Chapter Nineteen
It was the day before the funeral when there was a knock at the front door. Annie answered and found Charlie standing on the step with a tall dark-haired man standing behind him.
‘Charlie! Oh, it’s so lovely to see you. Come in out of the cold!’
He stepped past her into the warmth of the room and after removing his hat he nodded towards his companion. ‘Annie. This is my, er . . . friend, Joshua. Joshua, meet my sister, Annie.’
Annie shook the man’s hand. He was almost a head taller than Charlie and at least ten years older than him, but he had a kind face and she liked him instantly.
‘Dad wrote to tell me about Monty, so I came straight away. I’m not too late for the funeral, am I?’ There was a catch in his voice as he took Annie’s hands and pecked her on the cheek.
Annie shook her head. ‘No, it’s tomorrow. Now take off your coats and I’ll ask Nancy to make us a hot drink. She’s a lovely girl who came to live with us from the workhouse some time ago and I don’t know what I’d do without her.’
Annie took their coats and led them into the parlour where a fire with a large fireguard around it was roaring in the grate. Adam was playing with a train set on the hearthrug and Charlie was shocked to see how much he’d changed since he’d last visited shortly after he’d been born.
‘Hello, little chap. I’m your Uncle Charlie.’ He leant over to talk to the child while Joshua took a seat on the sofa and Annie bustled away to organise some refreshments.
Peggy and Levi had been staying with Annie since Monty’s death. Peggy was out doing some food shopping and Levi was round at the yard, but she knew how pleased they’d be to see Charlie when they got back.
‘So, a silly question I know, but how are you bearing up?’ Charlie took a seat at the side of Joshua on the sofa.
‘Oh . . . you know. I don’t think it’s really sunk in yet,’ she admitted. ‘But I’m just taking one day at a time. ’
Nancy appeared with a tray of tea and Annie introduced them.
‘Charlie, this is Nancy. She’s been an absolute lifesaver through the last few days. Levi and Peggy have been marvellous too.’
Nancy blushed prettily as Charlie and Joshua smiled at her. Her confidence had grown in leaps and bounds since coming to live with Annie, but she still tended to be shy around strangers and as soon as the introductions had been made, she scuttled away.
It was Charlie’s turn to look embarrassed then as he said, ‘Joshua is my, er . . . partner. We just moved into a small flat together in London. I thought I’d never be happy again after . . . Well, you know, but he’s made me see that life is still worth living.’
‘I’m glad and I’m sure your father will be pleased to see you.’ Annie started to strain the tea into the dainty china cups and saucers.
Charlie frowned. ‘I’m hoping so. Dad was always a bit more open-minded than Mum. I don’t think she ever forgave me for being as I am. Still, it’s much more accepted in London. It’s such a huge place and people tend to keep more to themselves.’
‘I’m glad it’s working out for you,’ she said.
‘Where are you staying? I’d love to have you here, but Peggy and Levi are here at present.
You could both stay in the cottage though.
I’m sure Peggy wouldn’t mind. In fact, we can ask her, I think this is her coming back now.
’ She’d heard the key in the lock and sure enough Peggy soon came in, her face red from the cold.
She exclaimed with delight when she saw Charlie and gave him a big hug.
‘Why, this a lovely surprise,’ she told him with a smile at Joshua. ‘I just wish it could have been in different circumstances.’
Annie asked her about Joshua and Charlie staying overnight at the cottage and she agreed immediately.
‘O’ course yer welcome to stay there as long as yer like, lad,’ she told him. ‘But I’d best get Levi to pop round an’ light the fire for you afore yer go, it’ll be cold in there. An’ yer must both stay here fer dinner. I’ve bought a piece o’ beef big enough to feed an army.’
Levi was thrilled to see his son when he got back and shook his hand until Charlie was sure it would drop off.
Peggy and Nancy prepared and cooked a wonderful meal for them all that evening but Annie could do no more than peck at hers.
She hadn’t managed to eat a single meal since Monty had died, although she always put on a brave face until everyone was in bed at night and only then would she let her tears of guilt and grief fall.
All too soon the day of the funeral dawned.
It had been decided that Nancy would stay at home to look after Adam; it was far too cold to take the child out.
Both Annie and Peggy had bought black dresses and warm black coats and when the hearse carrying Monty’s coffin pulled up outside, they stepped out.
Annie had insisted he should have the best coffin the undertaker could provide, although little of it could be seen because it was covered in beautiful wreaths of snow-white lilies.
Just for a moment Annie swayed. She couldn’t believe that her fun-loving, gentle husband was lying in that cold box.
Levi caught her arm and gently steered her to the large car waiting behind the hearse to take them to the church.
Mrs Taylor-Lloyd and her family were already there when they arrived, and she glared at Annie as they took their seats in the pews.
There were hymns and prayers but somehow nothing seemed real to Annie and before she knew it, Levi was leading her outside to the grave.
It had started to drizzle – sharp little drops that felt like needles on their cold faces – as Annie stood and watched Monty being lowered into his final resting place.
The snow that was left on the ground had turned to a muddy slush and at one point Annie’s feet almost slipped from beneath her.
‘Earth to earth. Ashes to ashes . . .’ The vicar’s voice droned on until finally it was over and as the vicar strode away, Peggy and Levi each took one of her arms and led her back towards the lychgate and the warmth of the waiting car.
Annie had arranged the wake at the hotel where they had held their wedding reception.
‘You’ve done ’im proud, pet,’ Peggy said when she saw the lavish banquet the caterers had laid out.
Soon the mourners were eating and chatting amongst themselves as Annie sat back and watched as if in a trance. Unknown to Annie, Reggie had had his eyes fastened on her throughout the service and as Peggy and Levi went to get something to eat, he wasted no time in taking a seat at the side of her.
‘How are you feeling?’ His voice dripped honey as he made to take her hand in his, but she snatched it away.
‘How would you expect me to be feeling? I’ve just buried my husband!’ She stared at him coldly. ‘What do you want?’
‘There’s no need to be like that,’ Reggie purred. ‘It’s up to me to step in and make sure that you and Adam are all right now that Monty isn’t here any more.’
Annie glared at him. ‘I don’t need you to do anything. I’m more than capable of taking care of myself and Adam. And so – as I’ve told you before – keep away from us!’ She stood and flounced across to where Charlie and Joshua were standing.
Reggie’s eyes followed her, and he scowled. The little bitch could say what she wanted but he wasn’t done with her yet, not by a long shot!
Annie studiously avoided him for the rest of the afternoon and when all the food and drink was gone and the mourners finally began to depart, she breathed a sigh of relief.
‘Can we go home now?’ she asked Peggy.
She nodded. ‘O’ course we can, pet. Come on, yer look all in.’ Putting her arm about Annie’s waist she gently steered her towards the door. It had been a long hard day for all of them.