Page 71 of The Winter Bride

Peggy shook her head as she reverently stroked the soft material. ‘Oh no. I doubt I could find better than this if we searched fer a hundred years,’ she breathed.

‘In that case we need to look for a hat to match it, and some shoes and a bag.’

They spent another hour happily trying on the accessories and by the end of it, Peggy was beaming.

‘Levi’s eyes will pop out when he sees you all done up,’ Annie tittered.

Without warning Peggy pulled her into a hug and gave her a smacking kiss on the cheek. ‘You’ve been better to me than a daughter over the years,’ she said in a throaty voice. ‘But I just dread to think ’ow much all this lot must ’ave cost yer.’

‘You’re worth every penny and more for everything you’ve done for me,’ Annie replied. ‘You were the only one who ever showed me an ounce of affection for years when I was in the workhouse and I’ll never forget that. But come on, let’s get that off you and wrapped up. That hat is so perfect it might have been made to go with this outfit. You’re going to be the most beautiful winter bride.’

Peggy blushed becomingly. ‘I actually envy your mam,’ she said quietly. ‘She can’t ’ave any way o’ knowin’ as yet what a beautiful daughter she ’as, but I’m sure you’re goin’ to grow to love each other.’

‘I hope you’re right, but you will always have a special place in my heart.’ And Annie meant every word she said.

For the next two days, Annie was busy in the shop but each evening she took Peggy and Levi sightseeing, and on the night before they were due to return home, she took them to the West End to see a show. She would have liked them to stay longer but Peggy was missing home.

‘I’ve loved visitin’ the city,’ she admitted ruefully. ‘But it’s all a bit too fast-paced fer me an’ I enjoy me quieter way o’ life. But don’t worry, it won’t be long an’ you’ll be comin’ back to see us again. You ’ave a double reason fer visitin’ more often now, at least through the winter.’

The next morning Annie took them to Euston. Peggy was in good spirits and laden down with her wedding outfit as Annie waved them off on the train. On the way back she intended to pick Nancy and Adam up from Marie’s. She’d missed them but she felt strangely deflated. Like Peggy, she sometimes missed her hometown but her business was thriving and she couldn’t just leave it.

That same evening, the phone rang, and she was surprised to hear Peggy on the line.

‘Eeh, you’ll never guess what’s ’appened while we’ve been away,’ Peggy garbled without preamble. ‘Mr Taylor-Lloyd ’as ’ad a massive stroke. An’ in the whorehouse, no less! Yer can just imagine what his missus thought o’ that. It’ll not go down well wi’ her posh friends neither, will it?’ She chuckled. ‘Apparently he got a bit rough wi’ one o’ the girls an’ when she put up a fight, he keeled over. Serves ’imself right an’ all, that’s what I say. After the way he treated Eve, he don’t deserve no better. But that ain’t the best of it . . . Reggie were visitin’ the place at the same time an’ it were him as had to call the doctor in.’

Annie couldn’t be a hypocrite and pretend to be sorry. She was a great believer in what goes around comes around and perhaps this was his comeuppance.

‘So how bad is he?’ she asked.

‘Well, accordin’ to what folks are sayin’, he’s in a sorry state. He’s at home an’ Mrs Taylor-Lloyd ’as employed a nurse to look after ’im. No surprise there, eh? I can’t imagine ’er havin’ the patience to look after an invalid, especially in these circumstances. She’s a laughin’ stock. They reckon she hit the roof when they took him home an’ she found out where he’d been.’

When she put the phone down, Annie shook her head. At least that poor little maid of theirs will be safe for the time being, she thought as she went back upstairs to Adam, who was tucked up safely in bed fast asleep. Nancy had gone out for a walk with Jamie and as she settled in the chair by the fire she sighed. Life could be funny at times.

Marie called in the following morning with an invite to another of her dinner parties.

‘Oh, do say you’ll come,’ she pleaded. ‘Someone you know will be there and I’m sure he would like to see you.’

Annie was in the process of putting a new gown on the mannequin in the window and she frowned. ‘Oh yes, and who would that be?’

Marie grinned. ‘Alex Gordon. You remember him, the man you met in the war?’

Annie’s heart skipped a beat. She hadn’t heard Marie mention Alex for a long time and had assumed that he must have moved away with his family. She also assumed that if Alex was invited his wife would be too, and she could only imagine how guilty she would feel sitting at the same table as her.

‘Oh, thank you but I, er . . . have a lot on here at the minute,’ she responded eventually, hoping to wangle her way out of it, but Marie was having none of it.

‘Not that much that you cannot spare a few hours to come to dinner. I am sure Nancy will be more than happy to watch Adam.’

‘When is this dinner party?’ Annie asked.

‘Not until Friday, so you ’ave days to arrange with Nancy about looking after Adam,’ Marie persisted. And then seeing that Annie was still hesitant, she rushed on, ‘Oh please, ma chèrie! You will be doing me the great favour. Without you I will ’ave odd numbers at the table.’

Annie nodded reluctantly. Marie had been so good to her and she didn’t want to let her down. And after all, what had happened between her and Alex was a long time ago. He and his wife were probably settled now and he wouldn’t give her a second look.

‘Very well then . . . as long as Nancy doesn’t mind watching Adam.’

Marie chuckled as she drew on her gloves. ‘I am sure that Jamie will join her and the young lovers will be more than happy to have a night in together in front of the fire. But I must go. I have many things to do today. Goodbye for now.’

Annie was left with very mixed feelings. A part of her was excited at the thought of seeing Alex again but another part was dreading it.