by Rosie Clarke
‘I can hardly believe it…’ Sally shook her head. ‘I just feel like crying, but I have work to do. I wondered if you would like to have some travelling dressing cases here. Some of your customers for bags might like to buy them….’
‘I think they would do better to stay with luggage on the ground floor,’ Mrs Craven said. ‘The silver jewellery and the bags keep me busy. I see I have a customer now, please excuse me…’
Sally nodded. Maggie was serving two customers with gloves, so when a lady walked in to look at hats, Sally stopped to serve her and ended up making a good sale of three expensive creations.
‘I think you have the magic touch,’ Maggie said when the customers had all been served and gone. ‘Beth showed that lady some hats yesterday, but she bought nothing then.’
Sally nodded. ‘I think they look at our stock, think they’re too expensive and then try elsewhere and come back when they can’t find anything as nice for the price. However, I’ve found a new range and I think they will sell at slightly lower prices, which means we may do even better.’
‘Beth thinks we haven’t been selling enough hats,’ Maggie told her. ‘She will be pleased if your new range sells well.’
Sally nodded and left them to get on with their work. Beth had been too upset to speak about her work much, but Sally would make a point of talking to her later, when she’d had a chance to get over her first shock.
As she entered the lift, Miss Hart was coming out. She looked upset and stared at Sally for a moment as if she wanted to speak, but then shook her head and walked off. Clearly she’d heard the news and wanted to discuss it but not with a girl she disliked for some unknown reason…
Beth could see that Fred had heard the news. He was sitting on his chair, his face ashen and his eyes dark with grief. She saw that a mug of tea stood cold on the bench beside him and he was staring vacantly into space.
‘Oh, Fred, I’m so very sorry,’ Beth said and went to sit on a stool by his side. She reached for his big, work-worn hands and held tightly to one of them, feeling his fingers curl about hers. ‘It’s terrible news, but you mustn’t give up hope. Some people will survive…’
‘He’s just a steward – it’s women and children first, that’s the law of the sea, as it should be. My boy wouldn’t try to take a place that a woman or child could occupy. Them boats must have been loaded afore they cast off…’ He shook his head sorrowfully, looking at her with misted eyes. ‘My boy told me there wasn’t enough lifeboats, but they never thought it would happen in a million years – it was supposed to be the one that was safe…’ A little sob escaped him.
‘They would’ve needed crew to row the boats,’ Beth said, trying to cheer him. She could almost see the panic amongst the people on board and hear the screams as they fought to get into the lifeboats and discovered there were not enough. It must have been terrible and she could not imagine how it felt to know you would die in icy cold water in the dark…
Fred felt the shiver run through her. ‘My boy knew what could happen. He had no fear of the sea. He would try to swim for it – maybe he managed to hang on to a boat until rescue came.’
‘Did a ship come to the rescue?’
‘The paper says it was the Carpathia,’ Fred said in a low voice that was choked with emotion. ‘Arrived a couple of hours after it sank, but there were only a few hundred survivors in the boats – that means fifteen hundred or more died. The paper says they don’t know for sure how many were in steerage, but that may be just a tale…’
Tears trickled down Beth’s cheeks and she put her arms about Fred’s shoulders and hugged him. She felt him let go and sob and she wept with him. After a minute or two, he snorted and pulled back, taking out a rather grubby handkerchief to wipe his face.
‘This won’t do, miss. My boy wouldn’t like it. If he went down with that ship, he was doin’ his duty by the passengers and that’s how he lived.’ Fred wiped his eyes and looked at her. ‘I know my Jack’s gone. He would never take a place that a lady or a child could take. I’m proud of him, miss.’
‘Yes, you should be,’ Beth said and wiped her own cheeks. She felt a warm caring sensation towards this man who had taken the loss of his eldest boy so bravely. Fred was like the father she’d loved and lost too soon and she made up her mind that she would secretly adopt him. Fred wouldn’t know, but if there was anything she could do, Beth would do it. Little things like bringing in cakes and buying him some cigarettes and a card on his birthday. ‘You’re not the only one worrying, Fred. I think the nation will worry and wait with you…’
Fred nodded, but his smile didn’t reach his eyes. ‘You get back now, miss,’ he said. ‘Thank you for thinkin’ to come down to me; it helped and I shan’t forget. Go on now, I’ll be all right. I’ll see my boy in Heaven one day.’
‘Yes, of course you will,’ Beth said and kissed his brow before she left him. Her heart ached for him and for all the others who had lost friends and relatives on that ill-fated ship. She knew that there was only one God and yet at times like this it was hard to reconcile that with such a terrible tragedy. Why would the god who had died for them demand such a sacrifice of lives?
20
Sally was on the telephone when the office door opened and Miss Summers brought in a tray of coffee and sandwiches.
‘You didn’t ring, miss,’ she said as Sally replaced the receiver. ‘But I thought you must be hungry… you didn’t go out for a break, did you?’
‘I didn’t feel like eating and I wanted to check some of the departments,’ Sally told her. ‘It is such dreadful news, Miss Summers. All those people drowned like that…’ She shuddered as the horror of it hit her again. There had been so much optimism and hope when the ship was launched and it all seemed like a nightmare.
‘It doesn’t bear thinking of,’ the secretary said and gave a little shiver. ‘I was envious of those rich folk who could afford to travel on that ship, but now I feel lucky.’
Sally agreed wholeheartedly. ‘Yes, me too. I’ve written a couple of letters – can you type them up properly for me please, rephrase them perhaps? I’m not much good at writing letters…’
Miss Summers picked up the papers Sally indicated and smiled. ‘I’ll correct the spelling, Miss Ross, and rephrase a couple of sentences, but they’ll say the same thing.’
‘They are just re-orders really,’ Sally said, ‘but I tried telephoning and neither of the firms was answering…’
‘Perhaps it’s because of this trouble,’ the secretary said. ‘This tragedy will have touched many people, not just those rich enough to travel first-class…’
‘Yes, you’re right,’ Sally said.
She ate a couple of the sandwiches after the girl left and drank a cup of coffee, but she wasn’t very hungry and was about to start telephoning again when the door opened and Mr Harper entered.
Sally hung up immediately, her nerves tingling. ‘Is Miss Harper very upset?’
‘Devastated,’ he said and sat down opposite her. He looked as if all the wind had been taken from his sails. His normal confidence was gone and he seemed vulnerable to Sally. ‘She’s been trying to get news from New York and various news agencies, but so far she hasn’t been able to get confirmation of whether or not her friends survived.’
‘I’m so sorry…’ Sally hesitated, then, ‘A member of our staff had a son on board. He was working as a steward, I understand…’
‘Good grief! That makes things worse,’ he said and took a sandwich, eating it and then started on another. ‘Sorry – was this your lunch?’
‘I’ve had all I wanted. You’re welcome to finish them…’
‘Thanks, I didn’t bother with breakfast once I heard the news.’ He picked up the spare cup Miss Summers always brought and poured his coffee black, adding sugar. ‘Can you tell me where I’ll find the man who has probably lost his son?’
‘It’s Fred – he works as a porter. He’ll be in the basement unless he’s delivering.’
Mr Harper drank his coffee and made for the door, then stopped and looked back, ‘Would you have supper with Jenni and I this evening? She needs cheering up and she thinks a lot of you, Sally.’
‘Yes, of course, thank you.’
He went out and Sally got on with making her calls. She wanted to establish who had new lines, which firms had representatives to send and which she would need to call on herself. Yet for the moment it was difficult to put the terrible news from her mind…
Jenni had obviously been crying. She’d bathed her face and applied some face powder and a little lip rouge but still looked pale, her eyes a little puffy.
‘No news yet?’ Sally asked and Jenni shook her head.
‘There is a possibility that Marie may be on the Carpathia,’ she said huskily, ‘but it hasn’t been confirmed.’
‘Don’t give up hope,’ Sally said and squeezed her hand.
‘No, I shan’t,’ Jenni said. ‘I’m sorry I didn’t get in today – did you need me?’
‘I changed my appointments to meet reps to another day,’ Sally said, deciding it was best to change the subject. ‘I also spent a lot of time checking stock throughout the store, including the departments that I’m not responsible for – and you’ll be glad to know that there is a slight improvement in the sales in men’s clothing.’
‘So you were right,’ Jenni approved. ‘Good. Now, Ben and I have a bit of news for you – we’ve found you an apartment only a couple of streets away. It is over a tobacconist’s shop and it has three bedrooms – I thought you might want to share with friends…’
‘Yes, I should prefer that,’ Sally agreed. ‘Mrs Craven – she’s the supervisor in my old department – she says she may be ready to move into a flat with me…’
‘Well, that is perfect.’ Jenni smiled a little sadly. ‘It’s good to have a friend and now that you’re the buyer she can share with you without it being awkward on either side…’
‘Yes, that’s what we thought,’ Sally said. ‘How much is the rent a week?’
‘It’s twelve shillings and sixpence,’ Jenni told her. ‘I know that is quite a lot, but if you share…’
Most rents were between five and seven shillings and sixpence, but Sally had expected that a flat within walking distance of the store might well be more expensive. On her own she might have thought it too much, even though she would be earning more now, because there were lots of other expenses when you lived in your own flat, but together they could certainly manage it.
‘I’d like to see it and to take Rachel to see it,’ Sally said. ‘If she likes it, we shall probably be able to afford it between us…’
‘Ben was thinking he might make you a rent allowance…’
‘No,’ Sally said, perhaps too quickly because it made him look at her. ‘You’ve already given me a huge rise. I won’t let you give me an allowance, but thank you for the thought.’
Mr Harper was silent, but Sally thought she saw reproach in his eyes.
Jenni prattled on about helping her to get the lease settled. ‘You may need to put a deposit down. If you do, I’ll help and you can pay me back,’ she said in a practical tone that needed no reply. ‘The flat is unfurnished, but I’m sure you can buy furniture second-hand and carpets and curtains are already in place…’
‘That is good,’ Sally said. ‘I’ve bought quite a few things of my own since I’ve lived at the hostel, but I’ll need a bed and something to sit on…’
‘Well, as I said, most things you can buy in a second-hand shop and if you choose carefully they can look really nice. Ben has bought some beautiful things cheaply for his place…’
Her brother was still silent. He ate his meal without making a remark as his sister chattered, but afterwards asked if Sally would like him to drive her back to the hostel. She hesitated, but then, realising she might have offended him, said that she would like it, if it didn’t take him out of his way.
‘I should not have offered if it bothered me,’ he said sharply.
They parted from Jenni soon after. Her hire car was waiting to take her back to her hotel and she kissed Sally’s cheek before she left. ‘I shall be in as usual tomorrow,’ she promised. ‘We have a lot of work to do and I’ve realised that brooding won’t do me the least good…’
Sally kissed her cheek and Jenni was driven off to her hotel suite. Mr Harper held the passenger door of his car for Sally and she slid into the seat, the smell of the leather greeting her like an old friend.
‘Thank you for cheering Jenni up,’ he said as they drove off into the darkness which became lighter as they left the old-fashioned inn and nosed into the busier streets. Here, the street lights were brighter and the shop windows were a feast for the eyes as they passed the large stores, inhabited now only by their nightwatchmen.
Mr Harper didn’t say a lot until they were almost at Sally’s hostel, then he glanced at her briefly.
‘It wasn’t my intention to offend you, Sally. I know you have no family to help you out and I thought an accommodation allowance might be useful. My uncle gave Jenni her own small apartment when she was twenty-one and until then she lived in one of his properties rent-free.’
‘Miss Harper is your sister,’ Sally said. ‘People would think the worst if you paid my rent…’
Mr Harper had stopped the car engine. He turned to face her. ‘What would you think, Sally? I’d hoped you might trust me…’
‘I’m sorry…’ Her cheeks were flaming but she knew this was the time to be honest. ‘I left my job at Selfridges because the floor supervisor wouldn’t keep his hands to himself; when he threatened to get me sacked if I didn’t do what he wanted, I’d had enough…’
‘The bastard. Give me his name and I’ll make him wish he’d never been born.’ His eyes bored into hers. ‘Do you really think I’d do something like that, Sally Ross?’
Sally shook her head. ‘No, and it was stupid of me to think it,’ she said. ‘I know you have far more glamorous girlfriends… and I was flattering myself you’d be interested. I’m an idiot. Will you forgive me?’
‘You are an attractive young woman and you’ve had an unpleasant experience,’ he said softly. Then he leaned towards her, his lips brushing her cheek lightly so that she hardly knew it except that her heart lurched. ‘I never want to hurt you, Sally. I like you very much, but we don’t know each other yet…’
‘No, of course not…’ Sally was embarrassed. He must think she was a conceited fool, imagining that every man who looked at her wanted to jump into her bed. For a moment, she wished the ground would open up and let her through. Not knowing what to say, she got out of the car, looked at him and then ran into the hostel.
Alone in her room, Sally’s racing heart slowed and she was able to think clearly. Shocked, she realised that it was probably her own feelings that had made her imagine Mr Harper might have more than work on his mind. She found him very attractive and the touch of his lips on her cheek had set her heart racing.
She was such a fool. She hardly knew him, even though sometimes all it took was one look. Sally knew that the very first time they’d spoken outside Selfridges and compared notes on the windows, she’d felt a strong pull of both liking and sensuality. Had Mr Harper taken her in his arms and kissed her thoroughly, she might have stayed there… and that would be madness. He was her boss and perhaps a friend. Anything more could only end badly. Besides, he wasn’t thinking that way about her. He could take his choice of many lovely women and she could never be more than one of the crowd…
Once again, her cheeks burned and she decided that from now on she would be very correct and proper in all her dealings with the handsome and too likeable Mr Harper.
21
Beth rested with her eyes shut, but she wasn’t sleeping. She’d discussed the tragedy of the Titanic with her aunt when she got home that evening and, to her surprise, Aunt Helen had cried. She seemed to be showing her softer side more often of late.
Beth’s tears had been shed for her f
riend earlier and it was still him she was thinking of as she lay staring into the darkness. Fred wouldn’t sleep this night, she knew that for sure, and wished she’d been able to do more for him. All Beth could do was to take him an apple pie she’d baked that evening. She would give it to him and hope he understood.
Beth was aware of feeling lonely. She thought that her awareness of Fred’s loneliness had made her realise her own need of someone special more than ever before. Mark hadn’t tried to contact her since she’d told him not to and she knew that was right and proper. He was married and there could never be anything between them. Beth had thought she would dedicate herself to her work, but of late she’d begun to see that she needed more.
She acknowledged that she was lucky her aunt had taken her in, because otherwise she would have been worse off, but if there was nothing more for her to look forward to… Beth shook her head and told herself not to feel sorry for herself. It was Fred she ought to be thinking of. She’d mentioned to Aunt Helen that she would like to bring him home for tea, but her aunt had not answered. Perhaps she might try to save a few shillings so that she could take him out instead.
As the weather got warmer, Beth could suggest an outing to the park or the Serpentine and they could take a picnic she would prepare. She smiled and nodded as she realised that a picnic hamper would be the answer. Fred might not want to make small talk with her aunt, but a visit to the park would be pleasant and he could even bring his younger son along if he wished. Beth’s father had bought a wicker hamper they’d taken to the park years ago and she still had it in her room.
Feeling better, Beth allowed herself to relax. Fred was being brave and she was lucky to have a comfortable home when so many others didn’t, so she shouldn’t let the lack of romantic love in her life get her down. Many young women had to settle for a similar life, looking after parents and working for a living. It was silly to hope for something she knew could never happen.
