The Lady of Pelham Street

by Deborah Carr

  ‘So now you’re telling me that my advertising campaigns are a waste of money. Is that what you’re saying?’

  Florence gritted her teeth. ‘For pity’s sake, Jesse,’ she snapped. Why was he being so infuriating? He seemed determined not to understand the point she was trying to make. ‘No, that’s not what I’m saying at all,’ she said, her voice becoming clipped as she tried to refrain from showing how angry she was with him. ‘I do, however, believe that if we have these items displayed as customers enter the store on their way to buy their medicines then they will be tempted to buy them as they pass. For example, imagine a lady coming in to purchase a tonic; she notices one of these beautiful silver-backed dressing-table sets and decides to treat herself. She’s still going to continue on to the cash chemist, because she still needs that tonic. If the chemist stock is at the front of the shop she won’t even see the beautiful items we now have to offer her and we will have lost that sale, and the many sales that could have followed. Don’t you agree?’

  Jesse glared at her. ‘No, I do not.’ He turned to the shopfitters. ‘Do as I’ve already told you and rearrange this floor.’

  Florence watched as he marched off to the lift. Her head ached, no doubt due to the temper she was trying to suppress. She loved Jesse, but he could be impossible sometimes. He was too used to doing things his way, she thought. She understood why he found it difficult to have someone questioning his decisions, but if he wanted her input into the business, then that’s what she would give him.

  Florence returned to her office, determined to find a way to make Jesse see sense. She couldn’t simply stand and continue arguing with someone who had decided the matter had been concluded. No, she needed to be more subtle than that. For the rest of the day and at times during the night when sleep eluded her, Florence tried to find a way to solve the issue. She knew she was right about the layout of the floor. She didn’t mind deferring to his decisions most of the time, especially when he felt so strongly that he was right about something. After all, he was the one who had built this business to where it now was, not her. But she had worked beside him, and she knew much more than he obviously thought. This time, she knew she must make him see sense.

  The following morning, when Jesse was away visiting one of his other stores, Florence left the children at home and took a hansom cab to Pelham Street. She summoned the two shopfitters to meet her where their argument had taken place the day before.

  ‘I’d like the biggest mirror you can find put up on that wall over there,’ she said, pointing towards the toiletry goods on the wall halfway along the main counter.

  The men looked at each other, a worried expression on both their faces. ‘Ooh, Mrs Boot, I don’t know if that’s the right thing to do,’ the older of the two men said, nervously.

  She understood why they weren’t in a hurry to encounter Jesse’s anger if they did the wrong thing.

  ‘I will take full responsibility for everything,’ she reassured them. ‘Please do as I ask.’

  Later that morning, after Florence had been trying to keep busy and not worry too much about Jesse’s reaction to what she’d done, Miss Tweed entered her office.

  ‘Mr Boot has requested that you join him down—’

  Florence had been waiting for such a summons and immediately stood up. She smoothed down her skirt and took a deep breath, ready for whatever battle awaited her.

  ‘Thank you. I can imagine exactly where he wants to meet me. Wish me luck.’

  Miss Tweed frowned, looking confused as she held open the office door for Florence to leave the room.

  Florence took the lift down to the ground floor and was reminded as she always was, whenever she saw him near the modern apparatus, how proud he had been to have installed the first passenger lift in Nottingham. She spotted Jesse straight away, standing in his knee breeches and staring at the mirror.

  ‘What is this?’ he asked as she walked over to join him.

  ‘The mirror?’ Florence asked, playing for a little time, to think how she was going to reply.

  Jesse gave her a sideways glance. ‘Yes, that.’

  ‘It occurred to me that if the pills and potions need to have the prime position in the store, then the toiletry department should have a mirror to throw a little light on it. Don’t you agree?’

  She waited while Jesse took his time thoughtfully studying the changes that had been made behind his back. Eventually he rubbed his chin. ‘I suppose it does improve the area somewhat.’

  Encouraged, Florence agreed. ‘I think it makes the floor space seem twice the size, don’t you?’

  Jesse nodded slowly. ‘It does.’ He sighed. ‘All right, Florence. I think in this instance we can come to a compromise and maybe we should keep both the pharmaceutical and the toiletry stock at the front of the store.’

  ‘What a wonderful idea, Jesse,’ Florence said, happy to give him the credit for finding a way to keep them both happy. She knew that this small victory would mean that she could now encourage him to introduce the same layout into the rest of their stores.

  Florence glanced around her to check they weren’t visible to any of their employees. Seeing they were very much alone, probably because no one wanted to become involved in their quarrel, she leant forward and gave Jesse a quick peck on his smiling mouth.

  ‘What’s that in aid of?’ he asked, his eyes widening in surprise.

  ‘Because I love you, that’s why,’ she whispered as a storeman walked past them.

  He took hold of her right hand in his and gently pulled her closer to him. ‘We make a great pair, don’t you think?’

  Florence pretended to give his question some thought, then nodded. ‘Yes, most of the time.’ Her head still ached. She rubbed her temples lightly with the tips of her fingers. ‘You are unwell?’ Jesse whispered. ‘I worry that you do too much.’

  ‘Nonsense,’ she argued, forcing a smile. ‘I’m simply weary from not turning in for bed early enough last night. My own fault. I’ll make up for it by ensuring I have enough sleep tonight.’

  Recalling that she had left Miss Tweed looking after the children, and happy to leave Jesse before he thought to continue with this conversation, she added, ‘Right now, though, I need to go back to my office. Miss Tweed might enjoy spending time with the little ones, but she has a lot of work to be getting on with and I don’t want her insisting on staying late today to finish everything.’

  She daren’t tell him that on occasion she might agree with him. Florence was concerned that if she gave in to Jesse’s request and took more time away from work, he might decide that being at home with her children was the correct thing for her to do after all. She was not about to take that chance and had no intention of giving it up any time soon.

  Chapter 8

  May 1893

  The months passed quickly and Florence presumed it must be due to her days being so busy. She was walking a fine line trying to balance motherhood with her working life, but Jesse never let up in his ambitions to build their empire and she did not want to be left behind. Sometimes it was a struggle to ensure that she gave herself time to relax. The children needed her attention, as did her workload. Mostly, she covered up the crises in her confidence when she wondered if she might have bitten off more than she could chew by trying to be all things to everyone. Florence knew she had one chance to make her double life work.

  She took a bite of her toast and honey and smiled across the dining-room table at Jesse.

  ‘Did I hear you speaking to one of the servants about John staying at home to play in the nursery today?’ Jesse asked, folding his newspaper and placing it next to his side plate.

  Florence finished her mouthful. ‘Yes. He sometimes becomes a little restless having to sit for long hours in my office when I’m very busy. I thought he’d prefer to stay at home and play. Annie offered to sit with him while we’re out and the new nanny is away collecting all her belongings from her previous position.’

  She thought of the
previous woman who had come to look after the children. She had only lasted a few months, unable to hide her disapproval that Florence insisted on taking the children with her to work most days.

  ‘But what am I supposed to do all day if the babes aren’t here?’ the woman had complained. ‘I’ve never been in this situation where the mother looks after the children all day. It doesn’t make sense for me to be here if I don’t have any children to care for.’

  Jesse took a drink from his teacup before placing it down gently in its fine porcelain saucer. ‘Won’t that mean that Violet will have to take on Annie’s chores in the house? Is that fair?’ His smile faded.

  Florence felt a pang of concern. Jesse was right. ‘Violet didn’t seem to mind when I mentioned it to them. I think it’ll be fine. I’ll check though before arranging to do this another time.’

  ‘As long as we take care not to let Violet feel as if she’s taking on the majority of Annie’s work,’ he said, wiping his moustache with his napkin. He gazed at her thoughtfully before placing his napkin down on the table next to his place.

  ‘What is it, my love?’ she asked trying to remain positive.

  ‘You know I treasure your instinct about the stores and have utmost confidence in all that you do.’

  She nodded, concentrating on not letting her growing concern show.

  Jesse continued. ‘You seem to have grown in stature over the past few years. You’ve taught me more than I could imagine about what to sell and how to manage the staff. Your assistance has helped the business attain heights I hadn’t expected to reach for many more years, if at all. Did you know that?’

  She had suspected as much, but was grateful to him for acknowledging her work. ‘Tell me what’s bothering you.’ She wondered if maybe he was struggling to tell her that he didn’t truly approve of Dorothy and Margery still being brought to work with her. ‘Jesse, if you wish me to stop taking the girls with me to the store then simply say so.’

  ‘And you would listen?’ he teased.

  Florence was glad he was aware how far he could push her when it came to the children.

  ‘It’s not that I don’t wish for them to be there, you know I do.’ He moved the teaspoon on his saucer to one side before looking back at her.

  ‘Then what is it?’

  He hesitated and stared at her thoughtfully.

  Florence relished the openness in their relationship, even more so than his confidence in her business abilities. ‘Jesse?’

  He cleared his throat. ‘I’m frightened that you’ve taken on too much.’

  ‘Carry on,’ she said, trying not to sound defensive.

  He must have noticed the tone in her voice. ‘I’m not criticising you in any way, please don’t ever think that. You do a marvellous job, as I’ve said, and I can’t ever imagine being at the store without you there next to me.’

  ‘Well then,’ she said, soothed slightly by his assurances.

  ‘However, now we have three children …’

  Florence had no intention of going down this route with him. ‘I can cope,’ she interrupted angrily. Even if she found it a struggle, she wasn’t ever going to admit it.

  ‘You really should take things a little easier now,’ he argued. ‘Even if it’s only while the children are so small. I spoke to the doctor and he intimated that you should slow down, just a little.’

  Irritated that the physician had spoken to Jesse about her without her knowledge, she scowled at him. ‘He had no right to discuss me behind my back. I’m not a fool, Jesse.’

  ‘I know that perfectly well, but—’

  She could see Jesse was getting upset. She hated to think she was the cause, so raised her hand to interrupt him. ‘I promise you that if I feel like it’s all getting too much, or that I need to rest, I’ll return home straightaway.’

  He thought about what she had said for a few seconds. ‘You will?’

  She stared at her husband’s sweet face, his brow lined with a frown and his beautiful mouth tight with worry, and knew that she couldn’t upset him further.

  ‘I know you always want the best for me and I love you for that. I’ll admit that I’m slightly more tired than usual at present, but this is an unusual time. We’re between nannies, Margery is only six months old, and we’ve been working on the new store. Things should ease off soon.’ When he didn’t seem convinced, she added, ‘I have taken on board what you’ve said, though, and will look for a way to take things slightly easier for the time being.’

  ‘Good.’ His face relaxed into a smile. ‘I’m not expecting you to stop working entirely. I know well enough that’s not something you’d ever wish to do.’

  She wanted to make him happy, so she determined to make a few changes to her daily routine. Florence thought quickly. She had no intention of giving up work, or of leaving her daughters at home. She also worried that if she did take time out it might set a precedent and she’d then battle with Jesse to return to work. Then it came to her.

  ‘I’ll finish earlier in the afternoons,’ she announced. ‘Just for the time being. You and I can still take the girls to the store together each morning, but I’ll bring them home with me for the afternoons.’ She was happy with her compromise and hoped he would be too.

  He mulled over her suggestion. ‘I enjoy our mornings, too. Perhaps there should be days when the girls remain at home with Nanny though?’

  Florence wasn’t completely happy with the idea. She had taken some persuasion to leave John at home since he had reached the toddler stage and wasn’t as content to spend so much time in her office, preferring to be taken for a run around in the park near their house. But she couldn’t deny that what Jesse was saying made sense.

  ‘I’ll take them to the office in the mornings, then. On days when I’m extra busy at meetings, we can arrange for the carriage to bring Nanny to collect them at lunchtime. Only on busier days, mind.’

  Jesse’s smile widened. ‘I agree. I like it when we can come to a compromise,’ he said, a twinkle in his blue eyes. ‘We both know that there are times when it is a little more difficult to do so. I imagined this might be one of them.’

  It dawned on Florence why he had been so concerned to broach this subject. Jesse hated it when they quarrelled, but as much as she wanted to please him, Florence also knew that, to be happy, she needed to stand up for what she wanted too. She reached out and took his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

  Jesse grinned at her. ‘I will still want you to return home earlier in the afternoons, too. On that I do insist.’

  He was right, she knew that, and was happy to agree. ‘For the time being only,’ she acquiesced.

  ‘If you insist. I worry that if you push yourself too hard, you might become ill, and I couldn’t bear that.’

  Florence’s heart ached. The very last thing she wanted to do was cause Jesse to fret about her. She placed her napkin on the table and walked over to stand behind his chair. She hugged him from behind, kissing the top of his head.

  ‘My dearest darling, I never want you to worry unnecessarily about me. I am very well and intend to remain that way.’ She stepped beside him and bent down to kiss him.

  ‘Good,’ he said taking her in his arms and kissing her back.

  Chapter 9

  June 1893

  The days were getting warmer and Florence was looking forward to the summer. She didn’t particularly like having to wear a corset under her dress in the hotter months and wished there was a more comfortable mode of dressing, but as the carriage stopped in Pelham Street, she smiled to think that they might be able to eat their dinner with the children outside this evening for the first time this year.

  Florence held three-year-old Dorothy in her arms as she stepped down from the carriage.

  ‘Wait until I help you down,’ she instructed John, who did as she asked and leant back against his father’s legs until she was ready. ‘Right, take my hand now, please.’ She clung on to John’s tiny hand as he climbed down and then
waited for Jesse to bring Margery, and the coachman to hand Jesse his briefcase.

  Florence gazed up at the Boots logo she had grown to love. It was the same one Jesse had designed ten years before, a simple yet appealing sign that she felt certain would stand the test of time.

  ‘Ready?’ Jesse smiled as the doorman opened the door for them.

  Florence beamed at him. She loved moments like these, when they were all together. Their own perfect little family. Miss Tweed was waiting for them inside the main door, her hands resting on the handle of Margery’s pram. The same pram had been kept here for John and also Dorothy and it warmed Florence’s heart to see the familiar navy object that had kept each of her babies secure while they slept as tiny babies next to her desk.

  Jesse lowered the sleeping child carefully, so as not to wake her, and then covered her with a blanket. Each of them was well versed in this daily routine now. Slowly she was finding her way to make most of her days more easy-going. As long as none of the children were battling an ailment, then they were usually very easy to look after at the store.

  John giggled and ran the few steps to Miss Tweed. He hugged her legs tightly. Miss Tweed wobbled briefly and then bent down to ruffle his hair.

  ‘Good morning, Master John. You seem very chipper today?’

  ‘Bithkit?’