having a drink. Let’s change the subject. I wanted to tell you that I have a friend coming to stay – not this weekend but next.’
‘That’s when Mary wants me to go down to the country with her.’
‘Yes, I know. It will suit me if you go, Amy. My friend will use your room. You won’t mind, will you?’
‘No, of course not.’ I looked at her curiously. ‘Is this the first time she has stayed with you?’
‘For a while.’ There was a faint blush in her cheeks. ‘Harold lives in the country. We met three years ago. He asked me to marry him last year but I said I wasn’t ready to think about it yet. He hasn’t visited me since.’
‘I expect he was disappointed.’
‘Yes, he was very upset.’ Lainie wrinkled her forehead in thought. ‘I am fond of him, Amy. Harold Brompton is a good man – a nice man. If he lived in town I think I might have said yes, but I can’t see myself being happy in the country for long. I should be bored within a month.’
‘There’s so much going on here,’ I agreed. ‘Cinemas, theatres, shops – and your business, Lainie. You wouldn’t want to give that up.’
‘Harold thinks I could have a shop in Cambridge. There’s a good train service from where he lives, and he says he will teach me to drive a car. I suppose it might be a good idea.’
‘He sounds nice. I should like to meet him.’
‘Perhaps another time …’ Lainie looked oddly nervous. ‘Harold has something important to tell me – not about us getting married, something else.’
I looked at her curiously but she shook her head.
‘I’m not sure yet, Amy. I may have some news for you – and Bridget. Bridget will want to hear it if this turns out well. It was because of her that I started this and the reason I met Harold …’ She laughed as she saw my expression. ‘Yes, I know I’m being mysterious, but I really can’t tell you more just yet, Amy. I don’t know myself. Harold just said it was important.’
‘You don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to,’ I said and smiled at her. ‘And thank you for letting me go to stay with Mary next weekend. You do realize it means I won’t be able to work on Saturday?’
‘Yes, of course. I don’t mind that. You’ve worked hard since you’ve been with me, Amy. You deserve a bit of fun. You ought just to ask your parents if they agree, of course – but as far as I am concerned, it’s fine with me.’
‘I’ll let Mum know I’m going to Mary’s for the weekend,’ I promised. ‘But I know she won’t mind. She knows I’m not going to do anything silly.’
‘Of course you won’t,’ Lainie said. ‘You’re a sensible girl, Amy – and Mary is decent and looks like becoming a good customer, thanks to you. If you hadn’t designed that first dress for her, I doubt we should have seen her again. You are an asset to the business and you deserve your fun.’
I was nervous of attending Mary’s party. I wasn’t sure my best dress would be smart enough, even though Lainie told me I looked very pretty.
‘Don’t let them upset you,’ she told me. ‘Keep your head up and keep smiling whatever they say. Remember you are as good as any of them, even if you do work in a shop.’
As I was driven in a taxi to Mary’s house that evening I had an attack of nerves and wondered what on earth I was doing. I must have been mad to agree. I didn’t belong in this world and I could only blame myself if Mary’ s friends looked down their noses at me.
There was music playing loudly as I rang the front doorbell and I guessed that the party was being held on the back lawn. However, I wasn’t prepared for the huge marquee outside or the board laid on the grass for dancing. There were at least fifty people standing around talking and more couples dancing. All of them looked wealthy and well dressed, their jewels flashing like fireflies in the light of the lanterns strung from the trees.
I noticed that several of the ladies were wearing dresses with an Egyptian inspiration. Vionnet had brought out some wonderful designs after the opening of Tutankhamen’s tomb the previous year and I could see that they were still popular. It was not a fashion I particularly admired, preferring the simpler styles of Poiret.
‘I didn’t invite half of these people,’ Mary whispered as she greeted me with a kiss on the cheek. ‘Most of them are Aunt Emily’s friends – or my father’s.’
‘I thought it was your party?’
‘So did I,’ she said and pulled a wry face. ‘This isn’t what I wanted, believe me. Apart from you, there’s only Jane Adams and Millicent Fairchild that I like. Come and meet them. They are just like you and me, Amy. Most of the others are awful snobs.’
I was pleased to discover that both Jane and Millie were pleasant and very like some of the girls I’d known at art college. We talked about the clothes we liked, music and art, and then Jane was approached by a young man who asked her to dance. Moments later, Mary and then Millie were claimed by partners.
I stood awkwardly for a few minutes wondering what to do. Not having met any of the other guests, I was uncomfortable. I knew there was a buffet in the conservatory and was considering whether I should go and find something to eat when someone spoke to me.
‘It was thoughtless of Mary to leave you alone, Amy.’
Turning, I saw Paul Ross and smiled.
‘Hello. I didn’t know you were coming this evening.’
‘Mary begged me to. I don’t like these things much, because I’m not very good at dancing these days. I might manage a slow waltz – if you would like to dance?’
‘Don’t if you would rather not,’ I said and blushed because he was being kind to me.
‘Oh, I can manage a couple during the evening.’
Paul took me out on to the floor, placing his hand lightly at my waist. I let myself move with the music, following Paul’s lead. He was a good dancer and after my initial hesitation I was soon enjoying myself.
When the music ceased he led me back to Mary, but when the band started to play one of the modern dances that was taking the country by storm, he shook his head.
‘Perhaps later,’ he told Mary when she invited him to dance with her. He walked towards the house and disappeared inside.
I was anxious in case all the girls would be asked to dance and leave me on my own again. However, the young man who had danced with Mary introduced himself as Alan Bell and asked if I would like to try.
I looked at him shyly. ‘I haven’t done this one before, but I wouldn’t mind having a go.’
‘It’s great fun.’ Alan smiled his approval. ‘We all look silly so it doesn’t matter if you make a mistake, no one will notice.’
The dance called the Charleston involved a lot of rather peculiar steps, arm waving and leg crossing, and it was gradually becoming all the rage at private parties after a film featuring it had been shown in America earlier that year. It was yet to be accepted by everyone, but it was a lot of fun – and so was the evening for me, after my initial awkwardness. Mary’s friends rallied round me and the only dances I sat out were when I was eating some of the delicious food the caterer’s had provided. More than an hour passed before I at last met my host. Looking rather sheepish, Mary brought him up to me as I was sipping a glass of cool lemonade, momentarily alone.
‘Daddy wanted to meet you, Amy.’
‘My daughter has rather unfortunate manners at times, Miss Robinson,’ he said