You remember, last night? At the party? When you proposed to me?
‘Proposed…’ Sam hoarsely repeated, going pale.
Natalie gave him a dewy look. ‘Yes. You went down on your knees, in front of them all.’
‘On my…’ he breathed, with incredulity and horror.
‘Knees.’ She nodded. ‘And asked me to marry you. You put your signet ring on my finger and said it would do until we could get to a jeweller’s to choose a real engagement ring, a sapphire to match my eyes. You remember, don’t you, Sam?’
Sheila Holland, known by her millions of devoted readers as Charlotte Lamb, was born just before the Second World War in the East End of London. As a child, she was moved from relative to relative to escape the bombings of World War II.
On leaving school at sixteen, the convent-educated author worked for the Bank of England as a clerk. Charlotte continued her education by taking advantage of the B of E's enormous library during her lunch breaks and after work. She later worked as a secretary for the British Broadcasting Corporation.... more
