The Ribbon Weaver (54 page)

Dragging her eyes away from the happy couple at the altar, she at least had the consolation of knowing that she had fulfilled the dying girl’s last wish. She had taken Amy and loved her as her own. But oh, how she wished that Jessica Forrester could have been here to see her daughter today. She would have been so proud.

Molly pulled herself back to the present with a start as the choirboys in their snow-white smocks lifted their voices until the church rafters rang with their sweet singing. And then when the hymn had finished, a silence descended on the church as the vicar solemnly announced that Amy and Toby were now man and wife. Hot tears began to course down Molly’s cheeks as Toby tenderly kissed his bride, and it was then that Molly saw her. At first she thought she must be imagining things, and she screwed her eyes up tight. But when she opened them again the vision was still there. Molly’s heart began to pound in her chest. Amy’s mother was standing silently at her daughter’s side and her face was a picture of incredible joy as a mother’s love shone from her eyes.

Molly gulped as she quickly glanced at Josephine to gauge her reaction. But she seemed to be oblivious to the vision as she was still firmly focused on the young couple. Panicking slightly, Molly looked around at the rest of the small congregation but again she saw only smiling guests looking on. With a little shock she realised that she was the only one who could see her; even Amy seemed totally unaware of her presence.

Jessica suddenly turned to Molly and smiled, and Molly’s fear died away as she smiled back. And then the vision simply faded away as if she had never been there at all, and Molly bowed her head. A feeling of peace had settled around her and now she knew that everything was just as it should be.

The church bells pealed joyously as the blissful young couple emerged from the church amidst a shower of rice and rose petals. Josephine took Molly’s hand and the two women embraced each other, their mutual love of the bride binding them closer together.

Amy then walked through the churchyard to her mother’s resting-place, and as she placed her bouquet on the grave, she uttered a prayer. But then Toby took her hand and she was smiling again as he led her back towards the pony and trap.

They then began the journey back to Forrester’s Folly with Samuel, Josephine and Molly following them in the carriage behind.

Josephine had noticed that Molly was unusually quiet and leaning towards her she stroked her hand as she asked, ‘Are you feeling all right, dear?’

Summoning a smile, Molly assured her, ‘I’m fine. Just a bit tired, that’s all. I ain’t as young as I used to be.’

‘None of us are,’ Josephine replied regretfully, and then becoming serious she said, ‘You know, Molly, I’m so glad we’ve had this chance to talk. Samuel and I want you to know that we will never be able to thank you enough for all you have done for Amy. God only knows what might have happened to her if you had not come across Jessica all those years ago.’ She shuddered as she thought of it.

‘Aw, stuff an’ nonsense!’ Molly flapped her hand dismissively. ‘Wi’out that lass to keep me on me toes I’ve no doubt I would ’ave been pushin’ up daisies long ago, so happen it should be
me
thankin’
you
.’

Amy’s grandparents shook their heads in unison.

‘No, that isn’t true and well you know it.’ Samuel meant every word he uttered. ‘As far as we are concerned, Molly, you are part of the family now and should you ever need anything – anything at all, mind – you only have to ask and it shall be yours.’

Molly was deeply touched and after a moment she answered. ‘Thank yer kindly, sir. But yer know I already have everythin’ I could ever wish for, an’ today has just been the icin’ on the cake.’

When they arrived back at The Folly, Amy and Toby were already there with smiles on their faces that lit up the whole room and with eyes only for each other.

The cook had produced a wonderful four-course meal, and once it was over everyone chatted and laughed as daylight slowly entered into twilight. Maids replenished their glasses with the very finest champagne and the sound of laughter floated on the air.

Eventually, Amy and Toby opened their wedding presents before cutting the cake, and then it was time for them to go. They began to kiss everyone goodbye before they left to spend their first night in their new home.

Outside on the soft green lawns, Amy hugged her gran to her and whispered, ‘Good night, Gran. Sleep tight and we’ll see you tomorrow, eh?’ Suddenly she started to cry as Molly stroked her hair, savouring the closeness of her.

‘Now we’ll have none o’ that,’ she scolded. ‘You’ve got a fine lad there, so you be sure an’ be good to him an’ make the most o’ yer life. Do yer hear me?’

Amy grinned through her tears. ‘Of course I’ll be good to him, Gran. I know how lucky I am. But not just because of Toby – it’s because of you too. Without you I would have been nothing, and as for making the most of my life … well, with you behind me I couldn’t do any other. You have been my whole life. And just because I’m married now, don’t think that anything is going to change. When you come to join us tomorrow, things will go on just as before.’

Molly nodded, but deep down she knew that things could never be the same again. Amy had a husband now and she couldn’t have asked for better.

‘Go on now, lass.’ Molly gently pushed her away. ‘Yer husband is waitin’ for yer.’

Amy paused to stare into her eyes one last time. ‘I love you, Gran,’ she said from the heart, and then turning she made her way to where Toby was waiting for her, and hand-in-hand they set off in the direction of Treetops.

Molly watched until the soft sweet night swallowed them up, and then Josephine gently took her elbow. ‘Tired, love?’ she asked.

‘Aye, I am a bit, pet,’ Molly admitted.

‘I shall have the carriage brought round for you immediately,’ Josephine said. ‘But be sure to be up with the lark in the morning. Seth will be calling to transport you and your possessions to the new house bright and early.’ And with that she lifted her skirts and left Molly with Samuel, while she hurried away to arrange the coach.

He stood with her right until it arrived and then helped her inside, saying, ‘Good night, Molly. It’s been a marvellous day, hasn’t it?’

‘It has that, lad. The best!’ And then with a wave she was off back to where her heart belonged as pictures of Amy’s happy face flashed before her eyes. Everything had turned out just as she had prayed it would, and she knew that she could not have wished for more.

Once back inside the kitchen of her little cottage, Molly sighed with relief as she kicked her shoes off and lit the oil lamp on the table. She stared about her. Everywhere she looked were boxes and trunks packed with all her belongings. She smiled wistfully as she looked towards her old oak dresser; stripped of its china plates it looked as she felt – empty. And in that moment she knew that she could never leave this place. It was her home. She would explain to Amy in the morning and pray that she would understand. Somehow she felt that she would.

Epilogue

‘I now christen you Benjamin Tobias Bradley, in the name of the Son, the Father and the Holy Ghost.’ As the vicar solemnly made the sign of the cross on the tiny infant’s head with holy water, Molly felt as if she would burst with pride.

Amy and Toby were beaming as they stared at their baby in his fine robes cradled in his mother’s arms. He was a beautiful child, in both looks and nature, as was their three-year-old daughter, Sophia, who was now tugging restlessly at her father’s trousers. Toby grinned as he bent to sweep her into his arms, and she gave him a mischievous smile.

She was so like Amy had been at her age that sometimes when Molly looked at her she felt as if she had been transported back in time. Yes, they were a fine family all right, and there was not a happier one anywhere, from what Molly could see of it. Sophia had come along ten months after their marriage and Amy had positively sailed through the pregnancy and the birth, much to Molly’s relief. And now here was little Benjamin, who looked exactly like a miniature version of his father. Amy absolutely doted on her children and Toby spoiled them both shamelessly, which to Molly’s eyes was just as it should be.

Nancy was there with Billy and their two-year-old son, Simon, who was Sophia’s constant companion and, as the two youngsters linked hands, Molly wondered if she was seeing the beginnings of yet another future romance?

Bessie and Jim were there too, along with Josephine and Samuel, who couldn’t seem to be able to stop smiling.

The christening was such a joyous occasion that as they all left the small church in Caldecote the sound of laughter floated on the air. They would all now go on to a small reception at Treetops and then Molly would return to her cottage.

Amy had not been at all happy at first at Molly’s decision to stay in her old home, following the wedding, but Nancy now went along daily to do Molly’s chores for her and Samuel regularly sent the carriage to collect her so that she could go to Treetops and spend time with Amy and the children, so all in all, things had worked out well.

Amy still produced her designs, which continued to sell successfully, although she no longer travelled to London, choosing to leave that part of the business to her grandfather; her time was too taken up with her children, and the arrangement suited them both.

Toby was like a changed man and had thrived in his position at the newly erected village school. It had been hard work at first as the locals had been cautious about their children attending, but now, thanks to his efforts and Josephine’s support, the room was full each day and Toby had a newfound confidence about him.

Josephine was cooing over her new great-grandson as Samuel helped Molly into the carriage and Molly looked on affectionately. As the afternoon had advanced into evening, she had begun to tire and Samuel thoughtfully sent for the carriage to take her home. She would leave the young ones to their merrymaking now. All she wanted now was her bed. It had been a long day.

Amy reached up to kiss her soundly, then settled a warm travel rug about her gran’s scrawny legs.

‘Now don’t you get doing anything,’ she warned. ‘Nancy will be there first thing in the morning to help, and I shall be along in the afternoon to see you with the children, do you hear me?’

‘I hear yer, lass,’ Molly replied with a grin. ‘But now you get back to the party an’ that lovely family o’ yours, eh?’

Amy lifted her skirts and turned to do just that, but then she paused and turned back to say, ‘Do you know something, Gran? I never thought it was possible to be this happy.’ And then as she tripped away, Molly’s heart swelled as she settled back in her seat.

When the carriage arrived back in the lane, the coachman lifted Molly down and escorted her into the cottage, and she looked about her contentedly. Everything was spick and span, thanks to Nancy’s hard work. She thought briefly about making herself a cup of tea, but then the pain that had been gripping her heart more and more of late had her bending over the back of the nearest chair. When it had finally passed she lifted the lamp from the table and slowly climbed the stairs. The tea could wait till morning.

Once on the tiny landing, she entered the room where her beloved husband had spent so many hours, and as she held the lamp aloft, its light spilled on to Wilf ’s old dusty loom. She paused to stroke it lovingly before moving on to her bedroom, then stepping out of the fine new outfit that Amy had insisted she should have for the occasion, she slipped a long cotton nightgown over her head. After then, taking the pins from her hair, she wove it into a long grey plait and painfully clambered on to her comfortable new mattress, the latest gift from Amy. Reaching over to the small table at the side of the bed she extinguished the lamp and lay there as the moonlight spilling through the small leaded window cast a cold glow about the room.

Molly was totally exhausted, but the pain in her chest had returned again now, and for some reason sleep would not come. It was as she was lying there that a strange feeling of waiting settled around her. She found herself thinking back over her life, right from the time when she was a very small child. In her mind she saw herself as she had been on her wedding day with Wilf standing beside her, handsome and dashing with their whole lives stretching away in front of them. Then she was holding the three tiny daughters whom she had only been allowed to keep for such a short time, then there was Amy on the night she had fetched her back, all unknowing, to what was to become her home. From that day on, the child had become the centre of her world and all the love that Molly had stored away inside her for her own children had been poured into the tiny orphan. But now at last she could rest easy, safe in the knowledge that Amy was truly loved and content.

She sighed happily as the memories rushed back, but then the pain returned a thousandfold and Molly was afraid, for she suddenly felt very old and alone.

Fearfully she pressed her hands into her chest and that was when she noticed a strange light seeming to glow at the end of the bed. She shuddered, wondering if she had perhaps forgotten to turn the oil lamp off. But no, a glance towards the small table assured her that the lamp was extinguished. As she stared back towards the foot of the bed the pain became unbearable and the light seemed to intensify. And suddenly she found herself staring into a gentle face that she could never forget. Jessica was standing there smiling at her.

Trembling in her fear and pain, Molly pulled the blankets up under her chin but as she gazed into the girl’s kindly eyes, peace of a kind descended on her, as it had during Amy’s wedding, when the young woman had appeared to her before, and Jessica’s eyes seemed to have the power to soothe the pain that was tearing through her.

‘Don’t be afraid, Molly.’ The girl’s voice was as sweet as a choirboy’s as she held her hand out towards her, and now in the light behind her, she could vaguely see her Wilf waiting patiently. His eyes were full of love, and without fear now and with joy in her heart, she stretched out her hand to Jessica’s and the pain was gone.