Lynda La Plante - The Legacy

‘You smell like a fresh mountain flower, and so you should, I mean you are the girl who danced with Lloyd George, no wonder, m’dear, it’ll be the Princes of Wales next.’

David shouted to her as they careered round corners, they would have a celebration, this was a wonderful surprise. She laughed, and the sound of her laughter shocked her, it was so infrequent, the sound triggered the release of all the tensions and she didn’t want it to stop.

As they drove through the city centre, David tooted the horn and waved and called out to many people driving past. He seemed to know everyone. He appeared elated, as happy as Evelyne. They headed out towards the country.

‘You’ll meet some of my very best friends, we’ll be in time for the last race.’

The car roared up to the special enclosure at the race meeting. Everything was happening so fast, and there was a craziness to the whole afternoon. Evelyne was introduced to so many new faces, and everyone was friendly. She was accepted as part of the group; in fact, as die champagne flowed, several of David’s friends showed more interest in her than in the racing. Not that David allowed his prize to be taken from him more than a few moments, he wanted to introduce her to everyone. He told them all she was an old friend, and they smiled and proffered drinks. Evelyne remembered Freddy Carlton, older, redder in the face, but he was delighted to meet again the girl who had taken everyone’s heart at the midsummer dance.

David darted around, the centre of attention, especially with his strange, beautiful girl in tow. The women with their cute, bobbed hairstyles and short skirts seemed hell-bent on enjoying themselves, and when the last race was over no one seemed inclined to leave the private enclosure. Someone brought out a gramophone and couples danced on the grass or sat watching.

Having never danced to this kind of music, Evelyne remained slightly aloof, which only added to her attraction. She was also watchful of her new clothes; there was champagne flying around, sprayed from bottles all over people, so Evelyne moved further and further to the fringe of the crowd.

David stood on the roof of one of the long, shiny cars.

‘Everyone, listen, listen … we’ll all dine at Bianco’s, the party must go on, I’m in love …’ He tap-danced, jumping from one car to the next, tossing his bowler up and catching it on his head. ‘Who’s out of champers? Come along now, glasses at the ready, chaps.’

Evelyne felt as if she and David were royals; everyone followed him, and accepted her as being with him. They proceeded to get into their cars.

‘I say, look at the posters, be a jolly good wheeze, why don’t we go?’

The posters, in crude, bright red letters, were stuck to the walls on the stand, ‘freedom stubbs versus dai

“HAMMER” THOMAS’.

There was a rough sketch beneath the lettering of two boxers, fists up, about to fight each other. David immediately began charging around with his fists up, dodging, and tapping his friends with mock punches.

‘What say we all go to the fight, it’s a gyppo fair, chaps, should be jolly?’

Evelyne smiled with the rest of David’s crazy antics. She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned. A face loomed from the past — Captain Ridgely.

‘Well, well, hello there, I don’t remember meeting you deah gel, do tell me where he found you? Captain Ridgely at your command, at your feet, deah, lovely lady.’

David bellowed across the grass.

‘Ridgelyyyyy… Get off her, she’s mine!’

David leapt to Evelyne’s side and put a protective arm around her shoulders.

‘She’s mine, you no-good rascal … now, Evelyne, we are all waiting on your decision. Do we or don’t we go to the fight? What do you say, eh?’

Evelyne saw that everyone was waiting, and shrugged, smiling.

‘Whatever you say.’

‘It’s the fight, everyone, meet at Bianco’s first…’

The cars began to roar out, cheering passengers shouting to each other and waving their arms and champagne bottles. David got into his car.

He leaned back, slithering lower in his seat, and closed his eyes for a few moments. Then he turned his head, still resting on the back of the seat. ‘Where in God’s name have you been all my life, Flamehead, especially when I needed you? Why have you taken so long to come back, my gazelle, my strange, wonderful lady from nowhere?’

The kiss she had dreamed of had not been so hard or brutal. She could feel his teeth, then his tongue pushing open her lips and licking them, then thrusting inside her mouth. She actually felt disgusted, the taste of champagne and cigar smoke was so strong. His hand began slowly to unbutton her dove-grey jacket with the white collar, her lovely Vogue suit, and he was pushing her against the side of the car … and her hat? He was crushing her hat! She pushed him away, and he lolled against the opposite door. He turned his face away, slapped the steering wheel with his hand, and when he looked back he frightened her. His eyes were blazing, staring straight through her, and again he hit the steering wheel with his fist. He was muttering, swearing, a jumble of words. Evelyne didn’t know what to do. David began to rock backwards and forwards, banging his head on the steering wheel. His actions, behaviour frightened her, was he drunk?

‘David, stop it please, don’t… Davidl Don’t. Stop!’ Freddy ran to the car and cupped David’s chin in his

hands.

‘You okay … David? All right, old chap, eh? All

right, are we?’

David shrugged Freddy’s hands away. Freddy gave Evelyne a grin and then ran back to his motor. ‘Everyone follow me!’

David pulled himself together, crashed the gears, then the sports car spun round and followed Freddy’s car, way up in front. Evelyne clung to her daisy hat, terrified it would blow away. David was relaxed again, smiling to himself as though nothing had happened. Evelyne glanced at him and he caught it, winked at her. Everything was all right again, and she felt better when he reached for her hand, held it to his lips and whispered quietly, gently, ‘Sorry flame … make it all up to you.’

The kiss she held in her memory now didn’t seem so bad, and if he kissed her again she would open her own mouth.

‘I love you, I love you, I love you …’ but David didn’t hear because it was all inside her bursting head, besides, he was singing at the top of his voice as he swung the car this way and that in a zig-zag across the road. His craziness was contagious and soon she was joining in with him, standing with one arm raised, the other holding on to her hat.

‘My Lili Marlene… Ahhh … my Lili Marleeeeeeeeene …’

The tiny, elegant restaurant was almost entirely filled by David’s party, the tables, covered in checked cloths, placed close together. A pianola played at full blast. Steaming bowls of spaghetti and chilli were promptly served and wolfed down by all, while they drank themselves into a loud, drunken state with more champagne and red wine.

The proprietor, a good-natured, roly-poly Italian, served the food, opened bottles and turned a blind eye to the damage. They would pay — this young set always did — and he could feel their madness, their desperation for fun. The men were all officers and he knew they had seen sights that had left them scarred — he knew because often they were too drunk to leave. He had sat with many of them crying drunkenly for their comrades, spilling out their nightmares to him, a stranger, a nobody.

Captain Ridgely stood up on a table, glass in hand. ‘Here’s to unemployment… here’s to us, to us, the ones who made it home… Cheers!’

They sang, ‘It’s a long way to Tipperareeee, it’s a long way to go …’At first glance this party of beautiful young people seemed not to have a care in the world. It was only when one looked close that one could detect their lostness. Seemingly hell-bent on living life to the full, in reality they despaired for those they knew had no life left.