‘Yeah, you’ve been here literally five minutes and you’re already in front of the entire sales team,’ Martyn added good-humouredly.
Holly could tell they were both genuinely chuffed for her, although she felt sure it would be a different story altogether when Emily heard the news.
Speak of the devil and she shall appear was the phrase that popped into Holly’s mind when Emily suddenly entered the shop floor via the back door.
She looked her usual striking self in a black pencil skirt and purple fitted jacket. Her long, slender legs were sheathed in sheer black stockings and her customary black patent heels, and she wore her hair pinned up in a neat French roll.
Holly watched as she strode across the shop, tall and authoritative, clutching her expensive-looking oversized handbag. She acted as if she owned the place.
‘Send Miss Beech up to my office right away, please, Josh,’ Mr Kellington said curtly, heading back across the showroom without waiting for Emily’s approach.
‘Uh oh,’ Holly murmured.
‘There’s nothing for you to worry about,’ Josh reassured her. ‘You’ve done nothing wrong at all.’
‘Somehow I don’t think Emily will see it that way,’ Holly grimaced. ‘She’ll probably think I told Mr Kellington she called the customers time-wasters on purpose, but it just slipped out.’
‘Emily has got no one to blame but herself.’ Josh shrugged. ‘She’s worked here long enough to know how strongly the boss feels about providing a good customer experience.’
‘Someone needs to tell that brainless jobsworth in the car park that there’s a hierarchy around here and he’s at the bottom of the pile,’ Emily was complaining loudly as she approached. ‘I should be able to park where the hell I like, not get shoehorned into some corner because there happens to be a vacant square on David’s bloody clipboard.’
Everyone found somewhere else to look.
Emily sniffed scornfully as she reached the sales desk. ‘What’s this… the mice having fun while the cat’s away?’ Holly saw her swiftly take in the significance of the cream cake and the beaming faces of the other staff. ‘Ah, I see. Who’s bagged a good one, then?’
Nobody spoke.
‘I… I have,’ Holly said after a moment. ‘I still can’t believe it.’
‘Go on – how much?’ Emily sneered. ‘Bet it’s nowhere near my best one.’
‘It’s better, actually,’ Josh said before Holly could reply. ‘Nearly eight grand’s worth in a single transaction.’
‘I don’t believe it.’ Emily took a step back as if Holly had physically pushed her. ‘How on earth did you manage… Hang on, it wasn’t the Brooklyn corner suite, was it?’
Holly gave a little smile.
‘I was first point of contact for that couple,’ Emily raged, slamming her palm onto the desk. ‘I spent at least half an hour with them in total over their two visits to the shop.’ She rounded on Josh. ‘You know full well the rule is that the first—’
‘That rule is superseded if the sales person tells the customers they’re time-wasters.’ Josh cut across her coldly.
‘I didn’t tell them that!’ she fumed. ‘I only said that to… You little snake in the grass!’
Holly shrank back as Emily turned to her, pressing her bright red lips together until they resembled a knife slash across her immaculate face. She felt relieved when Josh stepped manfully between them, holding his palms up in the air.
‘Some might say the rule is also superseded if the sales person suggests the customer goes elsewhere for their furniture. And the customer told Mr Kellington that himself.’
Emily sucked in air. ‘I didn’t mean it like that, Josh. I was just—’
‘Save it. Mr Kellington wants to see you right away.’ Josh dismissed her.
‘I… I’ll need to lock my bag in the staff room.’
Was it Holly’s imagination, or was there a tremor to Emily’s voice?
Josh shook his head. ‘Go straight up there now, please, Emily. You can leave your bag down here.’
Emily dumped her bag by the desk without replying, then turned on her heel and stormed off towards the stairs.
‘Look, I need to go up there too, but don’t go blaming yourself, Holly,’ Josh told her. ‘Enjoy your moment. Mr Kellington thinks you’re amazing.’
Ben and Martyn both went back to their end of the showroom and Holly found herself alone again. Unusually, the shop floor was completely devoid of customers, save for an elderly lady at the far end whom Ben was now assisting.
She took a few breaths and relaxed her shoulders.
Despite Emily’s outburst, she had the distinct feeling that this was going to turn out to be a very good day.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Holly
When Holly arrived home, Cora was upstairs. She stood outside the older woman’s bedroom door and listened to the thump and slide of moving furniture, the laboured breathing.
Who’d have thought an ordinary mature lady like Cora would be keeping such an enormous secret to herself? One thing Holly had learned over the years was that people never failed to surprise you. And not always in a good way.
It would be nice if Cora voluntarily confided in her soon, but Holly didn’t think that would happen. No. She’d be more likely to ask David or his mum, Pat, for advice… or perhaps even her gardener, Nick Brown.
She didn’t think Cora would want that unpleasant man Brian to know. There was something about him Holly mistrusted.
She’d seen Brian smoking at all hours down at the bottom of their garden. Although he’d been over the other side of the fence at the time, his eyes had always seemed to be trained up at her window.
Some people would no doubt say she suffered from an overactive imagination, but Holly had previous experience when it came to this sort of thing. She knew how ordinary and innocuous a pervert could look, thanks to living with Uncle Keith.
She didn’t disturb Cora. Instead she went into her own bedroom and lay on the bed to come down a bit from the excitement of the day.
She’d have to just put up and shut up for a bit longer in the interests of the idea that was forming slowly in her mind. Some things couldn’t be rushed.
Sometimes it felt like her whole life had involved covering up the truth, staying quiet when she really wanted to speak out, or painting a picture of herself that didn’t reflect the reality of who she actually was.
* * *
When Brendan had put her through her paces in a mini interview of sorts in his Manchester office, Holly had been forced to tell him what she thought he wanted to hear, rather than the unpalatable truth.
‘Markus tells me you were traumatised by that hellhole you were staying in last night,’ Brendan had said, surprising her with his bluntness.
‘Well, it… it wasn’t the best place,’ she’d replied, glaring at Markus and wondering if Brendan had been the one who’d arranged for them to stay there and was offended in some way.
‘I apologise,’ he’d said, flashing her that irresistible grin again. ‘I confess it’s a little test I like to give any prospective employees of mine.’
‘Test?’
She’d looked at Markus and he had shrugged apologetically.
‘It tests mettle, you see,’ Brendan had explained cheerfully. ‘Anyone who can get through a whole evening in a place like that is the sort of person I can work with. Beats a load of pointless interview questions every time.’
For a moment Holly was speechless.
Markus coughed.
‘It was an awful place,’ she whispered. ‘Those people…’
‘They won’t be helped, unfortunately,’ Brendan said without emotion. ‘It’s a lifestyle choice that soon proves very difficult to escape from, once you’ve made the fateful decision to turn to drugs.’
‘It’s very sad nonetheless,’ she said quietly.
Brendan had seemed so reasonable and nice, but given this new, cold attitude, she wasn’t sure what to think.
She’d glanced at Markus, suddenly unsure of him too.
‘I take it you knew that last night was a test?’ She’d struggled to keep her voice level.