Regrets and Sacrifices--3 Book Box Set by Charlotte Lamb

Author:Charlotte Lamb
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Mills & Boon Special Release
Published: 2017-02-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SIX

NEARLY three years later, on a fine spring morning, Linzi was sitting at a desk in the corner of the antiques shop where she worked, watching two American customers who, from what she overheard them saying to each other, had just visited Stratford and were on their way to Warwick Castle. While they browsed Linzi was polishing some of the silver from a display case, a soothing job she enjoyed.

‘Hey, look at this, Ralphy,’ the wife said eagerly, holding up a Victorian fairing.

‘Cute,’ he agreed, warily balancing the little china ornament on his large palm, then he looked at the price tag. His eyebrows shot up. ‘But it’s pricey! Especially as it’s so small.’

‘But Ralphy, that’s the best thing about it—it’ll be so easy to pack!’

‘I guess it will!’ he agreed and turned to ask Linzi, ‘What are these things called, miss?’

‘A bridal fairing,’ Linzi promptly told him, walking over to join them. ‘They sold them at fairs in Victorian times; people gave them to brides as wedding presents.’

‘Victorian, huh?’ The husband surveyed the china solemnly. ‘Can you tell me when it was made, exactly?’

‘1871,’ Linzi supplied. ‘We have some others, as you see, but this is the oldest one we have. That’s why it’s the most expensive.’

‘Trust my wife to pick the most expensive one!’ complained the husband.

‘She’s got good taste!’ Linzi said, and the wife grinned at her conspiratorially.

‘Right. You tell him! Is this locally made, by the way?’

‘No, these fairings were all made in Germany, not England, actually.’ Honesty compelled her to admit this, although she was afraid that might make them decide not to buy if they were looking for a locally made souvenir.

The young man’s tanned face did alter, but only to light up with real enthusiasm. ‘No kidding? Well, what do you know? My ancestors came from Germany. We’re going there next. Whereabouts in Germany was this made?’

Linzi gave him a brief talk on the subject of the German factory, which was not as famous as some others, and after listening attentively he nodded.

‘We’ll have it.’ He pulled out a credit card from his wallet. ‘I guess you take this?’

‘We certainly do,’ Linzi said gaily, delighted to have made the sale. Five minutes later she saw the Americans to the door, intending to lock up for lunch as soon as they had gone.

‘Enjoy the rest of your visit,’ she said as they walked away. She was about to go back into the shop when another car driving past swerved violently and almost hit a van coming in the other direction. The squeal of tyres made Linzi and the Americans look round and stare, then Linzi turned pale with shock as she recognised the face of the driver.

Hurriedly closing the door of the shop, she locked and bolted it, and drew down the blind. She snatched up her handbag from a drawer in the desk, and headed for the back of the shop, meaning to escape through the rear garden and go off to lunch.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.