A Mother Forever Elaine Everest (best beach reads of all time .txt) 📖

live next to someone who seems like the most bigoted woman in the world, but because she goes to church and lives a saintly life, she makes me look like the devil’s child. I’m worried what people will think when it’s seen I’m carrying a baby.’

Frank put his arm round Ruby. ‘I’ll always be here for you. I’m not sure how good I’ll be with the baby, but I’ll try to be the best uncle I can.’

‘I’m worried for you too, Frank. This could affect your reputation.’

Frank was puzzled. ‘What do you mean? It’s not as if me and you . . .’

‘But people might assume it is yours. We’re always together, and some do consider it strange for a man and a woman to be good friends and nothing more.’

His face turned pale. ‘I’d not considered such a thing. I’m sorry if my friendship has put you in such a position. What a to-do!’ He thought for a moment. ‘Perhaps I should offer to marry you. We’d both be considered respectable then.’

Ruby’s eyes welled up. ‘That’s the kindest offer anyone has ever made to me. As much as I’d be honoured to accept your kind gesture, there is one fly in the ointment – Eddie.’ She smiled at Frank, assuming he was not serious.

Frank pulled a chair close to hers, checking there was no one about to enter the shop. ‘I’m serious. Those who know you are aware Eddie deserted you five years ago. They can see we are close, and if they’re putting two and two together anyway . . . why not let them see a solution to the problem, and assume we are a couple?’

‘You’d do this for me?’ Ruby asked, feeling humble that he was being so thoughtful.

‘It’s for both of us. People would stop whispering about me, and you would not be shunned or made the subject of gossip. If you thought it a good idea, I could move into your house and assume the role of your husband, even though we’d remain unmarried in case Eddie came back.’

‘This could get very confusing,’ Ruby said, shaking her head. ‘I’d hate Eddie to think I’d been unfaithful to him, but your suggestion does make sense. And I do have a spare bedroom . . .’

‘Is there no way you can get word to Eddie? If he knows about your condition, he might even return for good. What man wouldn’t, if he knew he had another child on the way?’

‘A man who is hiding from something – or someone,’ Ruby pointed out. ‘I have no idea where he is. He turned up just once, after five years, and that was out of the blue. It could be another five years before I see him again! However, I can’t manage on my own. I’m sure if he returns he will understand why you’ve moved in and are pretending to be my husband. But we can cross that bridge when we come to it.’

Frank dropped to his knees and took his friend’s hand. ‘Ruby Caselton, will you do me the honour of being my pretend wife, until death do us part?’

Ruby shuddered as a chill ran up her back. ‘At least until Eddie returns,’ she smiled, kissing his cheek. ‘My dearest Frank, whatever would I do without you?’

28th February 1911

‘Why, she’s the spit of her daddy,’ Stella said, leaning over the cradle where baby Pat slept. Only three days old, she was the most contented child imaginable and adored by her family.

Ruby held her breath. Was Stella referring to Eddie or Frank?

‘Frank had the same colour of hair when he was born,’ the doting grandmother beamed.

Ruby let out a silent sigh. Her relationship with Stella had returned to normal on the day they both visited Frank’s parents to announce they were expecting a child, and Frank would be moving in to number thirteen. Stella had thrown herself into preparing for the baby’s arrival, knitting and sewing until the unborn child had the largest layette possible. Meanwhile, Wilf had disappeared into his shed to work on a wooden cradle with intricate engravings of ships and the river. ‘He’s after the child being a lighterman,’ Frank had joshed.

‘I must say, I had a feeling this day would come,’ Stella said with a glint in her eye.

‘She had to pop out some day,’ Ruby laughed from where she lay propped up in her bed. ‘Although there was a time I thought I was carrying a baby elephant.’

‘I meant you two. I spotted my Frank leaving your house late one night around nine months ago. I was looking from my bedroom window at the time. I had hoped there would be something going on between you, although nothing was mentioned, and I began to disapprove of your secrecy. At one point I thought you were just using my son because your husband had left you. Can you forgive me?’

Ruby felt her cheeks start to burn. That was the night Eddie had turned up – just after Frank had left, when they’d first discussed the bookshop. Thank goodness Stella had not continued to watch her house, or she’d have seen Eddie’s arrival minutes later. ‘There’s nothing to forgive – and I hadn’t noticed your disapproval,’ she said, crossing her fingers under the bedcovers to atone for such a blatant lie.

‘Thank you for naming her after my mother. I’d have done the same if one of the boys had been a girl. Instead they all bear the names of my father and his brothers.’

‘Don’t forget her second name is Stella, after you. It’s to thank you for all your help, especially when my Sarah was born. I’d not have coped if you’d not been there.’

‘I did what any friend would do,’ Stella smiled. ‘I am surprised that you didn’t call this little lady by the same name.’

Ruby was horrified. ‘No, I’ll only ever have one daughter called Sarah. She’s as real to me as this little one,’ she said as Pat stirred in her cradle.

‘When I have children, I’ll call the first girl Sarah,’