‘I wish Peggy and Aunt Cordelia were here,’ murmured Jane as her mother fussed with her dress. ‘They would have loved all this grandeur.’

‘We’ll make sure we send lots of photographs back,’ said Sarah, her heart thudding in anticipation of seeing Delaney waiting for her at the altar.

The photographer was an army man that Jim had roped in for the occasion, and the girls stood impatiently on the steps with their mother – elegant in a cream shantung dress, high-heeled sandals and a very large hat – while he took his pictures.

When he was finally satisfied he’d taken enough, Sybil took their hands. ‘Are you ready?’

They nodded and grinned, and she led them through the cathedral doors to the glorious music of a mighty organ.

The aisle was long and led to an imposing altar bedecked in flowers. There were flowers everywhere, and their heady scent filled the vast, echoing space as the organ music soared to the high rafters. The cathedral was almost empty, but for Elsa, Myfanwy and a smattering of friends from the hospital and the RAPWI office. But Sarah and Jane had eyes only for their men waiting at the steps.

The vicar conducted the ceremony solemnly, but with a twinkle in his eyes as Jeremy stumbled over the vows, and Delaney nervously fumbled to get the ring onto Sarah’s finger. He pronounced them married, and now permitted to kiss their brides.

Sarah melted into Delaney’s arms as he kissed her. He was her future – the love of her life – and she need never be without him again.

Part Four

23

Cliffehaven

Peggy breathed a sigh of pleasure as she woke in the large first-floor front bedroom that December morning and regarded the spacious and attractive surroundings in which she now slept. Unlike the room on the hall floor, there was plenty of space for her big old furniture which had taken on a rather stately air since being brought up here, and it was lovely to have her elegant dressing table and stool back from Cissy’s old room. She’d placed it beneath the window, so she could look out at the view as she put on her make-up.

She yawned and stretched luxuriously before dragging on Jim’s dressing gown to ward off the cold as she went to open the new curtains. The sky was overcast and promising more rain, but nothing could dampen her spirits today, for the work on Beach View was finished, and Bob was finally coming home for Christmas. With that delightful prospect ahead of her, she pushed her feet into her old slippers and padded out onto the landing to Daisy’s room. Opening the door, she peeked in to find that she was still sleeping, and so took the opportunity to once again admire the room that had once been Sarah and Jane’s and which had been transformed by Ron’s hard work.

There were two single beds so Daisy could have a little friend to stay, the floorboards had been sanded and varnished, one of the walls was painted white, the others covered with nursery-rhyme wallpaper which went beautifully with the pink curtains. The old chest of drawers and bookcase had been painted white, as had the skirting board and window frame. There were soft, colourful rag rugs on the floor and a large wooden box for her toys.