“Even make a profit,” Samira added. Her eyes shone.
“Only if you can design the patterns.” Rovena, for the first time in days, looked optimistic. “Only you can make the colours work. You are the artist.”
Several pairs of eyes stared at her, waiting.
Waiting for her.
She straightened her spine and lifted her head. “Yes.”
* * *
After that, Laura had no time to think about her miseries. The news ran through the Casemate like a wave. By the time all the workers had arrived, she and Rovena had a tentative business strategy.
And a management structure.
The director position would go to Laura. Also senior designer – the only designer for the time being but who knew what the future held. Of the many women here, it was inevitable that others might want to train up and do more than operate machines. Many of them had held responsible jobs in their own countries before war drove them away.
Her only condition, was that she be allowed to buy her way in. Whatever fee she received for Millie’s gown would be invested into the company.
She would be a shareholder. Never again an employee.
Rovena would be workforce manager, obviously. No one who had seen her rally the women over the last few days could be in any doubt, the woman had leadership skills.
Asia who had been a magazine assistant editor, accepted a position as head of administration. In fact, she was already sitting at the computer producing A5 leaflets about the new business. “To hand out tomorrow when the island is full of important people,” she told them. “The kind of people who buy expensive, unique silks.”
“And press,” someone else added. “We need a website. I can make something quick, one page with pictures, tonight.”
All the pieces were falling into their obvious places. Such obvious solutions. Why hadn’t she thought of this before?
Because…
Because it took Nicole’s attack to force her to thing outside the box. Suddenly she felt like hugging the horrible woman.
By lunchtime, La Canette Silks Ltd. had a domain name, a basic logo and a company mission statement.
“But,” Asia added. “We need someone to do our social media marketing. I’m too old to understand it.”
It made Laura laugh. “I think I know just the person.”
“And now. I have to start sewing.” Laura folded the completed silk from the loom. “I have a bride who needs a gown by tomorrow morning.”
“What are we going to do this afternoon?”
They looked to her as if she were the boss. Then it downed on her; that’s exactly what she was.
“Rovena is your immediate manager. Ask her.” The first lesson of management was to learn the art of delegation.
Rovena helped her bring the newly-woven silk into her workroom at the back. The damaged dress still stood on its mannequin but the floor had been cleaned and no trace of the paint and acid remained anywhere.
“Do you need any help in here?” Rovena asked.
“No, just some quiet so I can work. It might take me long hours to cut away the ruined underskirt and sew this in its place.”
Rovena left her alone and went out into the main workshop. She could hear them talking seriously, and, some time later, she also heard the clack-clack of the loom. People popped their heads round the door and brought her cups of tea and sandwiches while she worked.
And she did work; there was a lot to do but it felt easy. The hangover was gone because the intruders from last night had come back and removed the bricks from her head and the humiliation from her heart, and in it’s place they left a happy smile.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
