Three
Fairlight Brides did look exactly as it had in the photos and the video Lucy had sent me. I’m not sure if that was a good thing, or not. But being inside did make a difference, especially in the stock room at the rear of the shop.
‘Erm.’ I wasn’t sure how to say it. I didn’t want to offend Lucy, or Tilly Trotton, who was as sweet and kind as Lucy had told me she was. But I think the expression on my face must have given me away.
‘Fox poo,’ Tilly said, rolling her eyes and then giggling like a girl. ‘That’s the strong and pungent, musky odour you can smell. Billy was covered in it this morning.’
‘Your husband?’
Why on earth would her husband smell of fox poo?
Both Tilly and Lucy laughed.
‘Yes. The silly old fool often rolls around in fox poo on his morning walk,’ Tilly said, still giggling. ‘Billy is our Dachshund. Willy is my husband.’
I snorted a laugh. ‘Sorry! Of course. Although, who doesn’t like to roll around in fox poo?’
‘Well, exactly,’ said Tilly, shaking her head. ‘Willy’s sense of smell hasn’t been the same since he had a nasty bout of that dreadful Covid beasty bug back in 2021, and he couldn’t even get a whiff of it. Although when I told him, he said he did wonder why everyone in town had given him and Billy a wide berth this morning. Silly old fool. He came and opened the shop for me today because I had to nip to the opticians. Honestly, what with his lack of smell and my failing eyesight, retirement can’t come soon enough. He’d let Billy sleep on his bed in here as usual and I didn’t get here until an hour later. If I hadn’t expected a delivery, this wouldn’t have happened. And naturally, the delivery hasn’t arrived.’
‘These things happen,’ Lucy said.
‘Do those doors open?’ I nodded at the French Doors that looked as if they led out onto a small patio garden, although they also looked as if they hadn’t been opened in years.
‘Willy tried to open them,’ Tilly said, ‘but I think they might be painted shut. We haven’t opened them in years. Once upon a time we had a little table and chairs and some raised planters out there. It gets the sunshine in the afternoon. But these old bones aren’t what they were and sitting on those plastic chairs is a definite no and has been for some time.’
Other than the doors there was no access to fresh air in this room.
‘We did move all the dresses from here into one of the other stock rooms with windows, so hopefully the smell won’t linger too long on those,’ Tilly added. ‘Willy’s taken Billy home now for a bath.’
‘May I try the doors?’ I asked.
‘Be my guest,’ Tilly said.
‘Don’t break anything,’ Lucy warned. ‘I meant bones, not the doors. Those we can get repaired if needs be.’
‘My bones will repair too,’ I said, grinning.
I tried the handles which both groaned in protest. Then I forced one down as far as it would go while pressing my shoulder forcefully against that door. It creaked and groaned and crackled, but it wouldn’t budge.
‘Was that you or the door?’ Lucy asked.
‘Funny,’ I said. ‘Instead of cracking jokes why don’t you come and help. You take that handle and pull this way. I’ll take this one and continue to push.’
‘Okey dokey. Stand clear, Tilly,’ Lucy said. ‘This may not end well.’
Tilly eyed us with concern but stepped back into the doorway.
‘One, two, three, pull,’ I ordered.
Again the doors creaked and groaned but this time the crackle was louder and a second later, Lucy had fallen back onto the floor, with a door handle in her hand, and I had toppled out into the patio garden, still gripping the handle which was, luckily, still attached to my door.
‘Oh ye of little faith,’ I said, as surprised as Lucy and Tilly were.
Lucy waved the handle above her head and swung it around and around as she chanted, ‘Yay!’
Tilly clapped her hands, and her eyes shone with delight as a warm summer breeze swept into the room along with a ray of bright sunlight which highlighted a considerable amount of dust and wooden splinters on the floor.
‘I told you the mist would clear,’ Lucy said, laughing as she got to her feet and stepped outside to join me.
Tilly came out too and all three of us stood in the warmth of the summer sunshine.
‘It could be beautiful out here,’ I said, glancing around the space which was larger than it had looked from inside.
‘It was once,’ Tilly said, somewhat wistfully.
‘It will be again,’ Lucy declared. ‘And you and Willy, and Billy – providing he doesn’t roll in fox poo again – can come and have tea out here when it’s done. And we’ll have comfortable chairs with padded cushions for you to sit on.’
A tear rolled down Tilly’s cheek and she brushed it away with the back of her hand as her silver curls danced in the breeze.
‘Tears of joy,’ she said, before either of us could ask. ‘I’m so glad we met, Lucy. I still love this old place and the thought of leaving it for good is why I haven’t retired before. I couldn’t bear to never see this shop and this little patio again. So many wonderful memories are here. But I know that I can pop back and say hello from time to time now that you’re taking it over.’
‘You’ll be more than welcome here whenever you like, and as often as you want,’ Lucy said, and I could tell she meant every word.
Tilly must have thought so too because she hugged Lucy tight, and then, to my surprise, she hugged me tight as well.
‘You’re a breath of fresh air,’ Tilly said, grinning at me. ‘Literally, today. You both are. You’ll breathe new life into this old place, Lucy and you’ll make it a huge success. But you must concentrate on your designs. You’re so talented, my dear, and you mustn’t let that take a back seat. Almost anyone can manage a bridal shop if they want to, given a little time and training, but only a very few people can design such beautiful gowns, and no one can design gowns like yours. That lovely Sam Worth won’t be the only one gaining a reputation for being the best in the business. You’ll soon be the talk of this town and far beyond, with your wedding dress designs. You mark my words.’
‘Well,’ I said, with a tear or two forming in my own eyes. ‘Tilly was right about that snowstorm, and I know she’s right about this.’
Lucy had slowly built a reputation for designing her exquisite gowns, in Kingston upon Thames, but she never really made the most of it, and she had never advertised her skills. Now I had a feeling that everything was falling into place and the time for right for her to shine.
I hoped she wanted this as much as she wanted to be married and have a family.
Although, why couldn’t she do both?
One thing I was certain about was that Sam would give her all the encouragement, support and help she needed, as would I, and of course, her mum and Chris.
And something deep down inside of me started to think that I’d like to be here to see her achieve all her dreams.
Wait. What was happening to me?
Did I want to move to Fairlight Bay?