A Rebel at Pennington’s

by Rachel Brimble

  He slowly turned to the window. ‘That is the dresser’s intention?’

  ‘Absolutely.’

  ‘And you can be quite certain of that because…’

  ‘Because, sir, I am her. My motivation behind this design was to show it’s neither here nor there which gender chooses to play with which toy. Why not allow children to be children regardless of whether they are male or female?’ Esther’s pride swelled. ‘And with that thought, I will bid you good day.’ She smiled at his children in turn. ‘It was lovely to meet you all. Goodbye.’

  Esther marched past the family towards Pennington’s open double doors. That told him. The way he’d looked at her! Almost as if she entertained him. Well, maybe next time, he’d think twice before declaring what was, or wasn’t, a suitable toy or pastime for his children. It was attitudes like his that held back progress; that scuppered the Cause’s efforts time and time again.

  Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Esther walked through Pennington’s doors and into the glittering, brightly lit atrium. The mammoth space burst with activity, customers strolling arm in arm around the glistening counters and dressed mannequins standing on platforms dotted throughout. Wide-brimmed hats and tailored suits provided a seemingly endless flow of colour. At Pennington’s, dancers and actors, gentry and businessmen shared the same space with middle-class housewives, labourers or nannies with prams. The sight of such equality never failed to brighten Esther’s most sombre mood.

  When Elizabeth’s father, Edward Pennington, had finally seen sense and passed the store’s reins to his daughter, Elizabeth had quickly and decisively implemented changes that meant the demographic of Pennington’s shoppers instantly modernised from being shamefully elitist to encompassing people from every walk of life. The struggle Elizabeth had gone through to be valued and respected by her father had bordered on painful, but she’d succeeded in her endeavours, despite the odds stacked against her.

  She’d utilised every ounce of her passion and drive to do all she could to help female workers labour towards an equal footing with men. To encourage and inspire belief in the department heads and their staff that the stark differences between men and women was a thing of the past at Pennington’s.

  Working alongside her new husband, Joseph Carter, Elizabeth retained her maiden name for her professional life only. As her friend, Esther knew only too well how much Elizabeth relished being Mrs Carter. Not as a sign of inferiority or bondage to her husband but as a proud public acknowledgement to a man she loved and respected. Someone who had been far below her social standing when they’d met and fallen in love, but despite the obstacles, Elizabeth and Joseph had fought her father in order to spend their lives together. Her love for her husband was tangible whenever Esther was near them, whether in the workplace or socially. They were a formidable team, and one Esther felt honoured to work with.

  Esther lifted her gaze to the sunlight that flowed through the glass dome, casting pink, blue and green in every direction, prismed by the huge chandeliers hung throughout the seemingly endless store. She smelt the soft scent of perfume mixed with the sweetness emanating from the numerous bouquets of flowers standing in vases on marble plinths and breathed deep, as love for her job and the people she worked with hastened her steps and demolished her temper.

  Esther weaved through the throng towards the stairs leading to her department in the store’s basement. She was thankful Elizabeth had agreed she could start work a little later this morning. The ten-hour days she’d worked for the last month to get the toy window display finished as well as adding bits and pieces to the store’s plans for the upcoming Coronation had finally taken their toll and – added to the constant and growing demands of her aging aunt – Esther’s focus had woefully drifted. Something she’d never allowed to happen before and was determined to rectify. Her constant need to prove herself had become an obsession.

  She inhaled. An obsession she feared she’d never satisfy.

  Her father’s rejection of her and her ensuing need to feel worthy of her mother’s belief in her had meant Esther worked hard, often forgoing fun in a bid to succeed in her work for the Cause and here at Pennington’s.

  Her desperate need to feel valued and wanted sometimes hung over her like a heavy cloud, and she had absolutely no idea what, or who, would make that change. All she knew, with the utmost certainty, was that she’d never give up until she’d succeeded.

  Two

  Lawrence narrowed his gaze as he continued to stare at the doors through which the blonde, exceptionally beautiful young woman had disappeared. Rose and Nathanial chattered and giggled around his legs, seeming to have forgotten about her. If only the same thing could be said of Lawrence.

  He pressed his lips together as annoyance gathered inside him. He had not liked being beaten to the final word on such a conversation. What had possessed her to show such clear disdain towards a complete stranger?

  Yet, it was incredibly difficult to dismiss such a strong, beautiful, clearly intelligent woman who’d smiled so softly at his children. Every part of him wanted to go after her. Finish the conversation on his terms, rather than hers.

  He glanced at Rose and Nathanial as they chased one another in circles about him on the bustling street, heedless to the crowds separating around them as they shopped, hurried to work or elsewhere. Lawrence inhaled a deep breath as rare indecision badgered him.

  It was a fine day and he should forget the woman and take his children to the park. It was Saturday, after all. It was his personal rule that he never worked at the weekend, unless there was an unavoidable crisis at The Phoenix, the prestigious hotel he owned, situated in the very centre of town. Lawrence was more than content to leave the running of his premises in the hands of his capable staff from Friday evening to Monday morning.

  Over and over, Rose and Nathanial had asked him if they could feed the ducks, followed by eating an ice cream on Victoria Park’s immense grassland. They had only stopped outside Pennington’s to momentarily look at the window display that had so mesmerised his children. Then, before he knew it, their day had been derailed by a complete stranger.

  ‘Daddy?’

  ‘Hmm.’ He dragged his gaze from Pennington’s doors and looked at Rose. ‘What is it, darling?’

  ‘Can we have the cricket set? Please.’ His daughter stared up at him with heart-rendingly beautiful blue eyes, her hands clasped together in pleading. ‘Nathanial and I will be the best behaved we’ve ever, ever, ever been. I promise.’

  Lawrence fought back his smile, his resolve broken by one look into her eyes, so similar to her mother’s. ‘So, you’d rather we went shopping than the park?’

  ‘Yes!’ Rose enthused.

  ‘Yes!’ Nathanial chorused.

  Lawrence shook his head, his smile breaking as Rose and Nathanial clasped hands and leapt up and down. ‘Fine. Shopping it is.’

  His children whooped with delight, and Lawrence grasped their hands as he led them into the store, secretly pleased by this unexpected change of plan. Pennington’s atrium was lit in all its glory, people walking back and forth as Lawrence searched over their heads for a sight of only one female. She’d said she was responsible for the store window so the chances of seeing a dresser on the shop floor were slim, but still…

  He tightened his fingers around his children’s hands. ‘Right. The toy department, I think.’

  As they headed for the lift, Lawrence’s mind filled with ponderings of his passed wife whom he had shamefully not thought of for many months. Abigail had died four years before, during Nathanial’s long and painful birth. A tragedy that resulted in an untimely end to her life and, in turn, hers and Lawrence’s arranged marriage. Throughout their brief time together, he and Abigail had tried to make one another happy, to find more than a semblance of joy within the entrapment in which they’d played willing marital and financial pawns.

  Although he never came to love her as he’d hoped, Abigail had been a wonderful mother, beautiful, both
inside and out, and Rose grew more and more like her every year. Intelligent and caring, his wife had taken interest in their staff, both in and out of their home, as well as being an active charity worker and support to Lawrence in his work. Theirs might not have been a love connection, but there was every possibility their lives would have gone along well enough had Abigail not died.

  Her death had ripped through the heart of their family life and Lawrence counted himself immensely lucky they had such dedicated and loyal staff that he’d been able to rely on to help raise the children these past four years.

  The experience of their marriage and Abigail’s horrible and wasteful death had diluted any serious intention Lawrence had towards women ever since. Except he couldn’t completely eradicate his belief that his children deserved and relied on him to find a new mother for them one day. A mother he loved. Someone else to unconditionally love them. The closest Rose and Nathanial had to a mother figure came in the form of their nanny, Helen, who adored everything about them… cared for them as if the children were her own. But that was where her service ended.

  Lawrence’s relationship with Helen, his butler, Charles, and Mrs Jackson the cook was one of employer and employees. Nothing more, nothing less. They were a team who silently looked out for each other and worked together for the good of the children. When Lawrence would actively begin to seek a woman to take Abigail’s place as his wife and the children’s mother was anyone’s guess. Including his own.

  Burying his melancholy, Lawrence rode the lift with Rose and Nathanial, smiling at the young male attendant, who they learned was named Henry. The young man’s kind face and wide smile had quickly won them over, especially when he’d allowed Rose and Nathanial to take turns pressing the buttons as people entered and alighted the extravagant gold and red velveted lift.

  They stopped on the third floor and Lawrence took Rose and Nathanial’s hands again as they stepped out. ‘Thank you, Henry. These two will want to come back again tomorrow after your generosity.’

  ‘Not a problem, sir. Enjoy your day, children.’

  The lift doors had barely brushed closed before Rose and Nathanial whipped their hands from Lawrence’s and raced along the carpeted landing towards the marble pillars outside Pennington’s toy department. Lawrence followed them and scanned the space for a glimpse of the woman who’d accosted him outside.

  He glanced at the abundance of games, toys and dolls stretched out before him. Shelves and tables were fit to bursting with every conceivable distraction for children from the very young to early adolescence.

  What was he doing here? Why was he even remotely concerned about speaking with such an audacious female?

  Well, for one, her eyes were the brightest, prettiest shade of hazel he’d ever seen, her hair thick and blonde, pinned beneath a hat she wore with panache and style. Then there was her mouth. Bowed-lipped and painted the softest pink. And finally, the passion in her tone, the lift of her determined chin and the challenge in her gaze.

  Everything about her had aroused his interest.

  Lawrence pulled back his shoulders. And he would prove to her that he was equally au fait with the rights of males and females as she appeared to be and then depart the store with his pride intact. Not give her another thought. Why should he leave her to her clearly mistaken assumptions about him? He had every right to defend himself and set the record straight.

  He looked around the department again, an unnerving disappointment she was nowhere to be seen nagging him.

  Rubbing his hand over the back of his neck, Lawrence slowly strolled around, his gaze flitting back and forth to Rose and Nathanial as they picked up and replaced toy after toy.

  A few months ago, nothing had looked quite as spectacular in Pennington’s as it did nowadays. Rumours and gossip had indicated a change in management this past year was responsible for the renewed, more jovial atmosphere and Lawrence couldn’t help but acknowledge the improvements were all for the better.

  ‘Daddy, Daddy!’

  He snapped his gaze to Rose as she and Nathanial each held up a cricket set wrapped in dark green netting. Despite the window dresser’s impression of him, he’d had every intention of buying the set all along. It was her presumptions that had riled him enough to quarrel with her. Now he’d have the immense pleasure in showing the woman the cricket set Rose and Nathanial had chosen.

  Wandering towards them, Lawrence shook his head. ‘We don’t need two. Pick one and you can share it.’

  Their smiles dissolved as they looked at one another with determination burning in their blue eyes, their mouths pinched with disappointment.

  Stifling his smile, Lawrence continued on his slow walk, picking up puzzles and balls, not really seeing any of the things he touched. His attention wandered towards the exit. Would she be in the ladies’ department? He had absolutely no idea where a department store dresser would work.

  ‘Might I help you, sir?’

  He turned and smiled at the young shop girl who’d approached him. ‘My children are just bickering over a cricket set. I’m fine, thank you.’

  ‘Can I interest you in anything else today? We have a new supply of toys just over there in the corner. All of which are featured in our window displays. If you’d like to—’

  ‘The window displays…’ Lawrence coughed, and smoothed his tie. ‘I think I might have met one of your dressers earlier. She quite impressed me.’

  The girl smiled. ‘Was she blonde? Pretty?’

  ‘Yes, that’s her.’

  ‘Well, Esther impresses everyone. She’s fabulously talented. And kind.’ She laughed. ‘Everything really. Oh, and funny when she comes out with us in the evening. Which isn’t as often as we’d like.’

  ‘Esther? That’s her name?’ He’d fought not to sound overly-interested but feared his voice betrayed him.

  ‘Yes, sir. Esther Stanbury.’

  Lawrence nodded, trying hard to ignore an inexplicable triumph that reverberated through him. ‘I’d like to speak with her. Would you be able to point me in the right direction?’

  ‘I’m sorry, sir, but she works in a department out of bounds to the public. Although you might find her in the ladies’ department. She spends a lot of time there discussing future displays with the head of the department and Miss Pennington.’

  ‘Fabulous. Then I’ll—’ A tug to his jacket sleeve made Lawrence dip his gaze to Rose and Nathanial standing beside him. ‘Aha, we’ve chosen, have we?’

  They nodded in unison, their eyes bright with happiness once more.

  He took the cricket set and held it out to the shop girl. ‘Just this for now, please.’

  ‘Of course.’ She smiled at the children. ‘Why don’t you follow me and I’ll wrap your gift for you?’

  Lawrence slowly followed the shop assistant and his two overexcited children, impatient to get to the ladies’ department. He wanted to show Miss Stanbury… He stilled. Was she a Miss? She hadn’t corrected his addressing her as Mrs and he hadn’t thought to check her hand for a wedding or engagement ring. Well, married or not, he refused to leave their exchange unfinished.

  He was a successful hotelier with plenty of money in his pocket, a lovely home on The Circus and two beautiful children. Since when did he lose face in a confrontation? Never, that’s when.

  Walking to the counter, Lawrence paid for the cricket set and Rose and Nathanial hurried from the department ahead of him. He strode to catch up with them and placed a hand on each of their shoulders, steering them towards the grand staircase that wound from the bottom floor to the top.

  ‘Let’s take the stairs to the second floor. I want to see if we can show your cricket set to the lady we spoke to outside.’

  The children walked beside him, Rose tightly clutching the cricket set. Never had Lawrence been so grateful for their obvious disinterest. He was beginning to feel decidedly, uncomfortably, idiotic pursuing Esther Stanbury this way.

  But as soon as he stepped into the ladies’ depart
ment, his gaze was drawn to her despite the number of shop girls and female customers wandering around

  She had her back to him, talking to a red-haired woman dressed in an expensively tailored suit and heels higher than he saw most women wear. She was stunning, there could be no argument about that, but it was Esther who drew his eye. The two women leaned side by side over a broad sheet of paper, talking in earnest as Miss – or Mrs – Stanbury pointed with the nib of a pencil to different spots on the sheet.

  Purposefully harnessing his previous irritation with her, he gripped his children’s shoulders and halted them a few feet behind the women. He cleared his throat. ‘Excuse me. Miss Stanbury?’

  She started and turned, her eyes immediately widening. ‘Mr…’

  ‘Culford. Lawrence Culford.’ He slipped his hands from Rose and Nathanial’s shoulders and came forward, his hand outstretched and all too aware that, once again, she hadn’t corrected him about her title, which meant he was still none the wiser. ‘I’m glad to have found you.’

  Her fingers barely grazed his before she pulled her hand away, her cheeks darkening as she glanced towards her red-haired colleague and back again. ‘Can I help you with something?’

  ‘I think you can, yes.’

  Another glance at her colleague. ‘Oh?’

  The woman held out her hand. ‘Elizabeth Pennington, sir. It’s a pleasure to meet you.’

  ‘And you.’ He turned to Rose, gesturing her forward with a wave. ‘Show Miss Stanbury your present, Rose.’

  His beautiful daughter beamed as she held the cricket set aloft, Nathanial standing tall and proud beside her. ‘Daddy bought me the cricket set.’

  Miss Stanbury looked from Rose and Nathanial to Lawrence and back again, her face lighting with a smile. ‘Well, look at that. I’m so glad your father saw sense in the end.’ She met Lawrence’s gaze over their heads, her eyes glittering with victory. ‘That’s wonderful.’

  He stared at her, his smile fixed and his heart pounding with frustration. Did the woman not see how condescending she sounded? ‘Wonderful or not. I thought it important you know I am not the tyrant you clearly consider me.’ Dragging his gaze from hers, Lawrence looked at his children. ‘Come, Rose. Nathanial. Let’s leave the nice lady to her work.’ He took their hands before looking at Esther once more. ‘It was… interesting meeting you.’