Thank you very much for the reviews. It's always lovely to hear people are enjoying reading the drivel my brain spews out!
This is still mostly set-up. The real story hasn't begun yet. But it's coming. Fear not.
Enjoy!
xXx
Dorcas Lane was not one for shouting in the streets. But when her son was nowhere to be seen, even Dorcas Lane could find it in her heart to do so.
"Miss Lane," a voice called out from nearby shop doorway. Dorcas turned to see Ruby Pratt standing at the top of her stairs. "I saw Sydney heading towards the stables."
"Thank you, Miss Pratt," the postmistress replied, rushing towards the stables behind the foundry.
Dorcas found her son leaning against the door to the stable which housed his favourite horse, stroking the nose which peered over the gate. It was a stallion, but the quietest and kindest one they owned. Dorcas had always thought it apt that Sydney favoured him, as their temperaments were so similar. Sydney was a quiet boy, but a kind and intelligent one and she was proud of the progress he had made since he arrived.
"Sydney?" she asked gently, coming up behind him and placing an arm round his shoulders.
He shook himself away from her, "Get off me."
"Sydney, I can see you're upset, but that does not excuse you…"
The boy interrupted her, "Are you going to send me to live with my pa?"
"What? Of course not! Why on earth would you think that?"
"You're getting married and leaving the post office. You won't want me around anymore," he said sadly, his full attention on the horse as if he were saying goodbye.
"Oh, my darling little man. Come here," she beckoned, her arms outstretched to him. He hesitated, but then reluctantly moved forward into her embrace. She held him close and dropped a gentle kiss onto his hair. "I will never send you away. You are my son and, as such, the most important part of my life. I have no intention of leaving the post office, it is our home, but Minnie is right. Surprisingly. At present it is not permitted for a married woman to be postmistress. However, there is no reason why it should remain so. I will write to the postmaster general and see what is to be done."
"What do you think he will say?"
"I don't know. That is for him to decide. But I assure you, Sydney, that if I am forced to resign my post then I will not be going anywhere without you."
He snuggled into her, "Ma?"
"Hmm?"
"Do you love Mr Cochrane?"
Dorcas Lane stroked her son's silky hair, "Yes I do, Sydney, very much. And I love you too."
xXx
An arm still round her son's shoulders, Dorcas Lane could not have been happier as she and Sydney made their way back across the square to the post office. She had not feared his acceptance of Gabriel, the boy idolised the man, but she had not realised how afraid he would be of rejection.
The familiar rumble of a carriage could be heard coming towards them. The pair turned in curiosity as it approached them and Dorcas felt, for the second time in less than a day, dizzy. Grateful for having something to lean on, she felt every inch of her skin prick with goosebumps when she recognised the carriage instantly.
She remained rooted to the spot, unable to speak a word, as it came to a stop in front of her. Sydney looked up at the woman, confused about the strange look on her face, then back at the carriage, from which a man was exiting. Dorcas gasped.
Sir Timothy Midwinter stepped down onto the dusty Candleford road. He couldn't help but stare at the woman in front of him. The woman he had loved for so long.
He stopped a few steps away from her.
"Dorcas," he greeted, his pleasure at seeing her obvious in his voice.
She struggled to regain her voice and eventually managed to rasp out only his name, "Timothy."
He shook his head in disbelief, "How is it possible that you never age a day and yet you look more beautiful every time I see you?"
"Timothy, you've been gone for so long. So much has changed," Dorcas began, never letting go of eye contact with the man.
"Not for me," he challenged, the intense look he gave her making her shiver.
"Timothy…"
The door to the post office opened behind Dorcas and Sydney and Timothy's watched over their heads a man walking towards them.
"Is everything ok, Dorcas?" Gabriel asked when he joined the threesome.
"Yes, thank you," she replied, gratefully turning towards him, "I was just surprised by the arrival of an old friend. This is Sir Timothy Midwinter, our squire."
Timothy's eyes were narrowed in thought, "I'm sure we've met before. You own a foundry, do you not? Mr…Cochrane?"
"Indeed, sir, you have an excellent memory. We can't have met more than twice and that was many years ago," Gabriel acknowledged, shaking the man's hand, "But I do not own a foundry anymore. I am a Candleford man now."
Dorcas Lane suddenly remembered that this was supposed to be the happiest day of her life.
"Timothy, will you come in for some tea? We were just in the middle of a celebration," she invited, regaining her legendary composure.
"A celebration?"
"Yes. My maid, Minnie, became engaged yesterday to young Alf Arless. And you remember Thomas Brown, our faithful postman? Well, he and his wife have just discovered they are to have a baby."
"Thomas Brown married Miss Ellison eventually then? Well, I'm very pleased for their news. I would be honoured to join the celebration."
"There is one other piece of news," Gabriel prompted, looking pointedly at his bride-to-be.
"Oh yes, there is one other thing…"
"My ma is getting married!" Sydney piped up from his mother's side.
Timothy looked down at the boy. He hadn't really noticed him before, so engrossed and distracted had he been by being in the presence of his childhood sweetheart once again.
"And who might your ma be, young man?" Timothy asked kindly, bending slightly to be at the youngster's level.
"I am, Timothy," Dorcas told him.
