“The proof?”
“Yes, where’s the proof?” Nils folded his arms.
“Do I really need to say it out loud? We all know the Finns can’t handle alcohol. It was a mistake on your part, Nils, both to employ Finns in the first place and then to leave something like spirit vinegar out for the taking. They get desperate when they don’t have any money.”
Tuula had to make a real effort not to laugh. The idea that she and Aino would want to get drunk on spirit vinegar—she’d never heard anything so ridiculous. But she managed to restrain herself; if she so much as smiled right now, it wouldn’t go down well.
“That’s just plain old prejudice. Has anyone here seen Tuula or Aino stealing?” Lydia looked around the bakery.
“Enough!” Karl roared. “This is my decision, and I won’t tolerate anyone contradicting me!”
“I’m just asking, has anyone seen either of them stealing?” Lydia faced down the bakers, the packers, and the drivers. No one said a word.
“Lydia, you don’t have to ...,” Tuula whispered.
“Enough, I said!” Karl’s face had reddened with fury. “Or I might decide to let a few more people go!”
Aino took a deep breath. “You know what,herrEklund? No one else needs to go.” She took off her cap and headed for the changing room. “We’re done here. Tuula and I will pick up our things and leave.”
Tuula followed her friend.
“Wait. Please. Aino. Tuula.” Nils was coming after them, but Tuula didn’t turn around, didn’t stop. She had no desire to make a scene—for his sake.
When they emerged from the changing room a few minutes later, Karl Eklund had left. The others were working away in silence as Tuula and Aino walked through the bakery and the packing room.
Lydia was swearing to herself as she slammed the loaves into boxes. “He won’t get away with this,” she muttered when she saw Tuula and Aino.
Tuula heard footsteps. Nils. She turned to face him.
“Tuula, Aino—I’ll speak to my father. I won’t allow this.”
Tuula shook her head. “We can talk later. Go and reassure everyone else—they’re bound to be worried after what just happened. Look after them—Aino and I will be fine.”
Nils looked devastated. “I had no idea this was going to happen.”
“I know that.” Tuula gave him a warm smile.
Nils glanced around, then moved closer to her. He placed both hands on her shoulders. “I know what you’re planning to do. And I’m coming with you. I can’t stay here under my father’s dictatorship.”
She took a deep breath. Looked at Aino, who was waiting by the door.
“Come over this evening,” she murmured.
38
“SkåltoLet’s Get Baking!” Elnaz held out her glass of cava toward Nora, who leaned forward and clinked her glass against Elnaz’s. She reached up to touch her hair, which was still warm from the stylist’s efforts.
“No no no—don’t touch! You’ll spoil it. We need some spray, I think.” The young woman who had done Nora’s hair grabbed a can and enveloped Nora in a fragrant cloud. Nora coughed. Elnaz had suggested they should go to the salon for a blow-dry, because it was more festive than trying to do their own hair in the middle of all the hectic preparations for the press launch. Sara would pick out their clothes and do their makeup.
“Top-up?” The stylist held up the bottle of cava and smiled.
“Not for me, thanks.” Nora didn’t want to take any risks before the launch; she had drunk just enough to keep her nerves in check. Although she might need a whole bottle before her conversation with Henrik.
She had remained undecided about whether to talk to him until the very last minute. They hadn’t been in touch since their walk through town after the gingerbread competition, but he had been on her mind the whole time.
She owed him an explanation, because what she had said wasn’t true. What they had wasn’t a one-off fling.
And now she was sitting here in Stockholm with a glass of fizzy, ice-cold cava and freshly styled hair, ready for the press launch. Afterthat she hoped to get some time alone with Henrik and ask for a second chance.
