Sing as We Go by Margaret Dickinson Page A

trial, because she was Miss Robinson’s’ protégée, the rules had been relaxed.
    ‘I’ll need your help, Stella,’ she said. ‘You’ll have to tell me what’s suitable.’
    As the doors closed on the Saturday evening, both girls approached Miss Curtis to ask if Kathy might be allowed to try on the two or three suits that Stella had picked out for her during quiet moments in the department.
    Kathy felt Muriel’s scrutiny. The woman’s face was expressionless and Kathy couldn’t guess what her superior was thinking. She would have been amazed – and dismayed – to know that the overriding emotion that Muriel was feeling at that moment was one of jealousy.
    Kathy was quite unaware of her own natural beauty. With her lightly tanned, smooth complexion and well-proportioned features she was more than just ‘pretty’. Perhaps the only thing that spoiled the classic beauty was the rather square, firm chin. Her blonde hair had now been styled into the fashion of the day – swept back from her face in pincurls and falling in a shining cascade of waves and curls to her shoulders. With the addition of a smart new suit and a few lessons in the art of applying subtle make-up, Kathy would be more than eye-catching. She would outshine all the other women and girls on the whole of the first floor. Muriel struggled with her feelings, quashing the natural instinct of the envy that one woman feels towards another, younger, prettier girl, and tried to decide whether the girl’s looks would be an asset to the department or otherwise. Would her customers, striving for beauty themselves, be encouraged or disheartened by the loveliness of the sales assistant?
    It was a question Muriel could not answer, and only time would tell.
    Now, she plastered a smile on her face and tried to make her tone friendly. ‘Of course. And though you wouldn’t ordinarily be allowed staff discount yet, I’ll see what I can do for you. Ask Miss Jenkins if you can look at the items in the stockroom. We had a big sale in January because of stock reduction and obviously there are always some items that don’t sell even then. Not that I’m suggesting you should take anything you don’t like,’ Muriel added hastily, ‘but it might be worth a look.’
    ‘Thank you, Miss Curtis,’ Kathy murmured, touched by the woman’s sudden understanding and kindness.
    Muriel was looking down at Kathy’s feet.
    ‘Er . . .’ she began hesitantly, but Kathy, making it easier for her, said quickly, ‘Yes, and I’ll be needing some new shoes too, though I don’t know if I can afford them this week. I must pay my way at Aunt . . . at Miss Robinson’s.’
    ‘Of course,’ Muriel said swiftly. ‘I’ll have a word with my colleague in footwear. I’m sure something can be arranged.’
    ‘I’m sure if you asked Mr Kendall, he’d let you have a pair on tick for a week,’ Stella put in. Her face was innocent, but Kathy was sure she caught a wicked gleam in the young girl’s eyes.
    The smile disappeared from Muriel’s face as she said tartly now, ‘You’d better be quick trying on those suits. The store will be locked up in thirty minutes. Unless, of course, you want to spend the night here.’ And with that last sarcastic barb, she turned away.
    Kathy stared after her. ‘Why did she say that?’
    Stella was giggling. ‘I think she was insinuating that you might want to get locked in on purpose. Mr Kendall is the only one who can get back into the store once it’s been locked up for the night and the night-watchman’s on duty.’
    Kathy blinked. ‘But why—?’
    ‘I expect she thinks you’re after him.’
    Colour suffused Kathy’s face. ‘After him? Mr Kendall? Oh, surely she doesn’t think that. She can’t!’
    ‘Why ever not? You’re pretty and Mr Kendall likes a pretty face.’
    Kathy was horrified. This job was going to be difficult enough to learn without her superior thinking she was setting her cap at the store’s manager. ‘But I’m