Happy June! I hope the summer had treated you all very well so far!
My summer is going to be crazy busy so I do not know if the next chapters will be up as quickly as I would like, but please keep a look out!
Anyway, here's a new chapter to brighten your spirits!
December 1924
The store was exceedingly busy that Tuesday morning but nothing could have been better.
Roger Grove watched from the mezzanine as customers eagerly scurried about the shop floor, speaking with employees and purchasing the newest merchandise. The winter promotion would be quite profitable this year, if Mr. Crabb's calculations were correct.
"It's splendid, isn't it?"
He felt a hand on his arm and he turned to Josie Mardle.
Her eyes sparkled as she joined him to look over the crowds. Her bright smile caught Roger off guard and he took a moment to admire it.
"Yes. It is quite splendid," Roger replied, taking her hand.
Yes, by all accounts, everything was splendid, and not just with the store.
Roger had learned so much from Josie in the past five years and he honestly felt as though he was a changed man. There was an understanding between them that had not existed before and he had grown to cherish every moment he spent with her.
It felt a bit strange, of course, that he and the children lived in her house as mere tenants. But it would not remain that way for long.
"We really ought to set a date, you know," he whispered and ran a finger over the small diamond ring she wore.
"I know, I know..." she blushed and shook her head, "I just need more time to get used to it," she clasped his hand in contentment.
"Take all the time you need, my darling," he brought an arm around her, "But don't keep us waiting much longer. I can hardly go another day without you as my wife."
Josie playfully lifted her brow and would have said something smart in reply had Connie Towler not approached them from the lift.
"Oh, excuse me, pardon me, Miss. Mardle, Mr. Grove," Connie blurted when she recognized the intimacy of the moment she was interrupting.
She blushed in embarrassment but Josie and Roger were unfazed. They'd been through this before, an office romance, but now there was no secrecy. It was open and honest, absolutely above reproach.
"What is it Mrs. Towler?" Josie asked calmly though it was clear Connie was suppressing giggles.
"We've just had a whole bunch of ladies arrive upstairs and we could really use your expertise," she gave a grimaced sort of smile, "They keep asking about fringe."
Josie let out an exasperated sigh, "I can't leave my department for a moment, can I?" she grinned and gave a look to Roger before quickly hurrying after Connie.
He watched Josie walk away, admiring her figure in the new dress she wore, but she turned and caught him staring. He winked mischievously when she blushed and she rolled her eyes at him as the lift doors shut.
Roger chuckled and straightened his suit jacket. He had a skip in his step as he began down the stairs.
The store as thriving, his children were healthy, and the woman he loved was perfect. Nothing could possibly ruin his happiness.
"Oh, Mr. Grove!"
Roger had just stepped onto the shop floor when he was met by George Towler.
The young man smiled, "There's a gentleman asking for Miss. Mardle. Perhaps you'd like to talk with him while I fetch her?"
Roger nodded, "Of course, of course. Where is he?"
"I told him to wait in Accessories," George explained then shrugged, "He's a weird sort, foreign, but he's not dangerous I don't think."
Roger smiled and patted George on the back as he continued on.
Once near the department mentioned, he gave a polite nod to Grace Calthorpe, who stood behind the main accessories counter as she battled a hoard of customers anxious to get their hands on the latest items from Paris.
Seeing the impassible swarm of people, Roger diverted his course. He was just rounding a corner when he bumped into someone strolling in the opposite direction.
"Oh, do excuse me," Roger muttered, holding the man's arm to steady him.
"Thank you, sir," the stranger replied, a foreign accent shining through even in the short phrase.
Roger looked to the man to further express his apology, but he froze.
He knew those brown eyes, that placid expression. The ground shifted beneath him and he felt as though the world were caving in. Time seemed to stop.
"Florian?" he whispered, his voice lost in shock.
The man's eyes brightened, "Y-you know me?"
Roger only stared, the blood draining from his face.
Florian smiled, oblivious to the panic racing through Roger's heart, "Then you must know where I can find Miss. Mardle. I've been searching all day for her but..."
Florian continued to speak, but Roger did not hear. His ears rung in pain and even his vision turned blurry. He gripped onto Florian's arm and felt the flesh and bone beneath the tweed coat.
"You..." Roger spoke, "This isn't possible..."
"Florian!" another man's voice broke through the mild roar of the crowd.
The man walked to them and grabbed Florian's shoulder, forcing him away. He spoke in French, but Roger knew enough of the language to follow their exchange.
"We are leaving now!" the man said in a hushed, angry tone , "This was not a good idea. You should never have come here."
"But Antoine, this man knows me! He knows where I can find her," Florian tried to explain to his friend.
Antoine's eyes darkened as he stared at Florian, "No, no you cannot do this. We have to go," he turned to Roger and shifted to English, "Please, excuse us, sir."
Antoine tightened his grip on Florian and pushed their way to the nearest exit.
Roger followed them, enraged, mortified, and confused. His heart was beating like a drum and he felt his knees weaken as he staggered after them.
By this time, the quarrelling had drawn the attention of several customers and staff, who watched the scene with concern. Security guards stepped forward to assist Roger, but he moved passed them.
"But this isn't possible..." Roger blurted to Antoine and pointed a shaking hand at Florian, "He's not possible!"
Antoine turned over his shoulder, "Forget all of this. You never saw him, do you understand?"
He then pushed Florian out onto the street and, within moments, the shop floor returned to normal.
Roger stood in astonishment for what felt like an eternity. He could hardly breathe and a cold sweat dampened his skin. The ringing in his head returned and it was as if he were underwater.
He heard footsteps draw nearer to him and felt a loving hand rest on his back.
"My dear, whatever is the matter?" Josie's kind and innocent voice called to him through the fog of his shock, "What happened? Are you alright?"
He blinked and looked into her curious blue eyes, but he only shook his head.
"You look very unwell," she said, putting a hand on his cheek, "You're shaking like a leaf. I'll take you home, you should rest."
He wanted to protest, but Josie's calming touch persuaded him to agree.
They had no trouble getting permission from Mr. Selfridge and within a quarter of an hour, they were walking arm-in-arm towards home.
Josie did not pressure him to tell her the true story of the ruckus on the shop floor, and Roger was thankful. But as they climbed the front steps to their home, he felt weaker and more unsure than ever.
The door was opened by Meryl, who smiled warmly in surprise, "I did not know you were coming home for tea!" her cheeriness faded when she recognized her father's troubled state and she took his arm as he entered the house, "Come, Papa, you should lay down."
Josie and Meryl had just helped him down onto the sitting room chaise when Earnest climbed up on his knee.
"You'll never guess what happened today, Papa!" he said excitedly.
"Earnest, darling, let your father rest," Josie urged as she went to take off her coat and hat.
Roger smiled weakly and ruffled the boy's blond hair, "No, go on, I want to know everything."
Earnest leaned forward with a mischievous grin, "Meryl talked to a stranger today."
"You did what?" Josie asked, stepping back into the room to gape angrily at Meryl, who was beginning to lay out the tea things.
"It was nothing like that!" she tried to explain herself but Josie gave her a stern look, "He was perfectly respectable! And if you must know..." she returned Josie's look with a teasing one, "He was asking about you."
Roger's heart stopped and he glanced at Josie.
She wrinkled her brow, "Really?"
The girl nodded, "He seemed very upset when I told him you were not at home, so I said he could go to the store."
"Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water..." Earnest mumbled the nursery rhyme aloud as he moved from Roger's knee and began to play with a pair of toy soldiers on the window sill.
Through the little song, the clinking of silverware and tea cups, and the pounding in his own head, Roger could hardly think.
"Oh..." Josie calmly muttered, "Well, did he leave his name?"
"Jack fell down and broke his crown..." Earnest's song continued, as did the dizziness in Roger's head.
"No, he didn't," Meryl replied, " I should have asked."
This isn't possible...It can't be possible... Roger told himself, again and again.
Meryl sighed dreamily, "But he was terribly handsome. And foreign," the girl went on, jittery as any gossiping school girl.
"And Jill came tumbling after-"
"I think he said he was from Bel- "
"Meryl, please, take your brother and go upstairs!" Roger snapped and opened his eyes, "My headache is getting worse and I do not need this mindless chatter and noise."
The girl obeyed without question and took Earnest by the hand as she left the room.
Josie stared coldly at Roger for a moment. She did not have to speak for Roger to know her thoughts.
"I am fine," he insisted, breathing deeply, "Perfectly fine."
I hope you enjoyed that little encounter...mwahahaaa
As I said, I will be incredibly busy, but if there are enough reviews I may be able to squeeze in an update some time soon.
I love you all!
