CHAPTER FIFTEEN
It was raining the next morning, pouring down outside the window of the dress shop as Lily put a party dress on one of the mannequins. She peered out at the rainy day. The street looked like a watercolour painting, and the lights from the shops and cafes created a warm glow in the reflected wet. The bright colours of the Christmas lights shone in vibrant reds, yellows and greens.
Mirren’s umbrella was drip drying in a corner of the storeroom.
‘Rainy days feel cosy in the shop,’ Mirren said, sitting at her sewing machine, mending a pretty vintage dress.
‘They do,’ Lily agreed.
‘When I saw the rain early this morning, I made a batch of scones for our tea so we won’t have to run out to the bakery.’
Lily stepped out of the window. ‘Will I put the kettle on?’
‘Yes, and I brought in a jar of strawberry jam and a wee pat of butter.’
‘Sounds yummy,’ said Lily, disappearing through to the kitchen.
‘That was some fun we had at Ivy’s craft shop yesterday,’ Mirren called through to her. ‘And what a night you had with Frazer. Dancing in the street!’
Lily buttered the scones. ‘He danced all the way down to the shop, doing pirouettes, chasse moves, leaping up into the air, and waltzed with me.’
‘Lots of dance lessons from the instructor.’
‘Yes, I expected to have ten lessons and gradually learn to waltz. But now the lines are blurred between the hourly class and all the other times I’ve been dancing with Frazer. Including at the theatre.’
‘And now you’ll be waltzing on the stage for the opening of the ball at the studio,’ said Mirren.
Lily added jam to the buttered scones and put them on a plate. ‘He keeps encouraging me to do more, to push myself to try new dances. Last night, he was teaching me the quickstep.’
‘Will you be dancing that at the ball?’
‘No, we’re doing a waltz on stage, then Frazer is performing the quickstep with Victoria. And she’s dancing a Paso doble with Dougal.’
‘I’m so looking forward to the ball, especially as I’ll get to see you dancing on stage with Frazer. Bert and I never imagined where dance lessons for a Christmas present would lead you.’
‘I would’ve been relaxing more upstairs, keeping cosy and enjoying my dressmaking.’
‘You wouldn’t have the job offer,’ Mirren reminded her.
Lily became thoughtful as she carried the tray of tea and scones through and put it down behind the counter. ‘Yes, that’s true.’
‘It was because Frazer put that video of you up on the studio’s website,’ Mirren added.
Lily picked up her tea.
Mirren stopped sewing and lifted up a scone. ‘It’s funny how things work out, especially at busy times of the year like Christmas. But it’s the season when wishes come true. So I hope the job offer works out for you for the best.’
Lily smiled at Mirren, and helped herself to a scone. ‘I love your home baking.’
‘Are you still coming round to our house for Christmas Day with Bert and me?’ Their traditional house on the outskirts of the city had a large kitchen and Bert had added a patio extension for dining that opened out on to the garden. Mirren and Bert always had Christmas dinner at home, and throughout the years, Lily had enjoyed a few there with them.
‘Yes, I’m looking forward to it. What should I bring with me?’
‘Nothing, just bring yourself. I’ve got my Christmas cake and other things baked and ready. The three of us will have our lunch and then watch all the festive films on the television.’
‘I’ll bring a tin of our favourite sweeties,’ Lily insisted.
They chatted about their plans for Christmas Day while they had their tea and scones, and then got on with their sewing and mending. Despite the rain, the shop was busy throughout the morning with customers buying dresses.
During the morning, between lessons, the dance studio had the extra lights and Christmas decorations put up.
‘It looks like it’s ready for the ball now,’ Frazer said, standing admiring the fairytale effect of the twinkle lights and other decorations.
Dougal had given him a hand. ‘The stage looks great.’
Frazer agreed. He hadn’t planned to be quite so lavish with the decorations on the stage until he knew that Lily was going to perform up there with him. Now it resembled a scene from a Christmas fairytale. Years of performing on stage and at other venues had given Frazer and Dougal plenty of experience in what created the ideal setting for dance performances.
They heard Victoria welcome clients in reception, and got ready to teach their respective classes.
Frazer was glad to be kept busy. He didn’t know when Lily’s interview was, but sometime during the day. He checked his phone several times when messages came through, wondering if she’d contacted him with news of whether she was due to start the new job, or not. But it had been more messages in relation to his radio show chat.
‘I’ve been enjoying the needle felting,’ Mirren said to Lily. ‘I’ll probably have the snowman finished soon.’
‘I haven’t had a chance to make a start on the robin. But I will.’
Mirren checked the time. It was just after lunch. ‘Is it time yet for your job interview?’
‘Not for another twenty minutes,’ said Lily, starting to feel slightly edgy.
‘Away up and get yourself ready so you’re relaxed and not rushing to set it up,’ Mirren advised her.
Two customers came into the shop.
Lily went to serve them, but Mirren shook her head. ‘I’ll deal with this. Now away you go.’
Smiling at Mirren, Lily hurried upstairs and began to set up her laptop on the table in front of the fire.
She wore the heliotrope jumper and decided to keep it on for the interview. The colour would look lovely. Then she refreshed her makeup and brushed her hair silky smooth.
Several minutes to go, she thought. They’d arranged to call her. She wasn’t used to interviews at all, and felt on edge, which was silly she told herself.
Instead of sitting there waiting for the time to go in, she went over to where she kept her fabric stash near her sewing machine.
A gorgeous piece of brocade fabric was tucked away in the pile, and she pulled it out and put it on her sewing table. It was deep blue brocade and she thought it would be perfect for the front of Frazer’s waistcoat. Matching it with a piece of blue silk fabric from the selection downstairs in the shop would be easy enough. The waistcoats she’d seen Frazer wearing were in deep gold, grey and neutral tones, so the blue would give him another colour.
Moments later, the call came through.
Lily hurried over to her laptop, and the job interview began...
Mirren stopped sewing at her machine and wondered how the interview went as Lily came back down to the shop. She couldn’t read anything from her niece’s expression. The interview had been over half an hour long, so she assumed they’d had a lot to discuss about the job.
The rain had eased, and the day darkened early, but the Christmas lights gave a cosy glow to the shop.
‘They offered me the job,’ said Lily, walking over to sit at the counter and discuss what happened.
Mirren still couldn’t get a read on Lily, seeing only her niece’s tense expression. ‘Did you accept?’
‘It’s complicated,’ Lily began. ‘They’re hiring a few designers like me. Most have already accepted the deal. Some, like me, are taking time to consider it. I have until the beginning of January to respond either way. They’ve sent me a copy of the offer to read it over. I’ve skim–read the details.’
‘You don’t sound too happy,’ Mirren commented.
‘I’d be working as part of a team, which I kind of expected. But I’d have to design to order. I would have little creative input. And I understand that process. I’m just not sure that it’s suitable for a designer like me.’
‘Your dress designs are gorgeous, and I think you’re even better than you were a few years ago, especially with more experience of working for yourself, being so creative.’
‘I could take a one–year deal to be a collaborative designer.’
‘You don’t sound keen.’
‘I like creating my own designs. I thought I’d have more input, especially as I make my own patterns.’ Lily sighed. ‘But I’m going to take a bit of time to think it over. It’s a fair offer.’
Mirren didn’t want to interfere, but she could see the turmoil in her niece. This was the first time she’d seen Lily look distraught since she’d arrived in Edinburgh, so she told her something she’d kept to herself.
‘Someone made me an offer for the dress shop earlier in the year,’ Mirren revealed.
Lily looked surprised. ‘What happened?’
‘It was a lucrative deal. But my first instinct was to turn it down. I told Bert, and his first instinct was the same as mine. So I refused the offer. That was that.’ Mirren took a deep breath. ‘I turned it down because I love my shop. Yes, I earn a good living from it, and have done for decades. But more than anything — I love my shop. I look forward to coming in here each day, unwrapping new deliveries of pre–loved dresses, deciding how to mend them and make them wearable again. I love all of it. And that is priceless. So I opted to be independent and happy, rather than retire early and enjoy a bit of extra money.’ Mirren gestured around her. ‘And now, I could be expanding into supplying beautiful ballgowns. There’s always something new going on, whether it’s a change in fashion or trends. That’s exciting.’
‘I love my dressmaking and designing,’ said Lily.
‘Then follow your heart. You’re already starting to see increased interest in your designs.’
‘I love working at the shop, and I can create my own designs too.’
Mirren could hear the lightness in Lily’s voice already. ‘But do think it over. Take your time.’
‘I will.’ Lily eased the tension that had built up in her neck and shoulders. ‘Have you had your afternoon tea?’
‘No, I was on edge, hoping everything worked out well for you.’
Lily smiled. ‘I’ll put the kettle on. And I think there were two spare scones. Butter and jam?’
‘Yes, thanks.’ Mirren started sewing again, and Lily could hear the machine whirring in the background as she made the afternoon tea. A sense of relief washed over her, and she took a moment to enjoy the comfort of her surroundings. The shelves filled with bolts of gorgeous fabric, the little haberdashery, the rails of vintage dresses that were due to be made wearable again.
As the kettle boiled, she put butter and strawberry jam on the scones. She hadn’t eaten anything for lunch, too wound up about the interview. Now, as the tension eased, she felt keen to enjoy an afternoon treat.
Carrying the tray through, they sat at the counter to have their tea and a natter.
‘Have you heard from Frazer today?’ said Mirren.
‘No. I told him last night that I had the job interview today, so he’s probably not wanting to interrupt.’
‘Are you going to tell him what happened?’
‘I’ll tell him tonight when I go up to the studio for my dance lesson.’
Mirren viewed her thoughtfully over the rim of her teacup. ‘Don’t you want to send him a wee message now? He’s bound to be on tenterhooks.’
Lily frowned. ‘Why?’
‘You know fine well why.’
Lily knew Mirren was right. She’d seen the look on his face the previous night when she’d told him about the interview. She took out her phone and sent him a short message:
They offered me the job. I have until January to decide. Thinking it over. It’s complicated. Will explain later .
Lily put her phone away and ate her scone.
Mirren smiled and enjoyed her tea and scone too.
Frazer was in Ivy’s craft shop when Lily’s message came through. He was talking to Ivy, and didn’t want to read the message until he was on his own.
Ivy showed Frazer her sewing machine. ‘Lily said she loved using it, so this would be a great Christmas gift for her.’
‘I want to get her something that I know she’ll like.’ He took a picture of the sewing machine so he could get the exact model. Ivy told him where she’d bought hers. ‘Lily has been helping me to promote the dance studio. She’s even agreed to perform on the stage for the opening of the Christmas Eve ball. So I want to get her this as a thank–you.’
Ivy smiled. ‘Lily seems to have really taken to the dancing.’
‘She has. Dressmaking is what she loves more than anything, but she has an aptitude for dancing.’
Customers came into the craft shop.
‘Thanks for your help, Ivy,’ said Frazer, and then he headed out to let Ivy deal with her customers.
The rain had stopped, but the dark grey clouds arched over the city, creating an atmosphere that was both dramatic and impressive. The streets were starting to glitter with frost again and the outlines of the buildings were silhouetted against the sky. There was a sense of theatre about Edinburgh in the depths of winter that Frazer had always loved.
He walked out of view of the craft shop, and then took out his phone to read the message.
His first reaction was relief. No decision had been made. His second reaction was to feel unsettled. Nothing was settled one way or the other. He kept his reply short, planning to talk to her later that night:
Thanks for letting me know, Lily. See you later for your lesson .
Lily saw Frazer’s reply and then tucked her phone away, and continued to work at her sewing machine at the back of the shop, mending a dress, hoping to get it finished before closing time.
‘I’m going to work on my needle felted snowman this evening,’ Mirren said, putting on her coat and a warm scarf, getting ready to leave. ‘Or I’ll just cosy up on the couch with Bert and watch the latest episode of a TV series we’ve been following.’
‘Both options sound like fun.’ Lily switched her sewing machine off, and eased the tension from her shoulders.
‘I hope you enjoy your dance lesson tonight,’ said Mirren.
‘See you bright and early in the morning.’
After Mirren left, Lily went upstairs and heated a bowl of lentil and vegetable soup for her dinner. She ate it in the kitchen, then tidied the dishes away and relaxed in the living room with a cup of tea before getting changed for her dance lesson.
She wore the dress with the Christmas rose print, and her boots. A glimpse out the window showed that the night was starting to become frosty.
When it was time to go, she put her coat on, wrapped her pink knitted scarf around her neck, and headed downstairs.
Locking up, she walked away from the shop, feeling the chill in the air and stepped up her pace.
The studio was lit up with extra lights glowing in the window, and when she went in, she saw that the decorations Frazer had mentioned were now up.
Victoria and Dougal were upstairs teaching, and Frazer was finishing a lesson in the main studio, so she had the reception to herself.
Hanging up her coat and scarf, she changed out of her boots into her dance shoes, and admired the glittering decorations.
As she sat in reception with ten minutes to spare before her lesson, a message popped up on her phone. It was from the journalist:
Your feature is up on the magazine website. I hope you like it. It’ll be in the magazine soon .
Lily clicked on the website and there was the feature with a bold headline and a picture of her waltzing wearing the pink ballgown. She read it and was delighted with what he’d written, and the pictures that accompanied it were great. There was a link to the video too.
Sitting there on her own, she watched the video of her dancing with Frazer. It had been edited well, and as she watched it a second time, Frazer came out of the studio with a couple he’d been teaching. He cast a smile at Lily as he waved them off.
Lily stood up. ‘The journalist’s interview is up on the magazine’s website, and the video of us dancing.’
‘Come on through and we’ll watch it in the studio,’ he suggested.
Lily nodded and followed him through.
She held her phone up and they watched the video together.
‘You waltzed really well that night,’ he said.
‘I’m happy that the interview has turned out great. And the video shows you instructing me how to waltz, reminding me about my posture and showing me how to do reverse and natural turns.’
‘This will help to promote the lessons and the studio,’ he said. ‘And your dressmaking and designs. Your ballgown looks gorgeous.’ So did Lily, but he kept this to himself. His heart reacted seeing her waltzing with him. They looked like a well–matched couple.