Lily took another sip of her whisky and shuffled to get comfortable on the high wooden stool at the end of the bar. She looked around her and mused on the unexpected events of the day. It had certainly been a wedding to remember – although memorable for all the wrong reasons.
Allowing herself an end-of-evening smoke, Lily got out her packet of Gauloises and lit a cigarette. She was feeling a tad relieved as she had just had a quick word with Agnes before she’d left. She’d apologised for having introduced Maisie to the Elliot family – albeit unintentionally. She knew just how protective Agnes was of Bel, having more or less brought her up as one of her own, and because of this Lily had been more than a little concerned that Agnes might well be angry with anyone associated with the woman who had ruined her son and daughter-in-law’s wedding day.
Thankfully, Agnes had dismissed her words with a wave of the hand, showing that she in no way harboured any ill feeling towards Lily, and making no bones about the fact that there was ‘always some kind of drama’ wherever Pearl was concerned.
Their brief chat had also given Lily the opportunity to thank Agnes for caring for Rosie the night she’d been attacked by her uncle. Something she had wanted to do for the past year.
‘Anyone,’ Agnes had said to Lily, ‘would have done the same.’
Lily had smiled; she knew that this was not necessarily true, and not everyone would have taken in a complete stranger, nursed them all night, and not asked any questions. Lily liked Agnes. Perhaps in time they could become friends of sorts.
She had also been introduced to Gloria, who had thanked her profusely for paying the solicitor’s fees for her divorce. Lily had told her that all that ‘financial nonsense’ was George’s domain, and that it was she who should be thanking Gloria and the rest of the women welders for helping Rosie.
When Lily had said, ‘No amount of money could have made up for that’ Gloria had chuckled and said George had used more or less the same words.
‘That’s what happens when you spend so much time with the same person,’ Lily had laughed. ‘You end up thinking the same, never mind speaking the same!’
Gloria had introduced Lily to Hope, but shortly afterwards the baby announced that it was time to go home by bawling her adorable little eyes out.
As Lily sat pensively in a swirling cloud of smoke, George crept up behind her and whispered in her ear, ‘A penny for your thoughts, my dear?’ He was back from dropping off the newly-weds.
Lily stubbed her cigarette out, turned around and laughed, ‘It’ll cost you more than that!’
George grabbed a bar stool. Propping against it the ornate ivory walking stick that Lily had bought for him earlier on in the year, he seated himself.
‘I was actually thinking,’ Lily admitted, ‘that it’s been rather an eventful day.’
George looked at Lily’s manicured hand, which was wrapped round a glass of single malt. He thought how pristine she still looked in the beautifully tailored vibrant green dress that he’d been repeatedly told was designed by royal couturier Norman Hartnell.
‘Eventful?’ George let out a laugh, ‘it’s certainly been that.’
Lily looked at George and thought he seemed a little distracted.
‘Lord knows,’ she said, ‘what we’re going to do with Maisie.’ As Lily spoke she looked across at Rosie, who was sitting with the big woman from her squad, the little Jewish girl, and some strange-looking skinny lad wearing bottle top glasses. Rosie was sipping on a port, and looked relaxed.
‘It’s been nice to see Rosie let her hair down a little today,’ Lily said. ‘She’s even had a dance with one of the soldiers.’
George choked on a large glug of whisky. ‘I wouldn’t read much into that,’ he chuckled. ‘That soldier was at least as old as me … ancient … If you ask me, I still think Rosie’s holding a candle for that detective of hers.’
‘Oh don’t, George,’ Lily said, reaching for another cigarette.
‘I really hope not … but –’ Lily lit her Gauloise ‘– I’ve got a horrible feeling you might be right. She’s not said anything about him of late, but I think she might secretly be mooning after him.’
She took a deep drag. ‘Love, eh? Or should I say unrequited love.’
‘Mmm,’ George agreed.
Lily again thought George seemed unusually thoughtful – even a little on edge. ‘You all right?’ she asked. ‘You’re not worried about Rosie – or the Maisie situation, are you?’
‘No, no, my dear, probably just getting a bit tired now. Can’t party like I used to, you know?’
Lily laughed. ‘Well, you give it a good try. Come on, then,’ she said stubbing out her half-smoked cigarette, ‘let’s leave the young ’uns to it.’
George and Lily said their goodnights to everyone, and walked out of the pub and into the cold night air. It was pitch black, but the sky was clear.
When they reached the MG, George looked up to the inky darkness, speckled with stars and a half-moon, and declared, ‘You don’t get a more perfect sky at night than that.’
He waved his walking stick into the air.
Lily looked up to the heavens. ‘Perfect these days means no searchlights and no Luftwaffe!’ she declared. But as she dragged her vision away from the peaceful skies and glanced round, she took a surprised step back – George was bent down on one knee on the pavement.
‘You lost something, George?’ Lily scanned the ground.
‘No, no, my dear,’ George chuckled a little nervously, adding somewhat cryptically, ‘although some may say I have lost my mind.’
Lily watched puzzled as he proceeded to rummage around in the inside pocket of his jacket. ‘I know …’ he said, ‘… that you have been embarrassed enough for one day … what with the wedding bouquet and all.’
Lily laughed out loud. ‘Mortified, never mind embarrassed.’
‘But,’ George added with a mysterious smile on his face, ‘there may well have been a reason why it was you who ended up with the bride’s bouquet.’
Lily looked at George as if he really had lost his mind.
Until she saw it.
The magnificent diamond ring he was holding between his forefinger and thumb.
It looked like it cost a small fortune, and, knowing George, it probably did.
Lily stared in total disbelief. Her mouth was half open. She started to say something, but George got in first.
‘No, Lily, I’m not ready for the loony bin, nor have I had one whisky too many, if that’s what you’re thinking. I have wanted to do this for quite some time … Have waited far too long, in my opinion … So, I decided today would be the perfect opportunity to ask you …’ He paused and took a deep breath.
‘… to ask you if you would do me the greatest honour in agreeing to become my wife?’
Lily’s face lit up. She was about to speak but stopped herself – then her face broke into a cheeky smile.
‘If I say “no” can I still keep the ring?’
George looked at Lily, like a headmaster about to reprimand his pupil.
‘Lily,’ he said sternly, ‘… you are not allowed to use your normal diversionary tactics with me. You have to give me a “yes” or a “no”. And I’m going to stay here until you do.’
Lily knew she was not going to joke her way out of this. She was cornered. She stared hard at George and knew he meant what he said – he would stay there until she made her decision.
‘George,’ she said, her face softening and a smile playing on her lips, ‘that’s a very difficult question to answer … so many things to consider …’
George was still on his knee, his hand on the top of his walking stick keeping him steady.
‘For instance,’ Lily said, dropping her voice, ‘what about the bordello and the new club?’
George let out a loud laugh.
‘God, Lily, always the businesswoman. Of course, it goes without saying that what’s yours, stays yours, and what’s mine … is both of ours.’
Lily looked at the huge diamond ring glinting in George’s hand.
‘Well,’ she said, slowly, a genuine smile spreading across her face, ‘I think that may have just tipped the balance. My answer,’ her voice was soft and her eyes shone with a rare display of tenderness, ‘is … yes. Yes. George Hartley, I would love to marry you.’
George let out a huge, theatrical sigh of relief.
‘Thank goodness for that.’ He pushed himself back to a standing position, then took Lily’s hand and put the ring on her engagement finger.
After he had done so, Lily stood, her arm outstretched in front of her, staring at the glittering diamond.
‘Oh, George,’ she said, ‘I do love you, you know?’
She looked straight into the eyes of the man she had just agreed to marry. The person who had brought such happiness to her at an age when she had never expected to find love.
‘And that’s not just because of this beautiful ring.’
Neither of them said anything for a moment. Then they stepped towards each other and George put his hand around the back of Lily’s head, gently pulled her face to his and the pair shared a long kiss.
As they stood there, kissing under the blanket of the night sky, Rosie came out of the pub, but stopped in her tracks when she saw the two people she loved dearly sharing this very intimate and romantic moment.
She was a little shocked, but not that surprised. She had always wondered about Lily and George.
Now she knew.