Love and Marriage at Harpers, page 11
‘Of course, Mr Marco, but you must promise to return everything in pristine condition – no tears in the silk scarves…’
‘You scold me so, beautiful madam,’ he said teasingly. ‘I assure you it was not I that damaged the green silk last time – but a foolish girl I was given to assist me…’
‘Miss Brown, I think,’ Rachel nodded. ‘Still, I shall expect you to sign for everything…’
‘For you, I would sign in blood…’ he said and his smile was pure mischief.
Rachel shook her head as the three men left the department. Mr Marco was forever flirting with her, but she knew it was merely his sense of humour and an innate charm. She had seen him in the restaurant she liked best with a man some years his junior and from the way they looked at each other, Rachel guessed they were more than friends. She was not shocked as some ladies might have been, for such liaisons were not accepted in polite society, but understood that his personal life was his own.
Her thoughts returned to the gentleman with whom she’d arranged to have lunch. Was she completely mad to agree to meet a stranger? Perhaps she should call it off – except that she had no idea where to contact him and it would be impolite to leave him standing outside the restaurant…
‘What will you wear?’ Sally asked that evening when she told the others what had happened. They’d looked at her in disbelief for a moment, but then Beth had smiled and Maggie had hugged her and Sally had taken charge of her outfit. ‘If the weather is nice, I think you should wear your blue suit,’ Sally continued. ‘Your navy shoes are smart and I have a darling little hat you can borrow, Rachel. I bought it this week and I haven’t worn it and I know it will suit you…’
‘Sally, that is extraordinarily generous of you, but I’m sure I have something I can wear…’
‘Not as pretty as my hat,’ Sally said and danced around her, tweaking her hair and teasing her. ‘I’m so happy for you, dearest Rachel. We all love you and I know you were lonely before we started living together.’
‘It is only a luncheon…’ Rachel protested.
‘It is a start – a new start for you,’ Sally said. ‘If he’s nice and I think he must be – you will have a friend and perhaps more…’
‘It’s romantic,’ Maggie said and looked wistful. ‘Ralf did the same thing, you know. He kept coming to the counter until he got up the courage to ask me out…’
‘Yes, I remember…’ Rachel looked at her sympathetically. ‘Do you miss him, Maggie?’
‘Sometimes – he came to the park one Sunday when I was with friends and joined us for a while, but it wasn’t the same. I can see him again if I want…’ Maggie shook her head. ‘I don’t know if I want to forgive him…’
‘Well, this is just a luncheon between two people who rather like the look of each other and need a friend,’ Rachel said. ‘I think perhaps he’d had enough of his family trying to find him a new wife…’
‘Or he fell in love with you over the jewellery counter…’ Beth said. ‘It does happen just like that, Rachel. Jack says he loved me from the moment he saw me. I’m not sure it’s true, but it was soon after that’s for certain…’ She smiled happily. ‘I’m really pleased for you.’ She nodded. ‘I’ve got a pretty silk blouse you can borrow if you like, my aunt made it for me…’
‘That is kind of you,’ Rachel said. ‘Tell me, how is Helen now?’ She thought Beth didn’t see her aunt often and reflected that she had neglected her spinster seamstress friends, Mildred and Minnie of late, making a mental note to visit soon.
‘Oh… not too bad,’ Beth replied. ‘I’m going to visit her again soon…’ She looked sad and uneasy for a moment and Rachel recalled that she’d said something about her aunt not being as happy as she’d hoped in her marriage. ‘Don’t let’s think about that now, it’s you we’re concentrating on, Rachel. What you’re going to wear for your lunch appointment…’
‘You don’t think it was vulgar or cheap of me to accept an invitation from a stranger?’
‘No, of course not,’ Sally said. ‘We’re all strangers until we meet, aren’t we?’
‘I suppose so…’ Rachel laughed.
Rachel glanced around the restaurant. It wasn’t the first time she’d been there for a meal but its quiet atmosphere of elegance and quality charmed her each time she came with friends. Now, here with William, it seemed even more special and she was suddenly glad that she had let Sally persuade her into dressing up for it.
‘What will you have?’ William asked, glancing at the extensive menu – or would you like me to choose for you?’
‘I’d rather like the melon starter,’ Rachel said, ‘and fish please – Dover sole if they have it, pan fried with sauté potatoes and peas…’
‘Sounds delicious,’ William agreed. ‘I think I’ll have the same – and then I can have some of that delicious gateau I can see on the sweet trolley…’ He patted his stomach. ‘I try to watch my weight but just for once…’
‘I hardly think you need to diet,’ Rachel said, glancing at his spare frame. ‘You seem to be one of the lucky ones as far as that is concerned.’
‘My aunt thinks I don’t feed myself properly,’ he said with a wicked smile. ‘She tells me I need a wife to feed me up – do you think I do, Rachel?’
Rachel smiled. He was teasing her and she was enjoying it. Her life had held little laughter for some years before she joined the staff at Harper’s. Being teased by a man was something she thought had gone forever…
‘Perhaps,’ she said. ‘I should warn you, I am not a particularly good cook…’
‘And I like plain food,’ he said. ‘Besides, it’s nice to come out and leave the work to others, isn’t it?’
‘Yes,’ she agreed. ‘It is – and I am looking forward to my lunch today…’
William laughed and summoned the waiter. Rachel sipped the wine he brought and looked about her. Life had suddenly become so much brighter…
15
Sally lay in bed and reflected on the day just past. It had started badly for her because of Ben Harper’s strange attitude – but she’d had a good day otherwise. Several of the sales people had told her how pleased they were with the new stock – and then Rachel’s news had cheered them all up. Sally was really pleased that her friend had a chance to go out with a gentleman. Perhaps she was taking a risk as she knew nothing of him, and some people might say she was behaving in a fast way, but Sally knew how easy it was to misjudge people on first acquaintance. Take Mick for example…
Mick had seemed to be an impertinent barman without much to recommend him, but he’d turned out to be a good friend. Whereas she’d taken to Ben Harper from the first moment and now she didn’t know what to make of him. Perhaps she was a poor judge of character; she just hoped that Rachel wouldn’t have her heart broken if things developed with her new friend.
Turning her back to Rachel’s bed, Sally buried her face in the pillow and let the tears slip quietly into its softness. Damn Ben Harper and his moods. She would put him out of her mind and concentrate on her work and if she couldn’t work in the same office as him, she would ask Mick to find her a job…
Ben was at his desk and reading the reports she’d put out for him when Sally got in the next morning. He looked up at her, hesitated and then offered her an apologetic smile.
‘I’m sorry if I was a bit off with you yesterday,’ he said. ‘I’ll try not to let it happen again – and you didn’t deserve it. I’ve been reading these sales reports and they’re even better than I expected.’
Sally nodded, accepting that it was all the apology she was likely to get. She realised that if she wanted to go on working for him she had to accept that he was the boss and nothing more. It hurt, but she would be a fool to throw away a job she had come to enjoy just because she’d been foolish enough to have feelings for him.
Sally sat at her desk, picking up a list of appointments and looking through them. She had nothing for that morning and decided that she would take a tour of the various departments. It was the best way to tell whether stock was moving or sticking on the shelves. Figures only told half the story, because they didn’t tell you that a certain dress had sold out in the first week and another was lingering unloved on the rail.
Standing up, she gathered pencil and book and prepared to leave.
‘Where are you off to?’ Ben asked. ‘I was hoping to discuss various things with you, Sally.’
‘Certainly,’ she said. ‘I was going to walk round the various departments and check the stock visually. I like to do that regularly so that I know what is selling well and needs replacing and what still lingers a couple of months on. Mr Stockbridge likes to hear my opinions…’
‘Sounds like a good idea to me,’ Ben Harper agreed and stood up. ‘Shall we go? Where do you want to begin?’
‘The ground floor is where the customers are first attracted into the store,’ Sally replied. ‘I think the displays there need to change frequently. Some stock is always the same. People come in for the same teapot, cup and saucer or plate regularly. Our blue and white range is popular because if something is broken we always have it in stock for replacement.’
‘Yes, that was a good idea,’ he nodded his approval. ‘I’ve noticed there is quite a regular turnover on that. The silver tea and coffee pots also sell well as individual items. I remember we discussed that last year.’
‘Yes, we did and decided that we would have a range people could add to over time and it has worked well. I’ve been told customers come back for extra items every so often and they’re pleased they can find them in stock and don’t have to order.’
‘Jenni had some glassware delivered from the States, didn’t she?’
‘Yes, last Christmas, and it sold well as gifts,’ Sally told him. ‘I think most of it was sold in December – and Jenni said she would find us something similar in time for the Christmas trade this year.’
He nodded. It was part of shop life that you started to plan your Christmas stock in the spring and early summer in order to have it on your shelves at the right moment. Spring stock was ordered in the autumn, and autumn and winter in the spring or summer. Sally enjoyed seeing the styles that would be coming in the next season ahead of time.
The ground floor was open plan and though there were actually several departments, the customer was not aware of it as they could wander from one counter and display to another. The leather suitcase, briefcase and dressing case display was just inside the door. Next was a stand of walking sticks with silver tops, umbrellas and parasols. At the back of the store were the glassware, china and silver displays, with three counters and assistants. To one side was a counter with pens, propelling pencils and writing paper, some in leather cases. In the middle of the store was a long counter with a display of table lamps. At the other end were the lifts that took customers up to the next floors, and a very small stand of face creams, soaps and lavender water was tucked in a corner.
‘Do we sell much in the stationery department?’ Ben asked as they passed the counter.
‘Not very much,’ Sally replied thoughtfully. ‘Mr Benson is in charge of that and the lighting section. I have wondered if we might use that space for something else…’
‘Have you anything particular in mind?’
‘Well, yes, I do – but Jenni hasn’t said any more about cosmetics, so I’m not sure whether we’re thinking of opening a perfumery department or not. Jenni said we might have a section selling Elizabeth Arden perfumes and cosmetics – if that firm is actually up and running yet. I believe they were just in the development stage when she mentioned it. There are also the English firms to consider…’
‘I’ll ask Jenni about Elizabeth Arden, you investigate the English firms,’ Ben said and made a note in his book. ‘Do you think soaps, perfumes and various things like that would do better than the stationery if given a more prominent position?’
‘We could divide the area,’ Sally suggested. ‘Neither needs a great deal of space at the moment. I suggest we ask Mr Benson to look after the lighting and promote a woman to the counter selling perfumed soaps, Eau de cologne and lavender water I can source here, and anything else Jenni can come up with from America.’
He gave her an odd smile. ‘Would you like to sell make-up here?’
‘I know some of the older ladies might frown on it,’ Sally said, ‘but the younger ones are buying cheap lip rouge and powders from places like Woolworths – so why wouldn’t they buy a nicer range from us? We could have some pretty powder compacts, lavender water, perfumed soaps at first and then introduce the more expensive face creams as our customers get used to the idea.’
‘That sounds like a great idea…’ Ben smiled at her. ‘We make a good team, you see – putting out heads together was a good idea…’ He smiled to himself. ‘If I had the room, I’d love a toy department for the kids…’
Sally nodded but wouldn’t let herself respond to his smile. Ben was only being the friendly boss. To let him beneath her skin again would be to lay up pain for herself once more. She nodded but was saved from saying more by the arrival of Mr Marco, who took his boss off to look at something he was planning for his latest display. Smiling, Sally went back to her work. She wasn’t the only one glad to see Ben Harper back.
Ben Harper asked Sally if she had time to have supper with him that evening and she said she was busy. He frowned at her answer but didn’t push his claim to her time. In actual fact, Sally had nothing to do but wash her hair. She went to bed early with a book and tried to put the memory of his smile out of her head. Damn the man! Why did he have to look at her like that – so reproachfully – when she knew she was just an employee to him?
Beth had been to supper with Fred and his younger son, Tim. She came in at about ten that night and apologised to Sally for keeping her awake.
‘I wasn’t sleeping anyway,’ Sally said. ‘Did you have a good evening?’
‘Yes and no,’ Beth said and grimaced. ‘I get on with Fred – but poor Tim is a bit in the dumps. He has broken up with his girlfriend. That isn’t the worst news, because Fred never thought her good enough – but now Tim is determined to join the Royal Flying Corps and that has upset his father. He says those flying machines are too flimsy to be safe and he wanted his younger son in a nice safe job… Jack is away for long periods and now Tim will leave home too.’
‘Yes, I can see why that would upset Fred,’ Sally agreed. ‘But young men grow up and don’t want to stay at home for ever…’
‘They’d had words over it, so there was a bit of an atmosphere,’ Beth said and sighed. ‘Fred said it was bad enough that Tim wanted to fly, which is dangerous in itself – but he thinks we’re in for trouble in Europe before long and he says if there is a war the Flying Corps will be a death-trap for the young pilots…’
‘Yes, I think he might be right,’ Sally frowned. ‘I’ve heard a few people mention the possibility of war recently, but I can’t see why trouble in parts of Europe means we have to fight, can you?’
‘No, I can’t,’ Beth agreed. ‘It seems daft to me – but Fred reads his daily paper from cover to cover and he says it is a matter of treaties. We’ve promised to defend certain countries and if other countries go to war with them, it means we have to fight as well…’
‘The politicians who sign things like that should be shot,’ Sally said and then laughed. ‘Take no notice of me, Beth love. I’m in a bit of a mood…’
Beth sat on the edge of her bed. ‘Is it Mr Harper? Have you fallen out with him?’
‘No, not really… yes, in a way…’ Sally shook her head. ‘He was better today, but yesterday he was like a bear with a sore head. I thought I was going to be accused of something dreadful and then he just went off in a temper. This morning he apologised, but he seems to be watching me all the time, Beth. I feel as if I’ve done something wrong and I don’t know what…’
Beth nodded and then thought of something. ‘He called here on Sunday – when you’d gone to meet Sylvia. I didn’t speak to him myself, but I think Rachel told him you were meeting a friend for lunch. You didn’t see him that day?’
‘No – nor did he mention it to me…’ Sally frowned. ‘I wonder…’
Beth raised her brow in enquiry, but Sally shook her head.
‘I think I’m going to make a cup of cocoa,’ she said. ‘Would you like some?’
‘Yes, please…’ Beth yawned. ‘We were busy all day today at the store. I’ve sold nearly all my green silk scarves, Sally. It seems to be the most popular colour at the moment…’
‘I’ll see what I can find for you,’ Sally promised and went through to the kitchen. Her mind was going round and round in circles, but nothing made sense to her. Why would Ben Harper come to find her on Sunday at home and then act in such an off manner on Monday morning? Unless…?
Sally remembered how the weather had broken suddenly when she’d been having lunch with Mick. Afterwards, when he brought her home, he’d kissed her and she’d thanked him for her lovely meal and then she’d got out of the car and run back to her apartment building. Because it was raining so hard, she hadn’t looked back. Was it possible that Ben had been standing in a doorway waiting? Had he got cold and bored of waiting and then seen what he thought was an intimate moment between lovers? Was that the reason for his anger?
Sally tingled all over. If her kiss with Mick had made Ben angry perhaps he did care for her?
She shook her head, because she didn’t know if she was just hoping that was the reason and making a fool of herself again. How could she say to Ben Harper that Mick was just a friend unless he asked? She’d been out with Mick a couple of times recently and knew that Mick wanted to be more – much more. Sally was confused. Had she given Mick reason to think their relationship might be more than it was? Should she have pushed him away or slapped him when he kissed her? No, he’d been kind to her and it had been just a friendly kiss. She hadn’t felt like slapping him because she did like him – it was just that she felt more for Ben Harper.
