Page 75 of Kate and Clara's Curious Cornish Craft Shop
‘Oh,’ she says, surprised to see Arty standing not far from the shop. ‘I didn’t know you were here again, Arthur?’
Clara hadn’t seen Arty for a few days, and although she hated to admit it, she was missing seeing him outside with his easel set up along the street somewhere. She had assumed that he’d moved on to another part of the town now.
‘Yes,’ Arty says, walking over to her. He holds up a box camera in front of him. ‘I’m taking some detail shots on my Brownie so that I can go back home and work in the comfort of my studio when I’ve got them developed. I’ve already got the basics, but I’m missing something I can’t quite put my finger on.’
‘Very good,’ Clara says politely. ‘I didn’t know you had a camera.’
‘I’ve not had it all that long, I picked it up in a junk shop. To me this seems brand new, but to someone else it’s old-fashioned now. Strange, eh?’
‘Yes, it’s a little like that with clothes now. For years we were told to make do and mend, but now everyone wants the latest styles as soon as they come off the catwalk. I can barely keep up.’
Arty holds his camera up as though to take a photo of Clara.
‘No!’ she puts her hand out to block the shot. ‘Not of me, you don’t!’
‘But why?’ Arty asks, lowering his camera, ‘You’d make the perfect subject. In fact, that might be exactly what I need – someone to put life into the street. My paintings are too static at the moment.’
‘Well, it won’t be me giving you life,’ Clara says adamantly, folding her arms. ‘Take your camera away from me.’
‘What if I said please?’ Arty says, his kind brown eyes suddenly turning doleful as he blinks back at her. ‘You’re by far the prettiest shopkeeper down this street.’
Clara, to her intense annoyance, feels herself blush.
‘You’d be doing me ahugefavour.’
Clara thinks about this for a moment. ‘All right then,’ she concedes. ‘But I may want a small favour from you in return …’
Arty attempts to take several photos of Clara in different poses in front of her shop, then he sighs and puts his camera down.
‘Relax,’ he says gently. ‘You’re being far too formal.’
‘I can’t relax when you’re pointing that thing at me. It’s not natural.’
‘It will be if you loosen up a bit.’
Clara sighs now. ‘I told you this wasn’t a good idea.’
‘I know … what if we try taking one with you looking into your shop window instead of at the camera? That might help.’
Clara nods and turns towards her shop.
‘Just turn a little to the side so I can still see your face,’ Arty instructs. ‘That’s it, now think of what this little shop means to you.’
Clara’s tight face and taut body immediately relax as she thinks about the shop and how proud she is of it.
‘Fantastic!’ Arty calls, pressing the shutter and hurriedly winding on the film to the next exposure. ‘Now turn your body towards me a tad, but still keep looking into the shop window.’ Another click of the shutter and a wind of the film as Arty takes another two exposures with Clara in the same position.
A movement behind Arty makes Clara turn and she sees Maggie and Babs coming up the street. Her natural instinct takes over and she beams warmly at her daughter.
‘That’s it!’ Arty calls, pressing the shutter for the final time. ‘Now you’re smiling!’
‘Yes, that is it,’ Clara says, hurriedly straightening her blouse and skirt. ‘Hello, Maggie. How was your afternoon?’
‘Arty!’ Maggie says happily on seeing him. ‘How are you?’
‘Very good, young Maggie. Very good. Andyouare looking very well, I must say!’
Arty looks behind Maggie’s chair at Babs. ‘I’m sorry, miss, I don’t believe we’ve had the pleasure,’ he says holding his hand out. ‘Arty Jenkins.’
