Page 73 of The Winter Bride

‘Rumour ’as it that he’s still in a bad way.’ Peggy shook her head. ‘An’ they reckon that Mrs Taylor-Lloyd ’as gone . . . yer know?’ She tapped her head.

Annie stared at her blankly. ‘No, I don’t know. What do you mean?’

‘A bit loopy, by all accounts. Her posh friends are givin’ her a wide berth since they know what ’appened to the mister, apparently, an’ she can’t cope wi’ the shame. How the mighty are fallen, eh? It’s about time the snobby cow got ’er comeuppance. To think how she looked down at you, an’ then fer ’er own husband to be caught wi’ a whore.’

Peggy was right, and yet Annie couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for the woman. She’d always set such store by keeping up appearances and now the family’s reputation was in tatters. She didn’t feel sorry for Mr Taylor-Lloyd, though, after the way he had treated Eve, and Nancy’s mother. She would never forgive him for what he’d put them through.

‘They’re sayin’ that two nurses ’ave walked out aready,’ Peggy went on. ‘An it ain’t no wonder the way she talks down to folks. Between you an’ me I don’t reckon he’s goin’ to get any better. An’ o course he were the breadwinner, so I wouldn’t mind bettin’ they’re gettin’ short o’ funds. Reggie ain’t worked since he came back from the war, so they’ll have nowt comin’ in. Anyway, that’s enough about them. When are yer goin’ to see yer mam?’

Annie flushed. It felt strange to hear anyone being referred to as her mam.

‘I thought I might take Adam to see her tomorrow.’

‘Good, an’ while yer there yer can invite them all to the weddin’. They are family now, after all.’

‘Are you sure?’ Annie looked mildly surprised.

‘Why not? It’ll be nice fer you to ’ave ’em around yer.’

Soon after breakfast the next day, Annie set off to see Charity. It was early November and there was a thick hoar frost on the grass and a sting in the air. Adam was well wrapped up under layers of warm blankets in his pushchair and Annie wondered what his grandmother would think of him. It would be the first time she had properly met him.

She tapped on the door of Charity’s trailer and when it was opened, Charity’s face lit up at the sight of her.

‘Oh, come in, come in,’ she gushed as her eyes slid from Annie to Adam. ‘And get that little boyo in ’ere out o’ the cold.’

Inside, the stove was lit and the place was warm as toast. Charity could hardly keep her eyes off Adam, and he smiled with delight when she produced a large toffee apple. He reached for it greedily and after settling him on the seat at the side of her he happily began to lick it.

‘It’s amazing, isn’t it?’ Annie chuckled. ‘I had to coax him to eat his breakfast but he’s had no trouble tackling that.’

Charity reached into a cupboard and handed a bag to Annie. Opening it, she found two beautifully knitted little jumpers for Adam – one in blue and one in a pale green.

‘I had to guess the size,’ Charity said. ‘But they look as if they’ll fit him.’

‘Why, they’re beautiful.’ Annie was impressed. ‘Did you knit them?’

Charity nodded. ‘I’ve always loved knittin’. Now your grandma, she made lace that were fine as cobwebs. But then yer know that, don’t yer? You ’ave one o’ the shawls she made.’

Charity reached over to stroke Adam’s cheek and her face softened. ‘He’s a grand little chap. I hope in time he’ll call me gran’ma.’

Annie again felt sorry for her; none of this could be easy for her. ‘And how is, er . . . Luca?’

Charity straightened and Annie noticed that she was blushing.

‘Actually, he’s been as good as gold these last few weeks,’ she admitted. ‘Nuthin’ is too much trouble fer him an’ I really think he’s genuinely sorry fer what he did to us.’

Annie licked her lips. ‘And do you think there’s any chance of you ever forgiving him and getting back together?’

Charity shrugged. ‘It’s too soon to say, but I’d be a liar if I said I didn’t love ’im any more. Love is a funny thing, yer know? Yer can’t just turn it on an’ off like a tap. There ’ave been times when I wished yer could. But what about you? Is there anybody special in your life? It were a cryin’ shame that yer were widowed so young.’

Annie pushed images of Alex away as she shook her head. ‘No, there’s just Adam.’

‘Hmm.’ Charity stared at her for a moment, as though she could see into her very soul. And then suddenly she paled and her hand rose to her throat. ‘Be careful, my love,’ she said tremulously. ‘I sense there’s someone who wishes you ill. Do you have any idea who it might be?’

Annie frowned. ‘Only Reggie. He’s my late husband’s brother and we’ve never got on very well. But what makes you say this?’

‘I get feelings, much as me mother did, an’ sometimes I see . . . Well, I see the departed. Have you ever experienced anything like that? It’s usually passed down from mother to daughter.’

‘I have actually,’ Annie admitted as she thought back to the spirit child she had seen with Maggie before her death.