‘Come along, Mrs Dorsey, I think I heard some of our guests arriving,’ Oliver teased as he straightened his silk cravat, bought especially for the occasion, in the cheval mirror.
‘I’m coming,’ Nessie answered as she slipped the delicate silk christening robe over her baby son’s head. He gurgled up at her from his position on the bed and Nessie felt a tidal wave of love sweep through her. When she had walked down the church aisle to marry Oliver two and a half years previously she had thought that things could never get any better, but her tiny son had made her happiness complete and never a day went by when she didn’t thank God for him.
‘There, what do you think?’ she said when she had fastened the last button on the back of his robe and held him up for inspection. It was a wonderful concoction of satin and lace.
‘Perfect, just like his mother,’ Oliver assured her, coming to place his arms around them. They were both admiring him when a tap came to the door and Ginny, their young maid, told them, ‘The carriage is at the door ready to take you to the church, ma’am.’
Nessie giggled, she still wasn’t used to being addressed as ma’am, or to having a maid, if it came to that, but Oliver had been adamant on that point when she had found out that she was expecting a baby. They also employed a cook and a groom who looked after the horse and the stables at the back of their grand house in Swan Lane but Nessie had put her foot down when Oliver had suggested they should employ a nanny and pointed out indignantly that she intended to care for their first child herself.
‘You must at least have a maid to help in the house now or you’ll make yourself ill,’ he had insisted and although Nessie still found it strange, she was quite glad he had now. Ginny was a little treasure, as was the elderly cook and the groom and they felt like one big happy family.
‘Right, are we all ready?’ Oliver glanced at Nessie admiringly. She was wearing a new gown in a lovely shade of blue and her copper-coloured hair had been fastened into a neat chignon.
‘I’m ready.’ She hoisted her six-month-old son onto her hip and, side by side, they made their way down the sweeping staircase to meet their guests.
Oliver’s parents were waiting in the hallway, keen to get a glimpse of their latest grandson in the christening robe that George, their first grandson, had once worn. George meanwhile, a sturdy eight-year-old now, was charging around the hallway pretending to be a horse.
‘Eeh!’ Connie Dorsey’s eyes filled with tears at the sight of the baby. ‘Why, he looks like a little angel.’ She absolutely adored her grandson, as did Oliver’s father, Johnny, and they were both frequent visitors to the house. ‘But come along now, we don’t want his lordship to be late for his own christening, do we?’
Ginny waved as they all set off for Chilvers Coton Church, Nessie and Oliver in their carriage with the Dorseys following behind in theirs.
When they arrived a short time later they found the church packed and everyone smiled as Nessie proudly carried the child to the font at the end of the aisle where the Reverend Lockett was waiting for them with a broad smile on his face.
Marcie was there, looking every inch the lady, with her husband, James. They had come all the way from London. Molly and Charlie were there too and Molly gave Nessie a little smile as she passed her. They now managed the business in Abbey Street and lived happily with their children in the rooms where Nessie and Andre had once lived. Molly looked radiant and it was hard for Nessie to remember her as she had been when they had first met. She had been so poor and downtrodden back then but now she was a beautiful, confident woman. Maria and Reuben were there too and would be standing as godparents.
Leonora was also there with her new fiancé and the rest of the congregation was made up of people who Nessie had helped through her charitable works, which still took up a lot of her time.
If only my mam were her it would be just perfect, Nessie thought as the reverend began the service but then she forced herself to concentrate on what was being said and very soon the vicar took the baby from her arms and began the solemn job of welcoming him into the church.
‘I christen you Joseph Oliver Dorsey,’ he said as he made the sign of the cross on the baby’s forehead and Nessie felt as if she would burst with pride. There had never been any question about what his name would be, for from the second he had come into the world he had been the double of the darling child she had once cherished. He had the same colour hair and eyes and the same sweet nature and Oliver had been only too happy to go along with her choice of name.
Tears welled in her eyes as she glanced towards the congregation and it was then that she saw them and her heart missed a beat. She blinked, thinking it must be a trick of the light but when she looked back they were still there. Her mother was standing at the back of the church holding Joseph tightly in her arms with a broad smile on her face. Shock coursed through her as she looked towards Oliver who seemed oblivious to their presence and this time when she looked back they had gone. Even so, she felt a sense of peace as she once again turned her attention to the service.
Everyone congregated outside when it was over and the warm July sunshine shone down on them as the birds in the tall yew trees surrounding the churchyard seemed to squawk their approval.
‘Back to ours and let the party begin,’ Oliver told everyone. ‘Please say you’ll all come. Our cook has been baking solid for days and we have enough to feed an army back there!’
Everyone was happy to oblige and while they were trotting back to Swan Lane, Oliver took a tiny box from his pocket. He flipped it open and Nessie found herself staring down at a fine sapphire and diamond ring that reflected all the colours of the rainbow as it shone through the carriage window.
‘My mother wanted you to have this,’ he told her solemnly. ‘I’ve been saving it for today. It’s been in our family for years and hopefully one day we’ll have a daughter for you to pass it on to.’
‘Why, it’s beautiful,’ Nessie sighed. ‘And that rather brings me to the present I have for you.’
When he raised an eyebrow she grinned. ‘I wasn’t going to mention it just yet as I haven’t had it confirmed … But the thing is in about another seven months’ time you might just get your daughter.’
His jaw dropped and he gazed at her in amazement. ‘What? You mean you’re …’
She giggled and nodded and then gasped as he caught her and Joseph to him.
‘Why, that’s wonderful!’ He became solemn then and his face softened as he said quietly, ‘Have I told you lately how very much I love you, Mrs Dorsey?’
‘Not since this morning,’ she answered demurely. ‘But you can tell me again.’
As his lips found hers a picture of her mother and Joseph standing in the church flashed in front of her eyes and she smiled. It really had turned out to be the most perfect day.
THE END