The Girl on the Doorstep
Page 33
Rosie had married Bill and was deliriously happy. Bill had wanted to give up the boat and work on the land, enabling his sons to work the ‘Two Hearts’, but Rosie had forbidden it. He loved working the canals and she would not take him from it. Besides, she told him, it would be so much sweeter when he came home to her. Rosie had remained living in the house she rented from Fanny as she was extremely happy there, and it provided a base for Bill when he was home from the boat. She enjoyed her occasional jaunts on the boat with Bill but, although she never thought it possible, she was happiest at home. It gave her time to reflect and look forward to his return.
The kumpania of gypsies had settled on the land behind the wharf and now and then she took a walk over to see them. Roma was growing well and thriving. Jake had taken her advice and married a Romany girl chosen at the last ‘Gathering’ but he had told her in confidence it was Rosie who he would love to his dying day.
Sarah had caused trouble as she had promised she would. She had visited the police station and told them of the unholy relationship between the two who worked the ‘Gypsy Dancer’. The police had raided the boat and brought in two strapping men who had taken over the boat after Tad’s demise. Sarah was unaware at that time that Tad Jenkins had drowned in the canal and Frank had returned to the ‘Two Hearts’ to be with his father. The men taken into custody proved their case by taking the police to visit their wives and children. Sarah was hauled into the station and put in the cells overnight for wasting police time. The shame of being in jail saw Sarah up and leave the area, telling no-one where she was going. Her life had been turned upside down and she needed to start afresh. She was not missed by anyone.
One hot summer day, Bill walked in whistling a merry tune. Rosie was not expecting him but was overjoyed to see him.
‘I have a surprise for you, Mrs Mitchell,’ he said as he kissed the tip of her nose.
‘A good one I hope,’ Rosie laughed.
‘Yes, indeed. As we couldn’t afford a honeymoon, I have two train tickets to London. It’s only for a day I’m afraid but we shall see all the sights!’
Rosie was thrilled at the idea of seeing the capital city and clapped her hands in excitement.
‘Get your glad rags on tomorrow for we shall away!’ Bill said dramatically throwing an imaginary cape over his shoulder.
Rosie collapsed in a fit of giggles.
At seven o’clock the next morning, Bill and Rosie boarded the steam train to London. They were both excited and chatted at length about what they would see. Rosie wanted to see Buckingham Palace.
Arriving in London, husband and wife were amazed at the amount of people bustling about. The noise was incredibly loud in the station, and once out on the street they saw it was not much better, but it added to the excitement of it all.
Asking directions as they went, they enjoyed many of the attractions London had to offer. It was as they walked back to the station, tired but happy, that Rosie stopped dead in her tracks.
‘Are you all right sweetheart?’ Bill asked.
Rosie nodded but her eyes remained rooted to the shop across the road from where she stood.
‘What is it Rosie? What’s wrong?’ Bill was concerned that Rosie might have taken ill.
‘Look at that, Bill.’ She tilted her head towards the building she was staring at.
Bill cast a quick glance then his eyes came back to her.
‘That’s Lucy’s gallery,’ Rosie said with a smile.
‘How do you know?’ Bill asked as his attention went back to the shop with paintings and sketches in the window.
‘She once told me she would have her own gallery one day and she would call it LuRi – the first two letters of her fore and surname because she had difficulty writing.’
Just then the gallery door opened and Lucy stepped out followed by a gentleman with a top hat and walking cane. They shook hands and Lucy laughed. She was dressed in a green taffeta dress and her blonde hair shone in the sunshine.
‘Are you going in to say hello?’ Bill asked as they watched Lucy retreat back inside the gallery.
Rosie shook her head and with a smile said, ‘No, we have separate lives now. I don’t want to open old wounds. She’s happy at last, as are we.’
‘As you like.’ Bill smiled.
‘Besides, I think we should go home,’ Rosie said hooking her arm through his.
‘If you’re sure.’
‘Yes, I’m tired now.’
‘But you’re all right – you’re not feeling ill?’ Bill was still concerned for his wife’s welfare.
‘No, I’m not ill, but pregnant ladies tire easily.’ Rosie grinned as she saw the shock on her husband’s face.
In an instant he had swept her up in his arms. She laughed loudly as he carried her down the street much to the amusement of people passing. He was calling out, ‘Please make way; we’re going to have a baby!’
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Acknowledgements
Thank you to Jillian Burton for the wonderful photographs of the canals and locks whilst on her boating holiday.
Also, thanks to Juliet Shaw for the loan of her books with regard to narrowboats and their workings.
About Lindsey Hutchinson
LINDSEY HUTCHINSON lives in Shropshire with her husband and dog and loves to read and has recently discovered photography. She is the daughter of million copy bestselling author Meg Hutchinson.
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Addictive Fiction
First published in the United Kingdom in 2018 by Aria, an imprint of Head of Zeus Ltd
Copyright © Lindsey Hutchinson, 2018
The moral right of Lindsey Hutchinson to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act of 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.
This is a work of fiction. All characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
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A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
ISBN (E) 9781788541480
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