Free Web NovelChapter 456: Chapter 456: Phoebe Huxley Guards the House
The first day’s results were quite good. A total of twenty-five pieces were made. Phoebe Huxley made six, Juliana Rhodes made nine, and Fiona Rhodes and Sylvia Swann each made five. Among the four, Juliana Rhodes was the most inconspicuous and didn’t talk much, but her hands were the fastest. She finished her work quietly and efficiently.
Adrian Hawthorne settled their wages that same day—sixty cents a piece. With the crisp cash in their hands, all four women were beaming. Still, they couldn’t help but feel a bit sour. Well, three of them did. Juliana Rhodes was the exception.
Phoebe Huxley and the other two were green with envy. They spent ages examining the clothes Juliana Rhodes made, trying to find fault, but they had to admit her work was fast and high-quality—no worse than their own.
Faced with such clear skill, even Phoebe Huxley’s fiery temper subsided. She secretly resolved to work harder. ’Tomorrow, I have to beat Juliana Rhodes,’ she thought. ’I’m going to be number one.’
She was always the top woman in the work brigade; she couldn’t fall behind when it came to sewing. Losing to someone from the Golding family, of all people? The shame would be unbearable.
Sylvia Swann and Fiona Rhodes naturally felt the same. They were both holding in their competitive frustration, ready to go all out the next day.
These twenty-five pieces were mostly floral dresses of three different styles, all designed by Rosalind Green. There were also some shirts made from blue and white cloth. Adrian Hawthorne was heading to Capria the next day and planned to bring the finished clothes to Winston Lowell to sell.
He had already set the price, a little cheaper than the children’s clothes at the department store. Dresses and shirts alike would be four dollars apiece. The cheapest ones at the department store were five dollars.
For the few days he would be gone, Adrian Hawthorne asked Phoebe Thorne to help supervise. Rosalind Green was too soft-tempered for the job, but Phoebe Thorne could handle it. She was trustworthy, and with Phoebe Huxley also there, nothing would go wrong.
"You just go visit your relatives. I’ll keep an eye on things for you. If anyone dares to mess around, I’ll chop ’em up!" Phoebe Huxley declared, thumping her chest in assurance.
’Troublemakers meant she couldn’t earn money, and if anyone got in the way of her fortune, she would absolutely dig up their ancestors’ graves.’
On the evening before his departure, Adrian Hawthorne came over specifically to ask. Phoebe Huxley agreed without a second thought. Phoebe Thorne, of course, had no problem with it either. She had cut the fabric for fifteen pieces the day before and earned a dollar fifty.
"You’re going so far all by yourself? Why don’t you let Goldie go with you?" Phoebe Thorne asked, a little worried.
’Adrian Hawthorne was still just a boy, only two years older than her own son. If her Gentry were to run off thousands of miles away, she would worry herself to death. Rosalind Green, as a mother, was certainly laid-back.’
"That’s right, let Goldie go with him so they can look out for each other on the road," Phoebe Huxley chimed in, also worried. ’Adrian Hawthorne has gotten taller and more handsome. What if some trafficker abducts him while he’s away?’
’Her daughter was very fond of Mr. Hawthorne and would surely be heartbroken. But most importantly, if something happened to Adrian Hawthorne, who else would lead her to riches?’
Adrian Hawthorne smiled and politely declined. "I’ll be fine on my own. I’ll be back in five days at the most. I’m sorry to trouble you two aunties to look after things while I’m gone."
’Goldie Thorne is very busy over there. Perhaps there will be a good show to watch when I get back.’
"It’s no trouble at all! And don’t worry about your mom. If anyone dares to bother her, I’ll mince them!" Phoebe Huxley declared boldly.
"Thank you, Auntie."
Adrian Hawthorne said his goodbyes and headed home. Tang Xiao’nan walked him out. When they reached the courtyard gate, Adrian tugged one of her little pigtails and asked with a smile, "What treat should I bring back for you?"
Tang Xiao’nan shook her head. She didn’t want any treats.
"Say hello to Mad Uncle for me."
’She wasn’t worried about Adrian Hawthorne’s safety. If a trafficker tried to mess with a powerhouse like him, they would meet a miserable end.’
"I’ll bring you back a Coke."
Adrian Hawthorne tugged her pigtail again and left with a laugh just before Tang Xiao’nan could roll her eyes at him. She let out an exasperated laugh herself, but inside, she was delighted. In less than half a year, so much had changed, and everything was heading in a better direction.
