Was that disappointment in the woman’s tone?Charlotte was ready to scream. Instead, she breathed deeply and remained calm.
“I hope you’ll come back at that time. Good day.” Closing the door firmly, she walked past Mr. Tufts who was hammering a piece of wood which even Charlotte could see was crooked. Going directly into the back room, she put the kettle on. Hot, strong, sweet, milky tea was in order.
When Edward returned, she pounced. “Is anything strange happening during the deliveries?”
His eyes darted all over, but finally he fixed his gaze upon hers.
“Strange how, miss?”
“Anything, Edward. This is important. Perchance did you trip and squash the confectionery? More than once? Or show up late? Or give the wrong order to an establishment?”
He looked pale, to be sure, and she would guess at least one of those things had happened, but he shook his head.
“Why, miss?”
Because two of the places have cancelled without telling me why except to say unsatisfactory service. I suppose it is entirely possible that their patrons have simply grown tired of our confectionery, but it seems unlikely they would both do so at the same time.”
His eyes had grown wide. “Perhaps we can pick up new customers, miss. Could I go to some other restaurants or hotels and try to sell?”
“It is easier to keep old customers than to make new ones, although I agree we shall have to try to make new ones.”
Suddenly, Mr. Tufts yelled loudly, and not for the first time. She’d seen him hold up a throbbing thumb. And she’d witnessed one step collapse under his feet as he’d tried it out.Most unprofessional!
“But we can’t pursue new business, not in this chaos when we don’t even have all of our products available. First, we need to get the shop re-opened. I am sorry to say I believe your uncle underestimated the time it would take him.”
By day’s end, that was confirmed. Mr. Tufts went off, looking cheerful even as Charlotte eyed the shoddy work of just two steps finished and attached to nothing, simply resting on the floor. A wave of despair washed through her.
During the day, she’d gone along to another furniture maker and ordered chairs, giving them a down payment. Rapidly, their account was becoming thin. Tomorrow, first thing after letting Mr. Tufts and Edward into the shop, she was going to pay a visit with the two customers who had cancelled their standing orders and determine if they could be recovered. She had to salvage some income.
If they continued like this, she would be at the bank enquiring about a loan.
“I DON’T UNDERSTAND how this could have happened,” she told themaître d’hôtelat The Grosvenor Hotel the next day. Edward had not shown up that morning, and Charlotte had delivered to their two remaining contracts herself, discovering they, too, had been on the verge of cancelling.
With her assurance and an offer for that day’s delivery to be free, she’d managed to keep the hotel, but the other, The Albion restaurant, wasn’t sure. He would discuss it with his partner. Then she’d gone to those establishments who’d already cancelled, hoping to recover the Rare-Confectionery reputation.
“I know those orders were complete.” She’d packed them herself recently since she had little else to do.
Themaître d’at The Great-Western Hotel shrugged. “It’s no way to do business, young lady. For certain, our customers love everything we sell that comes from Rare Confectionery, but we can’t be foxed out of a pound here and another pound there. Eats into our profits.” He paused. “Eats into. Ha! That’s amusing since we’re talking of sweets, isn’t it?”
Charlotte didn’t find it the least bit amusing, but she offered him her best smile.
“I assure you we are not trying to fox you out of anything.”
“If it had only happened once or twice, I would have thought it a genuine and honest mistake. But week after week, those pounds add up,” he pointed out, “and seems intentional.”
“Yes, I agree,” she said. “I am so very sorry for this, and I will get to the bottom of it. Naturally, the delivery from yesterday will be without charge. But I hope you will reconsider cancelling. How about if I personally count the order, pack it, and deliver it?” Though once the shop got busy again, Charlotte didn’t see how she could do such a thing.
In any case, the man was shaking his head. “It’s out of my hands now.”
“How can that be?” She felt a little desperate and heard it in her tone. “Don’t you run this establishment?”
“I run it, but I don’t own it. And once you start meddling with the accounts and the profits, then the owner takes a hard look. I’m not risking my job because someone at your sweet shop is fiddling around.”
Someone —Edward!For sadly, he had to be behind this mess. Fortunately, the manager at The Langham was more understanding. They’d been delivering there since the previous year when Beatrice’s now-husband was staying there.
“Why didn’t someone tell us?” she asked while sitting in the manager’s office.
“Miss Rare-Foure, we are a large hotel. We have many accounts and many vendors, as I am sure you can imagine. I don’t have time to be your nanny. If your business is not being overseen correctly and I am being harmed because of it, then I am going to terminate my business with you.”
