Episode 10 In Which Alice and Pete Visit the Seaside, Buy Some Sexy Beachwear and Get Very Wet.

Episode 10

They stopped at the first petrol station and spent the first of their money on petrol. The last two days had been dull and cloudy with a little rain, but today the sun turned it’s soft yellow face to the world again. Bowling along the road, the wind in his face Pete had a sudden urge to go to the sea. He slowed down and called to Alice.
"How about going to Weston? It’s not far from here, and being a seaside town people won’t be too curious."
"Great idea," replied Alice "and perhaps there’ll be a beach party or something we can go to."
In little less than an hour they were in the town, which had the gleaming white just-washed cleanness that all seaside towns have. The sea seemed to have a wonderful effect on most people. Alice always delighted in it. It fascinated her, the mass of water with its very different moods. Today it was in the happiest of moods, blue and gay, catching the rays of sun, shattering them up into a million golden droplets as it threw them up into the air on the crests of white topped waves. The breeze was salty and exhilarating and filled one with vigour.
Pete had hardly parked the scooter before Alice was sitting on the wall bordering the beach, taking off her shoes and stockings and running barefoot over the dry sand. It slid easily between her toes until she reached the firm wet sand and the waves were lapping at her feet. He caught up with her, now also barefoot and they walked along the very edge of the sea, the breathless dying remains of the waves swirling at their feet. Alice trailed a long, straggly piece of seaweed behind her, which kept snaking itself around their legs. After about fifteen minutes they turned to go back again. Pete stopped suddenly.

"Torquay!" he exclaimed loudly. "Torquay!" He caught Alice by the hand and started to drag her along the beach.
"Have you gone mad?" she asked, trying to keep up with him.
"Let’s go to Torquay," he said, not stopping to slow his pace. "They’ll never think of looking for us there – and it is such a fabulous place."
"Oh yes!" replied Alice, speeding up now that she realised what his idea was. "Its lovely there – and we would be safe."

They ran on until they were back at the scooter. Then came the difficult task of drying their feet and putting their shoes back on without too much sand left behind. Eventually they walked around in the hot sand until their feet were dry. Then once more they set off.

Torquay was about 60 miles away as the crow flies, and they reached it at about three thirty in the afternoon. This time it was the real thing, the English Riviera. Whereas Weston-Super-Mare was situated at the mouth of the River Severn, Torquay was facing the real ocean – huge and glistening in the sunlight. The town was renowned for its good weather and it was certainly living up to it’s reputation that afternoon. It looked like a Mediterranean resort. The sky was a deep, intangible blue with the sun hanging, a golden circle radiating bronzed warmth to the green and blue below. A type of palm tree grows on the mildness of the Torquay climate and these trees stood, waving their huge green fringed arms against the blueness around them. The houses were white or gaily coloured and crowded happily around the sea, jostling and pushing each other in their attempts to be nearest the water. The people were carefree and sun-tanned, wandering barefoot around the fresh, bright town.
Alice gazed around in delight. The last time she had come here she had only been five and just had vague memories of a sun-soaked, blue sea filled fortnight.
"It’s beautiful," she said to Pete, after they had parked the scooter and were walking down to the seafront. "I’m glad you thought of coming here. THEY won’t have thought of it. They’ll think we’ve gone to Gretna, or else we are just hiding around Gloucester. But Torquay! They’ll never think of that, they’ve got no reason to."
"That’s what I thought," he replied, then changing the subject as he looked at the inviting sea. "I’d give anything to go swimming – if only we’d brought our swimming stuff. We haven’t even got any towels so we can’t really go at night. The minute I get a job we’ll buy swimming things and towels. Come on, let’s go down to the beach. He started off.
"No!" said Alice. "Lets start looking for jobs – if we get anything we can buy swimming costumes now because we’ll know where the next penny will be coming from." Pete came back.
"It’s a good job you’re more practical than me," he said a little ruefully. "Work first and play later, eh?"

They wandered among the streets enquiring after jobs. Luck was with them today. Alice quickly got a job as a waitress in one of the busy little cafes on the seafront. They said she was to start on Monday at nine and would earn £6.00 per week plus tips. The pay wasn’t good but the café was clean and friendly, and the money was needed so she accepted the job. They had a little more difficulty with Pete but even then it was not too long before he was also fixed up, down in the storeroom of a big shop, earning £8.00 per week.
They thought they might as well buy their bathing costumes in the same shop in which Pete was going to work.
There was a good selection. He bought a pair of skin tight, low cut, white trunks because Alice said she thought boys looked fabulous in white once they had a bit of a tan.. She chose, with Pete’s advice, a cute little bikini in a deep pink colour made in bri-nylon. It was rather prim for a bikini but Pete said he didn’t want his girl wandering around in half an inch of material for all to see. Alice liked it, and said that anyway she didn’t have the figure to wear a scanty one. The top half was a mass of little pink frills and it fitted perfectly. They then bought sun tan lotion, two medium sized towels and set off, if a little late, for the beach.
The sun caressed their bodies as they ran down to the sea. It was cool and refreshing as they splashed and fooled around like a couple of children. Pete was a good swimmer, whereas Alice enjoyed it but could not swim very far or very fast. Neither of them had any fear of water however though, and loved the green eeriness beneath the surface. They stood on their hands, swam through each other’s legs, sat on the bottom and finally kissed each other underneath the watery roof beneath which noise barely existed except in a muffled damp form, and sunlight shimmered on the sandy floor.
Eventually they emerged, dripping and happy from the salty freshness and lay close together on the sand basking in the warmth.

Pete lay on his back, the sun beating down on his eyelids, enclosing him in an orange haze. His right hand held Alice’s tightly, creating a sticky warmth between them. She lay also on her back, her face upturned to the sun, her blond hair scattered carelessly over her head. She turned, half opening her eyes to look at Pete beside her. With a contented sigh she closed her eyes again, a half smile playing around her lips.

They lay on the beach, extracting every ounce of sunlight they could from the setting globe of fire. When at last the sun vanished into the sea they bestirred themselves. Pete languidly drew his white jeans on over his trunks and let his arms slide carelessly into a brown and white checked shirt. Alice’s clothes were identical to his – they almost looked like twins. Both tall, slim and blond. They wandered hand in hand along the beach, a gentle salty breeze accompanying them. Little waves swelled and broke at their feet, creating a ceaseless sound of water, flurrying and gurgling. They reached the end of the bay, which was rocky and more magnificent. Here the sea crashed and sucked at the large barnacle covered rocks, throwing refreshing salt spray into the air. They climbed the rocks, which were warm and dry, although a little sharp and walked along them until they were wet and slippery with the sea roaring at their feet. They watched crabs scuttling busily from side to side amongst pink waving sea anemones in the numerous rock pools.

Slowly the sky darkened with the purple shades of night. From where they were sitting on the rocks they could see the lights of the town coming on and turning the place into a fairyland of colour, beckoning and calling to them.
They chased each other back along the beach until they were near the scooter. Leaving the clinging sand they went to the car park to check that the Vespa, and their luggage, was still where they had left it. It was all still there so they wandered hand in hand along the sea front which was a maze of Hot Dog stalls and Fish and Chip stands. They made use of these and strolled among the floodlight gardens, munching at tasty hamburgers and hot dogs.

The gardens were very lovely at night, filled with the heavy clinging scent from beautiful exotic flowers, which thrived in the warm climate. They wound their way among the palm trees' waving fronds and wonderful lighting effects, leaving the main path behind and finding themselves in narrow twisted ways where they were enclosed almost in solitude, except for other pairs of lovers, losing themselves in this magical paradise.

Neither of them had given much thought as to where they were to sleep. It was such a wonderful night that to go indoors was unthinkable; they would be content to wander around these scented gardens or merely sit and watch the swelling sea all night long.

Eventually they left the gardens and went to buy some Pepsi to drink, and also attend to the necessary. Whilst Alice was in the Ladies she critically surveyed herself in the mirror and took out a comb and some mascara from the pocket in her jeans. She repaired the damage done by the sea-water, and whilst washing her hands discovered that the soap smelt very seductive and expensive. She then performed the almost impossible task of washing her neck and as much of herself as she decently could, without a flannel or a sponge. Her shirt got rather wet in the process but she smelt good. After a hurried drying process on seven paper towels she went out again to Pete. He was standing talking to two boys, one was a mod/beatnik type, the other an immaculate mod.
"Sorry I was a long time," said Alice "but I had a bath." She smiled at the boys.
"You had a what?" asked Pete. "Smells good anyway." He sniffed appreciatively around her neck. "Oh! We’re going to a beach party, if it’s okay with you?" he stated rather than asked.
"Oh, great!" enthused Alice. "I knew something would turn up. Where, when – now?"
"About two miles away," said the mod beat.
"Now," added the other.
"We’ll meet you outside the Penny Arcade then," said Pete. "See ya."
"I’ve never been to a beach party," said Alice, catching hold of his hand.
"They’re great," Pete told her. "Good job you were a long time in there or I wouldn’t have met those two."

They reached the scooter and quickly moved off down the seafront. A little way along the road, outside the bright lights and noise of the Penny Arcade was assembled a gang of scooters, cars and people. The two boys of Pete’s acquaintance waved to him, and after another few additions to the party had arrived the little armada moved off. They whined noisily through the gaily lit town, people stared at them as they shot past, some complaining about ‘the youth of today’, whilst other younger spectators gaped in envy.

Episode 9. In Which Alice's Dad Remembers Young Love, Alice Gives Advice and Everyone Goes to Bed Very Early!

Episode 9

*****

Back at her home her mother was sitting gazing unseeingly out of the window. Thirty-one endless hours her daughter had been missing. Strangely enough when the police had told her that Pete was also missing she had felt slightly relieved, even though he was the cause of all this confusion. At least she knew Alice was not wandering around England alone, open to all kinds of dangers.
A night had passed; another one was beginning, the boy had probably had his evil way with Alice by now – maybe he would leave her once he had got what he wanted, defenceless and alone in a lecherous world. She did not blame herself for what had happened, nor even Alice, but told herself that Pete had persuaded her to go way with him until he forced her to have sex with him. It had all been his idea, she convinced herself. Alice would never do a thing like that of her own accord. She was just infatuated with the boy and was probably now realising what he was really like and wishing she had taken her mother’s advice.
Her poor baby was being seduced, maybe at that very moment, by that monster. He was probably keeping her against her will. Alice was probably crying out for her mother. Softly she began to cry to herself.

Lizzy was ten years old. She was frightened about her sister. She was not quite sure what had happened but knew that Alice had run away. She was scared of the policemen who came so frequently to the door. She kept looking out of the window to see if by any chance her sister was coming up the hill. Alice had often bossed her around and been very high and mighty with her, but under all that she was often generous and loving to her younger sister. This was what the little girl remembered now.
Debbie was only four but even she knew something was wrong. Her mother had told her that Alice had gone away for a while and would be back soon. Debbie loved Alice and, being the baby sister she was not bossed around but petted and cuddled. Alice and Debbie were very alike, in fact her mother had said that if anything had ever happened, such as Alice dying when she had had whooping cough at five years old, she would have sworn that Debbie was a re-incarnation of her sister.
The little girl’s chubby, pink arms closed tight around her sister on the nights she was in and able to kiss her goodnight. Alice had only been gone for a couple of days but she was beginning to miss her. And Pete hadn’t come. She liked Pete, he gave her ‘whizzies’ and piggy backs and picked her up so her head touched the ceiling. She lay there in her bed, wondering in her baby mind until she fell asleep.

Alice’s father was extremely worried. Even more than her mother for he had suddenly remembered that when he had first seen his wife he had been fifteen – and he had fallen in love with her. Alice was a year older, maybe she really did love Pete. How was it possible to judge? She had been with him a whole year now without a single hitch. They had had a few arguments but had come through them all right which was surely even more proof that perhaps they were in love. When he had first seen Pete he had thought him to be a real good-for-nothing but as the weeks drew on and he had got to know him better he realised that he was a nice boy underneath, and that he was genuinely fond of Alice.

Although he did not have a very good job the boy had five O’levels, could talk intelligently and took an interest in things. He said he wanted to write books – a wild dream but nevertheless most of Alice’s past boyfriends were barely capable of writing a letter, let alone a book. He had overheard the row between his wife and daughter but had thought it best not to interfere. If anyone had accused him all those years ago of not really being in love , and had laughed at him and barred him from seeing her, he would have hated them and maybe done as Alice had done. He wondered if she would ever love her mother again, She had said some very cruel things to the girl. At least his daughter was not alone, she was with Pete – somewhere. If only they knew

where.

Pete’s parents were not so worried. After all he was nineteen and could look after himself and Alice. To say they were completely free from worry would be a lie but it was not so bad for them as he was a young man and independent. They were, however, very hurt and angry to hear that Alice’s mother had forbidden her to go out with their son any more. Did she think he wasn’t good enough for her daughter? They felt sorry for the girl, and in a way proud that she had chosen Pete rather than obeying her parent’s orders. She had shown them. Maybe they had gone to Gretna Green and were going to get married – good luck to them thought Mrs Wheeler. She’d give them her blessing even if Alice’s parents wouldn’t.

At ten o’ clock Alice and Pete went up to bed. Colin and his girl had gone up at about nine. The girl was called Linda and she and Alice became immediate friends. She was quite small with medium length brown hair and to Alice’s amazement she was scared. Alice had thought that Linda would have been a much more ‘well-travelled’ girl than herself but she was still a virgin. She had learned this when they were both in the kitchen making supper for the boys. Alice looked at her in surprise.
"I thought you and Colin slept together quite often," she said "from the way he said you were coming over for the night – so casually, you know."
"Well, I’m still a virgin, but I love him and he persuaded me – we got engaged a week ago so I thought there would be nothing wrong in it – but Alice, I’m so scared. What if I don’t like it?"

"This time yesterday I was a virgin," Alice told her solemnly. "I don’t know if Colin told you about me and Pete, but I was forbidden to ever go out with him again and so we ran away and came here to the party. Then Colin said we could stay. My mum said I was too young to be in love so I thought I would show her how much I loved him. It wasn’t just that though. I‘ve been thinking of sleeping with him for ages now – and I did and it was the most wonderful thing that has ever happened to me. I was a bit scared too, but if you love Colin and he loves you everything will be all right – don’t worry. – Hey!" she exclaimed suddenly laughing. "Don’t I sound experienced? I was the same as you yesterday."

Later in the evening when Colin and Linda went upstairs. Alice winked at her and mouthed ‘Good Luck’ across the room which gave the girl heart – if she loved Colin and he loved her – that was what Alice had said. She wondered why the loving was so important – she soon found out.

That night for Pete and Alice
was, if anything, even better than the night before. Firstly neither of them were drunk and secondly love improves with experience. Afterwards they slept, deeply and contentedly in each other’s arms throughout the velvet night.

The rest of the week passed in the same manner. Alice and Pete stayed in the house, not daring to venture outside, where the police, or even a civilian, might recognise them and break up their paradise. For that was what the house had become to them. Their love had grown a hundredfold since their hurried escape and now was as deep as the earth, molten hot in the centre. It had also matured and was almost unrecognisable from the sweet, innocent love they had shared all year.

If the thought of losing their former love was unbearable, the idea of losing this new, awakened love was impossible and unthinkable. Neither of them could remember ever being so happy. Alice found that everything she did, she was doing to please Pete. She cooked, cleaned, scrubbed and loved all in a haze of happiness. He, too, enjoyed helping her and as for love, they were in complete harmony.

The days drew slowly on until suddenly it was Saturday morning and Colin’s parents would be returning home on the 4.50 train. For the first time they would have to go outside the haven of the big, friendly house. Their photos had been in the papers and on the regional television news but so far they had not been found, mainly because they had not let anyone see them.

They had washed through all their underclothes, shirts and jumpers that were even slightly dirty as they did not know when they would get another chance. They had also bathed, and washed their hair. Now, feeling very clean and scrubbed, they stood with their belongings at the door, saying goodbye to Colin and Linda. They felt a little awkward because they did not like to show how upset they were at leaving the house, to go they did not know where.

"Well, cheerio and thanks very much. We would have been lost without your help," said Pete to Colin. Alice said much the same thing to the boy and then turned to Linda. The girl had the same glow about her as Alice now had. Alice forced down a lump in her throat.

"G – Goodbye – and thanks," she said simply.
"It’s me who has the thanks to say," replied Linda, smiling a little. Alice turned to go and then suddenly and impetuously put her arms around the girl, hugged her quickly and then ran down the steps hiding her tears. Pete was starting up the scooter. Eventually it choked into life and they moved off down the drive, Alice waving for all she was worth to the two receding figures standing at the door. Then they turned a corner and were lost from view.

The little blue scooter crept cautiously out from between the two big, black gates. They were alone.

Touch of Bitter, Taste of Honey. Episode 8. In Which Alice Realises She is a Woman and Pete Becomes Domesticated!

Part 8.

In Which Alice Realises She is a Woman and Pete Becomes Domesticated!



When they awoke the sun was shining. Alice woke first and it was one of the most wonderful things that had every happened to her, to find Pete asleep behind her, breathing deeply and rhythmically, his lips parted. She bent and kissed him gently without waking him and then slid silently out of bed. She collected up her clothes from their various positions on the floor, out her leather on and made her way to the bathroom. All her own belongings were downstairs somewhere but she managed all right.

The bathroom was well equipped with soap, flannels and sponges. She found a tin of talcum powder and used it liberally. Then she looked at herself critically in the mirror. Her body just looked the same as ever, she thought, rather disappointed. There was nothing to show that she was Pete’s, but then she realised that she felt differently inside, not physically but emotionally. She felt older, more mature, ready to face anything to defend her love. She was no longer a girl but a woman. The realisation made her catch her breath – she was on equal terms with her mother. She was a woman!

Dressing quickly she crept back to the bedroom. Pete was still asleep. She decided to go downstairs and see what was happening. Entering the room she nearly burst out laughing. Bottles and people were strewn all over the floor and chairs. Boys lay on their backs with their mouths open, oblivious to the world around them, snoring gently. Most of the girls were asleep in chairs, but a few were on the floor. Alice stepped carefully over them and went through into the kitchen where, after a search amongst the debris of the party, she found a packet of tea, milk, sugar and a teapot. She put the kettle on and waited for it to boil. The slow sounds of awakening began to come from the next room and after a few minutes a boy with tousled hair and a stubbly chin came stumbling into the kitchen.

"Morning!" said Alice pleasantly. A grunt was her answer and then a groan of "Oh my head!"
"Are they all still asleep?" she asked.
"Yeah. I could do with some tea."
"This is for me and Pete," she replied. "You can have a cup though."
"Who’s Pete?" asked the boy, "Is he in there?"
"No, he’s still asleep in bed," she said pouring the water into the pot. "I warn you this tea will be weak because we don’t like it strong."
"I don’t care. Bed, eh? You were all right last night then." His eyes travelled over her. "What about tonight?" he asked.
"Do you mind," Alice said angrily, "I’m not like that. I love Pete and we are going steady."
"Whoops, sorry love," he said "I didn’t think you looked like the sleeping around type of girl, but you can never tell"
"That’s okay," said, giving him a cup of tea. "I’ll take this up to Pete now."

She carried two steaming cups of tea up to the bedroom. Pete lay in bed. She opened the curtains wide and the room filled with soft yellow sunlight. She kissed his eyes, his nose, his lips. He groaned softly and his eyes slowly flickered open.
"I bought you some tea," said Alice.
"Wha—oh - -yeah. Thanks love," he said, struggling to throw off the blanket of sleep. He put his arms around her.
"What a lovely way to wake up," he smiled. "A bit different from my mum’s screech of ‘Get up Pete’ shouted up the stairs. "And tea too. I’ll have to sleep with you more often!"
"And it was just lovely to wake up and find you asleep beside me," said Alice.
"I hope I wasn’t snoring," he said, sitting up to drink his tea.
"Yes you were" she teased, "it was terrible. I just couldn’t bear the noise and had to go downstairs."
"What woke you up so early? What’s happening downstairs? Has everyone gone?"
"Everyone except one boy, are still asleep," she told him. "They look ever so funny – mouths open, bristly chins and snoring – and that’s the girls!" They laughed together and then he put the empty blue and white striped mug on the bedside cabinet. He kissed her.


"Marry me Alice, let’s get engaged and married."
She gasped and breathlessly began trying to answer him.
"Oh, oh Pete! Oh God, yes. Yes, yes, yes." She jumped up, her eyes bright and let out a loud yell. Then she threw herself on Pete and the bed and began to cry and laugh at the same time.
"Steady on love," he said laughing.
"Oh, I’m so happy," she sobbed into his shoulder. "I’m sorry but I just went mad. Oh I love you! Yes, yes yes – oh Pete!" After a couple of minutes she gulped and sat up. Pete looked at her and collapsed with laughter.
"Oh, oh! If you could see yourself. You’ve got mascara all over your face and a tear drop at the end of your nose." His shoulders shook convulsively. "My sweet little Alice, I love you." He put her down gently and kissed her tear stained face.

"I can’t even afford to buy you a ring at the moment, but as soon as I get a job you’ll have the best one in Bristol. Until then, wear this." He took off the signet ring he wore on his little finger and caught hold of her left hand. She watched wonderingly as he put it on her slender ring finger. It was almost a perfect fit and looked so right. They were engaged!
"Thank you Pete," she said, her voice full of love, then smiling a little.
"You’ve got mascara all over your face too!"
He smiled back at her and they kissed, slowly and solemnly as if sealing a pact.

***

Downstairs life was slowly stirring. Bodies were stretching and yawning, eyes were bemusedly opening to the ache of daylight. A girl staggered out to the kitchen and made more tea, giving everyone a liberal helping of aspirin. No one felt like any food although the tea and aspirins were very welcome. Then the panic began.

It was 8.30 and they somehow had to get to work. For the next quarter of an hour the house was in a turmoil of girls hurriedly washing and trying to make up and bristly boys also washing and trying to shave with only one electric razor between them.

During this pandemonium Pete asked Colin if he and Alice could stay, as they had nowhere to go. Colin was only to glad to agree especially when Pete said they would clear up the mess left behind in the aftermath of the party. Colin asked no awkward questions, he had too much of a headache to do that. At 9.00 the front door slammed for the last time and the final scooter purred quickly away. Pete and Alice were alone.
"It’s like being married," said Alice, turning the ring around on her finger.
"And we will be soon," Pete replied, "this is practise."

They surveyed the damage around them. The empty bottles, cigarette ends everywhere, the empty glasses, some of them broken and the scattered plates which last night had been overflowing with appetising food. Upstairs it was almost as bad. The beds were unmade and crumpled and cigarette ends and bottles were in abundance.

They started upstairs, Alice making the beds, Pete emptying ashtrays and taking bottles downstairs. Gradually they worked their way through the house until the only room left was the kitchen. There was not too much washing up to do as few people had used glasses. Most had drunk straight from the bottle. A number of glasses were broken which made the work even lighter. Pete nobly offered to dry up with a light-hearted remark about ‘getting quite domesticated’.

They had not come off so badly as some of the others who had gone on drinking all night long as they had gone upstairs about 11 o’ clock. They both had very slight headaches but these wore off as the day went on.
As Alice had remarked, it was ‘like being married’. They spent the rest of the morning just listening to Radio London, reading pop magazines together and looking for ‘Situations Vacant’ in the local paper. There were quite a few possibilities for both of them but they thought they had better lie low for a week or two first.

At about 12.30 she went to make some lunch. After exploring the kitchen thoroughly Alice found a pound of sausages, potatoes and apples which she managed to turn into sausage, mash and apple sauce which they ate with relish. The pantry was well stocked with food which Colin’s mother had left for her son so they had no difficulty over food. As it was so warm they enjoyed the soft coldness of ice-cream which Alice found in the freezer.

The afternoon passed uneventfully. They played all Colin’s records, practised a new dance or simply lay kissing and talking on the big divan. Their relationship was now of complete harmonious togetherness. Whereas before Alice had always had on her mind that she must not get too carried away and that Pete must be fought off by slapping, biting and kicking – even though in fun – now she was released from this worry and could devote herself to him. As for Pete, he no longer felt frustrated and did not have to spend his time constantly fighting a fierce unrelenting battle with her, which left them both miserable and unfulfilled. Now he could spend more time loving her in less passionate ways. They had the long summer nights for love; they could spend the days slowly and enjoying each other’s company.

At 6.15 Colin came back. He had almost forgotten that he had said to the couple that they could stay the day but he began to think it was a blessing in disguise when Alice cooked him dinner and he realised that there was no ‘clearing up after the night before’ to do. He was tall and dark with rather a baby face. He was also a mod, although he did not seemed to quite achieve the way-out effect that Pete did even though he could afford better clothes. He looked at them, sitting opposite him at the table and wondered where they came from, who they were and what sort of trouble they were in.

"Well then," he said "suppose you tell me why you haven’t anywhere to go and everything. I’m a bit out of the picture."

They had decided to tell him everything so Pete began the long story
"Alice’s mum forbade her to go out with me anymore and she was very upset. When she got to school a teacher had a go at her as well and said she didn’t approve of me either. Alice ran away from school, went home and got some stuff then came over to my place in Gloucester. I remembered there was a party here tonight so we came to it because it was somewhere to stay the night. I expect the police are looking for us now – but they’re not going to get us apart!" He finished vehemently.
Colin looked at them both appraisingly.
"I’ll help you as much as I can," he told them. "You can stay here till Saturday afternoon when my parents come back – and I’ll ask around and see if I can find anything for you after that."
"Oh, thanks so much Colin," Alice said gratefully."We’ll pay you for the food –"
"No, that’s okay," he replied quickly. "my mum has left enough to feed a regiment. If we start to run out then I’ll come to you for more but that’s not very likely – and your cooking is enough payment."
Alice laughed. "I can’t cook anything very much – just beans, spuds, sausages, eggs – the basics!"
"I can’t even butter a piece of bread without making a mess," Colin replied. "Well, that’s settled. Where are you sleeping, separate or together?" The question was asked quite naturally, with no dirty snigger attached to it. Pete replied just as calmly.
"Together. We were in a blue and white room on the second floor last night."
"Yeah, that’s fine. Stay in there, it’s a guest room. My girlfriend’s coming over tonight, she’s told her mum she is staying with a girlfriend. She should be here about half seven."
Alice got to her feet. "I had better wash up quickly then."