Christmas Past Read Online Free PDF

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foxtrot she was surprised how easy he was to dance with. Still, she suspected he had had plenty of experience; she could see the envy in some of the girls’ eyes as they twirled past.
    The next two dances he had with Bessie and Lucy but after that he never left Mary’s side. The floor became crowded as the men and youths filed in when the pub closed, red-faced, jovial and
laughing far too loudly. When the band struck up the Paul Jones, Tom persuaded her on to the floor despite her protests, and she wondered nervously which of them would be her next partner.
    Jack Holmes couldn’t believe his luck when he found himself with Mary in his arms. He could feel the swell of her breasts through his shirt and pressed his body a little closer into hers.
Mary blushed and tried to loosen his grasp. She could feel his manliness and even though she was embarrassed it excited her too, to be held like this.
    ‘I shall have to come here more often,’ Jack said. ‘I never knew Longfield possessed such beautiful partners.’
    Mary smiled nervously, keeping quiet instead of saying something stupid.
    ‘I’m Jack Holmes,’ he offered. Mary still said nothing. ‘Well, what should I call you? I can’t just say hey you all the time.’
    Mary smiled. ‘Mary O’Connor,’ she said.
    ‘I might have known it. The only girl in the room to steal my heart and she turns out to be a foreigner, a real Irish colleen.’
    ‘I’m not Irish. My grandparents were, but my parents were born in Newcastle, and so was I.’
    ‘Well, at least we have one thing in common – we were both brought up amongst the coal dust.’
    Mary noticed everyone had changed partners again but Jack had kept a tight hold on her.
    ‘My da works in the pit,’ Mary volunteered.
    ‘So do I.’
    The music finished with a roll of drums. Jack bowed slightly, surprising Mary, and thanked her before leading her back to her chair.
    ‘Trust you to get the pick of the bunch,’ said Bessie. ‘Every girl in the room fancies Jack Holmes.’
    ‘’Cept me,’ Lucy said. ‘It’s his brother I fancy.’
    ‘You just keep away from that one,’ said Tom. ‘I’ll guarantee there’ll be a fight before the night is out. He’s been making up to young Saunders’s wife
all night, and Saunders’ll not put up with that. He always gets a bit nasty after a drink or two.’
    Tom queued for refreshments in the interval and claimed every dance afterwards. Suddenly Mary realised it was time to leave.
    Lucy had at last been asked to dance by Harry Holmes. She began to sulk at having to leave, but as no one had offered to walk her home she had no option but to go with them.
    Mary was on cloud seven. Not only had she been to her first dance, but she’d enjoyed every moment, hadn’t made a fool of herself, and had danced with the two best-looking men in the
room.
    As they drove down the hill along the side of the reservoir and up the other side, Tom held her hand in between changing gears. He considered his feelings carefully. He believed he had fallen
in love tonight. Well, not just tonight – he supposed it had happened the day he first set eyes on her at the station. There wasn’t much he could do about it, though. Mary was too young
to be tied down, especially to a soldier, and that’s what he’d be in a few weeks’ time. Still, she was worth waiting for, and if she felt the same as he did when he came back he
would marry her. In the meantime he didn’t know how he was going to live without seeing her, touching her, just being near her. God, it was going to be slow torture.
    Mary gazed up at the moon. It seemed to be smiling down at her through the dark looming tree branches, hanging like a balloon, as though she could catch it by its string before it floated away.
She returned its smile. She too felt as if she was in love, but the trouble was she didn’t know whether it was with Tom or Jack Holmes. She hadn’t thought about loving anyone until
tonight. Tom had started