The Apprentice Girl // Book 3 in the Rosie Grey series

Chapter Five

When Doctor Ealing left, I resumed my painting and in between dealing with customers, I had been able to finish it. It was a stretch from the depictions of the factory I usually painted and instead ended up resembling the river that ran by the Ealing's house. Even in my artwork, I couldn't escape them. I hung the canvas up on a small strip of wall that jutted out beside James' office door and a row of shelves. The plan had been to cover the wall with small canvas', but I had been too busy with everything else that I hadn't painted them. Now the organisation had been finished, I could do the artwork.

James and Kitty returned that afternoon carrying one bolt of fabric each, but I didn't tell either of them about the conversation I had had with Doctor Ealing. Instead, I told them he had been in to collect cotton scraps and it may be something he would be interested in purchasing from us in the future. Even knowing that Doctor Ealing had been here when he hadn't been caused James' eye to twitch if I had told him we had spoken he would have smashed something. What he didn't know wouldn't hurt him, not yet anyway.

I knew he wanted to talk about, but I wouldn't let him get close. Every time he looked as though he would bring up Doctor Ealing, I managed to change the subject to something else entirely. Avoiding the topic wouldn't make it go away, it made my life a little easier as I didn't have to answer any awkward questions and could just put the bolts of fabric away without having to worry. I planned on telling him eventually, but only when his attitude towards the Ealing's had calmed down. It was Mrs Ealing he needed to direct his anger towards, not Doctor Ealing.

"There was no trouble at all today?" James asked as he handed me on the new bolts of fabric.

"None at all. There were a few people in looking for ribbons and thread to mend holes in socks, but nothing much beyond that. I don't know why you sound so worried, this isn't the first time I've been here on my own," I said.

"Hm, that was before your old employers decided to grace us with their presences. If I could get out of their order, I would."

"They wouldn't do anything, not here."

"You don't know that."

"James," Kitty warned, "I think Rosie knows them better than you do. Besides, it's a lot of work and we will always need the money to keep this place in stock, fabric isn't cheap."

"I know, I know," He waved his hand dismissively. "I'm just not a fan of how Mrs Ealing conducted herself. I don't condone gossip and the way she made her announcement was just disrespectful."

"We don't disagree with you, but you have to reign your frustration in a little. After the bead order is fulfilled and the outfits are done, you will never have to see them again. It will only be for a little while." She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him lightly on the cheek.

"You're right. Once I'm finished, we'll never have to see them again."

James ran a hand through his hair and walked to the other side of the room to take a sip from his tea. I glanced at Kitty who shook her head slightly and went to join him. From my side of the room, I watched them engage in a hushed conversation, Kitty muttering things to James whilst he nodded his head on occasion though he didn't say much in reply. Kitty had been the only one able to rouse James from his anger. It always seemed to overcome him more than it should have but a few words from Kitty and he would be back to his old self as if nothing had happened. Marrying Kitty had been one of the best things he could have done.

With James talked out his mood by Kitty, we placed the last bolt of cloth onto the shelf and I went to amend the inventory list whilst the two of them talked about James' idea for the Ealing's. It seemed as though Miss Ealing wanted the finest of details and embellishments for a seemingly ordinary dinner party. I knew James wanted to question it, but he would never do so to her face. Instead, he intended to stick to the request in order to get rid of her. He hoped she would return to her other tailor when he returned from India.