Chapter Twenty-Five
‘Eeh I wish yer didn’t ’ave to rush off so quickly,’ Peggy said sadly the next morning as Annie packed the rest of Adam’s clothes into her carpet bag.
‘Never mind, I promise I’ll come back just as soon as I can.’ Annie kissed her cheek as Levi came down from his room to join them.
‘I’ll walk yer all to the station an’ carry yer bags,’ he offered.
Annie wouldn’t hear of it. ‘No, you won’t. You have to get ready for work and it’s no distance. We’ll manage perfectly well,’ she told him, having a last check round that she hadn’t forgotten anything.
‘We’ll miss yer.’ Peggy sniffed back a tear as she kissed Adam and Nancy, and then Annie ushered the youngsters ahead of her and they set off.
It was only a short distance to the station, but she found herself glancing about nervously for any glimpses of Reggie.
Luckily there was no sign of him and when they reached the station the platform was deserted too, so she breathed a sigh of relief.
Knowing Reggie, he’d probably still be tucked up in bed and she’d probably been worrying for nothing.
The train was exactly on time and as soon as it pulled up, Annie settled the children in an empty compartment.
‘I bet there won’t be many travelling this early in the morning,’ she told Nancy. ‘So hopefully we’ll have this all to ourselves.’
Nancy nodded, stifling a yawn, and within minutes of the train setting off both she and Adam had dropped off to sleep again. Annie smiled as she settled down to read her newspaper.
The journey was uneventful and they arrived back at the shop to find Marie serving a customer. While Nancy took Adam up to their rooms, Annie asked, ‘How has it been? Have you managed?’
‘I am delighted to say it’s been quite busy,’ Marie assured her when the customer had gone.
‘And of course I ’ave been all right. I quite enjoy working ’ere.
It can get lonely at ’ome with my John working such long hours.
But now I ’ave something to ask you – John and I are holding another dinner party on Wednesday and we would like you to come.
It will be just some of his work friends and their wives. Could you make it?’
When Annie looked undecided, she rushed on, ‘Adam would be quite ’appy with Nancy. And you know what my mother always said: “All work an’ no play makes Jack ze dull boy!” Please, you must start to make a little time for yourself.’
‘Well . . . I suppose I could.’ Annie had left Nancy with Adam many times, but only while she was working or buying for the shop, and she felt a little guilty about leaving him with her for pleasure.
But when she mentioned the invite to Nancy, the girl was all for it. ‘O’ course you must go,’ she said. ‘Adam will be fast asleep anyway, so it won’t be no ’ardship. What are yer goin’ to wear?’
Annie had quite a few smart clothes, which she wore in the shop, but nothing really fancy enough for a dinner party. ‘We could ’ave a look through the rails downstairs,’ Nancy suggested happily. ‘It ain’t as if you ain’t got enough to choose from, is it?’
And so the next day, while the shop was quiet, Nancy and Annie began to sort through the rails. The flapper style dresses that were so popular were now selling like hot cakes and Annie could barely stock enough of them.
‘I like this one.’ Nancy lifted one down from the rails.
Annie frowned. It was much fancier than she usually wore. It was straight, in the style of a flapper dress, and fell to just below the knee with a handkerchief hem. The lining was silk with a chiffon overskirt, and it had a dropped waistline that fell about the hips.
‘This colour blue would suit yer eyes,’ Nancy said determinedly. ‘Go on, just pop in the fittin’ room an’ try it on. Please – fer me!’
‘Oh, all right. Anything for a quiet life,’ Annie chuckled as she took the dress and headed for the fitting room.
Once she had slipped it on, she stared into the mirror in amazement.
The hem and the low-cut neckline were decorated with tiny sequins that caught and reflected the light, and the shape of the dress emphasised her slim figure.
‘Ooh, it looks lovely! I told yer it would,’ Nancy said with satisfaction when Annie came out of the fitting room to show her. ‘An’ now you’ll need some nice elbow-length lace gloves and a long string o’ pearls. Oh, an’ perhaps yer could wear yer hair loose wi’ a nice beaded headband.’
Annie laughed. ‘I can see you’ve been reading my fashion magazines. I reckon I might have you work in the shop with me when Adam goes to school. You seem to know more about what’s in fashion than I do. While you’re down here, why don’t you choose a new dress for yourself?’
‘Me?’ Nancy looked shocked. ‘But where would I go to wear anythin’ fancy?’
‘You never know.’ Annie smiled at her. She’d noticed that Nancy was suddenly turning into a young lady.
She’d put on a little weight and had lost the gaunt look that she’d had when she left the workhouse.
Her figure was developing nicely, and there were curves where there had been none before and her once limp, dull hair now shone with health.
Annie could see that she could be a little beauty and she wanted her to have the best. ‘Go on,’ she urged.
‘Start looking through them while I take this off.’
When she came out of the fitting room, Nancy was admiring a soft green dress. It wasn’t quite as fancy as the one Annie had tried on, but it was very pretty all the same.
‘Go and try it on,’ she told the girl.
Needing no more persuading, Nancy disappeared into the fitting room. She was blushing when she emerged a few minutes later and Annie was pleasantly surprised to see that she looked very much the young lady. It was a similar style to the dress Annie had chosen and suited Nancy beautifully.
‘That’s the one.’ Annie smiled at her. ‘It could have been made for you. You look very smart and grown-up.’
‘Well, thank you, but I’d best get it off and get back upstairs,’ Nancy said. ‘Adam will be wakin’ from his nap soon an’ I don’t want ’im to be on his own.’
She’d only been gone for a few minutes when Annie glanced out of the window to see a figure standing in the shop doorway opposite.
They seemed to be watching her shop, but he had his hat pulled low so she couldn’t see his face.
She scowled, wondering if she was letting her imagination run away with her.
But then a customer entered the shop and by the time Annie had served her, the figure had gone.
On Wednesday evening, after she’d tucked Adam into bed and read him a story, Annie got ready to attend Marie’s dinner party.
‘You look lovely,’ Nancy assured her when she appeared in her new outfit.
Her dress fitted her like a glove, and she’d washed her hair the night before and brushed it until it shone.
Now it hung loose about her slim shoulders like a silken cape, and the pretty beaded hairband she had chosen was perfect with it.
‘I’m still not happy about leaving you and Adam of an evening,’ Annie fretted as she pulled on her elbow-length gloves. She’d arranged for a hackney cab to pick her up and was expecting it to arrive at any minute.
‘Stop worryin’.’ Nancy chuckled. ‘I shall lock the door soon as you’ve gone an’ we’ll be perfectly all right. I’ve got the new Agatha Christie book to read.’
They heard the cab pull up in the street below at that minute so after pecking Nancy’s cheek Annie set off.
She was awed when she entered Marie’s beautiful dining room.
The long table was spread with a crisp white tablecloth and laid with china so fine Annie was sure she could have seen right through it.
There was silver cutlery and crystal goblets that gleamed beneath the new electric crystal chandelier, and in the centre of the table was a glorious vase full of freshly cut flowers.
Some people were already there with drinks in their hands and Marie started to introduce Annie to them.
There were two couples and a man alone, who Marie led Annie towards.
‘Simon, this is Annie Taylor-Lloyd, the friend I told you about. She is a very clever woman.’
Annie found herself looking up at a tall, fair-haired man. He was very handsome and his smile was kindly.
‘And, Annie, this is Simon Walters. Sadly, you are both . . . how do you say? . . . in the same boat, in that you ’ave both lost your partners,’ Marie went on. ‘Annie, Simon lost ’is wife in childbirth two years ago.’
‘I’m so sorry to hear that,’ Annie told him as he gently shook her hand.
‘And, Simon, Annie lost ’er ’usband to a war wound.’
He nodded and released Annie’s hand as the maid approached with drinks. They each took a glass and he led her towards the velvet sofa that stood to one side of the room.
‘I was so sorry to hear about your husband, Annie,’ he said sincerely. ‘It hurts like hell, doesn’t it? How are you coping? I believe Marie told me you have a young child?’
Annie nodded and smiled. ‘Yes, I do. His name is Adam and I can’t imagine my life without him. I think he helped keep me going after I lost Monty.’
‘I can understand that. Unfortunately, my daughter didn’t survive her birth and I lost both her and my wife.
Sometimes you can’t help but think of how things should have been, can you?
Still, life goes on and we have to make the most of what we have.
Now, tell me all about your new business.
Marie told me about your shop. Is it going well? ’
Annie gave a wry smile. It seemed Marie had told him an awful lot about her, and she wondered if perhaps there was a little matchmaking going on. Even so, she liked Simon and soon they were chatting as if they’d known each other for years.
When they went into dinner, Annie was tickled to see that Marie had seated them next to each other, but she didn’t mind. It was quite nice to have a man show her attention again, especially one as nice as Simon Walters.
The night seemed to pass in the blink of an eye until eventually she glanced at the clock on the ornate marble mantelshelf and said, ‘Oh dear, I didn’t realise how late it was. I really should be getting home now.’
‘Then please allow me to give you a lift,’ Simon said immediately. ‘I have my car parked outside and it would be no problem at all.’
‘In that case, thank you very much,’ Annie told him warmly, and after saying goodbye to Marie and John and the rest of the party they left.
In his car, Simon tucked a warm rug about her knees and Annie thought what a gentleman he was as he went round the car and climbed into the driver’s seat.
She chuckled as he drew the car away from the kerb. ‘Have you got the feeling that Marie is trying to play matchmaker with us?’
He laughed heartily. ‘It did occur to me. But to tell you the truth, I’m very glad she did. You’re quite a remarkable woman, Annie.’
She frowned as she glanced at him. ‘There’s nothing remarkable about me, I assure you.’ She’d told him her life’s story that night and he’d listened to every word she said.
‘Oh, but there is.’ He sighed. ‘Most of the women Marie has tried to match me with have been incredible bores. Silly little debutantes who just want to snare a rich husband and have an easy life. All they can talk about is where they’ve holidayed and what clothes they’ve bought that week.
But you . . . Well, to work your way up from being abandoned on the steps of the workhouse as a baby to where you are now as the owner of two shops. It’s quite remarkable.’
‘Oh, there’s still so much I long to do,’ she confessed. ‘I desperately want to find my birth family one day, although I haven’t figured out a way to do it yet. And, of course, I want to get myself into a healthy financial position for Adam and Nancy.’
‘And I’ve no doubt you will,’ he answered as he drew up outside the shop.
‘Well, thank you for the lift and your company this evening,’ she told him as he came around to open the door for her. ‘I’ve really enjoyed myself.’
He helped her out and, keeping hold of her hand, he looked into her eyes. ‘So have I, and I was wondering . . . would you think me too forward if I asked if I might see you again? We could perhaps go to the theatre or out to dinner? Whichever you prefer.’
Annie blushed. ‘That would be very nice,’ she told him quietly.
‘Excellent. In that case I shall be in touch. Goodnight, Annie.’ He stood and waited until she was safely inside and the door had closed behind her, before driving away. Annie watched him go through the window, then with a smile she made her way upstairs.