Free Hope for Tomorrow by Catherine Winchester

simple,' he could hear her answer. 'If I were not this strong, like some of my siblings I would not have survived.'
    “ I miss you,” he said.
    He couldn't hear her reply.
     
    Gus entered the house in a foul mood and slammed the door behind him.
    “ Bloody Edward!” he yelled.
    Martha scooped Hope up from the floor where she was playing and went out to meet him.
    “ Hello to you too,” she smiled.
    “ 'Lo Uncle Gus.” Hope said. At just two years old she was already developing quite a vocabulary.
    “ Hello darling,” he said, holding his arms out for the girl. He held her tightly for a few moments and Martha could almost see the tension drain out of him.
    “ What's he been up to this time?” Martha asked, for complaints about Edward, his newest but best salesman, were constant.
    “ Buggered up an order again. Le Petite swears they ordered one thousand units and that's what their paperwork says, Edward's paperwork says three thousand so of course that's what we made, sent and invoiced for.”
    “ So you've got two thousand units and no buyer,” she sighed.
    “ Exactly.”
    “ Well I've already told you what I think,” she said. She thought that Edward was upping the orders to increase his commission.
    “ But his commission is always docked when it comes to light,” Gus argued as he settled in his chair by the fire and took the drink Martha handed him. She sat in the chair next to him while Hope settled on the carpet and began building her wooden block tower again.
    “ He must have some kind of problem,” Martha said. “A gambling problem or a drink habit or even a mistress and when he needs cash, he invents these massive orders to get the commission. You've got what, nearly ten thousand items now that you can't sell?”
    “ We sold a few thousand to other vendors at cost price.”
    “ But that means that you aren't making a profit on those units and the stores who bought them will order less frequently,” she said.
    “ Have you got a better idea?” he asked. “They're just taking up space in the warehouse so it's better to make something back from them.
    “ Actually I do have a better idea. First, fire Edward. I know he's your best salesman but he's also costing you money now with these over-orders.”
    Gus usually argued with her but this time he just nodded. He was quickly reaching the same conclusion himself.
    “ And second?” he asked,
    “ Second, start your own shop. Aldercott is a respected name and you could open one or two flagship stores. It would increase the volume you sell and give you an outlet for this additional stock that you have.”
    “ But shops?” he asked. “I've never done retail before.”
    “ I know but I think it's worth looking into. You wouldn't need a large unit, you should keep it small and classy; exclusive. Plus I'm certain that you could get some customer orders that way, special pieces made to order for select clients. Not only would it boost your image, it would make your gloves even more desirable. Imagine if you could get a commission from an aristocrat, a politician or a wealthy businessman? Just think how your gloves would become the topic of conversation in every drawing room in Penchester!”
    “ You've given this a lot of thought,” he said, eyeing her over the rim of his glass.
    “ I have. In fact I read in the paper today that the Duke of Wessex is coming to Penchester this winter and planning a large Christmas ball. Imagine if you made a gift of two such pairs of custom made gloves to the Duke and Duchess, you'd be the talk of the whole county, maybe even the whole country!”
    The Duke and Duchess were perfect since the Duke was aristocracy but his wife was from a very wealthy family and so they combined the best of both worlds; social validation from him and access to other wealthy families through her connections.
    Gus didn't comment any further but Martha was used to his ways by now; it meant that he was thinking it over and would bring it