The Christmas Rose: The most heart-warming novel of 2018, from the Sunday Times bestseller. Dilly Court

railing until her knuckles turned white. If Max, for whatever reason, could not meet her, she would be in a terrible fix. The possibility had not occurred to her during the voyage from the Australian port of Geelong to London. She had lived in a haze of romantic visions of what her life would be like as the wife of a dashing cavalry officer, but something as simple as a London particular was in danger of shattering her hopes and dreams.

      Sadie, the woman who had become a second mother to Rose, had uttered dire warnings and these came flooding back to her now. Perhaps she ought to have listened, but she had ignored them and had allowed Max to purchase a berth for her on the Bendigo Queen. Sadie had been quick to notice the deepening affection between Rose and Max. He was five years Rose’s senior and she had been slightly in awe of him when they first arrived in the mining town of Bendigo, and it was Jimmy, his younger brother, who had been her particular friend. Two years later Max had been sent back to England to attend Sandhurst Military Academy, and it was on his first trip home that they had met again. Rose closed her eyes, conjuring up a vision of Max, his gleaming blond hair waved back from a high forehead, his classic features, piercing blue eyes, and his newly acquired military bearing. It had been love at first sight when she had met him then, even though they had known each other since childhood, and, to her surprise, the feeling was mutual. What a handsome young man from a wealthy family had seen in a skinny green-eyed girl with wildly curling copper hair she had never been able to fathom, but Max loved her and she loved him. Unfortunately his mother and Raven Dorincourt, his aristocratic stepfather, disapproved, and Max was promptly packed off to England to finish his training, but his parents could not prevent them from corresponding. Rose had a bundle of Max’s letters tied with pink ribbon, stowed carefully in her luggage. Reading them at night before she went to sleep had kept her going through the long days of their separation and during the voyage home to England.

      ‘Rose, dear. We’re leaving now. Are you coming with us?’

      Adele’s voice brought Rose sharply to her senses, and she was left facing a wall of thick pea-green fog and an uncertain future. There was nothing she could do other than to follow Mr and Mrs Parker down the companionway to the lower deck. Everyone was pushing and jostling for position as the passengers disembarked. The level of sound from the dock grew in intensity as people called out to each other, whistling and shouting to attract the attention of those who had come to meet and greet them.

      Festus Parker disappeared into the crowd, telling his wife to stay where she was while he went to retrieve their baggage. Rose could only stand there, damp, cold and increasingly panic stricken as she searched the crowd for the young cavalry officer who had stolen her heart in such a dramatic way.

      Adele tugged at her sleeve. ‘Maybe he was delayed by the fog. Come with us, dear. We’re going to stay in Elder Street until we get out next posting.’

      ‘Thank you, but I’ll wait. Max will be here – he promised.’ Rose’s voice caught on a barely suppressed sob, but she held back the tears of desperation that threatened to overwhelm her as she struggled against a wave of homesickness. Sadie would tell her to keep a stiff upper lip, whatever that meant, but Rose was beginning to wish she had never left the noisy, often chaotic house attached to the school in Bendigo.

      Adele fumbled in her reticule and brought out a pencil and a religious tract. She tore it in half, pulling a face as she did so. ‘I’m sure the Good Lord will forgive me, but this is the only piece of paper I have.’ She wrote something and passed it to Rose. ‘This is where we’ll be for the foreseeable future. If you get into difficulties, you know where to find us.’

      Rose put it in her pocket. ‘Thank you, Mrs Parker. I won’t forget your kindness to me during our voyage.’

      ‘Nonsense, Rose. You’ve been a delight and you helped to alleviate the boredom of the long days at sea.’ Adele moved aside as her husband emerged from the gloom, carrying a large valise and Rose’s carpet bag.

      ‘You travelled light, Rosie,’ Festus said cheerfully. ‘I wish my wife could limit herself to so little in the way of clothing.’

      Adele beamed at him. ‘It’s my one weakness. I know it is pure vanity, and I should try to overcome my love of pretty gowns and lovely colours, but we are as the Good Lord made us.’

      ‘I’m sure you make up for it in kindness, Mrs Parker.’ Rose leaned over to kiss Adele’s round cheek.

      ‘You can still change your mind and come with us, Rose.’

      ‘Thank you for your offer, but I will wait here for Max. He’ll come, I know he will.’

      Adele and her husband exchanged worried glances. ‘Have you anywhere to stay in London?’ Festus asked abruptly. ‘Has your young man found suitable accommodation for you?’

      ‘Oh, yes,’ Rose said airily. ‘We’ll be lodging at the Captain’s House in Wapping. I lived there for a while when I was a child.’

      Festus nodded gravely. ‘Do you know how to get there, should your friend be delayed by the fog?’

      ‘Max gave me instructions, so you really need not worry. But I am grateful for your concern, really I am.’ Rose stood her ground, despite the Parkers’ continued questioning. She knew that their concern for her was genuine, but she trusted Max. She had given up everything to be with him, and she was certain that he would not let her down.

      After a tearful farewell the Parkers melted into the crowd and were immediately lost from sight. The peasouper seemed to be getting thicker with each passing minute and still there was no sign of Max. Rose picked up her luggage, edged her way towards a pile of wooden crates and perched on one, preparing to wait even if it took all night. Max had promised – he would come.

      The crowds thinned and soon Rose was the only passenger left, but the busy life of the docks went on around her and she sat there, largely unnoticed. At one point a fussy man wearing a bowler hat demanded to know her business, and when she explained that she was waiting for someone he advised her to move on. She did not argue, but she ignored his advice, and an hour or so later a man wearing workman’s clothing approached her with a mug of tea in his hand.

      ‘Here, love. You look as if you could do with this.’

      Rose took it and drank thirstily. The hot, sweet tea burned her tongue but she could feel its warmth seeping down to her empty stomach, and she realised that she had not eaten since breakfast. ‘Thank you, sir.’ She handed back the empty cup.

      ‘Sir, is it? I don’t often get treated with such politeness. Anyway, I got daughters of me own at home, and I wouldn’t want to see them sitting there all day, waiting for someone what is obviously not going to come.’

      His words brought her abruptly to her senses. She had lost all track of time but it was getting dark and the fog was thicker than ever. She struggled to her feet. ‘Ta for the tea. Perhaps I’d better go.’

      ‘That’s right, love. You go home. Whoever it was that should have met you ain’t worth nuppence, leaving a young lady like yourself on your own.’ He lowered his voice. ‘There are some strange types to be found in a place like this.’

      ‘Can you direct me to the station, please?’ Rose tried to sound casual, but she realised suddenly that she was chilled to the bone and she was shivering violently.

      The workman frowned, pushing his cap to the back of his head. ‘I’ve finished me shift, love. You’d best come with me. I’ll see you safe to Canning Town station, but you’re on your own from there.’

      ‘Thank you. You’re very kind.’

      ‘I’d hope someone would do the same if any of my girls was in need of help. Follow me.’ He loped off, leaving Rose to carry her heavy bag, but she was more than grateful. It was obvious that something momentous must have occurred to prevent Max from meeting her, and she would have to find her own way to the Captain’s House. Sadie always spoke fondly of the old house on the wharf that was now owned by Max’s older sister, Caroline, who had married well. Rose trudged after her protector, glad of his presence as she received whistles and indecent proposals from some of