Elle’s voice cracked with emotion. ‘Irene, it’s beautiful! Absolutely exquisite. But I can’t accept this, it must have cost a fortune.’
Irene dabbed at her eyes with a tissue. ‘You can and you must because I want to give you this. As you know, when my husband died unexpectedly of coronary heart disease, I thought my own life was over, but then you arrived at just at the right time. I needed you as much as you needed me. I think of you as my own daughter and I wouldn’t want to give it to anyone else. This was my mum’s and I’d like you to have it.’
Irene held Elle’s gaze and a tsunami of tears cascaded down Elle’s cheeks. ‘Irene, I don’t know what to say, except I’m truly honoured. It’s absolutely beautiful.’ Elle took the ring out of the box and slipped it on to the fourth finger of her right hand before holding her hand out to show it off. ‘I can’t believe it, it fits perfectly.’
‘Will you treasure it?’ Irene asked.
‘With all my heart,’ Elle answered, overcome with emotion.
‘You mean the world to me, Elle. I know you might not have had the best start in life, but I can feel it in here –’ she said, pointing to her heart ‘– that it’s your time now. I was one of the lucky ones. My relationship with my mum was one of love and respect; we were best friends. She always had my back and I always had hers. It was us two against the world, the same way it’s you and me against the world. I know I’m not your blood, but as far as I’m concerned, you’re my daughter. I thank the universe every day for bringing you into my life.’
Overcome with emotion, Elle was unable to speak.
‘This ring is very special to me, and I’m glad that I can pass it on to you.’
Irene’s kind words had hit Elle hard. She bit her lip, but she still couldn’t stop the tears from falling. Standing up, she walked around the table and threw her arms around Irene, who gently kissed her hair.
‘Now let’s eat,’ she said, smiling up at Elle. ‘Before it gets cold.’
Elle sat back down at the table and sank her teeth into the enormous sandwich. ‘Mmm, delicious,’ was all she could manage as the tartare sauce oozed from the bread.
They sat and ate in silence for a while before Elle finally spoke. ‘So how are you finding retirement?’
Irene gave a little chuckle. ‘At first, it felt like I’d just taken an extended holiday, but now it’s beginning to hit me, and I have to say I’m missing the library.’
‘We’re missing you too. It’s not the same without you there.’
‘I’m keeping myself busy though,’ she said. ‘I’ve joined a walking group.’
Elle raised her eyebrows. ‘A what?’
‘A walking group.’ Irene laughed. ‘Don’t look too surprised. I decided I needed to do a little more exercise, and though anything too strenuous is beyond me, I do like a stroll. Every Monday and Wednesday morning we meet by the church and go for a ramble – well, that’s what they call it.’
‘How did you hear about it?’ Elle asked as she devoured the rest of her sandwich. ‘Sorry, I shouldn’t talk with my mouth full,’ she said, grinning. ‘You always used to tell me off for that.’
‘There was a poster in the window of The Old Bakehouse so I thought, what the heck, why not. There was a lovely group of men and women that turned up. They’d all been before on numerous occasions, and I was definitely the new girl. But they made me feel very welcome and the company was great. Most of the walkers live around here, and it was nice to get out in the fresh air and just chat about everything and anything.’
‘Are you going again?’
‘Yes, I think I will. It gets me out of the house for a couple of hours.’
‘You’ll be climbing mountains next!’
‘Ha, I wouldn’t go that far.’
‘I don’t believe you for a minute! Walking this week, climbing mountains next week, then you’ll progress to skydiving!’
‘My feet are staying firmly on the ground!’ insisted Irene. ‘But tell me about your day. How was work? Were you spoilt rotten?’
‘I was. Look at these.’ Elle tucked her hair behind her ears to reveal the earrings that Pippa had bought her.
‘They’re gorgeous, very pretty indeed,’ Irene exclaimed. ‘And very apt given you work in a library.’
‘And I told you about the cake that Aiden bought me.’
‘You did.’
‘Changing the subject, do you remember Jenny?’
