Free Web NovelChapter 450: Chapter 450: Preparing to Go to Capria Again
Adrian Hawthorne planned to go alone this time. He had more capital on hand now, so he could wholesale ten bags of fabric at once. This way, he could have Mad Lord ship it by the railcar load, so he wouldn’t have to carry it himself.
But he still had to go in person. Mad Lord’s inventory turned over quickly, and new goods often came in. He had to go there to see them before he could make his selections. It was just a shame that the trains were so slow these days; the journey would take several days.
Winston Lowell hesitated for a moment before asking tentatively, "Do you want me to come along and help carry the goods?"
"No need. I can handle it myself."
Adrian Hawthorne refused. He wasn’t going to let Winston Lowell know his sourcing channel. One could never be too careful. He could trust Goldie Thorne and his nephew because of Tang Xiaopang, but he had always been wary of Winston Lowell.
Winston Lowell smiled and didn’t press the issue.
He had only asked casually, anyway. He hadn’t thought about striking out on his own yet. For one, he didn’t have enough capital. For another, he knew his own limits—his eye for products and his abilities couldn’t compare to Adrian Hawthorne’s. It was better for him to just work for someone else. The pay was good, and he didn’t have to worry about a thing. It was a pretty good deal.
"Boss, what should we do with these fabric scraps? Someone offered to buy them for fifty cents a jin, but I think it’s a real shame to sell them for that."
Winston Lowell changed the subject. They had sold almost all of the whole cloth, but there were still a lot of scraps left over—a whole large bag full.
"I have a use for them. Don’t worry about it."
Adrian Hawthorne decided to take them home and have Rosalind Green try making some children’s clothes. Then he could see if they would sell. If it worked out, he would have discovered another way to make money.
He settled Winston Lowell’s wages, then headed home with the scraps and the account book. Once he had everything arranged at home, he would leave for Capria.
It was still early when he got home. Rosalind Green was wiping the table. When she saw the fabric scraps, she just sized them up briefly and said, "These can be pieced together to make clothes. It’ll just be a bit of a hassle."
Adrian Hawthorne’s eyes lit up. ’As long as it can be done, that’s what matters.’ Rosalind Green was very skilled at needlework; she could definitely make beautiful clothes. But then a practical problem occurred to him: they didn’t have a sewing machine at home. He hadn’t thought of that before. Sewing by hand would be too slow.
Rosalind Green sensed Adrian Hawthorne’s delight and felt happy as well. ’I can finally help my son with something!’ So she volunteered, "How about... I give it a try?"
"We don’t have a sewing machine at home. I’ll find someone else," Adrian Hawthorne said, shaking his head.
Rosalind Green felt a pang of disappointment. She really wanted to help her son, but he was too independent; there was nothing she could do for him. Now she finally had a chance, but they didn’t have a sewing machine. ’Am I really going to be a useless burden for the rest of my life?’
"Mr. Hawthorne, Aunt Green..."
Tang Xiaonan came skipping in with Amanda Chapman. Amanda was all dressed up today in a brand-new floral dress. The skirt was a bit full, like a tutu, which was perfect for a little girl and looked especially pretty.
"My mom made amaranth pancakes."
Tang Xiaonan placed the basket on the table. Inside were the amaranth pancakes made by Phoebe Huxley. The red amaranth was growing exceptionally well right now, so much so that they couldn’t eat it all. The people of Millstone Peak would make amaranth pancakes after the Start of Summer. You just mix flour and eggs, chop the amaranth into small pieces, add water to make a batter, and then pan-fry it into a pancake. It was simple to make, but it tasted great and had a beautiful color. Tang Xiaonan loved them.
"Please thank your mother for me."
Rosalind Green accepted the basket. Adrian Hawthorne wasn’t fond of flour-based foods, but she and Old Master Tate both loved them. She took out some sesame balls from the cupboard for Tang Xiaonan and Amanda Chapman to eat.
"Amanda, your dress is so pretty. Did your mother make it?" Rosalind Green asked.
