Page 60 of The Winter Bride

‘Have you managed all right?’ Annie asked eventually when there was a bit of a lull.

Ruth nodded. ‘No problem at all; we’ve actually had a very good week and Marie has been so helpful. Simon has as well.’

The words had barely left her lips when the bell above the shop door tinkled, and Simon appeared.

He nodded towards Ruth before smiling at Annie. ‘So you’re back. Did you have a good break?’

‘It was lovely, thank you.’ Annie returned his smile. ‘And Ruth was just telling me how helpful you and Marie have been.’

He shrugged. ‘Oh, I haven’t done anything really, just nipped in to check that all was well.’

‘Thank you, I appreciate it. And now while it’s quiet, I think I’ll pop out to the kitchen to make us a cup of tea. I’m ready for one. Have you got time to join us?’

‘Don’t mind if I do,’ Simon answered, settling down into a chair.

Annie left him to chat to Ruth while she hurried away.

Chapter Thirty

Back in Nuneaton, Mercy took her mother some lunch as she knew she probably wouldn’t bother getting anything for herself. ‘How are yer feelin’ today?’ she asked. She wasn’t recovering as quickly as Mercy would have liked and it was troubling her.

Charity shrugged as she pulled herself up in bed. ‘Oh, I’m all right.’

Mercy frowned. ‘You always say that but clearly you are not. Is there somethin’ troublin’ you? You’ve been properly out of sorts fer days now.’ She began to tidy up. ‘Annie, Barney’s sister, went back to London today,’ she told her and smiled. ‘It was nice to see ’em. Little Adam is growin’ like a weed and seems to ’ave shot up every time I see ’im.’

‘Didn’t you say that Annie was Barney’s adopted sister?’ Charity said as she sipped at the tea Mercy had brought for her.

Mercy nodded. ‘Yes, his mam took her out of the workhouse when she was quite young. She took a baby at the same time but because of ’er mental illness she couldn’t cope wi’ her an’ Peggy ended up bringin’ her up. I believe Ellie’s married now an’ Annie owns two shops. One here an’ one in London.’

‘Sounds like she’s doing well fer ’erself,’ Charity answered. ‘How old is she?’

Mercy paused to think. ‘Just a bit younger than Barney, I reckon. I know her birthday is Christmas Day.’

Charity placed her cup down with a clatter and Mercy frowned as she noted how pale she looked. She determined to have a word to her father about it. Even though Charity and Luca had been estranged for a long time, she sensed they still cared about each other. Perhaps he’d be able to work out what was troubling her.

She got the opportunity to speak to her father later that evening when the last performance was over.

‘I’m worried about Mam,’ she told him bluntly.

He frowned. ‘Why – is she gettin’ no better?’

Mercy shook her head. ‘No, she isn’t, an’ I don’t think it’s just down to this flu. I think there’s somethin’ troublin’ her. Any idea what it might be?’

‘How should I know,’ he answered indignantly. ‘You know we don’t ’ave a lot to do with each other.’

‘Well, I reckon it’s time one of you told me why. I’m not a kid any more,’ Mercy said bravely. ‘It’s not natural havin’ parents who travel together an’ live in separate trailers.’

‘It’s nowt to do wi’ anyone apart from me an’ your mam!’ Luca was clearly annoyed, but Mercy didn’t back down.

‘Couldn’t you just spare a little time to go an’ see her an’ find out what’s wrong?’

‘No, I couldn’t,’ he growled and walked away shaking his head.

Mercy sighed. There were times when she felt like banging her parents’ heads together!

‘Did you get to see Mrs Taylor-Lloyd?’ Marie asked when she called in that evening to bring Alfred home and check that Annie was safely back.

‘No, I didn’t.’ The shop was closed but Annie was checking the shelves and and making a list of what new stock they needed. Ruth hadn’t been joking when she’d said she’d had a good week.