CHAPTER 36

Emma entered the front door of Peter’s Apothecary, her grandad’s old shop, and stopped short, letting the door bang shut behind her. Despite her eagerness to find Jonathan, to beg his forgiveness and hopefully start to heal the wounds she’d inflicted, she couldn’t pass her childhood home without going inside.

The very doorway beckoned her to enter. To remember. To grieve her loss anew.

But instead of anything remotely familiar, a multitude of foreign sights and smells assaulted her, overwhelming her with the harsh reality that Grandad was truly gone. Not only him, but every shred of evidence that he’d ever run a watch repair shop here.

Tears burned at the back of her eyes. Slowly, she edged farther into the store, trying to picture how it used to look. Now, with its counters filled with jars and ointments, she could almost believe she was in the wrong place. Only Grandad’s old wall sconces and the same creaky floorboards told her she wasn’t mistaken.

Fighting a lump in her throat, she walked past a man examining an item under a glass magnifier and headed directly to the back room. Maybe there she would find some trace of her grandfather, even if only the lingering smell of his favorite pipe tobacco. The room, however, was filled with jars of herbs and liniments that lined a long table against one wall. She scanned the space until she spied a familiar item in the corner. Her chest tightened. Grandad’s old desk still sat in the same spot. In an almost numb state, she crossed the space and ran her fingers over the scarred surface, a thousand memories hurtling back. She and Grandad working together, him fixing clock springs, her filling out the ledger, the two of them trading stories of their day.

“Hey, what are you doing back here? This area’s off limits.”

Emma whirled around to see a man in a white coat charging toward her. “I’m sorry, I—” She swallowed, unable to continue. “Excuse me.” Ducking her head, she scurried by him, through the main shop, and out the front door. She leaned against the stone wall and attempted to regulate her breathing against the wave of grief that swamped her.

Had she made a terrible mistake coming back here? To a place where she no longer belonged? A place so foreign she could barely reconcile herself to its former appearance?

She took several deep breaths and moved away from the stones. Resolutely, she forced herself to think about Jonathan, the true reason she’d returned. She needed to find him and make amends. Figure out where they would go from here.

On shaking legs, she proceeded next door to the dress shop. Once again, she paused at the door, her heart pulsing in her throat for a different reason this time. Would Jonathan be inside, or had he moved to Oxford already? Her stomach churned more now than during the sea voyage home. As Emma reached for the door, she froze, her gaze falling on a sign in the corner of the window.

For Sale? There had to be some sort of mistake. This dress shop was Trudy’s life. She would never sell it.

Emma twisted the door handle and pushed inside, all thoughts of Jonathan banished for the moment. As she had in the apothecary shop, she stood and gaped at the difference in the space. Several bare mannequins lined one wall where there had normally been shelves of material. The bins of thread, ribbons, and buttons were empty, save for a smattering of items. A heavy velvet cloth covered the ornate cheval mirror that graced the left side of the store.

From the back, the sound of soft weeping could be heard. Emma followed the sound to the room where Trudy usually spent most of the day creating her fabulous dresses. Emma pushed the curtain aside and stepped into the room.

Trudy sat at her sewing table, her head in her hands.

Emma moved closer, alarm rising in her. “Aunt Trudy, what’s wrong?”

The woman’s head snapped up. “Emma? Is that you?”

She forced a smile. “Yes, I’ve come back.” Back to a universe where everything was different.

Trudy rose and rushed to gather Emma in a warm hug. “I’m so happy to see you. I thought you were staying in Canada.”

“I changed my mind.” She took the older woman’s hands. “Why are you crying? Is everything all right?” She couldn’t form the words to ask if something had happened to Jonathan.

Trudy returned to her seat and took out a handkerchief to blow her nose. “I had some upsetting news earlier. A prospective buyer for the store changed his mind and rescinded his offer.”

Emma frowned. “But I don’t understand. Why are you selling your store?”

A loud sigh escaped as Trudy fingered the fabric she was sewing. “I’ve made a terrible muddle of the finances.” She shook her head. “It was bad before you left, and I knew Jonathan would feel obliged to stay and help me, so I made sure he didn’t realize how much money I owed.” She folded the material and set it on the table. “I’ve made my peace with losing the shop. But what I can’t live with is knowing I cost Jonathan his dream.”

Emma went still. “What do you mean?” She held her breath, not entirely sure she wanted to hear the rest.

“I used Jonathan’s tuition money to make a loan payment. I reasoned that I could earn the amount back before the tuition was due. But instead I ended up robbing Peter to pay Paul.”

Emma’s blood seemed to slow in her veins. “Are you saying that Jonathan isn’t going to Oxford?”

Trudy raised the handkerchief to her nose. “No. At least not right now.”

“Oh no.” Emma clutched the back of a wooden chair to steady herself. Whenever her guilt had risen to shame her over the way she’d treated Jonathan, she’d comforted herself with the fact that she hadn’t ruined his life, that he was living his dream at Oxford, probably not really missing her much at all.

“What is he going to do now?” Emma whispered.

Trudy plucked several spools of ribbon from the messy array of shelves behind her. “He’s looking for full-time work so he can save money and maybe reapply next term. In the meantime, he’s been doing odd jobs for people—handyman repairs, deliveries, gardening.”

Gardening. Emma’s heart cinched at the memory of him happily tending Mrs. Teeter’s vegetables. The sunshine glinting off his dark hair, the streaks of dirt on his cheek.

“That’s the main reason I wanted the shop to sell quickly. I thought if I could repay his tuition money, the university might be willing to make an exception and grant him late acceptance.” She moved to a long table and began to unfold a bolt of fabric. “None of that matters now since the one person interested has backed off.”

“If you sell the shop, where will you go?” Emma glanced toward the rear staircase that led to the living quarters upstairs. Trudy had done such a good job of creating a cozy home for Jonathan and herself.

“I’m not sure. I’ll stay with my cousin in London until I figure that out.”

“London? But you hate the city.”

She shrugged. “There’s a better chance to find work in the dress shops there.”

Emma put an arm around the woman, who seemed much frailer than she remembered. “I’m sure God has a plan in mind. We just have to hold on to our faith.”

“I’m trying, dear. I really am.” She straightened her spine. “But enough about my problems. What about you? Why aren’t you in Canada?”

Heat bloomed in Emma’s cheeks. Perhaps it was a little too early to tell Trudy about her hopes concerning Jonathan. “My relationship with my father got rather unpleasant after Jonathan left. It made me realize that I had pinned all my hopes for the future on a man who doesn’t really want me in his life.”

“Oh, honey. I’m so sorry.” She gave Emma a quick hug. “The man doesn’t deserve a daughter as wonderful as you.”

“Maybe not.” Emma smiled, amazed that the sting of rejection had lessened now that there was an ocean between them.

“Let’s go upstairs, and I’ll make you a nice pot of tea.” Trudy headed toward the back stairs.

Emma glanced at the clock on the wall, one her grandad had given Trudy as a gift. “Can we delay that for a bit? I have an errand I need to run before the shops close for the day.”

An idea that had started to gnaw at her now pressed against her temples with an urgency that defied logic. She dropped a kiss on the woman’s cheek. “I’ll be back soon.” She paused, her hand fluttering to her throat. “Is Jonathan going to be here later?”

“I don’t think so. He’s gone into the city for a few days on a job.”

Emma pushed away a twinge of disappointment. But that might be better after all. She’d have time to see if her plan might work.

“Guess it will just be us girls for dinner,” Trudy said with a smile. “We’ll make it a proper welcome home party.”

Two hours later, Emma walked back through the streets of Wheatley, buoyed by how easily her idea had come to fruition. It had to have been divinely inspired for that to happen.

Now if only she could convince everyone else of her plan’s merit.

This time, when Emma entered the dress shop, a very different Trudy met her. Her eyes shone with excitement. “Emma, dear. You’ll never believe this. The bank manager just called to tell me that someone has made an offer on the shop. I have a buyer after all.”

“That’s wonderful news.”

“And the best part is the new owner wants to take over right away. If we can get all the paperwork done, I might even have my money by tomorrow.” She clasped her hands together like a happy child. Then a sudden cloud came over her features. “In all the excitement, I forgot to ask how much time I’d have to vacate the place. It will take me a few days to pack everything. I suppose I’ll have to ship the furniture. . . .” She paused, staring around the room as though doing a mental inventory.

“I don’t think the new owner will be too worried about that. In fact, I suspect you may not have to go anywhere.”

“Well, of course I will. Even if he was willing to rent me the upstairs rooms, I would still have to find a job to support myself.”

“What if the new owner wanted to hire you as the head seamstress of the dress shop?” Emma tilted her head, biting her lip to contain a smile.

Aunt Trudy’s eyes widened, then quickly narrowed. “What do you know about this, young lady?”

Emma laughed out loud with pure glee. “You’re looking at the new owner of Trudy’s Dress Designs.”

Instead of the delighted response Emma had anticipated, Trudy’s eyes filled with tears. “You bought my store?”

“I did. Isn’t that wonderful?” Emma twirled around in the middle of the floor. “Now you can stay here and keep making your beautiful creations.”

“But it won’t be mine anymore.” She slumped onto a stool behind the counter. “I don’t think I can stay on as an employee.”

Emma’s heart sank to the toes of her shoes. She’d expected some resistance from Jonathan once he learned, but she’d never anticipated a negative reaction from Trudy. She approached the counter, ready to use all the arguments she’d given the bank manager. “We can make this work, Trudy. You’re not good with figures, but I am. I handled the books for Grandad and made sure he was never in the red. I’m good at following up with customers and collecting the money they owe. And I’ve got lots of ideas how we can improve the shop and bring in more business. All you’d have to worry about is the sewing. Together, we could form a partnership and turn this store into the success it was meant to be.”

Trudy shook her head. “I don’t have the capital to become your partner.”

Emma reached over the counter and took Trudy’s hands in hers. “But you will. As of tomorrow, you’ll have all the capital you need. You’ll be able to pay off your debts, with hopefully a fair bit to spare. If you want to use some of that money to invest as my partner, we can discuss that option. Or we can draw up an agreement that at any time you wish to buy me out, I will sell the shop back to you. For the same amount that I paid.”

Trudy covered her mouth. “That sounds very reasonable,” she whispered. Hope brimmed in her pale eyes.

“There’s one aspect you may not agree with.” Emma hesitated, then plunged on. “I want to renovate the back rooms to include a living space for me.”

Trudy just blinked.

“I’ve taken out a small loan to do that and to update the interior as well. Make a true fresh start. What do you say, Trudy? Are you in this with me?”

Trudy rose, a smile flickering over her face. “I’ll be able to pay Jonathan back.”

Emma grinned. “Exactly. Maybe we could discuss an idea I have about that over dinner?”

Trudy didn’t answer but walked out into the middle of the shop and slowly looked around. She ran her fingers over the fabric of one of the last bolts of material with a sigh.

Emma’s palms grew itchy. What if she had misjudged the woman’s wishes? What if she simply wanted to leave it all behind? “You do still want to run the shop, don’t you?”

Trudy turned around, tears glistening on her cheeks. “Oh, Emma. You’ve given me new hope for my old dreams. How can I ever thank you?” She moved in to clasp Emma in a tight embrace.

Emma squeezed her back, her own eyes watering. “Just seeing you so happy is thanks enough for me.” She laughed out loud with sheer delight. “Although I do have one thing I could use your help with.”

“You name it, dear. I think I could take on the whole world right now.”