Chapter Twenty-Three
Susan and Tim were married two days later in Chilvers Coton Church.
Susan was radiant as she walked down the aisle on Levi’s arm, with Tim’s two little girls following her as bridesmaids.
The short service was beautiful and Tim looked proud as Punch whenever he glanced at his new bride.
It was going to be a brand-new start for both of them, and everyone was sure they were going to be very happy.
On leaving the church the couple was showered with rice, and the procession that made its way to the hotel for the reception was joyful.
Annie couldn’t help but feel a little envious as she watched the newly-weds – they were clearly very much in love.
Unbidden, a picture of Alex Gordon floated in front of her eyes, but she blinked it away.
In two hours’ time, she, Nancy, Adam and Alfred would be aboard the train on the way to their new life and she had mixed feelings about it.
She was greatly looking forward to her new business venture, but she was going to miss the people she was leaving behind hugely.
The day before, the Taylor-Lloyds had visited to say goodbye to Adam and had made it more than clear that they were not happy about her decision to move.
Thankfully there was nothing they could do to stop it.
Annie had lied and told them they would all be staying with a friend for a while as she didn’t want them to have her address in London.
The best thing about moving would be not having to see Reggie every time she turned around.
With Marie’s permission she intended to give them her address.
Then if they decided to visit, they would be none the wiser as to where she was.
‘Penny fer your thoughts, you were miles away,’ Peggy said as they walked along.
Annie smiled. ‘Oh, I was just thinking how hard it’s going to be to leave you all.’
Peggy gently squeezed her arm. ‘Yer can always come back if it don’t turn out to be what yer want,’ she pointed out. ‘An’ as I said, yer only a train ride away. Yer can always stay wi’ us when yer visit. It’ll be a bit of a squeeze, but we’ll manage. Are yer beginnin’ to have second thoughts?’
‘It’s not that.’ Annie shook her head. ‘I suppose I’m thinking that once I leave, I’ll never find out who my real parents are.’
As she always did whenever Annie mentioned her birth parents, Peggy looked away and sighed. When they reached the hotel, Annie plastered a smile on her face. These were the last couple of hours she would spend with everybody, possibly for some time, and she wanted them to be happy ones.
The party was still in full swing when Annie slipped away. She’d said her goodbyes to Susan and Tim, and Peggy and Levi went with her to collect Nancy, Adam and Alfred from the house.
Because everything had been forwarded on, they only had one small bag to take with them and soon they were at the station.
‘So this is it then.’ There was a catch in Peggy’s voice as she gave Annie a hug. ‘I just ’ope his lordship ’ere behaves on the train.’ She nodded down at Alfred whose tail was furiously wagging. ‘Be hopes he don’t get havin’ any accidents.’
Nancy giggled. She no longer had any qualms about leaving – she would have followed Annie to the ends of the earth if asked to. Plus, she’d never been on a train before and was excited at the thought of the journey.
‘We’ll just have to keep our fingers crossed,’ Annie agreed. ‘Although luckily Adam is yawning so hopefully he’ll sleep most of the way.’
The train was chugging towards them and minutes later it drew into the station in a hiss of steam and smoke. Levi opened one of the doors and helped Nancy and Alfred aboard, before passing Adam into Nancy’s waiting arms. He then turned back to Annie and took both her hands in his.
‘Right now, pet, just remember we’re always ’ere fer you, and take good care o’ yerselves,’ he said gruffly. He was missing them already, but he knew Annie would make a success of her new business venture.
Annie flung her arms about him and Peggy and hugged them to her as tears began to course down her cheeks. Levi and Peggy were the nearest to a mother and father she had ever had and she loved them both dearly and always would.
‘And you just take care of yourself too, and you, Peggy,’ she said in a wobbly voice. ‘I don’t want you two overdoing things and making yourselves ill, do you hear me?’
Levi smiled and tenderly wiped a tear from her cheek, too full of emotion to say any more.
Already the carriage doors were being slammed shut and Levi gently urged Annie to follow Nancy, who was now seated in the carriage waving at them through the window.
Annie hurried to join her, and soon the train chugged away.
She had to swallow the lump in her throat as she watched Peggy and Levi disappear from view.
Thankfully Adam fell asleep almost immediately and Alfred also lay down with his head on his paws as if he travelled by train every day. Like Nancy, he was quite happy as long as he was with Annie.
It was dark by the time they pulled into Euston and Adam was still asleep, as were Nancy and Alfred.
‘Come on, sleepy head, we’re here.’ She gave Nancy a gentle shake and the girl opened her eyes and beamed with excitement.
‘Marie and John should be waiting for us,’ Annie told her as she lifted Adam with one arm and their bag with the other.
Nancy took Alfred’s lead and followed Annie onto the platform where Alfred instantly cocked his leg against a bench on the platform.
Annie cringed, although she was grateful he hadn’t relieved himself in the train.
Then she heard her name being called and turning she saw Marie and John hurrying towards them.
‘Ah, ’ere you are!’ Marie gave her a cuddle while John gently lifted Adam off her. ‘We ’ave a cab waiting outside for you. Not long now and you will be ’ome.’
It felt strange to hear the new rooms above the shop being referred to as home. Soon they were all in the cab and Nancy stared from the window, not wishing to miss a thing.
As soon as they entered the shop, Annie saw what a wonderful job John’s carpenter friend had done with the alterations.
There were shelves, rails and fitting rooms exactly where she had wanted them.
All it needed now was a new carpet and the walls painted, and then she would be ready to bring the new stock in.
John led them upstairs and once again Annie was pleasantly surprised. A fire was burning in the grate and the rooms were clean and tidy.
‘I ’ad my maid come and prepare the rooms for you,’ Marie explained.
‘I thought you might be too tired to ’ave to worry about making beds and things up tonight after your journey.
There is also a meal ready in the kitchen downstairs.
It is only a cold meal, but we didn’t want you going to bed on empty stomachs. ’
Nancy stifled a yawn and Annie smiled. ‘That’s very kind of you but I think all this young lady and Adam want is their beds. It’s been a long day.’
John carried Adam into the first bedroom and tucked him into the little bed Marie’s maid had made up for him, while Nancy smiled and went to sit on the other one saying that she was too tired to eat that evening.
The maid had even unpacked their clothes for them, and as soon as John left the room, she found her nightdress, changed and slipped between the sheets.
Seconds later she was fast asleep, as was Alfred who had curled up in front of the fire.
‘So ’ow did the wedding go?’ Marie asked once they were downstairs in the kitchen.
‘It was beautiful.’ Annie was staring in amazement at the spread laid before her. There were sandwiches, dainty pork pies, chicken legs and all manner of goodies. ‘But you really didn’t have to go to all this trouble.’
‘It was no trouble at all,’ Marie assured her. ‘But now John and I will leave you to eat and enjoy your first night in your new ’ome. Tomorrow I will come back and show you where to buy paint for your shop.’
Annie couldn’t believe how generous and kind they’d both been. At least she had one friend in London – or two, now that she’d met John. She’d expected to have to light a fire and start cleaning once she arrived but instead, she’d walked into a ready-made home and she was very grateful.
Marie was back bright and early the next morning.
She seemed to be almost as excited as Annie about the new venture and was keen to help in any way she could.
They left together to shop for paint, leaving Nancy to play with Alfred and Adam in the small back yard.
While they were out Annie also ordered a very smart silver-grey carpet for the shop.
It was quite expensive but she felt it would be worth it.
The walls were to be done in a pretty shell pink and she also ordered two mannequins to display some of the gowns in the front window.
‘Once we ’ave done the decorating and the carpet is fitted, I shall take you to the warehouse to buy stock,’ Marie promised as they made their way back to the shop. ‘And do not forget you will need to have a shop sign made. What are you thinking of naming it?’
Annie frowned. She hadn’t thought that far ahead yet but she wanted something classy. ‘I have no idea,’ she admitted. ‘What do you think?’
‘Hmm.’ Marie tapped her lip as she stared thoughtfully into space before suggesting, ‘What about “Classy Couturier”?’
Annie beamed. ‘I love it,’ she said happily, and so Marie took her off to put an order in with a local signwriter.
The paint had been delivered by the time they got back and after checking that all was well with Nancy and Adam, Annie was eager to begin decorating. The carpet was being delivered and fitted in two days’ time and she wanted it finished by then.
‘I shall ’elp,’ Marie told her as she peeled off her gloves.
Annie stared at her horrified. ‘You most certainly will not. Not in those clothes,’ she said.
Marie shrugged as she glanced down at her expensive outfit. ‘But they are only clothes,’ she pointed out.
‘Yes, very beautiful clothes,’ Annie responded. ‘But don’t worry, if you really want to help, I’ve brought some of my old working clothes with me for just this purpose. Come on, we’ll go upstairs and get changed.’
By teatime they’d managed to get most of the painting done, and the place was transformed.
Annie looked around with satisfaction. ‘I should be finished by lunchtime tomorrow, thanks to you,’ she told Marie gratefully.
‘And then I need to go and find some nice chairs and a table where people can sit if they have a tea or coffee. Oh, and I shall need some mirrors, of course. Some for in the fitting rooms and another full-length one out here in the shop.’
‘Never fear, I know all the best places to go,’ Marie chuckled.
She was enjoying herself immensely. ‘But I must go now. John and I are giving a dinner party this evening for some of the men he works with and their wives. It will be a good opportunity to tell the women all about the new shop. I was going to invite you, but I didn’t think you would want to come while you are still so busy? ’
Annie smiled. ‘Thank you, but no I wouldn’t just yet. I’ve hardly seen anything of Nancy and Adam all day, so I’m going to spend some time with them this evening.’ She wondered if Alex and his wife were amongst the guests Marie had invited but didn’t like to ask.
He was part of her past now and he must stay that way.