Page 117 of The Wedding Dress Repair Shop
I also asked Thom and Simon if they could come over after lunch next day to help me move the rest of the display mannequins upstairs. That being a Saturday, I thought they’d be working in the morning, but they both said they didn’t mind closing up for a while earlier. Pearl, of course, didn’t shut her shop till four on Saturdays.
They were to come at ten, which gave me enough time to prepare Amy Weston’s dress for display. This was mostly a matter of a little gentle pressing, and finding the information card, plus the right size of Perspex holder for it.
When the mannequins had first arrived, I’d labelled them with the numbers of the dresses that would go on them, apart from a couple of spare ones, which were already in my storeroom.
I knew where they were all going to be placed, so as Simon and Thom took them up in the lift, two at a time, I told themwhich were to go in where, according to Honey’s room plans: Bloody Brides, Great Wedding Disasters and Almost a Bride, which covered most of the exhibits, though the first room by the lift and stairs was left unnamed for anything that didn’t seem to fit elsewhere, or was on temporary loan …
The silent crowd in the Rosa-May Room, some headless and some not, rapidly dwindled until it was empty apart from the expectant glass cases and the soft silk gauzy shimmer of my Titania dress.
Simon had to go back to his workshop to finish a hat off after that, but Thom said he didn’t have anything urgent to do and so would stay and help me set up the Bloody Brides exhibit, if I wanted him to.
‘It would be great if you could, because it’s always easier with two,’ I said gratefully. ‘Especially since I usually have to stand on something if I have to fix a veil.’
‘No problem,’ he said, although actually Amy’s dress slid on fairly easily and, once I’d fastened it, it was just a matter of tweaking the skirts that flared out from just below the hips and arranging the train in a swirl behind.
I stepped back to run a critical eye over my handiwork: the final layer of silk tulle over the satin and beading gave it a subtle matte finish and, apart from the spatter of rusty-red marks across the otherwise pristine whiteness of the skirt, it looked rather beautiful.
Thom had to fix the crystal and satin flower headdress on the model’s head – Amy hadn’t gone in for a veil – and then it was just a case of placing her matching satin and lace shoes next to it and putting out the information cards.
‘There,’ I said, as he angled the spotlights to best effect. Then I went right to the other end of the building to see what the effect was like from the top of the stairs.
The distant dress hung like a glimmering ghost in its subtly lit central glass case, seeming to draw the visitor towards it. It was only when you were quite close that you could see the ominous stains.
‘I wonder whatdidhappen to her,’ Thom said as I rejoined him.
‘I hope nothing horrible, although it is almost a year since she vanished,’ I said. ‘But perhaps the publicity from thiswillfinally solve the mystery, one way or the other.’
I locked the cabinet – I now often carried around so many bunches of keys that I was thinking of switching from jeans to combat trousers, just for the extra pockets – and said, ‘Well, that’s done. Thank you so much for helping, Thom, but I’m sure I’ve taken you away from your work long enough for one day.’
‘I enjoyed it! You can always give me a ring if you need any help, and if I’m not in the middle of something, I’ll pop over.’
‘I’m not sure how happy your boss would be about that!’ I said dubiously.
‘Oh, Bruno wouldn’t mind, so long as I’m putting the hours in and the work gets done. And, like you, I’m usually up and working early. Anyway, I hope you’re going to take the afternoon off?’ he asked, as we made our way back downstairs.
‘Sort of. Honey’s arranged a meeting at Pelican House with Derek, Ella and Kay, to discuss things like stock for the shop, bags, wrapping paper and price labels, which I’d never even thought about. We’re lucky Ella and Kay have so much relevant experience, because it’s not really my field.’
‘You can’t be brilliant ateverything,’ he said kindly.
‘Apart from the costumier side of things, I don’t seem to be good at anything, not even basic skills like cooking,’ I said ruefully, then brightened. ‘But Viv’s promised to make chocolate brownies to cheer things along at the meeting.’
‘Tell her you know a starving marionette maker,’ he suggested hopefully. ‘Meanwhile, why not come and have lunch with me and Jester now? It’s soupà latin, bread and cheese.’
‘OK, thanks, I will,’ I agreed.
After I’d locked up and we were walking across the courtyard, Golightly squeezed like grey ectoplasm through the garden railings and tagged along.
Another opportunist …
*
I had a busman’s holiday after lunch, because I began to sew up the long seams of the new sofa covers, using Mum’s old and trusty machine. I’d carried it through from the workroom and set it up on my small desk in front of the living-room window, because Golightly had chosen to accompany me back from Thom’s cottage, and it would have felt a bit mean to abandon him to his own devices again.
Not that I thought he appeared bothered about having me around any more, now he could come and go as he pleased, and had his new canine chum.
He condescended to play with the feather on a stick toy for a few minutes, when I trailed it enticingly under his nose, but then he lost interest and went to sleep in his cardboard box, so I could get on with my sewing.
Ihateputting in zips!
