‘Judy, I love you.’ Rob seized her by the hand. ‘I’ve always loved you, but I have the double curse of the Dornings and the Tattersalls in my blood. You deserve a much better man than I, but I’ve loved you from the start and nothing is more important to me than your happiness.’

‘But just this afternoon you made everything seem like a business proposition, and yet you come here this evening and tell me you love me.’

He drew her closer, holding her gaze. ‘I know, but I didn’t want to say anything when we were alone in the house. It would have put you in a difficult position. If you say no I’ll have to accept your decision, but I won’t give up easily. You and I were made for each other, Judy.’

She met his intense gaze with a tremulous smile. ‘I feel that, too.’

‘I was going to propose to you when we were in London, but the peasouper got in the way. I love you, and I hate every minute that I’m away from you. I want us to be together for ever.’

She slid her arms around his neck. ‘I love you, too, Rob. I really do.’

He kissed her long and with growing fervour, releasing her only to draw a breath. ‘Does that mean you will marry me?’

‘Yes, Rob. I will, with all my heart.’

He kissed her again. ‘I didn’t expect you to do so much to the house, but you’ve made it into a beautiful home. We could live there until the main wing of Creek Manor is completed, if you agree.’

‘I do.’

‘So there’s nothing to prevent us getting married very soon. I don’t want to risk losing you.’

Judy laid her head against his shoulder with a sigh, all her doubts dissipating like morning mist. ‘A summer wedding would be wonderful.’

Chapter Twenty-Six

The double wedding was Molly’s idea. The church was booked for 17 June, Thursday being a relatively quiet day in the pub, although, as Hilda said, most of the customers would be attending the wedding breakfast, even if they could not fit into the church itself.

With less than two months to go until the big day, Judy was kept fully occupied with the preparations. Rob had wanted to take her up to London to buy a new outfit for the wedding, but Judy insisted that if she were to arrive in a gown created by a fashionable London designer, it would be unfair to Molly. Miss Creedy had made Ma’s wedding outfit, and if it was good enough for Ma, it was perfectly acceptable to Judy herself. Rob backed down with good grace. However, his offer to hold the wedding reception in the grounds of Creek Manor was eagerly accepted. He planned to hire marquees and the entertainment, although he was tantalisingly secretive when Judy asked for more details.

Hilda was determined to organise the wedding breakfast, and she enlisted the help of Nell Pearce and Ida Ralston, as well as some of the servants from the old manor house, who were all eager to help. Judy did not want her mother to undertake such a lot of work, but she knew it was useless to argue. Molly’s contribution was to choose the colour scheme for the floral arrangements and she designed the bridesmaids’ frocks. Minnie’s twin girls, Lottie and Evie, were to attend both brides, with Henry and Edward Walters acting as pageboys. Dove’s five-year-old daughter was to be a flower girl, under the watchful eye of her cousin, nine-year-old Michael, Linnet and Elliot’s son. Judy had reservations about having so many young children let loose in church, but Molly was adamant that it could be done, and that the little ones would behave perfectly.