by Dilly Court
‘If you run now I’ll never forgive you, darling.’
Chapter Twenty-One
Ginnie sank down on the softly padded seat, staring straight ahead with her hands clenched around the small bouquet of roses and stephanotis that Avril had just passed to her with a warning frown.
Shirley nudged her in the ribs. ‘For God’s sake, Ginnie, this is a wedding not a funeral. Smile.’
Ginnie stretched her lips into a semblance of a grin. She could feel Nick’s steady gaze and she knew that when the ceremony was over she would have to face him. She barely heard the registrar’s words or the responses from the bride and groom. It all passed in a surreal dreamlike state, and when it was over and the happy couple were signing the register a buzz of conversation rippled round the room. She faced Shirley angrily. ‘Did you organise this?’
‘What are you talking about?’
‘Don’t look so innocent. Did you ask Danny to bring Nick all this way just to see Avril get married?’
‘No, I didn’t, so there’s no need to look daggers at me. Danny telephoned to say that he had to work last weekend and I just happened to mention the wedding. It wasn’t as though it was a state secret.’
‘Avril didn’t tell me you were coming,’ Ginnie whispered. ‘She said it would be a quiet affair, which is why I stayed on.’
‘Then she must have changed her mind. It’s her day after all.’
‘I know that, but it all feels like a set-up to me. Where’s Mum? And who’s looking after the kids?’
‘She is, of course. What’s the matter with you? You’re acting crazy.’
‘I need some air,’ Ginnie said, rising to her feet. ‘I’ll see you later.’ She walked down the aisle, refusing to look left or right, and did not stop until she was outside in the street. She leaned against the iron railings, fanning herself with Avril’s bouquet which she was still clutching in her clenched fist.
‘Are you running away from me?’
She looked round to see Nick making his way slowly and carefully down the steps and she had to curb the impulse to rush to his side and help him. She clung to her anger, using it as a safety barrier between her emotions and her instinctive desire to protect the man she loved. ‘Why did you come here today, Nick?’
‘I wanted to pay my respects to Avril and Lionel. They were my friends before I met you.’
She looked away, unable to meet his steady gaze. ‘Thanks for putting me in my place.’
‘You know I didn’t mean it like that.’
‘Do I? I don’t know what you mean or what you want, Nick.’
He caught her by the shoulders, turning her slowly to face him. ‘Can’t we start over, Ginnie? I was a mixed-up knucklehead when you came to Eagle Rock, but I can see clearly now in more ways than one.’
She looked into his eyes and was very nearly lost in the intensity of his gaze, but she had been this way before and it had been a disaster. ‘I’m glad you’ve regained your sight,’ she said, choosing her words carefully.
‘I can see you, Ginnie. Even when I was almost totally blind I could still see you with my heart. I know that you’re the one and only girl for me and I want you to believe that.’
It would be so easy to give in and throw herself into his embrace, but she forced herself to remain calm and outwardly aloof. Her instincts were telling her one thing but the warning voice in her head refused to be silenced. ‘I think you mean it,’ she said slowly. ‘But we’ve been this way before.’
‘And I’m sorry, honey. How many times have I got to say it?’
She laid her finger on his lips. ‘Saying is one thing, keeping to it another. I travelled all the way to America to be with you, but you turned me down, so why should I trust you not to do it all over again when you suffer a setback? I’ve got problems of my own, Nick. I don’t need this.’ She steeled herself to walk past him and mount the steps, but the wedding guests were emerging from the register office, chattering and laughing. She stood aside to let them pass and out of the corner of her eye she could see Nick standing where she had left him. He was clutching the iron railings and his knuckles showed white beneath his tanned skin. He was staring up at her with a look of bafflement, but she did not relent. He had hurt her too much in the past to risk another bitter disappointment. Turning her back on him she edged her way into the building. There was someone else she needed to see.
But she did not get the chance to speak to Steven alone until late that evening. The uninvited wedding guests had followed the bridal party back to the pub, and the tiny bar was packed. Partygoers spilled out onto the riverbank, sitting at the rustic tables and enjoying the fine summer evening.
Lionel had managed to get a crate of champagne from an unknown source, although Ginnie had noticed a suspicious-looking character going into the vicarage on the previous Monday afternoon when she had been walking along the riverbank. She had seen plenty of spivs in London and this person might have stepped from a Most Wanted poster; but that was between Lionel and his conscience, and she had enjoyed a glass of champagne or two before going in search of Steven.
She found him on the river’s edge, gazing into the fast-flowing water, dappled with moonlight. ‘It’s a lovely evening,’ she said softly.
He did not look up. ‘Yes, it is.’
She sensed his reserve. ‘Is everything all right, Steven? You haven’t said a word to me all afternoon.’
‘I didn’t want to spoil the day.’ He met her anxious gaze with a worried frown. ‘Things aren’t going too well, Ginnie.’
‘I knew I should have been there.’
‘Let’s sit down, shall we?’ He indicated a wooden bench that had just been vacated by Farmer Lewis and his wife.
‘What’s happened?’ Ginnie took a seat beside him. ‘If Ida can’t cope with the shop she should have let me know.’
‘The shop is running smoothly, as far as I can gather.’ He reached out to hold her hand. ‘It’s Mallory. He’s done his utmost to blacken your name. He’s filed a complaint against you citing the various inspections of the property as evidence that you’ve let it fall into disrepair, and because of that you are an unfit tenant.’
‘But that’s nonsense. It was a put-up job.’
‘It’s difficult to prove.’
Her mouth was suddenly dry and she shivered, even though it was still warm in the shelter of the whispering trees. ‘Do you mean that I’m going to lose the shop? Can’t we put up a fight?’
‘I’m doing everything I can, but if Mallory pulls strings in the council he might be able to block our appeal. He wants the shop regardless. It seems to have become a twisted kind of crusade as far as he’s concerned.’
‘What can we do?’
‘I don’t know. I’ve exhausted the legal channels and I think we might have to resort to something more drastic.’
‘Like what?’
‘It’s a long shot, but if you could get Mallory to admit what he’s being doing in front of witnesses, better still council officials, we could discredit him and clear you.’
‘How on earth would I do that?’
‘That’s something we’d have to work on.’
She stood up. ‘I’m going home tomorrow. I shouldn’t have stayed away for so long.’
‘I’m on your side, Ginnie.’ He rose to his feet, taking both her hands in his. ‘I haven’t had the chance to tell you how lovely you look today. We’ll do this together. I won’t let him beat us.’
‘Ginnie.’
She jumped at the sound of her name, jerking her hands free as she turned to see Nick standing on the bank above them with Shirley and Danny close behind him. ‘It’s not what it looks like,’ she said hastily.
‘You should have been straight with me,’ Nick said angrily. ‘Why didn’t you tell me that there was someone else?’
‘Hold on, old man.’ Steven slipped his arm around Ginnie’s shoulders. ‘Don’t speak to her like that.’
‘I can stand up for myself, thank you, Stev
en.’ Ginnie shook free from his restraining arm and climbed the steps to face Nick. ‘You don’t own me, Nick Miller. You think you can turn up out of the blue and everything will be forgiven and forgotten. Well, I’ve got news for you – it won’t. I told you outside the register office and I’m telling you again now – I’m not going to let you get close only to change your mind if anything goes wrong with your job or you get cold feet.’
Steven was at her side in a moment. ‘Is there still something between you two, Ginnie? I need to know.’
She spun round to face him. ‘Why? Just because you’re helping me out doesn’t mean that you can run my life.’
Steven recoiled as if she had slapped his face. ‘I’m trying to help you, Ginnie. I thought we had something going for us.’
‘That was because you didn’t listen to me.’ Ginnie threw up her hands in despair. ‘I’ve been straight with you all along and I did my best to convince you that there could never be anything other than friendship between us.’
‘You tell them, Ginnie,’ Shirley said enthusiastically. ‘Just because I’m a widow doesn’t mean that I’m desperate for a man either.’
‘Don’t get upset, honey.’ Danny laid his hand on her shoulder. ‘No one’s accusing you of anything. I think you’re great.’
She pushed him away. ‘That goes for you too, Danny Flynn. You know that I loved Tony and I always will.’
‘Tony?’ Steven murmured. ‘What about Laurence?’
Shirley shrugged her shoulders. ‘Him too. I loved them both, and they’re dead. Now I’ve got two kids to bring up on my own.’ She seized Ginnie by the hand. ‘Come on. Let’s leave the men to sort it out between them. I want another glass of champagne.’ She dragged Ginnie across the grass and up the steps into the bar, where the crowd had thinned to a few of the regulars and the happy couple. ‘Is there any bubbly left?’ Shirley demanded in a loud voice. She tottered over to the counter.
Avril clutched Ginnie’s arm. ‘What’s going on?’
‘It’s all gone terribly wrong. Why did you invite them all up here? I thought it was going to be a quiet affair.’
‘I’m sorry, darling. I thought it would be good for you to have Shirley and Steven here, but I didn’t invite Nick and Danny. Somebody must have told them about the wedding, but it wasn’t me.’
Ginnie shot an angry glance at her sister’s back. Shirley was leaning on the bar chatting to Farmer Lewis’s son, Jonathan, a strapping six-footer with a fresh complexion and expectations of inheriting the two-hundred-acre family farm. ‘I know that, Avril. It was my interfering sister.’
‘Perhaps she thought she was doing you a favour. After all you do still love the fellow, don’t you?’
Ginnie bit her lip. ‘It’s not that simple.’
‘And he obviously loves you or he wouldn’t have come all this way to find you.’
‘I’m about to lose my business and I’ve been accused of all sorts of foul things by Mallory. I need to be on my own so that I can think straight. I’m going for a walk.’
Avril stared down at the high-heeled satin shoes she had loaned Ginnie for the occasion. ‘Not in my best dancing slippers. Go up and change into something more sensible and put on a wrap.’
Ginnie reached over to drop a kiss on Avril’s scented cheek. ‘You’re a tartar, Mrs Vicar.’
Lionel had said nothing until this point but he shook his head at Ginnie. ‘Less cheek, young lady. You’re speaking to Mrs Lionel Smithers.’
Despite her chaotic emotions, Ginnie managed a smile. ‘All right, but I think the locals will always call her Mrs Vicar.’ She hurried from the bar and ran upstairs to her room. She changed her shoes and slipped a cardigan around her shoulders. It rather spoilt the effect of the dress, but she took off the hat and tossed it on the bed before going downstairs again and letting herself out of the side entrance. She headed for the riverbank but came to a sudden halt as someone stepped out of the bushes, barring her way.
‘Ginnie, we need to talk to you.’
‘What is there left to say, Steven?’
‘Forget what happened earlier. This is important. We’ve been talking it over and we’ve come up with a plan.’ Taking her by the arm he led her down the steps to the bench overlooking the water. Danny and Nick were already there and they rose to their feet.
‘What is this?’ Ginnie demanded. ‘What sort of plan?’
‘Sit down,’ Steven said firmly. ‘Keep quiet for once and listen. We’ve all got your best interests at heart, no matter what our personal feelings might be.’ He inclined his head in Nick’s direction.
‘Sure. I agree.’ Nick subsided onto the seat, patting the empty space beside him. ‘We’ve gone into it carefully, and we think we’ve come up with a solution.’
It was closing time when they returned to the bar. The barmaid had been sent home and Lionel was clearing the tables while Avril washed glasses in the small sink beneath the counter. She looked up and smiled. ‘I sent Shirley to bed in her old room. She’s been celebrating a little too enthusiastically. I’m afraid the poor dear will have a terrible headache in the morning.’
Lionel glanced from one face to the other, eyebrows raised. ‘You all look very serious. This is supposed to be a happy occasion.’
Ginnie took the cloth from him. ‘I’ll finish up for you, Lionel.’
‘I won’t argue with that.’ He went to the bar and perched on a stool. ‘What will you have to drink, chaps? You look as though you could do with one.’
‘Yes, what’s going on?’ Avril asked curiously. ‘Sit down and tell us.’
‘It’s your wedding night, and it’s getting late,’ Steven said awkwardly. ‘Maybe we ought to be on our way back to the hotel.’
‘Just one drink.’ Avril placed four glasses and a bottle of champagne on the bar counter. ‘I was saving this one for you.’
Nick took the stool next to Lionel. ‘That’s very kind of you, Avril. It’s quite like old times.’ He glanced at Ginnie and she responded with a vague smile.
‘Not quite. A lot has happened since then.’
Danny pulled up a chair and sat down. ‘We’ve been hearing about Ginnie’s fight to keep the business going. It seems like she’s had a raw deal.’
‘So what are you going to do about it?’ Lionel uncorked the champagne and poured.
‘We’re working on a plan,’ Nick said, keeping his gaze fixed on Ginnie. ‘Steven thought it up and both Danny and I think it’s the only way to go.’
‘But you’re all forgetting one thing,’ Ginnie said softly. ‘I’m broke and it’s going to cost money. I can’t even afford your fees, Steven, and I won’t let you work for nothing. It’s not fair to take advantage of friendship like that.’
‘I thought we had something more, but I realise now it was wishful thinking.’
Lionel handed him a glass of champagne. ‘You’re a good man, Steven. We won’t see you out of pocket.’ He glanced at his wife. ‘Will we, Mrs Vicar?’
Avril flicked the wet dishcloth at him. ‘I get enough of that from the locals.’ She was suddenly serious. ‘I’ve already told Ginnie that I’m more than willing to pay her legal expenses, Steven. I agree entirely with Lionel. You mustn’t work for nothing, especially at the start of your career. You must do whatever you have to do, and hang the expense.’
‘Well said, Mrs Vicar.’ Lionel clapped his hands. ‘Now, gentlemen, you must put us out of our misery. What is this great plan?’
Leaving the newly-weds to start their married life with a promise to return soon, Ginnie left for London next morning. Nick and Steven were both subdued during the train journey, treating each other with polite indifference. Danny was cheerful, as always, in contrast to Shirley who was pale and complained of a headache, but received little sympathy as it was self-inflicted. Danny prescribed a couple of aspirin and a glass of seltzer before they left, and by the time they reached Paddington she was her old bubbly self.
When they parted to go their separate ways, N
ick drew Ginnie aside. ‘I’m taking the job at Moorfields. I’m not going anywhere and I’ll prove to you that I meant every word I said outside the register office. I know I behaved like a jerk, but that won’t happen again. I don’t deserve you, Ginnie, and that’s the truth, but I’m going to do my darnedest to win you back. I want you to trust me.’
She knew by the tremor in his voice and the agonised look in his dark eyes that he was in earnest, but she was still wary. ‘I believe you mean it,’ she said slowly. ‘Maybe in time, Nick. Just maybe.’
‘Take care of yourself, Shirley,’ Danny said, giving her a hug. ‘And give those kids a big kiss from Uncle Danny.’
‘I will, and you must come over and see them when you get some time off.’ Shirley linked her hand through Steven’s arm. ‘We’ll see you boys soon.’ She blew them a kiss and walked off towards the tube station with Steven in tow.
Ginnie was about to follow them when Nick caught her by the hand. ‘Are you sure there’s nothing between you and him?’
She brushed his lips with a kiss. ‘Absolutely certain. Take care of yourself.’ She turned to Danny with a grateful smile. ‘You’re a good friend. I don’t know what we’d do without you.’
His face flushed at the compliment and he shrugged his shoulders. ‘We were the three musketeers, weren’t we, Nick? You, me and Tony.’
‘Sure.’ Nick nodded, keeping his gaze fixed firmly on Ginnie. ‘We had some good times.’
‘We were all just living for the moment,’ Ginnie murmured, sighing. ‘We all lost someone we loved.’
‘Tony was a great guy,’ Nick said as if reading her thoughts. ‘And he was crazy about your sister.’
‘She’s never quite got over losing him.’ For a moment they had regained some of their old empathy and Ginnie felt a sudden sense of panic. It would be so easy to fall back into a relationship with Nick, but this was neither the time nor the place. She turned to Danny. ‘I always thought that you and Shirley might . . .’
