withdrawn.
‘Yes, well, no. What I mean
is …’
‘Calm yourself, Lily. Take a deep
breath then start at the beginning. It’s the best way, I find.’
‘Mrs Bodney, something terrible
has happened. Whilst I was at my mother’s funeral, a stranger visited the
workroom. She told the ladies that as the pattern had been changed, they were to
stop work and go home immediately.’ There was a moment’s silence as the
older lady digested what she’d said.
‘Well, the pattern’s
certainly not been changed. Our dear Queen’s known the exact design she wanted
from the start, I can assure you of that. Now, can you think of anyone who would
want to put a bobbin in our works, so to speak?’
There was only one person Lily could
think of but he didn’t wear a veil. Anyway, as far as she was aware, it was
only Lily he had it in for, so she held her tongue.
‘Well, if you do think of anyone,
please let me know. Now you must make haste and get those ladies back to work. They
will be well behind schedule but you may assure them they won’t have any money
deducted from their wages provided they’ve recovered output by my next
visit.’
Back in the workroom, the concerned lace
makers were relieved to hear they weren’t going to lose any of their
much-needed money. As they were due to receive their first month’s wages
shortly, they knew they’d have to work flat out to make up for all the time
lost. Gloom descended upon the workroom like a blanket of sea fog.
‘I don’t
mind staying on, but the trouble is, the later I’m away at night the more the
kids play up,’ Anna muttered, and the others nodded in sympathy.
‘What about us cutting our noon
break?’ Mary suggested. Lily knew Mrs Bodney wouldn’t approve but she
couldn’t see any other solution.
‘Just until the schedule is back
on track then,’ she agreed.
For the rest of the day they worked as
fast as they dared, fearful as ever of making mistakes, so that by the time she told
them they could cover their pillows they were boggy eyed with tiredness. However,
that didn’t stop them speculating as to who the mysterious lady with the veil
had been as they hurried from the room.
Lily watched them go, then, determined
to start making up for the time she’d missed, resumed her work. It seemed only
moments later that Tilda popped her head around the door.
‘Pardon me, Miss Lily, but Mr
Mountsford wondered if you could spare him a moment. I’ve shown him through to
the parlour.’
‘Thank you, Tilda. Tell him
I’ll be with him shortly,’ she said, striving to keep her voice
pleasant, for she really could do without any interruptions this evening. Stretching
her back to ease her aching muscles, she straightened her cap and hurried through to
the parlour.
Rupert Mountsford rose to his feet,
greeting her with such enthusiasm that she found her exasperation disappearing.
‘Miss Lily Rose, I hope I find you
well?’
‘Indeed you do, Mr Mountsford. I
trust you are keeping well yourself?’
‘Rupert – please
call me Rupert,’ he insisted. That idea didn’t sit well with Lily at
all, but Mrs Bodney had insisted she was to keep him happy when he visited.
‘Well, Rupert,’ Lily said,
blushing as she stumbled over his name, ‘how may I help you? I’m afraid
Mrs Bodney isn’t here at present but I’ll be happy to convey a message
to her.’ She swallowed.
‘That’s most kind. However,
I saw Mrs Bodney yesterday. The fact is, Lily … I may call you
Lily?’
She nodded, impatient for him to come to
the point.
‘My business today took longer
than anticipated and as it’s too late for me to begin my journey back to the
city, I’ve decided to stay overnight at a hostelry nearby. I was wondering if
you would do me the honour of joining me.’
Shocked by his suggestion, her eyebrows
shot right up to her cap and she could feel heat burning
‘Yes, well, no. What I mean
is …’
‘Calm yourself, Lily. Take a deep
breath then start at the beginning. It’s the best way, I find.’
‘Mrs Bodney, something terrible
has happened. Whilst I was at my mother’s funeral, a stranger visited the
workroom. She told the ladies that as the pattern had been changed, they were to
stop work and go home immediately.’ There was a moment’s silence as the
older lady digested what she’d said.
‘Well, the pattern’s
certainly not been changed. Our dear Queen’s known the exact design she wanted
from the start, I can assure you of that. Now, can you think of anyone who would
want to put a bobbin in our works, so to speak?’
There was only one person Lily could
think of but he didn’t wear a veil. Anyway, as far as she was aware, it was
only Lily he had it in for, so she held her tongue.
‘Well, if you do think of anyone,
please let me know. Now you must make haste and get those ladies back to work. They
will be well behind schedule but you may assure them they won’t have any money
deducted from their wages provided they’ve recovered output by my next
visit.’
Back in the workroom, the concerned lace
makers were relieved to hear they weren’t going to lose any of their
much-needed money. As they were due to receive their first month’s wages
shortly, they knew they’d have to work flat out to make up for all the time
lost. Gloom descended upon the workroom like a blanket of sea fog.
‘I don’t
mind staying on, but the trouble is, the later I’m away at night the more the
kids play up,’ Anna muttered, and the others nodded in sympathy.
‘What about us cutting our noon
break?’ Mary suggested. Lily knew Mrs Bodney wouldn’t approve but she
couldn’t see any other solution.
‘Just until the schedule is back
on track then,’ she agreed.
For the rest of the day they worked as
fast as they dared, fearful as ever of making mistakes, so that by the time she told
them they could cover their pillows they were boggy eyed with tiredness. However,
that didn’t stop them speculating as to who the mysterious lady with the veil
had been as they hurried from the room.
Lily watched them go, then, determined
to start making up for the time she’d missed, resumed her work. It seemed only
moments later that Tilda popped her head around the door.
‘Pardon me, Miss Lily, but Mr
Mountsford wondered if you could spare him a moment. I’ve shown him through to
the parlour.’
‘Thank you, Tilda. Tell him
I’ll be with him shortly,’ she said, striving to keep her voice
pleasant, for she really could do without any interruptions this evening. Stretching
her back to ease her aching muscles, she straightened her cap and hurried through to
the parlour.
Rupert Mountsford rose to his feet,
greeting her with such enthusiasm that she found her exasperation disappearing.
‘Miss Lily Rose, I hope I find you
well?’
‘Indeed you do, Mr Mountsford. I
trust you are keeping well yourself?’
‘Rupert – please
call me Rupert,’ he insisted. That idea didn’t sit well with Lily at
all, but Mrs Bodney had insisted she was to keep him happy when he visited.
‘Well, Rupert,’ Lily said,
blushing as she stumbled over his name, ‘how may I help you? I’m afraid
Mrs Bodney isn’t here at present but I’ll be happy to convey a message
to her.’ She swallowed.
‘That’s most kind. However,
I saw Mrs Bodney yesterday. The fact is, Lily … I may call you
Lily?’
She nodded, impatient for him to come to
the point.
‘My business today took longer
than anticipated and as it’s too late for me to begin my journey back to the
city, I’ve decided to stay overnight at a hostelry nearby. I was wondering if
you would do me the honour of joining me.’
Shocked by his suggestion, her eyebrows
shot right up to her cap and she could feel heat burning
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