The Royal Lacemaker (20 page)

‘Thank you, Rupert, but I have
missed almost a morning's work as it is.'

‘That's as maybe, but
I'm sure Mrs Bodney would permit you time to recover from what has obviously
been an upsetting experience for you.'

Lily smiled at his understanding.
‘You have been most kind but I dare not neglect my duties. I appreciate your
assistance, though. Perhaps, I could offer you afternoon tea once we are settled in
our new place of work.'

‘Thank you. I'd like
that,' he said, beaming, and despite her recent low mood she found herself
smiling back.

She was still grinning as she jumped
down and went to collect her things from the driver, only to find her way
blocked.

‘You're looking mighty
pleased with yourself.'

‘Tom, what are you doing
here?' she asked, her smile growing wider.

‘I might well ask you the same
question, Lily Rose.' The sharpness of his voice wiped the smile from her
face.

‘Whatever's wrong,
Tom?' she asked, noticing now the set of his jaw, fists clenched by his
side.

‘Didn't believe it, did I,
when Molly came down to the boat as soon as we landed, shouting she'd seen you
riding through the village in a posh carriage sat alongside your fancy man? Ran here
as fast as I could and what do I see? That she was telling the truth, that's
what,' he shouted.

‘But, Tom, Mr
Mountsford kindly escorted me back to Coombe in the carriage to collect my
things,' she said, bemused.

‘Oh, so my arranging for the
carter to pick them up wasn't good enough for you?' he growled, his eyes
narrowing.

Before she could reply Rupert appeared
at her side, asking, ‘Is something wrong, Lily?' Realizing they were now
drawing curious stares from passers-by, she shook her head and forced a smile.

‘No, everything is fine, thank
you, Mr Mountsford. I was just explaining to Tom how you kindly escorted me back to
Coombe this morning so that I could collect my things.' She turned to Tom.

‘Wasn't that kind of Mr
Mountsford, Tom?'

But he was too busy glaring at Rupert to
respond.

At that moment, Mrs Bodney's
strident voice cut through the crowd that had gathered to see what the fuss was
about.

‘Miss Rose, come inside
immediately.' Turning quickly, Lily saw the furious look on her
employer's face and groaned. Muttering to Tom that she'd see him later
and nodding to Rupert, she grabbed her bundle from the driver and hurried after the
irate woman. She was for it now.

‘Well, Lily, what excuse can you
possibly have for making such an exhibition of yourself in public?' As Lily
looked into the formidable face of Mrs Bodney, her legs began to tremble and she was
grateful for the cover her long dress afforded.

‘There was a slight
misunderstanding, Mrs Bodney.'

‘It looked more than that to me.
I'm a respectable
businesswoman, Lily, and cannot – no, I
will not – have my overseer causing such a disturbance in the street.'

‘But I …' Lily was
shaking all over now and was afraid if she didn't soon sit down, she'd
fall down.

‘There are no buts, Miss
Rose,' Mrs Bodney said, banging her fist on the table. Bobbins crashed to the
floor and Lily watched helplessly as they scattered in all directions, their threads
unravelling on the stone flags. She waited for Mrs Bodney to rant about them getting
dirty, but intent on delivering her diatribe, her employer seemed not to notice.
‘As you are aware, Mr Mountsford is a reputable merchant with whom I conduct a
considerable amount of business, and I distinctly remember instructing you to treat
him with courtesy and respect.'

‘But I did, it's just that
Tom had already arranged—'

‘My dear Mrs Bodney, please
forgive my intrusion,' Rupert Mountsford said from the doorway. ‘It
would appear that in my efforts to be of assistance to Miss Rose I neglected to
consult with her betrothed. Regrettably, having already made arrangements himself,
he jumped to the wrong conclusion. However, we now – how shall I put it? –
understand each other perfectly.' Although his voice was serious Lily could
see his eyes twinkling with amusement.

‘I see,' said Mrs Bodney,
struggling to regain her composure. ‘Well, Miss Rose, I dare say it has been
an unsettling morning for you. As long as you remember I have a reputation to
uphold, we will say no more about it. There will be half a dozen ladies arriving
shortly to sit the ability test. I suggest you go through to the room behind this
one, which is to serve as the workroom. You can set out the
requisite materials and when I have finished my business I'll be through to
check everything is in order. Rupert, perhaps you would care to take a seat? I have
made a number of changes I need to acquaint you with.'

Before Mrs Bodney could change her mind,
Lily hurried towards the door. However, in her haste to get away, she caught the toe
of her boot on the corner of the step. Clutching at the doorpost for support, she
watched in horror as a loose nail came away from the sole, spun across the floor,
and came to rest by Mr Mountsford's foot. Solemnly, he picked it up and held
it out to her. As she moved to take it, he gave her such an outrageous wink she had
to bite down on her lip to stop herself from bursting out laughing.

‘Do hurry up,' Mrs Bodney
commanded.

But Lily's spirit had returned
and, with head held high, she walked out of the room in what she hoped was a
dignified manner. She only hoped Mrs Bodney hadn't noticed the sole of her
boot flapping as she went.

Lily stood staring around the unfamiliar
room, then spotted, stacked on the dresser, the patterns, bobbins and threads the
ladies would need to make their test samples. She was about to set them out on the
large round table when she noticed it was covered in a thick layer of dust.
Snatching up a cloth, she gave it a brisk polish and had only just finished setting
out the materials when Mrs Bodney bustled in. As usual her beady eyes had missed
nothing, and she gestured impatiently to Lily's boots.

‘How long have they required
repair?'

Ashamed, Lily looked down at the floor.
‘Only a short while, Mrs Bodney.'

‘Well, this simply will not do,
Miss Rose. Not only have you made an exhibition of yourself outside my
establishment, you've also seen fit to turn up for work slovenly attired. Can
you think of one good reason why I shouldn't dismiss you on the
spot?'

She gasped. ‘Oh please, Mrs
Bodney, I promise to do better. Time hasn't been on my side
lately …' She stuttered to a halt as the other woman held up her
hand.

‘As it happens, Mr Mountsford has
already appealed to my better nature, which he assures me I have hidden somewhere
about my person.' Mrs Bodney shook her head as though not quite believing what
she was saying. The thought of Rupert Mountsford having the audacity to tease her
employer in such a manner made Lily widen her eyes in
astonishment. Mrs Bodney, though, was looking around the room, taking in the shining
table and neatly laid out materials. Turning back to Lily, she shook her head.

‘You work well and your attention
to detail is second to none. If you would only exercise a little more
self-restraint, I'd be entirely pleased with you.' She shook her head
again. ‘Mr Mountsford also saw fit to point out that you've had a lot to
contend with of late, so on this occasion I will overlook your earlier
behaviour.'

‘Thank you, Mrs Bodney. I'll
work really hard and—'

‘As I've said, I have no
concerns regarding your work,' her employer cut in. ‘However, from now
on you must promise to conduct yourself with decorum when you are about my
business.' Nodding vigorously, Lily breathed a sigh of relief. ‘And for
heaven's sake get yourself a decent pair of boots made. I suggest you take
yourself to the cordwainer later and get sized.'

Lily looked at her employer in despair.
‘But I was going to get the cobbler to repair these,' she said, pointing
down to her boots.

As if she hadn't heard her, Mrs
Bodney continued, ‘Tell Albert only his finest work will do and that you
require them to be ready in three days' time.'

‘Why, he'll never have a new
pair made that quickly,' Lily said, amazed at the assumption.

‘Oh, he will, Lily, believe you
me. And, if you are worried about the cost, I will make an advance on your next
month's wages.' There was a pause.

‘Thank you, Mrs Bodney,'
Lily said, when she saw her employer was waiting for her to say something.

‘Now, I'll
get Tilda to prepare your room and have your belongings taken upstairs for you.
You'll see she has already set your pillow over there,' she said,
pointing to the chair by the window. ‘I suggest you get on with your own work
whilst the ladies are sitting their test, Lily. You will be on hand in case they
need any help.'

‘Thank you, Mrs Bodney, but I can
take my own things up to the attic,' she replied. However, the other woman was
already bustling from the room. Lily let out a sigh of relief. Mrs Bodney was no
longer referring to her as Miss Rose so it seemed she still had employment.

Moments later, a young woman with a mop
of curly fair hair popped her head around the door.

‘I've come to sit the test.
Mrs Bodney said it was all right to come through,' she said, her trembling
voice indicating how nervous she was.

‘Come and take a seat,' Lily
said, smiling to put her at ease. Then, before she could say anything else, the door
opened again and an assortment of ladies, armed with their pillows, entered the
room.

Once they were seated, Lily explained
what they had to do. Then she went over to her own pillow and began work.

‘Oh, no.' A plaintive wail
broke into Lily's thoughts. Looking up she saw the curly-haired girl shaking
her head and madly reversing her bobbins. Poor thing, Lily thought. She's
clearly nervous. Her thoughts went back to the time she'd sat her own test.
She knew just how stomach-wrenching it was. She looked around the table but the
other ladies were working away quite happily.

When their allotted time had passed,
Lily stood up.

‘Right, ladies,
if you will put your test samples on the table before you, I shall come round and
inspect them.'

‘Oh, no, I need a few moments
more,' the girl pleaded.

‘No, I'm afraid you must put
what you've done on the table now,' Lily insisted, trying to ignore the
look of desperation on her face. She circled the table, inspecting the work as she
collected it up, her heart sinking when she saw the distorted mess the girl had
made. Before she could say anything Mrs Bodney appeared in the doorway.

‘Report your results to me,
please, Lily,' she commanded.

‘Yes, Mrs Bodney. I'll be as
quick as I can,' she said, turning back to the ladies, who by now were
desperate to hear if they had passed.

‘Well, Lily, how have they
fared?' Mrs Bodney asked, as soon as she'd closed the door.

‘Two are fine, Mrs Bodney, but the
rest …' Lily shrugged, holding out the sprigs for the other woman to see,
but her employer waved them away.

‘Dismiss those not up to standard,
and tell the others to report here at first light tomorrow.'

‘But don't you want to
check—'

‘Lily, it is your job as overseer
to inspect their work,' her employer said, looking down at the papers on her
desk. Then as Lily turned to go, she looked up again. ‘Don't forget to
go to the cordwainer when you've dismissed the ladies,' she said, then
looked down at her desk again before Lily could answer.

As she entered the room, six pairs of
eyes turned anxiously in her direction. Gently, she gave them the results, her heart
sinking as the curly-haired woman burst into tears.

‘But I need the
work. Please give me another chance. I was so nervous I got the bobbins mixed
up …'

Much as Lily sympathized, for she
herself could have easily been in the same position, she knew she had to harden her
heart or Mrs Bodney would take her to task.

‘I'm really sorry,'
she said, opening the door. She wished she could give the poor girl another trial,
but time was of the essence and the lace for Queen Victoria's dress had to be
perfect. Mrs Bodney was relying on her and she couldn't afford to let her
down.

After they'd gone, Lily sank on
one of the chairs the women had vacated. She hated disappointing people. Her job as
overseer definitely had its downside. Then remembering Mrs Bodney's order to
be sized for new boots, she jumped up and grabbed her shawl.

Hurrying to the outskirts of the
village, where Albert's cottage was situated, she wondered just how much a new
pair of boots was going to cost. Passing the cobbler's, she was tempted to get
him to repair her old pair instead, but realizing Mrs Bodney would be furious if she
found out, Lily continued on her way.

Albert's door was open, and she
could hear hammering coming from within. Smoothing down her skirt, she stepped
inside. The room was gloomy after the bright sunshine, and the air heavy with the
smell of leather and glue. Lasts of varying sizes were lined up along one wall and
lying next to the workbench was the most exquisite pair of boots she had ever seen.
They were in the latest fashion, decorated with dainty stitching in cherry red.
She'd seen similar footwear on the ladies when she'd served at table at
the manor, but never anything as fine as these.

‘Be liking a
pair like those would ee, young lady?' Spinning around, she saw the cordwainer
staring at her with a gleam in his eyes.

‘Oh, wouldn't I just,'
she burst out. ‘If I owned a pair like that, I'd think I'd died
and gone to heaven.' She gave a heartfelt sigh. ‘No, begging your
pardon, Mr Albert, it's a sturdy pair of hobnailed ones I'm in need
of.'

The old man looked at her feet with
practised eyes, taking in the well-worn boots and their flapping sole.

‘Sit ee down and we'll get
ee sized. Ee'll have to wait the best part of a month for them, mind, for
I've never been so busy.'

Lily groaned. ‘A month? But Mrs
Bodney said my new boots were to be ready in three days.'

‘Ah, she would,' Albert
muttered. ‘Well, likes I says, my order book's full to overflowing.
Seems like I've no sooner finished making folk their fancy footwear for one
ball up at the manor, than they're back again ordering new for the
next.' He threw up his hands, grinning. Lily's stomach lurched at the
mention of the manor; then she realized the money she now earned meant she'd
never have to serve at the squire's table again.

‘Course, I shouldn't moan
'cos it means more business, but the missus mithers on about the time I spend
in me workshop,' he continued, holding out his hands for Lily's boots.
Moments later the vagrant nail was back in place, he then added a couple more to
secure an offcut of leather over the hole in the sole. Quickly applying black
sealing wax to the scuffed toes, he then handed them back. ‘There now, these
should last ee till ee new ones are ready.'

Lily was amazed at the transformation,
but before she
could answer, he'd turned back to his bench
and was busy hammering again.

She'd just arrived back outside
the agent's when someone tapped her on the shoulder.

‘Tom, you made me jump,' she
said, spinning round. ‘What are you doing here?'

‘I was going to ask the same of
you, Lily. I thought you'd be making up the time you missed earlier when you
went out riding in that fancy coach.'

‘I've just been to the
cordwainer's,' Lily said, her heart sinking when she saw him frown.

‘And why would someone like you be
seeing a cordwainer and not the cobbler? Your fancy merchant's not treating
you to a pair of new boots, is he?' he asked, his eyes narrowing.

‘Of course not,' she gasped.
‘And Mr Mountsford is not my fancy merchant, Tom, so I'll thank you to
watch your tongue.'

‘Oh, aren't we hoity-toity
now we've been riding out in a fancy carriage?'

As he stood there looking indignant, the
fight went out of her. She'd had enough of being at loggerheads with him.

‘Look, Tom, it's like I said
earlier. Mr Mountsford offered me a trip in his carriage so that I could collect my
things from the barn. I'm sorry, it all happened so quickly, I completely
forgot you'd made arrangements with the carter.'

He shrugged.

‘Not only are we working at the
agent's premises, I've got a room in the attic,' she said.

Immediately his mood
brightened. ‘A room here at Picky Pike's? Well, that is good news. So
when do I get to see it?' he asked, grinning mischievously.

‘Even if I wanted to, I
couldn't possibly allow you up to my room, Tom. Mrs Bodney would die of
shock.'

‘I doubt it. From what I heard,
she has a fellow on the go herself.'

‘Tom, that's a terrible
thing to say.' Then Lily remembered Mrs Bodney had told her she had an
admirer. She wondered if she should mention it, but before she could say anything,
he continued.

‘Sorry, it's just that I
hardly see you, and have been going spare as a sprat having to make do with these
chance meetings,' he said, moving closer so that she got a waft of fish. She
couldn't help comparing it to Rupert Mountsford's tangy aroma of lemon
cologne.

Shocked by her disloyal thoughts and
reminding herself Mrs Bodney would probably be waiting for her, she said, ‘I
must go in, Tom. All the ladies will be working together from tomorrow and
I've so much to get ready before then.'

‘It'll make life easier for
you if they're all in one place. Well, I'd better go and check the pots.
Now the weather's calmed I'm hoping there'll be lots of lovely
lobsters and crabs waiting to greet me,' he said, making clawlike motions with
his fingers and thumbs as he reached out and pretended to remove her cap.

‘Tom, someone might see,'
she rebuked, tapping his hands away.

‘Well, I guess now you're
living here in the village, we'll be able to spend more time together. What
say we take a walk along the beach later then?'