The Silk Vendetta (22 page)

“We feel just hopeless at selling.”

She looked round the place with something akin to distaste.

Then she said: “Listen. If you’re going to get on in the business world, you have to know people. They can’t make up their minds themselves. They have to be told. This is good. This is special. Tell them enough and in the right way and they’ll believe it. Your dresses were a success at Sallonger’s, weren’t they? Every girl going to Court had to have her Sallon Silk dress.”

“We have Sallon Silk here but nobody wants it. Grand’mere has made some beautiful dresses. They are still hanging here.”

The Countess looked at us benignly. “I think,” she said slowly, “that I can help you out of your troubles. Let me see what you have here.”

We took her round and she examined our stock with care. “I see,” she said. “Tomorrow I am bringing Debbie to see you.”

“Debbie?”

“My protegee. She is a charming creature. You will love her. She is one of my best ever. A little aristocratic blood and she would have been perfect. But you can’t have everything.”

“Do you think she would buy one of our dresses?”

She smiled at us. “I think that is very likely. Leave this to me. I think things are going to change. You have one or two here which would fit her. We will see what can be done.”

The next day, true to her promise, the Countess arrived with her protegee.

She was right. Debbie was beautiful. She had large greenish eyes with heavy dark lashes and dark brown curly hair; but it was her expression which was most appealing; there was a delightful innocence about her.

They arrived in a carriage with a resplendent coachman and a little page at the back to leap down and open doors.

The Countess could be very regal on occasions and this was one of them.

“This is Miss Deborah Mellor,” she said; “Deborah, Madame Lenore and Madame Cleremont.”

Deborah bowed her head charmingly.

“I have persuaded Madame Lenore to make your ball gown if she can fit it in.”

“That is very kind of you,” said Deborah.

”But first we are going to look round and see if there is some little thing we fancy.”

“I should love that.”

“As you know, Madame Lenore, Madame Cleremont, and I are old friends. That is why they have agreed to give you special attention.”

I wanted to laugh but the Countess was very serious.

”I wonder if you would be kind enough to show us one or two of your models,” went on the Countess.

“With pleasure,” I said. “Do come along, Miss Mellor.”

“Oh, look at this!” cried the Countess. “I have not seen ruching done in this way before, have you, Deborah?”

“No, Countess, never.”

“It would be most effective. We must try that one on. And the rose pink one, too.”

What a morning that was! I shall never forget it. It was the beginning of a change in our fortunes; and we owed it all to the Countess. Deborah Mellor bought the two dresses and we had a commission to make her dress for a very special Court ball.

Of course, this was child’s play for Grand’mere who had done similar things before and she was in her element.

Later that day the Countess called on us. She had brought with her a bottle of champagne.

“Fetch glasses,” she commanded. “We’re celebrating. This is the start. Oh, you innocents! I am going to turn you into wily business women. Debbie is delighted. She is so grateful to me for bringing her to you. She says your clothes are ravishing. I explained the smallness of your premises as being due to your insistence on exclusiveness. You only make for the very best … the top people. You would not look at anyone else. She will see that the word is spread. Now, my dears, you will have to be ready. You need assistance. You must find an expert seamstress—two I think—There are thousands of them in London looking for work. Debbie will talk about you. So shall I. And I shall bring people to you as a special favour to them.”

“I can’t believe it is as easy as that,” said Grand’mere.

“Everything is easy when you know the way. Look round you. Things are good mainly because people believe them to be good. Mind you, you have to have something to build on. You can’t do it on rubbish. But if you have two articles of equal value side by side, and ask for an opinion you will find the one which has the right aura—though in all other ways it is exactly the same as the other—will be acclaimed, and that without, ignored. It is the world all over. People have to be told that something is good … and if it is good, they will agree. But don’t tell them and they will think nothing of it. Lenore’s models are good … so we are off to an excellent start. We are going to make Lenore’s the most sought-after dressmaker in London.”

We could not help laughing and our spirits rose when we considered the sales she had brought us, though we did not, at this stage, entirely believe her.

But how right she was proved to be.

The ball gown was a startling success; the duke proposed. “It was a lucky dress,” said Deborah.

“She looked ravishing,” said the Countess afterwards. “Everyone wanted to know who her dressmaker was. I said, T am not telling … we don’t want to share her.’ But, of course, I let it slip. People are asking me for introductions.”

“It seems incongruous,” I said. “There we were begging for business and now they are begging us.”

“It’s the way of the world,” said the Countess.

And from that time we began to prosper. We were able to engage new seamstresses. We took the premises next door which gave us better living accommodation. The label Lenore on a garment meant high fashion.

We made Deborah’s wedding dress. She looked very beautiful and fervently we wished her happiness with her duke. She had been our saviour. No. That was the Countess; and during that year she continued to bring clients to us.

One day she called and said: “I had a nice present from Mellor pere for getting his daughter satisfactorily settled and I have never been very attracted by my way of earning a living. I rather fancy myself selling … in a place like this.”

“Do you want to come in with us?” I cried.

“Well, what do you think?”

“We can never be grateful enough to you, can we, Grand’mere?” I said; and Grand’mere agreed with me.

“I’d put the Mellor present into the business. Then I can be a partner. It will give you more time with Katie.”

So the Countess joined us.

Soon after that Lady Sallonger died. She passed quietly away in her sleep. I felt saddened, for in spite of her demands I had been quite fond of her. Grand’mere and I went to The Silk House for the funeral.

There was nothing now to keep Cassie from us, and she made haste to join us. She settled in with ease and both Grand’mere and I were happy to have her support as well as that of the Countess.

Within five years of our coming to London we were firmly established. Often I thought of Philip and those happy days we had had together. Katie was very like him—a constant reminder. But I was growing away from unhappiness. I had my daughter, Grand’mere and good friends; moreover I was discovering that I was quite a good business woman. I had a flair for design; I could choose material; I could see ahead and plan what should be done.

The Countess had shown us the way and Lenore’s was becoming one of the leading court dressmakers.

As we became more and more successful Julia was a frequent visitor to our showrooms. She had changed a great deal. Her tendency to put on weight had stayed with her and she was what is called ‘ ‘buxom.” Her colour had heightened and Grand’mere thought she had fallen into her husband’s habit of drinking heavily. She was very amused by our progress.

“I could not believe it,” she said. “Everyone was talking about Lenore’s … wonderful models … wonderful hats. …” (We had started hats at the Countess’s suggestion— not many, just a few to match the costumes.) “And all the time it was you!”

She spent a good deal of money with us, for her husband was wealthy. I often thought of the old days when she had been so dismayed at her inability to make a capture during her season.

The Countess thought she had done very well. As she said: “After all, John Grantley has the money and he does not stint her.”

I could believe that Julia was very pleased with life… .

Then her husband died and she became a wealthy widow. She evidently savoured her freedom with relish.

“Certainly she came very well out of the marriage market,” commented the Countess.

She gave what she called “soirees” at her elegant house near Piccadilly. Her guests were mostly politicians with a sprinkling of what she called “the bohemians,” artists, musicians, writers and such like. Occasionally I was invited. She would engage a violinist or a pianist—always a fashionable one—to perform for us; those were her musical evenings; then there were card evenings and some dinner parties. Julia was fast becoming a leading hostess and entertaining far more frequently than she had done during her husband’s lifetime.

Cassie was enjoying being in London. She worked very hard and Grand’mere said she was a great asset. For a brief period Julia tried to find a husband for her—a project which horrified Cassie, and as Julia quickly tired of her projects when they did not find immediate success, she soon stopped trying very hard.

I did not play cards and I did not care for a great many of Julia’s friends; many of them were gamblers and heavy drinkers; but I did enjoy the musical evenings. Julia realized this and those were the ones to which I was invited.

Katie was now seven years old. She was a beautiful child with a sunny nature—not exactly pretty but her charm was great. She loved the whole world and thought the whole world loved her. I was very proud of her. Every night I would read to her before she slept; and then I would sing a hymn to her, for she loved hymns; and I would lie beside her, her hand clasped in mine. And I think that then I was really happy again.

I thought: If we can go on like this I shall be content.

Julia had sent an invitation to one of her musical evenings. I was wondering whether to go or not but Grand’mere said: “You know you do enjoy them. I should go if I were you. Cassie would like to go with you.”

So Cassie and I went.

I shall always remember it—that elegant room with the palms in the corner, and the grand piano on the dais and Julia, the gracious hostess in a violet coloured velvet gown trimmed with ecru lace which Grand’mere had made for her.

Julia had commanded a middle-aged gentleman to look after Cassie, who would have preferred to be without his care. The pianist played Chopin and this was followed by polite applause. I sat through the playing and thoroughly enjoyed it and as the applause died down, I saw a man coming towards me. He was tall, extremely good-looking and vaguely familiar. He was smiling at me quizzically.

“We have met before,” he said.

Then I knew.

“Yes,” he went on.’ ‘Drake Aldringham and you are Lenore. I would have known you anywhere. Mind you, you have changed. I’m delighted to meet you again.”

He took my hand and held it firmly.

“I left in rather a hurry. Do you remember?” he went on. “There was no time to say goodbye.”

“I remember it well.”

He laughed. “It’s a long time ago.” Then he was serious. “I know about you … and Philip. Julia told me. I’m sorry.”

“And what of you?” I asked.

“I’ve been abroad. That is … until just about a year ago. My father has interests on the Gold Coast. Well, now I’m back … to settle. At a by-election I recently became Member of Parliament for Swaddingham.”

“How interesting.”

“I think so. I’m enjoying it. It is what I always wanted, but my people thought I ought to travel a bit first… see the world. Perhaps they were right. Well, here I am.”

“Do you live in Swaddingham?”

“I have a house near … fortunately it is conveniently in reach of my constituency. I also have a place in Town … not far from here. It behooves a member of Parliament to be stationed in two places—near those who have elected him and the House. I hear you have become a successful dress designer.”

“With my grandmother and Cassie … you remember Cas-sie? … and the Countess of Ballader.”

“So you are really an important business woman now.”

“Well… a business woman.”

“A rare species.”

“Oh, it is always difficult for women. They have to work twice as hard as men to be equal with them.”

“Very unfair, but I believe true. I have often thought of you.”

“Have you?”

“Yes. You were at the source of the trouble really. I behaved abominably marching off like that. I ought to have been bold and stayed.”

“How could you? You were Charles’s guest.”

”It was a foul thing he did. It makes my blood boil even now.”

“It was good of you to take up the cudgels on my behalf.”

“Not much good … after the deed was done.”

“Thank you, anyway.”

“I should like to come along and see your place. Is that permissible?”

“Certainly. Gentlemen do call—though usually in the company of ladies.”

“Perhaps I should get Julia to bring me along.”

“That would be an excellent idea.”

“Julia says you have a little girl.”

“She is seven years old now. She is enchanting.” I felt myself glowing as I always did when I talked of Katie.

“I should expect that of her,” he said, smiling at me.

Julia had come up.

“Oh Drake … so you found Lenore.”

“Yes, we have been reminiscing.”

”That’s ancient history.”

“Not all that ancient.”

“Why, Drake, we were all children then. Do come and talk to Roskoff. He plays divinely but he is hard going conversationally. I’ll see you later, Lenore.”

He smiled at me and went off with Julia.

I felt rather excited.

I did not have a chance to talk to him again. Cassie wanted to leave and as we never stayed long after the music was over, I went with her.

I said: “Did you see Drake Aldringham?”

“Drake Aldringham?” she repeated. “Wasn’t he … ?”

“Yes, the one who came home with Charles that time. There was trouble and he threw him in the lake.”