silenced Bertha Grant for the moment. It was true, she’d let herself go over the years. She worked hard in the bar and looking after Jim and the household too, but this stuck in her craw. Well she would take herself off to Madam Evans and order some new clothes too. Let her old man pay for that bill and see how he liked it. She stomped out of the room.
Grant scratched his head. Bloody women! He was lucky he supposed. His wife wasn’t that interested in sex and she’d been relieved when he took a mistress because that meant he turned to her for sexual satisfaction less and less. He had made it plain that he was happy to stay married to Bertha as long as she understood that he needed Flo.
Bertha liked being the landlady of the White Swan and the security of a husband so she’d turned a blind eye as long as Flo didn’t come into the pub. That was her territory and she wouldn’t have Flo Cummings walk on her home ground. But today, faced with the bill for so much money, she suddenly became possessive … and jealous. Well, Jim would have to pay dearly for his peccadillo.
Later that day, the door of the dress shop in London Road opened and Madam greeted her new client. ‘Good afternoon, Madam, can I be of service?’
Bertha Grant smiled with satisfaction and said, ‘Yes. I need several new garments and I would like to look at some patterns and material.’
Some time later, Daisy was called to the front of the shop to measure a new client. ‘A Mrs Grant. Landlady of the White Swan in Oxford Street,’ she was told.
This intrigued Daisy, knowing that Flo was the mistress of this woman’s husband. Picking up her tape measure, pad and pencil she walked into the reception area.
As she took the measurements, she wondered why the woman seemed so hostile. She was very abrupt when she spoke, not that she was rude to Daisy, she wasn’t, but something had obviously upset her. It wasn’t long before Daisy understood.
‘I believe you make garments for a Mrs Florence Cummings.’
Daisy knew she would have to be diplomatic. ‘Yes, Madam, I believe we do.’
‘Does she have many made?’
Taking a deep breath, Daisy said, ‘I couldn’t really say. In any case we are not allowed to discuss our clients, Madam forbids it. All transactions are absolutely confidential.’
‘Quite right too!’ the woman snapped.
Daisy thought that wasn’t really what she meant, but at least she was spared any cross-questioning as she carried out her work. The order when she’d finished was for two day dresses, an evening blouse and skirt and a short jacket. The bill was hefty as she’d chosen expensive material.
When the total was told to Bertha, she gave a smile of satisfaction. ‘That’s excellent. When the garments are finished, send the bill to my husband. When shall I come back for my fittings?’
Madam made several appointments, wrote them on a card and handed it to her.
‘Thank you,’ said Bertha. ‘I’m going to get a lot of enjoyment out of wearing these garments.’
After Bertha had gone, Daisy returned to Madam and said, ‘We must make sure that Mrs Grant isn’t booked in at the same time as Mrs Cummings or they’ll be trouble.’
‘I know, I’ve just realized that. Oh dear why do men have to be so dreadful. I know all about Mrs Cummings but at least she doesn’t bring any of her business here and she spends a lot of money, but in all honesty I wish she’d go elsewhere. I don’t want to lose any of my better clients because of her reputation. It is a worry.’
Daisy made no comment and with a sinking feeling, hurried back to her workbench.
Seven
The girls in the workshop were kept very busy during the following week. There was so much work in hand and Daisy was pleased to be called out to do a fitting for Mrs Grace Portman.
‘How’s your father?’ Grace asked and listened as Daisy told her.
‘And the Captain?’ asked Daisy. ‘Have you heard from him since I last saw you?’
Grace Portman
A D Holland
Grif Stockley
D. W. Collins
Jane Rusbridge
Christine Warren
Lily Evans
Selene Chardou
Samantha Young
Gary D. Svee
Unknown