“My very best wishes,” said Miss Cartright.
“May I wish you both every happiness,” said Mr. Ryder.
Fay smiled ecstatically. She held out her left hand for the customary inspection.
“Lovely,” said Miss Cartright. “A sapphire. Lovely!”
“A very handsome sparkler,” said Mr. Ryder.
“Well I never,” said Miss Jacobs. “A whirlwind courtship, with a Hungarian. I never! I hope you’ll both be very happy.”
Lisa looked at the ring and at Fay. How perfectly astounding it all was. Even she had known Rudi longer than Fay had. How mysterious adult life was after all: she was not now sure that she could have understood what it might all really be about. That Rudi and Fay were now so suddenly engaged to be married—well, it was an event whose preceding stages she could not even guess at. To ascribe the whole process to the operation of love explained nothing. Here however it was, and Fay certainly looked divinely happy.
It was Thursday, which was pay-day, and the announcement had been in the personal column of the morning paper where it had been spotted by Mrs. Miles at the breakfast table.
“Fay Baines,” she said. “Don’t you work with a Fay Baines, Lisa?”
She was getting quite good now at saying Lisa instead of Lesley.
Lisa was so startled at the idea of Rudi and Fay being an engaged couple that she forgot to take the contents of her money box with her, and would have to take delivery of Lisette on the following day. On Thursday night she came home with her pay-packet and taking out her money box she sat on her bed and counted all her money. She counted out exactly £36.15.0 and put it in an envelope. Tomorrow Lisette would be hers.
On Friday morning Fay waylaid her in the Staff Locker Room.
“Oh, Lisa, I’ve got something here for you from Rudi,” she said.
“From Rudi?” asked the astonished girl.
“Yes, he asked me to apologise for not congratulating you sooner on your results,” said Fay, “but he said he hoped you’d understand and forgive him in the circumstances. We’ll see you on Saturday night at Magda’s, won’t we? He asked me to give you this, to celebrate your results.”
She handed Lisa a package which Lisa opened immediately. It was a large box of expensive chocolates tied with pink ribbon. Lisa gasped.
“Oh, please thank him for me. No one’s ever given me chocolates before! They’re beautiful! Would you like one?”
“No, that’s all right,” said Fay. “It’s a bit early in the day for me.”
They both laughed.
“It’s awfully nice of him,” said Lisa. “I never expected it, it’s awfully nice.”
“Yes, he is nice,” said Fay, “awfully nice. He really is. He’s the nicest man I’ve ever met.”
She smiled happily, and then quite shyly.
“Oh, that’s good,” said Lisa. “I’m very happy for you both, I really am.”
“Thank you,” said Fay. “Well, I suppose we’d better get ourselves down to Ladies’ Cocktail.”
“My second-last morning,” said Lisa.
“My thirty-second-last, or something,” said Fay.
They both laughed.
“The end of an era,” said Lisa.
“Yes,” said Fay, “it really is. I wonder what’s happened to Patty Williams?”
“Perhaps she’s pregnant,” said Lisa, “don’t you think?”
“Gee, that’s an idea,” said Fay. “She’s certainly waited long enough.”
She hoped she wouldn’t have to wait as long. She didn’t for a moment seriously imagine that she would.
Miss Cartright was leaving half an hour early because she had to go to the dentist. She saw Mr. Ryder on her way out.
“Such goings on,” she said. “I suppose you’ve noticed we’re losing half of Ladies’ Cocktail. Miss Baines has given us one month’s notice—not a long engagement! And I have a funny feeling that we won’t be seeing much more of Mrs. Williams. I don’t know why.”
“Oh well,” said Mr. Ryder, “change is the law of life, my dear.”
“Still,” said Miss Cartright, “I’d better speak to Personnel tomorrow. We need one more permanent staff member immediately and a possible other soon.”
Mr. Ryder surveyed his territory. Trade! It was a wonderful spectacle. All of human life is here, he thought. They come and they go. One thing only remains constant, and that’s Miss Jacobs—the dear. How I wonder—well, there you are.
He was feeling entirely philosophical by five-thirty; he got ready to leave and walked slowly down the fire stairs. A few dawdlers hurried past him; the building was now virtually empty and in a minute would be closed, locked and bolted fast against the night. He thought he might walk along Elizabeth Street this evening; it was more peaceful. As he approached King Street he noticed a familiar slim figure some distance ahead of him. Ah, he said to himself, there’s young Lisa. How she’d grown up in the six or seven weeks she’d been with them: she’d been a child, frail, skinny; now she was a slim young lady with a string of exam results. He watched her walking along ahead, quite self-possessed, quite poised. She was carrying a large dress box of the kind they used in Model Gowns, dark blue with a discreet yellow label dead centre on the lid. My, he thought, they learn fast, the young ladies. Five minutes working with Magda and they’re buying Model Gowns. Well, more strength to her arm. Must’ve splashed out her total wages. Back into the business! Under her other arm was another smaller box tied with pink ribbon. Chocolates? Can’t think what else it might be. Now then. Young girl. New frock. Box of chocolates. That’s all just as it should be!
THE END