The fire was blazing in the parlour, a comfortable room filled with overstuffed sofas and armchairs in colourful red and green fabrics. Millicent Plymouth had found some special Georgian antique chests and a matching table. But James knew that it was Alexis who had used her knowledge to pull everything together to make a whole. And that whole was splendid. The greens and reds stood out against pale buttery-yellow walls and echoed colours in the paintings. It had been a wonderful place to visit at Christmas, just after she moved in.
Alexis had chosen pale-pink silks and satins for the drawing room next door, highlighting these with blue and lime green. These two main reception rooms were traditional in style. James preferred them to those cool, sleek, empty rooms at the house in Kent. But it had been a godsend when they had an urgent need to make love and nowhere else to go but Goldenhurst.
Alexis had seated herself at a small writing desk, where she found sheets of notepaper and a pencil. She went and sat in a chair near the fireplace, where James was standing with his back to the fire.
‘Let’s make the list,’ Alexis said. ‘So what’s the name of the groom?’
James chuckled. She always managed to make him laugh with her curious style of humour. He played along with her. ‘James Lionel Falconer,’ he said with a straight face. ‘Unless it’s some other chap.’
‘And what’s the name of the bride?’ Alexis asked.
‘Victoria, Empress of the World,’ James answered teasingly.
‘So her name is Alexis Helen Malvern.’
‘I didn’t know you had a middle name,’ James responded. ‘My Helen of Troy, known as a great beauty, which you are; a woman over whom men fought battles.’
‘The bride’s father is Henry Malvern, and that’s it for the bride’s side. Now to the family of the most handsome man in the world. Come on, give me their names, my darling Falconer.’ She laughed, winked at him.
‘All right, here we go. And let’s be serious and do the list quickly. I want to toast you and the baby.’
Alexis looked at him, realized he was serious, and nodded. ‘Parents, Maude and Matthew Falconer; grandparents, Esther and Philip Falconer; uncles George and Harry; siblings Rosalind and Edward. Is that it?’
‘Yes, unless we include the Venables from Hull. William’s parents,’ James said. ‘Marina is my great-aunt, my grandmother’s younger sister. What do you think, Alexis?’
‘Why not? William is so nice, and he’s been a good friend. And I think you must ask Natalie. She’s devoted to you.’ Alexis paused. ‘Do you think we have to ask anyone from the office, such as the division heads?’
‘I don’t really know. It could get problematical if some people feel left out, slighted, don’t you think?’ James looked thoughtful. ‘Why don’t we ask your father? Let’s hear what he thinks.’
‘I agree. Also, there are two people at the office who might be hurt – Peter Keller and Lucy Charteris. What about them?’
He nodded. ‘Of course, you’re right. I’m sure Keller in particular would be genuinely hurt.’
‘After we’ve discussed it with Father tomorrow, I must send out invitations immediately. I’ll get the best calligrapher and have them done by hand, and delivered by hand.’
James nodded. ‘You will have the wedding at your father’s church, won’t you?’
‘I will, and he will give me away. Who will be your best man?’
‘Uncle George. Oh, and I would like to invite Detective Inspector Roger Crawford. He’s been a real friend. And what about your friends? Lady Jane and Lord Reggie?’
‘I agree. They must all be invited, as well as Claudia and her husband Cornelius. Oh wait, they have gone to New York on some bank business. They left last week. So that’s our list. Now what about that toast?’
James looked across at her, his blue eyes moist again. He could hardly believe all this was happening. Their child was growing inside her. She was so happy, as was he. And another miracle was their marriage. No wonder he felt so happy. What a lucky man he was. And quite unexpectedly, he realized, he was about to start a new life.
The Reverand Silas Asten, the vicar of the local church where Henry Malvern worshipped, stood at the altar waiting to perform the wedding ceremony.
Waiting there with him were James Lionel Falconer and his best man, George Falconer. Both men looked handsome in their morning suits, with white waistcoats and white carnations in their buttonholes.
As the organ began to play Mendelsohn’s ‘Wedding March’, all heads turned as the bride, Alexis Helen Malvern, walked down the aisle on the arm of her father, Henry Malvern.
It was Saturday 6 February 1892, at four o’clock in the afternoon. And the marriage service was about to begin.
There were gasps of delight and many moist eyes as the bride walked gracefully towards the vicar.
She looked more beautiful than ever. Her shining auburn hair swept up, her face flawless and radiant with joy, and her green eyes sparkling.
Her gown was simple, made of white satin, the boat-shaped neckline trimmed with white fur, which also edged the long sleeves. She wore a small diamond-and-emerald tiara, which held her veil in place, and small emerald earrings.
On her left hand was the diamond engagement ring that James had given her.
Slowly, sedately, she walked down the long room and, as he watched her coming towards him, James filled with love for her. He had always thought of her as the love of his life. And indeed she was. Although he had once believed he would never have her as his wife and that he had lost her.
When Henry brought Alexis to him, tears filled James’s eyes as he took her hand in his. He saw that she too was crying, as well as her father, all extremely emotional because of this union.
The vicar cleared his throat, and the bride and groom took control of their senses, as disciplined as always.
They listened to the vicar and answered his questions, and before they knew it he was pronouncing them man and wife.
Turning to Alexis, James lifted her veil of white lace and kissed her. They smiled at each other and went on smiling for the rest of the day and into the evening.
Once the ceremony was over, the organ began to play, and the bride and groom walked down the aisle to the church entrance.
Here they stood waiting to greet their guests, clutching each other’s hands.
‘I love you so much,’ James said, then added, ‘I can’t believe you’re mine, that there is suddenly a Mrs James Lionel Falconer.’
‘Well, there is, and it’s me,’ Alexis said, looking at James, her love for him shining in her eyes. ‘And I’m your forever wife, remember that.’
The drawing room of the Malvern home in Mayfair had been totally transformed the day before the wedding. All the furniture had been removed, except for the piano, and the room had then been filled with small gold-painted ballroom chairs.
All of them would be taken, because everyone on the couple’s list of guests had accepted their invitations.
White flowers were everywhere, including orchids, lilies, roses and carnations. Some were banked under the windows, others filled out corners, and great bouquets stood on wooden stands on either side of the fireplace, where a fire burned brightly.
To one side, at the far end of the room, a small trio composed of a guitarist, a harpist and a pianist were next to the piano, waiting for the bride and groom. As they came in, the trio started to play, and Alexis and James were suddenly surrounded by family and friends, toasting them with glasses of champagne being passed around by the waiters.
James turned when his grandparents and parents arrived. They had all been captivated by Alexis’s charm and beauty when they met her. Especially his grandmother, Esther Falconer.
‘You’re lucky. You found the right woman for you,’ Grans had told him. Now she said again, in a different way, ‘The new Mrs Falconer is of our ilk now, and she will be a wonderful addition to our family, James. She’s the best.’
His parents had taken to her, and
of course his uncles had teased him. They had asked him how he of all men had managed to catch this raving beauty.
Lady Jane and Lord Reggie came to join them, friendly and warm, and obviously most approving of James.
At one moment, Henry Malvern joined them and asked them to gather the Falconers and the Venables to have their photographs taken. They did, trooping into another room. Afterwards, they joined the guests once more in the reception room.
It was a happy evening. Everyone was enjoying themselves, laughing, chatting, and having a good time. The supper, which had been cooked by Mrs Feltham, was delicious, and the wines that Henry Malvern had chosen were superb. Waiters were constantly refilling crystal goblets, other waiters bringing plates of food.
Glancing around at one moment, Alexis saw again how lovely the women looked in their elegant gowns and jewels.
After the wedding photographs had been taken, Great-Aunt Marina helped Alexis to take off her veil, with Tilda assisting, and replace the small diamond-and-emerald tiara which had belonged to her maternal great-grandmother. Now she would be able to dance with James. She could hardly wait to be in his arms.
As the supper continued, there were a number of toasts and speeches between courses. First to stand up was Henry Malvern, the father of the bride, and then James’s father, Matthew. He was followed by Uncle George and then Uncle Harry. They gave amusing short speeches about their handsome nephew, teasing him a bit with humour, jokes and affection, making all the guests laugh.
When James stood up, the room became totally silent. He gave an eloquent speech, much of it directed at Alexis. Then he took hold of her hand and led her onto the dance floor for the traditional first dance of the evening.
James held her firmly in his arms, and Alexis gazed up at him, as usual mesmerized by the brilliance of his vivid blue eyes.
She smiled inwardly, aware they made a most handsome couple, and that all eyes were focused on them. She spotted the Trevalian sisters, Lavinia and Marietta, the latter’s husband Anthony Gordon, and his brother Mark. They were all sitting together with Aunt Thea, who was accompanied by Marmaduke Gordon. Alexis was happy she had invited them.
As they moved around the dance floor, James Falconer saw the future as he gazed into his wife’s eyes. There was a new lightness of spirit in him. An absence of pain. The emptiness was gone. The future was theirs.
It had just begun.
EPILOGUE
James felt a tingle of excitement as he fitted the key in the lock of the small shop in Hull, and opened the door, stepping inside.
When Natalie had handed him the key earlier, he had experienced that same little rush of expectation, and eagerness to view the building.
He stood in the middle of the floor, looking around, noticing that this one room, the main room, was rather spacious, and he envisioned it filled with clothes, and fancy handbags, and all manner of other goods. He smiled to himself. At last he would have a shop. Not anything like Fortnum and Mason, of course, but it was a beginning. You had to start somewhere.
It needed sprucing up, lots of fresh white paint on the walls and ceiling, highly polished floors, and the doors needed a new coat of paint. Yes, he could soon get it into shape, and would enjoy working on it. Natalie had said they would help – his posse, as she called his small group of friends.
James opened a door and went into the back of the shop. There were two storage rooms for goods, filled with shelves, and a small office. He was already well pleased with this unexpected find, and the rush of excitement returned. He was going to rent it. What a fool he would be to turn it down.
One of the things which pleased him most was that it was in Hull. He loved this busy city. The folk who lived here liked to enjoy themselves, have a good time. And it was one of the great seaports in England, with ships carrying goods all over the world; while other ships from other countries sailed in with their imports. The flow of ships hinted at adventure.
He enjoyed going down to the docks with his cousin William Venables, and he had loved the few trips he had made on one of the Venables’ ships, sailing over to Le Havre. Uncle Clarence had begged him to go to work for their wine importing company, but James had declined, although he had been tempted. But he had his loyalty to Mr Malvern to think about, and then there was his dream.
His dream of his own business – a shop like Fortnum’s, and an arcade of shops like the Burlington Arcade in Piccadilly. He liked beautiful things, clothes for women, jewels, Savile Row tailoring for men’s clothes. Luxury, glamour, sumptuousness. He sometimes wondered where his liking for such things came from. He had no idea. Certainly, he hadn’t been brought up with it. He had had truly humble beginnings. On the other hand, he had an imagination, a certain vision, and his grandmother had exposed him to Fortnum’s, the arcades, and magazines passed on by Lady Agatha.
As he left the shop, and locked the door, he stepped back into the road and looked at the shop. And in his mind’s eye he saw the name above the door. FALCONER.
Barbara is proud to support the National Literacy Trust, a charity that changes the life stories of disadvantaged children across the UK. The Trust works with families living in the most disadvantaged communities, where 1 adult in 3 lacks the literacy skills needed to get a job or succeed in life. This affects every aspect of their life: their relationships, their health and even their life expectancy. People with poor literacy are much more likely to experience homelessness and turn to criminal behaviour. By improving the reading, writing, speaking and listening skills of people in deprived areas the National Literacy Trust offers a route out of poverty and transforms their future.
The National Literacy Trust relies on donations for their vital work. A small amount of money each month enables them to give a child a book of their own to keep, fund a skills workshop for teenagers to give them a better chance of getting a job, or support a family’s literacy and break the cycle of disadvantage.
You can find out more and donate at literacytrust.org.uk/donate
Keep Reading …
Discover more from Barbara Taylor Bradford …
Celebrating the 40th anniversary of the classic international and much-loved bestseller, buy the new edition of A Woman of Substance with a Foreword from Fern Britton.
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Also available as a new, unabridged audio recording, read by Bea Holland.
And buy the unforgettable sequels to A Woman of Substance,
Emma Harte is now eighty years old and ready to hand over the reins of the vast business empire she has created. As her favourite grandchild, Paula McGill Fairley, follows in her remarkable footsteps, she must exhibit a strength she never knew she possessed to ‘hold the dream’ that was entrusted to her …
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The spirit of Emma Harte lives on in her granddaughter, Paula O’Neill. Paula must act with daring and courage to protect her formidable grandmother’s glittering empire from unscrupulous enemies – so that Emma’s precious dream lives on for the next generation …
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And don’t miss the Cavendon series, a glorious, sweeping family saga, set around the aristocratic Ingham family of Cavendon Hall, and the enigmatic Swanns who serve them.
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About the Author
Barbara Taylor Bradford was born and raised in England. She started her writing career on the Yorkshire Evening Post and later worked as a journalist in London. Her first novel, A Woman of Substance, became an enduring multi-million-copy bestseller and was followed by many more, including the bestselling Cavendon series. Barbara’s books have sold over eighty-five million copies worldwide in more than ninety countries and forty languages, and ten mini-series and television movies have been made of her books. In October 2007, Barbara was appointed an OBE by the Queen for her services to literature. In the Lion’s Den is
her thirty-fourth novel.
To find out more and join the huge community of her fans, find Barbara on Facebook, follow her on Twitter @BTBNovelist and keep up to date with her events, novels and tours at www.barbarataylorbradford.co.uk, where you can also register for the Barbara Taylor Bradford newsletter and receive regular updates.
Books by Barbara Taylor Bradford
Series
THE EMMA HARTE SAGA
A Woman of Substance
Hold the Dream
To Be the Best
Emma’s Secret
Unexpected Blessings
Just Rewards
Breaking the Rules
THE RAVENSCAR TRILOGY
The Ravenscar Dynasty
Heirs of Ravenscar
Being Elizabeth
THE CAVENDON SERIES
Cavendon Hall
The Cavendon Women
The Cavendon Luck
Secrets of Cavendon
THE HOUSE OF FALCONER SERIES
Master of His Fate
In the Lion’s Den
Others
Voice of the Heart
Act of Will
The Women in His Life
Remember
Angel
Everything to Gain
Dangerous to Know
Love in Another Town
Her Own Rules
A Secret Affair
Power of a Woman
A Sudden Change of Heart
In the Lion's Den Page 26