A Mother's Hope for the Cornish Girls by Betty Walker

Author:Betty Walker [Walker, Betty]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2022-12-20T17:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY

St Ives, Cornwall, late June 1943

It was the happiest day of Lily’s life, which had to be the most unexpected thing about it. She’d been planning her wedding for weeks, approaching it with a cool, pragmatic spirit, as though an extension of her work. Often, she had taken herself to task for not being more romantic about it. But this was largely a marriage of convenience for Tristan, after all. She was under no illusions that he loved her, for he was only ever affectionate towards her, while her own feelings for him had become so muddled, she could barely express them. So why go all misty-eyed over a wedding that was purely practical in nature?

Now the day was finally at hand, however, Lily found herself weeping uncontrollably at every tiny detail. The sweet heady fragrance of her bridal bouquet of white roses, clutched now in her hand. The sight of all of her dearest friends and family gathered outside the old church at St Ives, smiling and chatting together. Warm sunshine glittering on the water in the harbour, only a few clouds reflected in its blue ripples. It was all so perfect, she was glad to have Aunty Violet at her side, with a seemingly endless supply of handkerchiefs.

‘You all right, love?’ Gran asked, peering at her in alarm.

‘Oh, Gran … Aunty Vi … I’m fine, I’m just … so blooming happy!’ Lily blew her nose, sniffing loudly. She gazed across the harbour at luggers and rowboats bobbing on the water, smelt the tang of salt on the air, and heard the cheery back-and-forth of Cornish fishermen as they dragged lobster pots along the wharf. It was all so different from the grim, terraced streets of Dagenham where she had grown up, and she loved it. ‘In less than an hour, I’m going to be Mrs Tristan Minear. Isn’t that the most amazing thing?’

‘It’s wonderful, Lily,’ her aunt agreed, also with red-rimmed eyes, and gave her a tearful hug, whispering in her ear, ‘I only wish your dad could be here to see you looking so beautiful. Our little Lily … about to be wed.’ Violet pressed a hanky to her mouth. ‘Ain’t she a sight for sore eyes, Mum?’

‘She is, indeed,’ Gran agreed, beaming. ‘Don’t you think so, Alice?’

Lily’s sister, who had been adjusting the belt on her own dress, looked up quickly. Little white flowers decorated her fair waves of hair and she looked really quite pretty. ‘It’s true,’ Alice said, with a frank grin that spoiled her elegant appearance. ‘I barely recognised you this morning. You scrub up well, I’ll give you that.’

Lily laughed, and then the two sisters hugged. They had been through so much together. It would be strange, Lily thought wistfully, to be a married woman while her sister was still single. It felt like the end of an era. But the beginning of something marvellous and new.

‘I wish Mum and Dad were both here,’ Alice added in a low voice, meant only for her.

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