CHAPTER FIVE
The dress shop was warmly lit by the glow from the twinkle lights and the Christmas tree in the window.
‘The ballgowns are due to arrive in the morning,’ Lily told Frazer as she unlocked the shop door.
‘I feel I’ve given you a ton of work to do at a busy time of year.’
‘We’ve got a plan on how to tackle the task. Ten dresses each, but only half of those will need mending. And we aim to divide the repairs to suit our skills.’
‘I appreciate the work you’re putting into the ballgowns.’ He buttoned his coat, getting ready to head out.
Lily smiled and opened the door. A gust of cold wind blew in.
Frazer stepped outside quickly. ‘Close the door. Don’t let all the heat out. I’ll see you tomorrow at the studio.’
Or when he walked past the shop window she thought to herself, watching him stride away.
Standing in the glow of the twinkle lights, she gazed out at the winter’s night. Many of the eateries had closed for the evening, but the windows were still lit up with decorations. She felt like she was living in the perfect heart of Edinburgh, working as a dressmaker, sewing beautiful ballgowns and other dresses for the party season, all snug and cosy in the shop.
Turning the Christmas tree lights off, she headed upstairs and got ready for bed. She needed to get some sleep as it was an early start in the morning, and she was excited about the busy day of dressmaking and mending ahead.
Tucked up under the quilt, she could see the lights of Edinburgh glitter in the night. The view from the bedroom window was like a picture postcard of winter in the beautiful city.
The living room window overlooked the street, and she’d set her sewing machine up near the window to use the natural daylight when dressmaking. And she loved watching the buzz of the street, especially at Christmas.
But the view from the bedroom window was quite mesmerising. Ideal for helping her drift off to sleep.
She lay there wondering if she’d stay in Edinburgh a little longer than just until the New Year. She’d no firm plans yet, and the events of the day had shown how quickly she could become involved in other worlds she hadn’t imagined she’d be part of.
Ballroom dancing hadn’t been in her plans, but now here she was, involved with the dance studio, and with Frazer.
With thoughts of waltzing with him earlier in the evening, and then in the living room, she wondered what other exciting things lay in store. The tickets to the ball were safely tucked away in her vintage sewing box where she liked to keep things that were precious.
It was handcrafted, about the size of an occasional table, with lots of small drawers to store her threads, scissors, and other items she used on a daily basis. But there were a couple of drawers where she kept mementos and items like the tickets so they wouldn’t get lost in all the scrap pieces of fabric and paper trims from the dress patterns.
Her mind was still buzzing with the dance moves. Learning the waltz, how to dance it well, was a great Christmas present. And she could still feel the effect of being in Frazer’s capable arms as she waltzed around the dance floor with him.
Waltzing in their socks in the living room was a whole different experience, but one for the archives of her time in Edinburgh. It was great to be back.
With thoughts of how to do the turns when waltzing, Lily fell asleep.
Frazer parked his sleek dark car in the large garden outside his house and went inside, feeling the biting wind whip through the trees that surrounded his traditional property. He lived alone in a leafy area on the outskirts of Edinburgh. One of his nearest neighbours was Huntly, from the theatre. Frazer’s parents lived in the family house he grew up in, on the other side of the city, and were often away on their travels and business at home and abroad. They’d always been happy for his achievements, encouraging his ambitions, but they were away this Christmas and wouldn’t be available to attend the ball at the dance studio.
Lately, he’d had little time to spend relaxing at home, but the festive season was always busy for him. Usually he was taking part in stage shows in various theatres, on tour dancing, or competing in contests. Now, he was equally busy running the dance studio and preparing for the ball.
His house was comfortably furnished, tidy, and there was a makeshift dance floor in the living room where he liked to practise his moves, dance and stretch. He’d lived in the house for a few years, and the dance floor had been well used prior to him owning the new studio.
He went upstairs and got ready for bed. The tea and toast Lily had made for him allowed him to forgo making himself something to eat.
His bedroom overlooked the back garden, offering a view of the tops of the trees and the vast sky beyond. Swirling storm clouds shielded out the usual starry night sky. Maybe it was going to rain overnight. Or snow.
Taking off his clothes by the night glow streaming in the window, he put on a pair of boxers and climbed into bed.
He lay there looking out at the stormy sky, and thinking about Lily. For some reason, she kept drifting through his thoughts. Probably because he’d been teaching her to dance. And her involvement supplying the ballgowns.
With the day rewinding in his mind, he finally fell asleep and didn’t stir until the early morning.
‘A private dance lesson in your living room from Frazer!’ Mirren gasped when Lily told her about the previous night’s events.
‘Nothing else happened, or is going to happen, if that’s what you’re thinking,’ said Lily as she helped Mirren unpack the ballgowns that had arrived at the shop that morning.
This was what Mirren was thinking. ‘He’s very nice though, isn’t he?’
‘He is, but we’re both concentrating on our businesses. Neither of us is looking for romance right now.’
Mirren smiled to herself and unfolded one of the ballgowns, checking whether it needed repaired. ‘This one doesn’t need anything mended. And the dresses were all cleaned before they were put into storage.’
‘They’re in lovely condition.’ Lily hung up a lilac ballgown that had layers of tulle. ‘Do you have a dress hanging in your wardrobes at home that you can wear to the ball?’
‘I have a couple of evening dresses that I could wear.’ Mirren had phoned Bert to tell him they’d been invited to the ball and he was happy to go.
Lily unravelled an aquamarine ballgown and hung it up too. ‘I thought I’d make myself a ballgown. Something pretty with a bit of sparkle.’
‘I’m sure it’ll be lovely. Your designs are gorgeous. Use any fabric you want from the stock or order in what you need.’
‘There are bolts of chiffon in stock that would be ideal.’
Discussing their plans for the ball, they continued sorting through the pile of ballgowns, laughing as they appeared to be up to their eyes in silk, chiffon, tulle and sequins.
They filled three dress rails with the ballgowns, dividing them into those that needed mending, minor repairs, and others that didn’t require anything done to them.
‘I’ll pop out to the bakery and get something tasty for our morning tea,’ said Lily, putting her coat on. It had rained overnight, but the morning was frosty again like the previous day. ‘What would you like?’
‘A slice of gingerbread loaf,’ said Mirren, busy checking the seams on a deep blue tulle ballgown.
‘I won’t be long.’ Lily headed out and hurried along to the bakery. She bought a slice of gingerbread loaf, and a slice of Christmas pudding for herself. On the way back, she breathed in the frosty air and the wonderful festive atmosphere.
Mirren had put the kettle on to boil and was making the tea when Lily arrived back. They’d just put the gingerbread and Christmas pudding slices on a plate behind the shop counter and were about to have their tea when Bert came in, all cheery smiles.
‘I’m working nearby and thought I’d pop in to see you,’ said Bert. In his fifties, he was a tall, fit, strapping man with a cheerful manner and sandy blond hair that had a mind of its own. ‘Are these the ballgowns you were telling me about?’
‘They are,’ said Mirren, sounding delighted with them.
Bert looked at the dresses. ‘They’re like something you’d see in a fairytale show in the theatre.’
‘We’re just having a wee tea break before tackling the mending,’ Lily told him.
‘Perfect timing,’ Bert said chirpily, hinting that he was keen for a cup of tea.
‘I’ll pour you a cuppa.’ Mirren smiled and hurried through to the kitchen.
‘Oh, is that Christmas pudding?’ said Bert, seeing it on the plate.
‘Yes.’ Lily offered it to him. ‘Help yourself.’
Bert lifted up the pudding and took a bite, while Lily headed through to the kitchen to get a piece of Mirren’s homemade shortbread from the tin.
‘Don’t say anything to Bert,’ Lily whispered to Mirren. ‘I’m happy with the shortbread.’
Mirren giggled and took Bert’s tea through to him.
The three of them enjoyed their tea and chatted about the ball and Lily’s dance lessons.
‘I’m having a lesson tonight,’ Lily said to Bert. She told him about learning to waltz, and he was pleased to hear that she was enjoying herself.
Finishing his tea and Christmas pudding, Bert got ready to leave. ‘I’ll see you tonight,’ he said to Mirren, giving her a quick kiss. ‘And all the best with your waltzing lesson,’ he added, smiling at Lily.
She gave him a hug. ‘Thanks again for the lessons. It’s a great Christmas gift.’
They waved him off, and then started to work on the ballgowns. Lily tackled the hemming of two dresses while Mirren repaired the bodices and seams on others.
The whirring of their sewing machines was mixed with chatter, and they continued to work through lunch to get as much mending done as they could.
A customer came in and bought the red cocktail dress.
Lily was in the window, replacing it with a silver shift dress, when she saw Frazer walking by. She waved to him, and he headed over.
‘That’s a lot of dresses,’ he said, seeing the pile of ballgowns they were working on.
Lily gestured to a rail where several were hanging up. ‘There are more over there. They don’t need mended. And there are others on the second rail that need minimal repairs. We’re tackling the main mending today.’
‘I can imagine the sparks coming off your sewing machines,’ he joked.
‘Shield your eyes from the dazzle of the sequins and sparkle,’ Lily said, playing along.
Mirren laughed and continued to machine the darts on a bodice. ‘Thanks for the tickets to the Christmas Eve ball. Bert and I are looking forward to it.’
Frazer smiled. ‘I’m glad you’ll attend. It’ll be a fun night.’
‘We’ve never been to a Christmas Eve ball before,’ Mirren told him.
‘Neither have I,’ said Lily. ‘I’ve never been to a proper ball.’
Frazer looked surprised. ‘I’ll make sure you can waltz around the dance floor in your beautiful ballgown.’
‘I’m planning to make my dress,’ Lily said excitedly. ‘Be prepared to be dazzled with sparkle. I’m hoping it’ll deflect attention for any wobbly waltz steps.’
‘There will be no wobbles,’ Frazer said firmly. ‘And surely you don’t need to make a new dress.’
‘These ballgowns are for your clients,’ said Lily. ‘Besides, I’ll use my own pattern and make something like the pink ballgown you bought for the studio.’
‘We’ve got plenty of lovely chiffon and other fabric,’ Mirren added. ‘And Lily’s skill as a dressmaker enables her to run up a dress in jig time.’
‘Especially if it’s only for myself,’ Lily added.
Frazer seemed uneasy with this plan, but brushed it aside and spoke about Lily’s forthcoming lesson. ‘Remember to wear those shoes you danced in last night. They were ideal.’
‘I’ll do that,’ Lily assured him.
‘No fluffy socks this evening,’ Mirren chipped–in while continuing to work at her sewing machine.
Lily started to blush. He’d know she’d told Mirren all the details about her private lesson.
Mirren bit her lip, wishing she hadn’t mentioned it and concentrated on her sewing.
Frazer smiled and shook his head.
While Frazer was there in the shop, they wanted his advice on aspects of the dresses such as the length of the hems, and he was happy to make suggestions about the designs.
Lily served a customer, and Mirren chatted to Frazer, revealing that Lily had done modelling.
‘Lily was a fashion and photographic model,’ Mirren told him.
When the customer left the shop, Lily explained about her modelling work. ‘I’m not one for being in the limelight, but the money was handy when I was trying to establish my dressmaking businesses and paying for courses in tailoring and patternmaking. But I’ve no intention of modelling now.’
Frazer took this in. And then they went on to discuss the dress designs she created.
Victoria wafted around the dance studio reception wearing the blue ballgown. She’d ignored the reserved note, eager to try it on.
‘I thought I’d like the pink one, but this blue ballgown is gorgeous,’ Victoria said to Dougal.
They were on their own, between teaching lessons.
‘You’re going to be in trouble if Frazer catches you,’ Dougal warned her lightly.
‘He won’t be back for a wee while.’ Victoria seemed used to his schedule. Then she ran through to the dance studio. ‘I want to try waltzing in it to see how it feels.’ Wearing her ballroom dance shoes, she ran away, causing Dougal to dash after her.
‘You’re a menace!’ Dougal said, laughing, seeing her waltz around, displaying her elegance and skill.
Victoria watched herself in the mirrors. ‘Oh, yes, this is very me. I love the pale blue colour. It’s a shame it’s reserved. The customer will probably be in this week to pick it up.’
‘You’d better take it off and hang it back up before Frazer gets back,’ Dougal insisted, smiling at her.
‘Take a picture of me.’ She stopped dancing and struck a pose.
Dougal dug his phone from his pocket and took a snap.
Victoria posed again. ‘And this one.’ She posed beautifully, extending her arms out and showing the ballgown to full effect. ‘How does it look?’ she said to Dougal as he took the picture.
‘Very nice,’ Frazer’s deep voice cut–in, resonating in the studio.
‘Frazer! You’re back early.’ Victoria smiled tightly and tried to look like she hadn’t been up to mischief.
Dougal froze, holding his phone, and smiled awkwardly.
‘I was just trying this dress on to see how it felt to dance in,’ Victoria began.
Frazer stood there with his arms folded across his chest and an expression that gave nothing away.
‘I know this dress is reserved, that someone has bought it, but I just...’ Victoria’s excuses trailed off. ‘I’ll hang it back up. I only wore it for a few minutes.’ She looked at Dougal for backup.
‘That’s right. I’ve only got two pictures.’
Frazer walked over and viewed the images on Dougal’s phone. ‘Nice pictures. We’ll use them. Send me a copy. I’ll put them up on the website as part of the updates for the ball’s promotion.’
Dougal sent a copy directly to Frazer. ‘There you go.’
Victoria went to hurry away, but Frazer shook his head. He’d taken his coat off in reception, and was wearing a dark grey, long–sleeve fitted top and black trousers.
‘Take a few pictures of the two of us waltzing,’ Frazer said to Dougal. ‘And video a couple of minutes.’
Happy to be off the troublemaking hook, Victoria danced and posed with Frazer while wearing the dress.
They all checked the footage and were pleased with it. Dougal forwarded it to Frazer.
‘I’ll get this up on the website,’ Frazer said, walking through to reception.
Dougal followed him and found three clients waiting for their lessons.
‘Come on in,’ Dougal said to them, leading them upstairs. ‘It’s a freezing cold day, but we’ll do a warm–up before your lesson.’
‘I’ll join you in a few minutes,’ Victoria said to them, hurrying through to the privacy of a changing room to take off the ballgown and hang it back up.
As she came scurrying out, wearing her dance outfit again, Frazer took the ballgown from her. ‘I’ll hang it up for you.’
‘Thanks, Frazer,’ she said. ‘Sorry for being—’
‘A pair of scallywags,’ Frazer cut–in, smiling at her.
Victoria smiled and hurried away upstairs.
Frazer updated the studio’s website with the pictures and the video, adding a brief description. He included that Lily was the dress designer. And gave a link to Mirren’s shop.
Later in the day, the dance studio reception had become quite busy with clients arriving to take lessons in the afternoon.
In all the activity, Victoria noticed that the reserved note on the blue ballgown had been replaced with one that said sold . Her heart sank a little, but she’d expected it to have been picked up, and assumed the sale note finalised the payment. Then she got on with teaching the next four clients how to improve their waltzing. They were all attending the Christmas Eve ball and had bought their tickets.
Amid the hectic schedule, Frazer thought about Lily and had something to ask her when she arrived that evening. He hoped she’d go along with his plan.
Mirren closed the shop as usual at five o’clock, turning the open sign around to closed. Instead of heading home, she stayed until six to continue working on the ballgown repairs with Lily.
Between them, they got a lot done in the extra hour, especially as they didn’t have to attend to customers, making the extended work worthwhile.
Mirren finally switched off her sewing machine. ‘I’m away now. I’ll see you in the morning. Enjoy your dance lesson. And well done with all the mending you’ve done today.’
‘It’s been fun. I thought I’d be working with vintage dresses and sewing my own designs. I never expected to be getting a whole load of ballgowns ready for Christmas.’
‘That’s what I love about having the shop. No two days are the same. Or two dresses.’ Mirren put her coat on. ‘So, have fun dancing the night away with Frazer. I’ll hear all about it in the morning.’
Lily waved her off, locked the door, dimmed the shop’s main lights, leaving only the twinkle lights and tree lights on, and headed up to her flat to get ready for her lesson.
Although there was time to have a light dinner. She decided to just have a cup of tea, and planned to make supper when she got back.
She’d hung a dress ready to wear on the outside of her wardrobe. It was another classic tea dress, one she’d owned for a few years. It had short sleeves, a neat neckline, fitted at the waist without being girded, and then flowed out into a lovely skirt that she pictured would be ideal for the dance lesson.
Wearing her hair down, and having refreshed her makeup, she stepped into her cream shoes, and wrapped up warm against the cold night.
The air was crisp with the scent of frost, and everything sparkled under the street lamps.
Walking up towards the dance studio, her heart fluttered with excitement when she saw it lit up — and the tall, distinguished figure of Frazer inside reception.