Ruby’s need to slide her fingers across the accessories glass countertop and touch Victoria’s hand taunted her, longing painfully twisting her heart.
Hating her shameful desire, Ruby quickly looked from Victoria’s beautiful green eyes to the stands of necklaces behind her. ‘If Hazel Price is so gleeful in talking about the possibility of me and Tommy coming to live with you, I can only imagine what other staff are thinking, too.’
Victoria raised her eyebrows, her gaze irritated. ‘And that worries you?’
‘Of course. For you, not me.’ Ruby’s deeply embedded protectiveness for those she loved rose. ‘I don’t want people talking about you. Undermining you and insinuating things that just aren’t true.’
‘Such as? What did Hazel say exactly? You do know what a spiteful madam she is, don’t you?’
‘Oh, I know only too well, but that doesn’t make it any easier to accept your offer and have the whole store talking about us.’
‘But we aren’t doing anything wrong, Ruby.’
Victoria gently touched Ruby’s hand and she flinched, snatching her hand from the countertop.
‘Don’t,’ she snapped. Hurt flashed in Victoria’s eyes rending a painful slash across Ruby’s heart. ‘I mean, it’s just what they want to see.’
‘What who wants to see?’ Victoria’s eyes darkened, her colour high as she moved away to rearrange some scarves. ‘This is silly. If you don’t want to move in with me, then don’t. I was merely trying to help you and Tommy remove yourselves from a home which is clearly dangerous. If you’d prefer to keep things the way they are, that’s your choice.’
‘But I don’t want that.’ The need to touch Victoria, to reassure her, rushed through Ruby as she quickly moved along the counter and gripped the edge, her heart aching that Victoria might, for a single moment, think she would reject her in any way. ‘I just don’t want to bring trouble to your door, that’s all.’
‘If you think I’m the type of person to listen to gossip, be affected or upset by it, you don’t know me at all. As for you? I think you need to consider what you are forcing Tommy to continue to endure should you remain living with your mother.’
Ruby stepped back. Never before had she seen such fury in Victoria’s eyes, such quiet venom in her voice. ‘Victoria—’
‘No.’ Victoria glanced at the other staff staying late for Pennington’s monthly stock take and lowered her voice. ‘This is your choice, no one else’s. I spent most of my married life with a man who worshipped me. A man who saved me from a father who thought no less about striking his daughter as he did his sons. You have a chance, Ruby, an opportunity to leave. If you stay, then there is nothing more I can do to help you.’
‘Excuse me, Mrs Lark. Could you help me?’
‘Of course, Milly.’
Victoria moved away to help a colleague, leaving Ruby standing alone and feeling like a castaway on a deserted island. She had no idea that Victoria had lived with violence. No idea the same scars must be as deep in her heart as they were in Ruby’s. The knowledge only served to deepen her love, her connection, to a woman who would never return her affection in the same way.
Ruby slowly walked away, her mind reeling with Victoria’s words and heated conviction. She was absolutely right. The decision to leave her mother had no bearing on her feelings for Victoria, or the speculation and opinions of others. It had to be grounded in saving Tommy, saving what positive hope he and Ruby had left, before all was destroyed completely.
They had to leave. There was no other choice.
‘Ruby?’
She squeezed her stinging eyes closed as customers hurried around her, the noise suddenly unbearable. Taking a strengthening breath, Ruby turned and forced a smile. ‘Miss Pennington. How can I help you?’
‘I’ve just been struck with a fabulous idea for the wedding window.’ Excitement gleamed in Elizabeth Pennington’s dark green eyes. ‘Esther thinks that we could… Ruby? What is it?’
Ruby’s cheeks warmed as a lone tear slipped over her cheek. Why did I have to cry now? Right here. Right in front of Elizabeth. An employer who had the keenest eye and the most attuned intuition of any woman Ruby had ever met.
‘I…’ She swiped at the tear. ‘It’s nothing. We’ll go to the department now, shall we?’ Ruby asked, grateful that Tommy was staying at a friend’s house tonight, or else nothing would have delayed her in getting home to him.
‘No, I think my ideas can wait.’ Elizabeth’s intense gaze settled on Ruby as she took her elbow and steered her towards a quieter spot by the jewellery counter. ‘Please, Ruby. You must tell me what it is bothering you. I don’t like to see you this way. I don’t like to see any of my staff this way.’
‘I’d really rather not speak about it.’ Ruby glanced around her, inwardly cursing as she caught Hazel’s eye. The vile woman sauntered past and wiggled her fingers in a semblance of a wave. Ruby shot her a glare before facing Elizabeth. ‘I am quite all right.’
‘Are you sure? We could go to my office to talk, if you’d like.’
‘I’m quite sure. Thank you.’
An uneasy atmosphere descended as Ruby fought to not fidget under Elizabeth’s scrutiny. At last, Elizabeth raised her hand in surrender. ‘All right, if that’s what you want. Let’s walk together and I’ll just give you a brief overview of what I have in mind. We can talk more tomorrow.’
They walked through the atrium and as she passed Accessories. Ruby looked at Victoria who was busy pouring over a ledger, her shoulders high and her brow furrowed. Fear clenched Ruby’s stomach. Had she lost their cherished friendship as well as an opportunity for escape?
I am such a fool.
‘If another member of staff is upsetting you, Ruby, you must tell me.’
Ruby turned. Elizabeth watched Victoria through narrowed eyes, her back rigid.
‘I will not stand for tension between my staff. Pennington’s prides itself on care for its customers and its workers. If you’re unhappy, I want to know. You are becoming a valuable part of the design team. I wouldn’t want to lose you.’
‘Oh, you won’t lose me, Miss Pennington. You can be assured of that.’
They walked on and Ruby straightened her spine.
And neither would she lose Victoria.
To hell with Hazel or anyone else who wanted to talk about them. Tomorrow she would tell Victoria that she and Tommy would like to gratefully accept her offer for them to move in with her.