Chapter 76

"I got it!" Mrs. Attile smugly put the golden thread, quite a big reel at that, on the counter as soon as she saw Isabelle and Jean enter the shop.

It was not easy to get it, and she owed her cousin a dinner at an expensive restaurant back in the city. However, Mrs. Attile thought it was worth the exchange. If she could make Isabelle make clothes for the shop, then there would be more benefits.

Isabelle took the reel and tried the texture of the thread; good quality and very manageable. "How much?"

"5 coins. It had to be imported from yet another city." And, because of the urgency of the order, a thread that cost less than 2 coins was inflated in such a way.

Isabelle nodded. She would not complain for the price as it must have been quite a trip for Mrs. Attile just to get the thread. "Have you bought the fabric already?" She asked Jean, who had been shocked silent by the price of the thread.

"I… I haven't..." Jean looked down, a bit ashamed. Once her husband noticed she was quite eager in doing the tablecloths, he had been gently dissuading her. Jean had a character, yet she did whatever her husband said. 

If he thought the tablecloths were not necessary, then she would start thinking so.

"If it's for tablecloths, I have these options." Mrs. Attile piped up and took the other two women to a row of different type of cotton fabrics. Isabelle immediately started checking one by one. Since she was the one embroidering, then it was better if she chose the fabric that complemented the thread.

"There are so many." Jean sighed amazed at the great variety of fabrics, their colors and textures.

The last time she was there, she had no time to look around as she was looking at the exchange between Isabelle and Mrs. Attile with a dumbfounded expression. Now, though, she realized the shop was not that small. It was even a bit bigger than Mrs. Priddy's workshop.

Jean glanced at Mrs. Attile. The middle-aged woman was not that old, but she did look older than her. Jean had not seen her before, so she must have moved to town recently. 

Jean was not unaware that soldiers from the military post rotated. So, it was common to see people coming from cities or other towns and stay in Basin Town for as long as the service lasted. Some could last months, some lasted years.

For Mrs. Attile to even set a business, it meant she was staying for quite some time in town.

"I think this one is perfect." Isabelle finally picked a fabric. "How much is the yard of this one?"

"7 dimes." Mrs. Attile replied.

Isabelle pondered, trying to remember how big the tables at the restaurant were so she could decide how much she should buy. But, she remembered something. She turned to look at Jean. "How many yards are you buying? How much is the budget?" 

"Budget...? Oh! Well, I have 30 coins. That's only for the materials." Since the thread was 5 coins, then, they could buy as many yards of fabric as necessary.

"I think ten yards are more than enough. The remaining fabric could be used for something else." Isabelle said. Mrs. Attile nodded and started measuring the ten yards to cut them.

"So, have you thought of my proposal?" Mrs. Attile asked as she measured.

"I cannot afford that fabric for my wedding dress." Isabelle directly went to the point. "So, I will not make my dress with that fabric."

She had made some numbers, even taking into account the money she could earn embroidering. The result was that even if she worked like crazy in a couple of weeks and saved the money (or how amazing her wedding dress would have ended up), she could not afford the fabric. 

Not when she was also planning to buy fabric for the brothers' suits.

"That's too bad..." Mrs. Attile sighed.

"I did embroider a dress from the Commissioner's daughter, so I might know her measures. I could perfectly make one with that fabric for her." Isabelle hinted.

The shop owner's eyes shone. "I cannot simply claim I made a dress for her. They would think I am doing it to get ground for my husband." She pondered.

"If you are willing to take a loss, then the dress could be given as a gift. Not aim for the spoiled girl, but for the other ladies." Isabelle commented.

Mrs. Attile cut the fabric and analyzed the proposal. She could give the dress as a gift, yet there were not many young ladies in the town's elite that was going to get married, most were already someone's wife.

"The wedding dress can be the spring board. There are also all sort of parties in town, I guess." Seeing the middle-aged woman doubt, Isabelle angled the idea differently. 

"I'm not aware when the girl will marry. If anything, the dress should be ready as soon as possible." With those words, Mrs. Attile had implicitly accepted Isabelle's idea.

"I already have a line of orders. Tablecloths for a restaurant, a wedding dress, four suits… I can start making it in a month." Sewing was fun for Isabelle, it was her job basically. But, she also had to start setting an order for each commission. 

Mrs. Attile tapped her polished nail on the table. "I will ask around for the wedding date. They have just announced their engagement, the wedding could be done at any time now. If the dress is not possible, I can also get invited and flaunt a nice dress."

Isabelle rose an eyebrow at those brows. If Mrs. Attile didn't mind standing out more than the bride, then it meant she was no joke, and that her position in town was not as low as she portrayed herself. Isabelle thought involving herself with Mrs. Attile might be good or bad.

However, that could only be seen in the future. 

For the time being, she would take small steps and not dip her feet into muddy water that might affect her and the brothers, her future husbands.

Once the fabric for the tablecloths was bought. Isabelle started searching for fabric for their wedding ceremony. Since the new fabric, Charmeuse, could not be used, she went for her previous first pick: Sateen.

Five yards of white Sateen, two yards of red Organdy, twelve yards of black, four yards of white and five yards of red Worsted Wool. This Worsted Wool was the best fabric Mrs. Attile had for men's clothes. It was not as expensive as Charmeuse, that was for sure. So, Isabelle wanted it.

However...

47 coins and 1 dime.

She could not buy everything. 

After that day's expenses, she was only left with 28 coins. At most, she could buy only the fabric for her dress. That would only cost her 15 coins and 6 dimes. Though that did not set well with her.

"Buy it." Lucas once again came to her rescue.

"Huh?" Isabelle, who had forgotten he was there, with how silent he had been the whole time, dumbly looked at him.

"Buy the fabric for your dress." Lucas said. 

"But..." Whatever she was about to say was stopped by his gaze. They could always get more money in the future for their suits, that's what his gaze said. That also reminded her that she needed to buy the fabric for the handbags. 

Two yards of light brown broadcloth, five yards of Poplin of different colors. 

4 coins and 4 dimes added to the 15 coins and 6 dimes. 

Just in fabric, she spent 20 coins. 

At least, she could earn some money back with the handbags, so she didn't feel too bad for spending 40 coins in one day. There was no regret.

"I will have the tablecloths within the week. I still have to make the handbags." Isabelle told Jean as soon as all the purchases were made and they were making their way to the restaurant to drop Jean.

Jean did not reply. Isabelle looked back at the woman who was dazed. 

Jean had just spent 12 coins in materials for things she was still not sure off. It must be said that Mr. Dodds persuasion had worked wonders. 

"If you are still not sure about it, we can always sell them to another person. Each can get half of the earnings." Aware of Jean's internal turmoil, Isabelle gently suggested another option. "Or, wait for them to be done. If you still do not want to use them at the restaurant, or sell them, keep them."

Jean nodded. "Thanks." She knew being indecisive would not help. 

She had promised herself she would come up with an amazing idea for the event, yet there she was, backing down after a few words her husband had said. She knew he was trying to dissuade her. She had thought she had not been affected.

The moment she saw Isabelle's direct and decisive attitude made her a bit timid. She started doubting.

Maybe she should learn from Isabelle and just do things. 

And, getting those tablecloths was the first step for that.

It was Jean's first step to getting involved in the restaurant.