by Cathy Sharp
‘And how much exactly would that gown cost?’
‘You will have to ask Miss O’Rourke about that, but I think around twenty pounds.’
‘That’s ridiculous! The gown you just sold us was only fifteen pounds, and that was more than enough.’
‘Miss O’Rourke might be able to give you a discount, but you must ask her about that. I merely work here.’
‘It would be perfect for the Marlborough ball,’ Mary said. ‘I am sure Daddy wouldn’t think it too much. He said I was to have the best available and the gowns at Worth’s were far more expensive. Besides, I like this better than those we saw there – it’s simpler, with less frills and furbelows.’
‘You have no idea what constitutes value for money. Wait here, Mary. I shall speak to Miss O’Rourke and see what she has to say. If she is prepared to be sensible we might order more than one gown.’
Mary pulled a face at me as her aunt went off to speak to Lainie. ‘Aunt Emily makes such a fuss about money. Anyone would think it was her own money she was spending. Daddy gave me two thousand pounds for my clothes and I’ve hardly spent anything yet. I couldn’t find anything I liked.’
‘That was very generous of your father.’
‘Oh, Daddy has lots of money. He doesn’t care what I spend as long as I stay out of his way and don’t bother him when he has his business friends to the house.’
‘What does your mother say about your clothes?’
‘She died when I was quite small,’ Mary said. ‘Aunt Emily was her closest friend, and she has been very good, taking me about with her since I left school at Christmas – but she is rather strict.’
‘I am sorry you lost your mother when you were small. Was she very ill?’
‘I’m not sure. I think she was unhappy. She used to cry a lot and hug me – and I think she drank too much alcohol.’
‘Oh …’ I wasn’t quite sure what to say. ‘I’m sorry, Mary. I shouldn’t have asked such a personal question.’
‘It doesn’t matter. I cried a lot when Mummy died, but then Eleanor came and took me home to stay with her and I felt better. Eleanor was Mummy’s sister’s daughter. I felt better when I stayed with them. Eleanor was good to me but she died during the war. She was a nurse in France and the ambulance she was travelling in was blown up while on a rescue mission to bring injured men back to the hospital. It was terrible.’
‘That was very sad. You must have been very upset.’
‘Yes, I was. Very upset. Eleanor was my best friend. I loved her very much, and I still miss her. If she had been alive she would have come with me to choose my clothes and it would have been so much more fun …’ She sighed deeply. ‘You can’t imagine how many establishments we’ve been to, trying to find the right clothes, Amy.’
‘I know a lot of the styles this season are very sophisticated.’
‘Some of them are so fussy. I like simple things like these designs of yours. Paul likes me in green best, that is why I chose green for that evening dress.’ She smiled to herself. ‘He has been in France, taking part in the first twenty-four-hour race at Le Mans …’
She broke off and glanced towards Mrs Holland as she came back to join us, looking pleased with herself. I guessed that Lainie had given her a generous discount, which we had allowed for in the costing, knowing that she would not be satisfied with just a few pounds off the asking price.
‘I have ordered the green gown,’ she said. ‘We shall see how that looks for a start. Miss O’Rourke has told me she has a new line of ready-made afternoon dresses coming in soon, and we shall look at those before we make any further decisions.’
Mary pulled a face at me as she followed her aunt from the shop.
‘When shall I come for my fitting?’
‘On Tuesday afternoon at half past two – if that suits you?’
She nodded and smiled, then disappeared out into the bright sunshine.
I waited until they had gone and then went into the office, where Lainie was looking at some patterns of silk and satin materials.
‘She insisted on the best material, Amy,’ Lainie said. ‘I told her that would be another five pounds, and she haggled so we ended up at fifteen pounds and ten shillings – will that cover your costs?’
‘Yes, quite easily with some to spare,’ I said. ‘But I had quoted for the best quality material, Lainie.’
‘I know, but Mrs Holland likes to think she is getting the best of the deal so I put the price up and then came down more than I could have done if I’d stuck to your original quote.’
‘I shall have to remember that in future.’
Lainie nodded, looking at me thoughtfully. ‘Yes, I think she will order several more gowns if she is satisfied with the first … I wonder if you know what you’ve started, Amy?’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Mrs Holland is the sort of woman who likes to talk when she has discovered something she considers above average. We shall probably have other customers asking us to make things for them before long.’
‘Would that be a problem?’
‘I might have to take another girl on in the sewing room if we can’t cope, but if we were making money out of the work … I suppose it might be worth it.’
‘Well, let’s see how it goes,’ I said. ‘They may not be satisfied with the dress when we’ve finished it.’
‘I don’t see why they shouldn’t be,’ Lainie said. ‘That dress you made for your eighteenth birthday party was rather lovely, Amy. I didn’t realize you had made it yourself until you told me last night.’
‘I think Margaret should do most of the sewing on Mary’s gown, and I shall do the beading myself, of course. That will leave Sally free to carry on with the alterations as usual, and I don’t mind working in the evenings to finish it on time.’
‘Well, you mustn’t work all the time,’ Lainie said with a smile. ‘How would you like to go out this evening? I thought we might go to the theatre to see Noel Coward’s play.’
‘Yes, I should enjoy that,’ I told her with a smile. ‘And I shall go to see my parents this weekend. After that I can really get down to work on Mary’s new gown.’
‘Did she give you permission to call her Mary?’ Lainie asked with a little frown. ‘Some of the customers do, I know, but it is a little familiar.’
‘I don’t even know her second name,’ I said. ‘She talked about her father a lot but neither she or Mrs Holland mentioned her surname.’
‘Well, I suppose it’s all right then. As long as you remain respectful, Amy. You have to be careful with customers, especially people like Mrs Holland.’
‘Yes, of course,’ I replied. ‘But Mary is so friendly, and I know how to treat Mrs Holland.’
I was a little resentful that Lainie should have thought it necessary to warn me to keep my place with the customers. I wouldn’t have dreamed of addressing most of them by their first names, but Mary was different.
‘How exciting for you,’ said my mother when I told her we were making up one of my designs for a customer of Lainie’s. ‘You draw some beautiful things, Amy. I think they are quite as good as any of the expensive designers I see the quality wearing at their social events.’
‘And when do you see them all dressed up then, Bridget?’ my father quizzed her with a wicked twinkle in his eyes. ‘I didn’t know you’d been invited to dinner at Buckingham Palace!’
‘Go on with you, Joe Robinson!’ My mother pulled a face at him. ‘You know very well that the papers are full of pictures of the royal family and other members of the aristocracy.’
‘I didn’t know you were wasting your time looking at them.’
‘It’s little enough time I spend sitting down, but I do like to read the papers, and I have a magazine now and then as a treat.’
‘Now the secrets are coming out!’
‘Oh, do stop teasing her,’ I said and shook my head at him. ‘Lainie says she might have to take on another seamstress in the workrooms if my idea catche
s on.’
‘I hope she’s paying you extra,’ my father said. ‘You will be doing a lot more work, Amy.’
‘We’ve written my fees into the costing,’ I told him. ‘If I had sold my designs to one of the big stores I approached I would have received a fee, and Lainie insisted I include something for my time.’
‘So I should think,’ he said, but again there was a twinkle in his eye. ‘When are you expecting to see Matthew next?’
‘He wrote in his letter that he hopes to come up on Saturday and go back after tea on Sunday.’
‘You can bring him here for Sunday lunch if you like,’ my mother said. ‘But perhaps you would rather go somewhere on your own?’
‘Matthew talked about taking a picnic out to Epping Forest,’ I said. ‘But it all depends on the weather.’
‘Your mother always cooks far too much anyway. I expect there will be enough if you decide you want to come, Amy.’
I smiled at them. It was good to hear their friendly banter, and I liked being at home for a few hours, as long as I didn’t have to live there.
‘Are you sleeping well?’ My mother looked at me anxiously. ‘I must say you look very well, Amy.’
‘I feel fine,’ I told her. ‘We went to the theatre the other evening. It was a play by Noel Coward and it was really amusing.’
‘A play is it? You’ll be getting too grand for the likes of us soon, Amy Robinson.’
‘Don’t tease her, Joe,’ my mother said. ‘Haven’t you got anything better to do than sit around here with us?’
‘Now I’ve got my orders I’d better go and do some work,’ he said and grinned at us good-naturedly. ‘It was nice seeing you, Amy love. Be good – and I won’t say the rest or your mother will have my guts for garters!’
‘I should think not either!’ Mum shook her head at him, then smiled as he went out. ‘Now we can have a good chat by ourselves. You are happy at Lainie’s? She treats you well?’
‘Of course she does,’ I said. ‘She was a little bit doubtful at first about my designs, but then I showed her the dress I made for my eighteenth birthday party and she was impressed.’
Mum looked thoughtful, then nodded. ‘I was anxious about you going there to live, Amy, but I can see it suits you. I’m glad you’re happy.’
‘It’s good fun. I get on well with the other girls, especially Margaret. She’s very clever at what she does, and I enjoy talking to her – and I’ve been out with Lainie in the evenings a few times.’
‘Well, living up there you’ve got all the best theatres and cinemas to choose from,’ she said. ‘But you ought to have some friends of your own age, Amy.’
‘I don’t mind things the way they are for the moment. I’ve got plenty to do to amuse myself, and there are always Matt’s visits to look forward to. I like Mary though …’
‘She is the customer you are making the dress for, isn’t she?’
‘Yes, and she’s really nice, Mum. You would like her. She has lovely manners and she speaks softly, and she’s a little shy. And she talked to me about her mother and cousin. She loved her cousin but she was killed in France during the war.’
‘A lot of good people died during the war.’ My mother shivered suddenly. ‘What is Mary’s other name?’
‘She hasn’t told me,’ I said. ‘It doesn’t matter, does it?’
‘I shouldn’t think so, if she’s as nice as you say. It’s a pity you can’t make friends with her – but I expect that’s out of the question. A girl from that sort of family isn’t likely to mix with someone who works in a shop.’
‘Oh, that’s so old-fashioned, Mum. I know it used to be that way, but attitudes are changing a lot. Besides, I’ve been to college and I’m as good as anyone else.’
‘Possibly better,’ my mother agreed with a loving smile. ‘But be prepared for Mary’s friendliness to wane, Amy. I’ve met people like that before and they can be as nice as pie one minute and the very opposite the next.’
‘You’re as bad as Lainie, Mum. I think Mary is really nice, and I wouldn’t hesitate to be her friend if she asked me.’
‘The thing is, she probably won’t, and I shouldn’t like you to be hurt, love.’
‘Mary isn’t a snob,’ I said. ‘Besides, I’m not sure she’s out of the top drawer as they say. I think her mother was from a good family, but I think her father might not be quite the thing.’
‘What makes you say that?’
‘I’m not sure. It’s just a look in Mrs Holland’s eyes when Mary mentions her father. I don’t think she really approves of him, though she is fond of Mary.’
‘Mary’s mother must have married for money. He’s probably trade or something. Well, I’m not telling you that you mustn’t be friends with her, Amy. Just don’t expect too much, that’s all.’
‘I’m not expecting anything, Mum,’ I said honestly. ‘It’s just a commission for a few dresses, that’s all.’
Three
‘But you promised, Matt,’ I said into the receiver of Lainie’s private telephone. ‘You said you were coming on Saturday afternoon and staying over until Sunday after tea. I’ve been looking forward to it so much – and now you say you can’t come.’
‘I didn’t promise, Amy. I said I hoped I would be able to come, but things have changed since I spoke to you. I’ve been told there’s a big consignment due from the factory on Saturday morning, which means I shall have to stocktake all afternoon – and Sunday too, if necessary. I want to get the new lines out to the salesmen by Monday.’
‘But that’s not fair! Why should you have to work all the time? Surely the new line could wait a day or so?’
‘Business isn’t like that,’ Matthew said and I heard the note of impatience in his voice. ‘I’m sorry, Amy. I’ll come next week if I can.’
‘I suppose that means you’ll change your mind again at the last minute. You’re not being fair. It’s ages since I saw you.’
‘Not that long,’ he replied. ‘You don’t suppose I like having to work when I was hoping to see you?’
‘I don’t know what you like any more.’
‘Please don’t be upset, Amy. I’ll make it up to you when I come.’
‘If you come!’
‘I’ll come as soon as I can, I promise.’
‘I’ve got to go now. I think you are being unkind. Your work seems to mean more to you these days than I do.’
I hung the earpiece back in its place, holding my tears inside. I was upset but I was angry too. It was Friday morning and I had been looking forward to his visit so much.
‘Is something wrong, Amy?’
Lainie had come into the parlour behind me. I turned to greet her with a sigh.
‘Matthew isn’t coming. He has to work.’
‘That’s a shame, but I suppose he can’t refuse.’
‘I don’t see why he has to work all weekend.’
‘You would if I asked you. He’s just trying to impress his employer.’
‘Well, I wish he wouldn’t!’
Lainie smiled and shook her head at me. ‘You’re so impatient, Amy. I was just the same at your age. I wanted everything now, at once, but I’ve learned to be more sensible. Sometimes you have to wait for the good things in life. Anyway, I came to tell you that Mary has arrived for her fitting.’
‘She’s early. It wasn’t supposed to be for another half an hour.’
‘I suppose it suited her to come sooner. She is on her own today.’
‘On her own?’ I was surprised. ‘I wonder why.’
‘Perhaps Mrs Holland had another appointment.’
‘Or Mary escaped?’
‘Amy!’ Lainie laughed. ‘I hope you won’t say anything of the sort to Mary?’
‘No, of course I shan’t. I’ll go down now.’
‘That’s right. You can have your break later.’
Mary was looking through the rails of afternoon dresses when I went into the showroom. Her face lit up with pleasure when she saw me.
‘I’m sorry if I came too early.’
‘Of course you’re not too early. I am sorry to keep you waiting. I was taking a private phone call just now or I would have been here when you came in.’
‘Not bad news, I hope?’
‘In a way …’ I screwed up my mouth. ‘Matthew can’t come up to town this weekend because he has to work. We were going out and I was looking forward to seeing him.’
‘How disappointing for you,’ she said. ‘It must be nice having a proper boyfriend. I haven’t met anyone I should like to marry so far; at least no one my father approves of. A lot of Daddy’s friends are older, though of course I do meet people of my own age.’ She sighed. ‘I don’t like many of them. Aunt Emily’s friends are so … snobbish.’ She glanced over her shoulder guiltily. ‘It’s a good thing she can’t hear me!’
‘Mrs Holland didn’t come with you today?’
‘She is lying down with a bad headache. She wanted me to cancel my appointment, but I told her I should be perfectly safe to come here alone, and she was feeling too ill to argue.’
‘I see.’ I smiled at her. ‘Shall we see how they are getting on with your dress?’
‘Yes, please. I feel quite excited.’
I took Mary into the dressing room I had reserved for her. The skirt and bodice were cut and tacked together but not yet sewn into place, so that we could make adjustments if necessary.
‘It is beginning to look like a dress.’
‘Yes – and the best thing is that we can alter anything you don’t quite like at this stage.’
‘Everyone wanted to know where the cream satin gown came from,’ Mary confided, looking shy as I helped her into the half-finished gown. ‘Aunt Emily went around looking like the cat that had gobbled up all the cream. I expect you will soon have more customers asking for you, Amy.’
‘We were very busy yesterday. I sold two afternoon dresses myself, one of which we are altering for a titled lady. It is the first time she has been to us. Lainie was very pleased to have her custom.’
