‘Ah, right on time,’ the woman noted approvingly, then pointing to the curtain she told her, ‘You can hang your hat and coat in there. I use that room as the staff room and there is also a fitting room in there where clients may try garments on.’

Holly nodded and quickly did as she was told.

For the first couple of hours she was nervous and quietly observed the way Miss May greeted and dealt with the customers, but shortly before lunchtime, as her confidence grew, she attempted her first sale and felt proud when she managed to satisfy the customer, although she was still quite wary of the huge old-fashioned till.

‘So how did it go?’ Ivy enquired kindly when they arrived back at their room minutes apart that evening.

‘Actually I quite enjoyed it and being the week before Christmas we were ever so busy.’ Holly went to turn the heat on beneath the small pan of stew Ivy had prepared before they left for work that morning. ‘There were ladies coming in and buying all manner of things as gifts: silk stockings, gloves and scarves, mainly.’ She realised with a little pang then that this would be her first Christmas away from home and her mother but she quickly pulled her thoughts back to the present as she asked, ‘Do you know what days you’ll be given off over Christmas yet?’

Ivy was busy stirring the fire back to life before adding some more nuggets of coal. ‘Yes, because Christmas Day falls on a Monday this year we have Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, but the gaffer said we’d be allowed to leave a couple of hours early on Saturday. I dare say that’s to help out the women who have families so they’s can get their shoppin’ done. We have New Year’s Day off an’ all, so I’m lookin’ forward to it. What about you?’

‘The same, although I’m not allowed to finish early this Saturday. Miss May says that’s one of the busiest days of the year. You know, for people buying last-minute gifts. We had one gentleman come in today and he bought a selection of real silk underwear for his wife.’ She blushed as she recalled laying out the silk knickers on the counter in front of him and the glimpse of a smile she had seen on Miss May’s face when she noticed her new assistant’s embarrassment.

‘Huh! For his fancy piece, more like,’ Ivy responded with a grin. She crossed to the curtains and drew them tight against the cold night air then commented, ‘Well, at least there’s no sign o’ snow yet. That’s somethin’, I suppose, although it’s still damn cold! Oops sorry.’ Ivy knew that Holly disapproved of swearing but she still forgot herself from time to time.

Holly grinned as she admired her handiwork. She had bought the curtains for a snip from yet another second-hand stall a couple of days before and had then spent a whole afternoon altering them to fit their window. They were a wonderful deep red velvet, a little faded along the edges admittedly, but still beautiful quality and they softened the room no end, as did the cushions she had bought for the chairs. She liked to imagine that they had once graced the drawing room of a very grand house. Very slowly, the place was beginning to feel a little more like home, although neither of the girls wanted to stay there for long.