He grinned. “You haven’t changed.”

With relief at this sentiment, she pulled open the door. As soon as they were outside, she said, “Well, lovely to bump into you. Cheerio.”

“Zelda, stop!” He spun her around. “I’m staying the night in the local tavern. Wouldn’t you care to join me for a drink?” He asked it with high-class politeness, grabbing her arm and pulling her toward the pub opposite.

“What about Lady Gwendoline? Shouldn’t you be commiserating with her?” She laughed, trying but failing to free herself. “Or has she already given you the money?”

“Touché, my hornet! Always the little darling, aren’t you?”

The evening was chilly, a wind blowing down the lane. As they walked on, his hand still on her arm, the voices from the hall faded, and a fox trotted across the lane in front of them, darting into the bushes to the fields beyond.

    No cars went by—the fuel rations had kept most of them off the road. Houses were closing up for the night, blackout curtains put up, all the light contained.

“Isn’t this place a little too sleepy for you?” He grinned. “I bet they weren’t ready for you, all your chaos?”

“I’ll have you know that I’m a very upright citizen these days,” she said.

He laughed gently, releasing her arm and slowly catching her hand, pressing it with his fingers.

She was shocked how quickly her body responded, almost desperate for his touch.

But she had to keep her wits about her, and she slowly relinquished her hand. “I wouldn’t want you to get your hopes up,” she said. Levity, she thought, would see her through this ordeal.

Yanking the door open, she disappeared into the smoky old bar, a strong whiff of cigars and yeasty beer pervading her nostrils. The low ceilings and dark beams forced Jim to stoop as he made his way to the bar. Once there, he ordered a pint of ale for himself and a pink gin for her. She couldn’t bear the taste of gin now she was pregnant, but it would be easier to leave it than complain, so she took it and found a small table.

As soon as they were seated, he leaned forward to kiss her, whispering, “We’re meant for each other, darling. Why did you leave London, and for this dreary place, too?”

She pulled back, exasperated. It was typical of Jim to want her as soon as she didn’t seem interested. “I told you before. I was conscripted into work here. I begged you to help, but your attention seemed to have shifted.”

“I didn’t realize you were going to be away for so long. Sweetheart, I need you.” He leaned across the table, closer to her, and whispered, “Why don’t I remind you how much I love you? I have a room upstairs.”

    She grimaced. “You’re only interested in having someone warm your bed for the night.”

He chuckled, running his hand through his hair. “Whatever the situation, why not? We were always so good together.” He whispered hoarsely, “I know how much you want it.”

The awful part was he was right. Having him right there, in front of her, it was almost unbearably tempting. But she couldn’t forget the way he rejected her—not even listening when she went to tell him about the pregnancy. Any respect she had for him had ebbed a long time ago. “I have a new life here, one that doesn’t include useless cads.”

Meanwhile, he was glancing up and down Audrey’s floral frock. “I have no idea where you got the frightful dress from, but it looks a bit like a nightdress to me.” He leaned forward again. “And I can’t wait to lift it off that soft, sweet body of yours.”

“Do you think you can snap your fingers and I’ll come running?”

He smirked. “That’s what usually happens.”

She sat back. “As a matter of fact, Jim, I’ve found that life on my own is much more rewarding.”

Perplexed, he sat back, too, evidently not believing a word of it—although, truth be told, even she would have had trouble believing it of herself four months ago.

“You’re having me on! How could you possibly let me go? I’m quite a catch, you know. Lady Gwendoline certainly thinks so.” He let out an imperious chortle, sweeping his hand through his hair again in his practiced, arrogant way.

Zelda couldn’t help wondering why immaculate Lady Gwendoline was dabbling with the hired help. Even though she knew how alluring Jim could make himself, she wondered if all were as perfect as it seemed in Fenley Hall.

He moved toward her, trying to take her hand, but she quickly pushed her chair away from the table to put some distance between them.

And that was when everything changed.

Jim saw the bump.

    Her quick movement had shifted her carefully arranged clothing, exposing the giveaway shape beneath. His eyes were pinned on it, his head moving to the side to get a profile view, his mouth slightly ajar. After a moment, he leaned forward, grabbing her roughly by the arm.

This is it, she thought, taking a deep breath. He’s going to expose me.

“Who did that to you?” He emphasized “that,” like it was something heinous, disgusting.

With a dignified smart, she pulled her arm away. “It was you, of course. Do you think I’m some sort of slut?” She remembered how her previous landlady had called her that, and she shuddered.

He made a horror-struck grunt, his lips contorting into a snarl. “It can’t be mine,” he said savagely.

“Well, it can’t be anyone else’s,” she muttered, feeling annoyed, betrayed.

A series of huffs and grunts came out of him, and then he pulled himself together. “Well, you’d better deal with it. I don’t want any children making claims on me.” His voice was rising hoarsely. “Get rid of it!”

She snapped at him, “It’s illegal to ‘get rid of it.’ In any case, it won’t affect you. I’m giving it up for adoption.”

Slightly pacified, he watched her for a moment, his eyes narrowing in thought. “There’s a good girl.”

The rudeness of the man! Zelda thought angrily. “Good? That’s not how it sounded a moment ago, when you were implying that I was a tart. Don’t patronize me, Jim Denton! Didn’t it cross your mind that I wouldn’t want the child either? I am a highly trained chef. I’m just as good as you are—better even!”

“The last woman who got pregnant tried to trap me into marriage,” he blurted, as if that should solve everything. He was suddenly the victim in all this.

“How dare you suggest that I’m like some other woman from your past!” There was a new form of outrage in her voice. “As if I’d be desperate enough to marry the likes of you? Ha!”

Rather than offended, Jim looked disgusted with her now, his lip curling with repugnance. “Make sure you don’t put my name on any birth certificate.” His eyes narrowed on her.

    Then, with a snide inhalation of breath, he thrust back his chair and stood up to leave. “You’d better be telling the truth. I don’t want to hear about the baby—or you—ever again.”

With that, he turned and stormed out of the pub, slamming the door behind him.

Other people in the bar had begun to look around, and Zelda found herself holding back tears. Sitting as still and dignified as she could for a few minutes, she carefully got up and walked outside.

Jim was nowhere in sight, thank goodness.

“I don’t need him,” she murmured, beginning the walk back to Willow Lodge, trying to let the fresh, natural smells of the countryside seep into her skin and purify her from his grubby callousness. Tears sprang involuntarily to her eyes. Zelda wasn’t one for crying, but as she trod, carefully, thoughtfully, down the dark, narrow road, a deep feeling of anguish swept through her.

And without knowing precisely why, she slowly sank onto the curb and began to sob.

The Wise Housewife

              Shops early

          Carries her own parcels and takes her own wrapping

          Saves fuel, light, and time

          Keeps her family healthy by giving them at least one uncooked and one correctly cooked vegetable every day

          Uses vegetable water for cooking

   Source: Ministry of Food leaflet

Lady Gwendoline

Lady Gwendoline strode out of the village hall and got into the car waiting to take her back to Fenley Hall. She was furious, first with the contest, second with herself, but most of all with that scoundrel James Denton. The public humiliation of coming in last was bad enough, but now her hired chef had vanished with the floozy from the factory canteen.

How did they know each other?