So saying she lifted the gown from the wardrobe, warning, ‘An’ just make sure you’re wearin’ this else I’ll come in an’ put it on you meself.’
When she had gone it hit Amber that this time tomorrow, she would be Mrs Barnaby Greenwood and the nerves really kicked in.What if I’m makin’ a terrible mistake?she asked herself. Luckily common sense took over. She was doing this for Charlotte so that she could have respectability and that was reason enough for tying herself to a man she didn’t love, or she hoped it would be. It was too late to back out now.
*
Amber and Barnaby were up early the next morning to get the chores done before they left for the church and despite the fact that they had been getting on better over the previous weeks, they were ill at ease with each other, so it was a relief when it was time to go inside and get ready. Amber had bathed in the large tin bath in the washroom and washed her hair the night before, so once inside she dressed Charlotte in a pretty little dress that she had lovingly hand-smocked then left her to play in the kitchen with Socks before going upstairs to get ready. Barnaby was already in his room getting dressed and as she passed his bedroom door, she wondered what he would choose to wear. These days she seldom saw him in the smart outfits he had once worn when he was the master of Greenacres, but she supposed it didn’t really matter. Once the service was over, they would return home and get changed back into their work clothes and then everything would be just as it had been.
She quickly wriggled into the lovely silk underwear and petticoats her uncle had bought her to wear beneath her best gown before loosening her hair from its pins and brushing it until it shone and curled about her shoulders in gleaming golden waves. As she was getting herself into the dress she heard Farmer Jennings’ carriage rattle into the yard and suddenly she was all fingers and thumbs and the tiny buttons up the back of her dress seemed impossible to fasten. Thankfully she heard footsteps outside on the landing moments later and after tapping on the door Mrs Jennings, all done up in her Sunday best bonnet and gown, stuck her head around it.
‘Need any help, lass?’
‘Yes, please,’ Amber breathed. ‘These damn buttons just won’t do up.’
The woman chuckled as she hurried over to her and started to fasten them. ‘I reckon this is a bad case o’ pre-weddin’ nerves. But there, you’re all done, now turn around an’ let’s ’ave a good look at you.’
When Amber did as she was bid the old woman sighed with satisfaction as she swiped her work-worn hand across her eyes. ‘I don’t think I’veeverseen a lovelier bride, lass. But there’s just one thing missin’. Wait there a minute,’ she urged as she quickly stepped out onto the landing. When she returned, Amber gasped at the sight of the beautiful posy she handed to her.
‘I got me ’usband to pick ’em fresh from the garden before we come,’ she told Amber. ‘No bride should be wi’out a posy!’
It consisted of tiny white roses and the stems had been tied with a white ribbon that complemented the white guipure lace on the neck of her gown.
‘It’s beautiful, Mrs Jennings, thank you,’ Amber said humbly. She hadn’t even thought of carrying a posy.
‘You’re welcome, lass. Now let’s go an’ see what your husband-to-be thinks o’ you. Be rights he should be at the church waitin’ for you an’ you shouldn’t ’ave seen each other since last night. But then this is ’ardly a conventional weddin’, is it? What wi’ you both already livin’ together, so we’ll just make the best of it.’ She grinned. ‘Mind you, I don’t reckon it’s goin’ to be as quiet at the church as you’d ’oped. Ever since the vicar read the banns out the whole town ’as been buzzin’, which is why I wanted you to look your best. But come along now, we don’t want you to be late for your own weddin’.’
She hurried off ahead of Amber and after taking a final glance in the mirror, Amber slowly followed her. As she carefully went down the stairs, clutching her posy of sweet-smelling roses, she saw Barnaby and Mr and Mrs Jennings waiting for her in the hallway. Barnaby was dressed in one of his smart pin-striped tail suits, and a white shirt with a gaily coloured cravat and matching waistcoat, and he looked so handsome that for a moment he took Amber’s breath away. He was holding Charlotte but as he glanced up towards her his mouth gaped and she thought she detected the glint of a tear in his eye.
‘Here, give the little ’un to me,’ Mrs Jennings said bossily, wanting to give the couple a little time to themselves. ‘We’ll be out in the carriage waitin’ for you both, but don’t be late mind. The Reverend Rice don’t like to be kept waitin’.’
Suddenly they were alone apart from Socks who was frolicking about their heels. Barnaby stared at Amber. ‘You lookabsolutelybeautiful, Amber. I can’t think of one man who wouldn’t like to be in my shoes today. But come along, we have a wedding to go to, I believe.’
Amber swallowed the lump that had risen in her throat as Barnaby tucked her hand into the crook of his arm and led her out into the sunshine.
Just as Mrs Jennings had predicted there were a number of people in the church but Amber knew they hadn’t come to wish them well. They had just come to be nosy. Once or twice her voice faltered as she and Barnaby took their vows but at last it was over, and once they had signed the register, they were free to return to The Crow’s Nest.
As they left the church, Mr and Mrs Jennings showered them in rice and rose petals and Amber couldn’t help but think how wonderful this would have been had she been marrying a man she loved and who loved her. But then she glanced at Charlotte, who was clapping her little hands together in between picking the petals from the flowers in her posy, and she knew she had done the right thing.
Back at The Crow’s Nest, Barnaby insisted that Mr and Mrs Jennings should join them for a celebratory glass of wine while he and Amber cut into the delicious fruit cake Mrs Jennings had made for them. But somehow one glass turned into two then three and by the time the kindly farmer and his wife took their leave in the early afternoon Amber felt quite merry.
‘I’m afraid I ain’t used to drinkin’,’ she told him, her eyes shining, and again he thought how very beautiful she was.
‘Well, it is a very special day, Mrs Greenwood.’
She blinked to hear her new title used, wondering if she would ever get used to it. And then he did something very unexpected when he suddenly leant forward and asked softly , ‘May I kiss you, Mrs Greenwood?’ When she nodded he gently placed his lips on hers for the briefest of times. ‘Just to seal our vows,’ he said quietly, then he turned and left the room.
Amber stood frozen, her heart pounding. She was shocked to realise that she had felt herself responding to the kiss, which was quite ridiculous as she didn’t even like him anymore, did she? But then she pulled herself together.I’m just gettin’ a bit carried away wi’ the occasion, she thought. But as she climbed the stairs to her room, she fingered her lips where he had kissed her.
Chapter Forty-One
‘I’m afraid I may be quite late home this evening,’ Barnaby told Amber one morning late in August. ‘I have a cargo due in on theSea Serpenttoday and we shall have to unload it all into the warehouse.’
‘I shall keep something hot for you,’ she promised as she finished feeding Charlotte, who usually managed to get more of her breakfast all over her hair than she did into her mouth.
‘Dada?.?.?.’ The child held her arms out to him and he couldn’t resist slipping over to her and giving her a kiss before leaving. She had only recently uttered her first word – dada – and had also taken her first faltering steps. Both Barnaby and Amber were totally smitten with her and she could wrap them both around her little fingers, not that it was a problem, because she was so happy and good-natured.
After Barnaby had left, Amber looked out of the open door onto the sunny garden and smiled at her daughter. ‘I tell you what, if you’re good for Mammy, I’ll take you down to the beach today when I’ve done all my work,’ she promised.
The past couple of months had passed pleasantly with no more acts of vandalism towards them or the house, although Amber still avoided going into town except when it was absolutely essential and so it could be lonely at times. About the only visitor she ever had apart from May Jennings and old Ned was Nancy who came as often as she could. However, Barnaby’s new business venture handling cargo was doing well and so was his fishing trawler so all in all she supposed she had nothing to complain about. Even she and Barnaby were getting on much better now, and strangely that sometimes irked Amber. She still wanted to hate him but was finding it harder and harder. Only the day before, Charlotte had taken a tumble and they had both reached out automatically to catch her. As they did their hands had collided and Amber had snatched hers away as if she had been scalded. She instantly saw the look of hurt in his eyes as he mumbled an apology and she wondered why it had bothered her so much. She also wondered why his touch had sent little tingles up her spine!
