Love and Marriage at Harpers, page 24
‘We’ll go out to dinner soon,’ Sally said. ‘Just us four and Jenni. Ben said it would be best that way, but he is going to treat us to a special meal – would Jack be too busy to come?’
‘Yes, he wouldn’t be able to come out to dinner,’ she agreed. ‘He only gets Sunday off and he’s late home every night…’
There was a faint note of regret in her voice and Rachel took her hand and squeezed it. ‘He’s working hard to make a better future for you both.’
‘Yes, I know – but it was more fun when we could get out more often.’
‘Jenni’s husband-to-be has hardly any time to be at home with her and his son. That’s why we had to rearrange the wedding,’ Sally said. ‘I like my work too and I’ve no intention of giving up just because I’m married.’
‘What if you have children?’ Beth asked.
‘I’ll find a way,’ Sally replied. ‘I want a family, but I don’t see why I should give up my career at Harper’s…’
‘Good for you,’ Beth said and shook her head because the idea was very modern and radical. Most women were expected to stay at home once the children came. ‘Let’s think about Sally’s news and celebrate it.’
30
Maggie sold several pairs of gloves and three expensive silk scarves all to one gentleman. She was excited afterwards when Beth told her she’d heard she was the leading sales girl for the week, seeming pleased that she would be the one earning the bonus.
‘I’m saving for a new coat,’ she told Beth. ‘I’ve seen one in Harper’s dress department and now I can put a deposit on it. Mrs James says I can pay for it every week until I’ve paid it off and she’ll keep it by for me.’
‘That’s good of her,’ Beth said. It wasn’t Harper’s policy to keep goods to one side so the supervisor of the dress department must like Maggie a lot to do it for her. Beth tried not to ask favours but Maggie was popular throughout the store and Mrs James had probably volunteered.
‘How are things with you?’ she asked Maggie. ‘Is Tim all right?’
Maggie nodded, her smile a little regretful. ‘I don’t see him as much as I’d like but when I do we get on well.’
Customers entered the department and they returned to their positions. Beth was busy at her counter and sold six hats that afternoon, but Sally’s assertion that she didn’t intend to give up her job when she had children kept running through her head. Jack had made it clear that Beth would be expected to stay at home and look after the children once they arrived. He spoke vaguely of her working with him in their hotel once he managed to get his own premises, but she believed he was thinking that the children would be toddlers by then or even older. If they were at school most of the day it would give Beth time to work in reception or the kitchen, wherever she chose.
However, to conceive now would mean she would be at home in Fred’s little cottage all day on her own, coping with a baby as best she could. There would be no friends to share her worries or her triumphs with – or only very occasionally, when the child was asleep and she could leave it with Fred for a while. Jack would be at work most of the time and she would be alone.
Beth wanted children one day, but she wasn’t ready yet. She’d been married just a short time and she enjoyed working with her friends – also, her concern about her aunt’s death would play on her mind if she was on her own too much. It was something she was able to forget at work but often in her mind at other times.
It had frightened her when she was pushed into the road, deliberately she was sure, but she hadn’t let it make her afraid to come to work. Fred had spoken to his friend, alerting him to the possible danger, and he’d seemed to think that whoever had taken the chance to shove Beth into the road had done it on the spur of the moment.
‘Tell her not to worry too much,’ Harold had said. ‘I’ll get a couple of men I know on the job and we’ll see if we can’t bring this rogue to book…’
So Beth’s fear had receded. She was actually more worried that she might be pregnant already. If she was, it must have happened on her honeymoon, but surely it didn’t happen like that? Rachel had been married for ten years and never carried a child full term and many women had to wait years: women who longed desperately for a baby and had almost given up all hope. Surely Beth, who wasn’t ready for motherhood yet, had not conceived so swiftly? It just couldn’t be possible, could it?
Fred insisted that Beth wait for him each evening after the incident outside Harper’s and he made certain he had hold of her arm, escorting her to their bus and making sure she was safely seated on board. That evening, he was a few minutes longer closing up and apologised to Beth for keeping her waiting, but she shook her head.
‘I would rather wait for you, I feel safer,’ she said, smiling at him as he came out, accompanied by the young lad who helped him in the stores. ‘Thank you for looking after me, Fred. I hope you don’t find it a burden?’
‘Goodnight, lad,’ Fred said to Willie. ‘Don’t be late in the morning…’
‘Night, Fred,’ Willie said with a cheeky grin. ‘Night, Mrs Burrows…’
Fred turned to look at her as his assistant went off whistling. ‘You could never be a burden to any of us – Jack, Tim or me. We all care about you, Beth,’ he said stoutly. ‘You’re my daughter now, and I would do anything to keep you safe from that scheming devil. I shall be glad when he is safely under lock and key.’
‘If we can ever prove he was responsible for my aunt’s death…’
‘Goodnight, Fred, goodnight, Mrs Burrows.’ They both turned as they heard Mr Marco’s voice. ‘I’m waiting for a taxi – on my way to meet some theatrical friends this evening.’
‘How lovely,’ Beth called as his cab drew up. ‘Have a nice time, Mr Marco.’
‘I like that young man, always polite and cheerful,’ Fred remarked, smiling as Mr Marco waved before getting into his taxi. His frown returned almost immediately, though, as he went back to their earlier conversation. ‘Harold says it may be difficult to prove your uncle’s guilt, because as far as we know there were no witnesses, but he won’t get off scot free, Beth. Harold thinks he is closing in on him in other ways and that’s why he attacked you, hoping to scare us off.’
‘Did he tell you what he meant by other ways?’ Beth asked, a little trickle of ice sliding down the back of her neck.
‘I think Gerald may not be as good at covering his tracks as he thinks he is,’ Fred said and smiled mysteriously. ‘Harold told me that he’d tracked someone down who knew our Mr Greene in the past and he was going to speak to them this week – if he gets the answers he thinks he might, he will take the evidence to the police.’
‘So he’s done bad things in the past?’ Beth enquired and Fred nodded.
‘Yes, I reckon your aunt wasn’t the first unsuspecting lady to fall for his silver tongue. Once Harold has finished exposing him, he will be safely locked away for a long time.’
Beth was thoughtful as they journeyed home. As she’d feared, it was unlikely they would ever prove that Gerald had murdered Aunt Helen, but if it could be proved that he’d done similar things in the past, perhaps that would be enough. Nothing would bring Aunt Helen back or take away the unhappiness that man had caused her, but maybe he could be stopped before he harmed another unsuspecting woman.
At home, Beth got on with cooking and cleaning as usual and she had just finished washing the dishes when Jack walked in. He apologised for missing supper but explained there had been a small crisis at work.
‘I had to stay to sort it out myself,’ he said. ‘One of our visitors had lost something – a valuable gold bracelet. We searched the hotel and were just about to ring the police when it turned out that her husband had taken it to the jeweller to have the clasp repaired without telling her.’
‘Oh, Jack,’ Beth said and kissed him. ‘How upsetting for you! You must have been worried that someone had taken it…’
‘She practically accused the maid and the girl was hysterical. I could hardly walk out of a situation like that and leave them to sort it out, could I?’
‘No, of course you couldn’t,’ Beth sympathised. ‘You look tired – can I get you something to eat? I can fry some bacon and egg or make something on toast?’
‘I had some sandwiches an hour ago,’ he said. ‘I’m not hungry, Beth. I just feel annoyed that I missed being with you this evening.’ He frowned. ‘I’m wondering if we should move into a room at the hotel. I’d hoped there might be a small flat we could have, but there’s only a large double with its own bathroom.’
‘I don’t think I should like that…’ Beth said and Jack nodded.
‘It isn’t satisfactory,’ he agreed. ‘I really need to live on the premises, Beth, but I can’t ask you to live in a room with no facilities. I shall have to see if I we can find some way of making us independent accommodation within the premises.’ He nodded, more to himself than her. ‘I’ll speak to my boss about it.’
Beth smiled but made no comment. She didn’t mind living here with Fred; she just wanted to see her husband more often.
Later, when they went up to bed, Jack seemed to be in a serious mood and sat on the bed, watching her undress. She took the pins from her thick fair hair, letting it cascade about her shoulders in a shining mass.
‘I love your hair,’ Jack told her. ‘It is so beautiful, Beth – and you’re gorgeous like that.’ She stood in her silk petticoat, no corset or restricting skirts to hide her curvaceous body. ‘You have wonderful breasts.’
‘Jack!’ Beth blushed furiously, because even after four weeks of marriage she hadn’t got used to intimate remarks like that one. His gaze narrowed as he saw her confusion.
‘You don’t regret what we did, Beth?’
She looked at him in surprise and saw that he was anxious. ‘No, of course I don’t. I wish we had more time together – but I understand that sometimes you have to work late.’
‘I’m taking you out somewhere nice this Sunday,’ Jack told her and smiled. ‘I do love you, Beth, and I want things to be perfect for us…’
She went to kiss him and he pulled her down to him so that she fell to the bed; he began to kiss and touch her passionately, turning her beneath him in the bed. ‘I love you, Jack. Please, don’t ever doubt that… whatever happens.’
Beth wondered if she should tell him that she thought she might be pregnant, but it was too soon to be certain. She would book an appointment with the doctor soon and if she was with child, she would tell him then.
She looked up into his face and invited his kisses, inhaling his scent and slipping her arms about him, her hands moving over his back beneath his shirt.
‘You know I adore you?’
Beth laughed softly as she pressed herself against him, her lips kissing his throat, knowing that he was aroused and wanting her, wanting him too. In that moment she was happy and she knew Jack was the man she wanted and really nothing else mattered.
31
‘I’m so glad I came over,’ Jenni said as she tried on the wedding gown they’d chosen together. It was a froth of organza and silky lace and looked wonderful on her, its waist high and the hem just swishing above her ankles. ‘I might have found a lovely dress back home, but I’ve had fun shopping for it with you, Sally.’
‘Yes…’ Sally smiled at her warmly. She’d chosen a slender sheath of ivory satin with long sleeves and a deep V-neck at the back with a diamanté strap holding it together; the kind of dress she could wear to go dancing if she chose. It was simple but stylish and made her look elegant, almost regal, and she’d known it was the right one the moment she saw it. ‘I’m glad you came over too, Jenni. I wish we could be at your wedding – but perhaps we’ll get to visit soon.’
‘I’d love to spend more time with you and Ben.’
‘You have a store to run,’ Sally said and Jenni nodded.
‘I’ve been training a junior back home and she will gradually take over the buying, though I’ll go in for consultations and keep an eye on things until she’s confident and then I’ll leave it to her. I’m hoping to have a big family and I don’t want work to get in the way…’
‘You won’t remain as the buyer for Harper’s in New York?’
‘No, why should I?’ Jenni said and smiled softly, her happiness showing through. ‘I was pushed into it by my uncle and I had no choice, but now I do. I’m part owner of Ben’s store and I know he’ll make a success of it – and I shall be the wife of a rich man, Sally. Henry wouldn’t want me to work and I’ll be busy entertaining his friends, looking after his children and being his wife. I don’t need the responsibility of the store.’
‘I love Ben, but I don’t want to give up my job as buyer,’ Sally said as the salesgirl unbuttoned the back of Jenni’s dress and took it away to pack it for her. ‘He understands and he wants me to keep working. Of course, I’ll need time off when we have children, but I’m lucky, I can choose my own hours and Ben says we’ll have a nurse for when I need to work.’
‘I could have a nanny,’ Jenni said, ‘I may do because I don’t want to be in the nursery all the time – but I don’t need to work. I suppose we’re just different that way.’
‘Yes, I suppose so,’ Sally agreed. ‘Where are you going on your honeymoon – or hasn’t the General told you?’
‘He says it will be somewhere skiing,’ Jenni said. ‘We all like that – it’s fun and we’ll be taking little Tom with us.’
‘On your honeymoon?’
‘Yes, I’d like him to come. It still isn’t long since he lost his mother, Sally. I don’t want him worried that we won’t come back. He’ll have his own room and we’ll have fun together on the slopes – perhaps in Vermont, although it’s better there earlier in the year.’ Jenni smiled at Sally as they went through to the reception area to pay for their gowns. ‘Has Ben said where you two are going?’
‘I think just a weekend in the country. We haven’t long been back from Paris. We might go somewhere after Christmas, when we’re not so busy.’
‘Christmas is usually our busiest period at home,’ Jenni told her. ‘But I’ve booked my time out and they will just have to manage.’
Jenni smiled as she paid the girl for her dress and they left the store together, having arranged for their purchases to be sent to Jenni’s hotel. ‘I need some shoes, but I don’t have to buy them here – what about you, Sally?’
‘I shall buy some satin shoes,’ Sally said. ‘I saw some pretty ones in Harrods the other week. I like to visit all the stores in London – that way I know what my opposition is selling, though, of course, we’ve never done much in the way of shoes. I have no idea why…’
‘Harper’s of Oxford Street isn’t big enough to sell everything,’ Jenni said. ‘We have a bigger linens department, shoes, furniture and drapes in New York – but we’re about twice the size of Ben’s store. That’s why it was such hard work to fill it. My uncle was there to advise me at the start, of course, but we soon needed a full-time assistant buyer – and I’ll keep an eye on the stock for a while for my aunt’s sake.’
‘So you won’t give up completely…’ Sally laughed and linked arms with her. ‘I’m glad. Harper’s wouldn’t be the same without you…’
‘Oh, they’ll manage,’ Jenni said. ‘We’re all replaceable, Sally. My uncle told me that at the start. He said that he would give me a chance to shine, but if I let him down he would give my job to someone else.’
‘He sounds a bit of a tartar?’
‘Yes, he was in a way, but he made me keen to work and it helped me. I learned fast because I knew that being his niece was no guarantee of keeping my job. It was the same for Ben. My uncle left him some shares but not enough to take complete control – he was meant to earn that and none of us were certain that Ben would do it. He never told anyone where his money went. No one at the store knew that Maribel was being cared for night and day…’
‘It must have been expensive…’
‘A small fortune,’ Jenni said. ‘My uncle thought he spent his money on gambling or women or something. I suppose I thought the same until Ben told me that Maribel was dying…’
‘Poor woman,’ Sally said. ‘I feel dreadful sometimes, Jenni. I’m so happy and I couldn’t have been while she lived.’
‘You must never feel that way,’ Jenni said. ‘It’s the same for me – Henry would never have noticed me while my friend lived. He was in love with Marie and I was just her friend. I couldn’t help the way I felt about him, though I never let either of them guess while she was alive. I sometimes wonder if she did sense something, but I was careful not to show my feelings.’
Sally’s arm hugged her. ‘We share that – being second wives. Do you think the first wives watch us and feel jealous or upset?’
‘Perhaps…’ Jenni shrugged. ‘They’ve gone, Sally. You make Ben very happy.’
‘He makes me happy too,’ Sally said. ‘I never thought it would happen.’
They smiled at each other. ‘Let’s go back to the hotel and have coffee and cake,’ Jenni said. ‘You don’t have any appointments today, do you?’
‘No, I kept it free especially.’
‘Good.’ Jenni hugged her arm. ‘I’m glad we’re to be sisters, Sally. It means we shall always be friends, whatever happens.’
32
Maggie was serving a customer with white cotton gloves and a pale pink silk scarf when she noticed the young girl watching her. After her customer had paid and gone, the girl approached her hesitantly.
‘Are you Miss Margaret Gibbs?’ she asked shyly.
‘Yes, I am.’ Maggie looked at her curiously. ‘May I help you?’
‘It depends if you want to,’ the girl replied. ‘I’m not quite seventeen and I know you’re eighteen and I’m not sure you would be interested…’ She took a deep breath, then, ‘I’m Becky Stockbridge. My father said you were kind to him when I had that operation…’
