CHAPTER TWO #6
"My congratulations," Constance said at the same moment Leah said, "pleased to meet you." She laughed a little after they spoke over each other, and the resemblance to her father intensified. They had the same kind eyes.
"Leah will require new dresses, of course," Avram said to Constance, "to take with her to her new home.
She and my wife have been hard at work sewing them, but they both have many other cares to attend to as the wedding approaches.
A tailor's assistance would be most appreciated, and of course we would pay well.
" He addressed himself to Leah. "Would you like that? "
"Oh, very much!" Leah's voice was high, almost squeaky with excitement. "That is - Mamma is near run off her feet planning the wedding. She would be happy to have one less chore to worry about."
Avram nodded, turning back to Constance. "And how much would a dress cost, if you were to make it?"
Constance did a few rapid sums in her head.
"It would depend on the materials used, of course," she said, "and how quickly you wanted it done.
If it were to be made of linen and finished by the date of the wedding, then it would be something like twenty-five pence.
" She offered an apologetic smile. "A little extra to have it done quickly, you understand. "
"Entirely reasonable." Avram nodded. "And if we were to order three -"
"Father!" Leah blushed pink. "You needn't spend so much, when I'll only need a day dress."
"And a wedding dress," he reminded her, "and one to spare, just in case." He reached out and tweaked one of her curls, which had worked its way out from underneath her veil. "If I'm to see my only daughter wed, I'll not skimp on the expense. Allow me a fatherly indulgence."
"Three would be seventy-five pence altogether," Constance said.
She could hardly believe it even as the words left her mouth.
Seventy-five pence was six shillings, more than enough to pay off her remaining debts with a little left over.
It would keep her on her feet until she was able to find further custom.
It would, quite effectively, save her life and Peter's.
And it was being dropped in her lap like manna from heaven, with the only condition being that she -
The thought stopped her cold in her tracks.
If she agreed to the deal, that meant she would have to actually produce the dresses, a skill which she had singularly failed to demonstrate in the past eight months of frantically attempting to retain customers.
And she would have to do it quickly, with no time for errors or going back to start over.
What would happen if she agreed and then failed to hold up her end of the bargain?
Penury, almost certainly. She couldn't afford to agree to this.
But she couldn't afford not to, either.
"Seventy-five for three dresses." Avram nodded. "The price is acceptable. To be paid half to begin, and half once the dresses are finished?"
Constance nodded, her jaw clenched. If taking on the job committed her to succeeding, taking the money up front really committed her to it.
It would be fraud if she didn't, and there would be no excuse to offer if she failed: she could hardly tell Avram and Leah after the fact that she'd taken on the task knowing that she was incapable.
God help her, she would have to find some way of accomplishing the impossible. The only way out was through.
"I will have to take her measurements, of course," she said, and was pleased to find that her voice held steady. She'd always prided herself on keeping a calm head in a crisis, and the current situation was no different. "If you've a moment now -"
"Oh, we can't," Leah said, her face falling. "We're to meet with the rabbi before noon, to make arrangements for the ceremony."
"That's perfectly fine." Better than fine, in fact; it would give her at least half a day to plan.
She could speak with Peter, and with Jack - possibly even with Matilda, depending on what she decided to do next.
Having an idea of what she would do next would work wonders on her unsteady nerves.
"Would tomorrow be suitable? After noon? "
"I hardly see why not," Avram said. "Leah, tell your mother not to invite anyone to dinner tomorrow, for we'll not be here to greet them.
Along with you, then." He made a gentle shooing motion at her, and she turned to leave, sketching a little half-curtsy and beaming at Constance as she went.
Constance inclined her head in return, feeling her heart give a tug at Leah's obvious excitement.
Money troubles aside, she would feel dreadfully guilty if she let her down.
"Thank you," she said to Avram, "for your generosity, and your - your assistance. I hardly know what to say."
"Business is no charity," he said mildly. "I have offered you my services, and now you offer yours in turn. And may we both have cause to be glad of it, hey?"
Constance nodded, thinking, may we indeed.