The Mersey Daughter (Empire Street #3)(39)
‘Elliott! You do say some funny things.’ But Kitty was pleased. She had almost surprised herself at how happy she’d been to see the doctor, who’d turned up at her billet to escort her out for the evening. Kitty had worried that she didn’t know anywhere smart to go, or that he’d expect a night of dancing in the West End, but he hadn’t. He confessed he’d had to work right up to the time he’d had to leave to catch his train, and then had had to stand most of the way, so even his enthusiasm for dancing had been curbed. ‘Tomorrow, maybe,’ he’d said when she’d voiced her anxiety. ‘But for tonight, may I take you to somewhere where I used to go when I was a student? It’s near my parents’ house in Hampstead. I think you’ll like it. Don’t worry, it’s not too far from where you are, and of course I’ll see you home.’
Kitty had never doubted that he would; he was the perfect gentleman in every way. She felt shy as he pushed open the heavy old door and held it for her as she stepped inside, worrying that everyone would recognise him and stare at her, but people carried on their conversations without a pause. There were plenty of young men and women in uniform, as well as those in civvies, marking the start of the weekend or simply taking advantage of a night without an air raid.
‘Shall I get you a glass of wine?’ he offered.
Kitty hesitated. When they had gone out together at home, to the prestigious New Year’s Dance at the Town Hall, he had brought her wine and she had sipped it, but honestly hadn’t enjoyed it. Then, she’d felt too unsure of herself to admit it. The pressure of being among so many elegant, wealthy people had rendered her almost speechless. But here it was different. She didn’t have to pretend, to avoid hurting his feelings.
‘If you don’t mind, I’ll just have shandy,’ she said.
‘Shandy? Is that what the newly trained Wren about town has these days?’ he asked with a broad grin. ‘Very refreshing, a good choice. Here, you sit down and I’ll fetch it for you.’ He pulled out a comfort-able-looking chair by a small table and gestured for her to sit down on its faded velvet cushion. It was next to a window; she could see the Heath beyond, gathering its shadows in the fading light.
Kitty laughed inwardly at the idea she was an ‘anything’ about town; she hadn’t dared venture too far yet, except for a few forays with Laura and Marjorie into the city centre to go to the cinema. There simply hadn’t been the time, or they were too tired even when they did have evenings off. But it was fun to think Elliott imagined that’s what she was.
‘Here you are,’ he said, pushing his way through a group of young men in RAF uniform. ‘I decided I’d join you in a shandy. Cheers.’ He sat down opposite her and they clinked glasses. ‘I don’t mind telling you, I’m glad to sit down. And in such beautiful company.’
‘Elliott, you can’t mean that,’ Kitty protested, aware she was blushing and wishing she wasn’t. ‘And you must be exhausted. It’s good of you to have come out, and to have fetched me on top of that. You must have wanted nothing other than to curl up at home with your mother’s good cooking.’
‘Actually I had some of that before I left,’ he smiled. ‘They’d love to meet you, you know.’
Kitty leant back in her seat, her face falling. ‘Oh no, I couldn’t do that. I wouldn’t know what to say.’
Elliott’s expression grew concerned. ‘I’m so sorry, that was very presumptuous of me, wasn’t it? I don’t want to rush you, Kitty. That was a silly thing to say. It’s just that I told them I was meeting a very lovely young Wren and they were delighted.’
Kitty fidgeted nervously. ‘It’s not that … well, that’s not all it is,’ she said hesitantly. ‘All right, I hope you don’t mind me saying … I’d feel that I was being compared to your fiancée. That’s what it is.’
‘Oh, Kitty.’ Elliott’s eyes were bright. ‘I do understand. I can’t pretend I wasn’t devastated when Penelope died, and yes, my parents were very fond of her. But I have put all that behind me now. It happened before the war broke out, before I moved to Liverpool. Life has changed tremendously in every way. I was sad for a long time, but,’ he reached across the table for her hand, ‘now I’ve met you. I’m not going to jump to any conclusions, and we haven’t known each other for long, but they can see I’m happy. Therefore they’re happy. One day, when the time is right, it would be wonderful if you would like to meet them – but there’s no hurry.’ He squeezed her hand tenderly. ‘As long as you’re happy too, Kitty. That’s the most important thing.’
Kitty squeezed his hand back. She knew she’d moved on too. She was no longer the uncertain young woman on the verge of leaving home. She was in the heart of things, absorbing her demanding training, mastering the technicalities and making new friends. It didn’t matter that she’d had a drunkard for a father who’d driven her mother to an early grave, or that she’d had to miss out on much of her schooling to help bring up Tommy. She’d thought she was stupid; now she knew she wasn’t. She had a friend who had a teaching certificate, another who could drive a big lorry and hold her cocktails with the best of them. And she was holding hands with a doctor who thought she was beautiful.
‘I am, Elliott,’ she said, her eyes shining in the light from the many lamps adorned with pretty chintz shades. ‘It’s lovely here, isn’t it? I’m so glad we didn’t go dancing; it gives us a chance to talk properly. I love to get your letters but it isn’t quite the same.’