Chapter 16
Bridie stared at Hannah. She had actually been joking when she’d asked about a job vacancy. Not that she’d say no to shop work. She wouldn’t turn down any job to bring in some money.
‘I do need a shop assistant. I just hadn’t got around to advertising.’ Hannah’s smile faded. ‘But it’s not going to be awfully well paid, and it’s going to be quite boring compared to your profession.’
‘I’ll take it. Oh, god – I’ll take it. I mean … I’ll apply for it. Of course, you’re not going to hand a job on a plate to someone who has just walked in off the street.’
‘Why not? You seem like a nice person. And you’ll save me so much time and expense advertising the position and carrying out interviews. I’ve been dreading it. And to be honest, it doesn’t mean I’ll find anyone, or anyone suitable after all that.’
‘But you don’t know if I’ll be suitable.’
‘You want a job, and it does benefit me that you’re more …
mature. I imagine a lot of the applicants for the position will be A-Level students.
Not that I’ve got anything against hiring someone so young – Lili across the road has an amazing shop assistant.
But I think she’s probably one of a kind.
I worry I’d hire someone, and they’d spend most of their time on their phone, or looking bored, which wouldn’t exactly endear them or my shop to customers. ’
‘Ah, I assumed the position would be next door in your new bridal shop.’
‘The bridal shop isn’t up and running yet, so I’m afraid it will be in the art and craft shop to begin with – hope you don’t mind.’
‘Mind?’ Bridie didn’t mind one bit, although she was surprised that Hannah was almost apologising.
‘I don’t mind at all. In fact, I love your shop, and the cosy corner.
And the painting in the window.’ And she much preferred the idea of working there than in the bridal shop, which would just rubbing her nose in what was not to be – not with Julian, at any rate.
Bridie had to ask. ‘Is that painting in the window for sale, by any chance?’
‘You want to buy the painting in the window?’
Bridie knew that whatever the price tag was, she wouldn’t have the money anyway. But she could save up, if it wasn’t sold. She said as much.
‘It means that much to you?’ Hannah asked.
‘It’s the little theatre in Aldeburgh, isn’t it?’
‘It is. How did you know? It looks nothing like the place now. Oh, of course, you grew up here, so you recognise it from its heyday.’
‘I wouldn’t say it was its heyday. It was still run down back then when I was a teenager and they briefly reopened the theatre to allow the drama group at school, which I happened to be in, to stage a play.’
‘Who’s they?’
Bridie looked at her, stumped. ‘I have no idea. I don’t think anybody knew who owned the place.’
‘How strange.’
‘Very,’ agreed Bridie. ‘But it’s stranger still that the painting in the window depicts the theatre as it may have been.’
‘Oh, there’s no may about it.’
Bridie looked at her curiously. ‘You mean that is an actual depiction of what it used to look like?’
Hannah nodded. ‘Yes, it is.’
‘Who painted it?’
Hannah suddenly clammed up.
‘Did you paint it?’ Bridie didn’t believe she had because Hannah wouldn’t have even been born when the theatre was in its heyday.
‘Oh, dear me, no. I’m afraid there’s only one artist in the family, and it isn’t me.’
‘A family member?’
Hannah rose from her seat. ‘I shouldn’t have said that.’
Bridie didn’t know what the big secret was, but she guessed there was one. ‘Look, you don’t have to tell me who painted it. I just love to know how the painter knew what it used to look like.’
‘Reggie.’
‘Reggie painted it?’
‘No – but he has photos.’
‘Photos?’
‘Yes, a shoebox full of old photos and memorabilia about the theatre.’
‘Now that I would love to see.’ Bridie imagined that perhaps Hannah’s husband was the artist.
‘Apparently, he used to act on the stage there years ago,’ said Hannah.
‘Really, in that theatre?’
‘Oh, yes.’
‘I spoke to Reggie when we both happened to stop outside the theatre. He didn’t mention he used to act on the stage there in its heyday, although he did mention he liked to stop and reminisce.’ Bridie suddenly remembered what he’d said – this theatre and I go way back.
Hannah shrugged. ‘I didn’t know about his connection to the theatre until Maisie, that’s my daughter, told me about it. She came across the shoebox when she was looking around his shop waiting for the last customer of the day to leave before her music lesson with Reggie.’
Bridie resolved to visit Reggie’s shop and speak with him again. Perhaps he knew who owned the theatre.
‘It’s just so sad that they’ve let it run down like that,’ commented Hannah.
‘I agree.’
Hannah stood up and walked to the counter. Bridie could hear her pull out a drawer under the counter. She got out a roll of sticky labels and wrote something on one of them, peeling it off the roll. Then she disappeared into the window. She emerged saying, ‘There – the painting is sold.’
Bridie looked at her, disappointed.
Hannah stopped mid-stride on her way back to the sofa. ‘Oh, don’t look disappointed. I’ve sold it to you.’
‘What?’ Bridie looked at her stunned. ‘I haven’t got the money.’ Now Bridie was worried that she owed the young lady a lot of money.
‘Don’t look so worried either. It won’t cost a fortune. Let’s say twenty pounds. And you can pay me what you can. In the meantime, I’ve decided to take it out of the window and put it upstairs in your flat.’
‘My … flat?’
‘I used to live up there with Maisie when I fell on hard times. It’s very small, poky even. And you would be living on top of your job, so it’s not really ideal.’
‘You’re offering me a flat to go with the job?’
‘Yeah – why not?’
‘Why not?’ Bridie could feel tears in her eyes again. She didn’t even know what to say. ‘Oh, no. I couldn’t possibly. I’ll take the job for sure.’ Bridie said, ‘but I’d want to pay you rent.’
‘Just pay what you can afford, even if it’s a pound a week, if it makes you feel better. Look, see how it goes at your parents’ and if it gets too much and you need your own space, it’s here, or rather upstairs, if you need it.’
‘I still don’t understand why—’
‘Why I’d offer you the flat too?’
‘Yes, to a complete stranger.’
‘I was a stranger here once, in Cobblers Yard. I don’t know where I’d be now if it wasn’t for my friends and the little community in the yard rallying round.
Thinking of which, if you were to move into the flat, you wouldn’t be on your own in the yard after the shops have closed.
Henry lives in the flat above his bookshop, and Reggie is here too, in his flat above the music shop, so you’d be in good company. ’
‘Reggie lives in the yard?’ Bridie felt strangely drawn to Reggie, and it wasn’t just because he had that shoebox full of old photos and memorabilia. He had been a stage actor just like her, once upon a time.
‘He does. So, the flat is available if you want. I’m going to put your painting up there. There’s a spare key to the shop which I will sort out for you. The flat is up the stairs behind that door.’ She pointed towards the back of the shop. ‘Now, when would you like to start?’
Bridie frowned. She admitted, ‘I don’t know the first thing about running a shop – or what you sell.’
‘Oh, don’t worry about that. I’m not expecting you to order stock or anything like that, just literally ring up people’s purchases. Most people pay by card, so it’s just the little card machine here.’ She walked over to the counter. Bridie followed.
Hannah added, ‘And if there are any questions, just take the customer’s phone number or email address and I’ll get back to them.’
Hannah showed her the till, the little card machine, and the recycled paper carrier bags with the name of the shop. ‘Now, at the moment, it’s only three days in the shop during the week, and the odd Saturday, which will help me out.’
‘So, this is while you set up the shop next door.’
‘Precisely. So, I won’t be far, if you need anything. But this position can be for as long as you need, because I’ll be opening the bridal shop soon. Oh, and there will be the odd occasion that I’m working at the hall.’
‘The hall?’
‘Oh, excuse me. I forget that we don’t really know each other that well yet. I run a wedding venue at a place called Somersby Hall in the Suffolk countryside.’
Bridie hadn’t heard of Somersby Hall.
‘That’s my second job. I’m a wedding planner.’
‘But how did you go from running an art and craft shop to being a wedding planner too?’
‘Now that is a long story.’
‘For another time, then,’ said Bridie.
‘Long story short, I started renting Gatekeeper’s Cottage in the grounds of Somersby Hall, met the grandson of the lady who owns the house. We fell in love, and we started a business turning Somersby Hall into a wedding venue, which we run together.’
‘How romantic.’
‘Not to start with, I can assure you. That was the truncated version of events. I made it sound like a fairytale, but believe me, it didn’t start off like that. My husband and I did not get along when we first met, I can tell you.’
‘Then you came together over the wedding planning?’
‘Yes, we both wanted to save the hall – I did because I lived in the cottage in the grounds, and he did because he didn’t want to lose his inheritance.’
‘Your business must be flourishing, given that you took on the shop next door to sell wedding gowns as well.’
‘I’ve stretched myself. I was going to close this shop and change it over to a wedding dress shop, but I just couldn’t do it.
I have regular customers, school children, and local artists, mainly retired people who buy canvas and paints and visit the Suffolk coastline and countryside to paint, especially in the summer.
I just feel I’d be letting them down if I closed the shop just because I can make more money selling wedding dresses.
And besides, my daughter loves this shop. ’
‘She likes art and craft?’
Hannah hesitated. ‘Ah, you could say that. I want to keep the shop going if I can for Maisie in the future, in case she wants to take it over. I’m not sure what she will do with it – perhaps she’ll run it as an art gallery to showcase her work in the future and offer art lessons.’
‘Her work. She wants to be an artist?’
Hannah smiled. ‘She is an artist. You’ve just bought one of her paintings. Might end up quite the investment if she does go on to be a full-time artist.’
Bridie’s mouth dropped open. ‘I thought it might have been your husband who painted it. How old is your daughter? Sorry, but you look no age to have children.’
‘She’s nine.’
Bridie looked at her agog. ‘For real? A nine-year-old painted that?’
‘Only my relatives and closest friends know this.’
‘And you’ve told me?’ Bridie said incredulously.
‘You seem like a decent sort, and you understand the damage social media can do. I can’t let word get out. She’s leading a normal childhood for a child prodigy, and I want it to stay that way. Who knows, perhaps she’ll want to lead a normal adult life too.’
‘Running this shop?’
‘Yes. Perhaps selling a painting or two. I don’t know. But I want her to have a choice. You understand?’
‘I do,’ Bridie said without hesitating. ‘I’d love to meet her.’
Hannah grinned. ‘And you will. She pops in after school and helps out in the shop most days when she’s not visiting her grandmother for tea or her music lessons with Reggie.’
Music lessons with Reggie. That explained the painting. After all, she had seen photos of the old theatre in its heyday when she was having music lessons.
‘So, when can I start?’ Bridie asked, realising she’d never answered Hanna’s earlier question about when she would like to start working here.
‘How about Monday? Is tomorrow too soon?’
‘Not too soon at all!’ Bridie said. ‘I’ll be here.’
‘Great. Then I can introduce you to my shop neighbours in the yard.’
Bridie’s smile slipped.
‘You’re worried about Mabel and Marjorie gossiping.’
Bridie lowered her eyes. ‘Yes. What if they’ve seen my embarrassing outburst on social media?’
‘You’re worrying out of hand. They are in their eighties, which doesn’t mean to say they’re not online.
I’m sure they are. But then again, I’m pretty sure they won’t be on social media platforms – TikTok and the like.
And to be honest, knowing social media, whatever was put up there has probably already been buried.
I really wouldn’t worry about it. But I’m afraid you will meet them because like I said, they do like to come in for a coffee and a natter. ’
‘And a chocolate digestive,’ added Bridie.
Hannah grinned. ‘You catch on quick.’
Bridie returned her smile and looked around the shop. Although this was far removed from what she was used to, working in the West End, she couldn’t think of a nicer person to work for, or a nicer place than Cobblers Yard.
‘We’re all a friendly bunch of people in the yard,’ Hannah said, as if reading her mind. ‘I can imagine it’s quite a change from your life in London. I used to live in London and never thought for a second I’d settle and make a home for myself here. But you know, sometimes life can surprise you.’
Bridie heaved a sigh. ‘Isn’t that the truth?’
Hannah nodded. ‘But I meant in a nice way.’
‘I hope life does surprise me in a nice way, Hannah,’ Bridie said. She walked to the door, casting her gaze once more around the shop, her eyes alighting on the painting in the window. ‘I think it already has – thanks to you.’
‘As I said, Bridie, the flat is yours if you need to move out of your parents’ house to get on your feet.’
Bridie stepped out of the shop as Hannah opened the blinds and put the Open sign in the window. She turned and waved at Hannah. She was already in the shop window removing the painting, just as she’d promised.
Bridie headed out of the yard. She saw one of the old ladies in the charity shop window staring at her as she passed by.
Bridie gave her a big wave, although she wasn’t going to venture in there today.
She imagined she’d see one or both of them on Monday, when Hannah introduced her.
Like Reggie, she imagined they might remember her.
At least she’d be prepared for the inevitable questions about what she was doing back there, working in a shop.
Bridie wasn’t going to think about that for the moment. She couldn’t wait to return home and tell her parents she had a job already, so she could pay her way while she was living at home.
The flat above the shop was tempting, but Bridie didn’t have the means to pay a market rent, and although Hannah had been very kind indeed to offer her the flat at a ridiculous peppercorn rent, Bridie wouldn’t accept charity like that unless there was a very, very good reason.
She wasn’t homeless. There was no reason why she couldn’t carry on living with her parents.