Page 120 of The Wedding Dress Repair Shop
‘Hetty put the pattern pieces for each costume in anenvelope and marked on the outside what it is,’ he explained. ‘I had a quick look and there are lots for the stock characters we make all the time, like those from fairy tales, so I should think they’ll be very useful.’
I had a rummage, opening one or two envelopes to peer at the contents. Hetty had obviously been very professional, for all the pieces of each costume were cut from good quality dressmaker’s pattern paper, and labelled.
Snow White was near the top, and I assumed the Seven Dwarfs were in the box somewhere.
I probably looked like a child opening a particularly magical present on Christmas morning, for Thom, watching me, was smiling.
‘Hours of harmless fun,’ he said.
‘Definitely! I’ll really enjoy going through these and I’ll file each pattern separately. I’ve got loads of space in that big cabinet Honey gave me.’
I reluctantly returned Snow White to the box. ‘They’ll be so helpful, because I need to know where the strings go so as not to impede the mobility of the puppet’s limbs.’
‘I can bring these two marionettes over to your workshop when I’ve finished stringing Maria, so you can fit their costumes there. But there’s no rush. I don’t want to burden you with anything extra when you’re so busy with the museum work.’
‘Oh, that’s all right, they’ll be something fun to do in my spare time, like the mini costume mannequins. I’ve already looked up costumes for 1827, the year of the murder.’
‘I expect you’ll have much more time for your own work once the museum’s open.’
‘I hope so. Then I’ll make some mini wedding dress mannequins for the museum shop and see if they sell, and I could do the same for a couple of marionettes. I mean, we may notsell many in the shop, but there would probably be a bigger market for them online later.’
‘We always keep a stock of marionettes in – we make them between orders – so any time you want to do that, you can just let me know.’
He smiled at me and there was something in the depths of his very dark amber eyes that seemed to draw me in, so that I couldn’t look away …
‘We have lots of time to make plans for the future, don’t we, Garland?’ he said softly. Then added, seemingly inconsequently, ‘The Rev. Jo-Jo popped into the workshop for a coffee while you were at your meeting yesterday. She usually has coffee with Pearl when she’s in town, but she said the shop was really busy.’
‘Jo-Jo?’
That jarred me into breaking eye contact. I looked hastily down into my mug, remembering how I’d opened my heart to her in the Pink Elephant and hoping she hadn’t mentioned it to Thom. But no, of course she wouldn’t have! That café booth had felt like a confessional and I’m certain she would have treated anything I’d said in strict confidence.
Thom glanced over at where Jester and Golightly lay asleep together in a contented heap.
‘Now it’s starting to get colder and I won’t be able to leave this door open all day for Jester, I’m wondering whether to install a cat flap so his new friend can come and go, and maybe in the cottage door, too. I wonder if you can buy dog-sized ones?’ he added.
‘Possibly, but then wouldn’t a burglar be able to get through it?’
‘Only a seriously skinny one. I’d only have one that big in the workshop door, which I could lock when I was out and at night. I’ll have a look online.’
I got up to go. ‘Why not come over to the cottage in a bit and have lunch with me? I’ll make an omelette, since it’s the only thing I cook really well.’
‘You always did make great omelettes, especially when you put grated Parmesan in the middle.’
‘I have a lump of Parmesan, so your wish is my command,’ I said, picking up my box of paper treasures.
*
Thom said he’d bumped into Al and Joe Marino in the courtyard on the way over, two of the Pelican Puppet Theatre family.
‘They come and go, because they store stuff at the theatre. They have three Punch and Judy booths on the road all summer, and then a marionette show going up and down the seaside resorts, too. They finish all those at the end of September, then take October off.’
‘I expect I’ll meet them at some point,’ I said. ‘Didn’t you say they open the theatre at the start of November?’
‘Yes, starting withThe Murder in the Red Barn, which will be an early evening performance aimed more at adults, but there’s always a children’s play on Saturday afternoons, too.’
‘I’d like to see both.’
‘Well, I’m sure you’ll be able to.’
