19th Century Seamstress

chapter15

During the day, the stove still held onto a faint warmth; by blocking the airflow vents, the coal would burn more slowly. Eloise carefully examined the fabric in her hands, enough to make two bodices. With the needle pinched between her fingers, she meticulously stitched and secured the edges. Though the item was small, creating a quality piece would take at least another two or three days.

The outer layer was a soft cotton fabric, lined with sweat-absorbing, molded double-layer cotton, and a breathable, soft mesh on the inside. The back was fitted with a brass clasp designed to be seamless. The design didn’t offer much room for creativity—aside from lace and embroidery, she would only be making a modest three to five coins after subtracting the costs.

Eloise only paused for a break when her eyes began to ache. She took a simple meal of bread and warm water from the kettle, then continued her work. Her plan was to finish the items intended for the boutique first and then tackle the orders Louise had brought in, which were mainly alterations to old clothes that didn’t require the same level of detail.

As evening approached, her aunt and Louise returned home with Bella. Eloise continued sitting at the table, her back straight and immersed in her work. It was only when she heard Bella’s laughter from the stairs that she paused to stretch her stiff muscles.

The door was unlocked, so her aunt and Louise entered, now used to coming home to a room that felt as cold as an icebox. Louise didn’t need to check to know there was probably only a single block of coal burning in the stove, hence the room’s chilly temperature. Eloise was notoriously frugal; she never treated herself indulgently, and was even stricter when alone.

Louise "tsk-tsked" disapprovingly as she entered, dropping a bundle of old clothes that needed alterations. She immediately set to adding coal to the stove, casting a glance at Eloise, who was focused on finishing her last few stitches.

Eloise’s aunt was busy tidying Bella, and Louise dropped the bundle of clothes on the table.

“Are all of these for alterations?” Eloise asked, yawning.

“Yes. Today, two more people asked if you could do alterations for them. At first, I thought you wouldn’t have the time, but then I remembered you said to accept any work that comes your way, so I agreed. Here’s the money they gave.”

Louise placed a few coins on the table, and Eloise nodded, intending to add them to her pouch later.

Louise added coal to the stove, and a cloud of black smoke rose up, prompting her to open the window a bit wider. Then she unwound her scarf, removed her hat, and shook out her light-colored curls. She took off her shoes to warm them near the stove and asked Eloise why she had taken on so many jobs. Was she in need of extra money?

Eloise scratched her nose, debating whether to wait until after dinner to reveal the news about the house. But since Louise had asked, she decided to share.

“Well, I didn’t plan to take on so much work, but I’m afraid now I’ll need to.” She offered a wry smile.

Her aunt, busy with Bella, turned with a puzzled look. “What happened?”

“Our landlady told me that her husband sold the building, so we need to move out by the week after Christmas at the latest.”

The aunt, who had already heard rumors, wasn’t too surprised, though she hadn’t expected the move to come so soon—she thought they’d have until spring at least.

“Only a little over two weeks, and we’re supposed to find a place to live?” she asked.

Eloise replied, “I could find some time to go to different streets and ask around to see if any houses are vacant. That’s probably the best option we have.”

She thought aloud, “Since we have a large family, we should try to rent a two-room place. We can manage the rent if we take on a bit more work.”

Her aunt nodded in agreement. “I was thinking the same. We need somewhere with enough room, and it would be even better if it had a balcony.”

Louise added, “And though we can’t afford a place with a bathroom, at least we need somewhere that isn’t as crowded.”

Currently, the family had to wait for the neighbors to finish with the shared bathroom for everything, from washing up to bathing, which was an inconvenience they’d long dealt with.

Aunt Terly had also been frustrated by these issues for a while and nodded in agreement. In another month, the snow would melt, and their expenses would reduce even further. She was already planning to quit her job after Christmas and open a small food stall near Central Park to sell fried pastries. It wouldn’t take much to start, and the risk of losses was low if luck was on her side.

If things went well, moving to a larger place and paying a bit more rent each week might be manageable.

After finishing her work, Eloise made space for everyone and unpacked the bundle of clothes Louise had brought. She sorted her tasks for the coming days while her aunt prepared a warm soup. After dinner, with the unpleasant news of moving weighing on their minds, the family bathed quickly in the shared bathroom and then went to bed.

The Ritz Hotel, and it was payday.

Unable to sleep well with so much on her mind, Eloise left an hour earlier than usual. When she arrived, only a few people were queued up at the gate. After changing into her uniform, she took a paper package and went down the stairs to the kitchen dormitory to find Amy, knocking on her door.

After a while, the door, its paint chipped and yellowed from kitchen smoke, opened. Eloise handed over the clothing, and Amy, still groggy, rubbed her eyes, examining the piece with admiration.

Amy wasn’t scheduled to work that day, so Eloise planned to go upstairs and wait for the morning meeting. But Amy called her back, handing her a small tin.

“These are some candies my brother got from outside. I still have plenty; you take them.”

Eloise gratefully accepted but remembered she would need to return the favor—it was customary to exchange gifts during the season. She realized she’d need to budget for small gifts for her family and close friends like Amy.

Upstairs, the familiar bell rang, signaling the start of the morning meeting. Today, there were no new announcements. Mrs. Morrison, sporting a feathered hat, only mentioned that a Mr. Benjamin, staying in the Opal Suite, had prepared holiday gifts for all 200 hotel staff members. They were instructed to pick them up at the accounting office after their shifts.

Eloise worked with anticipation, even when Laura assigned her to clean the sixth floor. At last, the shift ended, and the accounting office was swarmed with staff. Squeezing through the crowd, Eloise managed to get her gift first—a large, weighty paper box wrapped in colorful printed paper.

After opening it at home, Eloise discovered a set of porcelain cups and saucers. Pure white with a simple design, each piece bore a brand mark on the bottom. It was unlike anything her family owned—more accustomed to using cheap glassware, wood, or pottery, these porcelain pieces were rare among the working class, costing several coins each, and an entire set could be worth dozens or even hundreds.

She considered selling them secondhand for some extra money. For now, she set the box aside, tidied the house, and prepared to resume her bodice sewing.

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