Page 54 of Margins of Love
“T’was a funny thing when my son Marvin found a Jew tucked away at Eton in his days. Wouldn’t want one to be found there again.” He took a sip of the liquor and savored it with his eyes closed. He hissed through his front teeth and a hollow gurgle followed. “He is engaged to be married, did you know?”
Ilan shook his head.
“A lovely blonde lass, the only thing thicker than her bosom is her dowry.” He gave Ilan a straight look now. “Congratulations are in order, Mr. Newman. Or do you prefer to wish usmazal tovfor good luck in your own language?”
Ilan and Rachel closed their eyes as the threat burned through them like flames. Thompson would charge a high price to keep their secret so Sammy could go to Eton.
“Certainly not, Mr. Thompson.” Ilan pushed Rachel through the door and stuck his head out to whisper, “I will take care of this. Go to Pavel at Piccadilly Circus. He will know what to do. Assume the wedding is tomorrow, we have to hold out. Go!”
Rachel scurried to her room. Her heart pounded as if it would spring out of her chest any second. She recognized this feeling, the haste to get ready, to wrap up one’s affairs, to prepare to move. It was all too familiar, yet she felt nauseated.
“Sammy!” she shouted. “Saaammiiiiieee!”
“What is it?” He hopped down the hall.
“I need a pair of your breeches, a shirt, and a coat. Give me the biggest ones, pleeeaase! Hurry!”
He looked surprised but ran to gather the things.
She had to secure her funds and her husband before Thompson and Bustle-Smith could ruin her life. Much worse, they would ruin Sammy’s chances of going to Eton. They would have come to England for nothing. They would have to move and start over. Again.
Half an hour later, she found herself in front of the store. She stepped under the shadow of the deep hanging awning and glanced at the heavy door with the half-circle Cathedral window atop. Taking a deep inhale, she gathered all her courage, and stepped inside.
CHAPTER36
Little bells over the door tinkled as the door closed behind Rachel. The elegant shop had crystal wall sconces and dark green hues.
“Good evening, my… eh…” A thin man around her father’s age stepped toward a counter and stopped his greeting when he saw her face.
“A gutn tag,” good day, Rachel said in Yiddish.
He waved her to come closer and extended his hand to take her hesitant right hand once she reached out. “Pavel Alexander Klonimus, at your service.”
“Pavel, like Pavlos?” Rachel asked.
“Indeed. My mother was Russian, my father Greek, and so they named me Pavel after my uncle.” He smiled at her warmly. “And you are?”
“Ilan Newman’s daughter.”
“I imagined you a little more… how dare I say…” He raised his eyebrows and pointed at her breeches.
“I had to come quickly and this is my brother’s. My name is Rachel.“
“Ah…Ruchale, your Papa has told me quite a bit about you. Congratulations on your engagement.” He nodded and leaned forward on the counter. “So how can I help you? I have wedding rings right here in the—”
“No, no, not a wedding ring,” she said, her voice low. She had bartered with her father for all sorts of things countless times, but this was her first time alone.
“I’ve done some research.” She unfolded a piece of paper with notes and drawings.
“Let me see that,” Pavel said and he put on a pair of silver spectacles. “Ah, an emerald would be an excellent choice.”
He bent down and retrieved some keys from a drawer. He disappeared into a back room and returned with a velvet tray.
Rachel caught her breath when he set them down on the counter in front of her. Four rows of sparkly green stones lined the V-shaped grooves of the tray.
“Try this, dear,” Pavel said warmly as he handed Rachel a magnifier.
She had seen others use them before but had never held one in her hand. “This is a triple lens bonded together to avoid distortions, isn’t it?” she asked when she slid the lens out of its casing.
