For Better For Worse (45 page)

‘Thank you for your help,’ said Sarah.

‘You’re my sister,’ said Vera, looking rather pleased with herself. ‘I only did what anyone else would.’

‘Yes, you did,’ said Sarah, adding with emphasis, ‘…
this
time.’ She saw her sister’s eyebrows shoot up. ‘Oh don’t look so shocked, Vera. Believe me, I am grateful for your help, but it would have been nice if you’d given me a hand before. What you put the girls and me through beggars belief. Kaye, Annie and Lottie were more of a family to me than you and Bill have ever been.’

With that, Sarah turned away angrily, her cheeks flaming.

‘I’m sorry,’ said Vera, her voice muted.

Sarah stopped dead in her tracks and turned back. ‘Excuse me?’

‘You’re right,’ said Vera, ‘and I’m sorry.’

‘What made you …?’ Sarah began uncertainly.

Lu-Lu crashed into them and said in a loud voice, ‘Mummy, Mummy, my botty just burped.’

Sarah and her sister caught each other’s eye and laughed. Sarah bent to kiss her child’s head and ruffle her curls. As Lu-Lu moved on, the two sisters were still staring at each other. Neither of them could find the words, but somehow Sarah knew that from this moment on, things were going to be different. Vera could be a cow at times, but she was her sister and blood is always thicker than water.

‘I’d better go,’ Vera said eventually.

Sarah smiled awkwardly. ‘Bye, love. See you soon.’

Vera hesitated and almost kissed her cheek. ‘See you soon.’

As the party thinned out, Mr Dobbin came up. ‘When would you like to hear the reading of the Will?’

Sarah hadn’t given it a moment’s thought. ‘Do you want to do it today, sir?’

‘That is the usual custom,’ he smiled.

‘But Henry isn’t here,’ said Sarah.

‘I only need you and Miss Lottie,’ he said.

Sarah frowned. ‘Kaye and Henry never divorced,’ she said. ‘He may not be here, but he’s still her husband.’

Mr Dobbin shook his head. ‘I don’t need Mr Royale.’

Ensconced in Kaye’s office, Mr Dobbin got some papers out of his briefcase. ‘Apart from a few charities which will each receive a legacy, the bulk of the estate will go to you, Miss Lottie. That is the house and some stocks and shares, the residue of her bank balance and her jewellery.’

Lottie was stunned. Sarah squeezed her friend’s hand and sighed contentedly.

‘As for you Mrs Royal, Kaye has left a substantial sum to be held in trust for your children. It will be enough to send them to a private school or to a university when the time comes.’

Sarah’s mouth dropped open. She may have the problem of homelessness to face again, but Jenny and Lu-Lu’s future was secure at least.

‘And Henry?’ Sarah asked.

‘According to her will, you and Miss Lottie are her only beneficiaries,’ said Mr Dobbin in a businesslike manner. ‘I am also instructed to hand you this letter.’

Sarah recognised Kaye’s bold handwriting on the envelope and her throat constricted again.

‘I am so sorry for your loss,’ said Mr Dobbin, rising to his feet. ‘It may be of some comfort to you to know that you both made my client very happy.’

He left the room quietly and Sarah and Lottie looked at each other. ‘Does this mean I can carry on living here?’ said Lottie.

‘Yes, dear,’ Sarah nodded. ‘It’s your house, Lottie.’

‘I don’t think I want to be here on my own,’ said Lottie, staring down at her hands in her lap. ‘Would you and the girls consider staying on with me?’

‘Oh, Lottie,’ said Sarah, the relief flooding her whole being. ‘Thank you, thank you so much …’

Later that night, alone in her room, she read the letter from Kaye.

My dear Sarah, The fact that you are reading this must mean that I have died before you. I have no idea if you are a very old lady with grandchildren, but I do hope so! I wrote this letter and put it into Dobbin’s care in the early spring of 1949. I wanted to tell you how much I appreciate all that you’ve done for me and for Lottie. Without you, she wouldn’t have blossomed and flowered the way she has. I really feel that you have given her her life back. She will never regain the first flower of youth, but I have watched her growing in confidence and ability in a way in which I could scarcely believe was possible. I have made arrangements for your girls. If they are grown women, Dobbin’s firm (I guess he will be long gone by now) have been instructed to invest the money wisely until they need it for schooling, or university. If they are well past that age by the time you get this, use
the money to bless their lives in whatever way you think best. I hope you have enjoyed your life too, Sarah. May God bless you.

Your ever grateful friend,

Kaye.

Sarah sat dry-eyed for a long time afterwards staring out of the open window at the stars.

When the doorbell went the next morning, Sarah was the first on her feet. ‘I’ll go.’ Already her heart was thumping with anticipation and when she saw his outline behind the glass in the front door she felt as silly as a schoolgirl on her first date. She opened the door and he pulled a bunch of red roses from behind his back.

‘Oh, thank you. They’re beautiful.’

‘Don’t tell anyone,’ he grinned. ‘Policemen aren’t supposed to bring people flowers.’ He stepped into the hallway and the door closed behind him. They stared at each other, each with a big grin.

‘Your secret is safe with me,’ she whispered.

‘I’ve been to see my Inspector,’ he began.

‘And?’

‘And I have permission to court you.’

She lowered her eyes and smiled into the flowers, breathing in their heady scent. ‘Now that you’ve done it, can I ask you something?’

‘Anything,’ he smiled.

‘Can I call you by your first name?’ she asked shyly. ‘Max is such a nice name.’

‘Oh Sarah,’ he said huskily. ‘My love …’

They stood for a minute just looking at each other. Sarah had never been happier. Max was wonderful – every girl’s dream.

‘You’ve gone through so much.’ He kissed her hand. ‘My darling, I think you’ve been amazing through all this. I admire you deeply for what you’ve done. Your girls have no idea of the hardships they’ve experienced and that’s all down to you. You’re a fantastic mother.’

As he’d put his big arms around her shoulders, he was so gentle. She felt safe … and loved. ‘I know we don’t want to rush into anything …’ he was saying.

‘No.’

‘And you want me to get to know the girls a lot better …’

‘Yes,’ she whispered.

‘It’s just that …’ He stepped closer and she could feel his hands gently caressing her arms. ‘Oh Sarah, I love you so much. Will you marry me?’

‘Yes …’ she laughed, ‘a million times yes …’

He caught his breath as she looked up at him.

‘Come on, you two,’ said a voice from behind the sitting room door, ‘we’re all waiting to get started.’

She had thought herself in love with Henry, but the feelings she had for Max were far, far deeper. He wasn’t constantly trying to change her. He didn’t criticise or put her down. He didn’t demand anything like Henry. She, in turn, loved to please him, but she did it because she loved him, not because she was afraid he would be angry if she didn’t. The girls were relaxed and happy with him and looked forward to his visits even more so than they had done with Peter Millward. She smiled to herself. Peter’s wife was expecting their first child and she wondered (wickedly) if the tuft of hair in his nose would be passed on to the baby.

‘What lovely roses,’ cried Lottie as Sarah and Max walked into the sitting room. She jumped up to go and get a vase but Sarah said, ‘Later. We’ll put them in water in a minute.’

There was a bottle of sherry on the table alongside four glasses. Sarah poured everyone a glass, although Max declined because he was still on duty.

‘It’s been over three months since anyone last heard from Henry,’ he began. ‘I think we are left with only three options. One, he’s moved to a totally different area, two, he’s gone abroad or three,’ he paused for effect, ‘Henry is dead.’

‘But surely if he was dead,’ said Annie, ‘someone would have notified you about the body.’

Max nodded. ‘So that leaves us with the other two suggestions. I should really like to catch him. He’s paid for what he did to you two and Kaye, but my greatest concern is that he was the instigator of the kidnap of a baby and that he’s still out there breaking other people’s hearts and ruining their lives.’

‘What about Ada?’ Sarah asked.

‘She’s still on remand,’ said Max. ‘The trial will most likely be in a few months’ time and I’m afraid that means that you and your mother, Annie, will have to give evidence.’

‘If Henry is Lord-knows-where,’ said Annie, ‘where does that leave us?’

‘What happens to the houses?’ asked Lottie. ‘Can Sarah and Annie sell them?’

‘I don’t think we can,’ said Sarah. ‘I was never legally married to him.’

‘Me neither,’ said Annie. They caught each other’s hand and held it tight.

‘They’ll be part of Kaye’s estate if Henry is dead, but only if he died before Kaye,’ said Max. ‘But we’re all jumping the gun a bit. There’s no body and no proof.’

He looked around at the assembled faces.

‘We survived without him before,’ said Sarah, ‘we can do it again.’

‘Speaking personally,’ said Annie, raising her glass, ‘I’ll drink to your health, Henry, despite what you did to me, I hope you’re not dead, but I hope that you never darken my door again.’

‘There is one other thing,’ said Max, looking back at Sarah with a mischievous grin on his face. ‘Sarah may not be here for much longer herself. She has done me the great honour of saying she will be my wife.’

And the roar of excitement and approval downstairs made the children leave their beds and creep out onto the landing to see what was going on.

*

About a week after Kaye’s funeral, Sarah went to see Mrs Angel. Her old friend had at last heard from Mrs Rivers, Sarah’s old next-door neighbour. She handed Sarah a letter which Mrs Rivers had asked her to give to Sarah. While she served a customer, Sarah tore open the envelope.
‘I am so sorry for all the trouble my son has caused you. I don’t want him to find me, but I did want you to know how badly I feel.’
There was no address but she sounded happy and at peace at last. She went on to tell Sarah that she had married since she’d left Worthing to
‘… a good man who truly loves me …’
Apparently he owned a betting shop and took her away on holidays. Sarah was delighted. The poor woman deserved a little happiness in life. Mrs Rivers had enclosed a five pound postal order in the envelope.
‘I hope this makes up for what my son stole from you that time. As soon as I could, I popped ten bob in your door, but I’m not sure you got it. Please accept this postal order with my sincere apologies. I don’t want to offend you, so if you would rather not have it, use it to buy a little something for the kiddies.’

Sarah’s eyes smarted. So it was Mrs Rivers who had fed them that night. She had thought it was Mrs Angel.

The plans for her wedding were streaking ahead. Sarah had never been so happy. She made her own dress, working long hours and far into the nights when Max was on duty. The police force kept a strict eye on all its men and as soon as they were married, she and Max were expected to make their home somewhere else. The greatest fear was that a police officer would be compromised if he had to deal with people who were once numbered among his friends. Max was offered a post twenty miles away in Chichester. It was a larger town than Worthing and would be a new and exciting challenge.

*

On the day itself, Max looked around with a warm glow of pleasure. It was late summer, almost three months after Kaye died, and everything looked fantastic. The place where they were going to hold the reception was perfect and a little bit different from the norm. Most people used the village hall or a church hall, but he’d found a barn for the reception and persuaded the farmer who owned it to get it cleaned up. It was accessed by a brick path shaded with honeysuckle. His friends from the am-dram club had excelled themselves with the decoration. Large wooden tubs filled to overflowing with marigolds and trailing ivy stood on either side of a great oak door which gave a heavy creak as it opened. Inside, the beautifully decorated top table was covered in the last of the summer roses from the garden at Copper Beeches, which were a perfect match for the bride’s bouquet.

His thoughts had been jumbled as he drove through the town on his way to his wedding. Marriage was a big step, but he was absolutely sure that he wanted to be with Sarah for the rest of his life. The girls had accepted him and enjoyed his company. Bear often kept them entertained with little tricks. Lu-Lu loved it whenever he produced a penny from behind her ear. Jenny tried to work out what he did when he folded back his thumb and moved his hand in a certain way, making it look as if he’d severed it. She would watch him put the severed digit into a match box, and then she would gasp as his finger reappeared, perfectly normal again. ‘How did you do that?’ she would laugh out loud.

Perhaps one day in the not too distant future he would talk to Sarah about legally adopting them. That way they would all have the same name. He didn’t want Henry Royale to have any part of their lives and because of that he felt a little stab of guilt. Whatever he thought of Henry, he was still their father, but Max was determined that he would be a far better dad to the girls than Henry had ever been.

Max arrived at the church just as the first guests were going in. He looked around anxiously. Every flower, every piece of ribbon had been carefully chosen. They cascaded from the huge church pillars and the perfume of the flowers filled the air. It all starts here, he thought to himself, and a small shiver of excitement coursed through his veins. How come he got so lucky? He never thought he’d meet a girl as wonderful as Sarah.

The cameraman took his photograph next to his best man, Oscar Garfield. The minutes ticked by. His heart beat anxiously. The girls arrived, pretty in new blue dresses with brand new sandals and carrying small posies of wildflowers. They had been so excited at the thought of the wedding. He grinned at them and Jenny giggled, covering her mouth to hide the gap in her teeth. But where was Sarah? Supposing she’d changed her mind … Then all at once, there she was, walking down the aisle on Cllr Mitchell’s arm. She had had no one to give her away and Annie had been thrilled when Sarah asked her father to do her the honour. He was equally pleased, having missed out when Annie had ‘married’ Henry.