‘I’LL, ERM, I’LL take Bridget and Millicent along to mine, give youse chance to sort … Aye, well.’ Edwin coughed awkwardly. ‘Come along with me, lasses. Let’s get a cup of tea and some grub inside you, eh? I’ve a leek pie in t’ oven I made fresh this morn.’
The Irishwoman’s voice, low with surprise, followed them out: ‘You cook? You’re a rare breed indeed, so. Sure, fancy me being waited on for once …’
‘Bridget seems to have a thing for coal merchants, don’t she? It’s just a pity she wasted so long on the wrong one,’ Daniel said. Yet one look at Laura’s distraught expression and his false smile slipped from his face.
‘You think this is the time for jokes?’
‘’Course not, I was just trying to … ’Course not,’ he repeated on a sigh. He ran a hand through his hair. ‘What the hell are we going to do, Laura?’
‘I don’t know. Actually, yes, I do.’ She snatched her shawl from behind the counter. ‘We look for her. We find her and we front this out. We, we were just lost in the moment, we’ll explain that to her, aye, and—’
‘And you’d be lying.’
Laura and Daniel whipped round to see Lizzie standing in the doorway. Frank Higson was by her side. Most surprising of all, she was smiling.
‘You love each other,’ she added, nodding.
‘Lizzie, lass—’ began Daniel, but she stopped him.
‘It’s all right. I think I’ve allus known. Least I knew you loved Laura. I just needed to see it without doubt, with my own two eyes, that she felt the same. Now I have.’ She turned to Laura with that same smile. ‘When he took you in his arms, love, the look in your eyes … I’m right? You do share his feelings?’
Laura swallowed several times. Then: ‘Aye.’
‘Right. So why don’t we sit and talk this through, the four of us, like adults. Civilised, like. For I’ve some things I’d like to get off my chest an’ all.’
‘You’re really not angry, lass?’ asked Laura when they were seated around the table in the back room.
‘Nay, love, I’m not. I’m relieved.’ Lizzie looked at Frank, and it was like the sun had come out behind her eyes. ‘So many nights I’ve lay awake, knowing I loved this man right here, fearing there would never be a way for me to be with him. I dreaded us wedding,’ she continued, turning to Daniel, ‘but I hadn’t the courage to break things off. You see, you’re not the man for me. I don’t love thee, never have, not really. Oh, I thought I did, aye, forra long time. But it were nobbut a young girl’s infatuation, a crush, if you like. What I have with Frank …’ Her sigh was one of sheer contentment. ‘That’s real. He’s everything to me.’
‘I don’t know what to say,’ said Daniel, shaking his head. ‘Thank you, lass. Thank you.’
‘No need for that, lad. A body can’t help who it falls for. Just do me one favour.’ Reaching across, Lizzie took both their hands. ‘Love each other, always. Be happy. ‘’Specially you,’ she told Laura softly. ‘You’ve had more than your fair share of sadness, but let the day mark an end to all what’s passed.’
‘Oh, lass.’ Laura threw her arms around her neck. ‘I don’t deserve you.’
‘Aye, you do. It’s me what’s lucky to have our friendship. You’ve done so much for me, and I don’t just mean the shop. I’ve grown in myself since knowing thee. You showed me I can do anything, follow any dream, if I’m brave enough. Ta, love. Now it’s time you did the same. Save, go abroad, wed, and to hell with what anyone might say.’
When the new couple rose to leave Daniel held out a hand to Frank, who shook it warmly. ‘Look after her, for she’s one in a million.’
He cast Lizzie a besotted smile. ‘Have no fear of that, lad, I will.’
Alone, Laura and Daniel stood facing each other with tears in their eyes.
‘Joyce will give us her blessing, won’t she?’
‘Mam will want her family’s happiness, same as Bee O’Brien. Lizzie and Frank, me and thee … and this little one.’ He kissed his fingertips and touched them to her stomach. ‘There’s a brand-new future ready and waiting, for all of us.’
A stir of guilt filtered through her joy. ‘Us … It’s not a betrayal to Nathan, is it, lad?’
‘Nay, lass, nay. My brother loved us both. And we’ll never stop loving him. Nowt will ever change that. Come here.’
Daniel opened his arms and she walked into them.
‘We’ve been through so much together.’
‘Aye.’
‘I’ve suppressed my feelings for thee, ached for thee for so long … I, I just …’
‘Lass?’
‘I’m afraid it’s all going to be taken away from me, as it allus is. I’m … I’m afraid to love.’
Smiling, he took her wet face in his hands and pressed his lips to hers in a feathery kiss. ‘Carpe diem,’ he murmured.
And Laura did.