Good Morning!
I'm beavering away, getting all my ducks in a row (do they work together?), for a Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour that Tailored Truths is going on very soon beginning the 19th September 2025! There will be more details to come though here's a poster to get us started.
In the meanwhile... I'm adding an excerpt from the novel for you to enjoy from Tailored Truths! At this point, Margret has begun a relatively new venture, innovative for its time, for Edward Baxton owner of one of the big Dundee linen and jute mills (Scotland). She's managing a little sewing workshop using lockstitch sewing machines (very new technology) making basic, ready made clothes to sell to the workers at the mill. This means regular trips to a draper/ warehouse shop on Reform Street, central Dundee.
What a
cheeky young man!
“Is this
young man bothering you, Miss Law?” Mister Ingram’s question was quite loud as
he walked forward along the aisle to join them.
“No, it’s
quite alright, Mister Ingram. I’m ready to order now if you’re free?” She made
sure to make her request as business like as possible. “Good day, Mister
Fraser.”
Once back
at Mister Ingram’s desk. she ordered the usual stock that she needed and asked him
for the price of the first bale of woollen cloth from Kirriemuir that she’d
fingertip-assessed.
“Did that
rascal Fraser coerce you in any way to order this, Miss Law?”
Margaret
laughed at the concerned expression on the older man’s face. “No, not at all.
I’m about to create stocks of cheap trousers for mill lads and I think that
slightly coarser wool will do very nicely. Though, of course, it would be even
better if the price was cheaper.”
“I believe
that cloth would suit your purpose. I took it from Johnny Fraser as a favour
even though it’s a bit rough and ready, but I’d need to think long and hard
about selling it any cheaper than the marked price.”
The
twinkle in Mister Ingram’s eye made her confident he might knock the price down
a little, especially as it wouldn’t need to be taking up space on his shelves
till someone eventually bought it.
“I only
took two bales of it into stock earlier today. Though you let me know if you
find it makes good sales at the mill and, if so, I’ll see if I can get you
more.” There was a slight pause while she felt an almost paternal tinge to his
words. “Johnny Fraser has a smooth tongue that you might need to be wary of,
but he’s a likeable lad for all that. He only stepped in to deliver today since
there’s been a bit of sickness in Kirriemuir and the usual delivery man wasn’t
able to make the trip.”
Mister
Ingram quickly jotted down her order in his sales ledger and turned the book
around for her to sign.
Margaret
quickly memorised the total. “I just hope it’s not the cholera! I’ve read about
that in the newspapers. So many people died from that a while back.”
“I hope
not, too. We can do without that in Dundee. We have enough sickness, year on
year, from other causes like the disgusting water supplies in our wells.”
Mister
Ingram went on to inquire if she needed any help to create cutting patterns for
boys’ clothes, saying he could get one of the Spencer tailors to help her.
“No, thank
you. I learned how to do some boys’ tailoring when I worked down in Liverpool.”
Mister Ingram already knew some of her past sewing history.
On her
fast walk back to the mill she put her thumping heart beats and hot cheeks down
to her hurry. It was nothing to do with having met the very handsome Johnny
Fraser with the twinkling blue eyes and head of thick, unruly hair that begged
to be tweaked. Her reasoning made her laugh aloud. In all of the past ten years
hardly any men had produced an instant attraction, and those who had had been
wrong for her, for all sorts of reasons.
She
couldn’t quite put her finger on it but Johnny Fraser was probably too
handsome, somehow too cocksure for his own good…and just as unsuitable.
Kirriemuir wasn’t that far away, a matter of some twenty miles, but it was
likely a good thing that he didn’t live in Dundee.
She was
still chuckling about his appeal as she turned into the cobbled lane that led
to the mill warehouse. The likelihood of ever seeing Johnny Fraser again was
probably as fleeting as the fluffy clouds that whisked their way across the
mostly blue sky above her to dissipate into nothingness.
That night
she picked up her pen and ink.
Dear
Jessie,
I know
it’s not long since my last letter but I had to tell you that I had the most
delightful day!
Things
are going so very well at the workroom, that we’re running out of materials
almost as soon as they are delivered to us. As a result, I had to make a visit
to Spencer & Co. and while there I met the cheekiest young man who was
flirting with me right there in the warehouse.
He's
devilishly handsome but I’m not going to be drawn in with those incredibly blue
eyes of Johnny Fraser. It’s just as well he’s from Kirriemuir and not Dundee!
Since
you’ve not written to me this week, I assume that you and the children are well
and that George is his usual fine self. If all goes according to our previous
plan, I’ll take the train down to Glasgow to see you next month.
Your
loving (and presently very amused) best friend,
Margaret
I hope that was intriguing for you...
Slainthe!
.png)
