1935 Stormy Woolworth's

In lots of ways I was lucky. I was now a senior shop assistant. Well respected but still well liked. In the twenty years since I had left school I had worked at a couple of haberdashers in Dorchester. In 1930 got a job at the new Woolworth's in South Street. Since then I had seen dozens of girls come and go.

The schools let them out at fourteen, just adequately educated. Because they had to work somewhere while they waited for Mr Right to come along, they got a job at 'Woollies'. For most, they didn't have to wait for too long for a man to come for them.

I often thought that the shop was more like a marriage broker, for village girls and farm boys, than anything.

For reasons that I don't understand, nobody came for me.

At thirty-four years of age, I still waited in vain. I'm not ugly but I'm no Merle Oberon, my derriere is a little bigger than hers. If you don't know me, I can come across as a bit stern looking. My clothes are always smart and well cared for. Some of the young women I see can appear a bit slack. Someone once told me that I looked 'intellectual' and that's not what farm boys want. I do read a lot but I don't think that I'm clever.

Don't get me wrong, I've been on some dates with men. These usually consisted of a few drinks and then a fumbled attempt to get past my stocking tops. On two occasions I gave up the struggle and allowed access to my knickers. Both times led to me being fingered. If they had shown a little more skill I think I could have let things go further but they didn't.

Still, I had a room at my Grandmother's house in New Street which was comfortable. She is my only remaining relative. In the evening I liked to read or listen to the wireless. On Sundays we went to church. On the half-day closing I liked to walk in the Borough Gardens. It's nice there.

......................................

A stormy Thursday. The water appeared as if someone had released a waterfall in Cornhill that was now finding escape by charging nonstop down South Street.

I was peering through one of the huge front windows at the torrent and thinking that we wouldn't see a customer today. The doors burst open and a gent tumbled in. Regaining his balance he looked around him as if he'd never been in a 3s and 6s store before.

"Do you need help?" I asked.

"I'm afraid I do." he said, "Do you sell Swan Vestas?

"I've dropped mine in a damned puddle and now I can't light my pipe."

I smiled. It seemed incongruous hearing such a refined speaking voice use bad language. He rather reminded me of Leslie Howard.

"We do." I answered, leading him over to where the smoking efemera was displayed.

The next time I caught sight of him he was gazing out the window and trying to get his pipe to light. It was probably as damp as he was. He was in his mid forties, I suppose. Quite handsome and despite the sogginess, well dressed.

To this day I don't know why, it seems such a forward thing to do, but I stood next to him and said, "Awful weather!"

"Yes, I can't see it stopping anytime soon," he replied.

"I don't want to appear a cad, but if you don't mind me saying, I didn't expect to find a lady like you working in here," he added.

"That's very kind of you but I can assure you that I am just a simple Dorset girl. I listen to the wireless far too much and I suppose some of it rubs off.

"If you heard me talking to my grammy, you would hardly know what was being said," I explained.

"Yes, there is no doubt that I can hear Dorsetshire in your voice. But I have learned an important lesson today," he said gently.

Intrigued, I asked, "What is that?"

"That angels have accents," he answered.

I felt the colour rise in my cheeks.

After a brief silence during which I should have walked away but I didn't, he said. "Please don't think badly of me but I notice that you don't wear a ring.

"I am in the town on business and I have to stay overnight.

"If you are not doing anything, is there any chance that you would agree to go with me to the pictures?" he asked.

"Yes,"

Then, not trying to sound too eager, I said, "I have wanted to visit the Plaza ever since it opened but have never got around to it."

"Excellent, I was so afraid that I was being too bold.

"Can I meet you outside at seven. They are showing 'The 39 Steps', you know the Alfred Hitchcock thriller?" he said.

"Oh, I am forgetting my manners, my name is Ralph Peters, pleased to meet you."

"Jenny Dax, pleased to meet you." I said.

We shook hands rather awkwardly.

"I look forward to tonight," Ralph said.

And then, as if to give me no time to change my mind, he said, "Goodbye," and then walked out into the downpour.

............................................................

I got off work at six, which gave me little time to get home and apologise profusely to Grammy for not wanting my tea, change and run to Trinity Street.

Fortunately, the storm had passed over by about five. The pavements were still glistening.

The first film was a little tedious but 'The 39 Steps' was very exciting with a gripping ending. I'd not seen either Robert Donat or Lucie Mannheim before.

Ralph was very courteous and attentive. He even bought me an ice-cream during the interval.

As he walked me home to New Street he told me that he was staying at The King's Arms Hotel. He said that the restaurant was quite good there. Then he gasped, "Oh my God, it has just occurred to me that I didn't give you enough time to eat dinner, did I?"

"It doesn't matter, I'm not that hungry," I lied.

"Please, as a way of redeeming myself, allow me to take you to dinner on Tuesday next. I have to be back in Dorset then," he said.

"There really is no need," I said.

Ralph went on, "I really must insist; that is unless you are determined never to see me again."

"In that case, I will be delighted," I told him. I'd never been taken to dinner before.

At my door we shook hands and I went in.

Sleep evaded me until the early hours. I liked him. I think that he liked me. But I couldn't quite believe that finally fate might have sent me someone.

.............................................

During the day on Tuesday, Ralph came into the shop to make sure that I hadn't changed my mind about dinner. He thought that the restaurant at his hotel would be suitable. We agreed on a time that would allow me plenty of opportunity get home and change first.

The meal was lovely. So unlike anything I'd eaten before. Afterwards, we had a drink in the bar before Ralph walked home with me.

Before we parted, Ralph suggested that we go to the pictures on Thursday. He thought a later showing would be more suitable. When I agreed he leaned towards me and kissed me briefly on the cheek.

'A Night at the Opera' with The Marx Brother was hilarious. I wasn't sure that I was going to enjoy the American sense of humour but I did. It was very knock-about which is funny in any culture.

At my door Ralph took me in his arms and kissed me fully and strongly on the lips. He did not press home his advantage but instead wished me goodnight.

I was in limbo for the next few days. Were we going to see each other again?

During the midmorning on the next Tuesday, I looked up to see Ralph smiling at me.

"Profuse apologies for not making definite arrangements with you but it was not certain that I would be in Dorchester today. I know it's short notice but would you be free for dinner tonight?" he explained.

During the meal he told me that we had to have a serious talk afterwards. This made me a little nervous.

Once, we were settled in a corner of the bar, Ralph began, "I have to be completely honest with you. I feel that things are developing between us and before they go any further I want to tell you that I am a married man."

"I thought that maybe you were. A man like you is not going to remain unclaimed for too long," I said quietly.

"There is no possibility of me leaving my wife. I love her dearly.

"It was my true belief that I could only ever love her. But then I met you.

"Her father owns the company that I work for. The job brings me to Dorchester a couple of times a week. But that means nothing: if I didn't love her then I would leave her," he said.

There was a brief silence and then Ralph said, "Do you have anything to say? I will understand if you want to chastise me."

"Do you think that you could smuggle me up to your room?" I asked.

When we walked into the lobby, Ralph went ahead and spoke to the Hall Porter. He pressed something into his hand and the man made himself scarce. Ralph's room was on the first floor.

As soon as the door closed behind us, I threw myself into Ralph's arms and kissed him more deeply and more passionately than I had ever kissed before.

"Slowly, slowly, we have loads of time and I want to make this special not fevered. There will be plenty of time for fever on other occasions." he said gently.

He removed his jacket and pulled out the dressing table stool.

He guided me so that I was standing in front of him.

"Relax and surrender completely," he commanded in a gentle way.

He slipped my jacket off and threw it on the bed. Turning me slowly so that I was facing away from him, he undid the buttons on the back of my dress and allowed it to fall to the floor. I stepped out of it and Ralph scooped it up and tossed next to the jacket.

Pulling the straps from my shoulders he allowed my slip to drop around my ankles. Before I could step out of it, he kissed my spine at the base of my neck. It was a thrill. So was the next kiss place in the middle of my back. More thrilling still was the touch of his lips on the base of my spine just above where my buttocks started to diverge.

I could feel my brasserie being unclasped. The straps slipped part way down my arms as I was gently turned to face forward. As my bra dropped Ralph kissed me between my breasts. Kissing each nipple in turn he then placed his lips on my stomach.

I was standing in no more than my french knickers, silk stockings and shoes.

Ralph then divested me of my drawers. Allowing them to join my other undergarments on the carpet.

Dipping slightly, he kissed my pubic hairs.

Gently, he recommenced his kissing and licking of my nipples. Unhurried and loving. Sometimes just the softest of sucks. The occasional squeeze of a breast followed by the brush of a thumb to an areola.

In one movement Ralph stood up and swept me up in his arms.

Laying me on the bed he took his place beside me, he eased his hand between my knees. I allowed them to part slightly, thinking that he would instantly make his way upwards. But he hovered just there. Stroking that small area.

Either consciously or unconsciously my knees drifted apart. Ralph caressed my inner thigh. For what felt like forever he did just that. Gently up and down; nearly touching but not quite touching where I most wanted to be touched.

Eventually, his thumb made contact just above my bum. Then he gently eased it upwards until it slid into the moist groove. I took a deep breath.

Pushing his thumb into me, Ralph made small back and forth movements.

Then for the next quarter of an hour or so his fingers explored every part of the area around my vagina.

Obviously, I'd heard of the words ecstasy and orgasm but before they had been just words. The reality bore no relationship to the words.

"I am not going to do anything until you are completely ready and even then I will not hurt you," he said.

I wanted to say that I was ready but thought better of it.

Suddenly he stopped.

Smoothly he stood up. He removed his clothing. Not a strip tease but in a manly controlled way.

As he removed his underpants his erection was obvious. Hard and real and magnificent.

"I want you to look at it. It is forever at your service.

"Now touch it," he said.

I reached over and placed my hand around it.

"Don't be afraid, I will do nothing to harm you.

"I think that you are ready for me to fuck you but if you want me to stop I will; unless things have gone past the point of no return, that is." he said smiling.

Ralph took his place between my legs, waited, and then gently pushed forward.

It certainly didn't hurt but there was a little discomfort.

Taking his weight on his elbows, Ralph waited as if to give me time to object. Then he began to thrust. Slowly at first but then with increasing ardour.

All discomfort had gone now. It was replaced with pure pleasure the likes of which I'd never known.

Soon, he reached that point of no return. I was glad.

Afterwards we sat and talked for ages.

Ralph said, "There is to be complete honesty between us. You must tell me what you like and what you don't like. I will do the same with you.

"To that end, we will not use euphemisms when we are alone together. We must call things by their proper names." he said.

He spent the next half hour or so getting me to repeat every sexual word that he could think of. Many of them I'd never heard before.

When he was happy that I knew the 'proper' word for every body part and sexual practice, he laughed and said, "I must admit that there was another motive for getting you to say all those things."

"There was?" I asked somewhat puzzled.

"Oh yes, hearing an angel talking dirty in a Dorset accent has given me such a powerful hard-on," he said.

And then he fucked me again.

.........................................................................

After that we saw each other twice every week: pictures on Thursdays and dinner on Tuesdays.

Each time Ralph's money persuaded the Hall Porter to turn a blind eye.

On every occasion the foreplay and fucking was varied slightly. Ralph was so inventive and somehow each thing that he did was just what I needed.

Once, when we got back from a lovely dinner, Ralph insisted that I wore one of my stockings as a blindfold all the time we were having sex. It's strange how not having one of my senses intensified the others.

As I lay in Ralph's arms he said, "I'm really fed up with all this sneaking around."

I felt ill. I always feared that he would tire of me.

Ralph reached onto the bedside table and produced a set of keys.

"What are those?" I asked.

"Oh, nothing much. Just the keys to your new flat," he replied.

"But, I can't afford anything like that."

"You don't have to. I've arranged for all the bills to be paid each month.

"Take a look at it tomorrow, if you really don't like it we can carry-on bribing that horrid man downstairs," Ralph added.

I was so thrilled that I persuaded him that he was ready to fuck me again: minus the blindfold this time.

...........................................................

The flat was in Charles Street. It was so luxurious. It even had a shower over the bath. The furnishings were in the Art Deco style and very tasteful. Most brilliant of all was the small balcony that overlooked the vast grounds of the Conservative Club.

Ralph had also set up a bank account into which he intended to pay a sum of money each month to cover my bills. My objections fell on deaf ears.

It was with some trepidation that I told my Grammy that I would be moving.

She simply said, "Don't concern yourself Maidy, t'is just as it should be."

I hugged her and told her that I loved her.

"Is he a nice man," Grammy asked

Shocked, I said, "Who said anything about a man."

"It's always about a man, my dear," she replied.

We both laughed. Grammy just knew things.

.................................................

After that we carried on our twice weekly liaisons. Mostly we still went to the cinema on Thursdays and had dinner on Tuesdays. We no longer restricted ourselves to The King's Arms Hotel but ate at various restaurants around the town. Once or twice I cooked a meal for us. Ralph said that it was very good but that I was his mistress and not his servant.

Most other days I ate with Grammy. We went to church on Sundays. I worked at Woolworth's and walked in the Borough Gardens on half day closing.

Ralph and I had been to see 'Escape Me Never' starring Elisabeth Bergner. I loved the scenes set in Venice. When we got back to the flat, Ralph was particularly passionate and as soon as we got in he had my coat and knickers off.

I lay on the bed with my knees raised while Ralph had his head between my thighs. I gripped his hair as he licked furiously at my cunt (I preferred to say fanny but Ralph found my using the coarser word more simulating).

I had cried out a couple of times, after each he eased off for a few minutes before recommencing his licking.

He finally came up for air and said, "You're extremely wet down there tonight."

"I'm not bloody surprised with all the attention you've given it," I said.

"Do you ever wish my prick was thicker? Ralph asked.

I pretended to be uncertain but said with a laugh, "No, it's big enough for me."

"Wait, I have an idea," he said, leaping from the bed and rummaging through my underwear drawer.

He came back with one of my silk stockings. He proceeded to put it on over his hard cock.

It did look funny all sheathed in ivory silk.

"I'm going to fuck you like this," he said.

"Will that work?" I asked.

"You are just about to find out," Ralph laughed.

He pulled me to the edge of the bed and lifted my legs onto his shoulders. Ralph placed the end of his silk covered cock at the entrance to my fanny and pushed forward.

God, it felt strange. I may have been wet before but the silk just absorbed most of my juices. As he got in as deeply as he could, the excess material sort of bunched up around his scrotum.

Each time Ralph thrust forward and back most of the stocking went with him but a little stayed behind. Just when I thought that I would wind up with the whole length of it inside me, Ralph came.

We both lay on the bed breathless and laughing.

"That was a novel thrill," said Ralph, as he retrieved the stocking top from just outside my fanny.

As he slowly pulled on the soggy silk, I said, "And so is that."

An orgasm rippled through me.

.......................................................

My Grammy was reunited with my Grampy. One day she was baking apple cake and singing the old songs, the next day she was gone.

I took her back to the village where she was born so that she could be buried next to Grampy and near to our ancestors.

That night I stayed at the ******** Inn. Many people in there could recall her wedding day and a few could remember her at school. Everyone was happy to take a drink in her memory.

She left me her house, which I sold. I put the few hundred pounds in the bank in case I ever needed it.

................................................

There had been three of those strange English summer days. So hot that you couldn't breath. So humid that if you moved your clothes were soaking wet. Everyone knew that a thunderstorm was coming. Everyone just hoped it would be soon.

We were supposed to be going out for dinner. Instead we just sat in the shade in a pub garden with a packet of crisps drinking cider.

It was impossible to sleep. The balcony door was wide open; so was every window in the flat. Still there wasn't a breath of breeze.

Just after midnight the storm broke.

I strolled out onto the balcony to watch the lightning show. The air was electric.

The canopy above my head kept off most of the torrential rain but some still splashed me. It felt so glorious after the heat.

Soon Ralph was behind me.

He lifted the hem of my satin nightdress above my waist. Pulling my hips backwards he entered me from behind. I pushed back a little.

The combination of the thunder, lightning and rain with the sheer naughtiness was so stimulating. Although I didn't think that there would be anybody lurking in the grounds of the Conservative Club on a night like this; I wasn't certain.