Page 34 of The Winter Bride

‘Levi bought it fer me fer Christmas – from your shop o’ course.’ She giggled and blushed like a schoolgirl.

‘Then I hope Susan let him have it at a discount,’ Annie told her with a smile as Levi sniffed at the air appreciatively and rubbed his stomach.

‘By ’eck, lass, sommat smells good!’

‘It’s the turkey,’ Annie told him. ‘And I hope you’re both hungry because the one Monty fetched home would feed the whole street!’

The dinner was a huge success and young Nancy, who had helped prepare and cook it, beamed with pleasure. She also insisted on clearing the table after dinner and making the adults a pot of tea while Adam went down for a nap.

‘No, I can’t let you do that on your own,’ Annie protested.

But Nancy was adamant. ‘I want to, so you just sit where yer are an’ I’ll ’ave the tea in in no time.’ She’d been clunking about in her new boots all day and Annie was beginning to think she might even sleep in them.

‘They’re just what she needed to boost ’er confidence,’ Peggy said when the girl had departed to the kitchen. ‘She already don’t look nothin’ like the little stray you brought home from the work’ouse.’ Then glancing towards the men on the other side of the room, she lowered her voice. ‘I ’ad a word wi’ one o’ the women who worked at the work’ouse when Nancy’s mam were admitted, an’ she comfirmed that Emma told ’er that she had worked fer the Taylor-Lloyds in Swan Lane.’

Annie’s hand flew to her mouth. ‘So Nancy is actually Monty’s half-sister then?’

Peggy pursed her lips and nodded. ‘It certainly looks that way. The dirty old bastard. That’s our poor Eve and Nancy’s mam who he put in the family way, an’ who knows what ’e might be doin’ to that poor little girl as is workin’ fer ’em now, eh?’

Annie bit on her lip before asking, ‘What do you think we should do? Should we tell Nancy . . . or Monty?’

Peggy sighed. ‘I’ve been givin’ that a lot o’ thought an’ I’ve come to the conclusion that it might do more ’arm than good. What I mean is, it’d break your Monty’s ’eart to know his dad were capable o’ behavin’ like that. It ain’t as if Taylor-Lloyd is goin’ to ’old his ’ands up an’ confess what ’e did to Eve or Nancy’s mam, is it? It’s up to you, o’ course. But if I were you, I’d ’old fire and give it some more thought afore you do or say anythin’.’

The conversation was halted when Nancy appeared bearing a tray of tea for the women. The men had opted to have a post Christmas dinner glass of port and were now engrossed in discussing football.

‘Here we are!’ Nancy plonked the tray down and beamed at them, and Annie found herself looking at the girl through different eyes. She’d tried to treat Nancy as a member of the family ever since she’d come to live with them, but now she knew that she really was related to them. ‘I’m gonna make a start on the washin’ up afore his lordship wakes up,’ Nancy told them.

Annie shook her head. ‘No, you don’t have to do that. We can tackle it together later once our dinners have gone down.’

‘It’s all right, I like washin’ up,’ Nancy responded and with another grin she disappeared back into the kitchen.

‘She’s a little treasure, ain’t she?’ Peggy said quietly and Annie nodded. Peggy had never spoken a truer word.

The rest of the day passed pleasantly and it was quite late before Levi and Peggy set off for home, just as the first snow began to fall. Apart from the revelation about Nancy’s parentage, it had been a perfect day, one that Annie would think of often in the months ahead.

Chapter Seventeen

‘Happy New Year, my love. Do you know the year we’re saying goodbye to has been the best of my whole life.’ They were cuddling on the sofa in front of the fire, and Monty pulled his wife into his arms and planted a resounding kiss on her lips.

They had celebrated their first wedding anniversary in March and Adam’s first birthday in November and now there were only minutes to go until midnight. Nancy and Adam were tucked up in bed, but they had chosen to stay downstairs and welcome the New Year in together with Alfred lying at their feet, his head on his paws.

‘I reckon I must be the luckiest man on earth,’ Monty went on. ‘I wonder if you have any idea just how much I love you, Mrs Taylor-Lloyd.’

‘Hmm, perhaps you need to remind me.’ Annie grinned. Monty hadn’t looked too well that day and had seemed to be a little out of sorts, but she had put it down to all the rich food they’d eaten over the holidays.

At that moment the clock on the mantelshelf chimed twelve and Monty hugged her to him. ‘If I were to go right now, I would die a happy man having had this time with you,’ he said quietly.

Annie’s head snapped up. ‘Don’t talk like that.’ A cold shiver ran down her spine. ‘We have a brand-new year to look forward to.’

Seeing that he’d upset her he looked contrite. ‘Sorry, of course we do but I just want you to know what you mean to me.’

‘I do know, but now if you don’t mind, I want my bed.’ She stifled a yawn as she rose to her feet and tugged at his arm.

‘You go up, love, I’ll join you in a minute,’ he promised.

Annie frowned. Monty wasn’t usually a night owl, but she nodded and made her way to bed, checking on Adam on the way. He was fast asleep with his long dark eyelashes curled on his plump cheeks and another little shiver went through her. The more he grew, the more he seemed to resemble Alex – or was that just her imagination? With a sigh she moved on to the room she shared with Monty and quickly hopped between the cold sheets.

She hadn’t slept well the past few nights, lying awake until the early hours pondering on whether she should tell Nancy about who her father was, but she was still no closer to reaching a decision, although deep down she thought perhaps Peggy was right about staying silent. It wasn’t as if Mr Taylor-Lloyd was going to welcome the girl with open arms, even if he did discover she was his child. It was more likely he would strenuously deny it, which could only cause stress for the whole family.