The serial: The Pepper Girls Day 11

But for Annie, with one disaster averted, she now had to think about how she would manage to meet with her son without anyone knowing, especially Euan

Nancy felt defeated. She knew Billy had to take the work but hadn’t counted on him being away from her and their young ones for what could be weeks on end.

She took a deep breath and met Billy’s eyes with hers. “I know this has to be done,” she agreed, “and I’ll do the best I can to look after things here till we can be together again.”

Billy lifted her from the chair and pulled her towards him, careful to keep himself in control as her closeness brought heat to his body.

“I’ll leave on Sunday night,” he told her quietly. “They’ve found me lodgings in a place called Dens Brae. It’s near the Calender and as soon as...”

Nancy held a finger to his lips. “Then, maybe we shouldn’t waste any more time talking.” She glanced over her shoulder to the double bed, sitting in the kitchen alcove. “The bairns are both asleep.”

Billy felt all control go as she led him to the bed, dropping her shawl on the floor and slipping off her boots on the way.

Warning It had been a long time since they’d made love and it was almost too much for Billy to bear, but, he couldn’t risk getting Nancy pregnant again, not after the doctor’s warning about her health.

He pushed her gently onto the bed and kissed her forehead before turning away and heading towards the door through to the back room.

“Aren’t you the lusty one,” he chided Nancy lightly, “and me with a bag to pack.” He disappeared into the darkness of the room, closing the door behind him.

His frustration almost drove him back into the kitchen again but fear of the consequences kept his feet rooted to the spot.

The move to Dens Brae might be a blessing in disguise, he told himself, willing the passion inside him to subside. His need for Nancy’s love had become more urgent the more he saw of her and some time apart, he decided, breathing deeply into the dimness, could only help to settle things down.

By the time he’d packed a few things in an old shopping bag, Nancy had steadied herself and was calm and cool when he returned to the kitchen.

Billy tried to make light of his rejection of Nancy’s advances but anything he tried only managed to make things worse.

“So, if you’re going,” she said icily, “there’s the door.” They both stared at the wooden structure, rather than look at one another.

“Right,” Billy said, “I’ll be off then.” But there was no goodbye kiss or any indication that he would be missed.

Billy felt an anger tighten his muscles at Nancy’s indifference. Didn’t she understand anything about what he was going through?

It wasn’t his fault that he had to go to the other side of Dundee to get work, it wasn’t his fault that he couldn’t take her with him and it wasn’t his fault that he couldn’t love her like he wanted to.

Slammed the door He walked out and slammed the door on the silence. If that’s the way she wanted it, he reasoned, so be it.

She’d soon change her tune when the money started rolling in, he was sure.

But for Nancy, no amount of money could make up for the desolation she felt, not just at Billy’s angry departure but that he’d rejected her so totally, when all she’d wanted was to feel safe and loved.

It was going to be a long and lonely week, with the prospect of many weeks like it to come.

She bent over the sleeping form of her son, nestled in his crib and wondered at the peace of the sleeping infant.

But for Nancy, there would be no peace, not until Billy came back and this time, she decided, he would love her like he used to, she’d make sure of that.

After all the drama of Lexie’s non-engagement had subsided, the whole family seemed to go back to domesticity with relief. Lexie and Charlie continued their courtship, safe in the knowledge that, when the time was right, they would reveal all to Annie and Euan who would immediately accept that their decision had been wrong and begin planning the wedding.

But for Annie, with one disaster averted, she now had to think about how she would manage to meet with her son without anyone knowing, especially Euan.

But as she watched the letterbox every day for a letter from John telling her that he was now in Dundee, to start his student exchange visit, Euan was just as diligently watching her.

He just knew there was something disturbing his wife and he knew it had something to do with that letter from Ireland.

However, apart from searching through her things for any ‘evidence’, which his conscience wouldn’t allow him to do, he had to content himself with biding his time and keeping his eyes peeled. Letterbox rattled Then, on a cold morning in February, after Euan had left for the early shift, the letterbox rattled and Annie ran to the door.

The letter she’d been waiting for and also dreading, had arrived. “Dear Annie Well, here I am in Dundee and getting settled into my lodgings in Union Street. I start at the Infirmary in a week’s time, so maybe, perhaps, we could arrange to meet before then.

I’m longing to see you in person and can’t wait to hear all about you and your Scottish family. Let me know when and where and I’ll be there. Your son, John”

(More tomorrow)

Sandra Savage