William stood smiling down at her and in the glow of the morning sunlight, he looked so appealing, so wonderful that, for a moment, Eline couldn’t speak.
‘The job,’ he said softly, ‘it’s yours if you want it.’ He stepped aside. ‘Come indoors and we can discuss it.’
Eline followed him into the shop and, for a moment, the room was a long, dark abyss after the glare of the sunlight. She stumbled and William caught her arm andheld on to her for a moment. Eline, looking up at him, felt a wash of emotion that was so strange that she almost gasped out loud.
‘What would I have to do?’ Eline found her voice. ‘I’ve never worked in a shop, mind, I would probably make a fool of myself.’
‘No, you wouldn’t,’ he said with conviction. ‘I need a lady assistant and all you would have to do is help customers to make up their minds about what kind of footwear they want.’
‘I don’t know,’ Eline said doubtfully, ‘don’t shop assistants have to live in?’
‘In some cases it is appropriate,’ Will agreed, ‘but I want someone who lives locally who would go home at nights because I have no living accommodation on the premises.’
He smiled down at her, his eyes alight, as though he was more intent on drinking in her closeness than in what he was saying.
‘I would be able to pay six shillings a week and, of course, the job would only be for a moderate few hours a day. I wouldn’t expect you to work from dawn till dusk.’
It was so tempting. Eline looked up at William and smiled, resisting the urge to lean against him, to beg him to take her in his arms and ride away with her on a white horse. Such nonsense was not for a respectably married woman.
It was as if a bucketful of cold water had been thrown over her head. Eline gasped. What about Joe? What would he have to say about her mad idea of working in a shop? Then she became calmer. Joe could not keep her locked up like a doll in a case; she must be her own person like the rest of the women in Oystermouth. Not one of her neighbours lived the dull, restricted life she did.
‘I’ll take it,’ she said quickly. ‘Shall I start right away?’
William seemed taken aback by the suddenness of her decision. He thrust his hands into his pockets and looked around him.
‘Yes, I suppose so.’ He seemed to pull himself together. ‘If you could just take off your apron and put away your basket, I’ll show you what I’d like you to do first of all.’
As carefully as if it was of the utmost importance to her, Eline folded her spotless apron, keeping the creases in place as she put the apron away in the empty basket.
Will led the way to the back of the shop. ‘I’d like you to chose some ladies’ shoes, anything you think appropriate, and then later, perhaps you’ll set them out in the small window.’
‘I don’t think I’m clever enough to make up a window display,’ Eline said doubtfully. She watched as William set up some boards, covering them with black silk.
‘Of course you are,’ Will said confidently. ‘What do you think of the window with the boots in, effective, isn’t it?’
‘Very,’ Eline agreed and William paused to look at her, his smile warming his eyes.
‘I did that myself.’ He spoke with an endearing air of boyish pride. ‘I didn’t think I was capable of such imagination but, you see, we all have a little bit of creativity in us.’ His smile widened. ‘And you, I’m sure, have more creativity in your little finger than I have in my entire body.’
He dropped the silk into place and turned to face her. Eline could smell the freshness of his skin and almost touch the streaks of light gleaming in his hair. She stepped back at once, her heart beating swiftly. Her emotions felt raw, she was like a foolish child adoring that which she could not have.
‘Of course,’ he said gently, ‘if there are lady customers in the shop, leave everything and serve them.’
He led her to where the ladies’ boots
‘The job,’ he said softly, ‘it’s yours if you want it.’ He stepped aside. ‘Come indoors and we can discuss it.’
Eline followed him into the shop and, for a moment, the room was a long, dark abyss after the glare of the sunlight. She stumbled and William caught her arm andheld on to her for a moment. Eline, looking up at him, felt a wash of emotion that was so strange that she almost gasped out loud.
‘What would I have to do?’ Eline found her voice. ‘I’ve never worked in a shop, mind, I would probably make a fool of myself.’
‘No, you wouldn’t,’ he said with conviction. ‘I need a lady assistant and all you would have to do is help customers to make up their minds about what kind of footwear they want.’
‘I don’t know,’ Eline said doubtfully, ‘don’t shop assistants have to live in?’
‘In some cases it is appropriate,’ Will agreed, ‘but I want someone who lives locally who would go home at nights because I have no living accommodation on the premises.’
He smiled down at her, his eyes alight, as though he was more intent on drinking in her closeness than in what he was saying.
‘I would be able to pay six shillings a week and, of course, the job would only be for a moderate few hours a day. I wouldn’t expect you to work from dawn till dusk.’
It was so tempting. Eline looked up at William and smiled, resisting the urge to lean against him, to beg him to take her in his arms and ride away with her on a white horse. Such nonsense was not for a respectably married woman.
It was as if a bucketful of cold water had been thrown over her head. Eline gasped. What about Joe? What would he have to say about her mad idea of working in a shop? Then she became calmer. Joe could not keep her locked up like a doll in a case; she must be her own person like the rest of the women in Oystermouth. Not one of her neighbours lived the dull, restricted life she did.
‘I’ll take it,’ she said quickly. ‘Shall I start right away?’
William seemed taken aback by the suddenness of her decision. He thrust his hands into his pockets and looked around him.
‘Yes, I suppose so.’ He seemed to pull himself together. ‘If you could just take off your apron and put away your basket, I’ll show you what I’d like you to do first of all.’
As carefully as if it was of the utmost importance to her, Eline folded her spotless apron, keeping the creases in place as she put the apron away in the empty basket.
Will led the way to the back of the shop. ‘I’d like you to chose some ladies’ shoes, anything you think appropriate, and then later, perhaps you’ll set them out in the small window.’
‘I don’t think I’m clever enough to make up a window display,’ Eline said doubtfully. She watched as William set up some boards, covering them with black silk.
‘Of course you are,’ Will said confidently. ‘What do you think of the window with the boots in, effective, isn’t it?’
‘Very,’ Eline agreed and William paused to look at her, his smile warming his eyes.
‘I did that myself.’ He spoke with an endearing air of boyish pride. ‘I didn’t think I was capable of such imagination but, you see, we all have a little bit of creativity in us.’ His smile widened. ‘And you, I’m sure, have more creativity in your little finger than I have in my entire body.’
He dropped the silk into place and turned to face her. Eline could smell the freshness of his skin and almost touch the streaks of light gleaming in his hair. She stepped back at once, her heart beating swiftly. Her emotions felt raw, she was like a foolish child adoring that which she could not have.
‘Of course,’ he said gently, ‘if there are lady customers in the shop, leave everything and serve them.’
He led her to where the ladies’ boots
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