Untitled Josephine Cox 4

by Josephine Cox

  Now, as Beth went back inside to get a cool drink, Cathy decided to take a little walk in the gentle woods around the lodge and take some fresh air. She set off, humming the lovely ‘Wedding March’ under her breath, swishing her long frilled skirt and dreaming of when she and Ronnie would have such a day as this.

  She had moved away from the worn path and stopped still to watch a rabbit nibbling on some grass in the distance when she heard voices. It was Nan and Danny, and Nan was sounding upset! Cathy wondered what could possibly have made her cry on such a perfect day and she crept closer, deciding whether or not to interrupt them. What she heard rooted her to the spot with horror. She knew she shouldn’t be eavesdropping but she was dragged in for the best motives and now, even though what she discovered was the worst thing she could possibly imagine, she could not leave. She had to stay and hear what her nan – no, not her nan, her mother! – was saying.

  Suddenly Cathy startled Marie and Danny as she appeared out of nowhere, pointing at Marie and telling her in a tearful, shivering voice, ‘You lied to me! I hate you. Hate you. I don’t want you any more!’ And then with a look that turned Marie’s heart inside out, she turned away and was quickly out of sight, with Marie chasing after her. ‘Come back, Cathy, please … we need to talk, please, sweetheart, come back!’

  When she started to go after Cathy, Danny stopped her. ‘Let me go. I promise, I’ll find her and I’ll bring her back so the two of you can talk.’ When in tears, she hesitated, he promised, ‘I will get her back. You two have so much love between you. It will be all right, but you have to be truthful with her, sweetheart.’

  He hurried away, heading after Cathy, striding into the woods like a man with a purpose, while Marie stood by the bench, looking in every direction to see if Cathy was coming back to her.

  After a time, becoming frantic, she walked to the spot where she had last seen both Danny and Cathy disappearing. She then took a few steps into the trees searching in every direction, but when there was no sign of either of them, she went back to the bench and sat waiting, hoping and praying that Cathy would come back to her.

  Cathy ran like the wind, tears rolling down her face as she recalled what Marie had said … that she was her mother. ‘It was all lies! My whole life is a lie! Who am I? That woman is not my nan … she’s my mother! And I hate her!’

  A short time later, Danny found her curled up on a bench, her arms wrapped about her knees and her face downcast.

  ‘Go away!’ Cathy attempted to clamber off the bench, but Danny caught her by the hand.

  ‘No! Please, I’m sure that what you overheard has shocked you. What she said was true, and all these years she has agonised over it. She tried so many times to tell you, but she was afraid you would reject her … and now you have. But please, let’s talk awhile, eh? Marie did a bad thing, and she has punished herself for it over all these years.’

  ‘Why did she do it?’ Cathy asked. ‘Why did she let me believe a lie all these years?’

  Danny took her into his arms. ‘Let her tell you, sweetheart. Let’s go back … she’s waiting for you. Yes, she did a bad thing, but she has punished herself for it, over and over. So many times she wanted to tell you the truth, but she was afraid you would not want her any more. Please, Cathy! No one will ever love you like she does. She made one mistake, and for all these years she has never forgiven herself.’

  Cathy looked up at him, at that lovely, craggy face with the built-in smile, and she knew he meant every word he was saying. ‘Why didn’t she tell me, Danny?’

  ‘Because she was afraid.’

  ‘Because she was cowardly, you mean?’

  ‘Well … yes, I suppose. But she was so afraid of losing you.’

  ‘Well! Now she has!’

  Danny asked her softly, ‘Do you love your family … all of them, including Marie?’

  After a long silence, Cathy nodded. ‘Of course I love her. That’s why I’m so shocked that she could leave me not knowing the truth … for all these years.’

  ‘Tell me again, sweetheart?’

  ‘What?’

  ‘Do you love your family – the people you believed were your mother and father? Did you have a happy life with them?’

  After a long pause, Cathy looked up. ‘Yes, I love them all, but I was living a lie. The shame of it! And they must all have known. How could they do that to me?’

  ‘Because they love you too much to let you go. They needed you, as much as you needed them. You are their lovely Cathy, wanted and loved. To all intents and purposes, you were their daughter, not Marie’s daughter, although she loved and cared for you. She was proud to see you grow up, right under her very eyes, in her home, where she could have you with her, and if that is not love … I don’t know what is.’

  He whispered softly, ‘You are a very fortunate young woman, Cathy, growing up in a loving family, always being taken care of. Knowing that you will never be alone. Knowing that those good people truly are your family. They would be broken-hearted and utterly devastated if you could not love them now.’

  From a discreet distance, Marie heard his every soft word, and as she listened, her tears fell and her heart was uplifted, to hear Danny’s gentle, loving wisdom.

  ‘Listen to me, Cathy.’ Danny took hold of Cathy’s hand. ‘You are a very fortunate young woman. You have a family who love you deeply. You have a future now, with Ronnie, the young man who adores you. And, unlike me, you had a good childhood. I never knew my mother. She ran off and left me and my dad when I was six years old. My nan came to live with us, and in many ways she was my mother, and I loved her dearly. But she’s gone now. I still miss her like you could never believe. Listen to me, sweetheart, you truly are a lucky girl. You have always had a loving family about you, with parents and a wonderful grandma who made a bad mistake in having a child out of wedlock. But she was determined not to let you go.

  ‘However difficult it was going to be for her, she was not about to let you be taken away from her, my darling. Instead, she did what she thought was best for you, as did the whole family – your family. And might I say, they have done a wonderful thing in raising you to be the young woman you now are: kind and gentle, beautiful, and just beginning to embark on your own family life with a young man who adores you.’

  Cathy turned away from him and sat silently for what seemed an age.

  When she eventually looked up, she saw a small, solitary figure in a wedding outfit watching her, always loving her, aching to wrap her arms about her.

  Suddenly Cathy was running to her, the tears rolling down her face as she threw herself into Marie’s welcoming arms.

  ‘Oh, Cathy, I thought you would not want me any more. I thought you would turn me away … ’ Marie hugged her tightly. ‘I do love you so … we all do. And later on, I will explain it all to you – everything – because you have a right to know.’

  That very night, when the two of them were sitting in the garden under a darkening sky, Marie told Cathy the truth at last. But when it came to who her real father was, Cathy did not want to know.

  ‘I have my father and mother, and my lovely nan, and so I have everything I want and need, right here. Why would I want strangers around me?’

  Marie’s heart was filled with love, and maybe also a few regrets. But right now, she felt like the happiest, luckiest woman in the world.

  On the morning after the wedding, before Marie and Danny set out for their honeymoon in Blackpool, Eileen came to see Marie. Nervously, remembering how they had parted earlier in the year, Marie showed her into the front room. Eileen looked very cheerful, though, which gave Marie hope that she hadn’t come to be angry with her.

  ‘I’ve come to say that I’m sorry,’ she said kindly. ‘I was bitter and angry when we met in Blackpool and I have been thinking ever since that I should have been more charitable.’

  ‘Well … that’s very … nice of you, Eileen,’ said Marie. ‘You know how sorry I am for what I did. I can’t blame anyone else,
and I really wish I hadn’t hurt you.’

  ‘I know that, Marie. You’re starting a new life with a lovely man and I don’t want any disagreement between us to cast a shadow over that.’

  ‘Thank you,’ said Marie in a small voice.

  ‘So, what do you say? Can we be friends again, do you think?’

  Marie nodded silently as tears sprung to her eyes and she went to hug Eileen. They held each other for a long moment and when they pulled back each was smiling through her tears.

  ‘And I have some good news,’ said Eileen, sniffing and visibly pulling herself together. ‘Tony and I have plenty of time to suit ourselves since he retired and he seems to have a new lease of life since … well, over the past few months. He needs a new interest – there’s a limit to how often a man can mow the lawn, after all – and what we both need are new horizons. We’re going on a cruise! The Mediterranean! I can’t wait. I’ve never been further than Blackpool in the whole of my life but, you know, Marie, it’s never too late.’

  ‘Don’t I know it!’ Marie said. ‘Here’s me, a newly-wed, and there’s you, travelling the world. I hope you both have a lovely time.’

  ‘Thank you.’

  ‘Send us a postcard.’

  Eileen laughed. ‘I will. And now I must go. Beth is heading back to Blackpool today and I want to give her a proper lunch before she goes.’

  ‘Danny and I are going there later, too. Maybe we’ll see her on the train.’

  ‘She won’t want to cramp your style,’ smiled Eileen. ‘I’m sure you and Danny would prefer to travel on your own.’

  After a few more emotional moments, the two parted as friends and went their separate ways, while promising they would meet again.

  Eileen gave Marie a parting hug. ‘God bless you, sweetheart. You’re a good woman, and sometimes even good people might stray from the path and get lost. But when you have a family and friends who love you, you will never be alone.

  ‘Be happy, Marie,’ she added softly. ‘You’ve got a good, handsome man in Danny. You make sure and look after him, eh?’

  With a little smile, Marie promised she would.

  When Cathy and Ronnie had their first child, a small image of his daddy, Marie cried all day, and into the night. Danny told her she was a softie, and he would not want any other woman for as long as he lived.

  In truth, he wondered what he must have done to deserve such happiness.

  A special message from Jo

  Dear Readers,

  I’m so happy to share my latest story with you, this was a very special book for me to write. The past year has been full of the twists and turns that life can take and it has brought home just how important and cherished family really is. For Marie, too, I hope you can see the immense love she has for her family, guiding her through the dark times. We never quite know what life will throw at us, how it will all take its toll, but we have to hold on to the hope that everything will come good in the end.

  Marie has been carrying the burden of a secret for many years. She fears the truth coming out, knowing that the consequences could badly hurt the people she loves most. Don’t judge her too harshly, we all make mistakes and have regrets, but it’s our inherent goodness that counts in the end. The characters in the story all show incredible strength and I hope you can see the devotion that they have for one another in the face of guilt and hardship. For them, and for all of us lucky enough to be surrounded by family, it’s important to remember that the love of a family is the most precious gift.

  I hope that you can welcome these characters into your hearts. For me they are very real, they live and breathe with me. Please do let me know, after you’ve read this story of love and loss through the generations, what you thought of their journeys.

  I love hearing from each and every one of you, and always look forward to the letters that find their way to my door. Just as family is so precious, you, my loyal readers, are much-cherished too. And you’re not just readers, but friends and compatriots, and I hope that you can confide in me whenever you feel lonely or sad. I have so much gratitude for the loyalty and love I get from you, and I will strive to reply to your wonderful letters as soon as I can.

  I hope that this year will bring you everything you wish for. For me, it will be another stride towards the next book, and I can’t wait to share more stories with you.

  With all my love,

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  My huge love and devotion as ever, to our much-cherished sons, Wayne and Spencer, including also Jane and my delightful two granddaughters, Chloe and Milly. Also the wider family. All my love and devotion always.

  I would also like to recognise the dedicated HarperCollins team who work tirelessly behind the scenes in order to bring my stories to my readers, whose wonderful, heartfelt letters are hugely precious to me.

  As always I send my best wishes and warmest thanks to all of you.

  If you enjoyed this book, try these other heart-warming family dramas from the No. 1 bestselling author, Josephine Cox

  One fateful night changes the course of a child’s life forever …

  Rosie’s mother is a cruel woman and has Rosie’s kind and loving father wrapped around her finger. Though John Tanner does his best to protect her, Rosie often bears the brunt of her mother’s rage.

  And his protection can’t last forever.

  In one tragic moment Rosie’s fragile world is shattered. Grieving and alone, Rosie is thrust into a harsh reality, and she must face the obstacles that fate has set in her path.

  But secrets will out, and Rosie must uncover the shocking truth behind her mother’s cruelty before she can hope for the love and happiness she deserves.

  Click here to buy now

  And don’t miss Josephine’s bestselling 50th book, The Runaway Woman

  Those looking in from the outside think Lucy Lovejoy’s life is like any other, but at the centre of her family there is a big empty hole where all the love and warmth should be. Over the years, her children have watched while their father chipped away at Lucy’s self-confidence. Now the children are following their own paths, and Lucy has never felt more alone.

  When tragedy strikes at the heart of the family, it’s a wake-up call for Lucy. Everyone has taken a little piece of her, and she isn’t sure who she is anymore. So when Lucy faces a betrayal from those she loves deepest, she knows that it’s time to make a choice.

  Is she brave enough to find herself again?

  Click here to buy now

  About the Author

  Josephine Cox was born in Blackburn, one of ten children. At the age of sixteen, Josephine met and married her husband Ken, and had two sons. When the boys started school, she decided to go to college and eventually gained a place at Cambridge University. She was unable to take this up as it would have meant living away from home, but she went into teaching – and started to write her first full-length novel. She won the ‘Superwoman of Great Britain’ Award, for which her family had secretly entered her, at the same time as her novel was accepted for publication. Her strong, gritty stories are taken from the tapestry of life. Josephine says, ‘I could never imagine a single day without writing. It’s been that way since as far back as I can remember.’

  Visit www.josephinecox.com and www.facebook.com/jocoxbooks to find out more information about Josephine.

  Also by Josephine Cox

  QUEENIE’S STORY

  Her Father’s Sins

  Let Loose the Tigers

  THE EMMA GRADY TRILOGY

  Outcast

  Alley Urchin

  Vagabonds

  Angels Cry Sometimes

  Take This Woman

  Whistledown Woman

  Don’t Cry Alone

  Jessica’s Girl

  Nobody’s Darling

  Born to Serve

  More than Riches

  A Little Badness

  Living a Lie

  The Devil You Know

  A Time for Us

  Cra
dle of Thorns

  Miss You Forever

  Love Me or Leave Me

  Tomorrow the World

  The Gilded Cage

  Somewhere, Someday

  Rainbow Days

  Looking Back

  Let It Shine

  The Woman Who Left

  Jinnie

  Bad Boy Jack

  The Beachcomber

  Lovers and Liars

  Live the Dream

  The Journey

  Journey’s End

  The Loner

  Songbird

  Born Bad

  Divorced and Deadly

  Blood Brothers

  Midnight

  Three Letters

  The Broken Man

  The Runaway Woman

  Lonely Girl

  A Mother’s Gift: Two Classic Novels

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