Thespian Love

"No...no...but what could I do...what can I do, I haven't got any money and...?"

"Is that all."

"All! I'd need money if you and me...if we were to..."

"Do you think Nigel had money?"

"Well, yes...I mean...you're Big...er..."

"Big Wigs," yes, I know what the village people call us. You'd better know this; Nigel has no money and hasn't even got a profession or even a trade like you."

"Then how...?"

The how went something like this: Nerina had been in the ATS (the women's branch of the army) stationed on an anti-aircraft gun site during the war. Nigel was a captain on the gun site, charming, good-looking and commanding. At eighteen Nerina had been mightily impressed and Nigel had been infatuated.

He had also been smitten by a number of other girls as well, but on learning that "daddy is well off you known," his interest quickly turned into an undying love and they married. By war's end Nigel had risen to the rank of major and on being demobilised he was faced with the fact that he had little to offer an employer. Nerina ended up being the money provider; they moved to St. Mons, and Nigel, fancying himself as a theatrical producer, it was he in cahoots with a couple of other Big Wigs who got the Thespians started.

Apart from a lot of detail, that was the main thrust of Nerina's story, except that not long after their marriage Nigel began to take an interest in other women again.

When Nerina ended her recital she asked, "What are you going to do about me?"

Miserably I confessed I didn't know.

"Really Trevor, you can be exasperating at times; will I always have to tell you what you're going to do?"

"No, but I just don't..."

"All right...all right darling, I'll tell you what we'll do. "We'll go to my flat in London and..."

"Flat in London?"

"Please don't interrupt darling. We'll go there and you can get some work...I'm not going to keep another man and I'll still have to explain to daddy about Nigel and the baby...and you. He's been very kind and continued to make me an allowance but..."

"Nerina, I could never earn enough money to (I almost said 'keep you in the style to which you are accustomed,' but I just managed to avoid it) support you and a baby; I mean, you're used to..."

"Yes...yes, Trevor, I know. I've still got the money mummy left me and..."

"Your mother's dead?"

"Killed in nineteen forty one during the bombing. Now this is what we do..."

"I'm not taking money from you."

"Oh do stop raising objections Trevor; you do love me don't you?"

"Yes, but..."

"Then that's all right. Now, I think you might be interested in working in theatre or television – television is going to be really big you know – and with some..."

"I don't want to be an actor."

"Trevor, if you don't stop interrupting I shall get very cross. Now as I was saying, with some training you could do something in stage or television lighting and if..."

"But it would cost money to..."

"Trevor," she said menacingly, "women in my condition aren't supposed to be upset."

"I don't mean to..."

"Then let me finish. Now, we move to my flat in London. Daddy might be able to get you started in lighting and..."

I opened my mouth and shut it again quickly when I got a threatening look.

"You'll have to start at the bottom but if you're as bright as I think you are who knows what you might be able to do."

It seemed safe to speak so I asked, "Your father can get me a job in..."

"Yes; he's a set designer actually – quite famous – and if he knows that I really do love you and he's sure you're serious about me, then I'm sure he'll help. "You are serious, aren't you?" she asked anxiously.

I've often thought since how odd it was that all the time I had worried that Nerina was playing some sort of game with me, and at the same time she was worried that I wasn't serious.

I told her as sincerely as I knew how that I was serious, and added that I really did want to support her and the baby.

"That's all right then," she said, "now come and kiss me and ask me nicely to marry you, and after I've said 'yes' we can go to bed for a while, but then you'll need to tell you're parents." She looked at me curiously for a moment then asked, "What's the matter, you've gone quite pale, don't you want to go to bed with me?"

"It's not that," I moaned, "it's telling my parents about us."

"Is that all? I'll come with you and we can tell them together."

That was too much for me, and gathering up my manly valour I said, "No, I must do this alone."

Later that day and bolstered by my loving encounter with Nerina, I fronted my parents.

Somewhat ham fistedly I waded straight in. "Nerina is going to have a baby and we're going to get married."

Father's mouth gaped open and mother's eyes grew as big as saucers. Most parents in the village took as a given that most marriages did not take place without a prior pregnancy. It was amazing how many premature births took place among us.

Mother, quieter and more philosophical that my father was the first to recover the power of speech and said, "Well, I'm glad you're going to do the right thing by the girl, just like your father..."

"Mavis," growled my father.

"Well anyway," mother continued, "I'm sure you'll make...who's Nerina, I don't know any girls called..."

"He's talking about that Price-Evans woman," my father roared. "I knew it...I bloody well knew it...that major fellow has buggered off with that young trollop and now that woman has played around with our boy. They're all the same those Big Wigs, making sport with the likes of us. I knew no good would come of that play acting; it's made you think above your station in life; she'll bring ruin on us all; we'll be the laughing stock of the village."

To my surprise I felt quite calm as I cut across the flow of his tirade; "Father, don't talk about Nerina like that, she's..."

"I know what she is," he snarled, "she's one of those hussies who come down here and take advantage of young lads like you, I know all about them."

"How do you know all about them?" my mother asked sharply.

Father was stopped in his vocal tracks; he spluttered and choked for a minute before going on in less ferocious vein.

"Well...well...I read about their carryings on in the Sunday newspaper. Anyway, I've a good mind to go and give her a piece of my mind, the brazen..."

"Shut up dad," I snapped.

It was a bit like when I'd turned on Nigel. I heard mother's intake of breath and there as a sudden silence. None of the family had ever spoken to dad like that before.

The dad went on, but this time mumbling, "No good will come of it, mark my words; it'll all end in tears, you'll see."

Mother rallied and in her philosophical manner said, "Ernie, perhaps we ought to give her a chance. I've met her and she seems quite nice and very pretty and if she's..."

"Where have you met her?" father scowled.

"In the grocers shop and the butcher's," mother replied with a hint of triumph in her voice. "And if Trevor loves her and she loves..."

"The likes of her don't know the meaning of the word love," he snarled, "all they think about is..."

"No she doesn't," I said. "I think if you knew her you'd soon see how ni..."

"We don't want to meet the likes of her."

"I do," said mother mildly. "Trevor, ask her to come to tea next Sunday afternoon, and Ernie, if you don't want to meet her you can go out for the afternoon, but I want to get to know my future daughter-in-law."

Well, you know how it goes. Father knew he was beaten and since Nerina really is nice, even if a bit bossy at times; but as she says, "It's for your own good." He calmed down and actually got to like her. Mother was half won over anyway and even though she didn't like us moving away from the village we always make sure she sees the grandchildren quite often.

After doing a lot of menial jobs around theatre and some considerably hard work, I finally made it thanks to father-in-law, and I'm a fairly well known and respected stage and television lighting designer.

As I said, we went back to the village quite often to show of the kids to my parents, but after they died we stopped going until quite recently. Then one day I got a yen to see the old place again.

We drove there intending to stay for a couple of days, but didn't even last one day.

A motor way now slices past the village which isn't a village any more. The old shops are gone and there's a supermarket instead. There are factories making car components and plastic bags, and several fast food places. Where there was once farms there is now a lot of public housing and the old pub has gone too, replaced by a mock Tudor monstrosity.

As we drove away Nerina laid her head on my shoulder and said, "We saw the best of it, didn't we darling?"

I thought for a moment and then replied, "Perhaps, but I've had the best of it ever since."