other team.’
Lily frowned. ‘I didn’t know
there was another one.’
‘Let me explain, Lily. Not only is
this commission highly confidential, the Queen has specifically requested that
nobody except me should have knowledge of the design detail. For this reason, I have
kept the various lace patterns separate, with a different set of lace makers working
on each. Time is of the essence, and in order to minimize any mistakes I now need to
ensure both teams are supervised, as I no longer have the time to do that.Therefore, I propose working up at High House and want you to see
to the ladies here.’
Lily shook her head, trying to take in
what she’d been told. Bemused, she stared at her employer.
‘High House?’
‘I have rented High House at the
top of the village and that is where the other team are working. You do realize
I’m offering you the job of overseer here?’ Mrs Bodney said
impatiently.
‘Me? But I’m the
youngest,’ Lily said, shaking her head in surprise.
Mrs Bodney waved her hand dismissively,
in the way Lily had come to recognize. ‘You might be the youngest, Lily, but
you are also the most capable and the loyalty you’ve already shown is
commendable. Now, the job entails extra work but will merit a substantial increase
in your wage.’ Then, as she went on to mention a figure that made Lily gasp,
there was a knock and Tilda put her head around the door.
‘Sorry to interrupt, ma’am,
but Mr Mountsford would like a word before he leaves.’
‘Tell him I’ll be with him
directly,’ Mrs Bodney said, but a man with dark hair was already entering the
room. Lily’s eyes widened in surprise, for it was the stranger she’d
seen earlier and he was so tall he had to stoop low to avoid banging his head on the
lintel above the door.
‘Forgive the intrusion, Mrs
Bodney. I can see you are busy but I merely wish to bid you farewell and give you
this,’ he said, holding up a small package. Then to Lily’s surprise, his
piercing blue gaze was aimed in her direction.
‘That’s quite all right, Mr
Mountsford, and thank you,’her employer said, taking the
package and quickly pocketing it. ‘Before you go, I’d like to introduce
you to Lily Rose, my new overseer.’
Lily jumped to her feet.
‘Delighted to make your
acquaintance, Miss Rose; Rupert Mountsford at your service,’ he said, smiling
at her warmly. She bobbed a curtsy, which for some reason seemed to amuse him.
‘Mr Mountsford is one of my best
merchants, Lily, and pays us regular visits,’ Mrs Bodney said, by way of
explanation.
‘Then, you being Mrs
Bodney’s new overseer, we shall surely be seeing more of each other, Miss
Rose?’
Lily glanced at Mrs Bodney.
‘Indeed, you will, Mr Mountsford,
and I can see from your expression that it won’t pose any hardship to
you,’ her employer said smiling.
‘It will be my pleasure,’ he
answered, turning the full force of his smile on Lily. Then, bowing briefly, he left
the room. She stared after him, wondering why her insides were fluttering like a
butterfly.
‘Well, young Lily, I think
you’ve made quite an impression there,’ Mrs Bodney said, breaking into
her thoughts.
Immediately, she felt heat flushing her
cheeks and cursed that, despite having recently attained her seventeenth birthday,
she still had the childish tendency to blush.
‘Right, run along now. I’ve
kept you long enough. First thing tomorrow, I shall explain your new position to the
others and then be away to High House. Now I’ll bid you good evening and
pleasant dreams,’ she said, her eyes twinkling.
Letting herself out
into the lane, Lily saw the sun was already setting, the pink sky turning to deep
mauve. There was no sign of Tom and her heart sank. Obviously he’d got tired
of waiting. For some reason, her need to see him was greater than usual. Fighting
down her disappointment, she made her
Lily frowned. ‘I didn’t know
there was another one.’
‘Let me explain, Lily. Not only is
this commission highly confidential, the Queen has specifically requested that
nobody except me should have knowledge of the design detail. For this reason, I have
kept the various lace patterns separate, with a different set of lace makers working
on each. Time is of the essence, and in order to minimize any mistakes I now need to
ensure both teams are supervised, as I no longer have the time to do that.Therefore, I propose working up at High House and want you to see
to the ladies here.’
Lily shook her head, trying to take in
what she’d been told. Bemused, she stared at her employer.
‘High House?’
‘I have rented High House at the
top of the village and that is where the other team are working. You do realize
I’m offering you the job of overseer here?’ Mrs Bodney said
impatiently.
‘Me? But I’m the
youngest,’ Lily said, shaking her head in surprise.
Mrs Bodney waved her hand dismissively,
in the way Lily had come to recognize. ‘You might be the youngest, Lily, but
you are also the most capable and the loyalty you’ve already shown is
commendable. Now, the job entails extra work but will merit a substantial increase
in your wage.’ Then, as she went on to mention a figure that made Lily gasp,
there was a knock and Tilda put her head around the door.
‘Sorry to interrupt, ma’am,
but Mr Mountsford would like a word before he leaves.’
‘Tell him I’ll be with him
directly,’ Mrs Bodney said, but a man with dark hair was already entering the
room. Lily’s eyes widened in surprise, for it was the stranger she’d
seen earlier and he was so tall he had to stoop low to avoid banging his head on the
lintel above the door.
‘Forgive the intrusion, Mrs
Bodney. I can see you are busy but I merely wish to bid you farewell and give you
this,’ he said, holding up a small package. Then to Lily’s surprise, his
piercing blue gaze was aimed in her direction.
‘That’s quite all right, Mr
Mountsford, and thank you,’her employer said, taking the
package and quickly pocketing it. ‘Before you go, I’d like to introduce
you to Lily Rose, my new overseer.’
Lily jumped to her feet.
‘Delighted to make your
acquaintance, Miss Rose; Rupert Mountsford at your service,’ he said, smiling
at her warmly. She bobbed a curtsy, which for some reason seemed to amuse him.
‘Mr Mountsford is one of my best
merchants, Lily, and pays us regular visits,’ Mrs Bodney said, by way of
explanation.
‘Then, you being Mrs
Bodney’s new overseer, we shall surely be seeing more of each other, Miss
Rose?’
Lily glanced at Mrs Bodney.
‘Indeed, you will, Mr Mountsford,
and I can see from your expression that it won’t pose any hardship to
you,’ her employer said smiling.
‘It will be my pleasure,’ he
answered, turning the full force of his smile on Lily. Then, bowing briefly, he left
the room. She stared after him, wondering why her insides were fluttering like a
butterfly.
‘Well, young Lily, I think
you’ve made quite an impression there,’ Mrs Bodney said, breaking into
her thoughts.
Immediately, she felt heat flushing her
cheeks and cursed that, despite having recently attained her seventeenth birthday,
she still had the childish tendency to blush.
‘Right, run along now. I’ve
kept you long enough. First thing tomorrow, I shall explain your new position to the
others and then be away to High House. Now I’ll bid you good evening and
pleasant dreams,’ she said, her eyes twinkling.
Letting herself out
into the lane, Lily saw the sun was already setting, the pink sky turning to deep
mauve. There was no sign of Tom and her heart sank. Obviously he’d got tired
of waiting. For some reason, her need to see him was greater than usual. Fighting
down her disappointment, she made her
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