CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY FIVE – PARTY AT THE PUB

And work they did. The next few days passed in a whirlwind of planning and preparation. To Charlotte's amazement, Mr. Davies not only agreed to the event but threw himself into the arrangements with unexpected enthusiasm. ("Anything that brings in more punters is good for business," he'd declared gruffly.) They chose a 1920s speakeasy theme, capitalizing on the pub's vintage decor. Linda, it turned out, had connections in the local music scene and managed to book a jazz quartet for the night. Charlotte, meanwhile, hit the pavement, approaching every shop and restaurant in the neighborhood for raffle donations. It was exhausting, nerve-wracking work. Every "no" felt like a nail in her coffin, every "maybe" a precarious lifeline. But slowly, painstakingly, prizes began to accumulate: dinner vouchers, spa packages, even a weekend getaway at a quaint B&B in the countryside. "See? What'd I tell you?" Linda crowed as they catalogued their growing haul. "People round here, they look out fo