Page 75
‘You were led wrongly, I’m afraid. Irma should never have given any such assurance. She is not my mother, and she is not my keeper.’
‘You’re a very headstrong young woman, aren’t you?’
Fleur nodded. ‘Yet another reason to cross me off Jimmy’s list, Mr Coglin. We really aren’t suited.’
‘And yet he’s quite struck by you.’
‘I didn’t have that impression the other night. He was rather unpleasant, actually. Mr Coglin, may I be honest with you, please?’
‘Go ahead,’ he offered, taking another drag and blinking as a flake of tobacco ember flew from his homemade cigarette.
‘Rather dangerous to be smoking around all this timber and shavings,’ she remarked.
He frowned. ‘What did you have to say, Miss Appleby? I don’t have all day.’
‘No, and I’m glad we’re at this point of truth. I have no intention of marrying your son. I really don’t suit Jimmy. He did a nice thing in taking me out, but we were unhappy together,’ she said, trying to put a spin on it so Coglin didn’t feel that she was here to criticise his son.
‘We like the idea of our families being joined.’
‘That may be so for you and for Irma, but neither my father nor I believe Jimmy and I would make a good partnership in any sense of the word. May I see him, please?’
‘Why? You’ve obviously got nothing nice to say to him.’
He was right, but Fleur couldn’t let him know that. ‘I want to be fair and I think it’s only right that I say this to his face.’
‘I thought you already had.’
‘Mr Coglin, is there a reason I can’t see Jimmy? Because I can hear his voice even over the lathe, and I can pick out his shape in the shadows back there.’
Coglin’s expression twisted. She suspected exactly why the father was protecting his son. ‘Do you know the difference between a casket and coffin, Miss Appleby?’
She was caught slightly off guard by his odd question. ‘Erm, yes, I do.’ It was temping to explain that the word coffin came from the French couffin – or cradle – and, before that, cofin – basket – but that would be deliberately provocative. ‘The casket is usually hinged, and preferable for bodies that are to be viewed.’
‘Very good,’ he said, clearly trying not to bristle. ‘And by contrast, coffins are not usually required to be opened, so they need no additional furniture, like the brass fittings.’
‘They also tend to be curved or slanted from the shoulders rather than straight,’ she said, helplessly wanting the last word. She frowned. ‘Why do you ask?’
‘Because, Miss Appleby, you’re going to have to know your coffins and caskets, your biers and funerary boxes, for when you have to find your new supplier.’
She blinked with understanding. ‘I see. A threat?’
‘Not at all. Just business, Miss Appleby. Don’t take it personally.’
‘I shan’t. Be assured, Mr Coglin, I am very well educated in all facets of undertaking, especially the carpentry.’
He smirked. ‘We had a good thing going between the Coglins and Appleby’s, but now you’ll need to take your chances. I gather the next closest workshop is on the other side of Adelaide. You’ll be waiting long for your orders and competing with all those pushy city firms for your carpentry.’
Fleur nodded. ‘If that’s the way it has to be,’ she said, her words firm. She was glad her voice held up, but she was sinking inside. What would she say to her father?
‘Right. Now, you can speak to my son. Jimmy!’ he yelled. ‘Get out here.’ He stared coolly at Fleur while they waited for Jimmy to appear.
He sauntered up, hands deep in his pockets. ‘Yeah? You called,’ he said to his father.
‘Miss Appleby’s here; she has something to say to you.’
‘Is that right? I didn’t think we had anything more to say,’ he remarked.
‘It’s true,’ Fleur said, ‘our words were more than harsh enough the other evening. But as business colleagues, I thought I should make some steps towards a conciliatory conversation.’ That was the wrong word, she realised, as she saw his confusion. She hurried on. ‘You deserve an apology,’ she said, watching his eyes widen with surprise. ‘There are so many reasons we are not suited to marriage, and I just wanted to say I regret that our exchange was so harsh.’
