Epilogue

A week later

Harriet stared at herself in the mirror. ‘Do I look all right?’

Miss Bowers smiled. ‘You look beautiful, my dear. As a bride should.’

Since Norris and his mother were now in jail, they’d delayed the wedding a few days to allow the village seamstress to make Harriet a new outfit. She’d chosen a skirt in one of the new fitted styles, in a subtle green wool, with a matching green three-quarter-length jacket, and a blouse in cream silk and lace, with the fashionable high collar.

Miss Bowers and Mrs Greenlow had taken her shopping to Swindon for a new hat, but after one or two, she’d refused to try on any more of the huge hats, which might be fashionable, but made her feel ridiculous and top-heavy.

Eventually they agreed on a neat felt with modest four-inch brims, worn at a slight tilt. It had a cream satin ribbon around the crown, with a spray of silk flowers to one side and a smaller spray under the brim at the raised side.

She still felt it was too much, but it did flatter her.

Since Joseph already had smart clothes, tailored to his needs, he had asked only for them to bring him a new shirt, which he wore with a black frock coat and trousers, top hat and a roll-collared waistcoat in beige. His grandfather’s gold watch chain was draped across the front. It wouldn’t now need to be sold and he could give the jewels he’d inherited to his wife – though he doubted Harriet cared about jewellery.

He spent the night before the wedding with the Greenlows and arranged to meet his bride at the Registry Office in Swindon.

He went there in his wheelchair, though it had to be carried up the stairs. But he insisted on getting out of it in the waiting room.

When Harriet appeared in the doorway, stopping to gaze round shyly, he got to his feet and simply held out his hand to her.

Her nervous expression vanished and she gave him a glowing smile.

‘Y’know,’ William Dalton whispered to his wife, ‘I’ve never seen Joseph look as well.’

‘He’s happy. And well provided for. What more can anyone want for him?’

He nodded. ‘I suppose so. And she doesn’t look like a maid when she’s properly dressed, does she?’

‘Oh, you! She looks absolutely lovely.’

On the other side of the central space between the rows of wooden chairs, Harriet was watched by Miss Bowers, the Lloyds and the Greenlows. Doris Miller was sitting next to Miss Bowers, who had agreed to keep her company when Harriet assured her that the former housekeeper might have a sharp tongue but was nothing like her relatives.

The servants from Greyladies were sitting in a row at the back, because Harriet had insisted that they attend as well, and there were a few people from the village who’d not been invited but had come anyway, since Joseph had hired a motor charabanc to bring as many as wanted to attend.