Theresa
Another Curtain Falls
‘Terence, I know what it is I want to do.’
‘About what, darling? Move up a little. I know you need a lot of room, but you needn’t take up all of the bed.’
Shifting her bulk as best she could, Theresa moved over. Not long now. Four weeks at the most and I will be rid of this curse in my womb – rid of the longing, and love, I have for it. Banishing these thoughts that hurt so much, Theresa answered Terence, ‘About my life after. And this is going to shock you. I am going to join up.’
‘Good gracious!’
‘I know, but I have this overwhelming urge to help since that awful Dunkirk business. If we are going to win this foul thing, we should all do our bit.’
‘Don’t look at me. I am “doing my bit”, thank you very much. Supporting Jack Fellam with the running of his farm, as well as Hensal Grange estate, is war work.’
‘Oh, I know. Anyway, how are Fellam and his daughter? God, what a bloody awful thing. Even though it rid us – and the world, come to that – of that evil bastard Billy Armitage, and of the threat Rita had become, it must have been hell to go through.’
‘Fellam gets through each day, and that’s about it. His daughter seems as though she doesn’t exist. She’s empty, vacant. Oh, I don’t know, it is hard to describe. That chap in the RAF, some relation or other – or at least he was a relation to Fellam’s wife – seems to have a thing for her. He’s stationed at Biggin Hill, one of Churchill’s lot that we all owe so much to. He comes up whenever he has a minute off. Or it seems that way, according to what Louise—’
‘Louise, Louise, bloody Louise!’
‘Look, be reasonable, darling. You know I have to see her. God, she is the only one keeping things going on Fellam’s farm. Well, with the sterling help of Dorothy, that is. You remember – the older one, widowed or some such. Anyway, besides coping almost on their own, Louise helps me with Fellam’s three remaining horses, which I am caring for at our stables. That other poor girl who was injured so badly has finally gone home from hospital.’
‘Oh? She recovered then?’
‘Well, she’ll be disfigured for life, and her mind is affected. The evidence she was able to give helped to convict that evil Rita, and it was accepted that what she could remember was consistent with her injuries. The doctor who was giving evidence said that the girl had received a single blow to the head, apart from possibly banging it when the horse charged her. She’ll never walk again, poor thing. So no, I wouldn’t say she has recovered.’
‘And you have no conscience about any of it? God, Terence, you take the biscuit!’
‘Why should I have?’
‘Oh, come off it. Don’t tell me you didn’t plant the idea in Rita’s mind. I know we wanted rid of her, but we said we would use Armitage. What changed your mind?’
‘I didn’t. I told you, I threatened Rita with setting Armitage on her. That’s when she said she’d put things right for me, and would never cause me harm. Anyway, that bitch has got all she deserves, and I hope she rots in prison. What if anyone had believed her story? My God, it doesn’t bear thinking about!’
‘Well, they didn’t. They believed yours, so you are nice and safe. Bet you miss her, though. Between visits to me, that is?’
‘No, well, actually, I have been meaning to tell you . . . Penny—’
‘Bloody hell, Terence, you bastard! Do tell.’
Listening to his conquest of ‘the virgin’ stirred feelings inside Theresa. She snuggled closer to her twin.
With her so near her time, and finding love-making uncomfortable, they’d reverted to their old ways of giving pleasure to each other. Terence knew her needs. And her love for him knew no bounds.
As Terence lay back and drew deeply on his cigarette, stroking the hair of a contented Theresa who was now resting her head on his chest, he thought about Penny. She’d turned out to be something! ‘Giving’ was the word he’d use, and grateful – a loving combination. Something he hadn’t experienced before and found he enjoyed. Yes, Penny was more than a substitute for the artful Rita.
These musings left him suddenly, as his mind registered what Theresa had said. His curiosity piqued, he asked, ‘So, which force are you going to join?’
Theresa lifted her head and looked at him. ‘You needn’t sound so amused. Anyway, pass me your ciggie; I need some smoke in my lungs.’
He watched the tip of the cigarette light up as she drew on it, and waited as she exhaled the smoke.
‘The army.’
‘For goodness’ sake, Theresa, stop being silly. Join some volunteer group or something if you must, not the army!’ The agitated puff that he took of his cigarette filled his lungs and calmed him. He felt immediate regret at his sharpness with her. ‘Sorry, old thing, didn’t mean to snap. Come here, snuggle up to me.’
‘No, I’m all sweaty. I’m going to take a bath. And you may as well get used to the idea, as my mind is made up. There is no point in you even trying to change it. The minute I recover from dropping this beast inside me, I’m signing on the dotted line.’
‘But you can’t. I won’t let you. Theresa, this is a silly notion. You going out to save the world – you’re not equipped. You’ll get yourself killed. No, I won’t allow it and neither will Pater, and it would be the end of Mater!’
Her look held disdain. ‘The least said about anything I do affecting Mater, the better. I’m angry. Boiling angry at the way our lives are dictated by how everything will impact on Mater. That maxim has ruled us for far too long, Terence. We have to stand up against it. I’m going to.’
Terence had no argument against this and, by the look on Theresa’s face, she would brook none. I’ll leave the question alone for now. There’s plenty of time. Theresa will forget this silly notion. Feeling sure of this as he listened to the bath water running, he stubbed out his cigarette and lay back to relax. He felt at one with himself. His future looked bright. He’d ridded them both of the evil Rita – though there had been a few hairy moments during the trial, especially when the defence council had tied him in knots.
Sweat broke out over him at the thought of the moment when he thought the truth would come out. But then Penny – poor smitten Penny – had saved the day. She’d told the court that Rita was lying about her relationship with him. That she’d never seen Terence Crompton act in any way other than politely and respectfully towards them both. That she knew Rita fantasized over her relationship with their boss going further, but she never witnessed anything that made her think anything had happened between them.
Smiling, Terence thought of Rita’s horror and defeated look as she listened to this. Ha, I owe a lot to you, Penny, and I’m going to see that you get your dues. In fact, I’ll take great pleasure in giving you what you most desire.
Laughing now, Terence swung his legs off the bed. Going to the bathroom, he looked at his beautiful sister. Her naked body half-immersed in the water was wet and shiny, and her hair hung in dripping strands, as if she’d dunked her head. Her face looked angelic. An overwhelming love for her swept over him. Kneeling beside the bath, he traced the mound of her stomach. The child within moved, as if to acknowledge him.
Terence’s heart lurched. The love he felt wasn’t solely for Theresa. Taking his hand away, he stood up. What is the matter with me? I must suppress this feeling I have for this unborn child. I have to . . .