The Shoemaker's Daughter (32 page)

Craig took a deep breath. ‘It didn’t seem the right time to talk to you about it just now, but it makes sense, Hari, you must see that?’

‘In what way?’ Hari said. ‘We’d be swallowed up, we’d become little more than a cobbling service, do you think that’s what I want?’

‘I thought you wanted marriage and motherhood.’ Craig sounded angry now. ‘I asked you earlier and you said you were content.’

‘How dare you decide from that what I felt about the business?’ Hari’s voice trembled. ‘I was referring to my marriage then, not to work.’

She turned away. ‘Well, now I know where I stand, I will fight you both to the last, I’m not going to let my skill and flair be sold out under my nose this way.’

‘Hari,’ Emily said pleadingly, ‘I thought you’d agreed to all this, I was so happy thinking we’d be working together again. I don’t want you to lose your skill, I want you to use it to make us a bigger and better company.’

Hari looked at her directly then. ‘Do you expect me to believe that?’ She shook her head, ‘You Grenfells don’t know when you are telling the truth any more. You may believe your own lies, Emily, but don’t expect me to be so gullible again. I trusted you once and that was once too often.’

She left the shop and she was trembling with anger, she didn’t see the green leaves above her or feel the sun on her skin, she just felt blind hatred for the two people in her life whom she had loved and who had once again betrayed her.

After Hari had gone, Emily stared at Craig in silence waiting for his explanation. He sank down into a chair, his long legs spread out before him.

‘Well?’ Emily said, ‘Aren’t you going to say anything?’ She paced the room unable to forget the look in Hari’s face. ‘I thought you had won her complete support for this venture of ours, I didn’t dream you hadn’t even told Hari about any of it before you made your plans.’

‘I thought she no longer cared about anything but domesticity,’ Craig replied impatiently. ‘She’s scarcely bothered with the business since she’s known she’s going to have a child.’

‘Having a child is bound to be a slight distraction.’ Emily’s sarcasm was plain to hear in her voice. ‘Don’t you give anyone the benefit of having feelings?’

‘Feelings?’ Craig echoed. ‘I don’t think you know the meaning of the word, and you have the gall to throw accusations at me!’

Emily sank down into a chair and stared at him. ‘We’ve made a terrible mistake and I can’t marry you and I can’t throw back your ring because you haven’t bought me one.’

Craig stared at her. ‘You mean the marriage is off because of one small disagreement. Was it only the business you wanted then?’

‘Perhaps,’ Emily said, ‘I knew that I could make a financial success on my own but I wanted more, I wanted the Grenfell name to be synonymous with original products, with the finest designs, I wanted our name to be famous and Hari could have helped me realize that.’

Craig frowned, ‘You would have married me for all the wrong reasons then?’

‘I suppose so,’ Emily said slowly. ‘And why were you marrying me, was it love or an overriding passion?’ She smiled bleakly. ‘I hardly think so. You are obviously in love with Hari.’

Craig rose from his chair in a swift movement. ‘The business venture was a good idea even if the marriage was not.’ He smiled bleakly, ‘Our romance didn’t last long, did it?’

He looked her directly in the eye. ‘I think you are right, I am in love with Hari, but a fat lot of good that knowledge will do me now.’ He thrust his hands into his pockets.

‘I still think the business venture could work, I can persuade Hari that it’s in her best interest to throw in her lot with us, together we will achieve such a great deal that apart would not be possible.’

Emily shook her head. ‘You don’t know Hari at all, do you? And you don’t know me, either. I’ll make it alone, Craig, from now on I’ll live my own life as I want to live it not as I think other people would have me live it.’ She rose to face him.

‘Now if you’ll forgive me, I have work to do.’

She watched as Craig strode down the street and, for a moment, she longed to call him back. What was she doing destroying her chances of respectability in this way?

Emily felt suddenly weary and alone, would she always be doomed to be alone, a woman with no man in her life? Emily was suddenly angry, angry with Hari, with Craig, but most of all with herself.

Damn respectability and damn common sense! She would put her words into actions and live her life just as
she
wished to live it and to hell with convention.

21

Hari sat in the tiny dressing-room of the theatre in Goat Street exchanging gossip with her old friend Meg. Charles, with his usual robust way of talking, intervened spasmodically to add a comment of his own. Now and then, he and Meg exchanged glances and they seemed so happy to be together again that Hari suspected there was a good deal more than friendship between them.

‘So you are going to be a mummy then.’ Meg sat back in her chair, her make-up completed, and stared at Hari in fascination. ‘You don’t look fat and ugly, you are not at all as I imagined an expectant lady to look.’

Hari laughed, ‘I suppose that’s to come! I’m feeling absolutely wonderful but Edward insists I’m an invalid which of course I’m not and wants me to do nothing but rest.’

‘Take it easy while you can, my love,’ Meg said smiling. ‘I wish I had the chance.’

‘Would you really like to give up work, Meg?’ Charles asked and Meg smiled at him.

‘I’m quickly coming to the stage when I want to put down roots, stay in one place instead of traipsing all over the country.’

Hari sighed. ‘I’m one of those people who love working,’ she said smiling, ‘there’s daft, aren’t I?’

‘Work, that reminds me,’ Meg said quickly, ‘I’ve got some orders for you.’ She delved into a large bag and rummaged for a moment before drawing out a crumpled sheet of paper. ‘Special shoes for the business, golden slippers and fancy leather boots, can you do it?’

‘I’ll be only too glad to oblige.’ Hari didn’t wish to enter into discussions about her business, the pain of knowing that Craig and Emily were double dealing was still raw. ‘Have you got the patterns for the size?’

Meg laughed. ‘I’ve got some more papers somewhere, there!’ Triumphantly she produced the patterns and then carelessly dropping them into Hari’s lap, peered into the mirror, tapped her fluffy hair and tucked a stray curl into place.

‘Well, my love, I won’t offer to make any tiny garments, that’s not my sort of thing but when the infant comes along, I bags being godmother.’

‘There’s a good idea,’ Hari said, ‘and you, Charlie, will you be godfather?’

‘My dear Angharad, I would be delighted to attend the child’s christening and will do the honours to the best of my ability.’ Charles smiled broadly, ‘But are you sure I am a suitable candidate for such a responsible task? I am not exactly known for my religious fervour, you know.’

‘I want you to be godfather and so will Edward, you will be reliable and caring, that’s what counts.’

Hari rose to her feet and tucking the patterns securely into her bag, she felt a sudden surge of excitement, she longed to get started on the slippers and a design for the boots was already tugging at her mind. In spite of the way her life had been taken over by her pregnancy, Hari still burned with ambition to make the finest shoes in the land.

She took a cab to her premises in the High Street, clutching her hands together in a fever of impatience. She had spoken to the landlord and had taken over the rental of the building on her own behalf, Craig could do as he pleased but from now on the name of Grenfell would be erased from the business records.

Her workers were loyal to her and they remained busy in the shop expecting her to keep them supplied with work. And she couldn’t, wouldn’t, let them down.

Hari took the patterns into the workshop and as the men looked up at her she smiled.

‘Some orders from the theatre folk, the first orders I’ve had for some time and I’m hoping for many more.’

‘There’s plenty of work still coming in from England,’ Will said. ‘What shall we do about it?’

Hari considered for a moment. ‘Send the orders on to Mr Grenfell, I’m sure that’s what he would want.’

‘But that will leave us without much work, mind.’ Will sounded anxious. ‘And the English customers expect shoes designed by Hari Morris.’

‘You are a sensible young man,’ Hari said sighing, ‘and perhaps you’re right.’ She sank on to a stool and stared absently at the pieces of leather on the long table. ‘I suppose I’d better sort all this out with Mr Grenfell one way or another.’

She smiled. ‘Perhaps, Will, you’ll go over to the emporium in Wind Street, I expect you will find Mr Grenfell there, ask him what he wants to do about the work coming in from England.’ She put her hand on Will’s arm, ‘You know as much about the business as I do, you may be able to get the answers we need.’

‘I’ll do my best.’ Will took off his leather apron and shrugged himself into a jacket. He looked so grown up, so earnest and worried that Hari resisted the urge to kiss him, knowing he would be mortified at such a gesture in front of the other men.

She watched from the door as he strode along the pavement, Will was growing up, soon he would be a man. With a sigh, Hari closed the door and returned to the workshop.

Will paused outside the emporium and watched the constant flow of people who entered through the double doors. It was clear that trade was brisk and, now that Mr Grenfell had thrown in his lot with Emily, how could the venture fail?

He moved to the back of the premises and saw Sarah Miller, her sleeves rolled up above dimpled elbows, carrying a dustpan and a brush.

‘
Bore da
,’ he said cheekily and Sarah turning smiled warmly.

‘Will, why haven’t you been over our house lately, me and dad look forward to seeing you on a Sunday dinner time.’

‘Didn’t know what sort of greeting I’d get after the last time when you slapped my face,’ Will said ruefully.

Sarah came and stood closer to him. ‘Well, I’ve thought things over now, mind, and although you’re a bit younger than me, I don’t think that really matters. I’ve missed you, Will.’

He made a move towards her but she stepped back. ‘Careful, boyo, my dad is around here most of the time, now, don’t forget.’

Will smiled. ‘Aye, I know, good cobbler is your dad, but he’ll never match Hari.’

Sarah pouted. ‘You and your Hari, I sometimes think you’re in love with her!’

‘Don’t be daft.’ Will’s voice was soft, ‘Hari’s like my sister, I’d die for her but it’s you I want as my girl, Sarah.’

‘Well, you haven’t shown it lately.’ Sarah glanced round quickly and wound her arms around Will’s neck. ‘You’ve grown so handsome and to think when I first saw you I thought you was only a boy.’

Will kissed her holding her close but after a moment, she drew away. ‘I’ll see you afterwards, I’ll say I’m going out for a walk, be down at Victoria Park, right love?’

‘Wait,’ Will called as she would have returned to the shop, ‘is Mr Grenfell here, I’ve got to speak to him.’

Sarah pouted again. ‘Oh, so you didn’t come special to see me then?’

‘Course I did,’ Will smiled. ‘Why do you think I offered to do the errand, it was because I wanted an excuse to speak to you, that’s why I came around the back instead of going through the shop.’

Sarah was mollified. ‘All right then, I’ll believe you.’ She stared at him. ‘But you won’t find Mr Grenfell here, no chance of that! The Grenfells have quarrelled, not speaking again, they’re like kids mind, all lovey dovey one minute, then enemies the next.’

‘What have they quarrelled about?’ Will asked curiously and Sarah leaned towards him.

‘From what I could hear, Miss Emily thought Mr Grenfell had spoken to Hari Morris about going into business with them.’ She shrugged. ‘Of course he hadn’t done any such thing, Hari knew nothing about it, right?’

Will frowned non-committally. ‘Could be, what else was said?’

‘Emily was not best pleased, felt cheated I ‘spect ’cos she needed Hari’s skill more than she ever needed Mr Grenfell’s influence.’ Sarah sniffed. ‘Miss Emily got no time for Mr Grenfell for all that he’s rich, she’s in love with my dad, any fool can see that. But there you are, she thinks he’s beneath her so she tried to get out of harm’s way and marry Mr Grenfell.’ Sarah smiled in satisfaction, ‘It didn’t work, did it? Daft I call it.’

Will was sceptical, from what he knew of the rich and powerful they didn’t fall in love with their workers. But then Sarah was an impressionable girl, fond though he was of her and younger than her by a year he may be, he was still much more mature than her.

‘Well, this needs thinking about,’ Will said, slowly. He was sure that Hari would have nothing more to do with Mr Craig Grenfell but there was still the matter of the latest orders to be sorted out.

‘There’s nothing for it, I’ll have to go up to Summer Lodge and look for Mr Grenfell.’ He smiled suddenly, ‘But don’t forget our meeting in the park, will you?’

‘Go away with you!’ Sarah said coyly. ‘As if I’d forget and why are you suddenly talking all nice like a toff?’

‘Well, I intend to be a toff one day,’ Will said in all seriousness.

He made his way rapidly uphill towards Summer Lodge knowing that if he couldn’t find Mr Grenfell there, he was in trouble. Craig Grenfell was away a great deal on business, which was one reason for the tremendous variety of orders he had brought Hari over the past months and, if he was away, there would be no decision on the orders waiting attention in Hari’s workshop.

The maid opened the door of the big house and stared down at Will with open curiosity. He was smartly dressed in a fresh white shirt and a good suit and yet a quick look at his leather-stained hands shouted aloud the fact that he was a working man.

‘Is Mr Grenfell at home?’ Will asked politely and the maid had him pegged at once by his voice.