22
Madame Dubois was working in the shop when Nancy arrived the following morning. ‘Ah, the very person,’ she said, looking over her specs at her. ‘Can you come into the office, please? Carol can mind the shop for a few minutes.’
They both looked at Carol, who had her head in a hardback copy of Pride Prejudice. ‘Carol!’ Madame Dubois shouted. Please put down Mr Darcy for a few minutes. We’re leaving you in charge.’
Carol dropped the book in surprise. ‘Sorry, Madame,’ she said, picking it up and scuttling behind the till.
Nancy followed Madame Dubois into the back room.
‘Take a seat, Nancy.’
Madame Dubois settled into her old captain’s chair behind the desk while Nancy sank down into the low chair in front of it. Given how perfect the rest of Madame Dubois’s furniture was, Nancy wondered if she deliberately kept this chair’s upholstery saggy so she could intimidate whoever was sitting in it. It certainly felt as if Madame Dubois was towering over her.
Madame Dubois raised an eyebrow. ‘About yesterday afternoon. Is there anything you want to share with me?’
How much did she know? Keep it vague, Nancy. ‘Were you thinking of anything in particular?’
‘A little bird tells me you were admiring the view across the street from the second floor?’
Had Philip grassed on her? He’d seemed keen to keep her secret. ‘Really?’ Nancy kept it non-committal.
‘Monsieur Martin said he wanted to thank you for rescuing the lovely Mimi.’
Not Philip, then. ‘Mimi decided to visit your apartment. I thought I better evict her.’
‘But not before she left some cat hair in one of my rooms. My client didn’t appreciate my sneezing and snotty nose.’
‘Which room?’ Nancy asked as innocently as she could.
‘Never take up acting, Nancy. It’s quite obvious you know exactly which room I’m referring to.’
‘I got her out as quickly as possible,’ Nancy said.
Madame Dubois leaned back in her chair. ‘But she shouldn’t have been there in the first place. How did she get in?’
‘She opened that door herself.’
‘You expect me to believe that?’
‘It’s true, I promise. She must have stood up on her hind legs and pulled down the handle. We used to have a cat at home that could do that. Cats can be quite clever when they want to be.’
‘Are you sure you weren’t being nosey?’
‘Cross my heart.’
‘Hmm. So what did you think?’
‘Of what?’
‘Of my special room.’
‘Well, I’ve not seen anything quite like it in Ideal Home magazine.’
Madame Dubois laughed. ‘No. I don’t think it’s a style of decor that’s currently in vogue, not outside the bespoke binding community anyway. She leaned forward in her chair. ‘I’m pleased you came back today. I’ve lost a few assistants once they realised what was happening up there.’
‘It’s not for me to judge.’
‘I appreciate you taking that understanding attitude. I have a proposition for you.’
Nancy felt nervous.
‘My bespoke binding business keeps me very busy.’ Madame Dubois raised an eyebrow. ‘Too busy, but I don’t like to let my clients down, so I’ve been searching for a suitable apprentice for a while. Would that interest you?’
Nancy hadn’t anticipated that at all. ‘It’s not my sort of thing.’
‘It doesn’t have to be. In fact, it’s better if it’s not. You strike me as the sort of girl who doesn’t take any nonsense from men. I think you’d take to it very well.’
‘Well, I ….’
‘It’s all legal if that’s what’s worrying you. I don’t have sex with them. I’ll train you, of course. And I’ll pay you handsomely.’
Nancy thought about the extra money she owed Patty. ‘How handsomely?’
‘Let’s say 40 francs net for an hour’s session.’
Nearly eight times the hourly rate for shop work! She’d only need to stick it out for ten sessions, and she’d have all the cash she needed for Patty.
But it was still a highly unusual job. And it sounded as if Madame Dubois had unsuccessfully tried to fill the position before. ‘How about 50 francs an hour?’ Nancy suggested.
Madame Dubois smiled. ‘I like your style, Nancy. Shall we split the difference and say 45?’
So, it had been worth negotiating. ‘I’m willing to settle for 45 francs with a review after ten sessions.’
Madame Dubois held out her hand to shake Nancy’s. ‘That’s a deal. I need your absolute discretion, of course. This isn’t the sort of information that you should share with anyone. No one else needs to know what goes on upstairs here.’
‘No, of course not,’ Nancy said, worried now about what she’d already said to Olivia and Hans.