Lottie's eyes ran over the high wooden shelves segmented into individual cubbies. Each cubbie held new clothes piled in neat stacks. Towards the back of the shop, another assistant was wordlessly refilling a cubbie with new items of clothing. There were also large bolts of fabric in a corner, presumably for those ladies who could afford to have clothes made to the latest styles. All of this created a pleasing riot of colour and pattern that was fun to look at. Anne returned to Lottie's side. Without thinking, the older woman reached out and gently squeezed Anne's furthest shoulder in support.