‘Yes, but people won’t understand.’
‘So they’ll ask questions, Matthew, and they’ll talk to each other. Good publicity – and it’s free! Besides,’ she added shyly, ‘We will always know what it means, and where the name comes from. Perhaps your Uncle Dick will, too, and the ghost of Elvis.’
Matthew looked puzzled for a moment. Then he got it and began to laugh. ‘Why not!’ he said.
She grasped his arm and pressed her forehead hard into his shoulder. ‘You’re a good man, Matthew Greig,’ she whispered softly.
He didn’t hear her but she knew he felt the same about her. They were lucky, both of them.
*
Mum said, ‘I’m so glad you and Matthew have got together. I’m so very happy for you both. When are we going to start planning the wedding?’
Anna smiled. ‘Soon,’ she said. ‘But first we’ve got to get the shop opened. We’ve got to start earning money instead of just spending it.’
‘Quite right, too,’ Dad said. ‘Money doesn’t grow on trees.’
Mum swotted him with a rolled newspaper. ‘You old skinflint! It certainly doesn’t grow on our trees. I’ve never seen any money since the day I married you.’
‘Was that the worst day of your life, Mum?’
‘Easily! By far.’
Dad pulled her to him and Anna beat a retreat, laughing. She hoped she and Matthew would be as good with each other.
*
The day came. Anna proudly hung an OPEN sign on the shop door and stood back nervously. Would anyone come?
She needn’t have worried. If the sign hadn’t done the trick, the flyer she and Matthew had pushed through letter boxes might have done. Or the announcement they had had pinned on the village notice board. And if none of that had worked, one thing was sure: people would have known anyway. Word of mouth was still a viable technology in places like Callerton.
Even the Wilsons came to see what was happening. Anna was relaxed and offered them a cup of coffee. They both declined, Mr. Wilson graciously.
‘You’ve got it lovely, Anna,’ he said. ‘I hope you do well here. The village will have missed you since the old place closed.’
‘Thank you.’
Mrs. Wilson, not surprisingly, was pessimistic. ‘It’s hard to make a living with little shops these days,’ she said with a sniff and a frown.
‘We’ll just have to work hard, Mrs. Wilson,’ Anna said with a smile. ‘Matthew and I are both good at that. And how is retirement suiting you, can I ask?’
Mrs. Wilson gave her an uncertain smile.
Later, much later, when opening day was over, they had another party, one to which only the two of them were invited.
‘A perfect day,’ Matthew said.
Anna nodded. ‘Everything’s perfect now,’ she said softly.
Somewhere nearby music started up. ‘I know this song,’ Anna said, glancing at Matthew’s little recorder.
They gazed at one another a moment, smiling happily, and then they both began to sing: ‘It was always you from the start.’
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It Was Always You Page 12
