Family Drama 4 E-Book Bundle (87 page)

A small voice called from behind the bedroom door. ‘Mummy …' And anxious that the child shouldn't come out and see what had happened, Dottie dashed across the landing into Patsy's room.

The first flurry of snow began as they drove out of Worthing. By the time they'd reached the turnoff for Yapton, it was beginning to settle. It was 1952, one year later and Christmas Eve. Dottie and John were on their way to pick up his mother for Christmas in the village. She'd left Patsy and the others back at Mary's place, busy making mince pies for the carol service in St Andrew's later that evening.

‘What a difference a year makes,' John grinned.

Dottie nodded slowly, remembering last Christmas when Reg had broken into Myrtle Cottage and fallen down the stairs. Thank God John and the policeman had been there.

Kipper, anxious that Dottie would be in the house on her own, had rung John to tell him Reg had been spotted in the area. John was so frantic, he'd arranged for his colleague to cover for him while he drove over to Worthing to make sure that Dottie was all right.

The two of them had arrived just in time to see Reg enter the cottage. John was all for arresting him there and then but Kipper held back and as a result they'd heard Reg's confession. When it was all over, Dottie was surprised that she felt no grief. In fact, she didn't feel anything. She had been married to him and now he was gone.

The past twelve months had brought a complete change in all their circumstances. Gary was back home with Peaches and
Jack and Mandy. He'd made such good progress he'd been able to shed the calliper, although he still walked with a slight limp. Everyone agreed he'd made an amazing recovery.

Michael and Freda had a bouncing baby boy, birth weight nine pounds, and Dottie had been asked to be godmother.

‘Imagine that,' Mary gasped. ‘None of mine were more than seven pounds and that little slip of a girl gives birth to an elephant!'

In the same month, King George VI died of lung cancer. Like thousands of others, Dottie, Peaches, Ann and Mary huddled together around the wireless and wept.

In March, Dottie put Myrtle Cottage up for sale. By the time the May blossom was out, Ann and Vince were married. ‘I'm Mrs Vincent Dobbs,' Ann sighed as Dottie, Peaches and Mary helped her change into her going-away outfit. She held out her left hand and the gold band on her finger glistened in the light. ‘It so good to have a man to lean on.'

‘There's nothing like a good wedding,' said Peaches, digging Dottie in the ribs.

Dottie felt her face colour. She and John were very close, but ever since Reg died, he hadn't even mentioned marriage. ‘I want to stand on my own two feet,' said Dottie, keen to put a stop to her friends' speculation. ‘I've decided I don't need a man to be happy.'

Peaches shook her head. ‘Oh, Dottie …'

But Mary had surprised them all by saying, ‘Good for you, hen.'

Dottie said nothing. Even if she had the chance to marry John, perhaps the stigma of her once living with a murderer might damage his career.

With the five hundred pounds she got for the sale of the cottage, Dottie had bought a small shop in the centre of Worthing and set up her own furnishing business. Sylvie had recommended her to all her friends and Dottie had a full order book before
Fabulous Furnishings had even opened its doors. Mariah Fitzgerald couldn't wait to tell all her friends that she had been the one who discovered Dottie. Her beautifully decorated bedroom became the talk of the Golf Club. By Whitsun, the requests were coming in so fast, Dottie was forced to close for a week to teach Ann how to measure up accurately. Mary said Dottie was kindness itself, but Dottie felt Ann simply needed a leg up. After all, she was a quick-witted and intelligent woman.

Patsy was really settled now. She and Billy had both passed their eleven plus and were doing well at school.

By the end of the summer, despite her best efforts to convince herself that he was just a friend, Dottie was still hopelessly in love with John. She deeply regretted holding him at arm's length now, but he seemed happy to leave things as they were.

As she and John drove out of town to fetch his mother, Dottie's mind drifted back to the night before when she and Mary had been filling their hot water bottles. She and Patsy had left their little flat over the shop and come to stay with the Priors for Christmas.

‘John wants to help me adopt Patsy officially.' Dottie had told her.

‘Oh? I didn't think it was possible for a single woman to adopt a child.'

‘Apparently, because I'm a woman of independent means, I may be able to do it if I get the backing of a professional.'

‘But if you and John got married,' said Mary pointedly, ‘there would be no problem at all.' Dottie looked away. Mary pressed the filled bottle to her chest until the water drew level with the top and then she screwed in the stopper. ‘You love him, don't you?'

‘You know I do,' said Dottie.

‘Well then?' said Mary.

‘I think he's changed his mind,' said Dottie. She sighed. ‘Maybe it's just as well. I may have been exonerated from the goings-on
in Eastbourne, but in the kind of circles where he mixes, you know what they're like. They'll say there's no smoke without fire.'

‘Now you're being silly,' scoffed Mary. ‘Why should he care what people think? And besides, you're a rich woman, Dottie Cox. You can afford to move away and start all over again.'

‘I couldn't bear to be parted from all of you!' Dottie cried. ‘Where would I find such wonderful friends? Anyway, it's nothing to do with money. It's class. John has a position to keep up. He'll choose a wife who'll play the hostess and stay at home. Now that I've had a taste of running my own business, I'm not sure I could go back to all that.'

Mary had plonked herself on the edge of the kitchen table. ‘Sometimes you do talk utter rot, Dottie. You're just putting up obstacles. What does it matter when two people love each other?'

‘What do you mean?'

‘My Tom had his own Post Office when I met him.'

‘So?'

‘I worried that he was just looking for a post mistress to help him,' Mary went on. ‘I mean, I'm hardly Joan Crawford, am I? Just look at me.' She was dressed for bed in her nightie and plaid dressing gown; her moth-eaten slippers peeped out from underneath and her hair was in curlers.

Dottie laughed and gave her a cuddle.

‘When my Tom married me,' Mary went on, ‘I was a fat widow with three kids. Now I'm an even fatter wife with five kids.'

‘Don't be silly,' Dottie laughed. ‘Tom doesn't care a stuff about any of that. He's crazy about you. He just wanted to be with you … to love you …' Her voice trailed and Mary lifted one eyebrow.

‘Precisely. And your John feels the same about you.'

‘I'm not so sure …'

‘Dottie, the man loves you,' said Mary in a slightly exasperated tone. ‘For heaven's sake, relax a little. Encourage him when he's being loving towards you. You're a warm person. It's about
time you knew what real love is. Give him a chance. Just let him love you …'

Just let him love you. The words had played over and over in her mind ever since and now that she was in his car, heading towards Yapton, she couldn't think of anything else. Mary was right. He was so gentle, so caring. All through those dark and terrible days, the thought that he was still there had kept her going. They'd had some wonderful times during the past year, but did he really love her enough to want to be together for the rest of their lives? She glanced at his profile as he drove and her whole being lurched with desire. Mary had said it was about time she knew what real love was, and now at last, she knew Mary was right. But was it too late? Oh, John … John … have I been a complete idiot?

‘Looks like we'll have a white Christmas,' he said, suddenly turning to look at her.

Dottie's face coloured and she looked away quickly. She was glad the inside of the car was dark. ‘I hope we don't get snowed in,' she remarked light-heartedly.

‘I hope we do,' he said and they both laughed.

Encourage him, Mary said. Dottie took a deep breath and her heart was in her mouth but she took a chance. She reached out and put her hand on his leg. She felt him stiffen. Oh God, she shouldn't have done it. What would he think of her? She began to take her hand away but he reached out, caught it and put it back on his leg. Neither of them spoke but they drove for several miles with his hand pressed over hers.

His mother's cottage looked as pretty as a picture postcard as they stepped out into the road. They hurried up the path. Dottie reached out for the doorbell but John caught her hand. ‘Hang on a minute,' he said breathlessly. ‘I've left something in the car.'

He took a few minutes to find whatever it was but eventually he ran back up the path. Although she was standing under the porch, the dormant rambling rose hanging over the roof afforded
little protection from the prevailing wind. ‘Hurry up,' she laughed, as she stamped her feet to keep warm. ‘It's perishing cold here.'

He stopped short of the doorway and knelt on the ground.

‘What are you doing?' she said; ever practical, added, ‘John, you'll ruin your trousers.'

‘I love you, Dottie, darling,' he said gravely. ‘Will you marry me?'

She caught her breath. The sight of him, kneeling on the freezing cold pathway, the snow falling steadily onto his upturned face was almost too much. He loved her … he loved her …

‘Oh, John, you're beginning to look like a snowman,' she laughed, afraid of the trembling passion rising in her veins.

‘Then put me out of my misery,' he said, opening a small red box and holding it up to her. ‘Please say yes. It doesn't have to be right away if you don't want it. I'll wait for as long as it takes, but please, please say you'll marry me.'

She glanced down at the diamond ring, twinkling in the moonlight. The sighing of the wind through the bare rose bush seemed to echo Mary's words. Just let him love you …

Shivering furiously, she looked into his dear, dear face. ‘Oh, yes, John, yes.'

With a broad grin, he slipped the ring on the third finger of her left hand. It fitted perfectly. Then he stood up and opened out his coat. She went into his arms, the warmth of his body and his gentle kiss chasing away all the bitterness and sorrow of her cold and loveless yesterdays.