Peter and Emma spotted them and hurried towards them.
‘Oh Opal, you look just beautiful,’ Emma told her, before pecking Mrs King on the cheek.
‘You certainly do, my dear,’ Peter chipped in and Opal blushed. But just then more guests arrived and Emma told them, ‘Do get a drink and mingle with the guests. I’ll catch up with you again just as soon as I can.’ And she hurried away to greet the new arrivals, as Opal led Mrs King into the dining room where a buffet fit for a king was laid out on long tables along one wall.
‘Do you want anything to eat yet?’ Mrs King enquired.
Opal shook her head. ‘Oh, not yet, thank you. I’m still full from dinner, but may I get you something?’
The old woman shook her head as she headed purposefully for the ballroom where they could hear the orchestra tuning up. ‘I’d rather get a good seat where I’ve got a nice view of the dance floor. But I wouldn’t mind a glass of that champagne.’
Opal took two glasses from a passing maid and, once Mrs King was settled on the chair of her choice, Opal glanced nervously around. Thankfully she saw no one she knew, so she sipped the champagne and began to relax as people milled about. A huge crystal chandelier lit by a myriad of tiny candles was suspended above the highly polished wooden dance floor and as Opal glanced out of the enormous floor-to-ceiling windows, which were draped with deep-red velvet curtains, to the snowy scene beyond, she felt butterflies flutter to life in her stomach as she wondered if Matthew had arrived. Emma had said he would be here, but would the snow have stopped him? And even if he did come, would he even remember her? She doubted it very much, but still she looked forward to seeing him.
At last all the visitors had arrived, and the house seemed to be bursting at the seams with people. The women in multi-coloured gowns and sparkling jewellery looked truly beautiful and the men in their dark evening suits and dickie bows looked handsome. Opal felt as if she could have watched them forever. Eventually, the orchestra began to play and couples took to the floor as Emma rushed up to them, her face alight.
‘Opal, look who I found,’ she said and Opal felt colour rush into her cheeks as she glanced up to see Matthew smiling down at her.
‘Good evening, Mrs King.’ Matthew gave a little bow and a cheeky smile. ‘May I have the pleasure of this dance? From what I can remember, you were very good at the waltz.’
‘Go on then, girl, don’t just sit there,’ the elderly Mrs King scolded in her usual forthright way, as she gave her a none too gentle nudge in the back – and before Opal had time to think about it, Matthew was leading her on to the dance floor.
‘May I say you look absolutely beautiful this evening,’ Matthew whispered in her ear and she flushed with pleasure. He hadn’t even seemed to notice her scarred cheek, and if he had, it clearly didn’t bother him. His face became serious then as he said softly, ‘I was, er . . . sorry to hear of your, er . . . trouble.’
Opal sighed. ‘I’m trying to put it all behind me now, but I was sorry to hear of your loss too.’ They were gliding effortlessly around the floor and Opal felt as if she was floating on air.
‘Alicia had been ill for many years,’ he told her quietly. ‘So it came as no surprise; in fact her death was a blessed release for her. She suffered terribly towards the end but my daughter, Susie, was marvellous with her. I don’t know how we would have managed without her.’
He felt Opal stiffen in his arms. ‘Susie? I thought your daughter’s name was Suzanne.’
‘Well, that was what Alicia insisted on calling her, she thought it was a bit grander than Susie, but her name was Susie when we adopted her, and that’s what she prefers to be known as.’
He watched the colour drain from her face like water from a dam and, as her steps faltered, she almost tripped them up. ‘My dear . . . are you all right?’ His voice was full of concern as they came to a stop and she managed a weak smile.
‘Y-yes, I’m sorry. It’s just that . . . I once had a little sister called Susie. She was adopted when she was six years old without my permission and I’ve been trying to trace her ever since. Henry told me that he was trying to find her for me, but looking back, I don’t think he was, and hearing her name . . . Sorry, it was just a shock.’
Matthew paused and frowned before taking her elbow. ‘I think we need to talk,’ he told her, and led her purposefully through the throng of dancers towards Peter’s study. Hopefully, there would be no one else in there and they would be able to speak in private.
But before they reached the door, a young woman in a beautiful ivory gown suddenly grasped Matthew’s arm, and as Opal looked at her, she felt her knees buckle. The girl’s hair and eyes were exactly the same colour as her own, and although she was no longer the little girl that Opal remembered, she would have recognised her anywhere.
‘Susie . . .’ she choked, as tears sprang to her eyes.
The girl looked at her with a puzzled frown. The woman looked familiar, but she couldn’t remember when . . . Then she looked into her eyes, beautiful brown eyes the same colour as her own – eyes she had never forgotten, despite the long years since she had seen them. She felt her stomach swoop with shock.
‘Opal . . . Oh, Opal, I thought I would never see you again!’
And then they were in each other’s arms, sobbing as if their hearts would break. Against all the odds, they had found one another again.
Peter appeared at their side, alerted by the commotion – and, realising that something was going on, he ushered them all into his study. It was only when the door was closed behind them that he asked with concern, ‘Is everything all right?’
Matthew looked completely bewildered as the two young women clung to each other.
‘Sh-she is my sister!’ Opal told him, and now it was Peter’s turn to look shocked.
Slowly Opal told them all about the terrible circumstances that had led to what was left of their family being forced to find shelter in the dilapidated cottage in Rapper’s Hole.
‘Susie and Jack and I were all gravely ill with the fever that took our father,’ she said in a croaky voice, ‘and so our brother Charlie took the two of them to the workhouse where he hoped they would be treated by a doctor. But by the time I was well enough to go there both of them had gone: Susie for adoption and Jack had died.’ Tears coursed down her cheeks as she relived that terrible time. ‘And then Charlie was charged with stealing from Henry and sent to a penal colony in Australia and the rest you know. Henry took me under his wing and I ended up marrying him.’
Matthew’s face was grim. ‘We did adopt Susie from the workhouse,’ he admitted. ‘And I knew that her name at the time was Sharp, but until now I didn’t realise that had been your maiden name too. But tell me, was your brother called Charlie Sharp? Because if he was, I think I might just be able to find another piece of the missing jigsaw.’
‘What do you mean?’ Opal was still holding on to Susie as if she might never let her go.
‘Just wait here,’ Matthew said as he turned and strode from the room.
Opal and Susie sat down on a sofa, arms wrapped around each other, with tears of joy still pouring down their cheeks. They barely noticed the minutes ticking by, as they gazed at each other in disbelief. Susie reached her hand up to touch Opal’s scar, murmuring, ‘How?’
Opal shook her head. Now was not the time to talk of past sorrows. ‘Another time. Soon, we will tell each other everything—’
She was interrupted by the door opening as Matthew returned, followed by a handsome young man with a beautiful young woman on his arm.
For a moment they all just stared at each other, then Opal let out a cry, half rising to her feet. Before she could stand, Charlie reached his sisters in two strides and threw his arms about them.
‘I . . . I can’t believe it.’ He was sobbing unashamedly. ‘I’d almost given up hope of ever seeing either of you again.’
The group around them watched the emotional reunion with tear
s in their eyes.
Finally, Matthew said, ‘As soon as you said Charlie’s name it rang a bell,’ he told them. ‘A good friend of mine and Peter’s, Phineas Morgan, is here this evening and I had the very great honour of attending his daughter Francesca’s wedding some time ago. I’ll let Charlie tell you the rest himself, but for now I think we should all leave these three young people to themselves. They certainly have a lot of catching up to do.’
Nodding in agreement, Peter and Francesca hurriedly left the room, with broad smiles on their faces.
Chapter Fifty-One
On the morning after the ball, Opal, Susie, Matthew, Francesca and Charlie gathered in Mrs King’s drawing room. She had insisted that they should all come for lunch and they were all in fine spirits.
‘So, what do you intend to do now that you’ve found one another again?’ Mrs King asked eventually, in her usual no-nonsense way.
They had not stopped talking since they got there, but now a silence settled on the room as the newly reunited brother and sisters stared at each other. They hadn’t had time to think that far ahead yet but now they realised that they would have to.
‘Well . . . I don’t really want to leave my father,’ Susie said falteringly, for over the years that was how she had come to regard Matthew.
‘And obviously my home, businesses and Francesca’s family are in London,’ Charlie pointed out practically – he’d introduced them all to his new wife at the ball.
Opal could understand how they felt, but oh it was going to be so hard to see them leave now that she had found them again.
‘But that doesn’t mean you can’t come and stay with us whenever you wish,’ Charlie piped up and Susie nodded vigorously.
‘And she can come and stay with us too, can’t she?’ she pleaded, looking towards Matthew.
‘She may come as often as she wishes and stay for as long as she wishes,’ he answered.
Mrs King smiled. She had a feeling he wasn’t being completely unselfish. She’d seen the way he and Opal looked at each other. Opal had never looked at Henry that way, and she had the feeling that she might be witnessing the start of a true romance. She hoped so. She bitterly regretted letting Opal marry her son now and she deserved to be happy.
‘And of course, any of you are welcome to come and stay here too whenever you like,’ she chipped in. The house had never seen so much excitement or seemed so happy.
Opal gave her a grateful smile.
‘Thank you,’ Matthew said. ‘As it happens, Susie and I have already decided to extend our stay for a couple of weeks before we return to London. There is still part of the family chain missing – little Jack. I want to find out where he is buried so that you can all at least visit his grave.’
‘I’ve already tried to get that information from the workhouse but they wouldn’t tell me,’ Opal told him regretfully.
‘Well, I think you’ll find they’ll tell me,’ Matthew said, his expression grim. ‘That’s the very least they can do. Just leave it with me.’
‘If that’s the case, you and Susie must stay here,’ Mrs King said firmly.
He gave her a grateful smile. ‘That’s very kind of you. I was going to book us both into the Bull Hotel in the town. Are you quite sure we wouldn’t be imposing?’
‘Of course you wouldn’t!’ Mrs King waved her hand in the air; she was enjoying all the excitement. ‘And anyway, I reckon you’d have a job tearing these two apart just yet.’ She smiled at Susie and Opal who were sitting as closely together on the sofa as they could possibly get, gripping each other’s hands, while Charlie and Francesca looked on smiling. Both of the young women had really taken to Charlie’s lovely young wife and they knew already that they were going to get along famously.
Eve came in with a tray of coffee and biscuits and she too was smiling broadly. Opal had told her what had happened early that morning and she couldn’t have been more pleased for her.
‘Cook says to tell you lunch will be ready in an hour, but this should keep you going till then.’
As Eve poured the coffee into tiny china cups, Matthew told Mrs King, ‘Then if you’re quite sure about us staying, I’ll leave after lunch and have our luggage brought here from Peter’s. I might even have time to call in at the workhouse and start my enquiries, and God help them if they try to fob me off about little Jack’s resting place.’
‘You can take my carriage,’ Mrs King offered generously. ‘I’m sure your Will won’t mind driving him, will he, Eve?’
‘Not at all,’ Eve answered. Will was as thrilled about what had happened as the rest of them. It was so nice to see Opal smiling again.
Shortly after lunch, Matthew set off, leaving the family to make up for lost time. He returned briefly to bring his and Susie’s luggage before leaving for the workhouse, and Eve, Susie and Opal spent the afternoon putting their clothes away in the rooms Eve had prepared for them, chattering non-stop while they worked. Francesca and Charlie had returned to Peter’s with the promise that they would be back for dinner and suddenly the house seemed to have come alive again.
Matthew returned from the workhouse grim-faced. ‘Your little brother’s death is recorded in the book,’ he told Opal and Susie. ‘But the odd thing is no one seems to know where he is buried, which is strange because the rest of the inmates who pass away there are buried in a tiny cemetery out the back, and their resting places are all marked with simple crosses with their names on.’
‘That’s it then,’ Opal said quietly, her lovely brown eyes awash with tears. ‘We’ll never know now.’
But Matthew wasn’t to be put off so easily. ‘I haven’t finished yet. Someone must know. The master who was in charge then has long since retired, but I shan’t rest until I’ve questioned every single person that worked there at the time. Don’t give up just yet.’
And somehow Opal believed and trusted him.
Later that evening, they all dined together and, when Francesca and Charlie once again returned to Peter and Emma’s house, Susie and Mrs King retired to bed, worn out with all that had happened, leaving Matthew and Opal alone by the cosy fire in the drawing room.
‘You’ve done a wonderful job of bringing Susie up,’ Opal told him sincerely. ‘She’s a credit to you.’
‘Thank you.’ He swirled the whisky in the glass he was holding and sighed. ‘Truthfully, I was very disappointed with Alicia once we had adopted her. Susie was such a delightful little girl, but after the initial novelty of having a child wore off Alicia didn’t seem to have much time for her.’
‘Oh!’ Opal didn’t quite know what to say.
‘Alicia was very beautiful, but I’m afraid she was also very spoiled,’ he admitted. ‘And for the last few years of her life, we weren’t particularly close.’
‘Oh!’ Opal said again. She was shocked; she had thought they were so happy. But then she smiled in understanding and sighed. ‘Henry and I weren’t close either. I should never have married him,’ she said sadly. ‘I didn’t love him, but I’d lost Charlie, Susie and Jack, and he was so kind to me. I hoped I would grow to love him in time.’
Before they knew it, they were telling each other their life stories and by the end of the evening Opal felt as if she had known him for years.
When they went to their bedrooms, they walked up the stairs together and he saw her to her door where he lifted her hand and kissed it gently.
‘I’ve thought of you often since we first met,’ he told her and she felt herself blush.
‘I’ve thought of you too,’ she admitted, her heart racing, but before he could say anything else, she turned and went into her room; she could hardly wait to see him again the next morning.
Straight after breakfast, Matthew set out for the workhouse again, leaving the sisters to spend time together. Francesca and Charlie were coming for dinner that evening along with Peter and Emma, and Opal was so excited she could hardly wait. Sadly, Charlie and Francesca would be leaving for London early the next morning. He no
w had a string of jewellery shops and needed to be there to oversee them but they would keep in regular contact from now on, which made the parting a little more bearable.
While they waited for Matthew to return, she and Susie spent the day talking non-stop as they caught up with each other’s lives. There were many tears and also much laughter, and Opal felt happier than she had since her parents had died so many years before.
Matthew didn’t arrive back until late in the afternoon, by which time Opal, Susie and Mrs King, along with Charlie and Francesca, who had just arrived, were in the drawing room.
As soon as Opal saw him she knew something had happened and she stood up. ‘Have you found out where Jack is buried?’ she asked expectantly.
‘Not exactly, but I do have a surprise for you,’ he told her, his eyes sparkling. ‘You see . . . Jack isn’t dead.’
Opal felt the floor rush up to meet her as she gripped the back of a chair, and she saw the colour drain from Charlie’s face. He had lived with terrible guilt ever since placing Jack and Susie in the workhouse and now he could hardly dare to believe what he was hearing.
‘What . . .? But I don’t understand . . .’ Opal said in a wobbly voice.
Taking her hand, he led her to the sofa and when they were both seated, he stroked her arm gently. ‘As I told you yesterday, there was no record of where Jack might be buried, so I decided to speak to any of the staff that still worked there who were there when he and Susie were admitted, and early this afternoon, I struck lucky. I spoke to an old woman who’d worked in the nursery there. She remembered Jack well, and said that he was almost at death’s door when he arrived. Anyway, it seemed that there was another lady who worked there who took a huge shine to him. She feared that the babies weren’t given the care they needed when they were admitted – the poorly ones especially – so the long and the short of it is . . . she took him home to bring him up as her own. When the master discovered that the child was gone, he was worried about what the board of governors would say about a missing child, so he had him recorded as dead. The old lady was able to direct me to the boy’s home and he’s here right now if you’d like to meet him.’
The Winter Promise Page 37