Moving On (16 page)

The next day the marriage between Karen and Bill Walsh was fixed for Wallasey in early September.

‘We could make it a double wedding if you like,’ Karen murmured, turning to smile at Jenny and Tom as they all left the Wallasey Town Hall.

‘That might be quite a good idea,’ Tom agreed, squeezing Jenny’s hand.

‘That will do, Karen,’ Jenny said sternly, but at the same time she returned Tom’s squeeze.

‘Gran, we both want you and Tom to be witnesses at our wedding,’ Karen went on, looking anxiously from Jenny to Tom and back again. ‘You will, won’t you?’

‘Of course we will,’ Tom asserted before Jenny could respond. ‘If you are here in Wallasey at all before the big day, remember you can stay in my flat if you wish. If you prefer to go somewhere else then I will quite understand.’

‘No, no, we would love to stay with you,’ Karen told him. ‘It will give me a chance to spend some time with Gran and I will need all the help I can get from her to organize things – and being on the spot like that will be terrific.’

Although the next few days were chaotic, Jenny did manage to have some quiet moments with Karen. It was so very much like the old days when they had lived together in Warren Point that Jenny enjoyed every minute as they confided in each other and discussed the future optimistically.

Karen tried to explain the reason for her bad behaviour over the previous couple of years and to apologize for worrying Jenny so much.

‘The past is behind us so let’s forget what happened,’ Jenny told her. ‘Your future is all that matters and I am sure that with Bill it will be a happy one. He seems to be an extremely nice man, very capable and caring.’

‘He is all those things and more besides,’ Karen agreed fervently. ‘I was fortunate to meet someone like him; I am also lucky that he was so understanding. I’ve told him everything; not only about Lionel but about Jimmy Martin and Hadyn Trimm as well.’

‘That’s very comforting to know,’ Jenny told her. ‘As long as you have done that then I think we should forget all about the past and never mention it again.’

Next day they went to Liverpool to look for wedding outfits. Jenny and Karen left Tom and Bill to organize details for the flowers; posies for Jenny and Karen and buttonholes for Tom and Bill. They also told Tom to order two separate cars to take them to the town hall and one to collect them after the ceremony.

‘After that,’ Jenny suggested, ‘you had better go shopping for new suits for the wedding.’

Karen had no idea what sort of outfit she wanted but in the end she chose a very modest dress in pale blue silky fabric with tiny cap sleeves and a V-neckline. The waist was defined with a self-material belt that draped to one side. Although minidresses were all the rage Jenny was pleased that Karen insisted on her dress reaching her knees.

To wear over it she chose a classic-style coat in darker blue and, although it had the latest padded shoulders, it looked very attractive. To complete her outfit Karen selected a pale blue pillbox hat that was trimmed with a darker blue veiling.

Karen tried to persuade Jenny to buy a new outfit but Jenny refused. She did, however, buy a new cream hat and matching gloves that she said would liven up her plain green tweed dress and jacket, which was what she planned to wear.

Bill insisted on buying something sensible that would be suitable afterwards for work and chose a smartly tailored light grey three-piece suit and a self-striped white cotton shirt.

Karen decided to go shopping again to find some initialled cuff links for Bill so the two of them went to the jeweller’s together and at the same time chose their wedding rings.

The night before the wedding Karen spent the evening with Jenny and slept on the sofa, determined that she and Bill wouldn’t meet until they arrived at the register office.

It was a very quiet midday wedding on a perfect early autumn day with Tom and Jenny acting as witnesses. Afterwards the four of them were driven along the promenade for a very special meal at the Grand Hotel in New Brighton.

As they sat in the sumptuous lounge afterwards, looking out at the activity on the Mersey, of liners being towed out to the Bar by chugging little tug boats, Karen sighed deeply and exclaimed, ‘I shall remember this day for the rest of my life.’

‘I should hope you will,’ Bill said, reaching for her hand and raising it to his lips and gently kissing her knuckles. ‘It’s not over yet, though. The best is yet to come.’

‘Bill!’ The colour rose in Karen’s cheeks but her green eyes sparkled as they met his.

‘Come on you two, finish your coffee, it’s time we were heading for home if you want an early start in the morning.’

‘What’s the rush; we’re only minutes away from Merseyside Mansions.’

‘I know that but you’ve got to walk it,’ Tom reminded them. ‘I didn’t think it was worth asking the car to come back for us for such a short journey. We can call a taxi if you wish,’ he added hastily as he saw the look of surprise on their faces.

‘No, it’s a lovely evening, of course we can walk,’ Karen and Jenny told him.

As the four of them strolled along the promenade they could see the moon in the far distance; a pale gold ball over the silhouetted tops of the Welsh mountains.

‘It really is beautiful,’ Karen breathed.

‘Yes, a day to remember,’ Jenny agreed.

As they entered Merseyside Mansions they found that the reception area had been decorated with dozens of silvery balloons and a banner with ‘Congratulations Karen and Bill’ emblazoned on it. A cheer went up and it seemed as if every resident in the place was assembled there to greet them.

There were tears in Karen’s eyes as she listened to the babble of congratulations from all sides. People she’d never met before hugged her and patted Bill on the shoulder and wished them both happiness.

Inside the community lounge a trestle table had been set up in the centre of the room. It was laid out with a sumptuous array of sandwiches and cakes; in the very centre was a beautifully iced two-tier wedding cake.

Two waitresses were in attendance handing glasses of champagne to people as they came into the room and toasts were drunk wishing the newly married couple every happiness.

Throughout the evening the waitresses handed round the food and topped up glasses with wine. Cameras clicked, everyone eager to have a record of the event. When Dan and Mavis Grey exchanged anecdotes about their own wedding day they were quickly capped by stories from Ricky and Lorna Hill and then, to everyone’s surprise, by a very amusing tale from Clare and Peter Green.

As Karen and Bill circulated, Jenny felt uneasy when she noticed that Jane Phillips had cornered Bill and engaged him in what appeared to be a very serious discussion. Whenever Bill tried to speak Jane held up a hand and shook her grey head and continued speaking in such an emphatic way that Jenny suspected she was relating gossip about Karen and Lionel.

Determined not to let her monopolize Bill or blacken Karen’s name she walked over to where the two of them were.

‘You have met Karen’s new husband I see, Jane,’ she said mildly. ‘He’s so charming that I know it is difficult to get away from him,’ she added, lifting her eyebrows at Bill who looked rather puzzled by her flippant comment.

‘Mrs Phillips has been telling me how well she knows Karen and how much everybody at Merseyside Mansions will miss her being here,’ Bill explained.

‘Really!’ Jenny tried to keep the amusement out of her voice as she saw a pink stain appear on Jane’s pallid cheeks. ‘I hope she has been giving you a glowing report,’ she added drily. ‘Will you excuse us Jane.’ She smiled, taking Bill’s arm firmly. ‘There’s someone over here I particularly want him to meet.’

The rest of the evening went extremely well. The residents all wanted to know about Bill’s job as a teacher and about where they would be living in Wiltshire.

It was almost midnight before Tom Fieldman brought the celebrations to a close. He thanked them all for making it such a special occasion and asked everyone to drink one final toast to the newly married couple.

‘Perhaps we will all be buying new hats for another wedding soon,’ Jane Phillips commented shrewdly as she left.

Jenny smiled but made no comment. She wondered exactly what Jane had told Bill and hoped she had managed to drag him away in time before she could say anything too derogatory about Karen.

She was so relieved and delighted that Karen seemed to have reverted to the granddaughter she had watched grow up and she wanted nothing to stand in the way of her future happiness.

It was the school half term at the end of October before Jenny saw Karen and Bill again. In the meantime they spoke on the telephone and Jenny was pleased to hear that they had settled in to the two-bedroom house they’d been allocated in the school grounds.

‘It’s small but quite cosy,’ Karen told her. ‘It has two living rooms and a small kitchen downstairs and two bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs. There’s no garden but we are surrounded by the school grounds so the outlook is quite pleasant.’

‘It sounds ideal and should be easy to look after,’ Jenny agreed.

‘We hope you and Tom will come and visit us at half term,’ Karen said, ‘and then you can see it for yourselves.’

Jenny accepted the invitation but insisted that they would arrange to stay at a nearby hotel.

‘Why don’t you want to stay with us?’ Karen asked.

‘You said that you have only two bedrooms,’ Jenny reminded her.

‘I know, but there is a bed in the spare room; surely you wouldn’t mind sharing with Tom?’ Karen responded quickly. ‘Or we could made up a bed for Tom on the settee.’

‘No!’ Jenny said very firmly. ‘Leave it that we will come and visit you but we will be staying at a nearby hotel and in separate single rooms.’

She suspected that Karen was trying her hand at matchmaking, but although she was very fond of Tom she still wasn’t sure that she wanted to encourage him by making such a commitment as sharing a bedroom with him.

It was a glorious late October day, mild and sunny, when they set off to visit Karen and Bill. The changing colours on the trees as they travelled south and the small, soft scudding clouds overhead made the journey very pleasant. They were both very relaxed and the occasional conversation between them was inconsequential and almost trivial.

They stopped at a country pub for a light lunch and then took a stroll around the picturesque village to stretch their legs before continuing on their way. Jenny felt both relaxed and happy and she was sure that Tom felt the same.

They reached their hotel shortly after four o’clock and before they were shown to their respective rooms they agreed to meet again at six o’clock.

‘I’ll telephone Karen and let her know that we’ll drive to the school and collect her and Bill and take them out to dinner,’ Jenny promised Tom as they went their separate ways.

Karen insisted that they came early so that they could see over the house before they went out for a meal and, because she seemed to be so excited about her seeing it, Jenny agreed.

It was a small house but delightful, almost like a doll’s house when compared to the spacious home she and Karen had once shared. As Karen showed them the guest bedroom Jenny smiled inwardly, very pleased that she had declined Karen’s invitation to stay with them. It was so small that there was only space for one bed.

When Tom and Jenny finally took their leave on the Sunday afternoon, they had enjoyed themselves so much that they readily accepted Karen and Bill’s invitation to join them for Christmas.

‘Bill’s a really charming man isn’t he,’ Jenny said contentedly as they drove away.

‘Very nice chap indeed,’ Tom agreed. ‘I’m so glad that things have worked out so well for Karen; it must be a load off your mind.’

‘It certainly is. I really was despairing of her but let’s hope all that is in the past. Bill has had such a steadying effect on her; she’s like the girl I used to know,’ she added with a relaxed smile.

‘So now that she is safe and settled perhaps you can give some thought to your own future and to my proposal,’ Tom said quietly.

‘Oh, Tom!’ Jenny laid a hand on his knee. ‘I have treated you badly, haven’t I.’

‘You have, but I understand your reasons. Even I can see that Karen is a reformed character and I realize how upsetting her escapades must have been for you. As you say, that’s all in the past, so now it’s time to get on with your own life.’

‘You’re quite right and I fully intend to do that,’ Jenny agreed in a serious voice.

‘So what is your answer?’

Jenny was silent for several minutes before saying in a quiet but firm voice, ‘I accept, Tom.’

Tom swerved to the side of the road and jammed on the car brakes. Before Jenny could ask what was wrong he had grabbed hold of her and kissed her long and hard on the mouth.

‘I was beginning to think that I was never going to hear you say those wonderful words,’ he breathed. ‘You’ve no idea how happy you’ve made me.’

‘I think we should keep the news to ourselves for the moment,’ Jenny murmured cautiously.

‘You mean until we have had time to talk about it at length and planned things in a sensible way?’

‘Exactly!’

‘Are you ready to name the day?’ he asked eagerly. ‘What about making it a Christmas wedding?’

‘That’s less than two months away.’

‘How long do you need? I’d marry you tomorrow if it was at all possible.’

‘Impetuous, aren’t you,’ Jenny said in a teasing voice.

‘Well, at our age we haven’t all that much time left to enjoy being together,’ Tom reminded her.

‘True, but I was thinking of the spring being a rather nice time for a wedding.’

‘Next year!’ Tom exclaimed in a shocked voice. ‘I can’t keep it secret for that length of time, not unless you move in with me until then.’

‘We wouldn’t be able to keep it secret for very long if I did that,’ Jenny replied, laughing.

They talked about it for the rest of the journey home but failed to reach a decision and decided to sleep on it.

‘The date is the most important,’ Tom reminded Jenny as they reached Merseyside Mansions. ‘Everything else will automatically fall into place.’

‘You mean which flat we decide to live in or whether we should sell both of them and buy a small house?’

‘Yes, even about that. The choice is very much up to you. I will do almost anything to meet your wishes,’ Tom told her seriously.

‘I’m sure we can compromise,’ Jenny murmured.

‘Whatever you want; your happiness is what is most important to me,’ Tom assured her as he took her in his arms and held her close before kissing her goodnight.

As she relaxed into the comforting sensation of being pressed close to his big strong body, Jenny sighed contentedly. Now that she knew that Karen was so happily settled she felt as if all her worries were over and she revelled in the thought that at long last she would be able to concentrate on enjoying a life of her own. What was most important was that she wanted Tom to be part of that life and she marvelled at how fortunate she had been to meet him.

‘Sleep on it and we’ll sort all the details out in the morning,’ he repeated as he released her and she went into her flat.

Although they met for coffee the next morning and went for a walk together in the afternoon, it was several days before they managed to finalize a programme of events.

They decided that they would be married on the Saturday before Christmas and in the evening hold a celebration party in the community lounge at Merseyside Mansions and invite all the residents.

They would ask Karen and Bill to be their witnesses and then ask them to stay on over Christmas. By then they should have started the Christmas school holidays so there would be no problem about them doing that.

They decided not to do anything about selling the flats or buying a house until the spring.

‘Over Christmas Karen and Bill can stay in your flat and we can use mine, or the other way round,’ Tom told her. ‘It will also help us to make up our mind whether we want to stay here or move out to somewhere else.’

‘Before we mention any of this to Karen and Bill we had better make sure that we can be married that Saturday,’ Jenny murmured thoughtfully.

‘Why do you say that? What do you mean?’ Tom asked sharply with a worried frown. ‘You’re not having second thoughts about getting married?’

‘Of course I’m not, nothing is further from my mind. The register office may be fully booked or they may not be working at all because it is so near to Christmas,’ Jenny told him with a warm smile. ‘You have no idea how much I am looking forward to it.’

‘Then why wait? Why don’t you move in with me right away. No one else need know.’

Jenny shook her head. ‘Let’s wait. It’s not all that far away and we have the rest of our lives to be together. I will feel happier if it is all legal and above board before I start living with you.’

‘Absolute nonsense, but I love you all the more for it,’ Tom said with a dry chuckle.

‘We’ve plenty of planning to do to fill in our time,’ Jenny said rather primly.

‘Yes, I know,’ Tom agreed. ‘To start with, when are we going to tell the people here?’

‘As soon as we know for certain that we can be married on the Saturday before Christmas and we’re certain that Bill and Karen can be here for that date. Anyway,’ she added with a rueful smile, ‘they’ll probably find out whether we tell them or not.’

‘True, but I would prefer that we make a public announcement so that it is out in the open and stop any silly rumours spreading,’ Tom stated firmly.

They made a list of the tasks that lay ahead and as they managed to tick them off one by one Jenny began to feel as excited as any bride approaching her wedding.

It was more than thirty-five years since William had died so she felt in no way disloyal to his memory in marrying again. Eddy had also been dead for over seven years so she really did feel that she was embarking on a new life.

She was also supremely confident that her new life as Tom’s wife was going to be a very happy and contented one. Tom had been a tower of strength ever since she had first met him and the feeling of being loved and protected by this strong, wonderful man had increased with each passing day.

She was also looking forward to no longer having to make important decisions about property and money matters on her own any more. The many years of doing so since William died had become a tremendous burden and she felt quietly relieved that in future she would be able to share them with Tom or even leave him to deal with them.

That wasn’t her only reason for marrying Tom, she told herself with an inward chuckle. His sense of humour, the charisma and warmth of his character and, above all, the constant love and affection he showed towards her were something she rated highly because she had been starved of them for so long.

It was wonderful, she reflected, how everything was suddenly falling into place. Karen was happily married and settled in her new home and she was as free as a bird to enjoy whatever happiness her own future brought.