Chapter 11

"Will you teach me French?" Denise jerked her head up. They were snuggled up comfortably in their usual place in the Great Hall. The store has been closed for some hours and they enjoyed the peaceful stillness around them. "French?" Moray looked down at her, seeing her eyes filled with determination. Denise sat up straighter so she was at eye-level with him. "I've been thinking and I ought to know it, you know, if I want to make it in the world of business. Paris is the centre of fashion. And you speak the language, don't you?"

"Yes, I am quite adept at it." Moray smiled at her. "But I don't know whether I would make a good teacher. Besides, when would these supposed language lessons take place, exactly? I hardly see you as it is. You are always hurrying to do this and that."

"Oh, I would find the time."

"Really? Then we must do it, for I would finally see more of you." He teased her gently. A mischievous gleam sneaked into his eyes. "And you know, if you would really like to study the French, I could teach you a lot more about them, besides their language. They are quite skilled in many other areas, besides fashion." His hands slowly travelled down her back, bringing her closer.

"Oh, really? And are you quite adept at those arts as well?" Denise smiled at him and moved her head closer until their lips almost touched. "As a matter of fact..." Moray chuckled. "I'll let you to be the judge of that!"

"It is so heavy, Mr Moray, I cannot rightly say we can bear it much longer!" Sam exclaimed as with the help of two other employees they struggled to bring a huge package into Ladieswear.

"You can rest in a minute, Sam, it is almost done. Just set it right there, in the middle! Careful! This will be the perfect centrepiece for the department. I want it to be the very first thing the ladies see when they wander into Ladieswear!"

"But what is it Mr Moray?" Sam asked, wiping sweat off his forehead. Susie came up behind him and stared curiously at the unfolding scene. "You will see at once!" Moray exclaimed excitedly "But first, we have to unpack it! Girls, can you assist, please?"

While they proceeded to unpack the mysterious package, Moray stood back and watched. He really hoped this idea would have the effect that he had desired. Clara came to stand beside Moray and cocked a questioning eyebrow at him. "You will soon see for yourself Clara!" Moray winked at her. "But, as we wait, there is something I wanted to discuss with you."

"Yes, Mr Moray, sir?"

"As you most certainly know, Denise is leaving the Paradise."

"Yes, sir, she will be sorely missed."

"Yes... And as you are the senior girl here...I thought since we will now need a new Head of Ladieswear, it is time that you tried your best at the position."

Clara knew this to come, or at least hoped, so she wasn't entirely surprised. She knew perfectly well that she was second choice, that all of this has come about because Denise is leaving. But she swallowed her pride and put on a grateful smile. She simply had to grab at every opportunity she could get. "Thank you Mr Moray, I shan't disappoint you or the Paradise."

"I have every confidence in you, Clara. I know this was a long time coming for you, so relish every second of it. And this" he pointed towards the half unpacked package "can be your first order of business. Let's see how you manage it!"

As the last of the wrapping was removed, they could finally see what the package held inside. It looked like an overgrown doll, almost as big as a man. Susy leaned over curiously to see better.

"The Enchantress of Paris!" Moray exclaimed "A woman so exquisite, her charms know no bounds! Look at this craftsmanship, Susy! Made by the famous Pierre Iman! She is the most lifelike mannequin known to men!"

"Manne-what?" Susy asked, her eyes wide with wonder. Moray smiled at her then instructed Sam and the others to stand the mannequin up. He beckoned everyone to come closer.

"A manneQUINN, Susy, a..a doll, you might say, to display dresses in the most exquisite way! On a real –well, as real as can be – woman! I want you girls, with the guidance of Clara, of course, to dress her up in our finest clothes and make sure she is the first thing the customers notice when they walk in! I want them to adore her, to admire her beauty and grace..."

"Isn't that a little too much to ask from a piece of wax?" Clara muttered under her breath.

"I'm sure it blinked."

"Of course it did." Clara said completely unbothered, not even looking up from the books.

"But I saw it." Susy insisted.

"You think you saw it. That's not the same thing, Susy." Clara repeated, for what seemed like the hundredth time to her. Ever since Sam and the others set the mannequin in its appropriate place and Clara and Susy were left alone with it, Susy has been watching the doll suspiciously, stating now and again that she had seen it move. Clara was determined not to encourage Susy's fantasy, even though the doll unsettled her a bit too. But she would rather die first than to admit that. She shook her head and concentrated on the figures in front of her. Something didn't add up, but perhaps she had made a mistake somewhere.

"But it looks just like a real woman! How do they make it like that?" Susy eyed the mannequin dubiously, extending her arm towards it then jerking it back as if burned by fire.

"Oh, for heaven's sake!" Clara exclaimed, shutting the book impatiently, then marched toward Susy. "It's just a doll! Surely you are not afraid of a piece of wax?" She touched the doll's arm, trying not to show any trepidation. "See? Nothing happened. It won't bite you" – she said, – "you can do anything to it" – she pushed it first gently, but then a little stronger. The smile quickly faded from her face as the doll finally lost its balance and fell over with a loud crash. Susy let out a little scream as the doll's head rolled off. They stared in stunned silence as the head finally came to a stop in the middle of the room.

"You killed her!" Susie exclaimed, her tone suggesting that she was not entirely devastated by this development.

"No, I didn't!" Clara countered anxiously, a sudden knot forming in her stomach. "It was never alive!" She sighed and crouched down. "Come and help me get it up! Before someone sees it!"

"I won't touch that thing!"

"Susy, if you don't get down here at this minute, I swear to you this doll will hurt you, 'cause I will smack you with it meself!"

Susy crouched down sulkily and tried to stand the mannequin's body up. The damage must've been more extensive then they had first imagined, because as Susy lifted the doll, its torso separated from its legs. "Oops." Clara looked over to her and sighed in frustration. "You know what? Don't help anymore. Just stand guard at the door and tell me if someone's coming."

"Oh, thank God!" Susy said and let the body fall to the floor once more.

"So, what do you think?" Clara asked Susy, biting her nail. "Do you think anyone will notice?"

Susy leaned back and squinted her eyes at the mannequin. She walked round the doll, scrutinizing every inch of it. "Well, I don't think anything is amiss with it. Expect for that crack in its face." She pointed out helpfully. Clara grunted. "Ohh, what do we do now?! This whole thing is your fault!"

"How is this my fault?! You are the one who pushed it..."

"Yes, but it was for your sake. If you wouldn't be so naive and stupid that a doll can come to life, then I wouldn't have to prove that it ain't alive! I believe I will be the first Head of Ladieswear in The Paradise's history who got promoted and sacked the very same day!"

"It's not that bad...Perhaps we can cover up somehow..." Susy screwed up her face in thinking. Suddenly her eyes lit up. "We can ask Denise! She will surely have an idea!"

"Of course she will!" Clara exclaimed in mock relief. "My first day on the job and I am already running to her for help!"

"Well I don't know what else we could..."

"Of course you don't!" Clara interrupted angrily then stormed out of Ladieswear to seek out Denise.