‘Nan, can you see that May is provided with a suitable dress?’ Freeman said. ‘I’ll leave her in your capable hands. I’m sure the two of you are going to get along famously.’

Nan led her along a warren of corridors to a room where several women were sitting at tables, stitching, and rolls of brightly coloured fabrics were stacked along the walls.

‘New recruit,’ she announced. ‘Needs fitting out with a uniform dress.’

May had already seen that all the assistants on the shop floor wore coats and skirts in the same dark blue, with white blouses. It seemed that this uniform colour extended to those working behind the scenes, but in the form of a dress. She was more than happy to exchange her worn, black skirt and much-darned blouse for one of these.

‘You’re a skinny little thing, aren’t you?’ the seamstress who fitted her remarked. ‘You’ll have to feed her up, Nan.’

‘Oh, you can leave that to me,’ Nan responded with a chuckle. ‘Now then, bring your box and I’ll show you where we work.’

May followed her down another passage and into a room, which, to her eyes, resembled an Aladdin’s cave. Hats in various stages of completion rested on hat blocks and stands on the tables, and surrounding them were boxes full of ribbons and coloured feathers and artificial flowers.

‘Oh!’ the exclamation escaped without her intention.

‘Like what you see?’ Nan asked.

‘Oh yes!’

‘Good. Put your box down under the table there and we can get started. Now, Mr Freeman tells me you have a good eye for colour and design. See that one there?’ She pointed to an almost-completed hat. ‘It wants something, just to finish it off. What would you suggest?’

May stared round the room. The question was so unexpected that for a moment she could not think of a response. Then she said, ‘Is it a hat for a young lady, or someone older?’

‘A young woman, quite a girl actually.’

‘And what colour is her dress?’

‘Aha!’ Nan reached across and held up a swag of fabric and ribbon. ‘You’re asking the right questions. Now, what?’

May looked around again and alighted on the box of artificial flowers. ‘These,’ she said. ‘Violets would be perfect with those colours.’

‘Well done!’ said Nan. ‘Mr Freeman was right. I can see we are going to get along very well. Now, pull up that stool and we’ll start from the beginning.’

Eight