Everything is Beautiful by Eleanor Ray (best classic romance novels txt) 📕

‘Tim bought it,’ continued Amy. ‘Before he disappeared. That’s been confirmed by the owner of the shop. I think he was going to give it to me. To propose.’

Jack nodded. ‘Very possibly,’ he said. He gave her a sympathetic smile and handed the bag back. ‘It’s good that you have this,’ he said, his voice gentle. ‘You need memories. Thank you for showing it to me.’

Amy frowned at him. ‘But this is significant, don’t you think?’

‘How so?’

‘I know you always thought that because they disappeared at the same time they’d left together. On purpose.’

‘We don’t know what happened. That is one of several explanations, and it did seem the likeliest to me. You agreed, eventually. Remember?’

‘But why would he leave with her if he wanted to marry me?’

Jack took another sip of his coffee. ‘We both got our hearts broken back then,’ he said, his professionalism fading to softness. ‘I was devastated when Chantel left me. They must have just wanted to be together, and we were collateral damage.’

‘That’s what you always said,’ said Amy. ‘But the ring. It suggests otherwise. Tim was the only person who knew I liked this ring. We’d looked at it together in the old antique shop near where I lived. When we saw it, Tim even said that it was right for an engagement. And then, all of a sudden, it appears in my garden.’ Amy thought of what Charles had said. ‘It’s a clue.’

‘I’m sorry,’ said Jack, shaking his head. ‘But discovering this item is not going to help us to find Tim. Not even if we’d found it back then, and certainly not now.’

‘It changes things,’ insisted Amy. ‘It means he didn’t just run away with Chantel. Something might have happened to him. To both of them.’

‘It doesn’t change anything,’ said Jack. ‘Not as far as the police are concerned. It’s a lovely keepsake for you—’

‘No,’ said Amy. ‘That is not what it is. It is proof he didn’t want to leave me.’

‘People change their minds all the time,’ said Jack, his voice a little less soft now. ‘I’m sorry. We couldn’t find him a decade ago. If he doesn’t want to be found, he won’t be. Neither of them will be. A piece of jewellery doesn’t change that.’ He looked at Amy, who had put the bag between them on the table. ‘Even Chantel’s mother has accepted that they are gone now.’

‘Toyah?’ It had been years since Amy had spoken that name.

‘She’s moved to Dubai. A fresh start. That’s probably what you need too.’

‘Dubai?’ queried Amy. It didn’t sound right. Not for Chantel’s mum. ‘With her sister?’ she asked, a little incredulous. ‘And her brother-in-law?’

‘Toyah came to give me her number before she left, in case there were any developments on the case. Would you like it? I’m sure she wouldn’t mind.’

Amy hesitated. Once she’d accepted that Tim and Chantel had left together, she’d cut herself off from Toyah, feeling she was tarred by her daughter’s betrayal. But if there were another explanation? Amy nodded and scribbled down the number that Jack gave her.

‘But in terms of the case,’ continued Jack. ‘I don’t see what more we can do. Not after all this time. I’m sorry, Amy, I wish I could help.’

Amy picked up the bag with the ring again and put it in her handbag. ‘I understand,’ she said. She did. If she wanted to find the truth she wouldn’t have the help of Jack or the police. She’d be on her own.

Amy found herself staring at his hands, mainly to avoid eye contact. She noticed a thick gold band on his own finger. She glanced around the office, seeing framed photos documenting a pretty wife, two children and several exotic holidays. He’d moved on with his life. Of course he had.

It was just her, longing for a past that perhaps had been a lie anyway.

‘Thank you for your time,’ she said, standing up. ‘You must be busy.’ He shook her hand.

‘Wear the ring,’ he told her, his voice kind again. ‘It’s very beautiful.’

Amy nodded, then turned around and left the office.

Amy leaned forwards over the small potted geraniums, trying to pick the best one from the selection in the garden centre. She’d taken the ring out of the sandwich bag, feeling rather ridiculous. Now it dangled around her neck on a chain again and caught on the flowers. Amy untangled it and tucked it back inside her shirt, doing up another button to keep it safely inside. This ring had got her nowhere. Tim was still gone, the ring couldn’t tell her where he was or why he’d left. Maybe Jack was right. It was nothing more than a pretty piece of jewellery.

Amy bit her lip and tried to focus on the flowers. She’d managed for all these years without him. Without knowing. She’d just have to continue like that. It hadn’t been so bad, once she’d found her rhythm. And she’d made sure that no one would ever hurt her like that again. Her precious things certainly wouldn’t.

Amy picked up a geranium plant covered in buds, then walked past the selection of terracotta pots with barely a second look. They were nothing special, she told herself, and she had plenty already. In fact, that was the point of this expedition. She had chosen one of her pots and she was going to plant it up to give to Richard and the boys as a thank you for agreeing to fix the fence. She didn’t like the idea of relinquishing it at all, but at least it would be close to home. She hoped they’d put it in their front garden so she could still admire it each day.

The pot she’d chosen from her collection had a beautiful wide neck and lovely curves down to its dainty base. It was a deep blue, like lapis lazuli, with little white stars etched into the glaze. The geranium would have small