A Family For Christmas (31 page)

‘May I be of assistance?' she asked
politely.

The woman smiled stiffly. ‘I'm merely
gleaning ideas for Christmas purchases. This year I particularly need to impress my future
daughter-in-law.' The woman lowered her voice. ‘She comes from gentry, you
know.'

‘Here at Cary's we have so much to
offer the discerning young woman,' Eliza said, pointing to the display of soaps and salts,
lotions and salves. The woman nodded. Then remembering her training at the perfumery, Eliza
added, ‘What fragrance does she like?'

‘Well, that hardly matters, does it?
It's the look of the present that counts,' the woman said, lifting a bar of soap to
her nose. ‘This smells nice but one tablet would hardly impress, would it? I called in
here to gain inspiration before going to the renowned departmental store in Exeter. There, one
can select a box elaborately decorated and filled with products guaranteed to draw admiration
and cries of delight when opened,' the woman expanded, waving her arms theatrically
around.

‘I'm sure that must cost you,
madam.' The woman stared at Eliza in surprise.

‘Of course, but that is hardly the point. One
wouldn't wish to appear mean by giving anything that looked less than generous.'

‘Actually, madam, we offer a similar yet
more personal service right here in Salting Regis,' Eliza declared, determined that if
this woman was going to spend a lot of money then it would be here in the apothecary's
shop. She saw Nan watching from the doorway, her eyes wide with shock.

‘Then where are your displays?' the
woman asked, looking around.

‘Actually, madam, this is where we beat the
other stores hands down. Here at Cary's we guarantee that no two boxes will ever look the
same.'

‘Really?' the woman cried, her eyes
gleaming with interest. ‘And how, may I ask, is that possible?'

‘By allowing the customer to select the
products they wish to purchase, tell us the colour they wish the box to be lined in, and whether
the decorative bow should be large and flamboyant or small and tasteful. Should you care to use
our services, your gift box will be ready within twenty-four hours. And, of course, we
wouldn't even think of invoicing until you call to inspect the finished box.'

‘Really, that all sounds quite splendid.
The idea of somebody else purchasing the same gift always fills one with horror, don't you
find?' Eliza nodded, thinking Grampy was right when he'd said that a fool and his
money were soon parted.

‘Well, madam, I'm sure your son will
have had the good taste to choose someone similar to his mother, so perhaps
you would like to sample the fragrance first. Then we can select
how many items you would like the box to contain,' Eliza said, holding out the various
soaps.

‘I rather think Daphne would like
this,' the woman said, pointing to the lily of the valley.

‘A wise choice indeed, madam, so sweet and
innocent yet sophisticated somehow, don't you think?'

‘That's why I chose it, young lady.
Now I wish you to select one of simply every product, and have them displayed in a box lined
with green velvet and tied with a large, golden bow. I shall call at noon tomorrow to
collect.' And with that the woman nodded and swept from the shop.

Eliza turned triumphantly to Nan, but the old
lady shook her head.

‘What have you done, Eliza?' she
muttered.

‘But that's the way to increase your
sales, surely?' Eliza protested. ‘Present the customer with a something tailored to
their requirements and they'll buy more products.' She was sure that's what
Monsieur Farrant had said.

‘The principle is good, Eliza, but we have
no fancy cloth for lining the box.'

‘Then I'll get some from the
haberdasher's or the market,' she said.

‘But we've no money to buy
any,' Nan explained. ‘The ingredients I purchased for making extra soaps and things
for Christmas took the last of our reserves.'

‘I'm sure we can find
something,' Eliza said, gazing hopefully round the shop.

‘I wish we could because that idea you had
was a sound one, and I could just picture the window adorned with pretty boxes. Never mind, you
meant well, and I'll explain to the customer when she returns tomorrow,' Nan said,
patting Eliza's shoulder reassuringly. ‘You go and have your luncheon. I'll
send Sam up when he's finished with his customer.'

Determined not to be thwarted, Eliza racked her
brains. There must be something she could use, she thought, munching on her cheese. Having
promised the woman she could have the box lined in the colour of her choice it was up to her to
come up with the goods. It wouldn't be fair to
leave Nan to face the woman's wrath. Oh, why hadn't
she kept her mouth shut? But she knew the answer. It was because she'd promised James
she'd try to help them increase their sales. Well, sitting here fretting wouldn't
help.

On her way back downstairs, she passed the coat
stand and stopped in her tracks. There before her hung the answer. It would make the perfect
lining, but could she cut it up? Should she? Dare she?

All afternoon she pondered, then realized she had
little choice. It had been her suggestion and therefore it was her responsibility to fulfil the
order.

‘May I select one of each lily of the
valley product, Nan?' she asked later as Sam was locking the shop door.

Nan gave her a shrewd look. ‘Don't
tell me you've thought of something?' she asked, gathering together the items
herself and handing them to Eliza.

‘I hope so. Can you tally the cost for
me?'

As Nan jotted the sum down in her cash book,
Eliza hurried up to her room. An hour later, she surveyed her handiwork and smiled.

‘What do you think?' she asked,
throwing open the parlour door and holding the box aloft.

‘Well, I never, that's quite a work
of art,' Nan exclaimed. Then her eyes narrowed. ‘Oh, Eliza, you've never cut
up your beautiful cloak?'

‘Needs must when the devil drives, as my
grampy used to say,' she quoted.

‘But where did that beautiful ribbon come
from?' Nan asked, fingering the gold-edged gauze.

Eliza grinned. ‘Monsieur Farrant insisted
the dressmaker make me a toque and it was so flamboyant I asked
her to remove the bow. I'd quite forgotten I'd hidden
it in my treasure box. It's a shame I didn't bring all the other posh outfits he had
made. The fine material would have come in useful,' she sighed.

‘You did right to leave them behind, young
lady,' Grandfa admonished from his armchair. ‘A clear conscience means more than
fancy fripperies.'

‘You're right, of course,' she
said quickly, then turned back to Nan. ‘Add something for the cost of the box, velvet and
ribbon to that of your products, plus a bit for time and effort and you should make a good
profit.'

‘She's got something there,
Nan,' said Sam, looking up from his paper again.

‘I've got plenty of velvet left to
line more boxes. If we use some of the money that customer pays to buy ribbons in different
colours, we'll be able to offer a service to rival anyone in the city. Your products are
the best you can buy, Nan, and if you display prettied-up boxes in varying sizes and prices in
the window, they would catch people's attention as they walk by,' she cried,
excitement rising as she visualized them.

‘Let's see how we get on tomorrow
first,' Nan cautioned.

The customer was delighted at the beautifully
presented gift box. ‘I shall have no hesitation in recommending the service I have found
to my friends,' she announced grandly. As the bell tinkled behind her, Eliza and Nan
collapsed on the counter and burst out laughing.

‘How kind, I'm sure,' Eliza
announced in a fair imitation of the woman.

Sam frowned over the top of his spectacles, but
when
he saw the little pile of coins in
Nan's hand, his eyes widened.

‘Well done, Eliza. I reckon you should go
and purchase those ribbons you were talking about,' he said.

Although James was delighted with Eliza's
scheme, he wasn't too happy that she had only her old shawl to wear out walking the next
day.

‘Are you ashamed of me, James Cary?'
she asked, glaring at him.

‘I could never be ashamed of you, Eliza.
I'm just worried you'll catch your death in that,' he said, putting his finger
through one of its many holes.

‘Oh, James, don't nag so,' she
giggled. ‘I'll save up and buy another cloak. The main thing is that with Sam and
Nan agreeing to my idea, they should turn over a profit and that's what you wanted,
wasn't it?'

He nodded. ‘Quite the little business
woman, aren't you?'

‘Not really, it's only what I learned
at the perfumery.'

‘Beauty and brains, I'm a lucky guy
and no mistake,' James smiled lovingly at her, making her feel warm all over.

Then she stared down at her built-up boot and
sighed. Beauty, indeed! But James was speaking again.

‘Talking of the perfumery reminds me,
Farrant came snooping around again yesterday. Seems to think you've gone off with a
receipt book of his. More worried about that than you, to be honest. Anyhow, I told him
I'd never seen one and sent him packing.'

Eliza shivered but it had nothing to do with the
cold.

‘Look, this wind's bitter,' he said as another
gust blew in from the sea. ‘Let's go into the café over there. Carla does a
mean chocolatina,' he said, gripping her arm and leading her across the street.

As they sat sipping the delicious concoction of
coffee, chocolate and cream, James grinned at Eliza across the table.

‘Thought I'd stay with Father over
the holiday so we can spend the time together,' he said.

Her heart soared. For the first time ever,
she'd have a Christmas to look forward to.

‘He said you could even come over for a
drink if you wish. Now believe you me, that's a first.'

‘Won't he be spending Christmas with
Sam and Nan?' she asked.

James shook his head. ‘Truth is, he's
become a bit of a recluse. If it wasn't for Nan's baking, goodness knows how
he'd survive.' He then fell silent and Eliza had the sense not to say any more. He
took another sip of his drink.

‘I'm afraid I'll only be able
to get you a little something for your gift, Eliza. My wages at the tannery are pitiful, to say
the least. In the New Year, when I finish my apprenticeship, things will improve and I'll
be able to treat you to something special.'

‘Oh, James, you really don't need to
buy me anything. Just spending Christmas with you and your family will be special
enough.'

‘Don't you have anyone to
…' he began, but stopped when he saw her face.

‘It was different when my sisters were at
home. Now they have their own lives and seldom return, not that I
blame them.' She shuddered. ‘The only person I wish
to contact is Fay, the woman who took me in. You remember me telling you how, unbeknown to me,
she undertook to be my guardian.'

He nodded. ‘Haven't you been in touch
at all?' he asked.

‘I started to write to her but gave
up,' Eliza confessed. ‘She wanted me gone, after all. Anyway, Monsieur Farrant said
he'd penned a letter advising Fay of my progress.'

‘So you've had no contact with her
since you left?'

‘No. Probably thought she'd done her
duty by me,' she sighed.

James reached across the table and squeezed her
hand. Their eyes locked and, seeing the love reflected in his, joy flooded through her. Then she
remembered other eyes, the colour of chestnuts, gazing lovingly at her and pulled her hand
away.

‘We'd better get back and see if Nan
needs any help,' she said, jumping to her feet.

‘You remind me of a little sparrow, Eliza.
You edge tentatively closer, then, just when I think I've gained your trust, you hop away
again.'

She stared down at the floor, knowing what he
said was true.

‘Don't underestimate me, though.
James Cary might be patient but he is also persistent,' he said. Then with his winning
smile, he took her arm and they made their way back to the shop.

As word of their gift boxes spread throughout
the town, Eliza and Nan worked flat out satisfying demand. Nan
found remnants of different-coloured material in her closet and
Eliza spent her time lining the various sized boxes that Sam used for the delivery of his
orders, decorating them with elaborate bows. Although she still helped Sam when necessary, he
and Nan agreed she would begin her training in the New Year.

Before they knew it, the last Sunday before
Christmas dawned. James arrived early and Nan shooed him and Eliza out of the way, saying she
wanted to spend the day baking. Sam grumbled good-naturedly at having to make do with a late
‘pot luck' luncheon instead of his beloved roast, but he was looking tired and Eliza
knew he would welcome a bit of peace and quiet.

There was a bitter breeze blowing, whipping up
waves on the slate-grey sea, and as they hurried towards the café, Eliza tripped. It was
only James grabbing her that saved her from falling.

‘Steady,' he said.

‘Sorry, my foot goes numb in the cold and
although these boots are better than my old ones, I still have to think before I step,'
she explained. ‘Bet you think I'm a right clumsy clod.'

‘Actually, I think you are the loveliest,
sweetest, prettiest girl I've ever met,' he declared.

‘If you think that, then you must be
blind,' she muttered. ‘Pretty I am not.'

He frowned and shook his head but said
nothing.

They hurried into the café, welcoming the
warmth from the little fire as they settled at their favourite table and ordered large mugs of
Carla's speciality drink.

‘Well, here's to you, Eliza,'
James said, raising his mug
to hers.
‘Grandfa reckons takings are up, thanks to you and your boxes.'

‘I'm just pleased everything worked
out,' she smiled. ‘Grandfa Sam and Nan have made me really welcome. They're a
lovely couple, and so close, aren't they?'

‘Just the way a marriage should be,
I've always thought,' he replied, staring at her intently.

‘Anyway, I've really enjoyed the
hustle and bustle in the lead-up to Christmas,' Eliza said quickly. ‘The customers
are especially friendly at this time of year. It is satisfying helping them make their
selections and decorating the boxes as they want. Mind you, Nan reckons Christmas Eve will be
the busiest day yet, with husbands hurrying in to buy something at the last minute. It was the
same at the perfumery. That's the only thing I've missed, actually, making
perfume.'

‘That's quite a speech, Eliza. You
are enjoying your job, though, aren't you?' James asked, stirring his drink
thoughtfully.

‘Yes, I am. Why, don't you enjoy
yours?' she asked. He shrugged then grinned. ‘Did I tell you I'll be finishing
my apprenticeship come the New Year?'

She rolled her eyes. ‘Only about a thousand
times, James Cary. I think I should be getting back now,' she added, draining her mug.
‘Nan was looking tired and, pot luck or not, I'd like to help prepare luncheon. No
doubt you're hungry?' she teased.

He stared out of the window and frowned.
‘The weather's closing in and, with Minty taking longer than ever to make the
journey, I think I should be heading back. I need to speak with Father before I leave anyway, so
I'm afraid my visit today is short,' he said.

Her heart plummeted. She'd really been looking forward to
their time together and knew Grandfa Sam and Nan enjoyed sharing luncheon and listening to his
tales about the tannery.

‘Never mind, Guv said that as I've
been working late each evening I can finish at noon on Christmas Eve,' James smiled.
‘I should be here by mid-afternoon and we'll be able to spend the festivities
together.' He reached out and took her hand. As he stared into her eyes, her heart flipped
and this time, she didn't look away.