Christmas Wishes (48 page)

‘Edward! How on earth …? I don’t understand. I’ve never told you, where the Dodmans live or anything; but oh, Edward, I’m so pleased it’s you! The Dodmans are out and I was beginning to feel so frightened.’

Edward rocked her gently in his arms, resting his chin on the top of her head. Then he must have looked around him and seen the bench which stood just inside the Dodmans’ porch. ‘Here, let’s sit down whilst I explain and apologise all over again.’

Joy laughed. ‘Oh, Edward, it’s
me
that should be apologising,’ she assured him. ‘You’re my oldest friend, yet I fell out with you and flew off in a temper because you told me the truth. The awful thing is I knew it was the truth, only of course it was a sort of dream and sometimes dreams are even more precious than reality.’

They had sat down side by side on the bench, but suddenly Joy threw her arms round Edward’s neck, pulled his head down to hers and began to kiss his face with quick little kisses. ‘Oh, Edward, I really do love you. Not better than I love Dad and Gillian, but differently. And if you still want to get married, it’s what I want as well.’

Edward gave a deep, contented sigh and lifted her on to his lap. ‘Of course I want to get married,’ he said huskily. ‘Oh, Joy, this is the happiest moment of my life! I took a chance that you were on your way to Devon, as I was pretty sure you were too cross with Gillian to go to Llandudno, and I made my way to Lime Street where I missed you by the skin of my teeth. Fortunately for me, however, you were aboard what they call a stopping train and the one I caught was an express. I actually saw you getting on the second train, but at that stage I simply dared not approach you – remember, you’d told me to bugger off and never come back.’

Joy moaned. ‘And you thought I
meant
it? Well, of course I did at the time because I was in a rage, but it didn’t last. Anyway, what happened next?’

‘Well, when my train stopped at a station, I waited for yours to arrive, checked that you were still aboard, and simply got on myself. Of course by then I knew your destination would be Barnstaple, but you’d never mentioned the Dodmans’ address and I was terrified, having followed you so far, of losing you. When you were taken to the head of the taxi queue I very nearly asked if I could share your cab, but whilst I was still dithering your chap drove off.

‘Then I’m afraid I behaved very badly. I jumped the queue, hailed the taxi which was just drawing alongside the rank, waved a pound note under the driver’s nose and shouted, “Follow that cab!” I’m sure he thought I was a lunatic until I explained that the cab in front contained the girl I meant to marry and then he was a real sport, quite a racing driver in fact. He swerved round corners, cut red lights and generally behaved like a driver in a gangster movie, but I didn’t care. I was so keen not to lose you that if he’d refused to take me, I believe I’d have run all the way!’

Joy chuckled. ‘What an exciting day we’ve both had,’ she said sleepily. ‘Is it very dark, Edward? Can you see how nice the Dodmans’ cottage is? Has the moon risen?’

Edward gave her a squeeze and kissed the side of her face. ‘The moon is at the full and lighting up everything: the cottage, the garden, the trees, even the lane. Although it’s quite a different time of year, and a very different place, I can’t help remembering our sledging party, because that was the first time I kissed you.’

Joy drew in a deep breath and released it in a long sigh. ‘So it
was
you,’ she murmured. She had been nestling in his arms, almost purring with contentment, but now she pulled away and turned to face him. ‘You know I said I was hoping for a miracle? Well, it felt like a miracle when you suddenly appeared just now. And when you said I wasn’t really seeing with my own eyes I tried not to believe you, even though in my heart I knew you were speaking the truth. I’ll never see again, no matter how long I may live.’ She nestled into his arms once more, and when she spoke, it was dreamily. ‘I’ll never see the stars shining up there in the black night sky, but when I’m in your arms, Edward, I’m almost sure I can hear them singing.’

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Published by Arrow Books in 2011

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Copyright © Katie Flynn 2011

Katie Flynn has asserted her right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as the author of this work.

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First published in Great Britain in 2011 by
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ISBN
978-0-0995-5053-2