Page 50 of The Winter Bride

But when she mentioned the invite to Nancy, the girl was all for it. ‘O’ course you must go,’ she said. ‘Adam will be fast asleep anyway, so it won’t be no ’ardship. What are yer goin’ to wear?’

Annie had quite a few smart clothes, which she wore in the shop, but nothing really fancy enough for a dinner party. ‘We could ’ave a look through the rails downstairs,’ Nancy suggested happily. ‘It ain’t as if you ain’t got enough to choose from, is it?’

And so the next day, while the shop was quiet, Nancy and Annie began to sort through the rails. The flapper style dresses that were so popular were now selling like hot cakes and Annie could barely stock enough of them.

‘I like this one.’ Nancy lifted one down from the rails.

Annie frowned. It was much fancier than she usually wore. It was straight, in the style of a flapper dress, and fell to just below the knee with a handkerchief hem. The lining was silk with a chiffon overskirt, and it had a dropped waistline that fell about the hips.

‘This colour blue would suit yer eyes,’ Nancy said determinedly. ‘Go on, just pop in the fittin’ room an’ try it on. Please – fer me!’

‘Oh, all right. Anything for a quiet life,’ Annie chuckled as she took the dress and headed for the fitting room. Once she had slipped it on, she stared into the mirror in amazement. The hem and the low-cut neckline were decorated with tiny sequins that caught and reflected the light, and the shape of the dress emphasised her slim figure.

‘Ooh, it looks lovely! I told yer it would,’ Nancy said with satisfaction when Annie came out of the fitting room to show her. ‘An’ now you’ll need some nice elbow-length lace gloves and a long string o’ pearls. Oh, an’ perhaps yer could wear yer hair loose wi’ a nice beaded headband.’

Annie laughed. ‘I can see you’ve been reading my fashion magazines. I reckon I might have you work in the shop with me when Adam goes to school. You seem to know more about what’s in fashion than I do. While you’re down here, why don’t you choose a new dress for yourself?’

‘Me?’ Nancy looked shocked. ‘But where would I go to wear anythin’ fancy?’

‘You never know.’ Annie smiled at her. She’d noticed that Nancy was suddenly turning into a young lady. She’d put on a little weight and had lost the gaunt look that she’d had when she left the workhouse. Her figure was developing nicely, and there were curves where there had been none before and her once limp, dull hair now shone with health. Annie could see that she could be a little beauty and she wanted her to have the best. ‘Go on,’ she urged. ‘Start looking through them while I take this off.’

When she came out of the fitting room, Nancy was admiring a soft green dress. It wasn’t quite as fancy as the one Annie had tried on, but it was very pretty all the same.

‘Go and try it on,’ she told the girl.

Needing no more persuading, Nancy disappeared into the fitting room. She was blushing when she emerged a few minutes later and Annie was pleasantly surprised to see that she looked very much the young lady. It was a similar style to the dress Annie had chosen and suited Nancy beautifully.

‘That’s the one.’ Annie smiled at her. ‘It could have been made for you. You look very smart and grown-up.’

‘Well, thank you, but I’d best get it off and get back upstairs,’ Nancy said. ‘Adam will be wakin’ from his nap soon an’ I don’t want ’im to be on his own.’

She’d only been gone for a few minutes when Annie glanced out of the window to see a figure standing in the shop doorway opposite. They seemed to be watching her shop, but he had his hat pulled low so she couldn’t see his face. She scowled, wondering if she was letting her imagination run away with her. But then a customer entered the shop and by the time Annie had served her, the figure had gone.

On Wednesday evening, after she’d tucked Adam into bed and read him a story, Annie got ready to attend Marie’s dinner party.

‘You look lovely,’ Nancy assured her when she appeared in her new outfit. Her dress fitted her like a glove, and she’d washed her hair the night before and brushed it until it shone. Now it hung loose about her slim shoulders like a silken cape, and the pretty beaded hairband she had chosen was perfect with it.

‘I’m still not happy about leaving you and Adam of an evening,’ Annie fretted as she pulled on her elbow-length gloves. She’d arranged for a hackney cab to pick her up and was expecting it to arrive at any minute.

‘Stop worryin’.’ Nancy chuckled. ‘I shall lock the door soon as you’ve gone an’ we’ll be perfectly all right. I’ve got the new Agatha Christie book to read.’

They heard the cab pull up in the street below at that minute so after pecking Nancy’s cheek Annie set off.

She was awed when she entered Marie’s beautiful dining room. The long table was spread with a crisp white tablecloth and laid with china so fine Annie was sure she could have seen right through it. There was silver cutlery and crystal goblets that gleamed beneath the new electric crystal chandelier, and in the centre of the table was a glorious vase full of freshly cut flowers. Some people were already there with drinks in their hands and Marie started to introduce Annie to them. There were two couples and a man alone, who Marie led Annie towards.

‘Simon, this is Annie Taylor-Lloyd, the friend I told you about. She is a very clever woman.’

Annie found herself looking up at a tall, fair-haired man. He was very handsome and his smile was kindly.

‘And, Annie, this is Simon Walters. Sadly, you are both . . . how do you say? . . . in the same boat, in that you ’ave both lost your partners,’ Marie went on. ‘Annie, Simon lost ’is wife in childbirth two years ago.’

‘I’m so sorry to hear that,’ Annie told him as he gently shook her hand.

‘And, Simon, Annie lost ’er ’usband to a war wound.’

He nodded and released Annie’s hand as the maid approached with drinks. They each took a glass and he led her towards the velvet sofa that stood to one side of the room.

‘I was so sorry to hear about your husband, Annie,’ he said sincerely. ‘It hurts like hell, doesn’t it? How are you coping? I believe Marie told me you have a young child?’