Mrs Grant nodded towards the grave. ‘You could say we are almost family,’ she smiled. ‘Now, I must be on my way. I can see my chauffeur at the gates, and he seems to be agitated. No doubt he is wanting his meal.’ With a word to the stonemason to send on his bill, she bid them good day and left Ruby wondering about the generosity and kindness of strangers.
‘May I follow Mrs Grant and look at her motorcar?’ George asked, hopping up and down on one foot in excitement.
‘I don’t see why not – but be careful not to go near the vehicle if it is moving, or to step into the road. I couldn’t bear to bury another child,’ she said to thin air, as her son was already racing to catch up with Mrs Grant.
Ruby went to the graveside, nodding goodbye to the mason as he loaded his equipment and headed off. She knelt down, reaching out to touch the delicately carved rosebud and the word Sarah. ‘This is the first time I’ve been alone with you, my darling. I want to say how much I love you. You may not be here in body, but your spirit will remain in my heart as long as I live. If only God had been more lenient and let you live. Though I’ve never been a big believer. Why would there be so much heartbreak in the world if there was truly a God who could make things better? I did ask a man of the cloth why God could be so wicked; it was after I’d been sent to church by your nanny to pray for my dad. I could only have been as old as your brother, George, and I couldn’t understand why I’d never had a daddy like my friends. The vicar seemed angry that I needed to ask, telling me it was man who caused problems, not God. I knew not to argue with him, even at that age; instead I made excuses not to go to Sunday school. However, if there is a God, I hope that one day he grants my wish to see you once more. Until then, you have Miss Allinson to keep you company, and I will visit as often as I can,’ she whispered, kissing the fingers of her left hand and placing them onto her daughter’s name.
‘I promise to come with you as well,’ a little voice chirped up close behind her, causing Ruby to jump.
‘Why, George! I thought you’d gone to see the motorcar?’
‘It was already driving away as I reached the gates, but Mrs Grant and the driver both waved to me. She’s a nice lady, isn’t she, Mum?’
‘Very nice indeed. I’m sure we’ll meet her again one day. I intend to write a letter to thank her for her kindness.’
‘May I do the same?’ George asked. ‘If you write down the words for me to copy, that is. I don’t want her to think I don’t know all my letters.’
Ruby pulled her son close and gave him the biggest hug, wishing she had two children in her arms. ‘I think that’s an admirable idea. We can do that as soon as we get home. There may even be time to walk up to her house and place it through the letter box.’
As she got to her feet, taking George’s hand in hers and giving it a squeeze, they both turned to look back at the grave. ‘Mummy, do you think you’ll have any more babies? Mrs Green has three, but they are all grown up.’
‘We shall have to wait and see what happens,’ she smiled. George had such an enquiring mind.
‘If you have a baby girl, we can call it Sarah again,’ he said.
Ruby froze. She knew it was common practice for parents to use the same name if they lost a child; but for her, Sarah was a special name, and she didn’t feel she could ever use it again. ‘I’m not so sure about that, George. I’d quite like to choose another name if it were to happen,’ she told him gently.
‘Then when I’m grown up and marry, I shall call my baby Sarah,’ he said.
Ruby chuckled. ‘Don’t wish your life away, George, whatever you do. Life is too short for that. First you need to enjoy being a little boy who lives in a nice house and will go to a very nice school. You have a mummy and daddy, and a nanny, who love you very much.’
‘And a sister,’ George said, looking back over his shoulder as they walked away from the grave.
4
‘My, I never thought when I took you on that you’d be such a hard worker,’ Marge Dobkins said, as she gazed at the stack of clean plates and the mugs that hung from hooks at the back of the serving counter. ‘Of course, I could tell you were a grafter, but it’s only been two weeks and you’ve transformed the place. Not that it was ever dirty, but . . . Oh, you know what I mean,’ she laughed, slapping Ruby on the back so hard she stumbled forward and put her hands out to stop herself crashing into the counter.
‘It’s a pleasure. I love my job. I’ve met more locals here than I ever would staying at home or taking on a cleaning job.’ She didn’t add that she liked to be seen to be working when there weren’t many customers in the cafe, just in case Marge decided to cut her hours. Ruby had watched the jovial woman closely, and it seemed she didn’t miss a trick when it came to cutting corners and saving a few bob.
‘Well, my regulars have taken to you and no mistake. I always say having a welcoming smile costs nothing and warms the cockles of the heart on a miserable day.’
Ruby laughed. ‘In the days I’ve been working here the weather’s
