The Lady of Pelham Street

by Deborah Carr

  She turned her attention to the neat invitation booklet on her desk and studied. It might only be three inches tall, but she thought it looked smart with its slim red cord hanging down between the two pages.

  ‘I don’t think we’ve forgotten any details,’ she said, checking each page for the first time since it had been brought to her from the printing department.

  Miss Tweed looked at the one she was holding. ‘The first page details the saloon carriages and then goes on to add where they’re going and what will be happening when they get there. Then about dinner being served at noon in the Pavilion and the menu.’ She smiled and looked at Florence. ‘I wish I was going. I haven’t been to Skegness for years, and this menu looks very enticing.’

  Florence also wished her secretary was able to come along, but Miss Tweed’s mother had been taken poorly the previous month and was still battling with a dreadful chest infection that didn’t seem to want to budge. ‘There’s still time to change your mind, Agnes,’ she said. ‘Are you certain you won’t?’

  Agnes shook her head. ‘I’d love to, really I would, but I don’t like to be so far away from Mother in case she might need me. At least when I’m here her neighbour can send word to me if her condition deteriorates.’

  ‘I understand,’ Florence said. ‘However, I’ll make up a hamper for you to take home and share with your mother as compensation for not being able to join us.’ It made her feel much better to think that her secretary wouldn’t entirely miss out on a treat. She decided she would ask Mrs Rudge to cook a ham and some vegetables, as well as put in a plum pie, apple pie, and some jellies. At least that way Agnes would taste some of the delicious menu on offer to the others who were going on the outing. She would also speak to Jesse about the latest medicine to ease a chest infection and add that to Agnes’s hamper.

  Miss Tweed gasped. ‘That is most generous, Mrs Boot, thank you very much. Mother will be touched by your generosity. We will make a special occasion of eating it.’

  ‘It will be my pleasure entirely,’ Florence replied, happy to have thought to make the suggestion. ‘I just wished you weren’t missing the band of Pierrots playing in the Pavilion.’

  Miss Tweed pointed to the line in the invitation that mentioned the number of donkeys they had hired specially to give employees free rides. ‘I shan’t mind not going on the donkeys though; I’m a little nervous of them.’

  Satisfied that the invitation card was perfect, Florence slid a copy of the Skegness Party timetable over to Miss Tweed.

  ‘Please read through this again, while I do the same. I need to be certain there are no errors before sending everything out to the women who’ll be joining us.’ She read each line through to the end. ‘You’ll see that I added a note for attendees to bring wraps, as I suspect it might be a little cool by seven-thirty when the train leaves Skegness Station to return to Nottingham.’

  ‘That makes good sense.’ Miss Tweed smiled at Florence and handed back her copy of the timetable. ‘Everything looks perfect as far as I can see.’

  ‘Good.’ Florence took a deep breath, relieved to have completed this part of her planning. ‘Now, if you could arrange for each of the women to receive these, I’ll continue working through today’s diary.’

  ‘Would you like me to make you a cup of tea now?’ Miss Tweed asked, tidying up the documents they had been checking and placing them on a side table. ‘Then I can start sending out the trip invitations.’

  ‘That would be lovely, thank you.’

  Florence needed a final check-through of her list of things to do for the outing. She didn’t want there to be any dramas, and by making sure that every effort had been taken with the planning and communicating her wishes to each member of staff, she believed it was less likely that any would occur.

  Jesse always left the planning and arrangements of the excursions to Florence. She thought back to one of the first outings she had arranged, the day trip she and Jesse had taken the staff on to Castleton in Derbyshire. She could still see the huge group of employees smiling at the camera as they posed on the hillside.

  It had been a splendid day and she had recently heard two of the women reminiscing about the photo she had handed out to each of the members of staff who had come with them. It had made the perfect souvenir and Florence had written, ‘With kind regards from Mr and Mrs Jesse Boot’. One of the women had recalled how they had all sung the song ‘Mr Warings’s Glee Party’ at the Great Peak Cavern. Yes, it had been a day to remember and there had been many more since then.

  The difficulty was coming up with new ideas and making each special and memorable for the staff. She was delighted that Lily Buttons was joining them for the outing, as she had all the others Florence had invited her to since coming to work at Boots.

  At the thought of Lily, Florence mused about how much she was proving to be an asset of the company, just as Florence had expected her to be when she took her on. There was something worrying Lily though, Florence was certain of it. She had seemed a little glum on one occasion when Florence had caught her off-guard and she decided that the only way to find out what was going on with Lily was to ask her. She would go as soon as she finished her tea.

  She hoped it wasn’t anything serious but sensed there was something amiss. What though? she wondered.

  Florence left her office and went downstairs to find Lily. She had to stop several times to speak to a couple of customers who wanted to compliment Florence on the beautiful silverware that they stocked, and then she had a brief conversation with a manageress about a new member of staff who wasn’t fitting into her role as well as she had hoped.

  Florence spotted Lily. She was talking to a young man, but it occurred to Florence that Lily didn’t appear to be as calm as usual. Florence studied her for a moment. Lily’s jaw was clenched and her hands were clasped together tightly. Something was wrong.

  ‘Who is the man speaking with Miss Buttons?’ she asked the nearest shop assistant, a young girl who had worked with Lily for several years. ‘I don’t recognise him as a regular customer, do you?’

  The girl’s cheeks turned a deep shade of pink. ‘No, Mrs Boot.’

  Florence could tell the girl knew more than she was letting on. ‘Have you seen him here before?’

  The girl shifted from one foot to the other and chewed her lower lip before replying. ‘He was here the other day. Lily, that is, Miss Buttons asked him to leave and not come back, but, well, here he is. I’m not sure who he is, just that she doesn’t want him to come here.’

  ‘Thank you.’ Florence was grateful for the girl’s honesty. She looked over at Lily once again and could see the man was becoming slightly agitated.

  Florence didn’t want to embarrass Lily but decided that it was time to intervene.

  ‘Good afternoon,’ Florence said, smiling brightly first at Lily and then at the man she was speaking to. ‘Is there anything I can help you with, Miss Buttons?’ Before Lily had a chance to answer, Florence gave the man her full attention, aware that she could come across as rather severe. ‘I’m Mrs Boot, and you are?’

  ‘T-T-Thomas Danby.’ When Florence didn’t say anything else, he added, ‘I’ve come to ask Miss Buttons something.’

  ‘He was just leaving, Mrs Boot,’ Lily said quietly, glancing around her.

  ‘But, Lily, I mean Miss Buttons, we haven’t finished our conversation yet.’

  ‘We have.’

  Florence could feel the tension emanating from Lily, who was well aware that conversing with friends on the shop floor was not acceptable. ‘Mr Danby, I believe Miss Buttons has work to be getting on with, so if you would accompany me to the door, I’ll show you out?’

  ‘No,’ he argued through clenched teeth. ‘I have no way of contacting her other than to come here. Please, I need to make Lily understand why I did what I did.’ He looked past Florence. ‘Please, Lily. Just give me one more minute to try and explain.’

  Florence was grateful that he was at least keeping his
voice low enough that others couldn’t hear what was being said. She forced a smile and rested her hand on Lily’s right upper arm. ‘I believe that this conversation is finished, as far as Miss Buttons is concerned. Is that correct, Miss Buttons?’

  ‘Yes, it is,’ Lily answered without taking her eyes from his face. She leant a little closer to him and, lowering her voice even further, said, ‘If you come here again I’ll ask the doorman to call the constable. Now please leave and don’t come back.’

  ‘Would you come this way please, Mr Danby?’ Florence asked, her arm out to her side to encourage him to join her. After a brief hesitation and one last pleading look at Lily, he did as she asked.

  Florence walked through the store to the front entrance with him. ‘Mr Danby, it is not acceptable for you to bring your personal matters into this store,’ she explained as calmly as she could. ‘In fact, by doing so, you are putting Miss Buttons in a very difficult position, so I would ask you, as she has done a few times, not to return.’

  Florence looked up at Albert who was frowning at Mr Danby.

  ‘Trouble, Mrs Boot?’

  ‘No, there isn’t,’ Thomas Danby muttered. ‘I was going.’

  Albert ignored him and waited for Florence to answer.

  ‘No, thank you, Albert,’ she reassured him. ‘However, please see that Mr Danby here doesn’t return to the shop. Thank you. Goodbye, Mr Danby.’

  She returned to Lily’s department and on the way it occurred to her that Lily wouldn’t be able to speak openly to her on the shop floor. Florence would need to speak to her in private if Lily was to confide in her.

  She didn’t wish to draw any further attention to Lily so returned to her office. She ran her eyes over the day’s jobs outstanding in her diary.

  A few minutes later, Miss Tweed entered Florence’s office and placed a cup of tea on Florence’s leather-topped desk.

  ‘Please could you ask Miss Buttons to be sent to me when she has a free moment?’

  ‘Of course, Mrs Boot.’

  Florence had finished her drink and was replying to an invitation that had come for her and Jesse when a knock on her office door alerted her to Miss Tweed’s presence. ‘Miss Buttons is here to see you, Mrs Boot.’

  Florence screwed the cap back on to her fountain pen. ‘Thank you, Miss Tweed. Please show her in.’

  Miss Tweed stepped back into the hallway and waved for Lily to enter the office.

  ‘Hello, Lily. Would you like some tea?’ Florence asked as she entered the room.

  ‘Yes, please.’

  ‘I’ll make some and bring it right in,’ Miss Tweed said, picking up Florence’s empty cup and taking it with her as she left the room and closed the door quietly behind her.

  Florence stood and motioned for Lily to take a seat. Her young friend’s face seemed pinched and tense, and she wasn’t surprised after what had happened a little earlier. Florence noticed that Lily had lost weight, but made sure to hide the concern on her face.

  ‘I’m sorry to take you from your work, Lily,’ she said sitting back down behind her desk, ‘but I wanted to speak privately with you about Mr Danby.’

  Lily studied her hands. ‘I’m so sorry about what happened,’ she said, looking close to tears. ‘I told him the last time that he mustn’t ever come to the shop to speak to me, but, as you saw, he didn’t listen.’

  ‘I know this isn’t your fault, Lily.’ She was relieved Jesse was out checking on other stores otherwise he would have made much more of a fuss, and Florence knew that would have mortified Lily. ‘Even before today, I’ve had the feeling that something was worrying you. I think it has been for a while now.’

  Lily didn’t answer.

  ‘You might not wish to discuss it with me, and of course that’s fine. But I wanted to ask you, in case there was something I might be able to do to help.’ She raised her hands.

  Florence waited a few seconds while Lily sat thoughtfully. She hoped she hadn’t made the wrong assumption, or, worse, offended Lily. Florence was about to apologise for bringing her to the office when Lily shook her head.

  ‘You’re not wrong, Florence,’ she said quietly. ‘I have found myself at somewhat of a –’ she hesitated, struggling to find the words ‘– disadvantage lately.’

  Florence couldn’t imagine what she meant but sensed it was about Mr Danby. Then a troubling thought seeped into Florence’s mind. Could Lily have found herself in the same predicament as Nellie had? If she was pregnant, would Lily tell her? Florence wondered. She hated to think of Lily living hand to mouth like Nellie had after having her son. She would find a way to help her, but whatever she did, Florence knew that having an illegitimate baby would cast a long shadow on Lily’s future life. She hoped she was wrong.

  ‘Do you wish to confide in me about it?’ she asked, hoping Lily would do so.

  Lily nodded and picked at the skin on the side of her left thumb. ‘I do, yes.’

  Miss Tweed knocked once on the office door and walked in carrying a tray. ‘I’ve also brought a plate with a few biscuits,’ she said, setting up two cups and saucers, the teapot, a jug of milk, and a smaller pot with cubes of sugar.

  ‘Thank you,’ Florence said, giving her a grateful smile for being so thoughtful. Miss Tweed always seemed to know when something extra was needed.

  Florence held out the plate to Lily, barely aware of the office door closing behind her secretary. ‘Take one and eat it while I pour us both a nice cup of tea.’

  Florence poured the tea, placed a cup in front of Lily, and took one for herself, before sitting back in her chair.

  ‘What is it?’ Florence asked, believing that being blunt might spur Lily to share whatever it was that she was embarrassed to mention. ‘Tell me.’

  Lily cleared her throat and took a deep breath.

  ‘I know you’re a kind and generous person,’ Lily said, ‘after all you’ve done for me.’

  Florence tried not to let her imagination go into overdrive. ‘You’re really worrying me now. Please, just tell me, whatever it is.’

  ‘I’ve had a bit of a difficult time lately,’ Lily admitted, the words rushed, as if by saying them more quickly they wouldn’t be so upsetting to her. ‘And now I find myself … without a permanent place to stay.’

  Florence remained silent. Her mind had whirred with several worrying possibilities of what might be bothering Lily, but this hadn’t been one of them. Florence tried to understand why Lily should find herself in such a situation.

  ‘Whatever happened?’ Before Lily had a chance to answer, it occurred to Florence that this situation might not have occurred that day, or even the day before. ‘How long ago?’

  ‘Two weeks.’ Her voice cracked with emotion and Florence could see Lily was struggling not to cry.

  Florence opened her top right drawer. She hated to see someone who was usually so composed being this upset. She withdrew a fresh handkerchief before hurrying around her desk and putting her arms around Lily’s shoulders. ‘Oh, my poor dear girl. Here, take this,’ she said handing her the hanky. ‘Wipe your eyes.’

  ‘I … I feel such a failure,’ Lily gulped between sobs.

  ‘That’s nonsense,’ Florence argued, returning to her side of the desk and sitting back in her chair. ‘Firstly, I need you to tell me where you’re staying at the moment.’ She almost held her breath, hoping that Lily had found reasonable rooms since she’d left her previous address.

  ‘I’ve found a couple of rooms. They’re not ideal, but they’re warm and near to Pelham Street, so I’m happy enough with them.’

  Florence was hurt to think that Lily hadn’t come straight to her when her situation had changed but was worried Lily might clam up if she admitted how she felt. ‘And why did you have to leave? I thought you were happy in your place.’

  Lily cried fresh tears. ‘I was, very happy.’ She took a shuddering breath before continuing. ‘However, a few months ago I, well, I began courting my landlady’s younger son.’ She glanced up at Floren
ce, who nodded for her to continue. ‘She caught us kissing two weeks ago and insisted I leave immediately.’

  ‘I didn’t know you had met someone,’ Florence said, half to herself. She was surprised Lily hadn’t confided in her about the young man she had been seeing.

  Lily cleared her throat and stared at her hands. ‘Yes. I thought we would probably marry, but when his mother insisted I leave he didn’t say one word to stand up for me.’ Fresh tears began to fall as Lily continued. ‘I can’t believe he cared so little for me that he simply let her throw me out. She only gave me two hours to pack and go.’

  Florence clenched her jaw, wishing she knew where to find the landlady and give her a piece of her mind. She studied Lily’s heartbroken face and knew that she needed to be a support to her, not act as a parent might and confront the other woman. Florence couldn’t help feeling furious on her friend’s behalf.

  ‘That’s monstrous behaviour, from both of them,’ she snapped, her anger taking over from her good intentions to remain calm. ‘If you wish, I’ll go and speak with them. You only have to give me their names.’

  ‘No, please.’ Lily’s eyes widened. ‘I don’t ever want to see him, or her, again.’

  Florence was shocked by Lily’s story. How could anyone evict a young woman? Lily could have found herself in all sorts of terrible situations. Florence was relieved that she had found another place to live, but couldn’t help feeling hurt that Lily had chosen not to confide in her about all of this. This hard-working girl had still turned up to work each day immaculate and on time, despite dealing with heartbreak.

  ‘I wish you’d come to me about this, Lily,’ Florence said softly. ‘I want you to promise me faithfully that should you find yourself needing a friend for anything at all, you’ll come to me immediately.’ She waited for Lily to agree.

  Lily nodded. ‘Thank you, I will.’

  ‘Good.’

  Florence arrived home later, still slightly upset that Lily hadn’t confided in her. She couldn’t help thinking that she should be helping her friend somehow. An idea had been brewing in her mind since she left the store, but all the way home Jesse had been chatting about a meeting he’d endured earlier that day with the owner of a small store that he’d approached and made an offer for. She decided to speak to him about her thoughts once they had changed for dinner and were sitting quietly later.