retirement, but your Uncle Sammy is now saying out of a museum, more like. Well, you know how he prefers people who fizz a bit.’
‘Uncle Sammy’s the number one family fizzer,’ said Edward. ‘Uncle Boots is the family fixer during a crisis, and Uncle Tommy is the honest family stalwart. Anyway, I’m tickled that you’re working for the firm along with your mother. It keeps you away from all these American GIs.’ Perhaps he shouldn’t have said that, for almost at once a couple of husky specimens materialized. One addressed Edward breezily, while casting an admiring eye at the ravishing young beauty beside him.
‘Say, old buddy, we’d sure like to meet your sister.’
‘That wouldn’t do you much good,’ said Edward, ‘I’ve got two sisters and they’re both happily married.’
‘This heah young lady ain’t yo’ sister?’ enquired the second GI.
‘Hand on my heart, I can say she’s not,’ said Edward . ‘She’s the young lady I’m proposing to marry.’
Leah gulped.
‘Well, old buddy,’ said the first GI, ‘you’re a lucky old buddy.’
‘Granted,’ said Edward, after his Uncle Sammy. ‘So long, guys.’ And he went on with Leah.
‘Excuse me, Edward,’ she said, ‘but did you actually say what I think I heard you say?’
‘I can’t say I didn’t,’ said Edward, ‘because I heard it myself, and it reminded me that I’ve been thinking of writing a letter to your mother and grandfather. With your permission, of course.’
‘What kind of a letter?’ asked Leah, as they passed the bandstand, the rendezvous at this moment of several young ladies of the United Kingdom and their young gentlemen of the United States Army. ‘Is it relevant to what you just said to that American soldier?’
Edward cleared his throat and addressed her with the formality of a young Victorian gent.
‘My dear Miss Goodman, I want to let your mother and grandfather know that in a year’s time when I’m twenty-one, I hope to be so bold as to ask you to do me the honour of becoming my wife.’
‘Crikey,’ said Leah, a born Londoner, ‘what a lovely mouthful. Edward, could I ask you to say it again?’
‘Certainly,’ said Edward, taking in a lungful of the park air. ‘In short, if I still feel the same about you next year as I do now, Miss Goodman, I’ll definitely be asking you to do me the aforesaid honour, and I’ll have to let your mother and grandfather know of my prospective intentions in advance in the hope of receiving their approval.’
‘Crikey,’ said Leah again, ‘that’s in short? It was more than before. I never heard such a lovely mouthful. Could I ask you to—’
‘No, you couldn’t,’ said Edward, ‘I’m out of breath.’
‘So am I!’ said Leah, giddy.
‘D’you think you could tell me what you think will be your own feelings in a year’s time?’ asked Edward.
‘Well, they’re all giddy at the moment, and so am I,’ said Leah. ‘Edward, excuse me for asking, but do you mean you love me?’
‘Does it embarrass you?’ asked Edward.
‘I should be embarrassed?’ said Leah. ‘How could I be?’
‘You don’t feel you’re too young to be told?’ said Edward.
‘Pardon me, I’m sure,’ said Leah, brown eyes brilliant and pulse rate galloping, ‘but I’m not in pigtails and socks. I’m a working girl with prospects of being a WAAF. Edward, are we serious about all this?’
‘I am, believe me,’ said Edward, ‘but I’m not sure if your mother and grandfather are going to be in favour.’
‘Because of religion?’ said Leah. The atmosphere of the park, a green oasis, was not a place for contentious issues. It encouraged agreement, compromise and tolerance. ‘Edward, we’ll have to talk to them. I’m sure they’ll listen.’
‘Yes, but I’d like to write to them first to give them a chance to think about it,’ said Edward.
‘My own thinking’s very positive,’ said Leah. ‘I mean, if you do ask me to marry you, I’m certain
‘Uncle Sammy’s the number one family fizzer,’ said Edward. ‘Uncle Boots is the family fixer during a crisis, and Uncle Tommy is the honest family stalwart. Anyway, I’m tickled that you’re working for the firm along with your mother. It keeps you away from all these American GIs.’ Perhaps he shouldn’t have said that, for almost at once a couple of husky specimens materialized. One addressed Edward breezily, while casting an admiring eye at the ravishing young beauty beside him.
‘Say, old buddy, we’d sure like to meet your sister.’
‘That wouldn’t do you much good,’ said Edward, ‘I’ve got two sisters and they’re both happily married.’
‘This heah young lady ain’t yo’ sister?’ enquired the second GI.
‘Hand on my heart, I can say she’s not,’ said Edward . ‘She’s the young lady I’m proposing to marry.’
Leah gulped.
‘Well, old buddy,’ said the first GI, ‘you’re a lucky old buddy.’
‘Granted,’ said Edward, after his Uncle Sammy. ‘So long, guys.’ And he went on with Leah.
‘Excuse me, Edward,’ she said, ‘but did you actually say what I think I heard you say?’
‘I can’t say I didn’t,’ said Edward, ‘because I heard it myself, and it reminded me that I’ve been thinking of writing a letter to your mother and grandfather. With your permission, of course.’
‘What kind of a letter?’ asked Leah, as they passed the bandstand, the rendezvous at this moment of several young ladies of the United Kingdom and their young gentlemen of the United States Army. ‘Is it relevant to what you just said to that American soldier?’
Edward cleared his throat and addressed her with the formality of a young Victorian gent.
‘My dear Miss Goodman, I want to let your mother and grandfather know that in a year’s time when I’m twenty-one, I hope to be so bold as to ask you to do me the honour of becoming my wife.’
‘Crikey,’ said Leah, a born Londoner, ‘what a lovely mouthful. Edward, could I ask you to say it again?’
‘Certainly,’ said Edward, taking in a lungful of the park air. ‘In short, if I still feel the same about you next year as I do now, Miss Goodman, I’ll definitely be asking you to do me the aforesaid honour, and I’ll have to let your mother and grandfather know of my prospective intentions in advance in the hope of receiving their approval.’
‘Crikey,’ said Leah again, ‘that’s in short? It was more than before. I never heard such a lovely mouthful. Could I ask you to—’
‘No, you couldn’t,’ said Edward, ‘I’m out of breath.’
‘So am I!’ said Leah, giddy.
‘D’you think you could tell me what you think will be your own feelings in a year’s time?’ asked Edward.
‘Well, they’re all giddy at the moment, and so am I,’ said Leah. ‘Edward, excuse me for asking, but do you mean you love me?’
‘Does it embarrass you?’ asked Edward.
‘I should be embarrassed?’ said Leah. ‘How could I be?’
‘You don’t feel you’re too young to be told?’ said Edward.
‘Pardon me, I’m sure,’ said Leah, brown eyes brilliant and pulse rate galloping, ‘but I’m not in pigtails and socks. I’m a working girl with prospects of being a WAAF. Edward, are we serious about all this?’
‘I am, believe me,’ said Edward, ‘but I’m not sure if your mother and grandfather are going to be in favour.’
‘Because of religion?’ said Leah. The atmosphere of the park, a green oasis, was not a place for contentious issues. It encouraged agreement, compromise and tolerance. ‘Edward, we’ll have to talk to them. I’m sure they’ll listen.’
‘Yes, but I’d like to write to them first to give them a chance to think about it,’ said Edward.
‘My own thinking’s very positive,’ said Leah. ‘I mean, if you do ask me to marry you, I’m certain
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