Wish Me Luck (30 page)

‘Of course we will,’ Robbie said. ‘That’s very kind of you, Harry.’

The old man beamed. ‘Right.’ Harry raised his voice. ‘Everyone across to the Mucky Duck.’

There was a ripple of laughter.

‘The what?’ Kenny blinked.

Ruth hooked her arm through his. ‘It’s the White Swan, really, but all the locals call it the Mucky Duck. Come on, you can escort me. I’m supposed to walk with the best man – handsome devil, isn’t he, in that uniform – but his girlfriend’s here and I don’t want to spoil the little bit of time they’ve got to spend together.’

‘It’s my pleasure,’ Kenny said gallantly and the faint flush on his face told her that indeed it was.

The crew of Robbie’s aircraft and six WAAFs, Kay and Peggy amongst them, formed a guard of honour down the pathway. Handsome young men in their smart blue uniforms that not only set the hearts of the young women in the village aflutter, but caused several of the older women to smile fondly and wish themselves forty years younger.

Then Harry led the way from the church across the road, pushing Mrs Jackson in the borrowed bath chair. ‘Come on, folks, follow me,’ he called, his excitement bubbling over as the wedding party fell into step behind them, with the vicar bringing up the rear.

‘Dear old Harry,’ Ruth murmured. ‘He’s loving this, isn’t he?’

Kenny was thoughtful. ‘D’you know, I reckon he’s up to summát.’

‘Eh?’ Ruth’s eyes widened. ‘What d’you mean?’

‘I dunno. Maybe he’s got them a special present that he can’t wait to give them. But there’s something going on behind those twinkling eyes. And there’s something else funny too.’

‘What?’

‘Well, I’d’ve thought there’d’ve been crowds to watch my beautiful sister come out of church, but there’s hardly anyone about now. In South Monkford, I know it’s a town and we’ve got a big church, but the street’s usually lined with folk when there’s a wedding going off. Anybody’s wedding – it doesn’t matter whose. They just like to have a nosy.’

‘Mm,’ Ruth mused. ‘Funny that. Mind you, most of them were in church. Maybe they’ve seen all they wanted to.’

Harry was rushing on ahead as fast as his bent old legs would carry him and wheezing a little as he pushed the bath chair in front of him. Arriving at the main entrance of the pub, he parked the chair outside and helped Mary Jackson to stand up and walk inside. But instead of disappearing, he threw open the double doors and stood just inside, beaming at the bride and groom walking towards him.

As they approached, Bill Moore, dressed smartly in a black suit, white shirt and black bow tie, came to stand beside Harry to usher the wedding party inside.

As Fleur and Robbie stepped into the dark interior of the public bar, a huge cheer threatened to shake the rafters. It seemed as if the whole village was crammed into the room.

Fleur gasped and gazed around, stunned by the applause that greeted them and the cries of ’Congratulations’ and ’Good Luck’ on every side.

‘So that’s where they all disappeared to.’ Kenny laughed.

‘Come through, come through,’ Harry said, leading the way into a large room just beyond the bar. He stood to one side and waved his arm to show them a table at the far end, laden with food. In the centre stood a magnificent wedding cake, complete with bride and groom figurines on the top.

‘Everyone in the village has contributed. The women have been baking all week and . . .’

‘Oh, Harry!’ Now the tears flooded down Fleur’s face. The kindness of all the villagers, some of whom she hardly knew, was overwhelming. Even Robbie had tears in his eyes. He held out his hand and shook Harry’s hard. ‘Thank you, Harry. This is wonderful. I really don’t know how to thank everyone.’

‘It’s us who wanted to say “thank you”, lad. To you and your lass here. To all of you really . . .’ He nodded his head to include the best man in his RAF uniform and Ruth in her bridesmaid’s dress. ‘That’s fighting this war for us. It’s our way of showing our gratitude. But ’specially to you two and Ruth for all you’ve done for me an’ Mary. You’re . . . you’re like family to us. No disrespect to your own families, like.’

‘None taken,’ Jake, standing just behind Fleur, murmured. He was touched by the villagers’ obvious fondness for his daughter and for Meg’s boy, as he still called Robbie in his own mind. He only wished Betsy was here to see all this and hear what was being said. Perhaps it would melt even her hard heart.

But he doubted it.

Robbie was nodding his thanks, but unable to speak for the lump in his throat and Fleur was still trying to stem her tears. But they were tears of happiness.

Just for a few short hours they could all forget the war and its tragedies and celebrate a happy occasion. A very happy occasion.

Of course the moment had to come. The moment when Jake and Meg came face to face for the first time in twenty-two years.

As the guests milled around, helping themselves to the food, chattering and laughing, Meg made her way through the throng to stand behind him.

‘Hello, Jake. How are you?’

He heard her voice and, slowly, he turned to face her. The breath caught in his throat. She was even more beautiful than he remembered. He didn’t see the tiny lines around her eyes; to him the years fell away and there before him was his flame-haired Meg with her heartbreaking smile.

He cleared his throat but his voice was still a little husky as he answered, ‘Fine, Meg. And you? You .. . you look – wonderful.’ He couldn’t stop the compliment escaping his lips, even though he felt disloyal to the absent Betsy the moment the words were said. But Meg was smiling up at him, her green eyes gently teasing him. ‘So do you.’

Jake pulled a face. ‘I don’t know about that. I’ve a lot more wrinkles and grey hairs.’

Meg’s gaze never left his face. ‘No,’ she said softly. ‘You haven’t changed. You’re still my – still Jake.’

There was an awkward pause before she went on, making her tone deliberately light. ‘Who’d’ve thought it, eh? Your girl and my boy. Must be fate taking a hand, Jake.’

Jake sighed. ‘That’s one way of putting it, I suppose. But is it a kind fate or a cruel one?’

Meg glanced across at Robbie and Fleur, who were touring the room, making sure they spoke to each and every person there to give their thanks.

‘He’s not like me, Jake. Just in case you’re worried. He’s got none of my badness. He loves Fleur dearly. He won’t hurt her like I.. .’ Her voice trailed away and Jake saw the tears shimmer in her eyes.

‘Oh, don’t cry, Meggie, I couldn’t bear it,’ he whispered and fished out the spotless white handkerchief from his top pocket. ‘Here.’ His use of the pet name he’d always had for her all those years ago was almost her undoing. For a moment the tears threatened to spill over.

‘Thanks.’ Meg dabbed carefully at her eyes. Then she handed him the handkerchief, which he stuffed back into his pocket.

‘You weren’t bad,’ he told her softly. ‘Just . . . just very young and you’d been so hurt by – well – by life. I said some very harsh things to you then, Meggie. I’m sorry.’

‘I deserved them, Jake,’ she said simply. ‘But I want you to know, I’ve changed. Ever since that day when I nearly lost Robbie, when that dreadful woman tried to snatch him away from me, I’ve tried to make up for all the terrible things I did. I know I can’t change the past, but I’ve tried to be a better person. Truly, I have.’

‘Don’t be so hard on yourself, Meggie. We . . . we all make mistakes. We’ve all done things we maybe shouldn’t have.’ She looked at him keenly, but he was avoiding her gaze now. ‘Can I ask you something, Meg? Don’t answer, if you don’t want to.’

She knew a moment’s panic, but then remembered. This was Jake she was talking to: Jake, who knew everything there was to know about her. She had no secrets from him. Nor did she want any. If there was one person in the whole wide world whom Meg could trust, it was Jake.

‘Is it true that you have your father living with you?’

Meg laughed with relief. ‘Yes, but I can see why you’re surprised.’ She smiled impishly now. ‘That’s all part of my reformed character, Jake. How could I continue to bear a grudge against him when I did things that were just as bad, if not worse?’

Jake pursed his lips. ‘Well, it was because of what
he
did that made you like that. You were only searching for security. For someone to take care of you. You couldn’t wait for . . .’ His voice trailed away.

Meg shook her head. ‘Don’t try to excuse me, Jake. I . . . I should have had more faith.’ Her voice was almost an inaudible whisper as she added, ‘More faith in you.’

‘How did he come back into your life?’

‘Just turned up at my door one day. He’d been living rough. He was in a terrible state. How could I turn him away?’

‘What happened to Alice Smallwood? The girl he ran off with?’

Meg shrugged. ‘She’d found a bigger fish. Ran off with someone with money. Pops has never talked about her much, but I gather he tried to follow her, and the feller she’d taken up with got some of his cronies to beat Pops up. Nearly killed him. He’d still got a lot of the bruises by the time he found me.’ She paused and then added softly, ‘He’s spent every day since trying to make it up to me and he’s been wonderful for Robbie.’ She glanced across fondly at her son. ‘That’s one thing I’m never going to apologize for, Jake. Having Robbie. Though I could have wished that his father—’

‘Don’t, Meggie, don’t say it.’ He reached out and took her hand. ‘It shouldn’t be spoken of. Not today of all days.’

‘No, you’re right.’ She smiled up at him, her tears dried now. ‘Today’s a happy day. Let’s just enjoy it. Let’s just enjoy seeing each other again because I gather’ – she looked around the room – ‘that this might be the only chance we’ll ever get.’

‘Yes,’ Jake said sadly. ‘I’m afraid it probably is, Meggie.’

‘Fleur,’ Robbie whispered close to her ear so that no one else could hear. ‘Don’t look now, but your dad is holding my mum’s hand.’

‘Eh?’ Startled, Fleur looked round quickly, her gaze seeking out Jake and Meg.

‘No, no, don’t look. Don’t – spoil it. In a minute or two as we move round the room, take a look though. There’s something between them. You can see it in their faces. Just look.’

Fleur tried to concentrate on what the woman in front of her was saying. ‘My dear, you look lovely,’ the little woman who helped her husband run the village bakery gushed. ‘It’s done us so much good to have such a pretty wedding in the midst of these dark times. Everyone in the village has loved planning this little surprise for you both. Of course, it was Harry’s idea, but we’ve all chipped in. I made the cake. I’m so sorry it’s covered with a cardboard decoration instead of real icing.’

‘You’ve all been wonderful. You’ve made our day even more special. And the cake looks wonderful. You’d never know until you get right near it that it’s not real. But the real cake underneath tastes delicious,’ Fleur said and, impulsively, she leant forward and kissed the woman’s cheek.

‘Lots of people gave me fruit for it,’ the little woman went on, blushing a little. ‘And Mr Clegg gave me the eggs.’

‘How very kind everyone has been.’

Then, at last, Fleur was able to move away and take a surreptitious look across the crowded room towards her father and Meg. What she saw made her catch her breath in a gasp of surprise.

Close beside her, Robbie murmured, ‘See what I mean?’

‘Yes.’ Fleur nodded slowly. ‘Yes, I do.’

Jake and Meg were standing close together looking into each other’s faces as if there was no one else in the room. They were oblivious to the chatter and laughter around them, completely lost in their own little world.

Fleur made an involuntary movement towards them, but Robbie touched her arm and said softly, ‘Don’t spoil it, Fleur. What harm can it do? Just this once. This may be the only time they’ll ever have.’

Fleur bit her lip. Even from the other side of the room, she could see the raw emotion on her father’s face, could see Robbie’s mother’s eyes shimmering with tears, and her tremulous smile.

‘Yes, but what about my mum? What about her?’

‘She was the one who chose not to come today.’

‘Yes – and now we can see why, can’t we?’

Robbie sighed. ‘But if she had come, darling, that’ – he nodded towards the couple – ‘wouldn’t be happening, now would it?’

‘I suppose not,’ Fleur agreed.

‘I don’t expect they’ll ever meet up again. Let them just have these few moments, eh?’

Fleur nodded, a lump in her throat. She felt torn by divided loyalties: loyalty to her mother and yet now she understood a little more the reason behind the faraway look she had so often seen in her father’s eyes.

‘Kenny’ll put a stop to it, though, if he sees.’

Robbie laughed softly. ‘He’s got eyes for no one but Ruth, darling. I don’t think he’ll even notice. Now, come along, I think we can be on our way without it looking too rude to all these kind people.’

They made another circuit of the room, saying goodbye to everyone and repeating their thanks.

Kenny pumped Robbie’s hand. ‘Look after my big sister, else I’ll be after you.’