6. His other family – 1978
Ursula was working in the shop again, tidying up the rails.
She was halfway into her trial period but Cass still only let her loose in the sewing room a couple of days a week.
And even then, she was only given the most basic tasks under Wanda’s supervision.
As often as she could, she wore clothes she’d made herself to show that she really did know how to sew, but it made no difference. It was so frustrating.
When she first came to work at Talulah, Ursula assumed Cass was the dressmaker, but she’d been wrong.
Cass designed the clothes and Wanda made them.
Wanda knew everything about sewing, but she was quite old.
Fifty-six. That was why Cass had brought Andi in, so that Wanda could teach her everything she knew before she retired.
Andi was twenty, a year older than Ursula.
She’d been here nearly two years and apparently she was still learning.
Ursula wished she’d been here two years.
She wished she hadn’t wasted a year at college learning to be a secretary when all she wanted to do was sew.
But her mum had insisted she had something to fall back on.
In the end they’d reached an agreement that if Ursula did a year of college and still wanted to sew, her mum would speak to Cassandra about giving her a job.
So Ursula knuckled down and learned shorthand and typing.
But even before the year had been over, she was nagging her mum to go and see Cassandra.
Last week, she’d tried to get her to speak to Cass again about letting her spend more time with Wanda, but her mum had refused.
As far as she was concerned, she’d got Ursula in and it was up her to prove herself now.
Of course, it wasn’t the real reason she refused to speak to Cass again.
The real reason was because of the things that happened when Ursula’s dad walked out.
He didn’t just leave them, he cut them off, and so did his family.
Including Cass, who’d been her mum’s best friend as well as her sister-in-law.
They’d lived in a big house in Four Oaks that they couldn’t afford anymore and not one of the Frys lifted a finger to help.
So they had to move in with Nanny Graham.
Ursula had slept in the room her mum had slept in as a kid, until her mum got a job and they were able to get their own flat.
So yeah, her mum was bitter, and Ursula supposed she was too.
Especially since she’d started talking to Andi about it and had realised it wasn’t normal for that to happen.
But not so bitter that she wouldn’t jump at the chance to properly work here.
Because in spite of everything, she’d come to love working at Talulah, and she’d come to love working with Andi and Wanda.
And Cass wasn’t too bad either, if you didn’t listen too hard to that nagging grudge.
Andi came downstairs and nudged up to her. ‘Can’t have lunch with you. Cass wants me to cover.’
Ursula swore under her breath. Cass could easily have managed on her own. It wasn’t like they were ever rushed off their feet. Talulah was too expensive for that.
Cass was serving someone at the till. She walked the client out and then made a beeline for them.
Straight away, Ursula was worried that she’d heard her and was about to sack her on the spot.
Andi was always telling her not to be so sensitive but it was all right for her.
She wasn’t on a trial and she hadn’t spent the last ten years of her life wondering what she’d done to make the Frys hate her so much.
‘Ursula, could you do me a favour when you go out? Could you pop into Boots and pick up some photos for me?’
‘Yes, absolutely.’ She sounded ridiculously over-enthusiastic, but she couldn’t help it. It was the relief making her act like a complete brown-nose.
‘She’ll need an extra quarter of an hour for that,’ said Andi.
‘What? Oh yes, obviously. Take an extra fifteen minutes,’ said Cass before waltzing off into the back.
‘That was too easy. Should have asked for half an hour. She’s desperate to get those photos back,’ whispered Andi.
‘Not desperate enough to get them herself though,’ Ursula whispered back.
‘Oh no, far too beneath Madam Cassandra.’
‘What’s the rush anyway?’
‘She’s been hanging around Barbarella’s and the Rum Runner taking photos of that new look. They’re going to be the inspiration for her next collection.’
Ursula screwed up her face. She didn’t know which new look that was.
Andi tutted. ‘You’ve got no idea what I’m going on about, have you? Right, we’re going to the Rum Runner on Saturday. You need educating.’
It was a good job she had an extra fifteen minutes because the queue in Boots was ridiculous.
You’d have thought everyone would have had their holiday films developed by now but not so.
It took ages to get Cass’s photos, leaving Ursula just enough time to rush back to the shop before her break was over.
But not before sneaking a crafty peek at this new look she was clueless about.
Because, when it came to fashion, Ursula was endlessly curious.
Besides, if they were going to the Rum Runner on Saturday, she’d only got a few days to find something that wouldn’t make her stand out in the wrong way.
She took the photos out of the packet. Carefully holding the edges so there were no smudges, she sifted through pictures of girls and boys dressed like something from another time.
There were pirates, highwaymen, Pierrots, bodice-wearing Marie Antoinettes, and so many more.
She could have been looking at a fancy dress party, except that wasn’t what they were about.
They were so strange and fantastic that she nearly screamed with excitement.
Only a few left. She couldn’t wait to see what was in them.
She picked up the top photo and put it at the back, her eyes greedily searching the next one.
But this wasn’t a nightclub photo, it was in someone’s house.
Cass must have taken it to use up the film roll.
A man, a woman and two girls. A family photo then.
Only the thing was, the man was her dad.
A bit older than Ursula remembered him but definitely him.
Which must mean her dad was also their dad.
Which also meant these girls were her half-sisters.
They looked too much like her not to be.
And then it occurred to her that they were only a few years younger than her.
So that could only mean he already had another family when he walked out on them.
Ursula went cold, then hot and clammy. The photos slipped from her fingers.
She watched them falling but there was nothing she could do to stop them.
It was like everything was slowing down and the floor was getting closer.
But then someone caught her arm and she was back in real time again.
‘Are you all right?’ The voice was calm and strong. For a moment, she thought it was her dad. But then she remembered where she’d seen that face before. Her first day. The man by Bennetts Hill.
‘Yes, thank you.’ She pulled her arm away and reached for the photos scattered about the floor. To her horror, some of them had footprints stamped across them. She snatched them up as fast as she could, panicky tears running down her cheeks.
‘Let me,’ said the man. He took them from her and wiped each one with a handkerchief before returning them to the packet. Then he shook the handkerchief and held it out for her. ‘I am afraid it is quite dusty, but I have only one.’
‘They’re my boss’s. She’ll go mad.’
He smiled, like he felt really sorry for her. ‘Come. I’ll explain.’
Without saying another word, she let him take her out of the store.
‘Where do you work?’ His accent was different. Sort of English but not really English.
‘Ethel Street. Talulah.’
‘Ah. That explains it.’ He didn’t say, but she knew he was talking about that first time they’d seen each other.
When they reached the shop, he held the door open for her. Ursula skulked in, a grovelling, snivelling mess. She couldn’t look at Cass who rushed over to her. ‘Ursula, what’s happened?’
‘I’m afraid it is all my fault,’ said the man. ‘I was rushing and knocked the photos out of her hand. Of course, I will pay to have them redeveloped.’
Cass flashed him an angry glare. ‘That won’t be necessary, thank you.’
He nodded and thrust a small card into her hand. ‘In case you change your mind. Goodbye, Ursula.’
‘Bye…’ Ursula trailed off, fully aware that she sounded pathetic but she was thinking about the look Cass had given the man. If she did that with a total stranger, what the hell was in store for her when he left.
‘Anton. My name is Anton Moller.’
Before he was even out the door, Cass pulled Ursula away and bundled her upstairs to the kitchen to be left with Wanda who insisted a cup of hot sweet tea was needed.
Everyone was fussing over her as if she’d had a fall.
Ursula drank the tea and made herself go back downstairs to face the music. Might as well get it over with.
Cass was on her own in the shop. ‘Are you okay now?’
‘Yes. I’m really sorry about the photos.’
‘No. I’m sorry.’ Cass didn’t say what exactly she was sorry for but she obviously didn’t believe the photos just happened to fall out of the packet when that man bumped into her. She knew Ursula had been looking at them and had seen the one of her father and his other family.
Before either of them could say any more, the shop door opened. It was a client, come for a fitting. ‘I never agreed with it. I want you to know that,’ said Cass. Then she turned to the client and greeted her with a smile that was big and broad, and completely fake.