“Penny for them?” Stephanie tucked her arm through his and he looked down at her lovingly.
“Oh, I was just mulling over all the happenings and hoping Flora and Karen find good lives for themselves now they’re free of Avery, Smith and Butcher.”
“I was thinking about that. Karen wants to go away completely, but I was wondering how you would feel about us offering Flora work in the restaurant? She’s really good with food and she needs to find an alternative home somewhere out of London so that none of the people who were around Avery will be able to get to her. She wants a better life for her lad, Alfie, and we could help her to have that. What do you think?”
“I have no problem with that, if you think it is something she’d like. Alfie would certainly have a better life here.”
“Oh, thank you! I’ll tell her about it now.”
Alex watched her fondly as she hurried off and smiled as she talked with Flora, waving her hand in his direction. He waved at them and then turned to speak with Dan Cooke and Linda.
“Stephanie is offering Flora a job at our restaurant.”
“How do you feel about that?” asked Dan.
“I’m okay with it. I can understand Steph wanting to help a girl who’s suffered like she has. The little boy will have a better life here.”
Dan put his hand on Alex’s shoulder. “Good man. Those women need fresh starts. I admire you for being willing to help. No one would blame you if you refused.”
“But our village is a place that offers people fresh starts. We have a good community here. We will all look after Flora and Alfie.”
“I know you will. This is a very special place, with special people.”
“Steph and I are lucky that we came here. Everyone has given us so much support. Right, I think it’s time I took my bride away. Thank you for everything you’ve done, Mr Cooke.”
“Do call me Dan while I’m off duty.”
Having bade them goodbye, Alex hastened towards his wife and together they waved goodbye to everyone and went to their car, now bedecked with white ribbons and some cans and an old boot tied on the back bumper, with ‘Just Married’ on a card in the back window. Alex drove off and smiled indulgently as Stephanie hung out of the passenger window, waving wildly.
**********
Much later, when most people had left and the debris cleared away, Lucy and Kenny sat in the farmhouse with Dan and Linda, George, Netta, Rowena and Harry. Tom, Sheila and Joseph had gone home; for Sheila was worn out and ready for a rest.
Rowena, familiar with Lucy’s kitchen, helpfully made tea for everyone and they sat together companionably, watching John playing on the floor and Netta nursing the baby.
Lucy sighed. “It was a lovely day, wasn’t it?”
“It was. You did them proud,” remarked Linda. “Now I understand why Dan is always enthusiastic about your cooking because the food was wonderful, far superior to most wedding caterings I’ve attended. But I bet you’re tired, Lucy.”
“I am, but really, Sheila did most of the hard work. She is amazing, I hope I’m like her when I’m her age. And the waiting staff were marvellous. They were all trained by Alex and Stephanie you know and today we saw what great training they’ve all had.”
“What a lovely setting for a wedding reception. Perhaps you should go into business holding receptions here, Lucy,” Linda said.
“No way! I don’t mind doing it for a special friend but I wouldn’t do it as a business, it wouldn’t be fair to the children. Our home would cease to be a private home and we wouldn’t like that.”
“No, I think you’re right,” said Dan. “Pity though, it would be a lovely setting for Grant’s wedding reception.”
“His fiancé is beautiful and so nice with it. I’m not surprised he fell for her. When are they getting married?”
“I’m not sure. I’m expecting to hear he’s transferring out at any time. Then I’ll have to start again with a new sergeant. Pity, because we’re a good team.”
“Mm, that’s tough,” said Kenny. “But I expect you’ll deal with it when it comes, Dan. Sometimes change is good.”
“Yeah, you may be right.”
“So, is everything sorted now with the kidnappers?” asked George.
“Pretty much. You already know about the girls and Butcher. The girls have been very helpful as witnesses. The Met wants some of them for drug offences and other things. We are happy to pass them over! The word on the streets is that all the new pushers we were so concerned about have gone and we have witnesses who have identified them from their pictures. They will be sewn up nice and tight. A very satisfying result.”
Everyone nodded in agreement.
“I must say it’s good to feel safe,” remarked George. “Although I moved away and changed my name, I never felt truly safe. I always felt that Avery could materialise at any time. I’m glad he’s gone but I wish Stephanie hadn’t had to go through what she did.”
He turned to Harry. “If I try to persuade you to do something you don’t want to do, son, just tell me straight. If I’d had any idea that my pig-headedness would lead us into all this, I’d have thought twice.”
“Well, in some ways, it’s a good thing you were pig-headed, because it brought us to Sutton-on-Wye and we’re happier here than we’ve ever been,” replied Harry. “And although it was awful, Lucian Avery and his set-up are now crushed. I’d say it was worth it.”
“I think I agree with you,” said Netta, surprising everyone. “Oh, and I’ve found a wonderful house just gone up for sale in the village. We heard yesterday that a builder is interested in buying the old school and the land off us, so hopefully, we might soon have a home of our own and become permanent residents of Sutton-on-Wye.”
“Well, that is good news!” exclaimed Lucy. I’d suggest a celebration but I’m too tired to do anything else today.”
“Time enough to celebrate when we hold our house-warming. Come on, kids, let’s go home and leave Lucy and Kenny in peace.”
Dan and Linda stood up. “Yes, we must be off too. Thank you for having us.”
“Oh, you must come again! Come and enjoy the garden when it’s peaceful! We can contact each other now so we can arrange the next visit.”
Kenny saw everyone out and came back to Lucy who sat feeding Rosemary. He sat down next to her and put his arm around her.
“We have made some very nice friends and it’s lovely having them here but I’m always at my happiest when it’s just you and me and our little ones in our home. I love you.”
He picked John up. “Time for bed, little man. Shall Daddy tell you a story?”
Lucy smiled as her two menfolk left the room, chatting earnestly together. No story that Kenny could tell would be half as incredulous as that which their friends had just lived through.
Epilogue
Four Months later
“Alex! Take a look at this!”
Stephanie held out a letter to Alex, which he took and read quickly.
“My word! Lucian Avery died intestate. As his next of kin, you inherit his entire estate. My goodness, it’s millions! I’m married to a millionairess!”
She sat down suddenly. “I don’t want it! What would I do with a gambling casino? And as for that mausoleum of a house, there’s no way I want that.”
“Sell them. If I know anything about you, you’ll use the money to help people. You could help Flora, buy her a house, maybe send money to Karen to help her. There are all sorts of things you can do with the money. I think it’s poetic justice that you should get his money. He probably has off-shore accounts that they don’t know about yet. We could buy a house for ourselves and let Flora and Alfie live in the flat here. That way she wouldn’t have to worry about child-care while she worked.”
“I’ve no doubt that some has been seized by the police because of his illegal activities but there’ll still be loads left. I could help some of the women he’s had under his thumb.”
“It’s strange that Avery
never had any children, not by anyone.”
“He couldn’t have any. He had mumps when he was twenty and it made him sterile. I was thankful, I didn’t want to bear him any children and I’m sure no other woman wanted to either. I think that’s why he had so many women, he had to prove his manhood, even if he couldn’t father children.”
Alex shook his head in incredulous wonder. He couldn’t understand the man, never would.
“While I have your attention, I have something else to tell you.”
“What’s that then?” He took her in his arms and she looked up at him.
“Have I told you recently how much I love you?”
“Not since yesterday.”
“Well, I love you. And you’re going to be a daddy.”
“What?”
“I said, you’re going to be a daddy. I’m pregnant!”
He picked her up and twirled round while she squealed.
“Put me down, silly!”
He set her down and held her steady for a moment. Then he bent his head and kissed her.
“You’re incredible, and I love you, Mrs Townsend.”
If you have enjoyed this story (or if you didn’t!) please leave a short review on Amazon – and tell your friends! I’d be happy to hear from you, email me on the address below. Thank you. J.T.F.
Books by Jeanette Taylor Ford
The Sixpenny Tiger a poignant story of a boy abused by his stepmother
Rosa a psychological thriller
Bell of Warning a ghostly story
The Castell Glas Trilogy: A fantasy about an orphan who finds her family, the magical Welsh castle she inherits and the wicked ghostly entity bent on destroying them all.
The Hiraeth
Bronwen’s Revenge
Yr Aberth (The Sacrifice)
The River View Series
Aunt Bea’s Legacy (Book One) Mysterious happenings in the house Lucy inherits from her aunt.
By the Gate (Book Two) Farmer Price finds a buried skeleton, sparking off a seventy year old murder hunt.
Mostly About Bears, a small book of short stories and poems (Paperback only)
For Children:
Robin’s Ring a fantasy tale (Paperback only)
Coming soon: Robin’s Dragon
About the Author
Jeanette Taylor Ford is a retired Teaching Assistant. She grew up in Cromer, Norfolk and moved to Hereford with her parents when she was seventeen. Her love of writing began when she was a child of only nine or ten. When young her ambition was to be a journalist but life took her in another direction and her life’s work has been with children – firstly as a nursery assistant in a children’s home, and later in education. In between she raised her own six children and she now has seven grandchildren and two beautiful great-grandchildren.
Jeanette took up writing again in 2010; she reasoned that she would need something to do with retirement looming, although as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints she is kept busy. She lives with her husband Tony, a retired teacher and headmaster, in Derbyshire, England.
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Fear Has Long Fingers Page 24
