No Turning Back

by Susan Lewis

  Apparently realising there really was no food on offer, Elvis about-turned and began one of his haughtier trots back into the kitchen, while Rosie decided to present her soft golden belly for a luxury rub. It was only when she stood up and caught Eva’s eye that Jasmine shut down her smile.

  ‘Where’s Dad?’ she demanded, hauling her heavy bag in through the door.

  ‘Playing golf,’ Eva replied, starting to unload the dishwasher. ‘He should be back around five, he said.’

  Jasmine sniffed, and heaving the bag on to one shoulder she started towards the hall.

  ‘If you’re not in a hurry I was hoping to have a chat,’ Eva told her, keeping her tone neutral and her eyes on what she was doing.

  With a long-suffering sigh Jasmine turned around. ‘I’m meeting my friends at one,’ she said tartly.

  Eva glanced at the clock – it was just past noon. ‘Then I’m sure we have time,’ she said briskly, and picking up a towel to dry her hands she gave Jasmine a friendly smile.

  Jasmine’s eyes immediately narrowed. ‘Oh God, you’re about to start in with one of your dumb lectures about trying harder for Dad’s sake …’

  ‘Actually,’ Eva cut in, already irritated, ‘I’d like to offer you a job.’

  Jasmine blinked, stupefied. A beat later her scowl was darkening with suspicion. ‘Yeah, like, really,’ she retorted rudely. ‘In case you hadn’t noticed I don’t do horses, and I already do my share of walking the pig and the dog.’

  Unable to remember the last time Jasmine had taken Rosie and Elvis any further than the end of the garden, Eva let it go. ‘I need a new Saturday girl at the shop,’ she explained, ‘so I was wondering if you might be interested in taking it on.’

  Another stunned silence lasted for several seconds before Jasmine’s upper lip started to curl. ‘Is this some kind of a joke?’ she sneered, ‘because if it is, it’s not funny.’

  ‘It’s not a joke,’ Eva informed her.

  Jasmine’s expression was still sour. ‘Why?’ she demanded. ‘What’s in it for you?’

  Eva’s eyebrows rose in surprise. ‘I get a Saturday girl,’ she pointed out, trying not to hope she was about to be turned down.

  ‘Yeah, but why are you asking me? Oh, I get it, Dad told you to. Well, sorry and all that, but I really don’t want to work in some rubbishy little shop stuck in the middle of nowhere …’

  ‘Actually, Dad isn’t entirely supportive of the idea,’ Eva interrupted. ‘He’s afraid it’ll lead to more difficulties between us, and I guess it might, but Livvy happens to think you’d be great for the job and I agree. You like clothes, you get along well with people – apart from me, of course – but I’m not there much on Saturdays, so we don’t need to worry too much about that.’

  Though Jasmine’s hostility didn’t appear to be cracking, the fact that she hadn’t yet flounced off with an even more stinging put-down than those she’d already managed suggested that she might not be dismissing the offer out of hand.

  Eva smiled encouragingly. ‘The wages are quite good,’ she continued, ‘and you’d get a staff discount. OK, you get the discount anyway, and I know not much of our stock is to your taste …’

  ‘You get a couple of cool things in sometimes,’ Jasmine told her grudgingly. ‘And Livvy always looks kind of, you know …’ She shrugged, apparently unwilling to expand on the compliment. In the end she said, ‘So do you actually really mean it?’

  Eva started to feel worried. Jasmine surely couldn’t be about to accept the offer. She must be planning some nasty little trick to make the rejection as spiteful as possible. ‘I really mean it,’ she said, bracing herself.

  Jasmine was scowling again. ‘What about Mum?’ she said. ‘We won’t be able to tell her, she’ll go mental if she thinks I’m working for you.’

  Feeling sure she must be dreaming, Eva said, ‘It’s up to you what you tell her, but obviously it’ll mean coming here every weekend.’

  Jasmine shrugged. ‘Brighton isn’t that far away, and I come most weekends anyway.’

  Eva said, ‘What about your friends? Are you going to mind seeing less of them?’

  Another shrug. ‘They’ll be cool about it. A couple of them have got part-time jobs now anyway, and there’s always Saturday nights and Sundays.’

  Realising she was starting to try and put her off, Eva said, ‘So shall we give it a go?’

  ‘Why not?’ Jasmine said, as though she was the one doing the favour. ‘Yeah, cool, let’s do it.’

  Eva only just managed to turn a jaw-drop into a smile.

  For several seconds neither of them said anything as they tried to make themselves believe what had just happened. Then, clearly deeply embarrassed by seeming pleased, Jasmine said, ‘This is like, totally amazing.’

  Eva was thinking much the same thing.

  ‘When do you want me to start?’

  Eva threw out her hands as she laughed. ‘It’s Zoe’s last day today, so if you have time maybe we can go and have a chat with her now. She can show you the ropes and let you know what it’s really like working for me.’

  Apparently not knowing what to say to that, Jasmine looked at Rosie and Elvis. ‘They’re so daft,’ she said shakily. ‘You’ve just got to love them, haven’t you?’

  Realising this could well be her way of saying thank you, Eva replied, ‘I’m glad you think that, because they’re pretty mad about you.’

  Jasmine flushed again, then, not quite able to meet Eva’s eyes, she said, almost defensively, ‘I won’t let you down, if that’s what you’re thinking.’

  ‘I wasn’t,’ Eva assured her, since it was true at that moment. ‘Actually, I can see you being a great asset to the place.’

  Jasmine glanced at her awkwardly.

  Too much too soon, Eva was thinking.

  ‘I’ll take my stuff upstairs,’ Jasmine said. ‘What time do you want to go? I mean, I can always call my friends and say I’ll meet them later.’

  ‘In that case,’ Eva responded, ‘we’ll set off as soon as you’re ready.’

  ‘You’re kidding me,’ Patty murmured, when Eva rang to break the news. ‘She went for it just like that?’

  ‘More or less,’ Eva confirmed, ‘which just goes to show how brilliant your children are, because they had a lot more confidence in the idea than I did.’

  ‘Where is she now?’ Patty asked, watching Coral go to the window to find out who’d just pulled up outside the barn.

  ‘Upstairs putting her things away, so I can’t stay. I just wanted to let you know her initial reaction.’

  ‘I’m stunned,’ Patty admitted. ‘Have you told Don yet?’

  ‘No, his mobile’s off, or he’s out of range, but I’m sure he’ll be as pleased as I am.’

  ‘I’m sure he will.’ Her eyes were still on Coral. ‘Who is it?’ she asked.

  Coral turned round and mouthed a name that made Patty’s heart sink with dismay.

  ‘Is someone with you?’ Eva asked.

  ‘Only Coral. She came over for a coffee. So, I guess we wait to see what happens with Miss Jasmine. At least she’s willing to give it a go.’

  ‘It certainly seems so. Anyway, I’d better go before she comes down. Thanks for a fab dinner last night, by the way. Say hi to Coral for me,’ and a moment later she was gone.

  ‘What do you want me to do?’ Coral asked, as Patty rang off.

  ‘Tell him I’m not here,’ Patty answered.

  ‘He’ll have seen both our cars.’

  With a sigh of impatience Patty turned to the door as it opened. ‘Reece,’ she said, with a less than welcoming smile as her ex-husband stalked into the kitchen. ‘To what do we owe this pleasure?’

  ‘Don’t be cute,’ he told her. ‘Hi Coral. I’m glad you’re here, because if I can’t talk any sense into her, maybe you can.’

  ‘You’ve got no right …’ Patty began.

  ‘Nor have you,’ he growled savagely.

  ‘I should go,’ Coral said.

&nb
sp; ‘No, stay,’ Patty insisted. ‘He’s the one who should leave.’

  ‘Not until you’ve heard what I have to say.’

  ‘You’ve told me a thousand times how you feel about Jake …’

  ‘This isn’t about Jake,’ he cut in furiously, ‘and you damned well know it. Now, sit down and listen good and hard, because what’s going on around here cannot be allowed to continue.’

  Livvy and Jasmine were alone in the shop while Eva popped out to Waitrose and Zoe tinkered around up in the workroom. Jasmine had been up there with her until a few minutes ago, apparently eager to learn everything Zoe had to teach, until Zoe’s boyfriend had rung on the mobile, when she’d come discreetly back downstairs.

  ‘Sounds like they’re having a row,’ she confided to Livvy.

  ‘It happens,’ Livvy responded, admiring the bow she’d just tied at the top of a small Perdita’s bag.

  Jasmine looked around. ‘It’s not very busy, is it?’ she commented.

  ‘Not at the moment, but we had a bit of a rush earlier, though I have to admit half the people coming through the door at the moment are only here hoping to get a look at Eva.’

  ‘What, you mean after the article in last Saturday’s paper?’

  Livvy nodded. ‘We’ve had quite a few gawkers in this week, which is fine if they end up buying something, a bit irritating though if they just lurk around whispering and pretending they’re interested in the clothes when they’re not.’ Returning to the bag in front of her, she said, ‘Even if someone only buys a room freshener, or a bracelet, it looks as though they’re going away with something special if they have one of these,’ and unfastening the bow she passed the bag over for Jasmine to try her hand.

  Jasmine managed a smaller, less perfect bow, but for a first attempt Livvy decided it wasn’t at all bad.

  ‘Try again,’ Livvy said, glancing up as someone came into the shop.

  Jasmine looked round. ‘Shall I go and ask if I can help?’ she suggested.

  ‘Not yet, we don’t want to seem too pushy, and anyway, they might only be more gawkers. They’re in for a disappointment if they are.’

  Going back to the bag, Jasmine started tying the ribbon again, ‘So, is it allowed to have phone calls while we’re working?’ she asked, as the sound of Zoe laughing carried down the stairs.

  Livvy tried not to smile. ‘Of course,’ she replied, keeping an eye on the two ladies who were sifting through the rails at the front, ‘provided you’re not nattering away to someone while you’re supposed to be serving.’ Smiling as one of the women caught her eye, she said, ‘Is there anything I can help you with?’

  ‘Actually,’ the woman said, taking a bright yellow top from one of the rails, ‘I saw this in the window last week, and I’d really love it if it was in red, or blue.’

  Livvy grimaced. ‘I’m sorry, it only comes in that colour.’

  ‘But I heard that you can make anything in any colour,’ the woman protested.

  ‘That’s only in our exclusive range,’ Livvy explained. ‘The samples for that are on these racks here. Or you can take a look through the catalogues on the table. Anything that catches your eye can be modified in whichever way you like, long sleeves, short; full-length, knee; drop-waist, Empire, and of course any colour or fabric is an option.’

  The woman glanced nervously at the catalogues, muttered something to her friend, and affected a tragic smile. ‘I don’t think my budget would run to something like that,’ she confessed, ‘but maybe this top will work. I’ve just never worn yellow before.’

  ‘It’d look great with black trousers,’ her friend suggested.

  The woman nodded agreement. ‘Do you have any?’ she asked Livvy. ‘I mean, I’ve got a pair at home, who hasn’t, but if I could try the top on with some it would give me a better idea of how it works.’

  ‘We’ve got some really funky navy satin jeans,’ Livvy told her, going to fetch them from a rail behind her prospective customer. ‘They were in the window with that top last week, which is why we’ve only got a couple of sizes left. What are you, a twelve?’

  ‘I wish,’ the woman laughed regretfully. ‘I might just squeeze into a fourteen if I’m lucky.’

  Looking politely incredulous, Livvy whisked the jeans from the end of the rail. Not mentioning that they were actually a sixteen, she led the way to a changing room.

  Minutes later the woman stepped out from behind the curtain, clearly thrilled with the way she looked. ‘I reckon this colour’s more me than I thought, don’t you?’ she asked her friend, turning from side to side in front of a full-length mirror.

  ‘Your hair and skin tone are definitely dark enough to carry it,’ Livvy told her, glancing round as the doorbell tinkled and two girls came into the shop. Recognising them, she immediately moved in closer to Jasmine and muttered, ‘Keep an eye on them, especially round the jewellery. Not to be trusted.’

  Starting as she caught the meaning, Jasmine was instantly alert, and after a moment or two began a nonchalant stroll towards the display carousels. ‘Can I help you with anything?’ Livvy heard her ask as the girls turned their backs on her.

  ‘Oh no, it’s fine, we’re just looking,’ one of them answered, colouring to the roots of her scruffy blonde hair.

  Jasmine continued to watch them as Livvy got down on her knees to pin the hem of the satin jeans her customer was wearing, while the second woman brought over a pair of spindly-heeled black metallic shoes. ‘Aren’t these just fab?’ she gushed, holding them up.

  ‘Oh my God, they’re to die for,’ the first woman groaned. ‘Do you have them in a six?’ she asked Livvy.

  ‘We should, because we haven’t sold any yet,’ Livvy replied. ‘I’ll just pop through to the back to get them,’ and after reassuring herself that Jasmine still had the possible shoplifters in her sights, she disappeared into the office. As she came back with the shoes in a box, she heard Jasmine saying, ‘If you want to try anything just let me know.’

  Satisfied with that, Livvy handed over the shoes. ‘Here we are,’ she said with a smile. ‘They’re a hundred and ninety-nine pounds.’

  The woman’s eyes nearly popped out of her head. ‘You’re kidding me,’ she exclaimed, aghast. ‘There’s no way I can afford that.’

  Livvy looked at her apologetically, though she still had half an eye on Jasmine who was saying something else to the girls now, but Livvy wasn’t close enough to make out what.

  ‘I’m sorry sweetie, I don’t even want to try them on if they’re that much,’ the woman was telling her. ‘I’ll only fall in love with them and if I ended up taking them home my husband would have a fit. I really like the jeans though. How much are they?’

  ‘Eighty-five,’ Livvy replied, starting to feel uneasy about whatever was going on over at the jewellery display.

  ‘Gosh, that’s a lot.’

  ‘Yeah, but they’re a bit different,’ her friend told her, ‘and they’re really slimming. In fact, I wouldn’t mind trying a pair myself. Do you have them in a ten?’ she asked Livvy.

  ‘I’m afraid not,’ Livvy told her.

  The woman looked deflated. ‘I reckon you should get both,’ she told her friend. ‘The jeans and the top.’

  ‘But not the shoes?’

  ‘If they were even half that price they’d be too dear for us, and you’ve got those lovely sparkly ones we found in M&S, remember? I bet you haven’t even worn them yet.’

  Livvy barely heard the response as she watched one of the girls turning horribly pale, and the next moment she and her friend were rushing out of the shop.

  It was several minutes before she could find out what had happened, since she had to wrap the woman’s purchases in black Perdita’s tissue, slip them into a bag and tie the bow, before taking a credit card for payment.

  ‘So what happened?’ she finally asked Jasmine as she returned from seeing her customers to the door.

  Jasmine was trying to look superior, but was managing something closer to anxious a
s she attempted a shrug. ‘I just told them that we know what their game is, so they might as well go and try their luck somewhere else.’

  ‘Oh,’ Livvy murmured, not wanting to think about how well that might have gone down. ‘Did they say anything back?’

  Jasmine’s colour was deepening. ‘Not really,’ she replied, ‘except one of them looked daggers at me, like she wanted to slap me if she only had the nerve.’

  ‘Oh Jasmine,’ Livvy muttered. ‘You can’t accuse people of doing something unless you’re certain they have.’

  ‘But you were the one who said they weren’t to be trusted, so I assumed they’d been in here before, having a go.’

  ‘They have, but as far as I’m aware they’ve never managed to take anything yet.’

  Jasmine was biting her lip. ‘Do you think they’ll come after me?’ she said worriedly.

  Livvy shook her head. ‘I don’t know. No, I shouldn’t think so, but you must be careful about what you’re saying and who you’re saying it to.’

  Though Jasmine looked as if she wanted to bristle defensively, she wasn’t quite pulling it off. ‘Are you going to tell Eva?’ she asked in the end.

  Livvy had been intending to, but seeing the look in Jasmine’s eyes she gave a sigh of exasperation as she said, ‘Not if you don’t want me to, but please make sure you don’t do anything like it again.’

  ‘I swear I won’t,’ Jasmine promised, crossing her hands over her heart. ‘I thought I was doing the right thing, but I can see now that I was probably a bit over the top.’

  Just a bit, Livvy managed not to say.

  ‘Maybe I ought to mention it to Dad,’ Jasmine said. ‘You know, in case they do come after me.’

  ‘Then he’ll tell Eva. No, I’m sure you’ll be fine.’

  Jasmine was still looking worried. ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean … I’ve really screwed up, haven’t I?’

  ‘No, not really,’ Livvy said comfortingly.

  Still downcast, Jasmine told her, ‘I know you probably won’t believe this, but I actually really want this job.’