Rosie James - The Long Road Ahead

My dearest, darling Alice

I still feel in a complete daze that you have agreed to be my wife. My wife! I feel so proud, so happy, to say the words, but it is going to seem a very long time before that actually happens! How can I possibly wait!

However, as we agreed last night, I contacted the minister of St. Mary Redcliffe today, and our date of 23 rdDecember has been agreed.

After I’d seen you off at the station, I felt completely lost…as if I wasn’t really myself, and as if part of me had gone with you. And I realized how little time we’d had to discuss important matters.

First things first, I want to buy your engagement ring – so I intend coming to Dorchester as soon as possible. Could it be this coming Saturday – if you are available? Or the following one? Both of which are free for me at the moment.

I realize there will be a mountain of other things to sort out, my darling, but we’ll get there. My father and I stayed up rather late, talking, after you’d gone back – when we also had rather a lot to drink! And it was so good to see him genuinely happy – happy about our news – that he really couldn’t stop smiling, which he hasn’t done much of recently, as you can imagine.

But there is one ground rule which he insists upon. The house in Clifton will always be your – our – home – for ever, and for as long as we want it or need it. Wherever else we have to be over the next few years, here is where our roots will always be grounded. Yours and mine, Alice.

Let me know, soon, when I can come to Dorchester. Ring me here – I am not returning to London until Wednesday.

Ever your own – Sam.

PS. Oh yes, the other thing my father said was that our wedding reception, wherever we choose it to be – shall be his responsibility. He said that since he has always regarded you as his third daughter, this is his prerogative.

PPS. I love you. I couldn’t possibly love you more than I do at this moment.

Chapter Two

Valerie arrived five minutes before the shop opened and she came in quickly, shutting the door behind her with a bang.

‘Is it ever going to warm up!’ she demanded. ‘I am sick of wrapping myself up like an Egyptian mummy! And having to paddle around everywhere! I’m beginning to grow webbed feet!’

Alice smiled across at her. ‘The weather will change soon – they’ve promised us,’ she said. ‘Come over here – I’ve put two bars on the electric fire. Blow the expense!’

Valerie went into the cloakroom to hang up her coat and scarf, then joined Alice in the office and crouched down in front of the fire, rubbing her hands. And Alice looked at her thoughtfully. She would have to tell the girl her news soon – today – it was only fair. She cleared her throat.

‘Did you have a good weekend, Valerie?’ she began, and Valerie interrupted.

Yes – I did. I went shopping with a couple of friends on Saturday afternoon, and then in the evening my brother and his wife invited my parents and me to their place for supper. Joan made a really nice meal…she’s always been a good cook…but this was the first time since they got together again that she’d made that kind of effort. It felt like a proper celebration,’ Valerie added.

‘That does sound lovely,’ Alice said. And it was lovely, she thought, that Ronnie Gates had been able to forgive his wife her disloyalty with someone else while he’d been away during the war. Forgive her enough to stand with her in front of the altar and repeat their original vows. Alice had been a guest at the joyful and rather unusual ceremony at the church.

Valerie stood up reluctantly, and yawned. ‘Well, I suppose I ought to make a start on those specs,’ she said. ‘I didn’t finish them all on Saturday morning.’ She yawned again. ‘Did you have a good weekend? You said you were going to Bristol on business didn’t you?’

Alice waited before replying. Then – ‘As a matter of fact, Valerie,’ she said, ‘I had the most wonderful weekend of my entire life…’

Valerie was immediately interested. ‘Why? What did you do? Quick – tell me!’

Alice swallowed, still almost unable to believe the words she was going to utter. ‘It’s just that…I’ve become engaged, Valerie,’ she said. ‘The man I love – the man I have always loved – asked me to marry him. And I’ve accepted.’

Valerie’s eyes shone with excitement. Who doesn’t like engagements and weddings! ‘Show me the ring!’ she demanded, moving over to take Alice’s hand.

Alice shook her head, laughing. ‘There isn’t a ring yet,’ she said, ‘because he wasn’t sure I would accept him! But he’s coming down to Dorchester soon – probably on Saturday – and we shall choose it together.’

Valerie’s excitement seemed to reverberate around the room. ‘Oh how exciting , Alice! Have you known him long? And if so – why haven’t you brought him here to show us? Come on – tell me all about it…did he go down on one knee? Did you keep him waiting – as if he might be number two or three on your list of possible suitors?’ Valerie was a hopeless romantic. ‘What’s his name…and is he tall and handsome – and have you got a photo? You must have a photo!’

Alice held up her hands in mock surrender. ‘Hang on a minute, Valerie,’ she said. ‘and I’ll start from the beginning. Well…his name is Sam – Samuel Carmichael, and I’ve known him for most of my life because we lived in the same house in Bristol when we were young…my mother was employed as nanny to his younger siblings – two sets of twins, David and John, and Rose and Margaret. Those little girls were a real handful! And then, when my mother died, that became my job until I left to start my office career at nineteen – I’d learned shorthand and typing at Pitman’s college.’ Alice paused to take a breath. ‘And yes, he is tall and handsome – but he didn’t go down on one knee…actually he went down on both. Because I was sitting on the sofa at the time.’

‘Where were you when he proposed?’ Valerie was going to have all the details. ‘Whose sofa were you sitting on?’

‘His. Well, theirs. The Carmichaels’. I’d gone to their house in Clifton to talk about a business matter – or so I’d thought – but it didn’t exactly turn out to be the sort of business I’d imagined!’

Valerie folded her arms and looked up at the ceiling for a moment. ‘Oh, how romantic ,’ she breathed. ‘He’s tall, and handsome…and is he rich as well?’

Alice looked Valerie fondly. The girl seemed as excited as if all this had happened to her. ‘You said you’d always loved him, Alice,’ Valerie went on slowly. ‘And did you know, from the very beginning, that you really, really did love him? And that you were meant for each other?’

Alice waited before answering. Wasn’t that the identical question she had asked her mother all that time ago? And Alice would give exactly the same answer she’d heard that night. ‘Yes, Valerie,’ she said, ‘I have always loved him, from the very beginning, and I knew we were meant for each other. But I couldn’t be sure if he felt the same about me. It was only three days ago that he revealed his true feelings. And I’d never dared to hope that the day would come,’ she added truthfully.

By this time Valerie was almost overcome with emotion. This was like something from the pictures! She went across to Alice and hugged her.

‘Well, I think he’s the luckiest man in the whole, wide world, whoever he is!’ she said flatly. ‘Because you say that he’s handsome – but you are beautiful, Alice…I can see people, men, take a second glance at you every time they come in here, or when we’ve been out together. And Rex – from the Bristol branch where you used to work – is mad about you…yes, he is, Alice,’ she declared, as Alice made to disagree. ‘I can see it every time he comes down here – that’s why he keeps making excuses to drive all the way from Bristol and take us out to lunch and stuff. He can’t take his eyes off you!’