Page 44 of The Winter Bride

‘How did the viewing of the shop go?’ he asked amiably.

‘Very well. But it’s such a big step. I want to sleep on it before I make a final decision,’ Annie told him.

He nodded. ‘Very sensible. But rest assured, should you decide you’d like to come here we shall do all we can to help,’ he said kindly.

‘I appreciate that.’ Annie smiled at him and they all went into the beautiful dining room for dinner.

That night Annie tossed and turned, wondering what to do. It really was a huge decision, and she was afraid of making the wrong one. What if Adam didn’t settle in London? Or if the shop wasn’t a success? And what would she tell the Taylor-Lloyds? They still believed Adam was Monty’s son and they wouldn’t be happy that she was planning to move away with him.

Even so, by the time she rose to get dressed, she had made her decision. It was a case of nothing ventured nothing gained as far as Annie was concerned. She had always been able to rise to a challenge, and she would do it again. If the shop wasn’t a success, it wouldn’t be the end of the world – she could always sell up and go home to Nuneaton if the worst came to the worst, but at least she would know she had tried.

Marie was delighted when she told her over breakfast, and as soon as they’d finished, she insisted on accompanying Annie to the estate agent’s. There Annie signed a six-month lease and paid the first month’s rent.

‘No going back now,’ she said when they’d left the shop. ‘Do you think there’s any chance of me meeting the man who could help me get the shop ready before I get my train home?’

‘He will probably be working, but if you trust me enough and show me what you want doing, I could ask him for you,’ Marie offered. ‘Then when you come, if the work is done, all you will ’ave to do is decorate it. And I can ’elp with that.’

Annie eyed Marie’s expensive clothes dubiously. ‘I can’t really see you doing much decorating,’ she laughed.

Marie wagged a finger at her. ‘Do not forget my roots. I came from a little farm in France an’ I am used to getting my ’ands dirty. Or at least I was.’

‘In that case I accept your offer,’ Annie answered.

They set off for the shop again where Annie drew diagrams of where she wanted the shelves, the rails and the fitting rooms positioned.

‘But how will I pay this man?’ she asked. ‘I can hardly expect him to do this work without me being here to pay him.’

‘Do not worry about that.’ Marie waved her hand airily, as if batting away an irksome fly. ‘John and I will sort that out and you can repay us when you come back. I shall also get the location of the clothing warehouses and some seamstresses for you ready for when you wish to stock the shop. So just go ’ome and start your packing. ’

Annie couldn’t thank her enough and at Euston, as the train prepared to depart, they hugged each other tightly, before Annie hopped aboard and hung out of the carriage window to wave. ‘I’ll be in touch again very soon,’ she promised as the train pulled away with a hiss of steam.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Susan and Tim planned to marry in mid-April, after which Annie, Nancy, Adam and Alfred would take the evening train to Euston, where they would begin their new life, while Susan and Tim moved into the house in Attleborough Road. It was an exciting time for all of them, although tinged with sadness. Annie knew how much she was going to miss all the people she cared about. But as Peggy had pointed out, London wasn’t the other side of the world, and it wasn’t as if they were never going to see each other again.

The Taylor-Lloyds had not been at all happy with her news, especially Reggie. Annie had promised she would bring Adam back regularly to see them, and although disgruntled, there was nothing they could do to stop her.

The weeks after she returned from London were hectic. Annie packed up all their personal possessions to be sent ahead by train. John and Marie had promised to pick them up and deliver them to the rooms above the shop. Now the wedding was just two days away and Annie just hoped she’d thought of everything.

In the shop Susan was working her last day until after the wedding. They’d agreed that all the shops would be closed for a few days while they celebrated with the happy couple. Susan was a mixture of nerves and excitement. Annie had insisted she should have a new gown as her gift to her, and it was now hanging in the rooms above the shop. It was a lovely calf-length, ivory satin affair, and Susan could hardly wait to wear it and become Tim’s wife. But her happiness was tinged with sadness as she thought of Constance, the daughter she had lost. How excited she would have been if she had been here. Susan still missed her every single day, although Tim’s two little girls had gone some way to mending the hole Constance had left in her heart.

Susan was thinking of Constance as she tidied the dresses on the rails during a lull in customers. She’d been quite busy that morning so was enjoying having a few quiet minutes. However, it wasn’t long before the bell above the shop door tinkled and straightening her back, Susan turned to face her customer. The smile froze on her face and for a second she thought she must be having a nightmare. She blinked, but when she opened her eyes again, he was still there. Theo. This was the man she had adored with every fibre of her being. He had been the father of her daughter; the man she was sure she would marry. It had been a long time since she’d last seen him and she’d been convinced that he was out of her life for good.

‘Th-Theo . . . what are you doing here?’ Her voice came out as a squeak and her heart was thumping so hard she was sure he would be able to hear it.

‘That’s not much of a greeting.’ He smiled the smile that had always been able to turn her legs to jelly.

‘What do you want?’

He turned the sign on the door to ‘Closed’ and frowned at her. ‘In a single word – you! I want you, Susanne.’

She shuddered to hear the name he had once called her. He was coming towards her with his arms outstretched and she wanted to back away, but her feet felt as if they’d taken root and she couldn’t move.

‘I’ve been such a fool,’ he rushed on as he grabbed her hands and looked deep into her eyes. ‘I know I’ve treated you abysmally, but all that is going to change.’

Susan shook her head and snatched her hands from his. ‘I have no wish to become your whore again, Theo,’ she said coldly. ‘Those days are behind me.’

‘I know that and that’s not what I want you for. I want you for me. We’ll get married if you like. That’s what you always wanted, isn’t it?’