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‘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 (#ulink_ca7da5e0-103b-54ea-9a21-6356de3dd5bf)
‘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.’
I fastened the bodice at the back with pins, fitting it to Mary’s slender waist. She gave a cry of pleasure as she saw herself in the mirror.
‘Oh, it is beautiful, Amy. The colour is wonderful, and I love the way the neck sits and the flow of the skirt. It almost looks medieval.’
‘It’s the cutting that gives it that effect,’ I explained. ‘You get a flowing line, and the waist hasn’t got all those tucks and gathers you dislike, Mary.’
‘You are so clever!’
‘Margaret did the cutting for me – or most of it.’
‘But it was your design. I know it’s going to be marvellous when it’s finished.’
‘The beading is very simple, but it will set the whole thing off,’ I said, feeling pleased as I helped her out of the gown. ‘I’m glad you like what we’ve done so far.’
‘Very much.’ Mary was fastening the tiny pearl buttons at the cuffs of her white linen blouse. She gave me a speculative look. ‘I don’t suppose you would like to come for lunch with me on Sunday, as you aren’t going out with your young man?’
For a moment I wasn’t sure that I had heard her correctly. ‘Did you just ask me to lunch?’
‘Yes. Would you come? My aunt is going away for a day or two and I shall be alone. But perhaps it would be too boring for you?’
‘It wouldn’t be boring at all. I should love to come – but are you sure you want me to?’
‘Why shouldn’t I?’
‘I work in a shop, Mary, and I don’t usually visit people like you, though at college we all mixed in together.’
‘Don’t be a snob, Amy,’ Mary said and laughed. ‘I like you better than any of the girls Aunt Emily thinks I should know. Besides, this is 1923. We women have to stick together. An actress has just been elected as our third female Member of Parliament, did you know that? I think women should always be the equal of men, don’t you?’
I laughed as I saw the militant expression in her eyes. On the surface Mary appeared to be a shy, gentle girl, but she knew her own mind and I suspected she could be stubborn when she chose.
‘Oh, I do so agree!’ I said. ‘Thank you for inviting me, Mary. It will be lovely.’
‘I’ll give you my address,’ she said and took out a little silver card case from her bag. She wrote her address on a plain card and gave it to me. ‘I prefer these to those printed things. I only give my address to people I really like. Will you be able to get there all right – or shall I send the car for you? I can have a car if I ask for one.’
I saw that the address she had given me was in Hampstead.
‘Yes, I can find this. I can come on the tube and if need be I’ll get a cab from there.’
‘See how you get on this time. If it is too much trouble I’ll make sure one of Daddy’s drivers brings you home.’
‘I’m sure I can manage, Mary. I shall look forward to it.’
‘I had better go home and enquire if my aunt is better. I hope she is feeling well enough to go away as she intends.’
‘Would she be cross with you for inviting me to lunch?’
‘Aunt Emily receives a commission for looking after me,’ Mary said. ‘She cannot dictate what I do in my own home, Amy.’
I was silent. It sounded odd to me that Mrs Holland should take money for being her niece’s chaperone, but it was not for me to question Mary. Besides, I very much wanted to visit her on Sunday.
‘She invited you to lunch?’ Lainie looked surprised and then a little anxious. ‘Are you sure you should go, Amy?’
‘Why ever not? Mary knows her own mind. Besides, she will be alone. Mrs Holland is going away for a few days.’
