‘Your train leaves at six tonight. We all felt you should go somewhere for a honeymoon,’ said Lulu.
‘I...’ Sorcha was so choked she could hardly speak. ‘Look, Con.’ She showed him the contents of the envelope.
‘Don’t be cross, Con. I know what a proud bugger you are, but you can pay us back in spades when we hit the big time,’ put in Todd, glancing at Con’s frown.
‘Speech, speech!’ shouted Lulu. ‘Your turn, Con.’
He looked at the gathering round the table. ‘Thank you. It’s been a grand day.’ He raised his glass. ‘To our friends, and my beautiful wife.’
‘To the success of The Fishermen,’ put in Ian.
‘Hear, hear,’ said Todd.
Derek said nothing. He’d been in an odd mood all day, as if consumed by something. Although physically present, his mind was elsewhere. He downed his glass of champagne, then reached for the bottle to provide himself a hefty refill.
An hour later, Con and Sorcha left to catch the train to Brighton. Lulu started clearing up and Ian went into the kitchen to help her do the washing-up.
‘What’s up, Del?’ asked Todd, as Derek sat morosely in the sitting room drinking his third whiskey.
‘Nothing.’
‘Women trouble?’
Derek shrugged.
‘It’s not still Peggy that’s troubling you, is it?’
Derek frowned. ‘No, course not,’ he replied tetchily.
‘Good, ’cos you’re about to have the ladies falling at your feet.’
‘You think so?’
‘Of course. We’re gonna have fans and groupies screaming outside our hotels, hot sex on tap twenty-four hours a day.’
‘Sure, Todd.’ Derek looked at his watch. ‘Gotta be going, I’m afraid. I promised Mum I’d be back in time for tea.’
‘Party pooper. Okay, mate, whatever you want.’ Todd slapped him on the back. ‘Hopefully we’ll have something to celebrate very soon. Freddy told me yesterday that he’s got a producer who’s interested. I’ll see you on Friday at the gig.’
Derek nodded and stood up as Lulu came into the sitting room.
‘Thanks, Lulu. It was a good party.’
‘That’s okay, Derek.’
‘I’ll see myself out.’
Lulu and Todd watched him as he left the room.
Lulu shook her head. ‘Whatever is up with him? He’s had a face you could chop firewood on for the last few weeks.’
‘Love, Lulu,’ Todd sighed. ‘Our Derek’s in it real bad.’
Derek walked the first three miles, then caught a bus the rest of the way home. Since he’d spent nearly all his money on the necklace for Peggy, he was having to watch every penny until his next advance was due from Freddy.
He left the bus at the stop opposite the chippy.Surelyshe must be back by now? It had been over a month.
He stood on the other side of the road waiting for the traffic to calm so he could cross, when he saw a man press the bell to the left of the blue door. A few seconds later, the door opened and there was Peggy, looking just as beautiful as the picture he carried around in his mind.
