On the threshold, though, she hesitated. The staff sat where they liked at the long tables, but there was a rule that the men and boys kept to one side of the room, women and girls to the other. Because of this, although Sophie could see Billy sitting by himself across the room – now looking much tidier, his copy of Boys of Empire spread open on the table in front of him – she couldn’t go over and sit with him. But equally she knew she would not be very welcome at the table where Edith was holding forth to a cluster of her fellow shop girls. With some relief, she spotted an empty place in a corner where she could sit alone. But before she could make her way over to it, she felt a hand on her shoulder.
‘Miss Taylor,’ said an unfamiliar voice, and she turned around to see a tall, fair young man whom she recognised slightly – Bert Jones, Ladies’ Fashions. He wore his hair sleeked back, and smelled strongly of cologne. Sophie nodded politely, but felt confused. She had barely exchanged two words with Bert before, and all she really knew about him was that Edith had been telling everyone that he had already invited her to walk out with him.
‘I hear you’re coming up in the world,’ he said, in a confidential tone. ‘Little promotion on the way? Mum’s the word though, eh?’ He tapped the side of his nose.
Sophie smiled awkwardly and made to move away, but he put a long-fingered hand on her elbow. ‘Look, the way I see it, Miss Taylor, you and I have got things in common. You’re obviously a smart girl, and me – well, I don’t like to brag, but I’m smart too. Going places, see? Catching the right people’s attention. So how about you step out with me on Friday night, after closing time?’
Sophie felt her face flush scarlet. She felt horribly conscious of the shop girls gasping and giggling, and Billy goggling at her from across the room. ‘But . . . I thought you were walking out with Edith,’ she managed.
Bert shrugged. ‘Well, maybe I was. But things change, don’t they?’ he said with a knowing wink.
Sophie lifted her chin. ‘Thank you, but I don’t think so,’ she said firmly.
Bert eyed her thoughtfully. ‘They all said you were stuck-up,’ he said. Then he grinned. ‘Well, that’s all right by me. I don’t mind a girl being a bit above herself. Come on, Your Ladyship. I’m a catch, me. On Cooper’s good side. Doing his special commissions after hours, so I’ve got a few quid coming my way. I’ll treat you proper – like a lady.’
‘Can’t you tell she’s not interested?’ came a clear, matter-of-fact voice from somewhere behind her. To her astonishment, Sophie saw that Lil had appeared at her elbow. She was now dressed in a plain skirt and blouse instead of the green and gold peacock gown, but she still looked as extraordinary as ever. ‘Leave her alone and go and eat your dinner.’
One or two people laughed, and Bert stared for a moment, taken aback. Then he seemed to register all the watching faces and a scowl broke over his face. He let go of Sophie’s elbow and stalked away towards the gentlemen’s side of the room, his hands in his pockets, as if nothing had happened.
‘What a bore,’ said Lil, leading Sophie towards a couple of empty chairs in the corner, leaving a babble of chatter in their wake. ‘You’ve simply got to put fellows like that in their place.’
Sophie pulled a face, feeling embarrassed. She could well imagine that Lil was used to dealing with all kinds of suitors, but Sophie herself was hardly accustomed to strange young men inviting her to walk out with them.
Lil was staring down at her plate in undisguised disappointment. ‘Mutton,’ she said with a sigh. ‘How dreary. Could you only imagine if it had been roast beef ? I’m simply ravenous.’
But Sophie wasn’t thinking about stew. ‘Edith is going to be even more browned off with me than ever now.’
‘Who’s Edith?’ asked Lil, tucking in. ‘Oh, she has a fancy for him, does she? Well, that’s hard luck, but it wasn’t your fault. Actually it was rather funny. I wish you could have seen your face. And Billy’s! He looked like he was about to challenge that Bert fellow to a duel, or goodness knows what!’
Sophie laughed. ‘You found a jacket then?’ she asked, relieved to change the subject.
‘Of course! Though we had a bit of a narrow squeak when we nearly bumped into someone wandering around down in the basement. Billy looked jolly worried.’
‘I think he’s frightened of getting into trouble with Mr Cooper.’
‘I can’t think why everyone’s so terrified about that,’ said Lil. ‘Cooper is such an old stick. That stern manner of his is just an act.’
‘Doesn’t anyone intimidate you?’ Sophie asked, shaking her head in astonishment.
‘Lord, yes!’ exclaimed Lil. ‘Miss Pinker, the headmistress of my old school. Frightful creature. And I have to say, I was rather terrified when I did my audition for the show. I had to get up and sing in front of the director, Gilbert Lloyd. He’s simply the tops when it comes to musical comedy – and dreadfully handsome too. I was absolutely quaking in my boots! Anyway, I can’t have been that awful because I got the part. Of course I’m only in the chorus. I’m about the least important person there is in the whole place, to tell the truth. But it might be my chance – a real chance to be an actress!’
Behind them, the girls at Edith’s table had their heads close together whispering and were casting curious glances over at Lil. Sophie felt a sudden wave of relief sweep over her. When she had arrived at the store that morning she had felt entirely alone here, but at last she seemed to have found a friend. She smiled across the table at Lil, feeling almost light-hearted for the first time in many weeks.
‘It sounds marvellous,’ she said. ‘Tell me all about it.’
As the final day of preparations went on, the pace began to accelerate. Men in white gloves were busy in the Exhibition Hall, unpacking crates with mechanical precision. In the Entrance Hall, Mr Cooper and Sidney Parker were engaged in an intense discussion about the best deployment of porters, lift-operators and doormen. In the Ladies’ Lounge, bunches of perfect roses were being arranged in crystal vases, and in the Marble Court Restaurant, the waiters smoothed out snowy white linen tablecloths and laid out silverware, the restaurant manager following behind them with a tape measure to ensure that each setting was perfect.
Up in the Millinery Department, the main activities were dusting, sweeping and polishing. Unused to such physical work, Sophie soon found herself weary and aching, but she went on working grimly, determined not to let Edith see that she was tired. All the same, as the afternoon drew on, she was pleased to see Lil appear, giving her a welcome excuse to get up from her polishing.
‘So this is where you work?’ said Lil, looking around her with interest. ‘Gosh, it’s all rather splendid, isn’t it? They sent me up to collect some more hats for the dress show rehearsal.’
Sophie nodded. ‘They’re through in the storeroom,’ she said, leading the way. ‘I’ll show you.’
Once the storeroom door had closed behind them, they grinned at each other conspiratorially.
‘I was simply bursting for a change of scenery,’ said Lil. ‘They wanted to send for a porter – Captain’s Girls aren’t supposed to be running about the store with boxes, and all that, but I insisted on coming myself. Honestly, I can’t tell you how fearfully boring it is, just practising walking up and down in different frocks.’
‘It sounds an awful lot better than polishing,’ said Sophie with a laugh, as she handed Lil the hat-boxes she needed.
‘Well, yes, I suppose you’re probably right there,’ said Lil, grinning ruefully. ‘I really oughtn’t grumble. And at least tomorrow morning I’ll be off to the theatre for rehearsals. We don’t have to come in until after luncheon now, you see, because the dress shows will only be in the afternoons, so it’s all worked