‘Your father says I’ve to let you be; that you must go and see to him and that I should hold my noise and give you both my blessing.’ Dorothy stood in front of Lucy. ‘He says that Adam Brooksbank’s an honourable man; in fact a hero, from what he’s heard. That might not make him the right fella for you, but your father says he’s to be made welcome into our family, so I’ll not stand in his way.’ Dorothy looked at her daughter, as the sobbing stopped and a broad smile came across her face.
‘Oh, Father, thank you. Adam does love me, and I love him. He doesn’t mean any harm to me. He’s kind and gentle, and shows only the greatest respect towards me.’ Lucy beamed. ‘What do you mean by a hero? What have you been told?’ She gathered her thoughts and looked at her father.
‘He holds the Victoria Cross, lass – he’s a brave man. The Queen will have given him that, and he’s highly thought of by everyone that knows him.’ Bill looked at the pride showing on Lucy’s face.
‘He’s never said anything to me; he’s not like that. He doesn’t talk much about fighting in the Crimea, but he does talk about his wife, who he lost tragically.’ Lucy spoke softly.
‘Perhaps he doesn’t like the memories of what happened out there. You often find that soldiers don’t talk about the wars they fought in: too many bad memories, the poor buggers. Now, get yourself gone to him. He’ll be wondering where you’ve got to, and will think we’ve stopped you from seeing him.’ Bill looked at the joy on his daughter’s face as Lucy glanced at herself in the mirror and then back at both her parents.
‘Go on – get yourself gone. I’ll be right with him. And, by the sounds of it, we’ve a wedding to be planning, although perhaps not just yet. Best if he takes his time courting you and makes it look more respectable.’ Dorothy smiled wanly at her daughter.
‘I love you, Mother, and you’ll not regret giving us your blessing.’ Lucy rushed forward and hugged her mother, then kissed her father on the cheek, before grabbing her bonnet from behind the kitchen door and flying out to go and tell Adam her news. She couldn’t wait to see him, and with every step on the path to Black Moss her heart grew lighter, knowing that she had the man of her dreams waiting at the other end of the path for her.
‘I didn’t think I was ever going to see you again.’ Adam beamed as he watched Lucy enter the farmhouse. He met her with open arms and embraced her tightly, looking down into her eyes as he stepped back from kissing her.
‘You’ve my father to thank, as he made my mother see sense. That and the fact that he found out about your secret.’ Lucy smiled. She loved Adam for what he was, and the medal awarded to him did not mean much to her, other than that she was proud of him.
‘My secret?’ Adam looked puzzled.
‘Yes, Father found out last night that you had been awarded the Victoria Cross for bravery, and that finally swayed my mother’s views on you.’ Lucy buried her head in Adam’s shoulder and held him tightly.
‘Oh, so folk around here know. I was trying hard to forget, and every time I look at the blasted medal it reminds me of the lives that were lost, and the pain and misery my fellow colleagues went through. It’s still in its presentation box in the chest of drawers in my bedroom. I have no intention of ever wearing it, or celebrating the fact that I was awarded it. There were much braver people than me on the battleground. I was lucky and survived; or perhaps not so lucky, with the dreams and memories I find myself having sometimes.’ Adam stood back from Lucy. ‘It makes me no different from any other man, and your mother should realize that.’
‘I’m not bothered what medals you have, how much money you have – all the things I heard my mother and father discussing as I lay on my bed, crying and thinking I might never be allowed to see you again. I love you for who you are, and I will always love you. I think I’ve known that from the first day we met,’ Lucy said with feeling.
‘Then we will be wed, because I feel the same way about you, and I have not felt this way about a woman for a long time. Just as long as you know that I’m not perfect; I have my flaws. I take laudanum for my pain, both physical and mental, and sometimes I cannot lift the mood that I find myself in. It’s a weakness I wish I didn’t have, but it helps me forget sometimes. But I will always love you and provide for you well – there is no doubting that.’ Adam looked down at Lucy and saw that she loved him, despite his addiction.
‘I don’t care that you take laudanum. And besides, with time, I might ease your memories and fears and you may not be so dependent on it. I love you, Adam Brooksbank – flaws and all – and I am only too happy to become your wife.’
‘Then I will go and speak to your mother and father, and we will both visit the parson at Haworth and arrange a date for our marriage, if you are in agreement for us to be married there. I have a great fondness for the parson, and he has always been there for me when I’ve needed him, and I’d like us to wed at Haworth.’
‘Yes, of course, that would be more than suitable.’ Lucy shook her head. ‘I just can’t believe this is happening
