Yorkshire Lady

Yorkshire Lady Part 32

The  Final Chapter

Part 32

Christmas at Sparthwaite was a  particularly   joyous affair  that year.   Caroline John and the children spent Christmas Day  in Halifax  to give Doreen and Roger chance to  spoil their grandchildren.     They were  delighted that  John  was adopting the boys as his own.

'I wouldn't  cut  Kate off totally from seeing them though if I were you love'.    Doreen told Caroline.  'She's taking Andrew going to America  rather badly.   She'd  be devastated  not seeing  Freddie and Charlie ever again.   I can  sort that out at this end.   If you'd rather not see Kate'.

Boxing Day   was spent at the Manor  and was combined with  John and Caroline's  First Wedding Anniversary.    They were  joined by   Phyllis and Albert ( honourary Paternal Grandparents to the 3 young Standrings),  Judith and Tim  and the 4   Sowerbys.

They had  spent Christmas Day   with   Rick's Parents  who had delightedly  taken Henry under their wings as another Grandson along with Luke. 

Judith was of course asked to Christen both babies and they settled for a  Sunday in February with a meal at the Duck and Drake to follow.

                           ************************************************

It was a cold, dull February day  for the Christening  of Elise and Luke  but for the proud fathers the sun was shining.

   Their lovely wives, Simone in Primrose Yellow and Caroline in Rose Pink.  carried the babies into church while John and Rick held the hands  of the older boys.  They were deeply gratified  by how easily  their soon to be sons had taken to calling then Dad.

Each couple  had asked the other to be godparents to their babies.  Tim was second Godfather to Luke and Judith second Godmother to Elise. 

They also included in the ceremony  prayers for Rick and John as  the new fathers of the older boys.    A feat which  Judith had said she admired them both for greatly.

               ******************************************************

Eunice  ( the lady who John had helped with Ballroom dancing) had not got any family left.

She'd become very fond of young John and  when dying had been unable to resist telling him that she'd left him some money in her will.  ' Don't tell   your Dad and Gran about it though'.   She'd warned him.  ' I know you'll use it wisely'. 

He had inherited  £5000.   This he'd  put into his  post office account  until he was 16

then invested it in premium bonds.   He'd told no one about  them until  his relationship with Caroline.

http://www.nsandi.com/products/pb/index.jsp

He checked every month to see if he'd won anything,   but knew that  he'd got the money they could redeem one day if need be.

He was doing his monthly check   which had become just a  formality and an attempt not to tempt fate by now.

He put in the numbers of each of  his bonds and waited..........................

He rubbed his eyes  and looked again.   He couldn't believe what he was seeing.

'Caroline'.    He said in a rather quiet voice.  'Can you come and look at this.    I think my eyes are  deceiving me'.

Caroline leaned on his shoulders and looked at the screen.   Then gasped.   'If your eyes are telling you you've won £ 1000 000  then I'm seeing it too.........'