green scarf, the golden hoops shining as they caught the light. Why, if it wasn’t for her torn hem and stains on her blouse, she’d look quite presentable, she thought happily.
The ringing of the little bell interrupted her musing and, spinning round, Colenso smiled as an elegant woman in her early twenties entered. She perused the jars before asking: ‘Do you have any of those delectable dates? Mother so adores them.’ The woman’s smile turned to a frown as Colenso tried to remember seeing any.
‘Ah, good morning, Miss Veryan,’ Garren said, appearing from the workshop. ‘I have just this moment finished making them.’
‘That is most opportune,’ she replied, a dazzling smile replacing her frown.
‘As if I would let my favourite customer down, Miss Veryan. Your mother is keeping well, I trust?’
‘If her grumbling is anything to go by, she is hale and hearty,’ the woman replied, with a roll of her eyes. While they exchanged pleasantries, Garren weighed out the dates and wrapped them.
‘Here you are, Miss Veryan. I have added an extra one for yourself,’ he told her.
‘How kind you are, Mr Goss,’ she said, handing him a coin. ‘Good day to you.’ Without a glance in Colenso’s direction, she glided from the shop.
‘Well,’ Colenso muttered.
‘She is a good customer so I often add a little treat. But not for everyone, you understand, or I would soon be out of business,’ he replied, completely missing her point.
The bell jangled and two grubby little boys came in, eyeing Garren hopefully.
‘Got any broken bits, mister?’
‘As a matter of fact, I have,’ he winked. Taking a little bag from behind the counter, he handed it to the older one.
‘Cor, thanks, mister,’ they chorused, almost running out of the shop in their haste to eat their treats.
‘But they didn’t pay,’ Colenso exclaimed.
‘They’re from the orphanage. I collect up the bits from the bottom of the jars each evening so it doesn’t really cost me anything. Now, I’ll leave it to you to make our fortune,’ he grinned and disappeared back to the workshop.
There was a lull during which Colenso carefully placed the dates into a clean jar and put it in the window. She had just returned to her place behind the counter when a harassed-looking woman entered, followed by three young children who immediately ran over to the sweet jars, gazing longingly at the contents.
‘Three barley-sugar sticks,’ the woman said, giving Colenso a weary smile.
‘Aw Mamm, can’t we have some of these?’ the little boy said, gazing longingly at the sugar-glass sweets.
‘No, we wants these,’ the girls chorused, pointing to the Nelson’s buttons.
‘Which is why you’re having a barley stick each,’ she replied. ‘If you’re good you can eat them in the park on the way back.’
‘Do you want them wrapped?’ Colenso asked, unscrewing the lid and counting out the three sticks.
‘No ta, be lucky if they last as far as the park.’ Eager hands grabbed the sweets, and the children immediately began to devour them. ‘See what I mean?’ the woman sighed, proffering her money.
‘Good morning,’ she called, as the little bell rang their departure. Her first sale, she thought, carefully placing the coins in the cash box. It wouldn’t make Garren a fortune, but it was a start.
For the rest of the morning, the little bell hardly stopped jangling and she was rushed off her feet, serving well-heeled ladies and gentlemen stuffed dates, Nelson’s buttons and humbugs. Then came a surge of busy mothers with excited children wanting barley-sugar twists and rock sticks. By the time Garren closed the shop for lunch, the jars were almost empty.
‘Well done,’ he said, grinning as he looked around. ‘While you’ve kept the customers happy in here I’ve had time to make plenty more.’
‘I was surprised how many ladies came in with their children,’ Colenso told him.
‘Pay days are always busy. Mothers call in here after they’ve been to the butcher’s. Sugar is a cheaper way of filling up hungry bellies, which of course they don’t complain about. The women can then feed their men more meat, which keeps them happy too.’
‘Really?’ Colenso asked. How different things were here, she thought, recalling Mammwynn’s fresh herbs and vegetables, fish when the boats could get out or the pilchards showed up, scraps of meat from old Buller in return for a few hours’ help.
‘There is a lot of industrial work around here, which is hard graft, and the men need nutrition to keep them going. Talking of which, I’ve prepared luncheon. Just a bit of bread and ham,’ he said when he saw her expression.
‘This is becoming a habit and I can’t keep eating your food,’ she replied, taking her place at the table.
‘Board and room is part of the deal, remember? However, I gather from your earlier comment that you find it awkward accepting things, whether it be material or human assistance. But perhaps you could look at it from my point of view. I can’t be in two places at once, and whilst you’ve been serving the customers, I’ve been able to make more sweets than I have since Mother died. As you’ve gathered, Father tries but he’s really too old to be of much use.’
‘I know, but it was kind of him to give me that material.’
‘It was. However, he has no idea that dresses take time to make and he will expect you to be wearing the new one when he next sees you.’
‘What …’ she began, but he held up his hand to stop her.
‘I know, these things don’t happen just like that,’ he said, snapping his fingers. ‘And you’re probably waiting until you get paid to purchase things like thread and buttons or whatnot.’ She stared at him, surprised a man would know about such matters. ‘Mother made all our clothes, which is why I was going to ask if you would like to look through her sewing drawer and see if you can make use of anything – and before you protest again, you really do need to look the part of a smart shopkeeper. I believe you met Miss Chenoweth from the shop next door.’
‘Oh yes, she commented on the state of the pavement.’
‘And later she saw fit to comment on the state of your dress. She prides herself on running an upper-class establishment and expects everyone else around here to conform to her standards. I wouldn’t mention it other than she implied you would be letting the street down if you continued looking like a … well, dressed like that.’
‘And we can’t have that, can we?’ Colenso retorted. ‘In order to save embarrassment all round, I would be pleased to look through your mother’s sewing drawer, provided you deduct the cost of anything I use from my wages.’ He gazed at her intently, a smile hovering on his lips. ‘You think that funny, Mr Goss?’
‘Actually, Miss Carne, I am impressed by your integrity. Most of the women I know would be only too pleased to be handed things on a plate.’
‘Well,
