Amber was tempted to kiss his cheek for his kindness but thought better of it. Her uncle wasn’t a demonstrative man and she didn’t think he’d appreciate it, so, needing no more persuasion, she thanked him and scurried away. She couldn’t remember ever having a brand-new gown in her whole life. Her mother had usually bought their clothes from the second-hand stall in the market and altered them to fit and even the uniform dress she had worn at Greenacres had been worn before. In addition, once she had the material, the making of the gowns would give her something to do of an evening. Her uncle always retired quite early after dinner and she’d found the hours before she herself went to bed passed slowly, giving her too much time to think and fret about what lay ahead.

There was a spring in her step for the first time in some while as she entered the dressmaker’s and the portly woman who owned the shop immediately confused her as she produced bolt after bolt of material. Amber was completely spoilt for choice!

‘This might be nice for the spring and summer,’ the kindly shopkeeper suggested as she unrolled a pretty cotton print. It had a white background sprigged with tiny yellow rosebuds and Amber fell in love with it instantly.

‘It’s perfect.’ She smiled. ‘But perhaps something a little more sober for working in my uncle’s shop?’

‘How about this one?’ The woman reached for a bolt of slightly thicker material in a warm russet colour. ‘It would look beautiful with your blonde hair and eyes. You could perhaps trim it with this dark brown braid around the neck and the cuffs?’

Amber beamed at her and nodded, and once the material had been cut and she was told the price she fingered a warm shawl with a thick fringe. It was all autumn colours and she knew that it would go with the russet dress beautifully on cold mornings.

‘Seein’ as you’ve bought enough material for two gowns, I could do that a bit cheaper fer you if you were interested?’ the shopkeeper offered, and after hesitating, Amber nodded and waited again while that too was wrapped in brown paper and tied with string.

The next stop was the bootmaker’s and once he had measured her feet, he produced a book full of designs.

‘I don’t want anything too fancy,’ she said worriedly, although some of the designs were so beautiful they made her heart race. ‘These will be just right,’ she said eventually, pointing to a pair of shoes with a small heel, a round toe and a strap across the arch.