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The familiar tinkle of the brass bell welcomed her and for the first time in days she felt the leaden weight on her chest shift and the corners of her lips curl upwards. She took a step forward and Gingerberry wrapped its comfort blanket around her shoulders and all her troubles seemed to melt away. She briefly closed her eyes and drew in a strengthening breath. She loved it here.
‘Hi, everyone!’
‘Sophie! Hi!’ came a chorus of welcome.
‘Sophie! What are you doing here? Why didn’t you call?’ Delia dashed towards her followed by Marcia, and Sophie had to fight an urge to crumble into tears, she was so relieved to be home.
‘Oh, it was just a spur of the moment decision. I really wanted to attend the last Cupcakes & Couture session before the wedding. I’ve brought a few samples of organic silk from Sophie-Louise that arrived last week and wanted to know what you all thought.’ Delia’s grey eyes narrowed and Sophie knew she didn’t believe her. ‘I’ll just drop my bag upstairs. I could really murder one of your cappuccinos, Marcia? Oh, and I see Tom has been here, too! I want you to dish all the gossip about his catering for the wedding of the decade at Somersby Manor. Be down in a minute.’
Sophie trotted up the stairs, feeling Delia and Marcia’s eyes scorching holes in her back, but the ripple of chatter resumed as the ladies got back to their chosen projects. She was delighted to see that the ranks of the Cupcakes & Couture sessions had swollen even further. She’d performed a swift headcount, which had told her there were seventeen women and five men, including Marc and his partner who were in the throes of knitting their longed-for Fair Isle jumper on the scruffy chesterfield. She released a sigh of relief. Now she had made the decision she was definitely keeping Gingerberry, these sessions would not only pay for themselves but would add a decent profit.
She dropped her holdall onto the sofa and, as she turned to go back downstairs, her eyes landed on a pile of mail on the kitchen table awaiting her attention. She grabbed it and skipped back to the shop, anxious to catch up with everyone. She resolved not to mention the appearance of a lone photographer with a long lens trained on Gingerberry’s window. She knew he would be gone by now. She only hoped that Lilac would not be too upset – after all, it wasn’t as though she was carrying her wedding dress!
‘So, how was The Razorclaws concert?’ asked Marcia, her eyes scrutinising Sophie’s reaction as she handed her a mug of coffee and one of Tom’s chocolate eclairs on a decorated china plate.
‘Fabulous! Awesome! Nessa had a great time, too. She even met an old teacher friend, Harvey, at the gig. He was there with his niece and her friends and…’ She knew she was gabbling. It was one of her well-known tactics for avoiding difficult conversations, but she wasn’t fooling Marcia who nevertheless had the grace not to press her on it.
She shuffled the letters addressed to Gingerberry Yarns in her palms, deciding which of the invoices to open first. There was only one envelope that wasn’t an ominous buff colour.
‘Come and see the hospice blanket, Sophie,’ called one of Nessa’s high-school students. ‘It’s almost finished. We’re planning on presenting it to the residents at the Cranbury summer fayre next week. Will you be there with Nessa?’
‘Of course, I will, Alicia! I wouldn’t miss… Oh, my God!’
A flash of shock reverberated through her veins sending painful sparks out to her fingertips. Her knees gave way from under her, and she slumped onto the Chesterfield next to Marc, the letter she was holding fluttering to the floor.
‘What is it, sweetie? What’s happened? Are you okay? You’re not going to faint on us, are you? Stick your head between your knees! Would someone bring Sophie a glass of water, please?’
‘I’m fine, I’m fine. Oh, thanks, Marcia, thanks.’
She took a gulp of the cool water, letting it trickle down her throat as she waited to regain her equilibrium. When her heartrate had finished its ferocious symphony, she bent down to retrieve the letter and reread it slowly, carefully, savouring every word. It was only when she had read the words “With Warmest Wishes” that she realised a cloak of silence had descended as the Cupcakes & Couture attendees waited for an explanation of her strange behaviour.
A wide smile split her face as she surveyed the gathering. Whilst she was overjoyed at the news she held in her hand, she knew it was not hers to keep. It was for everyone.
‘In fact, Marc, I’m more than fine! I’m ecstatic, euphoric, over the moon!’
‘So come on – spill the beans, my dear! Don’t keep us all in suspense!’
Sophie stood up from the sofa and turned to face the people who had come to be like her family.
‘Delia, Marcia, could you join me?’
Sophie gestured to the huge mahogany table where Delia presided over the finalising of a beautiful pair of leopard-print silk cami-knickers. She stuck her needle and thread into the pin cushion she wore around her wrist and, along with Marcia, came to stand next to Sophie.
‘Before I read out the contents of this letter’ – Sophie shook the thick sheet of luxury cream writing paper – ‘I want to announce that Gingerberry Yarns will remain an integral part of the Somersby community for the foreseeable future. I know some of you were concerned about what would happen, especially after a number of shops have closed, but this will not happen at Gingerberry whilst I have any say in it.’
‘Yay!’ chorused Alicia and her friends.
Sophie smiled. ‘And from today, if she agrees, Delia will become Gingerberry’s manager, ably assisted on a part-time basis by Marcia and potentially one of my colleagues from Sophie-Louise Bridal Couture, Flora, whom I suspect will be delighted to spend more time here due to her blossoming interest in a certain young photographer she met at Somersby Manor last time we were here.’
‘That’s fabulous news, Sophie, but I can hardly bear the suspense. What’s in that letter?’ Marc clapped his hands and scooted to the edge of the sofa.
‘Before I read it out, I also want to say a heartfelt thank you to each and every one of you for the support you have given to my aunt over the years and also to me when I needed it most. These Cupcakes & Couture sessions have not only revitalised Gingerberry, but have also given me a new perspective on life. But not only that! You already know that orders for Sophie-Louise bridal lingerie have been increasing over the last few weeks and I’m getting fantastic feedback. I hope you are all spending your share of the profits wisely!’ There was a tinkle of laughter. ‘And here is the icing on the cupcake, so to speak!’
Sophie waggled the letter in the air and ostentatiously cleared her throat.
‘Sophie!’
‘Okay, okay.
