Swansea Girls by Catrin Collier Read Free Book Online Page B

house – you do know that his grandmother is leaving him the house?’
    ‘The ten-bedroomed one above Langland?’
    ‘I believe that is the only one she owns.’
    ‘What about Esme?’
    ‘Mrs Harris never did approve of her marrying that man. She tells everyone who’ll listen she cut her daughter out of her will the day she announced her engagement. Richard says young Joseph’s going to be a wealthy man one day and whatever Richard says you can take as given.’
    ‘Wealthy and well-educated if he’s at university,’ Mrs Murton Davies mused. With three daughters on her hands, there weren’t so many independent, eligible young men available that she could afford to ignore one. ‘What is he reading?’
    ‘English, he’s taken a research job with the BBC for the summer with Robin. Rumour has it, the powers that be are impressed.’
    ‘So he could be heading for a career in broadcasting?’
    ‘He could.’ Mrs Watkin Morgan smiled as she read her friend’s rather obvious train of thought. ‘He’s certainly talented. Two of his poems were published in this month’s Gower.’
    ‘Larry must introduce him to the girls. They’re so fond of poetry.’ Mrs Murton Davies’s frown deepened, as Mrs Watkin Morgan’s smile widened. Angela Watkin Morgan was halfway across the lawn. As they watched, the girl stepped on to the gravel, bypassed the fleet of open-topped sports cars and opened the door of Joseph’s Rover.
    ‘Darling Joseph, as handsome as ever. You wouldn’t believe how much I’ve missed you.’
    Joe brushed his lips across the cheek Angela offered him before locking his father’s car. ‘No, I wouldn’t, not from what Robin’s been telling me about your exploits. How were London and France?’ He stood back and looked at her. She seemed taller, slimmer, older and more sophisticated than when she had left Swansea in April for what her mother called ‘the season’. He’d expected to admire her less and feel more at seeing her for the first time since their separation. But she was still the pretty girl he had lost his heart to last winter. The only thing that surprised him was the realisation that since then he had somehow managed to retrieve it.
    ‘Bor-ing! Full of silly girls chasing chinless boys, but don’t tell Mother that.’ She took his arm. ‘She thinks she’s done me a favour by making me a deb.’
    ‘You were looking forward to it before you left,’ he murmured absently, mesmerised by the vista that stretched from the front lawn of the house down to Caswell Bay. Gower scenery never failed to take his breath away, making him glad he lived so close to so much unspoilt coastline and envious of those who could afford to live within sight and sound of the sea.
    ‘I was, after listening to Mother’s stories. But then, as she said, and often since April, it was all so different for debs in her day. They had proper evening frocks, arrived at the Palace in chauffeur-driven cars and were given evening buffet on gold plate. I had a short afternoon frock my mother picked out. It was hideous. The skirt looked like a chiffon lampshade and after we’d made our curtseys all we got was tea and ghastly little cakes. The whole time I was there, I kept wishing I were back here with you.’
    ‘Poor Angie, it really must have been a let-down.’
    ‘I’m serious, Joe. I’m sorry I said those awful things to you before I left.’
    ‘They weren’t awful; in fact, with the benefit of hindsight they were sensible, considering we had to spend the summer apart.’
    ‘Sensible! You’ve found another girl!’
    ‘None who could take your place,’ he responded flippantly, amused by her sudden anxiety.
    ‘Why don’t I believe you?’ She gave two of Larry’s sisters a ‘keep off my property’ warning look as they scrutinised Joe. ‘This way.’ She steered him towards a bar set up inside the entrance of a marquee that had been erected on the main lawn. ‘I’ve spent all afternoon mixing cocktails