Page 46 of The Winter Bride

As she always did whenever Annie mentioned her birth parents, Peggy looked away and sighed. When they reached the hotel, Annie plastered a smile on her face. These were the last couple of hours she would spend with everybody, possibly for some time, and she wanted them to be happy ones.

The party was still in full swing when Annie slipped away. She’d said her goodbyes to Susan and Tim, and Peggy and Levi went with her to collect Nancy, Adam and Alfred from the house.

Because everything had been forwarded on, they only had one small bag to take with them and soon they were at the station.

‘So this is it then.’ There was a catch in Peggy’s voice as she gave Annie a hug. ‘I just ’ope his lordship ’ere behaves on the train.’ She nodded down at Alfred whose tail was furiously wagging. ‘Be hopes he don’t get havin’ any accidents.’

Nancy giggled. She no longer had any qualms about leaving – she would have followed Annie to the ends of the earth if asked to. Plus, she’d never been on a train before and was excited at the thought of the journey.

‘We’ll just have to keep our fingers crossed,’ Annie agreed. ‘Although luckily Adam is yawning so hopefully he’ll sleep most of the way.’

The train was chugging towards them and minutes later it drew into the station in a hiss of steam and smoke. Levi opened one of the doors and helped Nancy and Alfred aboard, before passing Adam into Nancy’s waiting arms. He then turned back to Annie and took both her hands in his.

‘Right now, pet, just remember we’re always ’ere fer you, and take good care o’ yerselves,’ he said gruffly. He was missing them already, but he knew Annie would make a success of her new business venture.

Annie flung her arms about him and Peggy and hugged them to her as tears began to course down her cheeks. Levi and Peggy were the nearest to a mother and father she had ever had and she loved them both dearly and always would.

‘And you just take care of yourself too, and you, Peggy,’ she said in a wobbly voice. ‘I don’t want you two overdoing things and making yourselves ill, do you hear me?’

Levi smiled and tenderly wiped a tear from her cheek, too full of emotion to say any more.

Already the carriage doors were being slammed shut and Levi gently urged Annie to follow Nancy, who was now seated in the carriage waving at them through the window. Annie hurried to join her, and soon the train chugged away. She had to swallow the lump in her throat as she watched Peggy and Levi disappear from view.

Thankfully Adam fell asleep almost immediately and Alfred also lay down with his head on his paws as if he travelled by train every day. Like Nancy, he was quite happy as long as he was with Annie.

It was dark by the time they pulled into Euston and Adam was still asleep, as were Nancy and Alfred.

‘Come on, sleepy head, we’re here.’ She gave Nancy a gentle shake and the girl opened her eyes and beamed with excitement. ‘Marie and John should be waiting for us,’ Annie told her as she lifted Adam with one arm and their bag with the other. Nancy took Alfred’s lead and followed Annie onto the platform where Alfred instantly cocked his leg against a bench on the platform. Annie cringed, although she was grateful he hadn’t relieved himself in the train. Then she heard her name being called and turning she saw Marie and John hurrying towards them.

‘Ah, ’ere you are!’ Marie gave her a cuddle while John gently lifted Adam off her. ‘We ’ave a cab waiting outside for you. Not long now and you will be ’ome.’

It felt strange to hear the new rooms above the shop being referred to as home. Soon they were all in the cab and Nancy stared from the window, not wishing to miss a thing.

As soon as they entered the shop, Annie saw what a wonderful job John’s carpenter friend had done with the alterations. There were shelves, rails and fitting rooms exactly where she had wanted them. All it needed now was a new carpet and the walls painted, and then she would be ready to bring the new stock in.

John led them upstairs and once again Annie was pleasantly surprised. A fire was burning in the grate and the rooms were clean and tidy.

‘I ’ad my maid come and prepare the rooms for you,’ Marie explained. ‘I thought you might be too tired to ’ave to worry about making beds and things up tonight after your journey. There is also a meal ready in the kitchen downstairs. It is only a cold meal, but we didn’t want you going to bed on empty stomachs.’

Nancy stifled a yawn and Annie smiled. ‘That’s very kind of you but I think all this young lady and Adam want is their beds. It’s been a long day.’

John carried Adam into the first bedroom and tucked him into the little bed Marie’s maid had made up for him, while Nancy smiled and went to sit on the other one saying that she was too tired to eat that evening. The maid had even unpacked their clothes for them, and as soon as John left the room, she found her nightdress, changed and slipped between the sheets. Seconds later she was fast asleep, as was Alfred who had curled up in front of the fire.

‘So ’ow did the wedding go?’ Marie asked once they were downstairs in the kitchen.

‘It was beautiful.’ Annie was staring in amazement at the spread laid before her. There were sandwiches, dainty pork pies, chicken legs and all manner of goodies. ‘But you really didn’t have to go to all this trouble.’

‘It was no trouble at all,’ Marie assured her. ‘But now John and I will leave you to eat and enjoy your first night in your new ’ome. Tomorrow I will come back and show you where to buy paint for your shop.’

Annie couldn’t believe how generous and kind they’d both been. At least she had one friend in London – or two, now that she’d met John. She’d expected to have to light a fire and start cleaning once she arrived but instead, she’d walked into a ready-made home and she was very grateful.

Marie was back bright and early the next morning. She seemed to be almost as excited as Annie about the new venture and was keen to help in any way she could. They left together to shop for paint, leaving Nancy to play with Alfred and Adam in the small back yard. While they were out Annie also ordered a very smart silver-grey carpet for the shop. It was quite expensive but she felt it would be worth it. The walls were to be done in a pretty shell pink and she also ordered two mannequins to display some of the gowns in the front window.

‘Once we ’ave done the decorating and the carpet is fitted, I shall take you to the warehouse to buy stock,’ Marie promised as they made their way back to the shop. ‘And do not forget you will need to have a shop sign made. What are you thinking of naming it?’

Annie frowned. She hadn’t thought that far ahead yet but she wanted something classy. ‘I have no idea,’ she admitted. ‘What do you think?’

‘Hmm.’ Marie tapped her lip as she stared thoughtfully into space before suggesting, ‘What about “Classy Couturier”?’