Later, Lillian overheard him in the foyer talking with Florence in hushed tones.
‘I came over to see if Lillian was here. She hasn’t come to the shop,’ said Florence.
‘You’d better come in,’ Nicholas replied.
‘Is everything all right?’
‘I’m stumped. She’s melancholic. Said something about her sketchbook but I’ve flipped through it and there’s nothing in there except pages full of dress designs. I can’t see why those would cause her such distress. Perhaps you could try talking to her.’
So he hadn’t checked inside the cover? Lillian sighed at the sound of the stairs creaking. She didn’t want to see anybody, especially Florence and her gentle, caring face. Why wouldn’t they leave her alone?
There was a light tapping at the door. ‘Lillian, it’s me. May I come in?’
Lillian’s temple pound
