lynn began to agree with her and to grumble about how drab their place was in Liverpool.

After that it was plain sailing.

‘Don’t you think it would be quite nice to live over this side?’ Megan commented one Sunday as she and her mother left Vale Park where they had been listening to a band concert and joined the crowds strolling along the promenade.

‘Places over here are too expensive for us,’ Kathy Williams said with a sigh.

‘Oh, I don’t know. Perhaps we should make some enquiries, we might be able to afford it,’ Megan said tentatively. ‘I’ve had a pay rise, remember, and Dad’s earning good money. I know he would like to move. He said so once when we were talking,’ she added diffidently.

‘He did? He’s never said a word to me.’

‘That’s because he thinks you prefer living in Liverpool because it was once your home.’

‘I do like Liverpool, luv, but it’s not the same as I remembered it,’ her mother admitted. ‘None of the people I used to know seem to live here now! I’ve never really thought about moving, though. And then there’s our Lynn. I don’t know how she would feel about leaving Liverpool.’

‘If the rest of us decided to live in Wallasey then she’d have to come with us, wouldn’t she,’ Megan pointed out.

‘I suppose so. It’s the odd hours she works. I’d be so worried about her if she had to come home on the ferry boat late at night.’

‘She might find a job in New Brighton. And that would get her away from the crowd she mixes with at present.’

‘Well, that’s true. It worries your dad her being so involved with these jazz people.’

‘There’s nothing wrong with jazz,’ Megan commented, ‘it’s the crowd that get into the Stork Club. Some of them even take drugs.’

Kathy Williams looked shocked. ‘I suppose that’s why the police are always turning up there.’

‘I expect it is. They’ve made several arrests. Sooner or later our Lynn is bound to be taken in for questioning.’

Kathy looked worried. ‘Perhaps you’re right, Megan. It might be for the best if we moved out of Liverpool,’ she agreed.