Page 4 of Caroline Saves the Blacksmith
“Thank you.”
Caroline breathed in deeply, realizing she was about to break her vow to herself. She had the means to help the little girl and her mum. And what was the point of being a business owner, a merchant, if she could not provide gainful employment to someone in need of help?
“How about I hire you as an apprentice?”
Annie lit up, then slumped. “I can’t. I must go home at night to look after Mum. And we don’t have any money now that she can’t work so much. I have to find something that pays.”
“I think we can arrange something. I do not have room and board to provide yet, so I would pay you the equivalent of what that would cost me. You can go home at night to look after your mum.”
Annie beamed. “Truly? I can work in your shop and stay at home with Mum?”
There could be consequences to what she was contemplating. If Mrs. Greer failed to recover from her ill health, Caroline might find herself, for all intents and purposes, with a young daughter on her hands.
Are you really going to take this risk? This could get complicated!
Caroline made a decision. She would make an exception, just this once. Because the girl needed a helping hand, just as Caroline had around her age, which she guessed to be about thirteen or so. “You can begin tomorrow if your mum agrees. Tell her to come see me in the morning, and if we reach an agreement, I will have a contract drawn up for her to sign.”
Annie clapped her hands together, her expression joyful.
Caroline smiled back, before gesturing at the cup. “Finish your tea, Annie.”
The girl did so in good spirits. When they were done, Caroline shooed her back to the front of the shop, where she accompanied her to the window display.
“As a seamstress and a member of my staff, it is important that you tie your hair back so you might see your work. Which ribbon would you like?”
Annie’s little jaw dropped open as she turned to stare at the spools. “A ribbon? Of my own?”
“Pick one.”
The child inspected the ribbons carefully, finally picking up a scarlet length with her diminutive forefingers. “Can I have this one?”
“You can.” Caroline reached into a drawer under the counter to pull out her scissors, carefully measuring out and cutting a length of ribbon. Laying the ribbon down on the counter, she took hold of the girl’s hair and combed it through with her fingers. Then she plaited it and tied it off with the ribbon, revealing the shells of Annie’s little ears before draping the plait over the girl’s shoulder so that Annie could see the bow.
“Cor! It is beautiful!”
Caroline smiled. “You will learn how to make many beautiful things here.”
Annie left soon after, once they had agreed on a time for Mrs. Greer’s visit. Despite her misgivings about forming close connections, Caroline felt she had made the correct decision.
* * *
William had purchasedprovisions and was returning to his cottage with his parcels under his arm, enjoying a rare respite from his work.
It should have taken only a few minutes to walk back, but somehow he had found himself hovering at the door of the mantua-maker. It was devilishly tempting to enter the shop under some pretext so he might see her in person. Perhaps confirm the color of her irises, and trace the shape of her sweet mouth with his eyes.
Orfingertips.
William stifled the urging of his inquisitive body as Annie Greer exited the dress-rooms, a huge smile making him think he must have misread her mood earlier when he had seen her from the window of the post office. She looked quite smart, with a neat but uncharacteristic plait and a red ribbon tying her hair.
“Enjoying your day, Annie?”
She beamed, nodding her head vigorously. “It is a wonderful day, Mr. Jackson. I am to be a seamstress!” she proclaimed loudly, before skipping away down the street in a flutter of skirts.
William shook his head in surprise. Had the young woman hired little Annie? He supposed it would be good news for Mrs. Greer. He had just been informed while about town that Mrs. Greer was suffering from ill health, and he had wondered if that was the cause of the scene he had witnessed earlier.
Everywhere he had gone today, women were talking about the new dressmaker and her delightful shop. It was commendable if Mrs. Brown had offered the young girl employment—something he might have done himself if he had been aware of the Greers’ unfortunate circumstances.
He really should have returned home, especially now that he had confirmed that Annie was all right, but he found himself reluctant to walk off.
