Thirty-Five

‘I understand,’ Elinor had told Mattie. Perhaps too well, for if Mattie would have liked to be thinking about marriage, Elinor actually was thinking about it – and after all her reservations! All her hopes just to make something of her life herself. Even when she and Stephen had seemed so close, she realized now that she’d always been wary of the idea of commitment. When he’d talked of their future, she’d seen the snags. Whereas now  . . . well, things were different.

Different because of Barry. The way she felt about him, it was only natural she should be looking forward to taking the next great step. And she knew he was feeling the same. They were just so happy together, so much at ease, for Barry was himself so easy-going, so good-natured. Having seen at close quarters a father whose moods and tantrums had ruled his family’s life, she could hardly believe her luck that someone like Barry who had no moods or tantrums should be hers.

‘An absolute tonic to be with,’ was how Elinor described him to her mother, who absolutely agreed with her. So fond was she of Barry, she was even happy that Elinor should spend her free time with him, rather than visiting home.

‘Och, when you’re courting, we don’t expect you to spend time with us!’ she cried. ‘That’s the way things go, eh?’

‘I don’t know that we’re exactly courting,’ Elinor said. ‘I mean, there’s nothing been said.’

‘There will be,’ Hessie told earnestly. ‘I can tell by the way he looks at you. Oh, yes, he’ll want to be wed; he’s just like a lot of men, scared of the idea. End of being fancy-free for them, you see, but they all come to it one day. The only way they can get what they want, eh?’

Suddenly, her look on her daughter sharpened. ‘That’s why the lassies have to be careful, Elinor. Or you know what can happen.’

‘Don’t worry, Ma. It won’t happen to me.’

‘Just remember what I’ve said, though. And hold out for the wedding ring, eh?’

If only life weren’t so difficult, though, Elinor often sighed to herself. If only there didn’t have to be worries about making love – ‘going all the way’, as folk called it. If only no one need have a baby unless they wanted one. Talk about pie in the sky! No point in wishing for the impossible, was there? Just had to take as much pleasure as you could in kissing and caressing and not expect more until you were married. Which was why Elinor’s thoughts dwelt on marriage as never before.

And they did have some wonderful times together, she and Barry, on her evenings off, or her free Saturday afternoons. Sometimes going to the cinema to see the silent films where they watched Charlie Chaplin or Mary Pickford, and listened to the piano keeping up with the action, while they sat at the back, holding hands and looking forward to exchanging kisses on the way home.

Or, maybe going for walks in the beautiful weather, in the Meadows or by the Water of Leith, hiding themselves under trees if possible, where they might even lie together, though Elinor was cautious at first about that. Barry had laughed and drawn her down to him, saying it was an old Scottish custom for a couples to lie together still in their clothes, now hadn’t she heard of it? No, she hadn’t, she’d laughed, she was sure he was making it up, but she’d lain beside him all the same, and had given herself up to delight in being so close.

Sometimes, though, it was all much more tranquil, just having tea in a little cafe, Elinor handling the teapot, Barry watching, then walking slowly back to the Primrose, maybe looking over the railings at the gardens, before saying goodbye on their best behaviour, conscious that some eyes somewhere would be upon them.

How Elinor wished days like these would never end, but in late June Barry suggested something new. A visit to his home with Bettina and Georgie on her next free Saturday afternoon.

‘It’s time we had a get together,’ he told Elinor. ‘And you can hear me tinkle the ivories and all.’

‘Barry, that’d be perfect! I’d love to talk to Bettina and Georgie and hear you play the piano. It’s very kind of Bettina to ask me.’

‘Oh, she didn’t ask you,’ he said carelessly. ‘It was my own idea. She’ll be glad to see you, though. Georgie, too.’

‘You’re sure?’ Elinor asked doubtfully.

‘Sure I’m sure. It’s all arranged. You be thinking of what tunes you’d like to hear and I’ll play ’em for you.’

‘June twenty-seventh is the next Saturday I can take. Shall we make it then?’

‘That’ll be fine. I’ll tell Bettina.’

‘She mightn’t be free.’

‘She will be,’ Barry said airily. ‘I’ll call for you same as usual.’