Sing as We Go by Margaret Dickinson

at her for a moment and then the merry smile was back on her face. She touched Kathy’s arm. ‘No – no, of course you couldn’t. It’s just that I was really looking forward to showing you round.’
    Kathy nodded. ‘Me too.’
    Stella leaned closer. ‘Miss Curtis isn’t too pleased, either. She gets all huffy when he interferes with the running of her department. She’s been here longer than him and she’s older. Not much, of course. Mind you, when he first came here I think she fancied her chances with him. There were rumours . . .’ Stella was chattering happily again, her brief moment of umbrage completely forgotten. She nudged Kathy and winked. ‘Know what I mean?’
    Kathy smiled, but said nothing.
    The girl seemed about to confide more but instead she muttered suddenly, ‘Look out! The dragon’s here.’
    Kathy glanced over her shoulder to see Jemima walking towards them, pausing every few moments as her glance ran over a display. Her sharp eyes missed nothing, from the tidiness of the counter to a thin film of dust on a shelf.
    From nowhere, it seemed to Kathy, Miss Curtis appeared silently and fell into step beside her superior. A short distance from the girls, the two women stopped and turned to face each other. ‘Has Miss Burton had a tour of the store yet?’
    ‘Oh yes.’ Miss Curtis’s mouth tightened. ‘She certainly has.’ As Jemima’s eyebrows rose in a question, Muriel added sarcastically, ‘Mr Kendall showed her around himself.’
    ‘Did he indeed?’ There was no mistaking the disapproval in Jemima’s tone and she added softly, ‘Mm. Well, we’ll have to see about that, won’t we, Muriel?’
    The other woman shrugged. ‘But what can we do? You know what he’s like.’
    ‘I do,’ Jemima sniffed. ‘But this particular girl is staying with me for a while. Just until she gets on her feet. Maybe I can . . .’ Now her voice dropped so low that even Kathy’s acute hearing could not catch the rest of the conversation.
    *
    ‘So,’ Jemima began as they walked home together after the store had closed. ‘Do you think you’ll like working with us?’
    ‘Oh yes, yes I do. But – but there’s a lot to learn.’
    Jemima chuckled. ‘I suppose there is. I’ve worked there so long, I suppose I don’t see how it must be for someone just starting. Especially someone who’s lived out in the sticks.’
    Kathy smiled to herself. Jemima certainly didn’t mince her words.
    ‘I just hope I will suit. Miss Curtis seems a bit fearsome.’
    ‘Oh, we all are,’ Jemima said cheerfully. ‘We don’t tolerate slackness or slovenliness or idleness in any way, shape or form.’
    Kathy was silent.
    ‘But,’ the older woman went on, her tone softening just a little, ‘the main thing to remember is that the customer always – always – comes first and foremost. I know there’s the saying “the customer’s always right”. Well, of course they’re not, but you have to act as if they are. In short, my dear – it sounds a funny thing to say – but you have to let the customer walk all over you and still come up smiling.’
    ‘Well, I should be good at that then,’ Kathy remarked dryly. ‘I’ve had plenty of practice at doing what I’m told.’
    ‘Mm,’ Jemima said as they arrived at the passageway between her home and the next-door house. They walked down it in single file. As they came to the door at the end of the passage leading into Jemima’s back yard, she put her hand on the latch and turned to glance back at Kathy. ‘Maybe so, but you’ve kicked over the traces now, haven’t you? Well and truly.’
    Without waiting for any reply, Jemima opened the door and, in a soft and tender tone, began to call, ‘Taffy, where are you? Come to Mummy, Taffy.’

 

    Six
    With her first week’s wages, Kathy bought herself a smart suit to wear for work. At least, she paid for part of it. Staff were allowed to have an account and, although she was only very newly appointed and still on