Page 2 of The Winter Bride

‘I’m getting out of Mother’s way and giving her some time to cool off,’ Monty responded. ‘I’ve just told her I’m marrying Annie, and she’s not thrilled with the idea.’

Reggie’s eyes narrowed. ‘Married? Are you mad, man? You don’t marry girls like her, you love them and leave them. She’s . . . she’s . . .’

‘Beautiful?’ Monty grinned. He’d known that Reggie would be no happier with the idea than his mother, especially as he had always wanted Annie for himself. ‘Anyway, can’t stop, old chap. We have an appointment with the vicar.’ He hurried on before Reggie could say more. ‘See you later.’

Luckily, when Monty and Annie shared the news with Peggy and Levi after they had visited the vicar, they got a much more positive response. Peggy had been a lifelong friend of Maggie, Levi’s late wife, and now shared a cottage with Levi in the courtyards in Abbey Street.

‘And about bloody time too,’ Peggy laughed as she clapped Monty on the back and hugged Annie.

‘Yes, that’s wonderful news.’ Levi shook Monty’s hand until he was sure it would drop off. ‘Just make sure you look after my girl, young man, or you’ll have me to answer to!’

‘So, when is the big day to be?’ Peggy asked, her eyes gleaming with excitement.

‘The middle of March,’ Annie told her with a smile, flicking her coal-black hair over her shoulder.

‘The middle of March!’ Peggy looked alarmed. ‘Oh crikey! That don’t gi’ us much time to prepare.’

‘It’s only going to be a very quiet do,’ Annie explained. ‘We don’t want any fuss.’

‘Well, whether yer do or don’t, yer goin’ to get it!’ Peggy said. ‘We need to sort out what yer goin’ to wear first, an’ what flowers we can get in March. Then there’s where we’re goin’ to hold the reception. There ain’t room to swing a cat around in ’ere so this place is out o’ the question.’

‘We’ll hold it at the Bull Hotel in town – my treat,’ Levi chipped in.

Annie started to look worried. ‘But like I just said, we only want a very small do.’

Peggy laughed again. ‘Oh, get away wi’ yer, yer can’t spoil it fer us,’ she snorted. ‘This is a special occasion. It’s about time we ’ad somethin’ to celebrate. I just ’appened to spot a length o’ lovely white satin in the material shop in town the other day. If it’s still there, I could make yer a gown.’

Levi had recently treated her to a Singer treadle sewing machine that now stood in the corner of the room. Peggy loved it and was becoming quite the expert on it.

Annie and Monty exchanged a glance.

‘Well . . . just so long as we don’t have to invite too many people,’ Monty said cautiously. ‘We were thinking just very close friends and family, although after telling my mother the news this morning, I doubt very much if any of my family will be there.’

Peggy smiled. ‘Let ’em stay away then, lad. It’ll be their loss. You only want folks there as care about yer an’ wish yer well. Now, where did I put that pattern fer a weddin’ dress I ’ad me hands on the other day?’ She hurried off to try and find it, much to everyone’s amusement. It was nice to see her looking so chirpy after all the sad things they had gone through the year before. She had lost Maggie to suicide, as well as one of her sons in the war, so it was good to see her smiling again.

‘And where will you be livin’ after the weddin’?’ Levi asked.

‘I did suggest I buy us a little house somewhere,’ Monty answered, smiling at Annie. ‘But the bride-to-be is saying she’d prefer to stay above the shop for now while she gets it up and running.’

‘I dare say that makes sense.’ Levi nodded. He knew how keen Annie was to make a success of her new business venture, and he had no doubt she would succeed. She could be a very determined young woman when she set her mind to it. She had certainly done wonders with his business.

Peggy bustled back in waving a sewing pattern in the air, and Levi turned to her. ‘Right, woman, I know it’s a bit early but I think we should drink a toast. Get the sherry out, eh?’ he said, rubbing his hands together.

‘Good idea!’ Peggy rummaged for the bottle in the bottom of the dresser and once their glasses were filled Levi raised his in the air.

‘To the newly engaged couple,’ he said with a smile at Annie. ‘May they never know anything but happiness and success.’

Annie dutifully sipped her drink, but she was keen to get back to the shop. She had the shop-fitters coming back that afternoon to do the final touches. She was also planning to go and buy some stock the following week. And now she had a wedding to plan – she was beginning to wonder how she was going to fit everything in.

Still, she didn’t regret her decision. Alex’s face came into her mind again, and she shook her head slightly, ignoring the small ache in her heart. She had fallen in love with Alex when working in the field hospitals in France during the war and had met him again purely by chance in London just a few days before. One thing had led to another and somehow, their feelings had got the better of them, and she had given herself to him. She had known he was married and they could never be together. But at least she would always have the memory of that one glorious night. And she did love Monty, she reminded herself. So it was time she forgot about Alex and concentrated on the man who had loved her for so many years.

Chapter Two

Over the next few days Peggy began to make Annie’s bridal gown. Made with white satin it had a lace overlay and a straight, calf-length skirt with a handkerchief hem. Annie kept telling her that she didn’t need to go to such trouble, but Peggy was enjoying herself and spent every spare minute at the sewing machine.

‘Just leave it with me, it’s going to be beautiful,’ she told her, so Annie stopped objecting.

As promised Levi had booked a room upstairs in the Bull Hotel for a small reception after the church service, so Annie left them to their plans and got on with opening her shop.