“You do very good work. These gloves match perfectly. Not all do.”
“Thank you. My grandmother taught me. She came from Ireland.” Pearl smiled at the memory. “She was very exacting.”
“Here’s breakfast.” Lillian came in carrying a tray with a plate filled with food. “Hello, Mother. I see you’ve met our waif.”
“Yes. Did you make enough?” Mrs. Miller examined the plate.
Lillian placed the tray on Pearl’s lap. There was a large serving of scrambled eggs, several slices of bacon, and two pieces of buttered toast. A small dish of raspberry jam and another glass of milk were also on the tray. The plate sat on a rectangular lace doily.
Pearl bowed her head and thanked God for these generous people and for the food they were giving her. The amount of food was more than she normally ate, but she didn’t stop eating until every morsel was gone. It tasted delicious and she mentioned that fact several times while she ate. Mrs. Miller beamed when Pearl commented on how wonderful the jam was.
Mr. Miller had gone down to the shop shortly after Pearl began eating. Lillian sat beside her.
“We sell quite a lot of lace in the shop. Mostly collars, handkerchiefs, and gloves. Some doilies and antimacassars, also. Your pieces would sell very well, I think. Do you have any new pieces you could bring in? Ones you’ve made but haven’t used?”
“I made several things while Patrick was ill. Crocheting helps me deal with difficult things. It helps me relax.”
“When you feel up to it, bring them in. We can discuss what they will sell for when you do.”
Pearl bit her lip. “Would this afternoon be too soon? I work weekdays at Townsend and Wyatt. I couldn’t get here until after work.”
“Are you sure you feel up to it?” Lillian asked, placing a hand on Pearl’s arm.
“I’ll be fine. I need to. It’s too long until I can get back here.”
“I’ll give you trolley money, Mrs. Ward,” Mrs. Miller said.
“Oh, you mustn’t. You all have been more than generous.”
“How about you pay me back from your first sale?” Mrs. Miller smiled at her.
“Thank you.” Pearl stood, then sat down again. “My shoes? Where are my shoes?”
Lillian laughed. “Here.” She fished them out from under the davenport. “Will took them off.”
“What?” Mrs. Miller’s tone was scandalized.
“Mother, relax. He didn’t see anything other than her stocking feet.”
“Still, it’s quite improper.”
Lillian grinned at her mother, while Pearl buttoned her shoes. “I won’t tell anyone if you won’t.”
“Lillian, really,” huffed her mother.
~~~~~
Will stood next to his mother while she inspected the lace items Mrs. Ward had brought in. He hoped they met with her approval since he wanted to help the young widow as much as possible. If they carried her work in the shop, she would be coming in on a fairly regular basis.
“These are lovely, Mrs. Ward. I do believe they will sell well.” His mother laid the final piece she’d been looking at on the counter. She went on to explain what each could sell for and how much the commission would be. “Normally, I pay for items after they sell. I’d like to help you out by purchasing these outright. Then, we can begin the commissions after they’ve sold with the next pieces you bring in.”
“Again, you are more generous than I deserve. Thank you.”
“Nonsense, my dear. If we can’t help others, how do we demonstrate our faith?”
Will looked at his mother. She never failed to surprise him. She could be condescending, judgmental, and abrupt one moment. The next she would be generous, loving, and sweet. It seemed that today she was in the loving mood.
“Will, write up a receipt to record the purchase and start a ledger page for Mrs. Ward. Then pay her for the lacework. I need to get back to your father. He’s feeling poorly again. That’s why I came in the first place. To let you know he wouldn’t be in today.”
“Do you think it’s serious?” Will asked.
“No more than usual. I tried to get him to allow me to contact a physician, but he won’t. I don’t know what to do other than let him rest.”
“You go to him now, Mother. Assure him I will be fine without him looking over my shoulder.” Will grinned at his mother. “He taught me well.”
Will kissed his mother’s cheek and helped her don her coat. Once she left, he turned to Mrs. Ward. “You do make lovely lace. Much better than some we have carried. I wouldn’t be surprised if you are offered commissions. I’ll get the money for these.”
Will filled out the receipt and opened the ledger to a blank page. After writing her name at the top he listed the items she had brought and what price was paid. “When you bring in some work I’ll record each piece, what the commission will be, and the selling price we will list it for. When it sells, I’ll mark that, and again when you are paid.” He pointed to each column as he moved across the page writing in the headings. Will saw that she was paying close attention.
He counted out the bills and handed them to her. “Do you have enough money to purchase what you need to eat until you are paid next Friday?”
She folded the bills and put them in her handbag. “Yes, I went to the market on my way home and bought what I will need for the next few days with the money you paid me for the watch-locket before I left earlier. Thank you.” She looked as if she wanted to say something else, so Will remained silent. “Mr. Miller. Why didn’t you tell your mother about purchasing my locket?”
Will cleared his throat and ran a finger around his stiff collar. “I, ah, purchased your locket with personal funds rather than those of the shop. Since it wasn’t money from the business, it was none of her business.” He grinned, hoping she caught the pun.
She smiled slightly. “I’m not sure why you did so, used your personal funds, but thank you. I’m not sure how I can repay your kindness. That of your sister and mother, also.”
“You don’t need to. Not to us. You help someone else in need sometime. Scripture says what you do for the least of these…” He let the sentence drop.
“I will.” She smiled and turned to leave.
“When do you think you’ll bring more lace?” Will was reluctant to have her leave.
She looked back at him. “If I can get more thread on Monday, I should be able to bring a few small pieces in next Saturday.”
“Do you need money to purchase the thread?”
She patted her handbag. “No, I have enough now.”
Will watched as she left the shop and walked past the window.
CHAPTER THREE
Pearl rode the trolley to the watch shop the following Saturday. She had a brown paper wrapped bundle in her lap with lace collars, doilies, and lace edged handkerchiefs to deliver. There was also a pair of gloves.
Lillian Miller had come into Townsend and Wyatt Dry Goods on Thursday and found Pearl in the fabric department where she worked. She had hugged Pearl, trying to contain her excitement.
“I just had to come and tell you. We sold all your lace. Mother is delighted. She’s hoping you will bring more in this week. She wants to talk with you about some larger items. Something that will show your talents more.”
Pearl was shocked. She’d only hoped a few of her pieces would sell. To have them all be sold was astounding. “How wonderful, Miss Miller. I have some finished and was planning to bring them Saturday. Will that be soon enough? I don’t know how I would be able to bring them sooner.”
“Oh, call me Lillian, and may I call you Pearl? I have a feeling we are going to be very close friends. Yes, Saturday is fine. I was just so pleased when I sold the last collar, I simply had to come and tell you.”
“Mrs. Ward, please don’t be chatting with friends while you are on duty.” It was Mr. Dimmick, her manager. He stepped from behind her.
“Oh, I’m going to be purchasing something. Don’t worry, sir,” Lillian said. “I’m wanting to make
a summer outfit and need several yards of white dress goods. Lawn, I think. I see you have some here.” Lillian stepped in front of Mr. Dimmick and fingered a bolt of white on white striped cotton. “What do you think, Mrs. Ward? How many yards do you think I’ll need?”
As Pearl answered, Mr. Dimmick lifted his nose in the air, turned on his heel, and walked away.
“My heavens, what a stick in the mud. As if you can’t have a conversation with a customer that’s not about making a sale.” Lillian huffed.
“He’s serious about his job and that we present a very professional demeanor.”
“What’s wrong with developing rapport with the customers? We do it at the shop all the time. It builds loyalty. If people don’t feel welcome, they don’t come back. Doesn’t he realize there are other dry goods stores in St. Joseph?”
“Did you really want the fabric? You don’t have to purchase anything.”
Lillian grinned. “Oh, I’m going to buy the fabric. I’d love a new dress. I think I’ll take six yards. That will be enough to make the dress. Do you have any dressmaker patterns?”
“Yes, over here. We have McCall’s and Butterick. There are several new styles. The skirts are being designed much narrower.”
Pearl and Lillian looked through the patterns until they found one both liked. Once Pearl measured and cut the fabric, Lillian hugged her, paid for her purchase, and waved goodbye. As Pearl was putting the fabric bolt back in the rack she saw Lillian detour from a direct path to the exit to walk past Mr. Dimmick and ‘accidentally’ drop her bundle. Pearl turned away, smiling. Yes, Lillian was going to be a good friend.
~~~~~
Will saw the familiar hat through the window. He was sitting at his workbench, though he hadn’t been getting much work done. Lillian had told him Pearl would be coming with more lace items today. He couldn’t seem to keep his mind on the watch he was cleaning.
He stood, taking a towel and wiping his hands. The door opened, setting the attached bell jingling. Mrs. Ward entered carrying a parcel. She looked much better than when she’d come in last Saturday. There was color in her cheeks. The defeated air she’d had was gone. There seemed to be hope within her now.
“Good morning, Mrs. Ward. Lillian mentioned you’d be by with some more lace. Did she tell you we sold all you brought last week?”
“Yes, Mr. Miller, she did. Did she tell you she purchased dress goods?”
Will smiled. “Yes, she told me about your manager. Did you know she dropped her package right at his feet?”
“I did.” She grinned back at him. “She thought he was very rude, I’m sure.”
“That’s my sister. She’s about as subtle as a raging bull.”
That made her laugh. It was a sweet laugh. One he could listen to all day.
“Mother isn’t here at the moment. Father is feeling poorly and won’t be in today. Mother stays with him most of the time.”
“I’m sorry your father isn’t feeling well.”
“Thank you. She did say she would come sometime this morning. I hope you aren’t in a hurry.” Will hoped she had the time to wait.
“I’m not. I can stay a while. Would you like to see the lace? You could record them while we wait.” She began to untie the string holding the parcel together.
While they were itemizing what Pearl had brought, Lillian came down from the flat.
“Pearl, hello. Will, why didn’t you let me know she was here? I would have come down sooner. Pearl, I have the dress all cut out. There’s only one problem though. I forgot I was low on white thread. I’m going to have to go to a store and buy some more.” Her eyes twinkled with mischief. “Do you think your boss would appreciate me going to another dry goods store rather than buy several spools at Townsend and Wyatt?”
Pearl chuckled. “If you drop them right at his feet, he just might.”
“Oh, you saw that, did you? I just wanted to make sure he knew I was a paying customer.”
“Thank you. As I’m a newly hired clerk, Mr. Dimmick seems to always be shadowing me. I’m sure he’s only wanting to help me understand the job so I don’t make mistakes.”
“You are correct, I’m sure.” Lillian’s grin was wide and full of mischief.
“Would you want to help me inventory and tag each of these?” Will asked dryly.
“Of course, my dear brother. When is Mother arriving?”
They had just finished the recording when their mother entered the shop. “Good morning, my dears, Mrs. Ward. It’s delightful to see you again. I see you brought more lace.” She looked at her daughter. “Someone let you know all of yours sold.”
“Yes,” Pearl said. “Lillian was kind enough to come and tell me.”
“And I helped Pearl keep her job. I’ll have a new dress for the summer, too. As soon as I get it sewn, that is.”
Will decided it was time to bring the topic back to the lace. His mother might make a comment about the number of garments his sister already had in her wardrobe. “Mother, you mentioned you wanted to speak with Mrs. Ward about specific items you would like her to create.”
“Yes, thank you, Will.” She turned to Pearl and explained what she’d like her to make.
~~~~~
Pearl counted her skeins of crochet thread. She would need to purchase more. There weren’t enough with the same dye lot to make the sleeveless blouse. She didn’t want there to be variations in the color of the thread even though the blouse would be made from white.
She had been surprised when Mrs. Miller asked her to make the garment. It was more complicated than the items she had taken to the shop both days. Rather than crochet the entire garment in one piece as she did most collars and handkerchief edging, she would have to make the motifs individually then crochet them together.
Pearl would take her thread and hook with her to work and crochet during her breaks and at lunchtime. If she was able to work on it consistently, the blouse could be done in two weeks.
Lillian was becoming a good friend. Saturday, Pearl and she had gone to the small park a few blocks away with a picnic lunch Lillian had packed.
They were only a little over a year different in age with Pearl being older. Lillian had moved in with her brother after her birthday in November last year.
“Mother and I were arguing all the time. Don’t get me wrong. I love her, but she was driving me insane. She doesn’t seem to realize I’m an adult. I want to manage my own life. Having to answer to her daily for every minute was absolutely awful.
“It was driving a wedge between us and between her and Father, too.” Lillian flopped back on the grass, looking up at the puffy clouds floating in the blue sky. “He was the one who suggested I move in with Will. Mother wasn’t happy, but I grabbed the opportunity.” She chuckled. “I didn’t even ask Will. I just packed and showed up at the shop with my luggage.”
Pearl smiled. “I’ll bet he was delighted. It’s lonely living in an apartment by yourself.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to remind you of your loss.” Lillian turned on her stomach and, with contrite eyes, looked at Pearl.
“You didn’t. I just know what it’s like to live with someone other than your parents and now by myself.” Pearl smiled at her friend. “So, was he delighted when you moved in?”
“No. His mouth dropped open when I announce he now had a roommate. He’s a wonderful brother, though. He let me move in and hasn’t complained. Much.”
Pearl laughed. “He seems to be a caring man.”
“He is. I don’t know why he hasn’t found someone to marry. Well, maybe I do. Mother can be rather intense when she wants to. Several years ago, Will brought a young lady home to meet the family. Mother was in one of her ‘moods.’ Few women can stand against her then.” Lillian sat up and began packing the picnic basket.
Pearl had gone home after they went back. Lillian would work in the shop during the afternoon, allowing Will to concentrate on the repairs and orders for handcrafted brooches and pendants.
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Pearl was sitting in the parlor of her flat by the window, taking advantage of the sunlight. She picked up her crochet hook and thread. She would practice the motifs for the blouse and make them into a collar. If it turned out well, she’d take it to the shop to sell. If she wasn’t pleased with it, she could either wear it herself or pull it apart and use the thread for something else.
~~~~~
Will watched as his father entered the shop. He hated seeing this formerly vibrant man looking sickly and weak. Granted, his father was sixty-years-old, but until recently he’d enjoyed good health and vitality. Now, he was slightly stooped and moved much slower. He watched his steps rather than looking ahead.
“Good morning, Father. It’s good to have you in the shop.” Will walked around the counter in greeting.
“Yes, my boy. It is good to be back. Your mother, she’s such a worrier. Where’s the faith in God, I say?”
Will stepped aside to allow Matthew Miller to head to the workbench. “What are you working on today?”
“There were several watches brought in yesterday. I’m going to be cleaning them and making general repairs. Look at this one.” Will handed a watch to Matthew.
“Well, it needs more than general repairs, I’d say.”
The pocket watch was dented and the cover bent. It would take time, effort, and a great deal of care to make it work again.
“The owner said his three-year-old son got a hold of it and this is the result.”
Matthew chuckled. “Little boys will do that. I remember when…”
Will sat and began working on the extremely damaged watch. His father reminisced about his son’s childhood escapades, many of which Will had no recollection of. It wasn’t quite like when he was learning the trade and they worked side by side, but it was good to have his father in the shop again.
“Where’s your sister? Isn’t she supposed to be here?”
“Lillian is making a delivery. Mother told you about the young woman making lace items for us to sell, didn’t she?”
“Yes, a widow, correct?”
“Yes, Mrs. Ward. She does beautiful work. It’s selling very well. She can hardly keep up with the demand. Her things are in that case.” Will pointed, and Matthew stood slowly and walked to the display case.
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