by Linda Finlay
‘I’ve just boiled a nice bit of bacon for your supper, dearies. Oh, and Mrs Bodney says you can finish at seven tonight, seeing as it’s your first day.’
They looked at each other in amazement. Bacon for supper?
‘Coo, we only gets that on high days and holidays,’ Caroline exclaimed.
‘I’ll be as round as a barrel if we keep eating like this,’ Rosie said, looking down at her ample figure and grimacing. They all giggled, and then, with the thought of a special supper to look forward to, set about their sewing with renewed vigour.
‘Oh bleeding Nora.’
They all looked up in surprise.
‘Whatever’s the matter, Christina?’ Caroline asked.
‘I’ve only gone and sewn this spray to me apron, haven’t I?’ she wailed.
Caroline went over to look, then groaned. ‘Cripes, you’ve made a right blooming mess of that. We’ll have to cut it off.’
‘Is there no other way?’ Christina asked, looking hopefully at Lily, who walked round the table and examined the flounce.
‘Take off your apron and I’ll see if we can prise it apart without damaging the lace,’ she said. But it was no use, the stitching was too tight. She shook her head. ‘We’ll need to cut it off, I’m afraid.’
‘Won’t that ruin the work?’ Christina asked, tears rolling down her cheeks.
‘It’s the only way of separating your apron from the rest of the flounce. Stand up,’ she said, snatching up scissors and deftly easing the stitching around the sprig.
‘Is there some problem?’ Mrs Bodney asked, appearing in the doorway.
Christina sank onto her stool but the others turned and looked at Lily expectantly.
‘Nothing we can’t sort out, Mrs Bodney,’ she said, forcing her lips into a smile.
‘Hmm,’ the other woman said doubtfully. ‘Well, when you’ve all finished what you are doing, make sure your work is covered. Supper is waiting for you in the kitchen.’
As Mrs Bodney disappeared, Christina stood up, turning to Lily in dismay.
‘Look, it’s hanging from me apron now. What shall I do?’
‘There’s only one thing for it. We’ll have to cut the sprig off. Stand still,’ she ordered, carefully cutting around the lace while leaving the apron intact. The sprig, however, was ruined.
‘Let’s cover up the work and go through to the kitchen,’ she said as the others hovered impatiently for their supper, despite the predicament.
‘Won’t we be one sprig short now?’ Caroline asked.
‘Oh, she’ll kill me when she finds out. All that work wasted,’ Christina wailed.
‘Look, it’s only the one sprig that’s actually ruined,’ said Lily, inspecting their work. ‘The rest of the flounce is fine.’
‘But she said she’d counted the sprigs and weighed the materials,’ Caroline said. ‘Oh, Christina, you are a clumsy oaf.’
‘Name calling’s not going to change anything. Let’s go and eat or Mrs Bodney will know something’s up,’ Lily said. But as she led the way through to the kitchen, she couldn’t help wondering what they were going to do.
Despite their predicament, the hot bacon and freshly baked bread laid out on the table proved too tempting to resist. Even Christina was tucking in as though she’d never seen such food before. Maybe she hadn’t, Lily thought. After all, she didn’t really know anything about these women she’d found herself amongst. Except now, it seemed, they were looking to her for direction.
As Lily ate she pondered their problem. They’d need to make another sprig, that much was evident. Typically, the designs on the flounce were larger than those on the veil. She had her pillow and bobbins upstairs, of course, for no self-respecting lace maker would ever travel without those. No, the problem was lack of thread. But Mrs Bodney had slipped back into the room and was addressing them.
‘Christina, please can you explain why you have threads hanging from your apron?’
‘I, erm, that is …’ she muttered, looking down at the table.
‘For heaven’s sake, answer me, girl. I am not an ogre. Has there been some mishap?’ Mrs Bodney demanded.
As one the sewers all turned to Lily.
‘There has been a slight one, Mrs Bodney. A sprig got joined to an extra piece of material by mistake.’
Mrs Bodney raised her eyebrows. ‘That much is evident. First I noticed the sprig missing from the flounce and then I saw the extra threads hanging from Christina’s apron. Well, it didn’t take a genius to work out what had happened, did it? What I want to know is, why wasn’t I told?’
The room fell silent as they stared down at their empty plates.
‘Well, I’ll tell you why,’ Mrs Bodney continued. ‘It was because you thought you wouldn’t get the special supper I’d laid on, and believe you me, when I came into the workroom and saw the state of the flounce, I was tempted to send you all to bed without any.’
They gasped in surprise.
‘Oh, yes, I could see what was wrong even then. However, I’m a fair woman and you’ve all put in a good day’s work so I desisted. Judging from the empty plates, I take it that, despite your predicament, you all enjoyed your meal?’
A murmur of appreciation ran round the kitchen.
‘Well, that’s something. Now the question is, what are we going to do about the flounce?’
The room fell silent and once again the ladies turned to look at Lily.
‘Surely it’s not too bad, Mrs Bodney?’ she ventured. ‘I’ve got my pillow and bobbins upstairs.’
‘But, no thread and, of course, the patterns for the sprigs have been destroyed,’ Mrs Bodney continued. ‘Now, that seems to me, to be about as bad as it can get.’
The room fell silent and once again, they turned to Lily. ‘I notice you all seem to be looking to my lace maker, Lily, for leadership,’ Mrs Bodney remarked. ‘And amazingly, despite the poor reception you sewers gave her this morning, she appears to have accepted the role.’
The sewers squirmed in their seats, looking uncomfortable.
‘Lily, from now on, you are in charge. The rest of you can retire to your beds and get a good night’s sleep. Lily, come with me,’ their employer ordered as, with a swish of skirts, she left the room.
‘You aren’t going to be in trouble, are you? Only I’ll come with you if you want,’ Caroline offered.
‘That’s kind of you but I’m sure it’ll be all right,’ Lily answered. Wishing she felt as confident as she sounded, she hurried after Mrs Bodney.
CHAPTER 41
Nervously, Lily approached the table where the flounce was laid out but, to her surprise, Mrs Bodney looked up and smiled.
‘Sit down, Lily,’ she said, patting the stool beside her. ‘I’m afraid I need your expertise before I can allow you to go to bed.’ With a smile, she held up a replacement sprig for the flounce. Lily gasped and Mrs Bodney raised her eyebrows. ‘Do you honestly think I’d have travelled all this way without bringing a few spares with me?’ she asked.
‘But you said all the thread had been weighed,’ Lily replied, shaking her head.
‘And so it has, including that necessary for a few extra sprigs in case of any accidents. You always have to think ahead in business, Lily. You’d do well to remember that.’
‘So I’ve not got to make any more, then?’ Lily said with relief, for she was feeling very tired.
‘Indeed not. However, I need you to attach this tonight. With only a short time left to complete the commission, we can’t afford to get behind schedule,’ she said, handing Lily a needle that was already threaded.
Stifling a yawn, Lily began her task.
‘Of course, we mustn’t let the others know we have spare sprigs, or they could become careless,’ said Mrs Bodney, pushing the flash closer to Lily, so that its bowl of water reflected added light from the candle onto her work. Not only had the room grown dark, it was cold too. ‘Tomorrow I’ll ask Mrs Staple to light us a fire,’ she added as Lily shivered. ‘I h
adn’t expected us to be working this late tonight. However, it does give me the opportunity to tell you that I’m really pleased with the way you handled the sewers today.’
Having been sure she was in for a dressing-down, Lily looked up from her stitching in surprise.
‘As well as being an accomplished lace maker, we can now add sewer and finisher to your testimonials.’
‘Will that make any difference?’ Lily asked.
‘Indeed it will. From now on you can command a higher wage,’ Mrs Bodney said and, seeing Lily’s look of surprise, she smiled. ‘Yes, it was always my intention to pay you the same rate as the sewers and finishers, Lily. Not that you will be paid that now, of course.’
‘Why not? I work just as hard as them,’ she protested.
‘But now you are their overseer. Expecting the same pay indeed,’ Mrs Bodney said, waving her hands dismissively. ‘Fiddlesticks. You will be paid a suitably enhanced rate. Really, Lily, if you are to succeed in business you will have to learn to negotiate. Still, the humble lace maker now earns more than the skilled sewers and finishers,’ she said, chuckling so that Lily stared at her in amazement.
‘Oh, yes, I heard what they said about you. Now what was I saying? Ah, yes, you have good leadership skills, Lily. The ladies like and respect you. That’s a rare combination. Now, when you’ve had regular reading and writing tuition, you’ll have the makings of a fine businesswoman. Wouldn’t you like to run your own concern?’
‘As I said before, Mrs Bodney, there’s no chance of that happening.’
‘Defeatist talk,’ she retorted, waving her hands in the air again. ‘You have a good brain and your lace making skills are second to none. Tell me, Lily, what exactly do you intend to do with your life?’
‘Well, I never really thought further than this job and marrying Tom,’ she answered, her brow creasing.
Mrs Bodney stared at her with owl-wise eyes. ‘Well, perhaps you should. Life doesn’t just happen, you know.’
‘It’s different for you, Mrs Bodney. I mean nothing worries you, does it?’ Lily said seriously.
‘Surprising as it might seem, some things do. I’ve had to work incredibly hard to establish my reputation, and without it, I would never have won the commission to make the lace for our Queen’s wedding dress.’
‘I bet you loved going to the palace, Mrs Bodney.’
‘I was petrified when I heard I was to be presented to Her Majesty,’ she whispered. Lily looked at her sceptically and her employer leaned closer towards her. ‘If you promise not to tell anyone, I’ll let you into a secret.’
‘Tell a lie and hope to die,’ Lily said, crossing herself.
‘Yes, well, whilst I was waiting to be received by our Queen, I was so nervous that I fainted clean away,’ her employer said, laughing.
‘Oh, Mrs Bodney, you didn’t!’ Lily exclaimed, her eyes wide.
‘Yes, I’m afraid I did. The staff at the palace treated me so kindly that by the time I was announced, I’d completely recovered. Do you understand what I’m saying, Lily?’ Mrs Bodney asked.
‘Yes, that even you are human,’ she giggled.
‘Indeed,’ Mrs Bodney said seriously. ‘However, the reason for sharing my experience is to demonstrate that we can influence the direction we wish our life to take. If I’d let my nerves get the better of me by running away, as I was sorely tempted, I wouldn’t have received the commission I’d worked so hard to earn.’
‘Yes, but I don’t see how that affects me. I’m not going to the palace, now am I?’ Lily retorted, rolling her eyes.
‘Maybe not, but you could aspire to running your own concern.’
Not sure how to answer, Lily bent her head over her work and resumed stitching. To start a business you needed money, even she knew that.
‘Lily, the first hurdle in the business world is making contacts. The next is winning contracts, or commissions. Now it seems to me you’ve already managed the first two.’
Lily stopped sewing and stared at her employer. ‘I’m not sure I understand what you mean.’
‘Your contact is Lady Clinsden and she is commissioning you to make lace for her,’ Mrs Bodney said, shaking her head at something so obvious.
‘Oh,’ Lily murmured, thinking there must be more to it than that, but not wishing to appear completely stupid. She bent her head back over her work and continued sewing.
A few minutes later, she put in the last stitch and carefully finished off.
‘There, all done, Mrs Bodney,’ she said, holding out the flounce.
Her employer moved closer to the light of the candle, inspecting her stitching closely.
‘Well done. That’s as neat as any trained sewer or finisher. You’ve done a good day’s work, Lily, so I’ll tidy up here and you can away to your bed. Good night.’
‘Good night, Mrs Bodney,’ she answered, stifling a yawn as she left the room. It had indeed been a long day.
Ten days later, they were sitting in the kitchen eating their midday broth and enjoying a break from their sewing, when Lily looked up to see Rosie staring at her.
‘Is something wrong, Rosie?’
‘I was just wondering if you was a nun, Lily,’ the girl said frowning.
‘Really, Rosie, that’s a stupid thing to come out with, even for you,’ admonished Caroline.
‘Well, it’s just that you always wears black, Lily, and nuns do that, don’t they?’
‘That’s because I’m in mourning for my mother,’ Lily said, noticing for the first time that the others were dressed in an array of light blues and greens. ‘However, it’s almost six months since she died, and when we finish our work here, I intend to visit the draper in Sidmouth and purchase some brightly coloured material.’
‘Cor, you must have pots of money. Can I come with you?’
‘For heaven’s sake, Rosie, shut up and eat,’ Caroline said, raising her eyebrows at Lily. ‘Well, now the flounce is finished, what’s next to stitch up?’ she asked.
But just then Mrs Staple came in, wiping her hands on her overall.
‘Lily, Mrs Bodney says you’re to go through to the front room. You have a visitor.’
Her heart flipped. Could Tom have found out where she was working?
‘See, I said she was rich. Did you see that pearl she wears in her cap?’ she heard Rosie say as she hurried down the hallway. Smothering a smile, Lily’s hand automatically touched the hat pin Mrs Bodney had loaned her. How Tom would laugh if he heard her being referred to as rich.
She entered the drawing room to find it was Aunt Elizabeth waiting to see her. Feeling awkward, she hesitated before crossing the room and dutifully giving her a peck on the cheek. It was no good, no matter how much she’d thought over her situation, she would always think of the woman who’d brought her up as her mother.
‘Aunt Elizabeth, this is a surprise,’ Lily finally managed to say. ‘Is everything all right?’ She noticed now that her aunt was looking nervous.
‘Lily, please accept my apologies for calling unannounced, but I wanted to see you and I also have some news to share with you. I won’t keep you long for I know you are busy and I am on the way to Bransbeer. When I heard the stagecoach was stopping at Honiton it seemed opportune to ask them to drop me off on the road to the coaching house.’
‘How did you know I was here, Aunt Elizabeth?’
Her aunt looked at Mrs Bodney.
‘Lady Clinsden knew we were coming here,’ her employer answered.
‘Lady Clinsden? I don’t understand. And why are you going to Bransbeer? Is something wrong with Beth?’ Lily asked, relief rushing through her when her aunt shook her head.
Mrs Bodney rose to her feet, smiling graciously. ‘If you’ll excuse me, I have things I must attend to. May I offer you some refreshment, Elizabeth?’
‘That’s very kind, but on this occasion I must decline. I have promised to be waiting outside for the stagecoach, when the clock chimes the half-hour,’ Lily’s aunt said.
> Smiling graciously, Mrs Bodney left the room.
‘How are you, my dear?’ Aunt Elizabeth asked, turning towards Lily.
‘I’m fine, and you?’ she said quickly.
‘I was pleased to get your response to my letter, Lily. I truly wanted to speak with you when I returned to Coombe, but the opportunity never seemed right and then we had to make that sudden departure …’ Aunt Elizabeth said, trailing to a halt and looking anxiously at Lily. ‘I’d understand if you didn’t want anything to do with me now,’ she murmured, twisting her kerchief in her hands.
‘Oh, Aunt Elizabeth, of course I do. I was shocked, of course, but then I realized it must have been difficult for you in the olden days,’ Lily said.
‘The olden days, eh?’ her aunt said, chuckling. ‘Well, one day this prehistoric woman will take you back to her cave and explain everything.’
‘There’s so much I want to ask you,’ Lily said, excitement bubbling up, despite herself.
‘I am grateful you wish to keep in touch with me, Lily. Regrettably, I have but a short time to spend with you today. However, I give you my solemn word that when next we meet, I will answer any question you may care to ask.’
‘Oh,’ Lily said frowning. ‘That could be some time, with you being in Ilminster and everything. How’s Robert? Is he keeping well and does he like his new trade?’
‘Lily, you always were one for asking questions,’ said her aunt, chuckling and relaxing back in her seat. ‘Robert is very well and sends his love. He is making great progress in his apprenticeship and has the makings of a fine clock maker. It has increased his confidence enormously. And he’s made you something for your betrothal,’ she said, taking a parcel from her bag and handing it to Lily. ‘He sends this with his very best wishes for your future and says nothing will keep him from attending your wedding. And how is Tom? Does he mind you working in Honiton?’ she asked.
Lily stopped stroking the packaging around the parcel and frowned. ‘He doesn’t know I’m here, Auntie. Mrs Bodney told me we were leaving Bransbeer only the night before and I had no time to get a message to him. Always supposing I knew where he was.’